Burg Talk 34-2021
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In this Issue: From the Editor .................................................................. 1 2021 MTB News ........................................................................... 2 - 4 Ride Reports .................................................................... 2-4 3 BW Spring Ride .................................................................. 5 Vive le Tour & Upcomign Events ................................ 6 There are 24 days left before the Big 5 Spring Ride. This is a NOT TO BE MISSED Club event, and we are hoping to have as many BWs out in the Midlands as possible. For those who have been training hard, and for those who have not, we will be managing group sizes as well as ensuring each group has an experienced group The last official Polar Bear ride leader and back up for 2021 vehicle with support. Ensuring Rider Safety is a priority. All are welcome to join us. Please read all the details later in the BT and follow the link to book your spot. Well done to our Polar Bears who held their last official winter ride together on Thursday 26 August. Under the astute leadership of the Polar Bear King, a small strong core group have stayed committed and ridden through winter on some very cold days. A number of not so brave but enthusiastic bears have joined them for some of the rides. For those who have forgotten – the term for a group of polar bears is a Celebration, and there has been much celebrating. Thank you especially for Cornel and to CoffeeBox (Mark and Con) y… B for the much appreciated early morning coffees. Thank you to Rich, Chris, Rod, Bobby and Cornel for contributions to this issue of the BT. Stay safe & sane, owered Mustang P BURG TALK | 34-2021 Richard Krusekopf Ride Reports Saturday morning was good to ride and the C and D groups both did a tour out to Thurlow via slightly different routes though. The F group had agreed not to ride and from next weekend will be back in the safe hands of Gordon again. Thanks for standing in Jumbo. Attakwas Extreme The six local riders all finished strongly and we will be hearing more about this in next week’s BT ICE Reminder to make sure you have yours in place and on you when riding. Lights For safety, whenever on public roads. This request goes hand in hand with the above ICE message. Timber Harvesting & Fire Season Harvesting is ongoing. Please respect their trail and Chris Greene road closures during this period. Riders: Charles Hughes, Angus Macinnes, Richard K, Be on the lookout for any trail closures with regard Clive Deacon, Dylan Evans, Pierŕe vd Merwe, Chris to burning firebreaks. Be vigilant while in the forests and Greene, Dave Davie, Grant Gifford, Alison Rowland. make sure you know how to get out. Following Mark’s 1st ever fall (caused by soft earth), the firsts continue. Dylan arrived early and of concern, Club Rides Grant had an off day which I have never seen before. It The Wednesday rides will leave from X-ways at the wasn’t a first for an A Group rider to join the popular C’s SUMMER start time of 15:30. and show how slow we can be, but awesome to have This Saturday the C, D and F groups will be riding Dave on the ride. from Hilton Quarry Centre at the winter start time of It was great to have Alison back albeit not happy 7:00. The summer 6:30 starts from 4 September. Further about the Lions results. Coincidently Dylan has missed details will be found on relevant WhatsApp chats. the same number of rides. Contact me if you would like to be added to the MTB On with the ride report with the aim of all riders groups. staying together for the whole ride. Richard has mastered this and lately helped Mark achieve this easy Club Hill Climb feat. The Worlds View Hill Climb Challenge ran its course Leaving the Quarry we headed into the pleasant leafy during July. Although the challenge ended in July, the lanes of Olde Hilton, accessing Kim’s way down Hillside marked course will remain for all to ride. Road. Wet roots through this section were almost a pleasant experience compared to the dust of previous Spring Ride weeks. The rain had done a good job to quell the dust 18th Sep has been designated a suitable date for a and reduce the minors cough everyone was getting Club Spring outing. There will be two MTB rides, a 65km after the rides. and a 40km. The 65km will follow railway service roads Down Daan’s demise (he still doesn’t remember), up and gravel while the 40km loop will essentially be a the other side, past Mark’s favourite left turn, into gravel ride. If you are keen to ride, let me know. The BW Cedara like an arrow true to its mark, Richard aimed us gazebo will be set up at N2 for after ride drinks and at Heart Break Hill. The group stayed together so Pierre snacks. BURG TALK | 34-2021 could point out rescue corner (again). From here the group always separates. A clever strategy, created out of jealousy was set up to block Angus from racing to the top and winning the king of the mountain. Four abreast we held him back for forty metres, however if you have ever watched Braveheart you will know ‘aggression’ is a Scotsman’s middle name and like a bowling ball he bashed his way through our gentleman’s barrier and raced off. After that we took the goat track through to Thurlow. Dicing with Taxis across the Mpophomeni highway helps get the adrenaline pumping. Everyone masked up to pass the guard into Midmar. It was with some surprise she stayed seated in her comfortable chair and didn’t come out to great us. Alison had showed no aggression to this point so there was no need to fear us. Dave, wary of us loafing set a fast pace that had the Zebra’s panicking. There were just enough Arriving at the Quarry to find Mark was waiting to see if left for Alison to get some photo’s. The Selfie shot (more we had brought his wife back in one piece. training from Andre needed) carefully blocked out our Distance 50km, Elevation 714m, Time 3hrs, Calories leader-Richard, Clive and Dylan. I never heard what they 1480. Join the D group if you want to do more than this. had said about Mark being too soft to ride with a Moonboot. It is no co-incidence that the flowers of Namaqualand are blooming, and our normal leader is absent for the flowering period. How does a macho leader tell his group he wants to have a break to go and look at some flowers? (There must be a joke in that) Climbing up to the start of the Serengeti loop we passed some twitchers watching crowned cranes. At the top the writer briefly stopped to take photos for the D Group. The C group took no notice of this courteous gesture and in no time had completed the Serengeti Loup without the writer. Notwithstanding the writer had to make up a story about his absence and was forgiven with no sarcastic comments or retribution. Clearly, it should be asked ‘does Richard need a lesson from Mark on how to keep the group together’. We left Midmar to its beautiful setting and headed home back the route we came, Charles and Clive showing strong fitness. They had both missed a few rides and clearly had fitted in some extra training to stay Rod Blake with the group. (Rumour has it Richard is setting up the Same ride as C group – just 2kms further! Worlds view circuit as qualification criteria for C group Lesley, Andy, Ritchie E, Liz Burdac and myself rode. rides) Stats 52km avg 15.5km After Cedara we rode back on the loop above the No technicals, no wipe outs, even though we did a Vlei into Mallory rd. Grant pointed out that all the roads longer distance and everybody enjoyed the ride, in this area have something to do with Mount Everest. although a bit out of the comfort zone for a few but no pain no gain. BURG TALK | 34-2021 attended to. Tony had to return home early so Cornel and BN ventured on to the end of the Dargle Rd. BN offered to take the final photo on the Umgeni Bridge but Cornel decided that, after viewing the photo, BN didn’t have the height to include a view of the river so he, very tactfully suggested that they try a selfie, taken by him. [I guess that’s the long and the short of it. Cornel’s arms have been likened to God’s Selfie Sticks. Mostly by Him. Assuming His Selfie Sticks be pale and crooked, with lecherous paws at both ends.] Bobby Nefdt (and a PB friend) Ride specs: Distance: 115,7 km; Ave Speed: 23,1 km/h; Elev Gain: 2 147 m; Time: 5:00:25 The PB’s were a little thin on the ground this Saturday with only Tony and Cornel leaving from the Coffeebox at 05:30, meeting up After that brief stop we headed back for home, with Wynand at Crossways and BN, who rode in from meeting up with Wynand whose bike had been sorted. Howick, just before Rotunda. The temperature was fairly [We also saw many other Burg Wheelers along the mild, dropping briefly to 4°C near Cedara, but rising to taxing Dargle Road]. a comfortable 18°C. The route was to be from Preparation for the Big Five Spring Ride is looking Coffeebox, through Hilton, past Piggly Wiggly, turning good.