97 km; 2230 m of vertical ascent; 6:53
it was the famous nic's pass today - together with the newly-cut yankee doodle and murray's meander some of the most exquisite mountain bike tracks in the country. they also happen to go mostly downhill :)
here's the view from yankee doodle:
These trails are cut into the side of the mountains, just wide enough to fit one bicycle. Singletrack masterpieces. (yes, yes, i know it wounds soppy - how do you describe such works of art to people who hasn't ridden it?)
was really slow going, though - i need to learn how to cimb so that i can get to the juicy bits first!
there were lost of climbs today - 2200 m of it - (next year i'll train a bit more) and some downhills to match, of course!
the rocky climb to the nando's stop was hot and i was really tired there. caught sight of the tandem a few 100 metres ahead of me, and they kept me going. the water table (and glen lubing my bike) was welcome - and so was the brief bits of technical downhill-relief before the climbing would continue.
the umkomaas valley is a bit of a blur - i remember seeing cruxpearl, spinnekop, ducttape and the tandem a few times on these stretches.
here's a watercrossing at the bottom of one of these downhills
was tired when i finally got out of that climbs and to the last waterpoint. but suddenly the bike came to life again: there was some good singletrack to be had, and the bike is well trained for that.
i took my first tumble of the day when i tried to pass the broken-tandem-spectacle. on singletrack, 2 guys pusshing the tandem, and the tandem on tow behind another bike. so i decied i don't want to be there when it fall ... and passed them on singletrack, looking at the spectacle in stead of in front of me ... and then did a spectacular endo just after commenting that i don't want to be around when they fall. unfortunately bent the front shifter (the new pink one) so have only granny gear at the front at the moment.
then there was a last steep climb with lots of kids asking for their chocolates, a rocky descent, and a hot shower.
one day to go.
***
rajesh, congrats on the twins' birth - hoping that neroshni get well soon!
***
D&D, enjoy the moonlight in pareee this weekend :)
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