Out on the farm road .. A quick trip to Breedts Nek

So on Boxing Day I met up for coffee with some of the Cows doing a 85k road ride and they’ve invited me (crazy silly peeps) to join them tomorrow doing Breedts Nek.  Ummm no. Why not? Cos I've never ridden more than 5km on my MTB cos I've only had it for 10days. But I decide to check with Gerhard: have you done this? No. Ooo. Ok what do you know about it, do you think I can manage? There's a hill and yes you can. Ok, will try.
 

27 Dec: Cannot believe I’m doing this. Gulp. Met the gang at 6.30am at the Sasol garage and we followed Tessa to the Hekpoort Garage. Oh I know this place, Di and I cycled here with my new road bike about 4 years ago. Cool.  A bit of faffing about. Clinton lubes my chain.  Something I learned today.  Didn’t know that.  And off we go.  A bit of a pace is set gulp.  These guys are tired – they’ve done 80-180km within the last 3 days.  I haven’t been spinning for over a week. They are flying. I’m wondering what’s the rush.  Over bumps and rocks – oh flip.  This is more intense than BP’s Farm road. Thank goodness for sportsbras.  I’m terrified. My mouth is dry.  Can I do this?  The group is very nice – Karen, Erik, Gary, Clinton, Tessa, Daniel (who’s been warned by TG2 to look after me or else …) Mark Stacey, Paul.  Clinton takes pity on me and makes this his recovery ride and just chills at the back with me and Tessa.  The pace (lack of it) may have driven him nuts, but he didn’t show it and I think on the whole found it entertaining.  Bush Ultra City stops and no AKI’s (accidental Koek injury). 

After a while of riding and resting Daniel decides my saddle is too low which means I’m not that efficient on the bike and losing power. I hate to disillusion him – I am just slow. But he adjusts the saddle height and we set off again.  Once he’s gone around the corner I stop and lower it – just a bit, it’s still much higher than it was.  We get to the bottom of the hill.  Clinton wants to join the others on the ‘down the other side and back up section’ so he swaps my water bottles making sure I got enough and speeds off. In the blink of an eye he’s gone.  Tessa and I just amble along comfortably together.  The hill is not gentle, there are Caution signs advising motorists that the road is in bad condition. They are NOT kidding.  It’s slow going – and I very grateful that it’s an overcast day.  

We come around a corner only to find Daniel and Clinton on the side fixing a slashed tyre.  Well let me re-phrase that – Clinton is fixing, Daniel is supervising.

Clinton then has to pomp the tyre ... this becomes the norm - Clinton pomping.  LOL.  Tessa and I keep going – we alternate riding with pushing our bikes.  Have realized that for me, mountain biking is always going to be a duathlon.  Some riding. Some walking.  We reach the top.  Wow.  The view is gorgeous – in the distance you can see Buffelspoort Dam.

The gang decide they’re going down the other side and Tessa and I head down the way we’ve just come up – to get a head start on them. I picked up my first skill here (think arcade game, I should get gold coins or points) … I learnt how to stand up on the bike with my pedals at 3 and 9.  I have never been able to do this even on a road bike.  I had to, the descent was really bumpy and sore.  It was a case of necessity.

 Once at the bottom of the hill the trip back was quite fast as it was mainly a slight decline back to the car.  There and back is 50kms and with 14km to go the over achiever group fly by.  Wow.  Along this section I was quite grateful to Clinton for pushing me along.  I’d had fun, but had no idea that the ride would be this long and felt it was a bit out of my depth distance wise so was beginning to tire.  I think we all just wanted to get that beer / coffee and wanted to get back as quickly as possible.  As we hit the tar section I floored it.  I was so happy to see flat, smooth road surface.  What an awesome day.   

Can’t believe I did it – but would never have managed without Clinton’s help and encouragement. 
Thank you Clinton.