Di Carolin and Robbie Powell are riding the spectacular iSimangaliso MTB stage race for Full Sus. Follow her progress on Twitter: @di_carolin, read her daily reports here, or visit www.isimangaliso-mtb.co.za to find out more about the race.
Stage 1
With the St Lucia Wetlands being a world heritage site it has always been an interest to me and so when I heard about the iSimangaliso MTB race I just had to do it.
Thanks to Full Sus and the organisers my wish came true.
At registration we soon knew we’d be in for a unique experience as the race organisers held a dangerous animals briefing. Needless to say we were prepared to put on the gas at the slightest rustle of a leaf and always very aware of our surroundings while riding.
Once everyone had got their trackers, for in case you got lost, we set out at a good pace. Robbie and I managed to stay with the front bunch for the first 20 minutes. We then settled into our own pace through the grassy muddy wetlands. Even though the route was pretty flat you had to work hard though the mud puddles and the grassy trails. The wind also added a little sting. The scenery was beautiful and a mix of grasslands and thick bush. The climb of the day was up a newly cemented road which made it a pleasure then we shot along some nice fast undulating gravel road chasing the teams ahead of us. Then off into the bush again and as we came down one of the trails there in front of us was the biggest male Kudu I have ever seen. He was spectacular and just stood there staring at us. Robbie had to chase him off so we didn’t ride into him. Next obstacle was a big style we had to climb up and over to get across a fence line and then we were off again back towards the town. We hit the tar went straight past our guest house and then a short but through the bushy trails again and onto the road back to the Sugarloaf Camp site where we started. It was short but good morning out in the wetlands and we were happy to be the first mixed team back. I can’t wait to see what Stage 2 holds.
Stage 2
Day two was an early start as we were moving camp and had to drop bags and cars by 6 am!
After a bowl of oats and a cup of tea it was go time. We had a neutral zone out of St Lucia until the Dukuduku gate and then we all took off into the wind along the grassy plains. We soon settled into a bunch of about 5 teams and that’s pretty much who we stayed with the whole day. It really was great having a group of guys to chatter with and help boost moral when the going got tough. Which it did!
The long flat stretches along the pans in sand and bumpy grass were taxing to say the least. But the sight of hippo spoor and big cat prints in the sand was pretty exciting. At one stage a heard of buffalo ran out across our path which woke us all up a bit. Everyone was a bit skittish for a while after that. Then we passed a pool with a couple of hippo wallowing in it and off we went back into the bush again. At last, via some tricky singletrack along some water, we reached water point 3. It was a sight for sore eyes. Then the gradient started climbing ever so slightly through the trees and poor Robbie back decided it had had enough and began to cramp. So we dropped back from the bunch and took it slow for a while. Not long afterwards we found all the guys standing in the road looking lost. There was a distinct lack of route markers at a split in the road and we went about 2km’s looking for the way and finally pressed our emergency buttons on the trackers in desperation.
It wasn’t long before a game ranger appeared and pointed us in the right direction. Then there was a fun stretch of singletrack and a bridge crossing and there was the finish a sight for sore eyes . What a welcome sight it was and bonus… There was a pool to jump into, hot showers and cold drinks!
We still hold our lead even after our little detour.
It’s feet up now and recover for 95kms on Stage 3!
To view all the photos from the iSimangaliso MTB like their Facebook page by clicking here.
