Head for the hills
Written by Leana de JagerFor the past 6 years the much feared Attakwas Extreme 121 km Mountain Bike Challenge takes place within the first few weeks of January. There is definitely a reason that this route, designed by the infamous oom Katot Meyer from Oudsthoorn, is called the toughest one day race in South Africa. Many a mountain biker has a war story to tell and associated scars to show after they have crossed (or not crossed) the finish line after 5 to 11 hours of riding. The race started in Oudsthoorn and ended at the beautiful Pine Creek holiday resort at Groot Brak River. Between these two points lies what is called the Attakwas - 121 km of bitter Sweet Mountain biking with a total of 2900m of climbing.
The race took off at Chandelier Game and Ostrich Show farm. Fortunately the weather was fair with no typical to this time of year Karoo heat. The route followed Chandelier’s legendary jeep track for the first 10 km - a fast and dusty road snaking to the left and right and went mostly up. When the road eventually turned down some treacherous ant holes surprised quite a few riders. This included the guy in front of me whose front wheel got stuck and he went flying a meter or more over his handlebars.
The Klein Karoo might look flat and smooth from a car window but on a mountain bike the terrain becomes hilly and rough. Terrain that is ungracious towards even the toughest of tyres and one quickly started to pass rider after rider who stopped to fix a puncture or two or three.
After the first water point a steep rocky ascent led us to probably the most scenic section of riding through proteas, waboom and other fynbos into the Doringvier Nature Reserve. After a bit of bumpy riding an even steeper monstrous climb took us into the awe inspiring Attakwas kloof. It is said that oom Katot has been walking, crawling and driving (note however - never mountain biking) these valleys when he designed the route. After about two more similar climbs it became rather obvious that oom Katot is a keen hiker. On this note: please don’t wear your new cycling shoes that you got for Christmas on the Atta.
The highest point marked the halfway mark however from where a steep, loose, rocky and technical descent took us into Bonniedale. For some who still had an appetite by then Bonniedale was also the place where you got a welcoming Spur burger at the water point, a little bike wash and new Squirt lube on your chain. All this servicing made one rather suspicious of what was to come.
And rightly so. The last 50 km of the race consisted of open gravel roads through pine forest and farmlands towards Groot Brak. For some of the too fast starters this was the part marked with cramping and ceasing of muscles. For others the fast open roads with unrelenting climbs wakened a second breath. Former of latter didn’t mind as for most of us the pain was soon forgotten with the glimpse of the ocean and fast downhill towards the finish. Afterwards I am always overwhelmed by the privilege to participate in endurance events like these. Words will never do justice to the thrill of hard work and pain and beauty and reward that one gain.
Thank you team Bizhub-FCF for the opportunity once again. Praise to every participant who took the courage and stepped out of their comfort zones so early in 2012!
For more information go to www.dryland.co.za