Stage One Cape Epic

Stage One ABSA Cape Epic!!
Km: 101
M: 2700
Time: 6 h 30min
Quote of the day: “Chris my butt feels great (30km into the ride”... this would soon change!!)

Knysna – Uniondale (middle of no where!)

Well well they said that this race was going to work us and break us, so far they aren’t far wrong! The first three days are supposed to be the toughest, survive them and you should be fine (don’t quote me on that though) we so far so good! But not without incident!

The first half of the route was so cool as we wound our way through the forest with the odd clearing revealing some of the most amazing views imaginable! At the 70km mark the cool shade of the forests were a thing of the past and a taste of the little Karoo hit us full on with an impressive 14km pass! Nice Mr Bain very impressive! I would love to know how long it took an ox wagon to ascend this engineering master piece! Chris and I took our time and tried all the tricks in the book to keep our mind off the road ahead which disappeared up, up into the distance!

We eventually reached the summit after a couple of scenic stops to stretch our muscles! The butt factor is still a concern and it’s incredible what a 2 min stop makes! The thought of our LPG treatments kept us going!

Jigs and Andrew were waiting patiently at the 90km mark with some much needed sustenance! It is essential that you keep taking in food and fluids and a solid sandwich is the business, energy bars and high sugar food can only keep you going for so long!

The final 11km were no cruise, a 250m rocky climb kept us on our toes and the sight of the race village once at the top was a very welcome sight!! The decent down into Uniondale was almost as tiring! One thing you really look forward to after you struggle up the hill is a bit of fun well well Dr Evil (race route marker) had different ideas! Then again I don’t think he had any other options!

All I could think of on the way down towards our support team, fresh clothes, LPG treatments, cold drinks it that the little Karoo is going to be an intense experience! The lack of trees, gravel roads etc are going to test us!!

Chris’ five cents worth....

Well... day one down and the body is feeling it a bit!!! I thought I might just have to make a few comments regarding Richard’s commentary on the first day of this amazing race. He definitely was not far off describing the first 30 or so k’s, I didn’t realize the beauty hidden within the hills between knysna and Uniondale.

As for the little hill we went up courtesy of Mr Thomas Bain, it was definitely very challenging, 14km of climbing of road is no easy task and Richard’s strength and positive attitude definitely helped me up the last the last five k’s. After the decent and a welcome water stop, Dr evil’s final twist in the tail (a little understated by rich) really tested our stamina and many riders around us soon lost their sense of humour after the fifth or sixth bend in the “final” climb!!!! After eventually cresting the summit we could see the finish and I felt like a horse heading for home!!!

All in all it’s been a great day... see you same place, same time, tomorrow!

Bring on Day 2!!