After sitting behind a desk for far too long, it was time to get back on the bike. This time, to AfrikaBike at Le Grand George (then entrance is directly opposite the entry to the estate). As noted in this earlier blogpost, there is free entry to the public today, as well as tomorrow. I had a good chat with Fred Lingenfelder, one of the brains behind the operation. Though there are just 3 trails open at the moment (they have done all of the work in the last 6 weeks - no small feat!), they have big plans for the future, including a clubhouse, restaurant, bike rentals and storage - as well as several serious races scheduled for May 2015.
They have a small kiosk at the moment and will set up a big bonfire and braai this evening (no alcohol, as no licence yet), and if you're looking for some fun, they have an Eliminator Race that from 5 - 7 p.m., with the 60 best times qualifying for the night race that will start around 7 or 7:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, Fred is anxious to get tires on the ground - they need riders, so if you're interested why not drop by and check them out.
Incidentally, Fred tells me they plan to charge R30 for adults and R10 for pensioners and 12-and-unders, but will also be looking at seasons passes, etc. Their website has recently been updated, so you'll find more info at www.afrikabike.com
They have a small kiosk at the moment and will set up a big bonfire and braai this evening (no alcohol, as no licence yet), and if you're looking for some fun, they have an Eliminator Race that from 5 - 7 p.m., with the 60 best times qualifying for the night race that will start around 7 or 7:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, Fred is anxious to get tires on the ground - they need riders, so if you're interested why not drop by and check them out.
Incidentally, Fred tells me they plan to charge R30 for adults and R10 for pensioners and 12-and-unders, but will also be looking at seasons passes, etc. Their website has recently been updated, so you'll find more info at www.afrikabike.com
Fred Lingenfelder (on the right) with a scale model showing the existing and planned trails at AfrikaBike
Close-up view of the scale model with the planned trails
Fred tracked the 3 open trails with his Garmin and has printed out the details including distance, elevation gain and maximum grade
I tracked each of the 3 trails on Sports-Tracker - click on the image for the workout details (elevation gain, etc.). Both the Pink route and the Blue route are suitable for families/youngsters - the Blue is certainly more fun. The Red Cross-country route has was great for the first bit, dipping into the forest, but then there were some challenging uphill sections, including a few areas that weren't quite clear whether they were open or not. Nothing technical on any of the routes.
The Pink Route
The Blue Route
The Red Route
