Cape Epic Stage 3 – Villiersdorp to Greyton
I can safely say that CamelToe’s valley training sessions (the ones with much bundu bashing) were not done in vain because today we had a MOTHER of a Hike-and-Bike section, about 7 km in total. Although it was hard, we felt quite at home with the bike pushing thing – it was just like a CamelToe bundu bashing valley ride, just on a bigger scale. The path up the mountain was rocky and loose and some parts were so steep that people just had to stop and catch their breath before taking on the 90 degree pushing position again. A couple of areas were rideable but totally energy sapping as they were rocky and dotted with fynbos however these sections provided a lot of entertainment. Some riders would try cleat in, then loose momentum, fall and then swear at their bikes, “Faaak, Faaaak, Faaaaak”. We heard one rider expressing his discontent by cursing the Fynbos which sent CamelToe and I into hysterics, “Fok die Fynbos man, fok it!” Another rider took his frustrations out on a rock when his foot slipped “Agh mother, your mothers mother!” (now imagine that in a Cape Coloured accent..beaut!) Occasionally I would also see blood stains on rocks were people had fallen..not pretty.
One thing is for sure though, whenever you think you are at the top of the hill, you are not. No, nee, no-no, there is always another hill, they somehow just appear, out of nowhere, like a David Copperfield stunt, except these hills are no illusion, they just leave you gobsmacked. If you are brave enough to peer into the distance you can often see cyclists dotted along the hillside and you just know what you are in for, the Afrikaners call it a “groot afkak”. There is no hill that can scare us now. The whole way up the mountain, I had the German song in my head which they play at the start line every morning – “Putt youa handz up in za air, putt youa handz up in zee air”. It got quite monotonous after a while because that’s the only line I know. But man its an awesome tune!
And, there was the finish anouncer, Mike Mike, a famous German announcer who usually comentates at far larger events, one being the olympics. He has a strong german accent and announces the arrival of each team: “Ant hea vee hav zee hungee and bumm und zee Camml and zee toe, vot is zis sing zee camml toe?”
Todays stage took us 6 hours, the shortest of the stages thus far. Lots of fun..
Time for bed..
Hike and Bike.
Hills keep comin’.
The best part of the day.
It’s dusty and dry around here!
Cyclists dotted at the top of the hill…
