Race Report: Bonamanzi Adventure challenge: 14-15 Nov 09

(PS: get some coffee)

Bonamanzi Adventure challenge: 14-15 Nov 09

So the Lickety Split team set their minds and diaries on the Bonamanzi adventure challenge about 2 months ago. (Un)Fortunately 5 out of 6 in the team have computer bound professions, which meant that at least 10 emails were flying around per day discussing topics such as Con's Bolognaise, First Aid Kit, Parmesan, Garlic Prego Rolls, Instant Latte Sachets, weather forecasts and to how we would split the team in 2: the tortoises & hares. Nando, Con & Adri as hares and William, Mike & Sue as the tortoises. Con and William would be the navigators for the 2 teams.

So William set us up with our own team blog http://teamlicketysplit.blogspot.com/ which was slowly being filled with reports from the Capestorm Rogaine, 'not cake' recipes & trailrun photographs and our usual Dark & Dirty MTB indulgence on a Thu eve. I think the blog got the excitement going for the Bonamanzi and provided much entertainment for the team itself when reading each other's profiles. Funny how some bits of rather important info gets shared only when the right question is asked.








From left: Con, William, Nando, Mike, Sue & Adri

Race disciplines for the Bonamanzi would be;
• Various trail running and hiking events, total 20 km
• Mountain biking will be broken up in various events totalling (60km)
• Tubing (tubes will be provided) 8 km
• Rope Work – Facilitators to assist racers. Two 30 m Abseils, a 30m Rock Climb, A High Rope Course, and various events at the High Rope Course .
• Obstacle Course
• Basic Navigation on all events .

So during the week we were borrowing lifejackets, collecting maps and printing out the surrounds of the Bonamanzi Lodge from Google Earth. Wimpie's (race organiser) statement on the website : "Please note that this race will not be cancelled due to weather." meant only fuel on our excitement fires and extra weight in our backpacks.

Friday afternoon we left early and drove through Pretoria before we take out the garlic prego's, then Witbank, Middelburg, R552 to Stofberg and now descending into the valleys of Roossenekal, Hartelus & Tonteldoos and the Steelpoortriver Valley. Bonamanzi Lodge lies on one of the snaking bends of the Steelpoort river overlooking bellowing mountains of perfectly green & lush bushes. We were now not only excited by the poetic surroundings, but also scared because we knew these valleys, kloofs & hills will be our playground the next day.
The Lickety Split hares were first to arrive at the lodge, sign in, get our room key and start repacking gear & setting up bikes. The others soon arrived and the spirits are now twice as high. Con's legendary Bolognaise, now with penne, is sizzling on the gas stove as we overlook the river and make smallish talk with the other teams in the rooms next to us.

What an eclectic bunch of people: these adventure racers. Young, old, skinny, chubby-ish, tattooed, not-tatooed, rich, making-it, married, taken, single, teachers, students, doctors, designers, geeks, CA's.. and the others. (I am yet to write something on this sub-culture called Adventure Racing). No garlic, no spices in the Bolognaise for William's stomach, but the rest of us jump right into the Parmesan.
9 o'clock comes and we head toward the dining room for the race briefing; all kitted out in our sponsored first accent tops. Now really looking the part. About 20 teams in the room and Wimpie welcomes everyone & the gives us an intro of what the next day will look like. It was not until the race briefing that we heard no navigation or maps are required. Apparently because of the many mamba's they have in the lush bushveld. Roads are obvious and in some places minimum bunting was used to mark the route. So our patronising maps, slowly made their way out of sight and we were asking ourselves how much of an adventure can it be without navigation? Race starts at 4am for the first 30km cycle. Followed by 20km hike, 30m abseil, 5km hike, 5km tubing, 1km hike, obstacle course, and then the last cycle of just under 20kms to make the total race distance about 80kms. This is Bonamanzi's first adventure race and they welcome our feedback afterwards.

By now the clouds closed and pushing against the mountains, we get some lightning & rain. Every little drop adding to the adventure scale. Saturday's adventure will not be determined by navigation necessarily, but definitely by the weather and terrain.

Repacking again and we get less than 4hrs interrupted sleep due to the thunder and mozzies. Up at 3 we are greeted with a drizzling rain that asks for wet-gear. Jacob's Latte, bananas, instant oats and rusks and body-glide fill the morning air before we head for the main gate to start. The start happens immediately and we head up on the dirt road rolling up the hills of the valley. Steep hills and many of them. Not long before people stop to take off jackets. Another couple of steeper hills and I get of to hike-my-bike at the same speed as some that were using their grannies. At the top of the hill the other 2 hares are waiting for me and politely ask if they should tow me. Sure, please! Nando now taking off the burning edge from my thighs and I can actually move. At the top, the rain seizes and terrain flattens out for a nice fast cycle on the dirt road. The cloud of mist only revealing about 150m radius of the morning to us. Another couple of kms and we witnessing the last of the mist creeping up the hills. We soon find the board with an arrow to the right. Following short path next to the road and then right again next to the railway tracks. This service road must've had at least 3 days worth of rain as everyone was quickly out of their saddles and tasting the dirt. We made our way through this muddy section juggling between the island of grass between on the middle of the track and the rocky sides of the railway, stopping to release the front v-break on my bike as the clogging mud made it very difficult to keep up. Con's tyres collecting so much mud he is peddling 2 chocolate donuts. Small downhill and we come across others that are giving their bikes a quick rinse in the stream at the bottom. With the chocolate gone, it was only another kilometre before we transition on a bridge.

Dropping the bikes, filling up on water and start the second leg: 20km run/hike towards the abseil. A couple of pit-stops along the dirt road, Con realising his shorts are the wrong way round, we cross smaller streams, walk the uphills, greet the locals, pass some of the other teams as they are changing socks. About 12km before we get to a long downhill with a checkpoint & photographer at the bottom. We spot some teams in the camp on the left going up again. Get to the bottom and we have to turn right into the camp for a 7km loop over rolling hills of gravel, grass & rocks. Someone mentions mambas and Nando confirms that his pepperspray is in his backpack. Our joints completely rebellious on the downhills. Con asks for an asthma-pump as his chest is feeling tight. I remember the citronella-smelling weed we passed earlier and quickly crush that with another fresh smelling grass. A pity no foreign eucalyptus around us (really does the trick). The citronella-combo not very successful after which I also get a tight chest but ascribe it to: a little too much for my fitness at this moment. We pass a red umbrella with a cooler box and marshal and wow, asking him for water, he gives us a 500ml ice-cold Bonaqua. In his cooler box I also spot Play, Coke and Amstel. Wonder what we could've had if our request was for something else!
Crossing the road again, we hike another 2kms down a kloof to get to the abseiling. At this moment about 4 teams in front of us that need to go down. We take a seat, make a snack, remove gravel from our shoes, give our feet a breather, body-glide, super-C's, droewors and wait for 1h40minutes before descending one at a time down the 30m abseil. One of the guys in the team just behind us, kindly asks if he can remove the 1,5cm thorn from my leg… sure, I didn't even notice it! Then he got his teammate to document his finding on video. The wait rested us well and with all 3 at the bottom of the abseil we run/ hike down the kloof towards the Steelpoort river where the tubing will start. Jumping from klip to klip to save our feet from getting wet, we finally surrender and walk straight down the middle of the of the stream.

Get to the tubes, we fill our bladders for the cycle that follows after the tubes. The lady marshals assure us of a nice relaxing float down the river. "Just sit back & relax and keep left". Well… hardly that as you have your 10kg backpack now wet and weighing double that on your chest, fastened around your waist, arms barely hanging over the sides to make small bee-like movements to do some steering with. Hundreds of hip-flexes as you avoid the boulders in the rapids, more twists and turns and then left a fast rapid but decorated with a fallen tree. No way you can pass on the right: boulders protruding everywhere. Reciting Wimpie's words from the night before that they have removed the trees that fell over, they must know about this one and consider it safe. And the water pushing us very fast through this corridor. Nando is first to pass it, a slight struggle with the tee and then he's out. Then me, but I'm not out. Feel my tube continuing without me and litres of the Steelpoort gushing over me: my foot's caught in the tree and my 10(x2)kg backpack pulls me down, unable to come up for air. Litres of water now flushing through my nose and in those very long minutes my repeated prayer: Jesus, I don't want to die like this... not like this. Foot stuck, I find an opportunity for a pull-up & gasp for air then under water again continuing this conversation with the Maker, Creator & Keeper of all. The One that orders the clouds and silences the storms. And then another opportunity to pull myself + 20kgs up and grab hold of my foot for a chance of release. Foot out, head above water and double-checking I'm not dreaming but breathing. Looking down the steep rapid my tube is caught in a washing machine of water and I hold onto the tree, get-up, check that I still know my name and slowly fight the water to the other side. Not sure what just happened I catch up with Con & Nando who were witnessing this 5min ordeal and I cant make out if I am laughing or crying. Shocked. Well, we can continue now, coz on this river I won't die today. Another 2.5km down stream , a lack of words and a couple more rapids finally pushes us past the lodge with its friendly people taking pics and waving at us. The marshal meets us in the water, we get out, ironically the first checkpoint that we have to sign in with signature & all!

On the side we clean our shoes and get into the 1km hike towards the next point: A foefie slide of about 200m into the river. We see our bikes on the right. Nice & exhilarating slide down we redress, break off the dry mud from our bikes. Lube the chains and head of on a snaking path that very quickly became a nasty snake up the koppies. The dirt & transport of the bikes really got to Con's gears and he had to do the koppies without his granny. Eina. I had mine, but didn't even feel strong enough to use it! Turn & up & turn & up. Hiking a bike very quickly and asking ourselves if we think the organisers have cycled this before, as this is surely not ride-able!!! We are thinking of the other 3 from Lickety Split that will also confront these hills soon – wondering if they are still in the game altogether??

It wasn't long before all 3 of us got a very annoying and scratching cough and soon blaming the water from the streams, fitness and altitude. We are asking the audience if they have the answer for us here??? The never-ending hills really got to chisel on our character here. But that wasn't even funny after yet another koppie. A 2 member mixed team sneaked up from behind and overtook us. She was still cycling! Then the greatest joy of the whole day: the smoothest & best downhills ever and a rush which was just awesome: left, right, left, right… making our way down to the main dirt road for a quick 2km cycle up the road for the last 5km loop inside the camp. Snaking through lush bushes & woods, hearing the river on the left from time to time. Then long strips of bunting directing us through a small dam. Con still had his momentum and managed to cycle through hip-deep water, lose his chain and get it back on and out the other side. Nando & I opted for a walk through the dam. Great idea Wimpie: our bikes haven't been this clean since 5h00 that morning. Another couple of snaking turns, a last short uphill and the lodge on the left as we turn into the downhill leading us to the greeting photographer and other teams that also just pulled in. We sign in with a time of 13hrs and 15 minutes. 11th position. Jump in the dirty pool and get our drinks & beers from one of the staff.

Whilst sitting on the grass the feeling of accomplishment arises and we are smiling. It was a tough last 2hrs. But we made it with plenty of daytime left for a great sunset and welcoming some more teams in. We enquire from the marshals and they confirm that Lickety Split is in the koppies for the last leg. Yea! They're probably cursing the hills of Steelpoort now, but they will surely finish! Quick shower and snacking, we wait for their grand entrance. And knowing that William absolutely loves finishing and finishing last so they get a clapping of hands. We made double sure that that is what they got about 2hsr later. Photographer & all a good clapping of hands. They sign in and set off for shower as we organise our braaipacks for the evening. The lodge provides it at R40 per person with salad, pap& sous. Con was very disappointed with me returning 3 extra portions of meat that I had accidentally taken. Our dinner spread quickly grew as everyone added bits & pieces varying from the previous eve's bolognaise to Mike's 3-bean salad and rolls. No meat was allowed to be left in your plate as Con would surely scoop it up.

Prize giving happened in the dining room as we were finishing dinner. First 3 teams were all mixed pairs. Winning time of 9.5hrs!!! Sjoe, well done! Doing our maths: 13hrs 15min minus the 1hr 40min wait at the abseil, we're about 2hrs behind them. Minus Con & Nando's 10min transition from cycle to run, minus 10min recollection in the river… but no, this is what makes up the adventure. Thankyou Wimpie & Bonamanzi, great to have tasted the rain, soil, water, koppies & beds of the Steelpoort Valley. Another experience to give us that great feeling of accomplishment and being alive & well!

Winners:


What was most interesting during the race was that each one's energy would peak at a different time than the others. Some would just generally have more energy (or be fitter). This meant that during the various legs we were naturally rotating who's in front setting the pace for the group. I think this is the challenge for reducing race-time and making a great team: to have your energy peak at the same time and… also to synchronise the pit-stops!

Once again we had the privilege of really getting to know this beautiful country of ours, use our willing & able bodies well; get to know each other and probably mostly: get to know ourselves more.

Until next time!