Adventure News: Trail builders cycle to work to test Wines2Whales routes

Adventure News: Trail builders cycle to work to test Wines2Whales routes - Ndorfin, South Africa

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Saturday, 28 July 2012
Trail builders cycle to work to test Wines2Whales routes

Seen here: (from left to right) Brendon Booyens (Pikkie), Denzel Scheepers, Johan Kriegler (W2W Director), Aswell Swartz and Jason Adams on the Hottentots Holland Mountain trail (part of Stage 1 of the Contego Wines2Whales) before going over the mountains via Gantouw Pass to Grabouw and Oak Valley. (Photo Credit ~ Cherie Vale / Stillwater Sport & Entertainment)

The route builders from Cape Trails, a SMME with the key objective to build and maintain mountain bike (MTB) trails have taken passion to new limits while working on the Contego Wines2Whales (W2W) MTB trails.   Consisting of four members, these route builders can be seen cycling to and from work each day of the week covering a distance of 32km per day.

According to Johan Kriegler, a W2W Director, the Cape Trails route builders used to cycle the W2W routes over the weekend on broken bicycles, without brakes just to be able to cycle some of their trails. When Cape Trails started with the Magic Mountain Trail on the Sir Lowrys Pass side of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, it wasnt always possible for me to transport them to and from work. As luck would have it a close friend at Kings Cycles in Worcester identified a key customer who had four basic aluminum mountain bikes and two helmets that he was willing to trade for a W2W entry of course, laughs Kriegler. I managed to get two additional helmets from another friend and as of 01 June our Trail Builders have been cycling to work. They started off cycling 10km from Grabouw to Gantouw Pass, here they had to push their bikes for 1km as its a national heritage site and cycling is forbidden. They then continued cycling for 5km at the bottom of the Pass via single tracks to the work place and back again in the afternoons. We then realized that it took them way too long to walk over Gantouw every day, so they built a single track along the railway line that comes out near the top of Sir Lowry's Pass. From the top of Sir Lowry's they go via the old N2 that runs through the Grabouw Forestry to Grabouw. In the mornings they climb for 2km on the old N2 from Grabouw, then the route goes up and down for 5km, another 2km up towards Sir Lowry's Pass, 2km down on Sir Lowry's Pass and along the railway line and finally another 5km on single tracks. The general consensus is that the guys love it. On top of this on Tuesdays and Thursdays after they arrive home from work all four trail builders do a 2 hour training session in their own gym (a garage that they rent and have converted into a gym).

For Aswell Swartz of Cape Trails, cycling to work is very exciting. Were really happy to now be able to cycle our routes. The day after we received our mountain bikes we asked Johan to join us on a ride. We learn a lot from him. Even though we mountain bike to work each day, we still try to mountain bike over the weekends. We do get tired, but its only when youre at home that you realize how tired you really are. We would definitely like to take part in a mountain biking event, but only when were fit enough, says a very enthusiastic Swartz.

Event Information:

Starting in the Winelands of Somerset West, riders will cross through (and over) 13 wineries, 26 private farms, six mountains, historic roads and mountain passes, nature conservation areas (including the Kogelberg Biosphere) before finishing within sight of the famous whales of Hermanus!

CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB ADVENTURE: Friday, 02 November 2012 until Sunday, 04 November 2012

CONTEGO WINES2WHALES MTB RACE: Friday, 09 November 2012 until Sunday, 11 November 2012

Start Venue:         Lourensford Estate, Somerset West

Race Village:        Oak Valley Sports Field, Elgin (Western Cape)

Finish:                  Onrus Caravan Park, just outside of Hermanus (Western Cape)

For more information on the Contego Wines2Whales MTB Adventure and Race powered by Maserati contact 076 118 0874, e-mail entries@wines2whales.co.za or visit www.wines2whales.co.za