Stage One of the Tankwa Trek under belt. Fortunately, for a parting the country that experiences temperature extremes at both ends our weather has been relatively mild and kind to us riders.

So what’s with the title of this post? Patience …

Tony, meanwhile, has slipped behind in the points competition for the bottom step of the Least fit competition. Especially toward the end when riding with Jane Seggie. For those readers unfamiliar with Jane Seggie, I think “doyen of SA mountain biking” could be fairly ascribed. Anyway, I think any girl would probably have had the same affect. While I graciously hung back and let her continue ahead of us (read “wheel sucked”). Mr Walker on the other hand could not resist the testosterone rush and led us out at a furious pace. Well as much as we can given our lack of condition. Even so, poor Jane soon complained she was cramping after a hard day! So we backed off a bit and were privileged to ride to the line with a genuine SA MTB legend.

One of the major highlights of the stage was riding steeply down smooth rocks. What an unusual, and not a little terrifying experience (for me anyway). They were angled at 45 degrees – which is genuinely steep. At least, it felt like 45 degrees out there! Sliding off the back of the saddle, letting the bike tip alarmingly over the lip and braking just so to keep control, we descended slab after slab – some perhaps as much as 2.5m high which, seen from an already elevated vantage point on the bike looks pretty daunting. Happily though we dispatched these with what hopefully seemed like aplomb to those watching, probably hoping for some action.

I think they were steep anyway!

I can hardly believe I actually tackled these. Self congratulatory pat on the back.

There were also some other major technical challenges. Notably the descent off the ridge back to the Witzenberg valley floor. Steep, loose boulders, washed out edges and long it was quite a challenge for me. Not so much for Tony, who offered his slip for the descent, then slipped ahead and well put of view. Superb skills and surgically removed fear glands help I guess. Note for non cyclists – slipstreaming is useful at higher speeds, normally on smooth roads, but not at all down technical descents.

We were more fortunate.

We crossed the finish line (with Jane Seggie) in 4h32 which we felt happy with, given our podium (bottom) aspirations.

Back in the race village the coffee cart is doing brisk business. The showers have long queues and the beer is flowing. Happy riders all round*.

* Disclaimer – the two riders with broken collarbones, the one with suspected broken ribs and the one with the shredded knee are probably not so happy. Those with scrapes, bumps and grazes would fit into the happy category.