Freedom Challenge Race Across SA Day 3

FCRASA day 3

We left Ntsekeni ar 05:18. After a 5.5 km drive down the entrance track to Ntsikeni we took a right turn onto the Ntsikeni plain/valley. The track was quite ridable and we made good progress. We were also blessed with an awsome sunrise. The riding across the Ntsikeni plain was reasonably easy and we completed the first section in good time. From there on the riding got more technical and there were different options to take. Johan Radcliffe and myself went for the high option and reached the fenceline a little while before the others. The technical nature of the riding continued for another while until we reached sone old huts. We then followed the farm track past the main farm house and onto the R617 tar road. There we turned right and then after 1.3 km left onto a gravel road going to St Bernard's Peak. After 10 km we took a left turn and then left again for a break at Glen Edward. Shiela treated us with wholesum soup containing meat, vegatables and macaroni. Race Office informed me that the batteries in my tracker were flat. I replaced them and was on air again. We spent 45 minutes here. 

We left the farm turned left and continued on the district road for another 13 km where we turned right cycled past St Xaviar Mission towards Taylerville. There we stopped at a shabine where my riding partners had some beers. From here we went left to cross another watershed and then down the district road to anothet village. There we went left past some local dwellings to a wattle plantation and crossing the Little Mzimvubu River. On the otherside we had to scramble up the side of a hill to join another district road. We reached a shop where we stopped for some cooldrinks. 

This was followed by a ride up another hill on cattle tracks/local footpaths. Down the otherside we had the choise of taking the low road with the possibility of some wetlands or the high road on the side of the spur. We opted for the high road. Quite a bit of the riding was through grasslands with very few real tracks. After a while we reached the old abandoned farm houses and went up the side of the spur to join the Rama Road. We went a little to right and joined the road lower than we should have but managed. At the top of the hill we went down the cattle dip to join up with the local road. After some fast downhills anx some more little climbs we reached Masakala Guest House at 17:30. Willem Kamstra and Johan Lombaard decsided to take a shortcut, but got lost on the way and arrived an hour after us!