Day 1

We got up at 4.20, had breakfast at 4.45 and left for the city hall at 5.30. At stick of 6 we were off. Any thoughts I had of pushing to Centacow dissapeared in the 1st 500 meters as the Woolnaugh brothers set a blistering pace and disapperard into the distance. That was another blessing in disguise. The rest of us set about riding at a reasonable pace. A couple of groups forming with myself in the 3rd group. This became the 4th group with me on my own when we hit a long climb and the RTR guys with their lighter packed surged ahead. At the Bynesfiel turnoff I stopped for some pictures and Georgejoind me. We then road together for the next 60 km. The route was all I expected, it reall is amazing scenery. We rode on some district roads and forestry tracks but also some road where cars ever come. This took us through soem villages onto a jeep track that turned into a concrete road do to steepness. Fortunately it was downhill. Mostly at between 25-20% but I think I once saw 33%. When we reached the end and let go of my breakes, a heard a funny noice. When I tried to break again, there was no front brakes. Fortnately they came back within the next couple of kilometers. Whe then had to go down to the Umkaas river and find our way along the river bank. We also had to scramble over some rocks, but the narritive was quit clear and when we hit Hela Hela!! What a hill! We must have climed 800 m in 8 km and whenever you thnk you are at the top, there is another hill. Arrived at Allendale at 17.05, 107 km in 11h 5 min over 2,000m of climbing and 6,872 calories burnt.