Wout733in 2011 nam ik deel aan de Swaziland MTB tour samen met Ruud van der Looij
Onderstand een race verslag
Team 733 in the logico Swazi Frontier 2011
In October 2010 I was in Pretoria for my job and a college of mine Andre Brink left me on Wednesday for a special bike ride . I asked him what where are you going? .So he told me about the Logico Swazi Frontier tour which he was going to do. During that race and afterwards he was sending me pictures and stories. I read articles on the internet and I was beaten. I had to compete .
So first issue was to get an invitation and I was very happy that Brett and Lesley invited me. I did some preparation races in the Ardennes in Belgium. A hilly region with enough MTB routes. I really did not know what to expect there, so I mailed a lot to the organization .They where overloaded with my stupid questions but I had to know I wanted to prepare myself in a good way. Brett and Lesley where sending newsletters around which helped me enormous .Finally my expectations where that I was sure that I could do the race in a good way. I was ready to go.
Bad luck
But I had bad luck my mate Wil Daris got a double hernia so he hat to go for a chirurgic operation. My god I had to find another mate in 2 weeks and get it organized ,think about flight tickets etc .My wife Jacqueline found the solution in my son in law Ruud van der Looij . Ruud was direct in favor because I told him a lot about the adventure during the past months .He has together with his brother Roel a company. Roel was so kindly to run the business alone for a week .Finally I contacted Brett and Lesley if they had any problem with this and after their blessing we started to organize the trip again.
The bikes
A friend of me in Pretoria Ken van Wijck organized me the bikes .His grandson is a very successful mountain biker and he advised us what and how .After arriving in Johannesburg we went directly to Ken and he delivered us the fantastic Scott bikes .Complete with spares and everything on the bike what we needed. Even a bike carrier so we put the bikes on the hired car and we were ready to go.
Travelling to Swazi land
The night before we left from Pretoria I called Andre Brink when he was leaving and if we could join them .That was not a problem they where very glad to see us because we are friends since 8 years .Andre is a member of the Inkunz Emnyama team together with Isak Bothma.If I remember what the means it is Inkunz Emnayma = “Black bull” in one of the local languages, and it is the name of a “dark beer” – Castle milk stout, a favourite energy drink!
The trip went fine .Passing the border we had no problems .The people where very nice for us .Its always nice if you enter a country having or getting the feeling that you are welcome there .We entered a more that beautiful country .
Arriving to the start
The time schedule was really perfect so we had time enough for a meet and greet and registration .Off course we were somewhat nervous because we where nor sure that we picked everything up the correct way but Brett and Lesley helped us enormously. After that we started adjusting and testing the bikes because we did nor ride the bike for one inch before we got there.
From the meet and greet and the moment we left we were impressed by the high quality of the organization. Everything was well organized really above European standard
Day 1
After the briefing from Brett we started for one of the hardest days in my sport live .But it was a fantastic adventure. The route was heavy especially to Baboons back and the climb to Too Brutall .For ever this hill climb will have a place in my memory. We had some bad luck with tire problems but we managed
We where very happy to reach the waterpoint .Well organised and a fine relaxed atmosfere was at all waterpoints .After 8 hours and 8 minutes we reached the finisch after a wonderfull day .We where positive impressed by the people of Swaziland the children who supported us and also mothe rnature .We saw Zebra’s ,snakes ,buffels .For us as dutch people we only see these animalls in Zoo’s ????After the finish in Buembu we had to lie on the bed in a fantastic hotel for a few hours te recover a bit .Also we arranged a massage to recover the muscle’s quickly .My bike had to be reapred because the crankset has got loose.Also I had to send a race rapport to my fans at home .I did this during these days by updating my own site www.wout theuws.eu. Everything was possible really.The evening sessions where really amusing ,foto’s ,movies reactions from the audience .We never have seen this before in this way but it was really great.
Day 2 Bulembu -Orion Piggs Peak Hotel
We have been sleeping if we where at home .But the morning was there quickly.I was not sure of myself for the race of this day.My legs where still hurting a lot .To be honest I was in a sort of dream where I was flyiing on the clouds .On the other hand we where not sure did we not prepare oursleves enough?Was yesterday a normal day ?If that’s the case we where in deep shit.
So we prepared oursleves for the start and we had luck because we where not the only one’s with this leg problems.One of the nice things of such events is that people of the same stenght get together. So we got together with Inyatsi team Dave Roberts and Richard Cunnigham of Swazi land .During the next days we stucked together a bit even on the bar in the night?
The ride was not a copy of the first day .Even the nature differs a lot.We passed the school in which Brett and Lesley are building the kitchen.We where impressed of this good work .The ride through the vally of Mganda was more than beatifull .The waterpoint was again very good organised.We had some pens etc for children with us so they were very hapy
After that we had a number off riverscrossings In one of them I lost my camera.After 6 hours and 3 minutes we arrived at the wonderfull piggs peak hotel
Day 3 to Maguga Lodge
After a very nice evening we had a good sleep and where prepared for the last day .The moral has grown in comparison after the first day.The route was totally different to the former days .But so very beatifull ….today also the navigation was a bit tricky but we managed perfectly.
After a few hours the sun as burning and I had a lot problems with that .I stopped in rivers to cool myself but the power has left the body.After such a sport carriere I know how the proceed in this occasions so we got at he waterpoint .There I was eating and stayed out of the sun as much as possible . We reached the finisch after 5 hours 35 minutes and where very happy
