R O T H A R . C O M

In South Africa

Between 19th March and 4th April Cris Bloomfield and Tyrrell Basson from rothar.com/racing will be in South Africa. Specifically between the 24th and 31st March they will be racing under the rothar.com banner in Singletrack and Independent Fabrication kit at the Cape Epic – the world’s largest mountain bike race and one of the most challenging. Keep and eye out for the riders 152-1 and 152-2 on the official Cape Epic Website.

Fancy That

Andrea’s been in touch. It turns out her boyfriend Karl Yeh is riding in the Epic too with a guy named Mike. The two of them are flying out tomorrow and I’ve said we’ll have to try and meet up during the race. We are both under strict instructions as she wants to see pictures of elephants, zebras and rhinos. I’ll have to see what we can do. She has also been showing off about the fact that last weekend they went cross-country skiing. This winter landscape is just over an hour from her new home in Calgary.

One Day to Go…

We fly tomorrow. I’m sure everything is ready, but I just need to pack and check everything off the list. Little things like cleaning the race shoes and lid and making sure that various clothing items are clean and dry have been going on over the last few days. Most of the ordering for various things needed has happened a couple of weeks ago so we should in theory be completely prepared.

That said Tyrrell’s forks only came back from Tim at Sideways yesterday and he was off for most of last week on antibiotics for a chest infection. We’ll have a few days to rest and acclimatise before the race. Given the weather we’ll be leaving behind, the forecast for South Africa looks very appealing.

Costs have really stacked up for this trip. On top of the initial Â£1,024 for the basics, getting the bike prepped and ready to fly and nutrition sorted out has added a further Â£345 and getting Â£200 or so money for the trip as spending money that needs to pay for car hire and such hasn’t been easy on top of things like mortgage and loan repayments. Selling one of my beloved Indy Fabs and a lot of other bits and pieces to various people via the Singletrackworld classifieds was a necessity. That said we have raised over Â£600 now for our chosen charity so I so feel that some good is coming out of this.

I am particularly grateful to my friends at Singletrack and Independent Fabrication who have stepped in to sponsor us in the form of some great race kit. We’ll be wearing it in pride and I hop it’ll inspire us to really work hard during the race. This is a once in a life time trip and I’m sure it’s going to be great!

Singletrack Cover Photo Credits

I updated the Singletrack Archive yesterday with the listing for the latest issue. A new look site is still being developed – a time consuming process for which I have little resource. With the latest update I have added in all the spinelines that have graced the bound edge of the magazine since issue five.

For some time I have also wanted to acknowledge the work of the photographers who have made it on to the front cover and who have contributed to the contents pages over the issues. Looking back through the issues made me realise the calibre of the contributions. There are some big names and some stunning work. Here are the links to some of them:

Getting Digital

I’ve a few old mountain biking Videos on my bookshelf that I’d like to get into digital format so that I can watch them on the DVD player. A brief question raised on Singletrack’s forum has generated some great feedback. Although I know there are a few firms that specialise in doing this, I thought it might be something I can try myself. Of course wanting to do it on a Mac adds an extra level of challenge.

Word is that you can capture to DV tape and recapture the long way or there is wee application called BTV pro carbon which will capture via a camera or deck with analogue video in/firewire through, direct to the hard disc. You can specify the format and change it once its captured. Then you just edit and output whatever you fancy. You can apparently also capture a firewire stream direct into Quicktime Pro or iMovie too

So I think I’ll have a look at www.hireacamera.com. They’re recommended and it’s said that they deliver via courier and are pretty cheap. I think I’ll make some enquiries at work too, as I’m sure we might have some useful kit available.

DoppelgÃ¤nger

There is another me. Well some one else with my name and they appear to be from East Anglia too. A recent google has revealed a runner who is continuing ‘his one man assault on the Cross Country series with his third win in succession and no-one looks like taking him in the last two races barring injury, illness or some underhand move by league bad boys Tri Sport Ford’.

In other news IMBA-UK and CTC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. IMBA has demonstrated that mountain biking provision will improve more speedily if cycling organisations work closely together. As a result, increasing cooperation between IMBA and CTC has led to this first formal step in formalising the arrangement between the two organisations.

1)Â CTC and IMBA believe the health and wellbeing of the nation will be improved by encouraging more people to enjoy the public trail network by cycle.

2)Â CTC and IMBA agree that the byway and bridleway network in England and Wales, and cyclists access rights in Scotland should be protected and enhanced

3)Â CTC and IMBA recognise a common interest in promoting and campaigning for greater rights for off-road cyclists and will actively seek opportunities to work together in support of these objectives.

4)Â CTC and IMBA will encourage greater integration of our volunteer networks to work towards better promotion of and provision for off-road cycling.

Independent Fabrication Step Up

Joe and the gang over at Independent Fabrication have very kindly stepped up to sponsor us for the race and have provided some rather fantastic race shorts. We’re stoked to be representing IF in South Africa.

Cape Epic Preview

I think I’ve been quite good so far at spliting posts between this more general set of rants and the stuff that I’ve posted in the racing section. Well as the race draws closer the posts are merging into a similar theme. The big race.

Thereâ€™s a pretty amazing video about the Cape Epic over at xride tv. Itâ€™s a summary of the race day by day and has some amazing footage of the landscape and the action. If you have absolutely no idea of what the Epic is about this is a great place to find out more. Quote of the video for me: â€œYeah today we saw a big elephant out there on the trail today. You don’t expect to see an elephant in a mountain bike race, so it was pretty unusual. It was Big. And it almost stood on Mannyâ€.

The fund raising is going well too. We’re 25% of the way towards our target…

Thinking Ahead

The race is just over two weeks away. I think about it every day. After having done a lot of Endurance races over the last few years I have been fairly certain mentally about this race.

I know it is going to be tough.

I know I am going to suffer.

It is going to hurt.

The following comments from a finisher froma previous year sum things up for me pretty well. I think this is the only attitude to have to the race:

Its quite easy to finish the Epic.

Rules to memorise:

1) The Epic is not a normal Race, in fact, its not a race, its a experience.
2) You don’t “RACE” this beast. you ride well within your limits
3) Every days’ stage is a “RIDE” on its own. Dont think about the next day.
4) Split your days in 4 sections. You first make sure you get to the first water point, than you ride for the second feedstation, than you ride for the third one, only than you think about finishing the stage.
5) From day 5 you will be weak in the body, don’t try and do the uphills or technical sections as if its a normal funride. You will brake a bone

and lastly:….

TO FINISH THE EPIC YOU NEED TO BE MENTALLY 120% STRONG, You don’t need to be superfit,

Never think of giving up, it wil get better, in 10k’s time,

This is an amazing race, this is were you will make friends every kilometre, because everyone around you, suffer and struggle as you are.

NEVER GIVE UP…YOU NEVER THINK OF QUITING…

Bring it on…