FEEDBACK sat 14 JANUARY 2013

Saturday  14 January 2013: Constantia Nek- Kirstenbosch

Despite me delaying the start by about 20 minutes because I forgot to bring the start register and route directions for which I am entirely to blame we had a good run in reasonable conditions up the first short cut steps and then down to the roller coaster high level path all the way through to Skeleton gorge.
Mike Hart accompanied by two others, having opted for the recovery group's shorter route, were enjoying the sortie so much that they decided to run the full route instead!

Thanks to Gregg and Dave for leading the group and congratulations to Veronica who scored a double 40. Ran her 40th sortie in the week she turned 40!

Starting out up the steps!

Where else in the World will you find a better trail running region?

Photo of both Main and Recovery groups

Feedback, Saturday 15th December: Rhodes Memorial

Running towards Newlands Ravine

28 including 7 newbies arrived at the RV to find the gates up to Rhodes Memorial firmly locked. Having anticipated this eventuality we started off from said gate.  Despite the early hour it was soon warm work grinding up heartbreak hill towards the blockhouse which was followed by a good scenic run along the trail leading from King’s Block house towards Constantia Nek.

Re group

we turned down at Ascension gully and made our way back along Woodcutters trail through Newlands Forest to the start.   Here we discovered that someone had removed our Start Register from under Liz’s car and despite a search it was gone.   Several of us then drove through the now open gates up to the Rhodes Memorial parking area for our customary end of year picnic breakfast under a convenient shady oak.

Thanks to Julian for leading the main group, to Lorraine for some of the photos and Gaeleen for the track and elevation profile.

Lorraine taking it easy!

Group Photo

End of year picnic breakfast

Route followed

Elevation Profile

Feedback: Sat 8th December, Silvermine SE

Silvermine SE  

Slogging uphill and too misty to see much

35 turned up at the start although some did miss the turn off  to the parking area.
Although lower down it was a warm summers day up here in the cloud shrouded mountains with the Sou Easter pumping it was something else.  Anyway as usual we split into two groups and Richard led off the main group heading out for the trail round to the amphitheatre and beyond.   For us in the recovery group that was the last we saw of them!

Recovery group at the Amphitheatre cairn

Main Group

Veronica led out the recovery group at a fine clip, [clearly she has recovered] and we followed the main group, occasionally hearing them but due to the mist we could see very little.  One mishap which fortunately did not turn out to be serious so after a short break we continued.   Later we encountered Michael who was doubling back as it appeared the main group had lost some.   we assured him that there were no stragglers other than us so he disappeared into the mist to catch up again.



We later learnt that all was well with Richard re-grouping the group at frequent intervals to ensure all stayed together.






A good uneventful run for all concerned at least I heard no complaints.

More mist

Richard checking the cairn's map

Thanks to Richard Rossiter for safely leading the group through the mountains in poor visibility and to Gae for ensuring that the back markers did not fall off the bus.
We had 8 newbies who seemed to have enjoyed the run and we hope to see them back again.


 Back in the parking area we had a little awards ceremony with Veronica, who was the Table Mountain trailers first recruit, presenting a certificate of achievement to Gaeleen Tompkins
as by the end of this run she and I both completed 75 sorties each.

Gaeleen with certificate

Gaeleen and I having each completed 75 sorties

Thanks to Jackie and Lorraine for the photos

feedback 1 December, Tokai Forest

A good turn out of 26 including six newcomers. Special thanks to Paul for leading the main group along a new variation of the planned route which included passing the baboon troop.    

Congratulations to Leigh Gordon and Michael Manning who completed their tenth run with us and so join the Decurions with their speed check in.