FEEDBACK: TABLE MOUNTAIN TRAILERS 6th February 2016: Old Wagon Trail, Silvermine

It's wonderful to be back in Silvermine!

28 keen trailers arrived at the crossroads at Silvermine Road and Ou Kaapse Weg and we split into 2 groups: the Fast (but-in-no-way-furious) and the Mediums (without-crystal-balls). It was so nice not to be in Recovery any more.

  

We headed up Ou Kaapse Weg a short way before turning left onto the dirt track called "the Old Wagon Road"  that winds its way up into the reserve and over to the dam before looping back to take the same road back down to the cars.  

An uphill climb along the mountain bike track had most of the Mediums walking and breathless for quite a while, but the Fasts ran without as much as a drop of sweat moistening a sun-tanned brow. Except Tim. We discovered at the end that he had done his own solo run after having been left eating dust by group leader Natalie and Co.

The jeep track levelled off eventually for a stretch of undulating gravel track and bush trails. Liz managed to find a few flowers to photograph, but most of the terrain is black and grey with burnt protea bushes. The Mediums almost missed the track at about 6kms and were heading towards the River Trail before being herded up and re-routed by Gaeleen with her trusty map. We turned back towards the start for a well-earned, long downhill run when we spotted the Fasts dashing along a higher path. It was a race to the finish.

The 17 Fasts did a distance of 14,5 kms in 2hrs, with a few stragglers coming in 10-15 minutes later, and the 11 Mediums covered 11,5 km in 1hr 56.

Thanks to Natalie for organising; Jo, Liz and Paula for photos, and Tim for the giggle.

FEEDBACK: TABLE MOUNTAIN TRAILERS Saturday 30th January 2016 Devil's Peak

Feedback this week takes the form of the pictures, which speak for themselves. Thank you Liz and Jo for being such great photographers!

Caps off to Neil Garbers who ran his 100th Sortie with the Trailers. He is only the 4th person to achieve such prestigious heights! Congratulations Neil!

FEEDBACK: TABLE MOUNTAIN TRAILERS Saturday 24th January 2016 Silvermine

FEEDBACK FROM TMT Silvermine run 23 February 2016

37 patient runners pitched up at Silvermine and waited for the gates to open. It took ages to get through and we nearly left without Natalie, Jo and Laura, which would’ve been a disaster. (Note to self: renew Green Card so parks official doesn't have to look for change.)

This was a hot, tough run but so spectacular. The Silvermine Orange Kloof trail is an uphill slog of note. We lost the front runners in the Main Group, they ran straight past the turnoff to Noordhoek Peak lookout but saw us up there and turned back to join us. The skyline Panorama trail lives up to its name and is incredibly scenic, very technical with some scrambly pathfinding bits, so there is time to appreciate the view. Then on to the Blackburn Ravine lookout, sadly no wooden platform yet but due to be rebuilt. Onwards towards Elephant’s Eye where Geoff and Allison decided swimming was a better plan and bailed. The rest of Main Group headed off to Elephant’s Eye lookout and Steenberg Ridge and then to the dam for a swim.

The Main Group did 11.5 kms in 2 hours, Recovery did 8.8 kms in just under 2h10 and Walk/Run 8.6 km in approximately 2 hours.

Thank you to Julian and Hein for leading Main Group, Liz for leading Recovery and Pete for leading Walk/Run.

Allison 

Loads of lovely photos from Liz Brash, Jo Boswell and Allison Lamb