Feedback Sat 2 Feb: Sunbird Centre

Feedback: 26 January- Table Mountain North Face Traverse

Feedback Table Mountain North Face Traverse

26 runners on the day!   Good run despite a strong Sou East wind blowing down Plattekip Gorge and over the saddle.

Thanks to Piero and Greg for leading on what was Piero's 25th sortie.   So congratulations to him and he is now eligible to wear our Red Tee shirt. 

And congratulations to Lorraine for completing 10 runs and joining the Decurions who are entitled to use the speed check in

Early morning Cape Town

The long slog uphill

Contour path at last!

Mai n Group in the Cave

Recovery Group

elevation profile of the sortie

Route taken

FEEDBACK: Sat 19 Jan GLENCAIRN –KLEINPLAAS DAM CIRCUIT

Despite the allure of the Red Hill Classic road race 20 turned up at the RV on top of Black hill where the Sou-easter was gusting mightily.  

Ralph was late at the start but by following the foot prints followed us and eventually passed the recovery group after about 3 kms and sprinted on to catch up with the main group further ahead.    After such a turn of speed perhaps he should graduate up to Tim's longer faster group.t .  

Despite the wind and the deep soft sand for much of the way both groups had a good run, those who elected to take a tumble chose to fall in soft sand so no stories there!

Piero Granelli for his maiden sortie as leader and navigator scored a perfect 10 without a wrong turn or loosing anyone.   Well done!     As backup we had a long haired lass from Lancashire but her expertise was not needed.  Thanks Cathy .

We shared the route with Tim's Longer faster Group who after an initial detour to gain distance merged with our group for the last few Kms.

Main Group at Kleinplass Dam

Route followed

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. 

Feedback Sat 24 November Pipe Track

"Audentes fortuna iuvat", was indeed the case on Saturday morning because although there was a little rain falling as we drove up Kloofnek road,  it let up as we entered the parking area and soon the bold were favoured as the clouds lifted and revealed the majestic view along the Atlantic seaboard with clear blue skies to seaward.    It was a perfect spring morning as we ran through the fynbos glistening with crystal like drops and encouraged by the lusty singing of the birds as they dried out in the rising sun.

Mandla and the main group soon forged ahead and from their report had a good run to Slangolie ravine and back.  On the return leg they trotted past the recovery group in fine style and later we found them basking in the sunshine in the parking area as they waited to ensure our safe return.  All in all a thoroughly enjoyable and dry run.

 Special thanks to Mandla Moyo for turning out to lead the main group 

Why its called the "Pipe Track"

Report back Sat 17th November; Silvermine NW

We had a good turnout of 35, including 7 newbies of which two, Haniche and Lena, were visitors from Germany who wanted a different South African Experience.

Fortunately the forecast light rain did not arrive and we set off from the Mountain bike parking area into a mild early summer morning.   Initial climb up to Steenberg Ridge gott the blood flowing, and then the picturesque route along the ridge from where you can see both False Bay and the Atlantic coast. 

Despite having planned the route, I managed to miss the turn off for the amphitheatre path so the recovery group had to retrace our steps  and so met up with the main group.  Then followed a good fynbos run along the fairly level trail just under the crest of the amphitheatre overlooking Silvermine dam.  Again we all missed the turn off as it must have become overgrown, so we ended up running up the gravel road to the view point as opposed to taking the more direct route as planned. 

\

Time to admire the view and a group photo before returning to the amphitheatre fynbos trail and the descent down to the dam followed by an easy jog along the boardwalk back to the parking area.

Special word of thanks to Michael Manning, a relative newcomer who has become a regular, for leading the group.   

About 11kms, taking just under two hours.

Feedback Saturday 10 November: East Fort Hout Bay

Looking across towards  Hout Bay Harbour

 This week we had perfect weather for our run along the traverse above Chapman's Peak Drive.

Our route was a run up the road to East Fort then the trail up and across to Blackburn Ravine where we   crossed the stream and followed the trail all the way to  Chapman's Nek.   From there it was down to the road and an easy downhill jog back to the car park.  

Altogether 28 enjoyed what was most certainly one of our best sorties in recent times.

Regroup!

The trail beckons!

Here we are! Main Group encouraging the Recovery Group

The route followed   Distance 12kms