![\"ccs-62657-0-60023200-1493143685.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-60023200-1493143685.jpg\")
<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTent life has become a routine by now. Photo credit: Em Gatland.<\/span><\/p>\n The morning starts as I wake up before my alarm, sometime between 4 and 5 am, to the rustling of my tent neighbours. I head to Seattle coffee and drop off my cup in the coffee queue. Then it is time to try desperately to eat breakfast: this is about the only time in my life where food doesn\u2019t go down easily. Usually, at this point, I am convinced that I won\u2019t make it twenty kilometres into the coming stage, and breakfast wants to come back for a second round. Early mornings are not my thing. Luckily the coffee perks me up, and then it\u2019s time to collect my bike from the bike park and hope that everything is still working. A lot of rustling, swearing and seeking for clean lycra then occurs before I hoist my bag to the luggage truck. Usually, I am late for the start, and end up tucking in somewhere near the back of the batch.<\/p>\n Today we headed out almost straight into some awesome bushveld trails, a part of the Berg and Bush route. These set a good precedent and kept me fizzed for the coming district road slog.<\/p>\n Water point 1 was stocked with so many treats that I had trouble fitting them all in my pockets. Determined not to end up on my own in no man\u2019s land again: I clung to a passing group like a Jack Russell terrier, while simultaneously stuffing my face with date balls. This helped keep me occupied and make the somewhat uninteresting kilometres to water point 2 pass quickly.<\/p>\n Then the climbing really started: it was a relief to climb, simply for the change of movement on the bike, and it came with changing scenery, as we edged closer to the Drakensberg mountains. There was no single killer climb, rather a series of rolling hills with some fast, open jeep track descents in between.<\/p>\n Soon we were into the lush green farmland of the Kwa-Zulu Natal midlands. The total change of landscape from the morning’s bushveld made me appreciate the distance we had covered during the day.<\/p>\n Bagpipes welcomed us to the finish at Clifton School, Nottingham road. A quick single track descent through the forest brought us down to the school on a high note.<\/p>\n<\/a>Start line banter eases the nerves. Photo credit: Em Gatland<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>We headed into the lush green Natal Midlands. Photo credit: Em Gatland<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n