![\"ccs-62657-0-92464900-1440511493.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-92464900-1440511493.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nShortly after this picture, we were on track and analysing every rock, root, bump and possible line choice. This went on for about an hour as we happily and confidently realised we could totally manage this track. A mechanic at Cedricate (Cedric Gracia\u2019s shop) had said \u201cDo you ride Cedric Gracia trail? Yeah? It\u2019s similar to that\u201d\u2026which had perhaps lulled us all into a false sense of security. Here are some pics of the merry old times\u2026<\/p>\n
<\/a>Starting Gate.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>First bridge over the main road.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Jo considering a line through the rocks.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>A gappy with no green line.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Rika\u2019s line choice\u2026will I fit\u2026hmmmmmm\u2026<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>The start of the bermies.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>A wee road gap in the middle of the bermies\u2026<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Naaice\u2026<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>I do love the grasses here\u2026<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Then stuff started looking more serious\u2026 Cobus is standing on a dark grey berm of rock covered in oily looking mud\u2026<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>A rock chute one enters after ripping apart 10 metres of rock and fairy wonderland moss and ferns\u2026<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Deciding how to walk down what we have to ride down\u2026<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Rika at the top of where stuff really starts to get steep. We puzzled this for ages, as it\u2019s filled with roots and leads onto a bridge\u2026<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIt was after this point on the walk when we all started to go quiet. It was all well and good analysing what root, bump, rock etc. to go around, over, next to\u2026if we were just going to somersault down the mountain for the last 20% of the track. Nigel is typically a pretty positive person and sees lines for everyone\u2026but when he just stopped and said \u201coh sh*t\u201d\u2026 we knew that perhaps there was only one kind of line. The down line. Straight down.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Roots. You\u2019d think roots were good things, until you slip off them on to your face.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Ropes. For spectators and marshals to pull themselves up the mountain and lower themselves down\u2026but why do that when you can just \u201croll down it\u201d\u2026<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>The ending chute. Originally we thought this was scary looking when we saw it earlier in the week. Now it\u2019s the easiest part.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Rika loving the gradient.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>My new best friends \u2013 the medics.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Uh oh.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRika took much better pictures of the gradient\u2026and these are her pics of areas we walked down.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Negotiating the first steep bank full of roots.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Rock channel that is actually not too bad at all.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Rock chute from Rika\u2019s camera, looks more realistic!<\/span>\n<\/div>\n