{"id":63222,"date":"2023-06-02T09:18:05","date_gmt":"2023-06-02T07:18:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/?p=63222"},"modified":"2023-06-02T14:36:25","modified_gmt":"2023-06-02T12:36:25","slug":"stars-big-skies-and-open-roads-at-tanqua-kuru","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/stars-big-skies-and-open-roads-at-tanqua-kuru\/","title":{"rendered":"Stars, big skies, and open roads at Tanqua Kuru"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I have a strict \u201cnever let facts get in the way of a good adventure\u201d policy. And I applied this very liberally, when a last-minute call up to the Tanqua Kuru<\/a> arrived in my inbox late on a Monday afternoon. My first question to Jeremy was, \u201ccan I bring my puppy?\u201d, and once this was confirmed, no further questions were asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tanqua Kuru takes place at the Tankwa Tented camp, and this was my first trip on the ill-famed R355. Notorious for chewing up tyres and leaving drivers stranded in a cell phone reception-less, but truly spectacular wasteland. Needless to say, Friday afternoon saw us dealing with the inevitable puncture en-route, before arriving at the tented camp shortly after dark, with plenty of time for a glass of wine before dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A picture tells a thousand words. Thanks to the magic of Troy Davies and Max Sullivan, I can tell at least part of the story of this very special experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Words can’t do justice to the vastness of the Karoo sky | image by Retroyspective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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No teeny-tiny plastic tents here!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Not your ordinary race registration | Images by Retroyspective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard to describe the vast, black crispness of the Karoo sky on a clear winter night. Words don\u2019t do it justice. And the Tankwa tented camp makes for a fitting frame for this experience. Think ominous, looming mechanical sculptures, roaring fires and steaming hot tubs. This is not your standard race registration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s hard to describe the vast, black crispness of the Karoo sky | Images by Max Sullivan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lensmen gone wild | Image by Retroyspective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Saturday morning saw us head out in frigid conditions. The photos can\u2019t capture the bone-chilling cold. But some devices recorded below zero temperatures in the first hour of the ride. At risk of sounding cheesy, this simply added to the uniqueness of the experience, and forced us to keep pedalling to stay warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nothing quite matches the feeling of heading out into the sunrise on unknown roads. I get a kick every time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The terrain was mainly gravel roads, but these were technical, rutted and sandy in places. Was a gravel bike or MTB a better choice? I still don’t have the answer | Images by Retroyspective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The water points deserve a special mention. This is an experience, far more than a race (Jeremy arrived with a few cases of beer while I was snacking), and it was a treat to enjoy the sunshine, and thaw out a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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So much more than your average water table | Images by Retroyspective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The full distance riders tackled the imposing Gannaga Pass | Images Max Sullivan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It’s not all about the bikes. There is something about the vast space of the Karoo that forces self-reflection and appreciation for the moment. Jeremy orchestrated a trip to the aptly named Sunset Hill, for sundowners, and time for quiet introspection. Nothing makes you feel small and insignificant like realising you are standing on what was once the ocean floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A very special sunset | Image by Max Sullivan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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I’m not sure who enjoyed the weekend more, Murphy or me. I deeply appreciated being able to bring my furry friend | Images by Retroyspective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The day was brought to a close with mammoth bonfire, under the stars. Fire always reminds me of how frail humans are in the face of the elements, and there is something cathartic about watching flames at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A fitting end to a profound day | Images by Retroyspective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sunday saw us lose ourselves once more in the peculiarly barren beauty of the stone fields that make up the majority of the landscape. Here (much like everyday-life) going off-course is part of the experience, and adds to the adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once again I found myself leaving an event, profoundly grateful for the experiences cycling has enabled me to have both on and off the bike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hold the wheel | Image by Max Sullivan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have a strict \u201cnever let facts get in the way of a good adventure\u201d policy. And I applied this very liberally, when a last-minute call up to the Tanqua Kuru arrived in my inbox late on a Monday afternoon. My first question to Jeremy was, \u201ccan I bring my puppy?\u201d, and once this was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":63227,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[51],"featured_location":[338],"class_list":["post-63222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adventure-and-travel","tag-tanqua-kuru","featured_location-bottom-row"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63222"}],"version-history":[{"count":43,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63343,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63222\/revisions\/63343"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63222"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=63222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}