BURG TALK | 32-2020

In this Issue: From the Editor .................................................................. 1 C & D Group MTB Reports ............................................ 2 In the Land of Milk and Trails… ................................... 3 Roadies Return ................................................................... 4 MTB Mentor: Our New Normal ................................... 4 Scary Things ........................................................................ 5

The Power of the Team... This week I am reminded of the strength and

power of working as a team. For many of us, COVID-19 has meant we are learning to work in virtual teams, embracing the 4IR communication technologies. Professional cyclists are training and competing in virtual events from around the globe, but still harnessing the power and principles of teamwork. The Burg Wheeler MTB groups have been enjoying exploring a number of new routes and trails in smaller teams, and our Road Captain, Hayden Hutton, has initiated a team time trial road ride event to encourage the roadies to get back out there. We are hoping to see some fast times posted on Strava soon.

As a Club, in the past, we have come together in December to enjoy group rides, followed by breakfast, and to make donations in support of the SPCA. The SPCA is in desperate need of money and food now, due to the Covid-19 lockdown. We cannot have our usual group team ride, but Burg Wheelers is committed to assisting. We have set up cat/dog food collection points at 5 local cycling shops; Ritchie’s Cycling, Jowett’s, Greg Minnaar’s (at the coffee shop) Hatton’s and Absolute Motion in Hilton. Dave & Gill have also agreed to make Bure’s Engen garage a collection point.

Please drop off items of cat and/dog food at any of these between 13-22 August. Anyone wanting to donate cash can do so using the following banking details:

Pietermaritzburg SPCA Standard Bank A/C number 250068052 Branch code: 051001 Current account

Please use reference BurgWheelers & your

name, which will allow the SPCA to calculate how much has been donated. All deposits must be made by the latest, 23 August. If you have any queries, please contact Dale Southern (083 659 3000).

Let’s come together as a team and support the great work this organization is doing.

Our BT comes out weekly – again thanks to the team of writers who contribute stories and photos; thank you Mark R, Hayden, Dave and Bex. Our MTB Mentor, Brett Fourie, shares with us on The New Normal.

Please keep sending in your stories and photos. Your Team needs You.

Stay safe and sane Sal

Pow

ered

By…

32

-202

0

Our BW MTBs enjoyed riding the new Karkloof Milk Trails this weekend

BURG TALK | 32-2020

Mark Rowland

The Women’s Day weekend started well. Although chilly, the skies were

clear, the weather clearly knowing what was good for it. And we had women in abundance – Marian, Julia I [nee C], Liz B and Ali. Byron, DisaPierre and yours truly made up the menfolk. Docmike kindly volunteered for the D’s, which turned out just to be him and Andy G. A BWCC roadie group was also starting from the quarry, led by the indestructible Bill Speight, on a very fancy bike. We left with them, and split up at Hillside Rd, us taking the Mallory Rd gate into Cedara. It was immediately evident that this ride was going to be two things: 1. Fast, and 2. Chatty. We stayed away from the low-lying areas, and followed the jeeptrack up past the nursery. Still cold. I dropped steadily to the back of the group on the long climb, with Marian charitably keeping me company. Pierre was clearly happy to see his old race mate Byron back, and they celebrated by racing up every incline. I chatted to various people when I could, and by and by we got to the top, where the newly cleaned singletrack awaited us. I unchivalrously elbowed my way to the front, and tried to get as far ahead as I could, to salvage a little pride. This section takes us all the way down to where the old Full Monty used to be. Now known as the Full Daan. It was on this last section that I drifted slightly off centerline, and shoulder-charged a large tree trunk, coming to a very sudden stop. The tree didn’t seem to notice. It certainly didn’t make the same mewling noises as I did. When the cartoon stars around my head cleared, I set off again, doing my best to make this look planned. Those of you with mothers will know that womenfolk miss nothing that they don’t want to miss. I fooled none of them. It is to my credit that I keep trying. A triumph of ambition over experience.

At the Full Daan, we went left instead of the usual right, just for the hell of it. This took us all the way down to the bottom of the valley, across the stream, and through the short singletrack to the Dead Tree Corner. I gave the tree a wide berth, turning hard left and heading up the hill. I was gratified to note that I was not right at the back of the group. Sadly, this pleasant state of affairs was not to last. Ali, who had suffered a mild bout of food poisoning during the week, had run out of puff. Since Ali has all the passwords, I handed group leadership over to Liz. This involved taking her through the rest of my planned route. Route communication is always amusing from the outside, involving much

gesticulating, pointing, and references to obscure navigational shorthand names for various parts of the forest. The trick is to keep repeating the route, until there is more overall head nodding than head shaking, and then stop. Lastly, check that someone has a working phone. Don’t look back.

Ali and I picked the easiest route back to the quarry, keeping everything nice and steady and uneventful. It was very strange to get to Nino’s before everyone else. Except Iain Ambler, who had clearly either started earlier, or got more lost, than us. We gave him a few suggestions for his next trail maintenance day.

We were eventually joined by Docmike, Caro, Liz and Julia, and had a very pleasant Covid compliant breakfast. Liz did a great job, with Pierre helping, and didn’t lose anyone. His Larryness was sunning himself outside, having ridden later with Dogbite and Chris G. Nice to see him.

Garmin Stats [just me and Ali]: 25km’s, 430m, 1h40, 15km/h ave, 1-12 degrees.

Dave Stewart Last Saturday ride stats by the Under the Radar D

group, started out at a civilized time and temperature from the Quarry car park, comprising Sir Larry, who's fettle is now fine, Chris, Bev and Dave. 28km of agreeable meandering around the Cedara single track and trails, 555m of climbing. Pausing now and then to admire the views and bird life in the shape of a pair of Yellow Throated Longclaw, a sleepy Jackal Buzzard and a Black headed Oriole and various Lbj's. Managing to lose 50% of the team near The Great Wall my China, we regrouped at the Nursery and pedaled lazily home.

Ave speed 12km/hr. Due to this group’s preference for only setting out when the sun and temperature are high, the group has been renamed The Vitamin D's.

BURG TALK | 32-2020

Richard Krusekopf

Long standing Burg Wheeler member and former MTB

captain, Terry Thompson, has kindly donated a brush cutter to the club. The club was in fact contemplating the purchase of just such an item, so Terry’s timing was perfect. A very big thank you, Terry.

And to highlight the wonderful spirit existing in the club, road captain Hayden Hutton from Stihl provided a free service for the brush cutter.

More exciting news, is that Chris Brand could wait no longer for yours truly to recuperate and has collected all the stakes and marking tape from me. He will be marking out the Grace College routes starting this week. There will be a BLUE route of approximately 10km and

a RED route of approximately 20km. The trails will start on the right just past the new development and finish back at the Grace College corner.

Watch out for white stakes with blue and/or red markings in this area and follow your chosen route.

Bex van der Linde Sunday 9 August Karkloof Trails

opened up the new ‘Milk Trails’ this last weekend and we did not hesitate to go test them out. These trails are only opened by the local dairy farmers on specific (advertised) days and have been developed as an alternative to the regular trails when the fire danger index (FDI) is too high and Karkloof have need to close the trails. There are three routes to choose from; 8km (more for trail runners and kids), 17km and 20km – all of which start from the Karkloof Club and head out down the district road towards McKenzie’s Hill before turning right into the farmlands. The 17km and 20km share most of the same route with the 20km taking in a lovely section alongside some natural bush and overlooking Albert Falls Dam. Nick Stubbs is the farmer behind the trail construction and he and his team have been hard at work creating a stunning new trail network through the dairy farms, passing some dams and including the old ‘rock’ section (which was used for the Karkloof Classic some years back).

We did the 20km loop first and before heading back to the club, linked up to do the extra piece for the 17km giving us a total of 28km, 585m ascent and just on 2hrs riding time. If you missed it last weekend, keep an eye on the news for when the Milk Trails are next open to ride – makes for a worthwhile outing to the Karkloof and something a little different.

BURG TALK | 32-2020

Burg Wheelers Team Time Trial Challenge. Hayden Hutton

Where have all the roadies gone? With no road racing

taking place, road cycling has taken something of a back seat in the past few months, well we plan to change that.

Burg Wheelers will be running a road cycling Team Time Trial Challenge from 7 August to 7 September.

This is a fun challenge, with no prizes and only your personal pleasure as a reward. Oh, and of course we will publish a set of results, for the obvious bragging rights. There will be rankings for overall, mixed teams and all women teams.

The goal is to ride from the entrance of St Johns to the end of the Karkloof tar road and back, at the fastest average speed, finishing together as a team, without endangering yourself or other road users! This is roughly 38km with 590m ascent.

Teams must consist of four riders only, and all must be paid-up Burg Wheeler members.

Teams may attempt the challenge as many times over the four weeks as they wish, and you can enter in more than one team, just in case you find new friends!

Submit your final entry by 7 September, with the team members’ names, your team’s name and average speed achieved, with Strava proof! Please take a team photo, in Burg Wheelers kit, in case the press requests it.

So, time to get some friends together and see how fast you really are.

Entries can be sent to hayden.hutton@vodamail.co.za See you on the road!

Brett Fourie So much has happened and changed both globally

and locally this year, to an extent which even the most pessimistic amongst us could never have foreseen or even guessed.

Not a single one of us can say the virus hasn't affected our lives in some way or another. All of us at very least know of someone who has tested positive for covid, many of us have family or friends who have the virus and unfortunately some of us have been infected. I personally have family who are covid positive and I also know people who, sadly, have lost their lives. Over and above the terrible loss of life, there is still the very real economic and social impact felt by everyone bar none.

Ironically the cycling industry has benefitted post hard lockdown with so many people re-evaluating their lives and their health.

Many individuals are re-prioritizing their lives and with gyms still closed, cycling has become the go-to option. Never before have I seen so many "old" 26 inch bikes in our shop for a service, owned by an individual just wanting to get back into cycling.

Likewise new bike sales across the board are at an all time high. So much so, that many models and variants are sold out regardless of brand.

In my opinion there has never been a better time than now to ride our bikes! Yes, I know how we all miss the events and organized group rides- we are social animals after all and crave the interaction with others.

However currently we are still prohibited from hosting and participating in races/events. Many have turned to the online cycling formats and interaction, myself included but it just isn't the same.

How I miss just riding right next to my buddies on a stretch of dirt road, chatting face to face less than a meter apart.

No mask to block that smile (often grimace in my case) on his face as we enjoy the comradery and each other's company as like-minded individuals, high fiving and patting each other on the shoulders - this is our new normal ( for now anyway).

I urge you all to get on your bicycles and ride. Whether it's on the road or off, electronic gizmos up and running or not, flat out heart rate at its max and chasing strava segments or just trundling along.

Ride my friends, just ride... Be safe and have fun

BURG TALK | 32-2020

Chris Carmichael, Founder & Head Coach of CTS There have been times in my life when I’ve envied

athletes and coaches in stick-and-ball sports like baseball, football, hockey, and basketball. There are risks involved in all of them, but they’re also safely ensconced in stadiums, arenas, and gyms with medical facilities and personnel on-site, and shelter is just steps away, Coaching cyclists isn’t just about physiology, nutrition, and psychology; we also have to teach cyclists to deal with the risks. Here are the top fears I hear from cyclists and how you can overcome them. Top Fear: Cars

Might as well start with the biggest fear of all, getting hit by a car. While many devoted cyclists are incorporating gravel bikes into their arsenals to spend less time on pavement, there’s also been a resurgence of urban and suburban cycling as a consequence of the COVID19 pandemic. Here’s some key points for staying safe in traffic: • Follow traffic laws: When drivers and riders both

act predictably, it avoids the confusion that often results in collisions.

• Ride popular routes: Cars are used to seeing bikes on those roads, and there’s a reason the cycling community has gravitated toward those routes.

• Make eye contact: To increase your chances of predicting what a car will do, look at the driver. Are they looking your way or to the opposite side? Are the visibly irritated or impatient? Are they texting?

• Watch the wheels: Noticing movement from a sidestreet or driveway sooner gives you precious seconds to evaluate whether the car is going to go or stay put.

• Use your voice: You don’t have a horn, but sharp, guttural “HEY!” can be enough to get a driver to look for the source of the noise, which is you. Don’t yell to be aggressive or abusive; the goal is to be noticed.

• Maximize visibility: Bright colors, reflective material, and lights may not offer the level of protection we’d hope for, but they don’t hurt and they’re a good start.

Cyclist Fear: Steep Downhills

Downhill is free speed and a reward for doing the work to get to the top of the hill. But steep and/or twisty downhills are intimidating for many riders, and the anxiety leads them to ride the brakes all the way down. Learning to go downhill more confidently makes rides more fun – and safer. Remember three key points: • Look far ahead: You’ll ride a straighter, more

stable line and notice obstacles and reasons to brake or adjust your line with enough time to take action safely.

• Brake hard in a straight line: Make the biggest adjustment to your speed in a straight line before entering a turn. You can make minor braking adjustments during the turn, but generally you want to be lightening up and then releasing the brakes as you go through a corner.

• Focus pressure on your outside leg and inside hand when taking sharp corners. This increases traction and lets you lean the bike into the turn more than your body.

Cyclist Fear: Corners/Turns

There’s a long list of handling skills that help cyclists feel confident and comfortable on the road, including drafting, riding in a group, rotating in a pace line, and bumping shoulders with a rider next to you. Whether you’re riding solo, with one or two people, or in a pack (when we get back to that…), you have to be able to ride through corners safely. Specific tips include: • In wet conditions or on unstable surfaces (sand on

the road, gravel turn), keep the bike more upright and look to extend the arc of the turn so you’re changing direction over a greater distance. Basically, you’re trying to avoid sudden movements like dramatic steering or diving into the apex.

• Corner in the drops or at least lower your shoulders. You want your weight distributed between the wheels, and if you’re riding more upright there’s more weight on the rear wheel, which increases the chances of losing traction on the front wheel. Lowering your shoulders also puts a nice bend in your elbows, which allows you to absorb bumps and adjust your pressure on the bars or position over the bike.

• Back off the wheel in front of you. To minimize the risk of needing to brake sharply in a corner, slightly back off the wheel in front of you before a corner. With practice, you’ll learn to brake less, maintain your momentum and close that distance before exiting the turn.

BURG TALK | 32-2020

Please consider supporting the backabuddy

campaign for André Pienaar André was a former Springbok track cyclist,

and a biokineticist in PMB for many years, helping injured sportsmen/sportswomen over the years.

https://www.backabuddy.co.za/andre-pienaar

For André Pienaar, March 2020 was the start of an incredibly challenging battle for survival. After having a persistent headache for 3 days, André’s wife Annatjie

and son Roël both noticed Andre’s health rapidly deteriorate. André was experiencing impaired motor

function and some confusion. He was rushed to hospital where he has remained for the last 22 weeks

fighting for his life. The latest report from the family is that Andre is

making slow but steady progress.

Are you battling with motivation to get on the bike or go the extra 30 minutes?

Maybe you cannot get your legs to work?

Many think that sports is only physical and forget how your mind can affect your performance. As stated by the adventurer athlete Ross Edgley,

to build an unbreakable body, you also need to train your mind.

At Volitio, we provide tools to train your mind to be tough against the fatigue, lack of motivation

- even rehabilitation from an injury. To find out more from Tayla Bestbier,

visit www.volitio.co.za/ email: admin@volitio.co.za/ call: 0832540469

Contact: Chairman Vice-Chairman Secretary BurgTalk Bobby Nefdt Dale Southern Janice Brisbane Sally Upfold 082 082 1992 083 659 3000 083 660 9996 082 5700 851 bobbynefdt@gmail.com dales@soshosting.co.za Janicebrisbane1@gmail.com mustangsju@gmail.com www.burgwheelers.co.za @ BurgWheelersCyclingClub @burgwheelers

Taryn Scholtz, winner of our FB

#CompediumActive competition, was thrilled to receive her Compendium

hamper