Video: The Most "Hellish" Bike Race On Earth

I wrote a couple of posts about the Absa Cape Epic mountain bike race back when it was happening, trying to stress how difficult it was at the time. Now we have video proof, courtesy of our friends over at EpicTV. The clip below gives you a taste of just how wild and crazy this race can be, and why it is considered one of the toughest races on the planet.

New Trail Running World Record Set On South Africa's Table Mountain

For such a relatively small country, South Africa has more than its fair-share of exceptionally endurance athletes, adventurers, and explorers. Case in point, it was just a few weeks ago that I wrote about a new record setting run on the Drakensberg Grand Traverse that was set by ultra-runners Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel. Turns out they aren't the only South Africans to set new records these past few weeks, as trail runner Andre 'AJ' Calitz recently put in an impressive performance on Table Mountain, the iconic landmark that overlooks Cape Town.

On Saturday, April 5, Calitz ran up and down the 1085 meter (3558 ft) tall flat-topped mountain an unbelievable 14.5 times in 12 hours. That gave him a vertical gain over that period of 10,257 meters (33,651 ft). That's the equivalent of running up Everest, plus an additional 1409 meters (4622 ft), over the course of half a day.

The trail, which is a demanding climb up a tough trail, features more than 800 double-sized steps over a 700 meter (2296 ft) stretch, which added a unique element to the run. AJ indicated that the uneven steps caused more issues, rather than actually helping him. Still, he managed an ascent every 35 minutes. The climb typically takes hikers anywhere from 1-2 hours to complete.

The video below will give you an idea of what this trail is like, and how challenging it must have been to run up and down it, not just once, but 14+ times. That's a pretty impressive feat of endurance. Well done Andre!

Thanks to Lisa for sharing this as always!

Video: Blood, Sweat And Tears At The Absa Cape Epic 2014

Last week I mentioned that the Absa Cape Epic, a massively difficult mountain bike stage-race, was underway in South Africa. After 8 days of racing, the event was won by the Topeak-Ergon Racing team out of Germany, which features Robert Mennen and Kristian Hynek as its riders. The video below was released post-race, to give us all an idea of just how challenging the event actually is. Considering the number of grown men who look like they are absolutely at the end of their rope in these clips, it must be a real sufferfest.

Ultra-Runners Complete Drakensberg Grand Traverse, Set New Speed Record!

On Monday, I posted a story about Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel, two ultra-runners attempting to set a new speed record on South Africa's Drakensberg Grand Traverse, a remote and rugged trail that stretches for 220 km (136 miles), through the Drakensberg Mountains. The duo had set out on Sunday with the goal of smashing the previous record, and yesterday evening they reached the end of the route, easily besting the old mark in the process.

Starting front he Sentinel Car Park in the north and traveling to the Bushman’s Nek Border Post in the south, Sandes and Griesel crossed through some incredibly difficult terrain. The Drakensbergs are known for their sharp edged peaks, rocky trails, and substantial climbs and falls.. Over the course of the run, the two endurance athletes saw nearly as much total elevation gain as the equivalent of summiting Mt. Everest.

When they launched their efforts, Ryan and Ryno hoped to beat the previous record of 60 hours, 29 minutes, 30 seconds set back in 2010. After scouting the route ahead of their attempt, they felt that was an attainable goal, while also believing they could actually complete the route in under 40 hours. While they did manage to crush the old record, they weren't able to finish quite that quickly. Their official time was 41 hours, 49 minutes, which shaves more than 18 hours off the previous best pace.

The run was not without its share of challenges. In addition to the grueling terrain, which they even ran through at night, both men faced some physical challenges. Sandes twisted an ankle no more than two hours into the attempt, and was worried for a time that he might have to pull the plug on their expedition. Later that day, Griesel said that he became dehydrated, which made for a rough couple of hours that is partner helped him to get through. In the end, they were able to overcome those difficulties and complete the traverse in record time.

Congratulations to Ryan and Ryno on an impressive effort.

South Africa Plays Host To 11th Annual Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race

Yesterday I posted a story about two South African adventure racers who are attempting to break the speed record on the Drakensberg Grand Traverse. While that attempt is still on going, it isn't the only major outdoor sporting event to watch in the country. The Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race is also underway, hosting some of the top riders from around the world in a stage race that is both fast and technically demanding.

The race got underway on Sunday and is eight days in length. It runs from Durbanville to Somerset West, covering some 718 km (446 miles) in the process. On top of that distance, the riders face a grueling 14,850 meters (48,720 ft) of total climbing over the course of the eight stages, which can zap the strength out of their legs with the daily grind.

At the moment, the race is led by Team Centurion Vaude which is made up of Markus Kaufmann and Jochen Kaess, both of Germany. They're followed by Team Meerendal Songo Specialized – Christoph Sauser (SUI) and Frantisek Rabon (CZE) in second place, and Team BMC Mountainbike Racing – Lukas Fluckinger (SUI) and Martin Fanger (SUI) in third. With five more stages yet to go, it remains anyones race however.

The video below are highlights from the first stage. It'll give you an idea of what the 1200 riders are experiencing out on the course. Looks like a great race in a great setting.

Ultra-Runners Go For Speed Record On South Africa's Drakensberg Grand Traverse

The Drakensberg Grand Traverse is a challenging hike through a tough stretch of the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa. The trail covers approximately 220 km (136 miles) and takes most hikers anywhere from 6 to 10 days to complete. But at the moment, two ultra-runners are attempting to set a new speed record on that trail, as they hope to cover it end-to-end in less than three days.

Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel set out on their speed attempt yesterday. Departing from the Sentinel car park in the north, and running south toward the Bushman's Nek Border, they  hope to beat the previous record of 60 hours, 29 minutes, 30 seconds that was set back in 2010 by Griesel and teammate Cobus van Zyl. After weeks of scouting the route and preparing for the run, Ryan and Ryno feel that that time seems not just within reach, but fairly very beatable, as the two extreme athletes have told others that they are actually aiming at a time closer to 40 hours.

The route, which is mostly unmarked, covers some very difficult terrain. The trail is wanders up and down the dramatically shaped Drakensbergs, offering rocky ravines, edging peaks and plenty of climbing and descending. In fact, the two men will climb approximately the same height as Mt. Everest over the course of their two days on the trail. They'll also have to cross alpine grasslands and wet marshlands along the way.


If the terrain wasn't enough of a challenge, the weather could prove difficult too. There has been a lot of rain in the region lately, and while snowfall is limited in March, a freak blizzard would not be unheard of. Heavy mists and fog could slow them down as well. Considering they'll be spending much of their time above 2800 meters (9186 ft), the thin air could prove difficult to run in as well.

Ryan and Ryno are running the Grand Traverse completely self supported, meaning they are carrying all of their gear and supplies with them as they go. As of this writing, they are well ahead of the record pace from 2010, although there is still a very long way to go before they are through. You can follow their progress on the DGT's officials website, which has lot more information about the run and the two men attempting it.

Good luck to Ryan and Ryno and big thanks to my friend Lisa for sharing this story with me!

Video: Rolihlahla - The First Ascent Of A New Route In South Africa

Climbing videos don't get much more beautiful than this one. It features rock climber Sasha Diguilian as she puts up the first ascent of a new route in Waterval Boven, South Africa. The five minute short film looks great in terms of both the climbing and the setting. Inspiring stuff for a mid-week adventure.

Rolihlahla from 3 Strings on Vimeo.

Kapp To Cape Cyclists Complete 18,000 KM Ride In 102 Days

Way back in August I wrote a post about Reza Reza Pakravan and Steven Pawley, two long distance cyclists who were embarking on an epic ride from Nordkapp, Norway to Cape Town, South Africa. Their plan was to cover the 18,000 km (11,184 miles) distance between those two cities in just 100 days. Yesterday they completed that ride and they missed their target goal by just two days.

Reza and Steven faced all kinds of challenges as they rode through 14 different countries on their journey across Europe and Africa. Along the way they faced nasty winds, surprisingly bad weather and unexpected illness. The latter of those challenges was what ultimate prevented them from completing the ride in the expected 100 days. Despite all of the difficulties they had to overcome on their ride, the duo still only missed their scheduled arrival by two days. That is pretty impressive considering the number of miles they had to ride in such a relatively short time.

The video below was shot following their arrival in Cape Town yesterday. Not only did that mark the end of the expedition, Reza and Steven also announced that they had raised £20,000 ($32,375) for Azafady, a nonprofit that is working to build schools in Madagascar.

Congratulations to Reza and Steven on completing their incredible ride. In order to reach Cape Town yesterday, they had to average 176.5 km (110 miles) for 102 days straight. Those are impressive numbers indeed.

Cyclists To Attempt 18,000 KM Ride In Just 100 Days

Starting today, two long distance cyclists will embark on an epic ride that will have them pass through 14 countries, on three continents, in an attempt to cover 18,000 km (11,184 miles) in just 100 days. The duo will go unsupported throughout the journey, averaging more than 180 km (112 miles) per day while carrying 30 kg (66 pounds) of equipment with them at all times. As is often the case these days, this expedition is being undertaken for a good cause as well.

The two men who will attempt this ride are Reza Pakravan and Steven Pawley, each of whom has a great deal of experience in endurance cycling. Back in 2011, Reza set a record for the fastest crossing of the Sahara Desert on a bike, while Steven has undertaken several long distance cycling expeditions as well. They'll need all of their considerable skills and experience to get through this journey however as it will be a tough one to complete.

Reza and Steven set out this morning from Nordkapp, Norway which actually sits above the Arctic Circle. They'll now ride south to Cape Town, South Africa and their eventual finish line. With that route in mind, they've named their endeavor the Cycle Kapp to Cape expedition. Over the next 3+ months, their route will take them through Finland, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran. They'll then hop a flight to Egypt and resume the pedaling through Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and on into South Africa.

While the two cyclists hope to set a speed record on their way to Cape Town they have bigger, more altruistic goals in mind as well. They are attempting to raise £28,000 ($43,320) to build new schools in Madagascar. Reza and Steven are working in conjunction with Azafady, a nonproft that is striving to eradicate poverty and environmental damage in that country and they believe a good education is key to achieving those goals.

You'll be able follow the riders' progress through their blog, Facebook page and Twitter stream. Since they have just gotten underway this morning, there isn't much to report just yet, but expect plenty of updates from the road soon.

Good luck boys!

bigblueproject: Face To Face With An Elephant On A South African Road

I wanted to take a moment this morning to plug a cool project that I contributed a story too that I think a lot of you will really enjoy. It's called bigblueproject and the concept is simple, yet brilliant at the same time. The project's creator, Burkhard Gruess came up with the idea of soliciting contributions of photos and travel stories then connecting them to a location on a map. Visitors to the site are presented with a map of the world with pins planted in various places where someone's story took place. Clicking on the pin will bring up that story and a single image that corresponds to it.

Burkhard kindly asked me to submit a story back when bbp was still in its conceptual stages, but I had a difficult time finding an opportunity to put something together. He circled back around a few months ago and asked me for a submission again, and this time I could really see what he was building and quite frankly I was very impressed. I loved the concept and the stories and images that people were sharing were excellent.

Of course, now I was excited to be a part of the project but still had a difficult time finding a spare moment to put something together. Yesterday, Burkhard nudged me once again and having a bit of a lull in my schedule at the moment, I went to work on getting something together. He's already posted my photo and story today, which you'll find by clicking here.

My contribution to bigblueproject involves a run in I had with a big bull elephant while visiting Kruger National Park in South Africa a few years back. The massive creature was wandering down the center of one of the main roads and was none to happy to come across the minivan that I was riding in along with a group of other writers and our guide. If you've ever been in a vehicle that has been charged by a full grown male elephant, who happens to be looking for a girlfriend, you'll understand.

Anyway. I hope you enjoy the story and the bigblueproject.

Expedition Africa Adventure Race Wrap-Up

Last week the Expedition Africa Adventure Race took place in South Africa, where 31 teams went head to head on a 550 km (341 mile) course that was specifically built to test their skills and push them to their physical limits. The event was part of the Adventure Racing Wold Series and is the only qualifier for the AR World Championships to be held in Africa his year. By all accounts, the race was an excellent one with fantastic trekking, mountain biking and paddling legs that really showed off the amazing landscapes of the host country. After more than four days of non-stop racing, Team Haglofs Silva of Sweden claimed the victory. Second place went to Team Technu Adventure Racing from the U.S. and Canada, who were about three hours behind the winners. Team Raidlight of France rounded out the podium.

My friend Lisa de Speville was on hand to cover the race from start to finish, which is no easy feat in and of itself. Lisa is a fantastic AR corespondent because she not only knows the sport inside and out, but is passionate about it as well. You can read her race recap here and catch the rest of her outstanding coverage here. If you're already a fan of adventure racing, you'll enjoy catching up with everything that went down during the race and you can learn a lot about team strategy, race logistics and so on as well.

Below you'll also find a video from the race directors that shares highlights from the event. It'll also give you a great idea of what the teams faced while out on the course. Having visited South Africa myself and seeing again here in this video, I have to say that it makes a fantastic location for an race like this one.

Video: Expedition Africa Adventure Race - A Taste Of Day 1!

Yesterday marked the start of Expedition Africa, a 550km (340 mile) adventure race that is taking place this week in South Africa. The race, which is the only qualifying event for the AR World Championship in Coast Rica, features coed teams of four running, biking and paddling their way through breathtakingly beautiful African backcountry. Don't believe me? Have a look at the video below which features some highlights from Day 1.

Expedition Africa Adventure Race Begins Monday!

On Monday, Expedition Africa – a 500 km (310 mile) long adventure race – will get underway in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa. The race will pit coed teams of four against one another in a non-stop, multi-sport AR event that is expected to take a minimum of three days to complete. As usual, the athletes will need to run, mountain bike, paddle and navigate their way through some remote and beautiful locations on their way to the finish line. The race is scheduled to run through May 12.

Fans of adventure racing will be able to follow the event live on the official website once the race commences on Monday. The race organizers will also be posting regular updates to their Facebook page as well. But if you want to read the best coverage available, it is likely to be found on the adventure racing site AR.co.za. The site belongs to my friend Lisa de Speville, who has a long track record of covering expedition length races. She'll be on site in the Drakensbergs next week to cover the race and will post reports to her webpage regularly. Lisa's race reports are always thorough, interesting and insightful, and as a fan of the sport, I'm already looking forward to what she has to say.

For those of you who are new to adventure racing or to Expedition Africa, Lisa has set up a page to describe the basics of the event which you can read here. She has also compiled a list of good online resources for keeping current with what is happening while the race is underway, which you'll find here.

Expedition Africa also happens to be part of the Adventure Racing World Series, which means that the 31 teams competing there will be looking to earn a qualifying spot at the AR World Championships to be held in Costa Rica later this year. It is the only adventure race held on the African continent to hold that distinction.

Good luck to all of the racers. Have fun and watch out for the sleep monsters!

Video: Vivid Landscapes - Climbing In Rocklands With Mélissa Le Nevé

While we're on the subject of adventurous activities in South Africa today, heres a video that features climber Mélissa Le Nevé exploring the wonderful landscapes that make up Rocklands. The short film, which is 24 minutes in length, is beautifully shot and captures Rocklands in stunning fashion. Really an amazing looking place with plenty to offer any outdoor lover.


Vivid Landscapes - Mélissa Le Nevé in Rocklands (1080p) from Haroun Souirji on Vimeo.

Best Hike Treks South Africa's Otter Trail

No one hikes more unique and unusual trails that Rick McCharles, the writer of the always interesting Best Hike Blog. When he isn't busy coaching gymnastics in some bustling gym, Rick can usually be found backpacking his way along hiking routes in all kinds of remote corners of the globe. His most recent journey took him to South Africa to walk the Otter Trail, a route he tells me is spectacularly beautiful, little known in the West and celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The Otter Trail stretches for 41 km (25 miles) along South Africa's popular Garden Route. The OT seldom ventures far from the breathtaking coast but it does wander through some rough terrain, climbing up and down rocky shorelines as it meanders across a spectacular region in a country that is filled with amazing locales. It generally takes about five days to hike the trail and there are comfortable huts situated along its length, making it easy find shelter at the end of the day.

Rick is now sharing that experience with readers kicking off his blog coverage with his first Otter Trail post today. Over the next five days he'll continue adding his thoughts on the experience, including some amazing photos of the things that he saw along the way. Today we start with Day 0, during which he shares some thoughts on just getting to the start of the hike. Starting tomorrow, we'll actually get into the trek itself.

What I always love about Rick's writing at Best Hike is that he does an excellent job of introducing us to long distance trails that many of us probably didn't even know existed. Through his well chosen words and beautiful photos, he also has a knack for inspiring us to follow in his footsteps. I have no doubt that his Otter Trail reports will continue that tradition.

Video: Mountain Rescue Explained AT FEAT

Ever wondered just how mountain rescue operations are conducted? At a recent edition of FEAT (Fascinating Expedition and Adventure Talks) held in Johannesburg, mountain rescue guide and instructor Rob Thomas shared some very insightful and interesting behind the scenes information on how he recruits new volunteers to his team, trains them for work in the field and much more. His profiles of his most frequent "customers" and his answer to who pays for the operations are particularly interesting.

Video: Bouldering In South Africa's Rocklands

This video may be a year old, but it's new to me. It is a short film entitled Tomorrow I Will Be Gone and it features a talented group of rock climbers who traveled to the beautiful Rocklands of South Africa to take on some interesting new problems. The 44-minute video features some fantastic scenery and excellent climbing, in an amazing setting. If you're stuck at your desk today, it will provide a bit of an escape. Enjoy!

Tomorrow I Will Be Gone from Outcrop Films on Vimeo.

Video: A Super-Pod Of Dolphins Off South Africa

I've said it before, and I'll know doubt say it again. Our world is a pretty amazing place. The most recent example that I've seen of that is the video below which was shot off South Africa by explorer Mike Horn and photographer Chase Jarvis. While sailing there they came across a "super-pod" of dolphins that swarmed around their ship. There are literally dozens of them and it is quite a beautiful site.

Registration Now Open For The 2013 Put Foot Rally

The Put Foot Rally is now accepting registration for 2013. What's the Put Foot Rally you ask? Just an 8000km (4970 mile), 18-day road rally through Southern Africa that is equal parts competition and roving party. With it's "any car, any route" approach, the Put Foot is certainly flexible and approachable for road warriors, although competitors do have to pass through checkpoints in South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. How they get to those checkpoints is totally up to them however.

The official website for the Rally began accepting applications this morning and if past history is any indication, it'll sell out quickly. Last year's event was booked solid in just 28 minutes. To find out more and to enter the race click here.

And want to know what to expect while you're participating in the Put Foot? Check out the amazing video below to get a taste of the Rally. It looks like an amazing experience.


Put Foot Rally 2012: Etosha to Vic Falls from Goosebump Productions on Vimeo.

Video: Kloofing Suicide Gorge, South Africa

Kloofing is an activity in which hikers descend into narrow gorges and is, in a sense, a lot like canyoneering. One of the best places to go klooing in South Africa is a place called Suicide Gorge, which I'm told is a 17km (10 mile) trek that involves a number of leaps off high cliffs into cold water below. Those leaps are mandatory in order to descend the canyon, with most measuring 7-8 meters (22-26 feet) and the biggest drop topping out at 14 meters (46 feet). Clearly a hike through the gorge isn't for the faint of heart.

The video below shows a group of hikers that took on that hike recently and gives us a better idea of what both kloofing and the Suicide Gorge are all about. Looks like a lot of fun and it sure beats some of the alternate ways of descending the canyon.