The Nedbank Desert Dash is a truly special mountain bike race. Held in early December, riders depart Windhoek at lunchtime on a Friday on the Khomas Hochland route to Swakopmund. A 400k ride through Namibia’s desert landscape. This is not a stage race but is ridden continuously from start to finish. You can do this race solo, or as a member of a two- or four-man team. Either way, you are going to be riding your mountain bike for hours in the dark. Not only do you need the mental fortitude, but you also need to be sure that your kit is up to it. Adequate lighting is vital, as is sorting your nutrition to keep your ‘engine’ running. It can be very unnerving to ride on uncharted roads in the dead of night.
Nico Sterk, Coach and principal of the Centurion-based Sterk Span Coaching Academy is a multiple podium finisher of this gruelling event in the two-man category. He takes members of Sterkspan who are doing the Desert Dash, or any Academy members up for a mountain bike adventure, to Lindani, a guest farm in the Melkrivier area of the Waterberg for night simulation training in early October. My son Dave and I went along to set up some support stations along the way to bring some cheer and desperately needed sustenance to the athletes. The guys do a 166k loop through some stunningly scenic dirt roads in the Waterberg.
Having done a bit of endurance sport over the years, both running and cycling, I love the involvement with young folk, and some not so young, who have chosen a healthy and positive lifestyle. Dave is nursing an injury so is not doing ‘Dash’ himself this year, but being a team player, was keen to support his fellow athletes in their training endeavours. The second attraction was getting out of the city and into the bush. Salve for the soul! Thirdly, (as if we need any more reason) I was keen to do a mini camping road trip with my recently acquired Suzuki Jimny 3-door. Regular readers of ZA Bikers/ZA Lifestyle will be familiar with this little beast. I have done some tweaks with my camping kit which I was keen to field test.
We left for Lindani, a superb game and guest farm, on late Friday morning and stopped at the Vaalwater Hotel for the obligatory “welcome weekend” cold bevvie and a quick lunch, then it was on to Lindani to set up camp. The weather was stunning, pretty much like baby bear’s porridge, neither too hot nor too cold. The campsite at Lindani is lovely. It is in the lee of a scenic long rocky outcrop, with some shade trees and superb and spotlessly clean ablutions. We were the sole occupants, so had it all to ourselves.
Our camp went up in no time. Dave had his trusty Oz Tent off his Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and, together with his significant other, Lisa, had it up in minutes. I was itching to test the latest addition to my Jimny, an Ironman 4×4 270-degree awning. The awning deploys in seconds. Unzip the bag, walk the awning around the back of the car and attach it to the roof rack with the adjustable hooked strap provided, and voila, you have 270-degree shelter and shade. All that remains is to adjust the support poles for height and it is all done. The beauty of the support poles which are of the twist and set variety is that you can attach the optional sides to enclose the awning for privacy or additional shelter. Score!
The other bit of Ironman 4×4 kit that I was testing for the first time was one of their superb heavy-duty rooftop bags. I bought the 200-litre bag which is totally water and dustproof. All my bedding and groundsheet fitted with room to spare. The bags, available in various sizes, have their own adjustable straps with which to affix them to your roof rack. My plan with the Jimny is minimum weight and minimum drag. With the bag properly cinched down, it creates a properly aerodynamic bullet shape, “formed by the wind” as such. Ideal for your light but bulky stuff such as bedding. This is going to replace the heavier and less aero Thule pod which did sterling duty on my Suzuki Grand Vitara. Ironman kit is “forged in fire” so to speak. Clearly, it is properly thought through as the solution to a particular problem. Built by 4×4 enthusiasts for 4×4 enthusiasts. My 200-litre cigar-shaped bag performed as I had hoped. Superb!
After spreading my groundsheet, I deployed my “instant” Oz tent. Literally, take it out of the bag and let it loose to erect itself. Amazing. A couple of tent pegs and there you have it, instant tent. Great for an overnighter or two, especially in mild weather. The provisos that I have for camping are to be dry if it rains, be warm if it’s cold, and sleep comfortably. Enter the mattress debate. With a Jimny, size matters. I have slept well on First Ascent’s self-inflating mattresses which roll up into a reasonable size. Roll it out, open the valves and let it self-inflate, puff a few breaths for your preferred firmness and you are good to go. Ground irregularities are negated, and hip pain is banished. The latest version, which I have just acquired, has an improved inflation valve which is a huge improvement and works a treat. I rolled out my First Ascent sleeping bag which has served me incredibly well for over twenty years and my bed was sorted. When it comes to choosing your camping equipment it pays to buy decent kit. First Ascent Gear has been a game-changer for me. I have a tent, bought in the ’80s, which I still use, technical clothing and the sleeping kit, all of which have been an absolute pleasure. For pillows, I use an inflatable pillow for height and a memory foam chap for comfort.
With accommodation sorted, it was time to construct a “bushveld TV” and get supper going. In the interest of chilling, we had brought a pre-cooked Foodworks mutton curry. We got some rice on the go as the sun sank behind the rocky ridge, bidding the day adieu and bathing us in that unique bushveld glow which heralds in another memorable evening around a flickering hardekool fire. We shot the breeze, sipping on a fine red as our dinner warmed. Fed and content we chatted and simply soaked in the incredible bushveld ambience before showering and retiring to our tents. The next day was going to be a very long one, so we needed to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
Coffee is the drink of champions. I flipped out the brilliant Alucab back door shelf table on the Jimny and got some water boiling in no time. Another addition which is totally unobtrusive yet so effective. Sitting on a camp chair with a steaming mug, dipping a Woolies carrot and Pecan nut rusk, the Lindani campsite was simply a wonderful place to be. The rising sun was bringing the rocks into relief with that typical photographer’s golden hour glow. The night was pleasantly cool, but the sun was showing serious intent as it banished any remnant of cold. Today was going to be a goodie!
The athletes set out on their ride at lunchtime. We drove on ahead to set up a water station at 60k in, and when all had passed and had their stocks replenished, we carried on to the 130k mark. It was late afternoon when we got there, and we were joined by Paul and Yolande Cordes who had driven out to support the Sterk Span effort. Paul owns a bicycle shop in Centurion and has an illustrious mountain bike history with Yolande. They won the mixed category of the Absa Cape Epic, considered by many as the Tour de France of mountain bikes, twice. Yolande represented SA at the Olympics and raced professionally with Team Qhubeka NextHash. It is humbling when riders with that sort of pedigree come and serve fellow athletes on an endurance training outing. Special people. We had a great time chatting and sipping on the odd “vuil coke” while waiting for the riders to arrive.
Once again, the Waterberg wove its magical sunset spell on us as we waited for the athletes to come through. It got properly cold as midnight approached and we moved ever closer to the fire we had built to provide some cheer for the physically and mentally spent athletes. We did our best to build their strength for the 36k run to the finish. It was after 2 AM before we too crawled into our welcome beds, having driven the dirt road back in the dead of night, using our lights to illuminate the way for some athletes whose lights failed them. A massive shout-out to Alucab’s brilliant (literally) Bonnet Light Brackets and Hardkorr auxiliary spots fitted to my Jimny. Those little suckers turn night into day, giving a wonderful spread of light. It is essential when traversing the bushveld at night to see any animals that may be threatening to cross your path with potentially disastrous consequences. They are top-notch.
The next day, with typical “back to the city” remorse, we packed up and drove back to Vaalwater for a pleasant breakfast at the Zeederberg Centre before ambling back to the big smoke. The Jimny acquitted itself superbly, coming into its own on the dirt, and the camping was all the more pleasurable thanks to First Ascent, Alucab and Ironman 4×4.
