Munga – Why and How?

The Munga is 6 days away.

1130km with a 120 hour cutoff from Bloemfontein to Wellington cross country on farm and dirt roads.

The organizer sent a questionnaire looking for general biographical information and included the questions “Why are you doing this?”

“Stretching the body to make room for the soul” I wrote. Glib words easily tapped into the phone with a whiskey at my elbow and the cat on the arm of my arm chair. Riding this distance is completely unknown to me. I don’t know if I can do it. I believe it is important to do things that are unknown because it can reveal things about oneself that are unknown. I’m excited and daunted by what this ride will reveal to me, about the road and about myself.

In 2015 I thought a long ride was to allow the south easter to blow me down the cycle path to Melkbos. The biggest training block for this ride, completed 5 weeks ago was a 3 day solo adventure, Cape Town to Montagu (235km), Montagu to Hermanus, (200km) and Hermanus to Franshoek (100km) where chica and her mother met me for lunch. I slept under my credit card in luxury accommodation, ate in restaurants and had pretty scenery.

And next week I will have to string together 5 days of over 250km each, into the prevailing headwind, in the heat of the karoo on little sleep and that on a matress on a farmhouse floor. So will about 230 other souls, half of which, like me are newbies.

I have told so many people about it, spent so much money on equipment, excused myself from so many functions to devote hours to riding my bike, bothered the good people at The Gear Change with tweaks to my setup, cleat position on new shoes, servicing and double checking of my bike that I dare not show my face anywhere if I don’t finish.

I have resolved that I will not stop. The only things that can stop me are not making the rolling cutoff at one of the 5 race villages or my bicycle or my body being broken beyond repair.

Shermer’s neck might stop me. This is a condition unique to ultra distance cycling where the muscles that hold the head up fatigue and simply fail. Apparently it is not painful – you simply can’t lift your head. Some people tuck a toilet roll under the chin and continue like that. I wonder if I have that in me?

I don’t want to find out so I have acquired the lightest helmet I can find.

At the moment I am less concerned about why I’m going to do it. It’s the how that’s occupying my mind. And the answer is, one pedalstroke at a time.

I’ve also told myself that I will get another tattoo when I finish. I have a Pinterest board with ideas. I know it will include this emblem.

There will also be a dragon there too – because I know he’s waiting for me.

My plan is to ride the 235 kilometers to the first race village and then rest and eat there for an hour and half. That’s at Vanderkloof dam. Then tackle the 190 odd to the second race village which is at Britstown at the 411km mark. I will shower, eat and sleep there for about 5 or 6 hours. Thereafter I will be with the dragon and the plan is just to keep moving forward. Keep eating. Keep hydrating. Resting in short bits at the race villages.

I’m going to remind myself to enjoy it. Remind myself that I am in the experience of a lifetime. When it’s hard and I feel like stopping I will remind myself that the old man on his death bed that I hope to be would leap at the chance to be back in the dark and wind of the midnight desert.
Bloemfontein, here we come. Watch out Wellington.

Here’s my kit list.

• Trek Top Fuel 9.8 (2019) dual suspension mountain bike with SRAM AXS electronic gears, 32x(10-50) with a Son dynamo hub and Klite light setup plus USB charging module
• Apidura and revelate design bike bags
• Garmin Edge 1040 Solar bike computer with battery extender pack
• Garmin InReach Messenger satellite tracking device
• Uswe 3l hydration backpack
• 2.35” Maxis Rekon Race Tyres

• 2 spare pre slimed tubes
• Tubeless tyre repair kit
• Multi tool with chainbreaker
• Spare quicklink
• Spare cleat bolts
• Spare seatpost bolt
• Spare brake caliper bolt
• Spare brake pads
• 100ml bottle of Stans Tubeless sealant
• Dual port high speed cell phone charger and USB C and mini cables
• Spare 10000ma powerbank
• spare derailleur hangar
• 3 batteries for axs electronic shifting plus charger

• POC Ventral lite helmet
• Louis Garneau Gel short fingered gloves
• 2x Snoods
• 1x Castelli fleece lined skullcap
• Ciovita Arm warmers
• Ciovita sunsleeves
• Ciovita rain jacket
• 2 x Ciovita Apex elite bib short
• 2x Enjoy Octane riding shirts
• Ciovita base later
• 2x Ciovita riding socks
• Lake CX238 wide riding shoes.

• Olympus OM TG 5 Camera
• Many sachets of AssMagic chamois cream
• Many bars and gels of Amacx sports nutrition
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• flip flops, pair of shorts and T shirt for sleeping in at race village.
• Chain Lube
• Suntan Cream
• Medical kit (plasters, antiseptic cream, analgesics, Immodium, Valoid)
• Cell phone
• Shoks Open run pro bone conducting headphones
• Toilet paper