Immerse Yourself in the Paradise of Mountain Biking.

The M&G Investments PE PLETT Tour is all the best parts of a Stage Race but without the ‘Race’ element. I got invited to join this new take on the M&G PE PLETT route from Sunday the 25th of March 2024 to Wednesday the 28th and grabbed the opportunity with both hands! While my preferred style of riding  more of the straight up and straight down ‘Enduro’ kind, I just love being out on my bike in any shape or form and the chance to go and explore a part of South Africa that I’d not spent much time in was too good not to jump on.

My tool for the job would be a Giant Anthem marathon bike with a pair of fast Schwalbe tires on it to make covering the ground as fun as possible. I have been fortunate enough to have ridden a few other stage races around the country on various different bikes (including E-Bikes) and decided a lightweight marathon bike would be the best option for this journey. The M&G PE PLETT route isn’t designed to be unnecessarily tough and being of good fitness, I was keen to experience it without the assistance of a motor and put in some good base miles for the upcoming Enduro racing season. There were plenty of folks that did take on the ride aboard E-Bikes and they certainly looked to be having a good time! The route isn’t without its fair share of climbs and some technical terrain which the electric assist bike of course makes much more of a pleasure to ride. The organisers cater for those needing battery drops and charging facilities so it is sweet and simple enough to take on this journey with a bit of ‘E’ power.

With a small group travelling at our own pace through a diverse part of this incredible country, there are bound to be a few tales to tell from the journey so here are a few of my favourites from the four days spent on the bike.

Day one is the longest of the four at 72km and gain 1400m in elevation.

It isn’t intended to be a hard day but when the weather decided that a generous serving of rain was in order, it became a pretty tough day! As we sat grazing breakfast at Kurland Polo Club in the morning, conditions seemed idyllic. There was good cloud cover and a chill in the air that would make the ride pleasantly cool once we hit the first climb out of Nature’s Valley. The first few kilometres were very cruisy as we took in magnificent views over Nature’s Valley from the western side. The weather was patiently holding off.

With a fairly solid climb out of the valley on its way, most of our small crew of 65 riders decided to leave their jackets with the one of the event crew. Fast forward 20kms after we had explored the slippery twists and turns of the Stinkhoutboskloof trail (a stunning old hiking trail resurrected by the Red Cherry Events team for the 2024 Ride and Tour) and crossed over the towering Bloukrans Bridge that spans the Bloukrans river 216 meters below, and the clouds began depositing their stores. After all, Tsitsikamma is a Khoisan word meaning “place of much water”.

Things got muddy pretty quickly, especially in the already damp forests! Where are those jackets we dropped off an hour ago? Oh well, we’ll just have to press on anyway. It can’t be too far to lunch!

I was impressed with the spirit of my fellow Tourers. I consider myself quite a positive and optimistic person and I found everyone around me easily matching or surpassing my energy in the otherwise adverse conditions. Our enthusiastic group was relishing in the adventure despite the sub-par weather! Some puddles were dodged, others were boldly forded at axle depth. Upon approaching one such water crossing I witnessed a despairing moment. A lady had stalled mid-puddle on her E-bike and, losing balance, lay the bike down completely submersed in this small lake that had formed on the forest road. I observed a moment of silence for the humble Giant Trance E that I assumed would give up the ghost. Remarkably, and to the disbelief of many, it carried her faultlessly to the finish of Day 4 in Jeffrey’s Bay!

Onwards we trundled through endlessly beautiful pine forests and even more special indigenous forests until we reached our lunch stop at the Tsitsikamma Village Inn and Marilyn’s 60’s Diner in the little town of Storms River. A bunch of us made use of the pool at the Village Inn to shed some mud from the bodies (very effective) before sitting down to a hot chocolate and double beef burger to warm and replenish the soul. It had been a long day and we had just about 15km to get home to the Isitsikamma Lodge and Spa.

Based right at the foot of the soft green Isitsikamma mountains amongst the shade of tall forest trees are the log cabins that accommodate the Tourers in generous comfort. Everything needed is at arm’s reach and the atmosphere is as serene as it gets. The first day of four came to a close with excitement for the remainder of the journey ahead and a bubbly chuckle at the circumstances under which it began.

Day two is kind on the body and the logistics.

Being a 58km loop from the Tsitsikamma Lodge and Spa out to the Indian Ocean and then back no bags need to be packed and with just 600m of elevation gain, the ride is a pleasantly easy pedal through the tranquil forests and farm lands of the area.

Having spent the previous four days aboard a motorbike covering the racing action at the Ride I was now fairly familiar with the route and the scenery but a consistent theme that l encountered on The Tour was being even more blown away by this diverse landscape that we were traversing. Just by virtue of being on a bicycle and moving slower you get to appreciate the scale of the mountains, the changes in vegetation and the vastness of the ocean as you pedal past high atop the cliffs that make up the rugged coastline.

One of the many interesting characters of the Tour was Mr Lee Fuller. Arguably one of the most stoked people you’ll ever meet, he assured us on our departure for day 2 that we wouldn’t be needing jackets today, despite the cool cloudy weather reminiscent of the previous day. Too soon Lee? Thankfully there wasn’t so much as a spot of rain to dampen our spirits for the remainder of the Tour and we were treated to sublime conditions on our second day of riding and the two that followed.

It was while stopping to take in the relentless crashing waves on the jagged rocks of the Storms river mouth (that plays finish to the renowned Otter Trail race) that it landed for me how great this format of event is. I’ve always thought that if you’re doing a stage race and not ‘racing’ you’d be inclined to stop along the route and take in some of the more special scenes, but even non-competitive riders still feel the pressure of the clock and a need to keep moving. Riding as we were in a small group with no timing chips makes it so easy to stop and take in those moments when they present themselves.

As we neared the end of the day’s route we were greeted by the M&G Investments Ice Lolly Bar. Yes please! A Madagascan Vanilla ice lolly became something I eagerly looked forward to at the tail end of each day, as did many of my fellow Tourers. The ice lolly bar also marked the turnoff for a shortcut home that cut out a long and winding descent into a forested valley and the equally long and winding climb back out of it. The shortcut options made avallable each day for those keen to shorten the route and cut out some more physical sections or technical riding were fairly popular. It is a nice option to have if your fitness isn’t quite up to the ride or you’re not confident in the technical riding, but those riders did sadly miss out on some marvelous sections of the route from a scenic and riding experience perspective. I think that is to say that any additional prep you can get in, even for the Tour format, makes the whole experience more enjoyable.

Turning right and down into the valley I followed Liam, one of the Leatt reps who was taking advantage of the loop day to get a ride in, down the forest road descent egging each other to go faster while drifting the gravel corners and dodging the odd puddle. It was a good laugh for sure! The steady climb out the other side was easier than expected (never a bad thing) and soon enough we were rolling through the Tsitsikamma Adventure Centre, under the N2 highway and onto the beanbags surrounding the scrumptious Foodlovers Market spread with beef burgers in hand. Four days of this is going to be good for the soul.

In the afternoons we enjoyed free Heinekens or Klippies & Cola under the shade of the trees between the lodges while professionally-led stretching sessions were open for any to join and Lee Fuller hosted the Sunset Sessions, chatting to notable characters from the Tour about their life and experiences. The intimate and casual atmosphere was perfect for unwinding and connecting with new friends or taking time to rest from the busy lives that we tend to lead. While savouring our last night at the Tsitsikamma Lodge and Spa, we looked forward to the journey that the third day had in store for us (with maybe a hint of trepidation for some).

Day three would be biggest climbing day thus far and very much loaded into the back of the route.

The route covered 60km with 1400m of elevation gain and began with a gentle cruise down to the ocean once again (that view never got old) before turning to head back up into the mountains. The main feature of the day was a 10km climb up and over the Tsitsikamma mountains and the glorious descent down a trail called The Phoenix into the Langkloof valley. This was the most imposing figure on the route profile, to the point that it drew attention away from a few other noteworthy climbs on our way from the sea to the mountains!

E-Bikes were popular at the Tour and also appreciated by some of us on naturally aspirated machines when a bit of a headwind picked up on the farm and district roads! Martin Prest and Paul Medell from Leatt were two such heroes as we left the ocean and headed north, pulling a little train of riders behind them into the breeze.

Roughly 30km into the ride the route plunges down into a deep valley, leaving the wide-open farmlands behind for dense tree cover and some steep gradients. Tearing down the gravel road into the valley was a real thrill. Catching air off the drainage ruts and drifting corners put a smile on my face that carried me the whole way back up and out the other side (with a bead of sweat or two in the mix as well). The second descent was more gradual and the climb out just as punchy. The Glovers (our event organisers and route designers) were putting us to work a bit on this one!

After exiting the second forest climb we made our way through a beautiful Protea farm, having a quick snack stop and refuel, before we reached the base of the mountains. About half the group would opt to take the easier way around to our destination at Assegaalbosch Country Lodge but those of us who saw the obstacle as the way forward would be rewarded in due course!

There were plenty of chirps and banter was flowing as we shifted into those upper gears of the cassette and spun our way to the top. Having seen the climb from the helicopter just a few days before I had an idea of what we were in for. While certainly challenging, the climb was more brief in length than I had expected but what was hard to tell from the chopper was how rugged the ground was. Towards the top, as we could see the saddle where we would pass through to the other side, the smooth forest road became rocky and loose. We were earning this descent that promised a thrilling ride down the northern slope of these mountains.

The Phoenix Trail was named as such due to the fire that blazed through the area just a few days before the M&G PE PLETT Ride took place. The upper section of trail served as a fire break separating the rich green vegetation on the right-hand side from the barren charred ground on the left, a striking contrast especially when seen from the air. The trail itself was unharmed and somewhat easier to read with less dense vegetation around meaning you could really let the bike roll and trust the support in the corners to carry you through. The nature of the trail is something like a shallow rut that once you learn to trust, just keeps on giving back in flow and support. As it flattens out towards the bottom you enter back into indigenous forest with tight twists and turns, another moment of contrast, before a steady climb takes you up to the M&G Ice Lolly Bar and the final descent of the day to home.

After the forest dwelling cabins of the Tsitsikamma Lodge and Spa, the Assegaaibosch Country Lodge offers a change in scenery with open views onto the surrounding peaks. The Hotel that housed everyone for the night was established in the late 1800s and has been exquisitely maintained. Kicking back after a swim in the pool and a couple of boerle rolls made with freshly baked bread, the mind and body couldn’t have been more content. The orange setting sun in the Langkloof signed off another spectacular day of riding and relaxing. The rhythm of ride and chill has truly set in and was working its magic. We put off the thought that tomorrow was the final day of this grand journey and sought to be present in the moment we were living in.

Any morning that you wake up to the smell of bacon being cooked for you is a good morning.

The Assegaalbosch Hotel would send us off well fed into our last day of the Journey. The morning scenes in the Langkloof were absolutely breathtaking. Cloudless skles and not a breath of wind as we rolled into the fynbos covered hills and valleys on our eastward journey to the Zwartenbosch Gold Club. Another 60km route was the order of the day with hair under 1000m of elevation gain (but the real feel was about 1200m).

Conditions were sublime as we made our way along the northern foothills of the mountains towards the Churchill Dam. There climbs were brief and sharp but once over the back of them we enjoyed long stretches of gradual downhill lifting the average speed and inspiring us to keep the cadence going.

I had noted a few sections where you could come unstuck in some fairly sizeable ruts whilst on the motorbike previously and kept an eye out for them. On one such descent ! offered a word of warning to my fellow tourers around me and then tucked in behind one such rider with the GoPro rolling to capture the descent. You couldn’t have scripted what happened next. Not moments after mentioning the danger of those sneaky ruts in the road, the man I had decided to follow with the GoPro came unstuck. He pulled left to dodge the large ruts forming on the right hand side of the road but not quite enough. His momentum drew him back to the right and with both wheels finding their way into one of the deep grooves carved from the rain, he went down right in front of my eyes (and lens).

Witnessing the crash, I was sure he was going to need medical help, or at least a moment to catch his breath and assess the damage, but no. Popping straight up and swinging his leg over the bike, he carried on without so much as dusting himself off. I was mightily impressed. Upon crossing the finish line, he did confess his shoulder to be in a lot of pain and headed to the medics for an assessment, but what a soldier for taking that slam 20km into the stage and then pushing through to finish like it was nothing!

The next challenge of the day presented itself as an 11% gradient climb of just over a kilometre that would take us up and out of the Churchill Dam valley. I’d taken a look at the time set by the fastest men during the Ride and it stood at 5min and 19sec by Marc Pritzen of Honeycomb Pro Cycling. Why not give it a go to see how we size up? Stepping up the pace from the easy pedalling I’d been enjoying thus far, I set out at a hard but sustainable pace up the loose gravel road to test my legs against the best. The gradient was proper and I had to dig deep to hold the pace I’d set out on. I crested the hilltop after 5min and 51sec, with a healthy respect for what the top racers can do while also charging hard thought the rest of the course!

The second half of the stage presented itself with a gradual 20km of climbing and traversing through farmlands across the valley to the north east. It would have been very manageable but Mother Nature had other plans for the day. Beginning with the adversity of a rainy day and finishing into the easterly headwind keeping us from the finish at Zwartenbosch, our otherwise blissful tour was bookended by some challenging conditions. You have to pay your taxes someway or another I suppose. Paul Ingen noted that it could have been quite hot without the wind to keep us cool. That was a positive way to look at it!

Cheered on by the cattle herds and flocks of sheep that we passed on our way, we completed our final day of riding earning some much appreciated finish line refreshments. The Tour was a hit. To sum up the experience, I would say it is a journey that is all about taking time to appreciate the unique and special things around you. That may be the people, the scenery, the indigenous flora, the work that goes into preparing a trail, the little comforts that make the race village a great place to be, or the mighty Tsitsikamma mountains. As much as you can take a normally timed stage race at your own pace, this touring format just gets you into the right mindset to slow down and savour each special moment of a unique journey such as this. M&G Investments PE PLETT, you’ve done a good thing!

Visit www.peplett.co.za to learn more about South Africa’s most diverse stage race.

Until then #KeepTheCadence