An inspiring story of trials and tribulation

The Roof of Africa is not for sissies – it is one of the toughest off-road bike races there is and it offers many individual stories and experiences within its confides. This week Autodealer decided to offer a platform for local competitors who participated in this race, to share, in their own words, their experiences with you.

Enjoy and don’t forget the tissues – this is a story with soul!

Liza Ackermann

Despite partaking in many races during 2013 and plenty of training, our experience was basically one of those where everything that could go wrong,did! I was standing on a hilltop in the middle of nowhere in pouring rain, in total disbelief and, emotionally back to two weeks before the Roof of Africa, when I was told that I may have cancer.

I was asking God why – when so many people have prayed and I had given up so much and put in even more, why?
And so, my answer, came sooner than I expected – Jack Brotherton. Jack has been training the whole year and we decided to do the Roof but once we left Bushman’s on day two, my bike was just not performing like it should have. It overheated on the fi rst downhill – what bike overheats on a downhill, I asked?

It was only a matter of time before it would pack up, so I told Jack to go ahead. But no, he stuck with us (Rian and I) giving up his dream, his whole year of training and did not change his mind when the rest of his riding buddies caught up with us on a climb when my bike just could not get past first gear.

He encouraged me by saying that I was doing well fi ghting two battles. And then, when my bike finally seized, he walked away in total despair with his shoulders and head hanging with the disbelief that all of this was for nothing.

This was even more heartbreaking for Rian and me than the end of my race. Henry and friends, people we briefly
met at the training camp, now committed to helping me back down these mountains by arranging a sheperd to
pull my bike and organising a vehicle to collect me once back in civilization and, even paying him on our behalf as we did not have enough money. Angels of the sport – Lynne Franks from Enduro World Magazine and
Noleen Roome from Diamonds and Dirt waited on the time trail, in the rain, wind and thunder for us to get into the pits and refused to leave before I arrived.

Who am I and what have I done to deserve such loyal, loving support? Then you have a very talented youngster with riding boots of two different colours, no knee braces as his broke a week before and he did not have enough money for new ones. He grabbed an energy bar at the refuel point just to have it ripped out of his hands by his girlfriend, telling him he couldn’t have it. This rider did well on the first and second day in the gold
category.

The Roof of Africa is about so much more than the finish. God has showed me what really caring about other people means. I will go back to conquer, but for now, the lessons learnt were most valuable!

Anticipation and adrenalin make for a memorable experience – Pieter Botha

Roof of Africa 2013 – what an epic event it was! I entered the gold class – what was I thinking? My first one I entered was in 2008 and I didn’t finish, then 2009 with the same result. I then decided that I was going to put more effort in training and developing my riding skills. In 2011 I entered the Silver class and finished seventh. It was the best feeling of accomplishment ever, and I decided that I had to finish gold.

I was back in 2012 as an Gold entrant and gave it my best shot. I finished Friday after 12:30 and I was absolutely exhausted and not knowing whether I would be able to tackle Saturday. But my pit crew insisted
that I go. Well, I did and managed to get to the last fuel stop with 60km to go but ran out of time. So almost there. Now for 2013 I was better prepared, more motivated and determined to make it. I was one of the first riders out on the time trail on Thursday and got lost with no lines or tyre marks to follow and a couple of crashes – not the ride I was hoping for.

On Thursday it also started raining early in the evening and continued throughout till Saturday night. Friday morning came very wet with no hope to even fi nish. I started very far to the back because of my time trail time and had a hard time getting used to the mud and slippery conditions and all the bottlenecks but still manage to finish the route.

Every year the route is different, with Friday’s route being slightly easier than the previous year’s. The conditions were even worse on Saturday morning. Only 60 riders from the gold class (out of 200) started Saturday. I met my support crew along the route (an absolute blessing) for fuel and something to eat, without which I would not have made it to the next fuel stop. At the first new pass on the days route, I found the
mother of all bottlenecks – got stuck there and lost two hours. It was just too slippery and to many riders trying to make their way up. My race ended at the next fuel stop as I missed the cut-off to continue.

This was the toughest Roof for me – not because of a lack of fi tness, but the weather played a huge role and almost made it unridable. Will I go back? Yes, yes, yes!

Dave Taylor – a bronze rider’s perspective

Suddenly, after months of anticipation, I am where I want to be – at the start line of the 2013 Roof of Africa, the chaff that was around the houses and a forgettable time trial where my GPS was ripped off my handlebars and I was forced to ride most of the route looking for markers. I know that there is only the here and now, to think of the future is folly, no one knows what the tournament has in store for them, it is best not to know – in the Malutis ignorance is bliss. The starter drops the Lesotho National Flag and I release the clutch, mindful not to spray the riders behind me with sloppy black mud. I know that like me, they are not wearing their goggles, these have been rendered useless by the cold rain that has been falling incessantly since the end of time trial yesterday.

All the training and preparation, is about to be put to the acid test. I shake my head to clear the adrenalininduced tunnel vision and focus on passing the rider in front of me, and then the next and the next, and so I make my passes when I can – I must make passes but I must not be passed and I must avoid the bottlenecks. I find a route over the mountain and near the front of my class and well into the silver
class. This is the theme for the remainder of the day, except that the riders become fewer, the obstacles become harder and the rain is relentless, at some point I find myself on top of a mountain in mist so thick that my eyes are on my GPS almost as much as they scan the shadowy mist in front of me. I come within a few feet of fl ying off a cliff.

Then as I am starting to think the end will for a memorable experience never come, I drop out of the cloud and the finish line is below me. I have finished the day seventh in class, but I know that it is just a number, finishing at the Roof of Africa is never a given.

Day two brings more rain, in fact it has rained hard throughout the night, it also brings a big surprise. Only 17 out of an original 74 of my fellow bronze riders line up beside me.The flag drops and as with the previous two days, we follow the same route for a while, but then it changes and I fi nd myself on unfamiliar ground and most of the day is spent riding on my own and my focus has turned to fi nishing. Despite this I have a few grim battles with other riders and find myself ascending the toughest part of the course in fi fth place, with the tracks of only four bikes in front of me, but I make a wrong turn in a marshy valley.

After what seems like an eternity I find myself ascending the fi nal pass to the finish. I catch up to another bronze-class rider in front of me and decide to do my best to pass him. Suddenly we are among hundreds of spectators, and, I can hear the trumpeting of vuvuzelas, whistling and shouting. And finally I launch my bike through a white fog of two-stroke smoke mixed with tyre smoke and radiator steam to do the last twenty metres to the finish.

The look on the faces of the other riders who have finished, is not unlike that of a shipwreck survivor pulled from a stormy sea, with eyes red and staring, the fixed thousand-yard stare of a survivor, and I know that stare is mirrored in my eyes, because I too have just survived my Roof of Africa.

Mother of enduros tests mettle – Geoff Good

After many months of training, we arrived at Maseru determined to fi nish the mother of all enduros – the Roof of Africa 2013 – Silver class.

This being my fourth attempt I was more determined than ever. My awesome pit crew were two buddies from Sabie, Ryan Connolley and Jason Myburgh, this was their first introduction to the tournament.

Day 1 consists of the famous “round the houses” and can be the beginning of the end for any rider if not cautious. By the last lap I rode flat out and was relieved when it was over with no disasters. I also completed the following time trial – slower than expected but without any problems. I was placed 52nd – the dust was not going to be a problem – again!

Woke up to pouring rain and expected difficult and wet conditions. At Bushman’s Neck – the start – and within five kilometres I realised that we were in for one hell of a ride, to put it mildly. At the first rock climb
about 40 bikes were strewn all over and this included gold and silver riders. I managed to find a way past. It was technical and slippery and by the time I arrived at the fi rst DSP, my awesome pit crew, totally drenched also, informed me that a large number had already pulled out. Arriving at DSP 2, and exhausted the crew told me to speed it up as time was running out – I had to be at the finish at 18:00. I made it at position 36.

My pit crew kept me well fuelled on the previous day so I felt strong and hydrated and ready for day three.
I started a bit shaky and crashed at the bottom of Bushman’s Neck, (1km after the start), and injured my right hand. This was going to change the whole game plan. By DSP 1 my hand had swollen badly and I had no front brakes. By DSP 2 I was still feeling strong but in pain and still no front brakes.

I continued knowing that this section of the race would be the hardest and most technical. At a new pass called Pulani, it took me 90 minutes to work my way around a bottleneck. Down Belokome Pass, with an injured hand and
still no front brakes. I stopped regularly to rest my hand. I was extremely relieved to get through this one relatively unshaved. I arrived at the bottom of Bushman’s pass to the cheers of many spectators. Without my pit crew, Ryan and Jason, I would have never made it! Many thanks to my amazing wife and kids, and to Lizanne
Lawrie for organising all the food for me and my crew over the three days.

According to many of the riders this was an epic Roof of Africa and the toughest ever. Roll on 2014!

Autodealer was unable to reach Johan van Rensburg for his feedback, but his story will be published in the Steelburger Autodealer of December 13.