DMBC newsletter

21st March to the 27th march 2011.

Whatever you’ve just read or going to read , take it with a grain of salt. We are not in the business of slinging insults or furthering ulterior defamatory campaigns via our website. We do like to joke around a lot, though, and usually put our big feet right in it! We are not hating on you, your mother, your dog our wives or yours - Not really. Nor does our opinion reflect the opinions of those we ride with, swear at or just verbally abuse!

------Saturday club rides--

2 FOR 2.30PM

usual ride out from the school

Anyone thats paid and still waiting for your licence please cntact me on mikec@newteltron.co.za

YES ITS SUMMER RIDE TIME

MONDAY TO FRIDAY 3.30PM TO 6PM

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 5AM TO 6PM

==============================================================

Date: 3 April 2011
Province: Kwa-Zulu Natal
Location: Holla Trails, Balito
Entries Close: 29 Mar 2011

The 2011 BOXLEE Golovane X-Plore MTB race takes place on Sunday, April 3rd , which provides Sani 2 C riders with a perfect opportunity to test themselves, their equipment and, probably most importantly, their teammates.

The date has moved from February because the Sani2c has moved later to 19 May due to the weather. The whole idea around the Xplore is that it is the last major/hard core training ride before the Sani for the teams.

With BOXLEE on board there will be well stocked water points as well as a few more additions to this unique MTB event.

A one-day, two-man team event, the X-Plore is an 85km ride that takes place almost exactly a month before Sani, giving riders a perfect chance to test themselves and their equipment and still have enough time to make changes.

The race course includes a combination of climbing, single track, Jeep track, district road and cane break riding (just like Sani!) on the superbly manicured routes of of Holla Trails … this race is an event no Sani 2 C entrant should miss.

Bikers, starved of racing over the Christmas and New Year period, will be able to test their festive season training in early February at an exciting new event, the Golovane X-plore, the first marathon event for 2010.

The testing 85km event, which takes place over the farmlands inland of Ballito on February 7, has over 2 000m of ascent and has been put together specifically as a pre-Sani2C and pre-Epic ride for teams of two to test their fitness and teamwork.
The distance and timing is perfect as a last long ride before Sani2C competitors ease off from training, while the self-contained, adventure-type concept is perfect for riders to test and fine-tune their teamwork.

It is compulsory for all competitors to carry a cell phone with the race emergency number saved and hydration for at least 40km.

A unique feature of the race will be an open starting time. The course will open at 6:00am and riders can choose their own start time until 7:00am. The early start will allow riders to beat the heat and with some riders expected to take over seven hours to cover the 85km they will be thankful for the early start.

The race will start and finish at the Holla Trails, the same venue as the 50km Golovane MTB Race in July, and riders will go inland to the Glendale Escarpment, a favourite training area for riders taking part in the Sani2C.

enter

http://www.roag.co.za/enter-an-event.aspx

Mr Price Karkloof Classic MTB Festival

The Mr Price Karkloof Classic 2011 is set to be bigger and better than ever before! The race has changed its date to a month earlier to fit into an insane build up to the 2011 UCI World Cup to be held in Pietermaritzburg, KZN in April.

Date: 8th, 9th & 10th April 2011
Province: Kwa-Zulu Natal
Location: Karkloof Country Club
Entries Close: 06 Apr 2011
Starting Time: 18h00 (Fri), 08h00 (Sat), 07h30 (Sun)
Registration: Fri 16h00 - 18h30; Sat 07h30 - 18h00; Sun 05h30 - 09h45
Seeding and Batching: Yes
Timed By: Mr Price
Late Entries: Yes
Fully ROAG Administered Event: Yes
Event Website: http://onlineentries.mrpricesport.co.za

To enter online now CLICK HERE!!

Race Options:

Friday 8th April:
Global Trader Night Race @ 18h00 - R100 (R150)

Saturday 9th April:
STIHL UCI Cross Country Race @ 08h00 - R120 (R170)
RED Downhill Race @ 08h00 - R275 (R350)

Sunday 10th April:
Mr Price Karkloof Classic @ 07h30 - R180 (R230)
aQuellé Half Marathon @ 08h30 - R150 (R200)
aQuellé 20km Family Experience @ 09h30 - R90 (R140)
aQuellé 10km Kids Ride @ 10h00 - R25 (R40)

Date: 13th - 15th May 2011
Province: Kwa-Zulu Natal
Location: All Out Adventures
Entries Close: 11 May 2011

We are planning a weekend of family fun in support of Royal Drakensberg Primary School. A number of events have been organized to accommodate all ability levels, as well as heaps of fun for spectators.

The Challenge is taking place on Friday 13th, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th May 2011, at the All Out Adventure Centre in the Northern Drakensberg.

* Night Ride on Friday
* 15km Trail Run
* 45km Classic MTB Race
* 19km Intermediate MTB Race
* 10km Beginner MTB Fun Ride
* Family ride with tea & scones on Sunday

The schedule is as follows:

Friday 13th
17h30 registration for 18h00 departure

15km Night ride.
R50 per person
An intermediate level night ride in the valley

18h00 onwards

The night ride is followed by a Curry & Rice or Chicken Potjie supper at the Adventure Centre R60 per person. Families welcome. Bring along own drinks.

Saturday 13th

06h50 – 09h00

Registration (Registration for trail run closes at 07h15)
Cappuccinos and breakfast rolls on sale

08h00-14h00

Kids Zone Open

The Kids Zone is a child care facility where parents can drop their children off while they do the MTB race, or just relax with a cappuccino and a piece of cake knowing that the children are having fun. It is also a place for the young riders to have an awesome time before and after their ride.
There will be an enclosed area that will offer a number of activities, including our new Ninja Warrior course and duelling zip lines. There will be a jumping castle, arts and crafts, colouring, face painting.

The children will be supervised at all times. The parents will be required to register their children coming into the activity area. Parents may choose if the children can sign themselves in or out, or if they must stay until the parent comes to find them. Teaching staff from Royal Drakensberg Primary will be supervising the Kids Zone, so children will be in experienced hands!

There will be a nominal fee of R25 per child for entry into the Kids Zone, all of which will go towards Royal Drakensberg's Fund raising efforts

Trail Run

07H30

15km Trail run
R50 per person
This run follows a spectacular route in the foothills of the Drakensberg, offering some fun boulder hopping, river crossings and hill scrambles. Runners will be inspired by the beautiful views of the Drakensberg's Amphitheatre, and the Puterill's stream in the valley below.

For the energetic - the trail run can be followed by the 19km Intermediate MTB ride

Mountain Bike Rides

09h30

45km Classic
R150 per person
New for 2011: more stunning miles of single track carved into the side of the mountains, gone are the two short sections of tar.

This makes for more technical climbing and more awesome views! What makes this race so special? To start with there are the close up views of the 3000m Amphitheatre, water fall caves, river crossings, flowing contour trails and loads of banked downhill tracks. Throw in some of the best accommodation in the Berg and you have the one race you won't want to miss.

09h45

19km Intermediate
R90 per person
A fairly challenging ride from the All Out Adventure Centre taking you along the Montusi Gorge Trail via hand carved trails to the exciting Secret Pass and back to the Adventure Centre on a banked downhill single track with an optional Big Air Jump to finish.
10h00

10km Beginner
R50 per person A completely separate trail following the contoured single track out to and along the Twin Streams and back to the Centre.

Spectator Fun on Saturday:

Supervised Kids Zone – an enclosed area where parents can drop off their children. The children will be supervised and kept busy with a variety of activities (Art & Crafts, , Games, Jumping Castle, Ninja Warrior Course, Sit & Zip Relay etc. Children will need to be signed in and out by parents)
Open 08h00-14h00

Lucky dip prizes – All riders gain automatic entry into the draw, and spectators may purchase tickets.
Prizes include weekends away, product hampers and gift vouchers

Pony rides – Led rides for children 10 & under
09h00-14h30

Adventure Centre Activities - Paintball, Zip Line, King Swing, Flying Trapeze, Bungee Bounce and Cable Tour will all be running as usual 9:00-16:30
Yummy Food

* Breakfast rolls (07h00-10h30)
* Wors rolls & Beer stall (10h30-15h00)
* Toasted Sandwiches, soups and wraps (09h00-16h30)
* Soft Drinks
* Cappuccinos, Coffee, Tea & Hot Chocolate
* Home Made Cakes & Eats - A selection of home made cakes and eats on sale to go along with your cappuccino

Sunday 14th
09h30 registration for 10h30 departure

Family Fun Ride to the river for tea and scones.

R60 per person (includes for tea and scones)

Depart from All Out Adventures, a super ride for children through the fields of the valley for scrumptious tea and scones next to the river

Spectators can purchase tea & scone vouchers for R20 per person and meet the riders at the river.
__________________________________________________________

Ride for Sponsorship & WIN

Participants wishing to assist with fund raising for Royal Drakensberg Primary may obtain sponsorship forms from Loretta Mecklenborg or Megan Bedingham Riders are encouraged to get friends and family to sponsor them to ride a particular event, and money raised will be donated to Royal Drakensberg Primary School Scholarships.

Sponsorship monies may be paid directly into the school's bank account.

The rider who raises the most money *will win:

* A family weekend for 4 at The Cavern
* An Adventure Centre morning for four
* Treatments at the Forest Retreat or 1 Hour Horse Rides

*Riders must raise a minimum of R1000 to qualify for this prize.

Royal Drakensberg Primary School

Royal Drakensberg Primary School aims to provide excellent foundation phase education for children of the Northern Drakensberg Community by cultivating a culture that embraces holistic educational practices and the best lessons of South Africa's unique democracy.
The Royal Drakensberg Primary was established in 2007 in an effort to address the great need for good education in this area. The closest school of an acceptable standard is Bergville Primary, some 50km away. A school offering a high standard of education will go a long way to give children the necessary grounding to reach their full potential. A financial assistance program has been established to make the school accessible to children in the surrounding communities. Royal Drakensberg Primary now has 38 children from pre-school to Grade 4.
Running costs of the school are covered primarily through the fees and by fund raising initiatives. All proceeds from the Royal Drakensberg Mountain Bike Challenge will go directly to the school.
Visit www.royal-drakensberg.org.za for more information about the school.

enter

http://www.roag.co.za/enter-an-event.aspx

weekend away!!!

Dear All

Rob Caskie who is the head lecturer here at Fugitives' Drift and is an
avid mountain biker. We therefore thought it may be a good idea for us
to forward our cycling weekend special onto you. Great mountain bike
challenges (including an historical river crossing) along with great
storytelling.
Please can we impose on you and ask you to let your members know about
this weekend.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for any further enquiries you may have.
Sincere thanks.
Yours, Karen

*FUGITIVES' DRIFT LODGE AND GUEST HOUSE*
RORKE'S DRIFT, KWAZULU NATAL, 3016
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
TELEPHONE: +27 (0)34 642 1843 OR +27 (0)34 271 8051
FROM DURBAN (4 HOURS)
Take the N3 towards Pietermaritzburg and take the Greytown/Church Street glide-off and follow the R33 to Greytown for 70km.
In Greytown follow signs to Dundee. Continue along the R33 through Keates Drift, Tugela Ferry and Pomeroy. Please be aware of speed humps and potholes. 10km after Pomeroy take the dirt road turnoff to the right, marked Elandskraal (and Isibindi and Camp Buffalo signage). At Elandskraal (which consists of a church and a trading store) turn left to Rorke’s Drift. Go for about 14km and before you get to Rorke’s Drift turn right onto the D31, sign posted Fugitives’ Drift. Go for about 7km (through the big black gates) and follow the signs for the Guest House or the Lodge. (Please note that the gate is locked at 6pm).

The RattRace is a bicycle race from the battlefield of Isandlwana to Fugitives' Drift which began in 2007. The route is along 36km of public dirt roads. The 2008 RattRace weekend also saw the first Night Race; an "R" themed fancy dress race which saw rabbits, robots and rabbabi hurling themselves around 4km of the Fugitives' Drift Game Reserve.

The RattRace weekend has become a permanent fixture of the last weekend of September: anyone who would like to raise money for the David Rattray Foundation is very welcome to take part in what is an extremely entertaining and worthwhile weekend.

The first three RattRaces in 2007, 2008 and 2009 were very successful. In 2010, through 'fines', generous sponsorship and entry fees, R63,000 was raised for the Foundation - the highest total ever. It is hoped that this remarkable achievement can be improved upon in the coming years.

All proceeds from the race go to the Foundation which works to support the schools in the area around Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana; the Foundation also aims to promote reconciliation throughout South Africa. For more details of the foundation, please click here to go to the Foundation's website.

The next RattRace is set to take place over the weekend of the 23rd September 2011, with the Rattrace itself on the morning of the 24th. If you are interested in formal accomodation in either the Lodge or Guest House for the weekend, please book soon! For more details of the race and accomodation, please email Fugitives' Drift Lodge on reservations@fugitivesdrift.com.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

The Unlimited Dusi Mfula 2011enteries now open!

The Unlimited Dusi Mfula 2011 will challenge and excite you as you follow the great Umsinduzi River from Pietermaritzburg into the Valley of a Thousand Hills.

The two day adventure is set in rural africa, with riders winding their way down to Inanda Dam on some of the most scenic routes in South Africa. They will follow cattle and foot paths, cross rivers, plunge down some exhillirating single track, and much more. The Unlimited Dusi Mfula is an experience that all mountain bikers should be itching for.

Go to www.dusimfula.co.za for further information.



	21st March to the 27th march 2011. Whatever you’ve just read or going to read , take it with a grain of salt. We are not in the business of slinging insults or furthering ulterior defamatory campaigns via our website. We do like to joke around a lot, though, and usually put our big feet right in it! We are not hating on you, your mother, your dog our wives or yours - Not really. Nor does our opinion reflect the opinions of those we ride with, swear at or just verbally abuse! *------Saturday club rides--* -- 2 FOR 2.30PM usual ride out from the school Anyone thats paid and still waiting for your licence please cntact me on mikec@newteltron.co.za YES ITS SUMMER RIDE TIME** MONDAY TO FRIDAY 3.30PM TO 6PM SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 5AM TO 6PM ============================================================== Date: 3 April 2011 Province: Kwa-Zulu Natal Location: Holla Trails, Balito Entries Close: 29 Mar 2011 The 2011 BOXLEE Golovane X-Plore MTB race takes place on Sunday, April 3rd , which provides Sani 2 C riders with a perfect opportunity to test themselves, their equipment and, probably most importantly, their teammates. The date has moved from February because the Sani2c has moved later to 19 May due to the weather. The whole idea around the Xplore is that it is the last major/hard core training ride before the Sani for the teams. With BOXLEE on board there will be well stocked water points as well as a few more additions to this unique MTB event. A one-day, two-man team event, the X-Plore is an 85km ride that takes place almost exactly a month before Sani, giving riders a perfect chance to test themselves and their equipment and still have enough time to make changes. The race course includes a combination of climbing, single track, Jeep track, district road and cane break riding (just like Sani!) on the superbly manicured routes of of Holla Trails … this race is an event no Sani 2 C entrant should miss. Bikers, starved of racing over the Christmas and New Year period, will be able to test their festive season training in early February at an exciting new event, the Golovane X-plore, the first marathon event for 2010. The testing 85km event, which takes place over the farmlands inland of Ballito on February 7, has over 2 000m of ascent and has been put together specifically as a pre-Sani2C and pre-Epic ride for teams of two to test their fitness and teamwork. The distance and timing is perfect as a last long ride before Sani2C competitors ease off from training, while the self-contained, adventure-type concept is perfect for riders to test and fine-tune their teamwork. It is compulsory for all competitors to carry a cell phone with the race emergency number saved and hydration for at least 40km. A unique feature of the race will be an open starting time. The course will open at 6:00am and riders can choose their own start time until 7:00am. The early start will allow riders to beat the heat and with some riders expected to take over seven hours to cover the 85km they will be thankful for the early start. The race will start and finish at the Holla Trails, the same venue as the 50km Golovane MTB Race in July, and riders will go inland to the Glendale Escarpment, a favourite training area for riders taking part in the Sani2C. enter http://www.roag.co.za/enter-an-event.aspx Mr Price Karkloof Classic MTB Festival The Mr Price Karkloof Classic 2011 is set to be bigger and better than ever before! The race has changed its date to a month earlier to fit into an insane build up to the 2011 UCI World Cup to be held in Pietermaritzburg, KZN in April. Date: 8th, 9th & 10th April 2011 Province: Kwa-Zulu Natal Location: Karkloof Country Club Entries Close: 06 Apr 2011 Starting Time: 18h00 (Fri), 08h00 (Sat), 07h30 (Sun) Registration: Fri 16h00 - 18h30; Sat 07h30 - 18h00; Sun 05h30 - 09h45 Seeding and Batching: Yes Timed By: Mr Price Late Entries: Yes Fully ROAG Administered Event: Yes Event Website: http://onlineentries.mrpricesport.co.za To enter online now CLICK HERE!! Race Options: Friday 8th April: Global Trader Night Race @ 18h00 - R100 (R150) Saturday 9th April: STIHL UCI Cross Country Race @ 08h00 - R120 (R170) RED Downhill Race @ 08h00 - R275 (R350) Sunday 10th April: Mr Price Karkloof Classic @ 07h30 - R180 (R230) aQuellé Half Marathon @ 08h30 - R150 (R200) aQuellé 20km Family Experience @ 09h30 - R90 (R140) aQuellé 10km Kids Ride @ 10h00 - R25 (R40) Date: 13th - 15th May 2011 Province: Kwa-Zulu Natal Location: All Out Adventures Entries Close: 11 May 2011 We are planning a weekend of family fun in support of Royal Drakensberg Primary School. A number of events have been organized to accommodate all ability levels, as well as heaps of fun for spectators. The Challenge is taking place on Friday 13th, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th May 2011, at the All Out Adventure Centre in the Northern Drakensberg. * Night Ride on Friday * 15km Trail Run * 45km Classic MTB Race * 19km Intermediate MTB Race * 10km Beginner MTB Fun Ride * Family ride with tea & scones on Sunday The schedule is as follows: Friday 13th 17h30 registration for 18h00 departure 15km Night ride. R50 per person An intermediate level night ride in the valley 18h00 onwards The night ride is followed by a Curry & Rice or Chicken Potjie supper at the Adventure Centre R60 per person. Families welcome. Bring along own drinks. Saturday 13th 06h50 – 09h00 Registration (Registration for trail run closes at 07h15) Cappuccinos and breakfast rolls on sale 08h00-14h00 Kids Zone Open The Kids Zone is a child care facility where parents can drop their children off while they do the MTB race, or just relax with a cappuccino and a piece of cake knowing that the children are having fun. It is also a place for the young riders to have an awesome time before and after their ride. There will be an enclosed area that will offer a number of activities, including our new Ninja Warrior course and duelling zip lines. There will be a jumping castle, arts and crafts, colouring, face painting. The children will be supervised at all times. The parents will be required to register their children coming into the activity area. Parents may choose if the children can sign themselves in or out, or if they must stay until the parent comes to find them. Teaching staff from Royal Drakensberg Primary will be supervising the Kids Zone, so children will be in experienced hands! There will be a nominal fee of R25 per child for entry into the Kids Zone, all of which will go towards Royal Drakensberg's Fund raising efforts Trail Run 07H30 15km Trail run R50 per person This run follows a spectacular route in the foothills of the Drakensberg, offering some fun boulder hopping, river crossings and hill scrambles. Runners will be inspired by the beautiful views of the Drakensberg's Amphitheatre, and the Puterill's stream in the valley below. For the energetic - the trail run can be followed by the 19km Intermediate MTB ride Mountain Bike Rides 09h30 45km Classic R150 per person New for 2011: more stunning miles of single track carved into the side of the mountains, gone are the two short sections of tar. This makes for more technical climbing and more awesome views! What makes this race so special? To start with there are the close up views of the 3000m Amphitheatre, water fall caves, river crossings, flowing contour trails and loads of banked downhill tracks. Throw in some of the best accommodation in the Berg and you have the one race you won't want to miss. 09h45 19km Intermediate R90 per person A fairly challenging ride from the All Out Adventure Centre taking you along the Montusi Gorge Trail via hand carved trails to the exciting Secret Pass and back to the Adventure Centre on a banked downhill single track with an optional Big Air Jump to finish. 10h00 10km Beginner R50 per person A completely separate trail following the contoured single track out to and along the Twin Streams and back to the Centre. Spectator Fun on Saturday: Supervised Kids Zone – an enclosed area where parents can drop off their children. The children will be supervised and kept busy with a variety of activities (Art & Crafts, , Games, Jumping Castle, Ninja Warrior Course, Sit & Zip Relay etc. Children will need to be signed in and out by parents) Open 08h00-14h00 Lucky dip prizes – All riders gain automatic entry into the draw, and spectators may purchase tickets. Prizes include weekends away, product hampers and gift vouchers Pony rides – Led rides for children 10 & under 09h00-14h30 Adventure Centre Activities - Paintball, Zip Line, King Swing, Flying Trapeze, Bungee Bounce and Cable Tour will all be running as usual 9:00-16:30 Yummy Food * Breakfast rolls (07h00-10h30) * Wors rolls & Beer stall (10h30-15h00) * Toasted Sandwiches, soups and wraps (09h00-16h30) * Soft Drinks * Cappuccinos, Coffee, Tea & Hot Chocolate * Home Made Cakes & Eats - A selection of home made cakes and eats on sale to go along with your cappuccino Sunday 14th 09h30 registration for 10h30 departure Family Fun Ride to the river for tea and scones. R60 per person (includes for tea and scones) Depart from All Out Adventures, a super ride for children through the fields of the valley for scrumptious tea and scones next to the river Spectators can purchase tea & scone vouchers for R20 per person and meet the riders at the river. __________________________________________________________ Ride for Sponsorship & WIN Participants wishing to assist with fund raising for Royal Drakensberg Primary may obtain sponsorship forms from Loretta Mecklenborg or Megan Bedingham Riders are encouraged to get friends and family to sponsor them to ride a particular event, and money raised will be donated to Royal Drakensberg Primary School Scholarships. Sponsorship monies may be paid directly into the school's bank account. The rider who raises the most money will win: A family weekend for 4 at The Cavern * An Adventure Centre morning for four * Treatments at the Forest Retreat or 1 Hour Horse Rides Riders must raise a minimum of R1000 to qualify for this prize. Royal Drakensberg Primary School Royal Drakensberg Primary School aims to provide excellent foundation phase education for children of the Northern Drakensberg Community by cultivating a culture that embraces holistic educational practices and the best lessons of South Africa's unique democracy. The Royal Drakensberg Primary was established in 2007 in an effort to address the great need for good education in this area. The closest school of an acceptable standard is Bergville Primary, some 50km away. A school offering a high standard of education will go a long way to give children the necessary grounding to reach their full potential. A financial assistance program has been established to make the school accessible to children in the surrounding communities. Royal Drakensberg Primary now has 38 children from pre-school to Grade 4. Running costs of the school are covered primarily through the fees and by fund raising initiatives. All proceeds from the Royal Drakensberg Mountain Bike Challenge will go directly to the school. Visit www.royal-drakensberg.org.za for more information about the school. enter http://www.roag.co.za/enter-an-event.aspx weekend away!!!* Dear All Rob Caskie who is the head lecturer here at Fugitives' Drift and is an avid mountain biker. We therefore thought it may be a good idea for us to forward our cycling weekend special onto you. Great mountain bike challenges (including an historical river crossing) along with great storytelling. Please can we impose on you and ask you to let your members know about this weekend. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any further enquiries you may have. Sincere thanks. Yours, Karen FUGITIVES' DRIFT LODGE AND GUEST HOUSE RORKE'S DRIFT, KWAZULU NATAL, 3016 REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA TELEPHONE: +27 (0)34 642 1843 OR +27 (0)34 271 8051 FROM DURBAN (4 HOURS) Take the N3 towards Pietermaritzburg and take the Greytown/Church Street glide-off and follow the R33 to Greytown for 70km. In Greytown follow signs to Dundee. Continue along the R33 through Keates Drift, Tugela Ferry and Pomeroy. Please be aware of speed humps and potholes. 10km after Pomeroy take the dirt road turnoff to the right, marked Elandskraal (and Isibindi and Camp Buffalo signage). At Elandskraal (which consists of a church and a trading store) turn left to Rorke’s Drift. Go for about 14km and before you get to Rorke’s Drift turn right onto the D31, sign posted Fugitives’ Drift. Go for about 7km (through the big black gates) and follow the signs for the Guest House or the Lodge. (Please note that the gate is locked at 6pm). The RattRace is a bicycle race from the battlefield of Isandlwana to Fugitives' Drift which began in 2007. The route is along 36km of public dirt roads. The 2008 RattRace weekend also saw the first Night Race; an "R" themed fancy dress race which saw rabbits, robots and rabbabi hurling themselves around 4km of the Fugitives' Drift Game Reserve. The RattRace weekend has become a permanent fixture of the last weekend of September: anyone who would like to raise money for the David Rattray Foundation is very welcome to take part in what is an extremely entertaining and worthwhile weekend. The first three RattRaces in 2007, 2008 and 2009 were very successful. In 2010, through 'fines', generous sponsorship and entry fees, R63,000 was raised for the Foundation - the highest total ever. It is hoped that this remarkable achievement can be improved upon in the coming years. All proceeds from the race go to the Foundation which works to support the schools in the area around Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana; the Foundation also aims to promote reconciliation throughout South Africa. For more details of the foundation, please click here to go to the Foundation's website. The next RattRace is set to take place over the weekend of the 23rd September 2011, with the Rattrace itself on the morning of the 24th. If you are interested in formal accomodation in either the Lodge or Guest House for the weekend, please book soon! For more details of the race and accomodation, please email Fugitives' Drift Lodge on reservations@fugitivesdrift.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Unlimited Dusi Mfula 2011enteries now open! The Unlimited Dusi Mfula 2011 will challenge and excite you as you follow the great Umsinduzi River from Pietermaritzburg into the Valley of a Thousand Hills. The two day adventure is set in rural africa, with riders winding their way down to Inanda Dam on some of the most scenic routes in South Africa. They will follow cattle and foot paths, cross rivers, plunge down some exhillirating single track, and much more. The Unlimited Dusi Mfula is an experience that all mountain bikers should be itching for. Go to www.dusimfula.co.za for further information.