A different place this time – not the bottom of tank hill as per the previous few years, but tank top! Yes – and I mentioned it on air too – that I was rocking the “tank top”!
Graydon, ZU2GH, my son manned the bottom of the hill and we had a great walk in and out again afterwards. Add to that the really great experience of having the young man join us at the braai the night before and you start to realize how lucky a bugger I am!
Tank Top is at a strategic split in the routes with the 80Km riders turning down the hill (to where Graydon was) and the 9Km riders going straight ahead. The inbound path was a little overgrown, resulting in the signage as placed by the organizers being “around the corner” and it seemed inevitable that someone was going to fall. 
I called it in and was given permission to move the markers into a better, more visible place and I believe we saved some skin in doing so.
17 February was the race day and we got into camp on the Saturday (16 Feb) and had a great time with friends from PEARS. Missing from the usual suspects were Colin and Jimmy (ZR2CRS and ZS2JIM) who were away and Gert ZS2GS who joined us on the Sunday morning.
Sunday morning we were needed in place by 05:30 for a comms check, so those who drove out on the day had to leave very early! Eric and Isolda, as usual, had a nap after the race before traveling home.
As I have mentioned, this is one of my favorite events, but having Gray join me made it the best one yet!
The Road Race takes place a week later and is a completely different kettle of fish! Drive your car to the point, take a big mast (needed this time in the new location at the bottom of the wall) and drive home later that same day.
Sunday 24th came and went – not my favorite event by any means, but it does help pay the bills for PEARS.
