It is almost time for the third running of the Stilbaai Mountain Bike Challenge and this year the event will take place during the Easter Weekend on Saturday, 15 April 2017. Sponsored for the second consecutive year by local property agency, Amana Properties, this mountain bike event will again cater for the whole family with distances of 13km, 36km and 60km that will take riders through the prestine Pauline Bohnen Nature Reserve on to the outskirts of Stilbaai.
The Amana Properties Stilbaai MTB Challenge is the ideal way for visitors and local riders to explore the Stilbaai area on a mountain bike. The routes will be clearly marked and will include some single track, jeep tracks as well as gravel road. The 13km route will mostly consist of jeep track and single tracks while the organisers describe the longer 36km as ‘a very balanced route with almost equal amounts of gravel roads, jeep track and single track for an enjoyable ride’. The varying terrain of the 60km route will provide riders with quite a workout and will keep them focussed and it will be ‘testing’, but enjoyable.
All the action will again take place from the Julie-se-Baai camping terrain next to the R305 just before the entrance to Stilbaai. Due to the influx of visitors during the Easter Holiday and especially Easter Weekend, riders will not cross the tarred road and will be escorted by the local traffic department from the start to the entrance of the Pauline Bohnen Nature Reserve on the outskirts of the industrial area. Riders taking on the 60km route will start at 8:30 while the 36km riders will tackle their section at 8:45 with the 13km riders starting their race at 9:00. Day visitors that will make use of the R305 from the N2, will still encounted roadworks and Stop/Go intersections and must add about 30 minutes to their travel time.
The Amana Properties Stilbaai MTB Challenge is CSA sanctioned and riders are requested to present their CSA licenses or acquire a day license (R35) at the event to participate in the 36km or 60km.
Riders can enter at www.stilbaaimtb.co.za where all the information about the event is also available.
Why not plan your visit to Stilbaai to include a few more activities and events planned for the Easter Holiday?
Other events include the Craft Beer and Wine Expo that will take place on Monday (10 April) and Tuesday (11 April) from 16:00 in the Community Hall where 22 wine farms and five craft beer breweries as well as local cheese and olive producers will provide products for the ultimate tasting experience.
There are dances arranged in Stilbaai; pop-up art and art classes for the youngsters; markets at Stilbaai and Jongensfontein as well as a ‘basaar’; a bass fishing and night golf competitions and and even an Easter Egg Hunt to mention but a few.
Visit www.stilbaaimtb.co.za for information about the Amana Properties Stilbaai MTB Challenge and www.mystilbaai.co.za for more information about activities and events and a complete telephone directory for restaurants and businesses in Stilbaai and Jongensfontein.
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