GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The Trans Gouritz Mountain Bike (MTB) Tour 2019 took place from 26 to 29 May.
The actual cycling started on Monday, 27 May and finished on Wednesday, 29 May.
The Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve (GCBR) presents the annual tour in partnership with CSM Sport and Entertainment, and also with the help of the Garden Route Casino Community Trust's support of the GCBR.
The invitational tour is hosted by former rugby captain and avid mountain biker Corné Krige. It is an exclusive event for like-minded individuals to participate in an activity in South Africa's largest Biosphere Reserve - the perfect way to commune with nature in a unique area.
The cycling began in the Gondwana Game Reserve with 25 participants. The tour followed largely the same route as previously, but the actual distances were changed so the cyclists would not have to cycle the full course as before. The emphasis was more on fun and entertainment and the route was less physically demanding. This was the third annual event. On Sunday, 26 May, registration, a welcome and an event briefing took place at Gondwana Game Reserve.
The cyclists rode from Gondwana to Dwarsrivier on Monday, 27 May and then they rode or took a shuttle to Rooiberg Lodge in Vanwyksdorp.
On Tuesday, 28 May the route was from Vanwyksdorp to De Denne Country Guest House, then on Wednesday, 29 May there was a shuttle to Herold Wine Farm and the race ended at Arendsrus Country Lodge.
The GCBR once again provided support from crews from its Jobs for Carbon team and its WaterWise Ways team. They set up and serviced the halfway refreshment points, acted as marshalls and provided support to the competitors. Jakkalsvlei Private Cellar also supported the event by allowing GCBR use of its vehicle to assist their teams with transport.
In the evenings, the GCBR gave presentations on its various initiatives, including Jobs for Carbon, Goukou Resilient River, WaterWise Ways and its supported initiative Rethink Bags. For more information on the projects, see https://gouritz.com/projects/
Biosphere reserves are UNESCO designated areas made up of marine, terrestrial and coastal ecosystems (including human settlements such as towns and cities). Each reserve is responsible for promoting the sustainable use of the environment within its borders, in a manner which conserves the natural biodiversity.
The GCBR is one of 669 biosphere reserves throughout the world. It is a voluntary citizens' initiative dedicated to the conservation of its region's biodiversity, tied to the socio-economic development for the wellbeing of its peoples, a spokesperson for the reserve said.
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