Of course, we need a bit of rain to make our mountain rivers flow. What is tubing without the water, right? Well, it would be walking with a tube on your shoulder but ain’t nobody going to sign up for that. Up until the afternoon before the eagerly anticipated second Khotso Summer Fun Trail ‘n Tube race, this was the concern as our Umzimkhulu river sported way more rocks than rapids.
Then the skies delivered, the river received, and miraculously on race day we had a perfect level for tubing. And subsequently glorious mud on the trails! The water level rose but the air temperature dropped significantly with a freak cold front that caused many visiting folk to choose warm bed over wet bum but those that did turn up had an absolute blast, as usual. One never regrets spending time outdoors and enjoying Underberg is all about embracing the freedom and space we have in abundance.
The trails this year were an 8km and a 16km loop - all freshly cut and marked, over hills and around the farm, across fields, past the waterfall and up to the spectacular viewpoints - with the iconic 1,5km stretch of tubing somewhere along the way. Khotso staff scrambled to make bonfires to defrost the finishers and announcer Lee Fuller got to be a generous Father Christmas handing out many prizes donated by sponsors Merrell, Black Diamond and local businesses Gooderson Drak Gardens, Castleburn and Moorcroft Manor.
Thanks again to Khotso for hosting another fun event that epitomises Summer Fun. Even if Summer herself didn’t attend.
Mountain Runner Events