Our safety briefing at the top confirms that participants are ready to tackle this hard xc ride. An easy descent brings with a couple of uphills on the way to the Coffee Plantation, here we regroup and some might choose to switch to a less strenuous and technically demanding ride, for those ready to go the short break at the Plantation gets us ready to head-on. Riding DH on flowing Jeep Track we turn west at the forest crossroads where we, enjoying higher speeds reach the High Country Royal Planting Project, we enter the great divide, a barely used and unmaintained path. What once was double track has over the years turned into very technical single track riding. Continuing along the high road with fantastic views of the valley below we ride a gradual, long downhill. Warmed up we play in and out of ruts and holes, sand traps and rocks. The challenging terrain forces us to maintain full concentration on riding and moves us into ” the zone “ of the sport. Soon the Lake appears below us and the final run is all single track to the bottom. Where a well-deserved lunch awaits us.