Cape Epic Silliness

Today I have to fax not only a Cape Epic liability disclaimer but also a medical questionnaire that needed to be filled out by a doctor stating that I'm fit to ride approximately 100km per day or about 900km over 8 days. It's the first time I've needed a doctor's "ok" to race. I think participation in an event like the Cape Epic is something of a selfselective process. Who's seriously going to fork over a small fortune just to get in over their head and call it fun? (Ok, forget about the geezers you see riding the full suspension Ti rig on the beach path with bar ends sticking straight up.)

I think a MTB skills assessment would be more appropriate. Something to certify that the rider in question 1) will not be lame and walk sections of sweet singletrack, 2) can ride over roots & rocks, wet or dry, without holding up half the pack, 3) can handle exposed singletrack and 4) verifies that the rider can do a certain amout of his own maintenance so the mechanics aren't tied up with trying to find the cause of "strange noises."