While you wait for next year's Argus, you can mountain bike in Sabie, Mpumalanga. The locals call it the best mountain biking spot in the country - let's forgive their bias; it's due to the scenery we suspect.We do however agree simply because it's the perfect biking destination for both newbie and veteran bikers

In Sabie, the trails are named by colour. But this naming says nothing about their degree of difficulty. That's a whole other colour co-ordination, as you'll soon find out.

Day biking…
If you prefer to ride in the day, self guided, there are three tracks for that.

The Red trail is a short but slightly demanding 13km trail. It runs alongside a river so you can catch your own reflection and admire your sheer will power. Come worst case scenario and you just can’t be bothered to keep going, you can chill right there at the river.

The route gets tougher after you pass the river, climbing sharply before dropping over a wooden bridge. Make sure you don’t drop with the altitude. All in all it should take about an hour or two to complete, depending on your ability.

It’s rated red, suitable for intermediate bikers.

The Yellow trail will take about two to three hours to complete. It owes its difficulty to a series of slippery and steep climbs that keep on being demanding just to mess with you.

But there are hidden pleasures on this trail. The spectacular views of the Bridal Veil and Elna waterfalls are worth the trial and error. And you will definitely love the 9km downhill stretch at the end. Do whatever you can to stay on your bike though; flying off it will result in injury, guaranteed.

Surprisingly, this 22km trail is rated red, for intermediate fun lovers.

At 45km the Green trail is quite a long one but at least it’s not punctuated with slippery or steep surfaces (well, there’s just one). It goes all the way across the river, to the trout farms and gravel roads.

You finally take a steep climb up, 4km before the Long Tom Pass, at Misty Mountain Chalets. Some people stop for a beer here before they move on but we think you should stick to water or an energy drink. Just to make sure the buzz is all natural when you finish.

Most people complete this trail in three hours. Some in five. It all depends on your intake - of the scenery and at the Misty Mountain Chalets.

It’s rated red and black for intermediate and veteran bikers.

Ridin’ at night…
There are two trails if you’re into self-guided overnighting.

The Blue trail (rated red) also known as Marizbos is a 25km, two-to three-hour ride that starts out smoothly enough - for about 8km. This is where you turn back if you’re not quite sure of your chutzpah levels.

If you’re bold enough, you’ll soon be climbing sharply for about 2km. It’s tough but soon enough you can stop over for lunch at the Maritzbos Hut.

Digest your lunch with an easy ride on a gravel road to the next trail. Or, perhaps the better option, make sleeping arrangements before you go for gold.

The Black trail also goes by the name Stables trail. But at 45km it’s anything but stable. There are some steep climbs, that’ll take you as far up as 1 900 above sea level and way back down again. Then of course there’s the 15km ride down. It’s terrifying. Make sure your brakes are first-rate.

This trail could take anything between three- to six- hours, depending on how you deal with the challenges. It’s rated black for extreme difficulty.

Enjoy the scenery and take your next bike trail along the Garden Route.