#20 Done and Dusted…

Yes, the route was less than half the original. So it does not do to compare times with previous races.  But it sounds good to me that I finally rode  a Sub 3 hours official Argus race. Nearly broke 2 hours!

But the South Easter blew quite heavily up on Hospital Bend. Past Grootte Schuur Hospital, where Chris Barnard did the first ever successful human heart transplant so long ago.  We also did not get any grace on the incline at Edinburgh Drive, also known as Whine Burg Road.

The route felt a bit crowded with a possible 35000 people entering the race. Yes, 35 Thousand!

I enjoyed my race today! No excuses, no regrets!

Will wait for the official time, my little cycling computer stated my time as 2 hours 7 minutes for the race.

My team manager also had a great day at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront in Cape Town, waiting for his star athlete to take him to beer and home…

What a day!

47 but still great!

No, not my age anymore…

ON Sunday I will ride my 20th Argus. (Cape Town Pick ‘n Pay Argus Cycle Tour…)

BUT Table Mountain has been burning since last weekend. The fires has been conquered to a great extent. A great health threat still remains with possible flare-ups and soot.

SO the race organisers took the difficult decision to shorten the route to 47 km. It is usually a 109 km race around Table Mountain, now just 23.5 km out on one side and then an about turn back.
I am disappointed, as I have really tried to train hard for this race. But then: a lot of people lost so much in the fires. And the firefighters put up such a brave fight against nature’s power. 

So- I really understand the decision and will try to do my first sub 3 hours Argus ever! 
I am so grateful that the race was not cancelled altogether.  I salute the race organizers and marshalls for still hosting the greatest one day cycle race.

Meanwhile- we are really enjoying the good times with our friends in the Cape. Having a great time with my son!

We just celebrated sunset over Robben Island at the Blue Peter Hotel, a very significant place in my life as that is where we celebrated our honeymoon, on the 31st of March, 25 years ago…

Today was a beautiful day in Cape Town, and in my life!

But the young man is starting to scribble his girl’s name in the sand…

Road Trip with my son…

One of the reasons for my silence the past two months was that I was training very hard. This coming Sunday it is the Pick ‘n Pay Argus Cycle Tour. I am aiming for my 20 th medal this year.

Yesterday morning my eldest son and I left home at 04:00. We are having a road trip to Cape Town.

Yesterday was a very long day- 1156 km from home to Beaufort West, where we arrived at 17:00.

This morning was fun- we drove through the scenic Meiringspoort…

A bit later through Oudtshoorn, the one time ostritch mecca of the world. We drove on Route 62 to Barrydale, and over Tredouxpass to Swellendam.

Tonight we are staying at the Cape Agulhas Backpackers Lodge ar Struisbaai. What a fun place to stay if you want to visit the Southern most tip of Africa.  Which we did this afternoon.

We had a lot of fun so far, driving more than 1600 km in 2 days (1000 miles). Today was extremely hot, we measured about 41 degrees C in the car. We passed an Asian gentleman on a bicycle, geared for transcontinental travel. He looked in distress, and we stopped and asked if he was OK. He ran out of water, and we were glad to give him a litre of cold bottled water. He said his thermometer showed 48 degrees on the tarmac!

There is a serious heatwave
In the Cape Province, with some serious bush fires around our race route for Sunday. I am just praying and hoping for cooler weather, and that the fires will be doused before the weekend’s race.

But I am having a good time with my eldesr son!

HE is also enjoying his first ever Backpacker lodge experience. Now signing off, I am tired tonight!

.

Still kicking…

Hi Friends!

How did I go from being a daily posterin 2014 to a monthly one in 2015?

Well, there are a lot of reasons… one being: South Africa is in the dark. Our wonderful people at our electricity company fired all their maintenance engineers a few years ago, and paid out huge bonuses to the top management for all the cost savings… and nobody ever maintained a power station ever again. Everybody at the top drove brand new Mercs and Beemers, and had wonderful parties with the performance bonuses. And now our power system is collapsing. “Load shedding” is the new buzzword around here- why so many jobs are lost because factories can’t run, and businesses can’t sell…

A lot is going wrong in our beloved country, and I tried my best not to be negative on my blog. So I have been quite quiet…

I am also training hard- the Pick ‘n Pay Argus Cycle race around Table Mountain is in 3 1/2 weeks time. I have been training by bicycle or swimming 6 days a week now. I am slowly getting there- to almost be fit enough to survive my 20th Argus race…

Wonderful news- my daughter got her first job as graphic designer. It is at a leading cycling clothing manufacturer- Anatomic- my favorite riding gear for the past 20 years. They also are the company responsible for the Ride Magazine, for our country’s cycling community. So my daughter will be designing my sportsgear… cool!

And lastly- the weather. It is hot in South Africa at the moment. We clocked 42 degrees C today at the resort where I do my swimming training.

I also had a lot of weddings to officiate the past few weeks.

Saturday’s wedding was quite memorable. It was an outdoor wedding on top of a cliff. And while we were doing the ceremony, the thunderstorm was approaching very rapidly. And when I said the final Amen, the storm broke loose. I finished just in time. On my way back home I took this photo on my cellphone- it is just so good when it rains in our drought prone region… we almost always enjoy the rain, just not when you are the bride at an outdoor wedding…

So: still surviving, still trying to keep my head above the water… Soon… there will be more to blog about. I am planning to take my motorcycle wrecking son with me on a road trip to Cape Town when I go down there for the Argus. That will most probably result in a blog entry or two.

PS- The blue BMW was lovingly restored to almost perfect ratbike specifications, will take some photos and post soon…

Keep well!

Rider!

From Winter to Summer in 24 Hours…

In our part of the world, we don’t have a Spring season anymore. The one night it was still in the minus degrees below Centigrade, and the next week we started seeing days that is 31 degrees C. And we do have a long summer- going on up till about end of April…

I am using this new season wisely. I still have this dream to do my 20th Pick ‘n Pay Argus Cycle Race (109 km) around Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa in less than 4 hours. After my operation I did not start cycling yet. I started by swimming.

The first week was pure hell on earth, it felt like drowning every step of the way.

But now, after 4 weeks, I am swimming 30 laps a day (25 meter laps).  I am starting to wonder how one of our country’s one mile swimming races will feel, and if it is survivable for someone like me… Any advice and tips on training for a mile dam swim will be most welcome!

This is my view every morning after sunrise…

30 Laps swimming, then a hot shower at the resort, and then I am good to go for a 10-12 hour day’s work…

Training started for my P’nP Argus Cycle Tour #20

Most people who meet me are surprised that I do cycling for a sport.  I do not look like a sportsman, in fact, I look like the next candidate for a heart operation…  It is because the ladies of my congregation are always killing me with kindness. I also have allergic reactions to beer- it makes me swell up…

In any case- next year, on the 2nd Sunday in March, is South Africa’s and one of the worlds biggest cycling events. We cycle around Table Mountain, a 109 km race. All 36 000 of us…  (click op picture or go to http://www.cycletour.co.za/ )

Next year will be my 20th consecutive race if all goes well. I finished 19 so far, sometimes slowly, and sometimes very, very slowly. But every one of them count, they were all under the cut-off time of 7 hours.

But, in a Jeremy Clarkson voice: There is a slight problem.  My bicycle have gone into it’s winter sleep after this year’s race.  Yes, I did two training sessions in August, but then I got the flu. So the fitness is gone. Completely gone…

And so, as it being the 1st of November, leaving just 4 months to get into shape again (this year I only trained for 6 weeks- it was hell!) I decided: if you want different results, you need a different approach.

For the record (may it not come back and bite me in the *ss…) I want to do my 20th Argus in my best time ever. If the South Easterly winds will play along on the race day, I want to do it in (Austin Powers Doctor Evil type… pause) … sub 4 hours…  There, I said it.

So- a start was needed. Endomondo says I did start this morning: 

It is slow, I agree. It might be a bit short for you super fit freaks out there- only 20.42 km.  But it is a start…

Now I have to just keep doing that, a bit further and faster every now and then… And maybe, just maybe, the sub 4 is possible…

After training, I worked in my garden as well- I planted the first cucumbers ever in huge bags alongside my tomatoes.

And so- from a sweaty BICYCLE rider:

Last training ride in 2012 just before my Argus #18 at Moyo’s, Eden on the Bay centre- do enjoy the helmet hairstyle, and the South Easterly was blowing like mad…

Enjoy your weekend! Do something different for a change!

 

 

Related articles

• Cape Argus Cycle Tour – 36 Years in the Making (cyclethecape2014.wordpress.com)

Let’s Visit… Cape Town, South Africa

Now I am taking you to my favourite city in all the world!  Let me tell you why with 10 reasons- I could give a 100 easily… :

1. There is Table Mountain, a World Heritage Site:

You know I am a Biker by this photo- your Bike is the focal point on a photo of a World Heritage Site… 🙂

Maybe I should post the Cable car… ehh no, my 2nd Bike is much prettier…

2. There are beautiful beaches like Clifton and Camps Bay:

http://www.cape-town-family-holiday-magic.com

http://www.tropicalisland.de

3. There is the Scenic route around Chapman’s Peak…  

5. There is the fantastic “Ons Huisie” Restaurant at Bloubergstrand…

6.  Also at Bloubergstrand the place I had my honeymoon so many moons ago: The Blue Peter hotel– the best place to be for sunset drinks in Cape Town…

mitchellsbreweryct.wordpress.com

7. And, yes, at the Blue Peter, have a Mitchell’s Brewery Bosun’s Bitter Draft…

mitchellsbreweryct.wordpress.com

8. The Victoria and Albert Waterfront in Cape Town is really touristy… one good reason to visit, also for Mitchell’s Bosun Bitter is the Ferryman’s Tavern…

9. Cape Town have some of the most beautiful girls in the world! Like: Roxy Louw:

http://www.roxylouw.com

Kerry McGregor:

Just go visit the Coffee shops beachside at Camps Bay, and you will probably see quite a few international supermodels and actresses . This is also the place to see Top Gear type Sportscars…

10. And finally, the reason I go to Cape Town each year: There is the Argus Cycle Tour each March around Table Mountain- me nd 36 000 other mad people. I have done 19 off them, each one since 1995… 

Able Seaman Just Nuisance

When in Simonstown this past week, I took my family to visit the statue of Able Seaman Just Nuisance. We were quite happy to find that it was his birthday. This statue is very close to my heart. It is on the route of the Argus Cycletour, about 40 km into the race. On a good day you reach this part of the route quite easily. But, if the Southeastern wind is blowing, then you are in a world of pain to get here. It was about my second Argus in 1996 that I barely reached this point, and seriously contemplated abandoning the race. But there was a Powerade stand, and I drank about a litre of sports drink. I also ate two Bar Ones, and sat next to Just Nuisance, telling him about my sorrows and pain… He just listened patiently- he said no word of approval of my plans to quit. So, not getting his permission to get on the train back to the Cape Town Central station, I decided to go on for just a little while longer. In about 10 km, the day turned for the better, But that 10 km! The trees are growing at a 45 degree angle, in the Millers Point region… But as you are climbing in Smitswinkelbaai, the Southeaster starts blowing from behind, actually helping you get over the hill…

So Just Nuisance saved my train of 19 consecutive Argus Finishes by his good advice…

He was the mascot of the Allied Naval Forces based at or visiting Simon’s Town, the main South African Naval base, protecting the very important sea route around the Cape of Good Hope in the Second World War…

He was much loved by all except the German and Japanese Navies… and when he passed on in 1944 he was buried with a full military funeral…

You can read more about him at this link on wikipedia…

Holding on to the prospect of a new Ride!

One of the highlights in my year is competing in the Pick ‘n Pay Argus Cycle tour, one of the most scenic races, going around Table Mountain in Cape Town.

It is held on the second Sunday of March every year, that is next weekend! This is what we are looking at:  109 km around Table Mountain… 

There is one slight challenge. I live 1650 km away from Cape Town.

But the solution: Make the whole journey an exciting event!

I am going to Cape Town on my “new” bike. It is an old 2000 model BMW R850 R (Roadster)

A lot of good things has happened the last week in regards to this trip. One of the challenges of going there on a motorbike, is to get my bicycle there. Last week I had an extremely hard 40 km training session, at 12 noon, when the temperature was at about 37 degrees Celcius. Just as I entered our town, I got a flat tyre.  I was just too wasted to change the tyre myself, so I walked to a friend’s cycle shop nearby. I nearly collapsed into his door. He asked me if I have found a lift for my bicycle to Cape Town, and I replied that I didn’t, and might have to go there by car. There was a fit looking young lady in the shop. As I was really tired, I suppose I did not look the same  way as behind the pulpit on a Sunday!  She took a double glance at me, and then recognised me. She and her husband came to attend our church just the last month, moving in from one of the cities. And they are also going to Cape Town, and they can help me with my bicycle. So in the process of a flat tyre I met  a wonderful person, and got one of my problems solved…

The next problem was with the luggage on my BMW. I have lost a set of soft panniers in December, when it caught fire after touching the exhaust of the bike.  Another person in my congregation has a huge engineering shop. When I explained that I want to start on a system of hard panniers, he built me the pannier racks- something I just can not afford if you talk BMW, Hepco & Becker, Trax or Touratech.  And he did a marvelous job on the pannier racks. I do not have pannier cases yet, but I can use some hard duty camping bags that I now can tie to the rack, and it is safe from the exhaust.

So Monday morning, God willing, I will start my journey to Cape Town. I do have a lot of friends in the Cape, and I can’t wait to see them again! This is exciting stuff!

But in this excitement I still need to survive tonight’s Church Board Meeting…