Robbie Stewart

You're in luck. You got given one. It begins in Paarden Island and ends at the Cape Town Station. Now you can go forth and enjoy whether you ride for fun or commute, whatever you fancy. Oh, wait. Nevermind.

I ride MTB and when I ride on the road at least 50% of the ride is on the West Coast cycle path. The amount of people riding there with flashing lights boggles my mind. It is highly annoying for oncoming riders especially, yet these folks just carry on doing their level best to try and extract an epileptic attack from one poor unfortunate soul. I will say however that the split between roadies and mountain bikers using this stupid tactic is pretty much even from my experience. I have a Marvel front light that has all these options, and I only ever use the flashing feature when I cross the R27 at the Table Bay mall, because I have noticed that traffic has zero problems to cross over my path despite me having right of way. That is when I switch the light to the most apoplectic flashing mode and lift the beam to shine directly into the drivers field of view so that I momentarily harass them to let them know to remain stopped and let me pass. It works a charm, but keeping it in that state drains the battery faster than a fat man stuffs his face at a buffet braai.

I got doored in the early nineties a couple of meters from the school gate. I had zero chance to react and hit the door square, bending it back on the hinges. Thankfully the girl exiting the car was unhurt, but I took a good few bruises into class with me. My bike was also wrecked. These were the days of no helmets and kids cycling to school. Around 34 years later and I can still vividly picture the moment that door swung open ahead of me. I could measure the reaction time in milliseconds, not even seconds. I suppose what saved me was that I was between the pavement and the cars to my right and we were approaching a traffic light that was red. Still, I hit the door pretty much at pace. What stands out for me is that thinking of "what are my options" wasn't available at the time. What I do recall was telling the girl's dad that I am not paying to fix his car, and walked through the school gate with my bent bike and school bag.

Unless this event involves doing laps of Klipwerf and Afterburn I don't see the point

A couple of weeks back a Faircape truck and trailer fell over on the Malibongwe bridge crossing the N7 by Dunoon. Within minutes there was a looting frenzy as people were scooping arms full of yoghurt and milk. In the frenzy some even began smash-and-grabbing the poor cars stuck in that conflagration with no means of escape. Car windows were being smashed at will and the people were having a field day of it. Now, my common sense tells me that acting defensively in that situation will likely get you in some hot sauce, but, then there is a human side to it, and I'd like to think I will man up and do the right thing when the moment presents itself, but I can't say for sure until it happens and I need to make that choice. In my deepest thoughts I've convinced myself that my 4x4 is capable of stepping on anyone dumb enough to cause kuk infront of me. The answer to that riddle remains unanswered.

Well, I am pretty sure people will rip out their pitch forks for what I'm about to say, but whatever. For the last 4 years the US border has been one big mess, costing people their lives. Laken Riley is a prime example. And each time the masses protested the dark overlords remind them that nothing can be done blah blah blah. roll up 20 January 2025 and within hours of the new king in town making his voice heard the BS has seen a tangible and real turnaround at the borders, bringing hope to millions of people living on the legal side of that wall. Which to me proves a very valid point. Where there is a (political) will, there is a way. But seeing as the current leadership (National, Provincial, Metropolitan) all play on the same side of the political spectrum, there is pokkol will to change anything because the gravy is too tasty you see. So that means that people live in cages beside a main highway and mere plebs on bicycles should rather shutup about their first world problems and not complain that they are being victimised, because no-one gives a fork.

This just proves how cold society has become. The lack of empathy and humanity is shocking, and this explains why the people living by the bridge do what they do to survive. I don't condone them, I'm just thinking that this cold heartedness of society in general makes you realise you're truly on your own out there in the world.

I'm betting this didn't happen...

Back in 1990 I manage a clean break of the tibia in my right leg. Ortho operates and fixes the broken bone. It takes a couple of months of recovery, but being in my mid-teens I bounce back well enough. Then in 2021 I manage to break that same leg again. Broken tibia on both sides, and according to the specialist, the fibula broke again. I ask him, what do you mean "again", to which he replies that it has been previously broken and left to mend on its own. Seems like the ortho in my teens thought mending a snapped bone wasn't a requirement. So a few days later I get pushed into the ER for the doc to do his magic. I come out with my leg in bandages and strict instructions to keep the weight off the foot. I know the drill is my reply. Follow up scans reveal that again the fibula was left to grow back on its own merit. I ask the specialist what the heck, and his reply was "oh, you don't really need that bone" . . . so today, when I feel around the break area I can distinctly distinguish precisely where the broken fibula is and how bent it is. Some days I can even feel it when I walk.

My ankle surgeon told me physio was a waste of money in 2021 when I broke my ankle in three places. I went once, got the exercises and then I just did them regularly until my foot was better. Once I started riding again, and more specifically hike-a-biking like up the Conties mast, was when my foot rapidly improved.

The ortho at Durbanville told me back in 2016 that mtbers keep him in practice. During one of my visits I shared the waiting room with 3 fellow riders. We shared war stories. In 2021 at my visit to Netcare Blaauwberg I was reliably informed the X-ray machine was named "The Hoogekraal".

I dunno hey, I think you're more likely to be known as the One Armed Bandit from henceforth 😜

That's what a MRI looks like. It's the actual break in 3D yes.

I once fell so hard while water skiing that the wetsuit I was in was completely peeled off me. I surfaced with the suit and ski floating beside me 🤣

I tend to play "on the railway tracks" and not beside them. Have done so all my life, but recent events have made me consider the things that make me happy in life and the associated risks of doing so. I'm at a stage now where I no longer want to play the high risk games. So I stick to what I can do which is jumping for the most part. It's ugly, but I enjoy it. Rocks and tech don't make me warm and fuzzy anymore. I only ride on the road to maintain a moderate level of fitness. It's a necessary evil but not really something I enjoy doing too much.

I don't have any x-rays from any of my crashes (not sure why not, but I've never even seen them). But the list in no particular order: Concussion x 3 (1 really bad one. REALLY bad!) Soft tissue damage to the face because of the crash that caused the bad concussion. Chicks dig scars, or so I'm told. Shoulder x 2 (never had them checked out) Fractured elbow Shattered radius - left arm - Doc wanted to amputate, thankfully he didn't! (plates and screws holding it together for a few months until I had them removed again) Broken scaphoid - right hand Couple of ribs (never checked out) Full roastie of left leg from knee to foot after a wash out - that hurt Broken fibula x 2 - right leg Broken tibia x 2 - right leg (plates and screws holding it together) Fractured metatarsal - 1st, 3rd, 5th - right foot (most recent Nov 24) Left ankle sprain, possible hairline fracture - (Full case of thát Banhoek gap - Dec 24) Oh, and I got bit by a farm dog on my way to Muratie, needing about 13 stitches to the left leg and a fistfuls of rabies shots. It got ripped open to the bone.

Sorry to hear. That really sucks. I must admit that on my ride at Bloemendal yesterday I was very nervous about those loose pebbles all over the berms thinking they are prime candidates for causing washouts. I'm very wary of crashing these days. I pray you make a full recovery.

So just to be clear, you won't be riding this weekend? 😜

I did this one many moons ago. From Philadelphia I crossed the N7 and headed north on Old Mamre then took the Brakkefontein gravel road to the R27 and headed south to Duynefontein where I exited the R27. Check out this route on Strava: https://strava.app.link/GF0VwclGPPb — Sunningdale to Durbanville to Philly to Melkbos to Sunningdale

Can't speak for that trail, but Tokai isn't fun in gale force winds. But then which trail is?

In this case it was a local rider judging by the club board hanging off his bars. Some context, we were riding in a loose bunch side by side heading up from the Dairy Shed and were climbing up the hill past that foreman house on the corner. We were just riding at a relaxed pace having a chat when suddenly this guy appears and just charges straight at us and before we could make way and apologise he just started shouting and swearing at us, almost causing a collision in the process. The trails are not a space for road/trail/roid rage.

To the sterk seun who decided to shout obscenities at 4 riders at Conties on Saturday morning because we were impeding your progress seeing as you were riding down a trail that is actually intended for traffic heading in the opposite direction, I just want to point out the foolishness of your impulsive inclinations. You should note that you were not taking into consideration that the 4 of us were discussing wether we should turn around and teach you some "trail side etiquette", and that in all likelihood you would find that very unpleasant to say the least. Lucky we decided the effort wasn't worth it and rather spent it on the trail. My only bit of advice is next time you decide to shoot your mouth off at people you don't know, count the cost first and determine whether you can afford that ticket to the dance because you might not get away so easily again as you did today. Just saying. Don't be a deus. Be lekker. And mind your own business.

This is why I spent the morning on the beach at Melkbos with the family. Tomorrow sounds like some Jonkershoek is in order.

I would rethink riding Tokai tomorrow as the wind is forecast to be near gale force all day. The better option looks to be anything Stellenbosch side. Nothing along the peninsula or Tygerberg way is going to be any fun tomorrow.

Day pass at the gate to the parking. R100 or thereabouts. You're lucky SANParks didn't break your arms. Ask Nic Dlamini what happened when he tried that.