'Dale

One of my highlights of the year on this awesome trail network. What a privilege to roll to it from my garage door. Winter, 2023:

Always an intriguing challenge - navigating home life, year end dynamics, unlocking recovery strategies, mental resolve and the dramatic Western Cape wind patterns. Grateful to have a body and mind that works.

A soft sunrise over Baden Powell Drive

Rest day today. Thunderstorms forecasted tomorrow nogal. How bizarre in 30 degree weather. Will wrap up the challenge tomorrow with a LSD to Somerset West.

Congratz, Patches. Send reviews.

Kilometre 384 of 500 💋

It is by riding a bicycle that you lean the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus, you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you and you’ll have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle. - Ernest Hemingway

Strand-Stellenbosch-Soneike

Rooi Els course abandoned due to south easterly gusts. It’s been a while since I’ve had to unclip cyclocross style to stay upright.

6 hours môre to get over half way

Warm. Windy. Watts.

“I thought I was going to die out there…” “…peanut butter mud…” ”I just wanted to cry…” Inspirational and sheer ultra-endurance courage (the best words I can find for such achievement)

Respect.💙

Superbe vélo! The spirit of gravel has you, Bruuuu.

Sorry to hear about your ordeal, Neil. As there are mostly caring and helpful people in the South African village, there are also a relatively small number of sociopaths out there, harming or threatening those that cross their paths. The root cause of such attitudes and behaviour is complicated. Hope you can return to the joy and adventurous spirit of cycling very very soon. Glad you are all okay.💙

The angry wind gods are going on holiday after the 26th. Will be back in the saddle on the 27th. I see rain / thunderstorms forecasted on the 30th. Yoh! And my son's birthday on the 31st. Gotta love the challenge this year.

The 150er for the 26th is bumped on to the 27th.

The Slangkop circular lighthouse is made of cast iron and is 33 meters in circumference. It is painted white to stand out against the green backdrop of the mountain. The focal plane of the light is 41 meters above high water so as to be visible below dense mist, flashing four times per 30 seconds. The lighthouse was established in 1906 and became fully automated in 1979.

Reroute with the gusts - visited Kommetjie for the first time in many seasons.

Durbanville Hillz, 06h27

That is just soft, Bruuu.

Kilometre 42

It's a privilege to participate and complete the biggest timed cycling event on Planet Earth on what is quite a beautiful peninsula. If you can't make it, maybe every 2nd year? Turn it into a mini-holiday if you are from the North.

The wind gods are angry. Have never seen this before during a Festive 500 challenge:

The secret to long living is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure. - Tibetan proverb