It was my second ride after Sani and I decided to just do a soul ride you know one of those where distance, time and average heart rate are of no concern. I had just climbed the short hill at the start of the single track near the R21 heading south. It was really a fantastic day just a whisper of wind in the autumn grass, the sun shining and it was warm enough for a T- shirt and baggies. Anyway, I knew something was wrong when the Zebras were staring right past me back along the path I had just come up. Their nervous shimmy told me that there was danger in the area and I looked back to see what it was and that's when I spotted her. Her mottled gold coat almost glistening in the sun, a magnificent beast clearly in her prime. Man I know this is a nature reserve but surely to introduce a dangerous predator into an area frequently used by hikers and bikers is crazy to say the least. At this stage I was relatively relaxed after all there was a herd of Zebra to the left of the single track that she would have pass before getting to me. Surely she would not see me a slightly overweight MTBiker, as her prey. Nonetheless I watched intently to see what her next move would be, lo and behold she ignored the Zebra and set her hazel eyes squarely on me. No man! This can't be happening the damn Zebras just moved slightly away from the single track that the cheetah decided to use to pursue her prey, namely me! My senses were now at full alert, this was a matter of life or death and I had to do something. The flippen atheist thread left me confused as to whether praying would help, I mean after reading that thread who do you pray to and is there anybody even there to listen. This was it I had to save myself, I had to do something and the only thing I could do was ride. I know that cheetah would be faster than me but as I understand it they can only hold their speed for a short distance. So all I had to do is use the downhill ( my weight helps on downhills) and get enough distance between myself and this yellow killer. Man I gave it horns, big chain ring, smallest gear, pumping legs and before I knew it had opened a gap of 250m. I told myself that there is no way a cheetah could close that gap it would have to stop to recover. That's what they said on National Geographic. I was now on the hill going up next to the road to the golf estate and was convinced that I had ridden to safety. But a short glance behind me told me otherwise, this cheetah did not tire in fact it was eating up the distance between us in manner that suggested that this was not a hill at all. That was when the panic set in, I knew I was going to die but I couldn't just give up like this I had to do something but what... Then I remembered I was in a reserve and the animals were enclosed by fences and the roads with cattle grids. I had to get over the cattle grid before she caught me so I set off up the hill with renewed vigour, after all my life was at stake. Halfway up the hill a glance behind told me that I was not getting away from her she was closing in. More effort required but I could still feel Sani in my legs, HTFU I said to myself. A quick look at my heart rate monitor showed me a number that I had never seen before. What is the max again? 225 less my age would be give me ... Stuff it, my oxygen starved brain confused with fear could not do the calculation. Concentrate on the task or you are going to die here, in the veld, on a beautiful autumn morning. Just get over the cattle grid and you'll be safe, give it more gas. The number on the garmin was even higher than before and the thought crossed my mind that I might end up killing myself. I wonder if there is a specific garmin alert for a heart attack? A glance back gave me hope that I might indeed make it to the cattle grid. I went past the guard house and made my best skid turn ever to get onto the tar road. My bunny hop over the speed bump took me clean over the cattle grid again my best bunny hop ever, I mean ever! Safety at last, my momentum took me around the short bend and as I started the climb up to Waterkloof 101 I heard a rattle on the cattle grid. Another backward glance confirmed my worst fear .... Cattle grids do not stop cheetahs. My only hope was to try and get to the security guardhouse at 101. But there was nothing left in my legs, nothing I was barely moving forward I always wondered whether I would be able to face death like a man. I had to force myself to look my killer in the eye. I had to blink a few times before I could get the sweat out of my eyes to focus on hers. They were beautiful hazel with edges of green and her mouth opened slightly to reveal a set of briliant white teeth in what looked like a smile and then she said "more oom" and she passed me under the dappled shade of the camel thorn tree at Waterkloof 101, MTN emblazoned across her rather ample bosom. Who is she you ask? Well, I don't know, anyway she's my cheetah go find your own!
