Velouria

On a 6hr+ LSD ride I take the following: 1 packet of salted mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, macadamia etc) or 1 packet of trail mix (dried fruit and nuts) 4 Dutch Caramel waffles 1 small Blackcat peanut brittle slab 2 Jungle Oats breakfast bars 2 bottles of Game (refilled with water after about 4 hours) I don't usually eat everything, but it's nice to have a couple of options.

Agree fully - which is why I think products like Magicshine, Magic Lights, Pyrolights etc are fantastic - gets more people out on their bikes in the dark at a reasonable price. Great for road riding too - where seeing you are going is almost as important as being visible to motorists. I did my first Baviaans with one of these: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Images/Models/Original/5241.jpg Just carrying 5 spare C batteries weighed a kilo. Here is a blog post I did ages ago about Baviaans : http://www.velotales.com/2008/06/trans-baviaans.html

That is at high drive currents. Exposure get around this by using multiple LEDs at a lower current, thus increasing performance. Lupine takes this idea to the max, using 7 LEDs, producing the brightest, super efficient lights, but at quite a cost. Also, the optics options for the XML are more limited, and tend to be more flood than throw.

Umm - the Toro uses 3 Cree XPG R5 LEDs: Toro Mk.3 bike light The Toro is the leaner brother of the MaXx-D; shaving 59g off the weight and still producing nearly 1000 lumen punch. The beam pattern of the Toro and the Diablo are identical making them perfect partners. Weight (incl. bracket): 278g Output: 975 lumens Power: 7800 mAh Lithium Ion battery Burn time: High (3 hrs) Medium (10 hrs) Low (24 hrs) Emitter: The Toro uses three Cree XPG R5 LEDs. The Cree XPG R5 is a more refined, higher quality LED of the same type used in the 2011 range. It keeps the same great beam patterns and colour temperature but the light has an additional 7-10% output over last year’s models. We are quoting 325 lumens per LED rather than the 300 in 2011. I'm a fan of the Exposure range, having a 2005 Enduro which just doesn't want to die, despite my best efforts with countless 24hr events and 8 Trans Baviaans races, and a Joystick. I recently bought MaXx D "for my wife". 337g for an all contained unit with no cables and battery mounts etc for 1285 lumens. Have a look at Bike Radar's bike light review : http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/best-mountain-bike-lights-28195/

I assume you are not driving through the Kloof? Normal car will be fine for that.

Another interesting Lance graphic. Talk about fingers in many different pies (or tarts): http://cyclismas.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/full-LA-chart-graphic.jpg From http://cyclismas.com/2012/06/lance-armstrongs-business-links-a-flowchart-by-dimspace/

Doesn't seem that vague: By Lance (Rider): (1) Use and/or attempted of prohibited substances and/or methods including EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone, corticosteroids and masking agents. (2) Possession of prohibited substances and/or methods including EPO, blood transfusions and related equipment (such as needles, blood bags, storage containers and other transfusion equipment and blood parameters measuring devices) testosterone, corticosteroids and masking agents. (3) Trafficking of EPO, testosterone, and corticosteroids as described in more detail above. (4) Administration and/or attempted administration to others of EPO, testosterone, and cortisone. (5) Assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, covering up and other complicity involving one or more anti--doping rule violations and/or attempted anti-doping rule violation . (6) Aggravating circumstances justifying a period of ineligibility greater than the standard sanction. http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/armstrongcharging0613.pdf

Today would have been a perfect day for the 9 to 5

From Cycling Tips: 1999: Alex Zulle? He was caught for doping previously but never tested positive in 1999. If not, then Fernando Escartín? 2000: Jan Ullrich? Well, he’s already admitted his mistakes, but he never tested positive. If not, Fernando Escartín again? 2001: Jan Ullrich again? The German Cycling Federation (BDR) has even banned him from Cyclosportifes. Maybe the deceased Kivilev then? 2002: Beloki maybe? He wasn’t caught for doing anything dodgy at the time. Maybe José Azevedo then? 2003: Maybe Ullrich was clean this year. If not, then Haimar Zubeldia is the new winner. 2004: Andreas Klöden is next in line. Even though guilty by association, you gotta love Klödi. If not, José Azevedo wins again. 2005: Basso? Was he on the gear at this time? Maybe Cadel Evans then. I’ll support that. http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/armstrong1150px.jpg From Bicycling Magazine, May 2011 (www.bicycling.com), produced by Charlie Layton (www.charlielayton.com) The thing to note from this diagram is that the riders in black: Admitted to doping or were banned or suspended by a sanctioning group for doping; Suspended or fired by their teams or individually withdrew from races for some connection to doping; Were convicted of doping or paid a fine to settle charges related to it. Riders in black did not necessarily test positive in that particular Tour de France.

Is that Daniel the Ginger wielding a spade?

And to add to my cracked chain stay, it turns out I had a cracked steerer as well (discovered when building up the replacement frame from the above crack).

Looks good...

I consider mountain biking to be riding before 8 in the morning, in the pouring rain, on a south facing mountain slope, cheered on by dancing girls, on the trails made by the lesser spotted pigmy hippopotamus. I've logged a sum total of 43m of mountain biking my whole life.

http://sports-livez.com/channel/ch-7.php

Much like the 100Miler - it was the wet that made it fun. The 9th is a week before Trans Baviaans. Bad timing.

I preferred this event better when it was on the 16th of June. It was a nice way to stay motivated through the middle of winter. Still a great event.

Seriously Supersport - an ad break with 5kms to go??? FFS

I know the guy who came 2nd at Desert Dash (and I think they were the 4th or 5th team at Baviaans). 14h18 for DD and 9:30 for Baviaans. I think Baviaans is more difficult as there are some climbs, but there is little wind, and no sand.

I'll only sing Garmin's praise when they offer Linux support. Luckily some smart chap wrote Linux Garmin Communicator Plugin to lesson the pain slightly. At least I can upload to Stava and Endomondo

Evans also promises to beat any price. Combined with the free DHL shipping, this can be quite a bargain for those urgent, end of the month bike bits orders.

Then Bernard has a double that looks like Andy

Feeling quite chuffed right now

Click here to find out

They say they check it, but they haven't checked it in years. (I'm always the gimp that has to carry it!) In our 3 man team we carry a slime tube each, 2 bombs each, one pump, one plug kit, one set tyre levers, one multi tool, a chain breaker, quicklinks, cable ties, duct tape, and the first aid kit. And then your personal snacks and supplies. We ride with bottles.

That's Bernard Venter - Jaco Venter's younger brother. He can ride a bike (probably better than Andy at this point).