I FLY

I still have my original handle. I did a horrible endo in 2003 , landed on my head and crushed a few vertabae. Luckily in the strong part of my back so apart form being a little shorter now there is no permanent disability. Once my mates realised I was going to be okay my nickname became " I Fly" shortened from One flew over the Cuckoos nest. They still refer to me by this nickname.

I think that my registration number is 43 so dating back to 2004 I am more of a JRA type of rider so like to read the expert posts from other riders . I don’t get involved in battles with keyboard warriors but do like to contribute to the many worthy causes posted here

From August 2020 to October 2023 we basically did a monthly rotation between JHB and Somerset West. Two weeks in JHB then two weeks in Somerset. We had flexibility so I could plan to miss the worst weather in both places based on long term forecasts. Now I am permanently in Cape Town so I have to accept whatever comes . We had bikes and kit in both places so there was minimal cycling downtime.

I saw first hand examples of this when the 94.7 route ran past the Rheema Church in Boskruin one year. Some of the congregation were stuck on the wrong side of the road closure.

When your wife is a knowledgeable cyclist and was in the bike industry there is no buying her an inferior bike Our Lynskey Pro 29ers in singlespeed mode- our first high end singlespeeds after our starter commuter SS bikes in 2010. My frame cracked and could not be repaired so I had to scrap it sadly we have sold these SC Tallboys as we had to consolidate our bike stable due to downsizing in December 2023. Most capable all round bikes we have owned

I have had many bikes so very hard to choose. But my Santa Cruz Superlight and Lynsky Pro29er in single speed setup were awesome

We rode the section through the nature reserve yesterday. About 5kms and 66 m of ascent. Apart from a few minor patches it might have the nicest non tar surface of the race

The single track also gets quite narrow near the dam because of shrubs next to the track. Hopefully the organisers trim these if it does not rain hard here tonight I might ride the track through the nature reserve tomorrow

Unfortunately it’s the hard and sometimes sharp shale

I walk the dogs on the section coming back around McGregor past the dam. Lots of stones and shale.

I am in McGregor this week and have ridden most of this route except for the last 6kms in my rides so far. The gravel roads and the short tar sections are in good condition.

McGregor residents are also keen on a local Woolies.

So here is how I have handled this quest for good mtb trails on my door step. I bought a holiday place in Somerset West in 2019 but ended living there two weeks a month until December 2023. Moved down to Kraaifontein from Johannesburg in December 2023 so I am in the middle of Tyberberg and the Winelands trails. I joined a housesitting forum and so far this year I have spent a week in each of Greyton, Gordons Bay and Prince Albert. I am currently doing a two week housesit in McGregor. My wife is also a cyclist so we take our bikes and explore the different options every day. I work remotely a few hours in the afternoons. In May we are going to spend a week in St Helena Bay.

I remember KV sitting at his table at the 2003? RIDE Expo in the Dome. He even tried to convince me to enter the 2004 event. I told him that Joe Averages like me could never attempt such an outrageous event. History has proved me wrong as thousands have.

His mom was also a good age group cyclist