The Guy in Pink

Fire, I have just given you the same as I gave you for the last trip. Have fun!

OK Donation done !

Rusty, I sent you an email earlier, but if you don't get it, pm me account details.

Rusty, Several of us assisted Fire, and I will make a donation to you & Jean. However THERE IS NO WAY i will pay the assistance to CSA as your letter from them demands. I will email you .

Hot?

And I thought: Hey they want someone for the buzzard rescue centre here;

I doubt it very much . The Jock will never be a real mass participation event with 20 000 participants, as it is a stage race requiring a full day, even for the Elite riders - Start 7am and Finish 4pm. Most riders will require 2 nights accommodation in the area. Availability of accommodation a the cost thereof will always limit participation. The event also requires a lot of local input, like the co-operation of 3 municipalities and 4 traffic departments, something that only locals with their contacts will get right.

Of course like all young ones she is always up to some mischief. Kath left her in the bedroom while she went out on a short errand and arrived home to this mess. Marsie was not there to welcome Kathy, but was soon discovered hiding under the bed with "Guilty" written all over here face.

It has been 6 weeks since I found Marsie in Roodeval Forest plantation and she has grown somewhat. The first picture is when she arrived home in the boot of the car covered in 1000's of ticks. The second is Marsie this week.

I will try to get some photos after lunch. Riaan is planting Power line poles on the mountain to-day.

Here is another stray rescue animal - this one was again my fault. I spotted the old dog on the N1 near the Adams Apple hotel whilst training one day. The next day we had a club race on the Airforce base road and whilst dashing out to put the turn cones spotted her again about 4km from the original sighting. She was in a bad way having obviously spend some time wandering the roads without food or water. I told the wife when I got back to the race start with her in the boot "We will clean her up , give her a few meals and take her to the SPCA on Monday" - she stayed about 3 years before old age took her. (So when Marsie arrived 4 weeks ago I got messages from all the farflung kids: " Just Clean her up and give her a few meals.") Again Before and After pictures.

Princess was an SPCA rescue case. She was pulling a cart in a township before she was 2 years old (Work horses start training at 5 years) and had been abused. Again Before pictures and an After picture as she is to-day.

My wife has a love of all animals, but Horses are her special thing. When I met Kathy she was a live in working pupil at Kyalami - working 16 hours a day with the Lippazaners . She is currently the (unpaid) stablemaster at our local riding club. I thought I would show you some of her rescue successes. WARNING GRUESOME PICTURES. Madonna had been bitten on the face by a snake when Kathy took her on. So First a Before, and below an After.

To-day Marsie relaxed in front of the Telly in the Den after the hard day of the work party yesterday. A program about Foxes caught her interest and had her sitting up straight.

Yesterday my wife organised a work day at the stables with all the members to sort out some maintainence. Marsie assisted by entertaining the children for most of the day but eventually collapsed in a stable, very muddy, very happy and very tired.

In Three short weeks Marsie has grown quite a bit and filled out. Compare her to the picture on her arrival in the car boot three posts back

One week after her sudden appearance in our lives there was a local fete with a pet show. Marsie ( In the middle) won a prize .

It did not take long for Marsie to settle in and take over. Bubbles an aging livewire acquired someone to play with . The two get on very well. These two pictures are from the morning after she arrived.

On a Friday evening training ride in Roodewal Plantation three weeks ago (25th July) I found a pup hiding under a pile of logs. The Hubbers decided she should be called Marsie as I had lured her out from under the logs with pieces of a Mars Bar. (The original story is here http://www.thehubsa....d-hubbers-help/ ) The Pictures are of the location, Logs, and Marsie still in the boot of the car on arriving home.

I did make him work for them. He had to accompany me on the Akkedis 70km with 1665m of ascent.

Its just a guideline. I rode with two youngsters on had a Max of around 170bpm one of 220bpm both were equally competitive. People who stay fit will not have a decline of 1bpm/year maybe a quater opf that. Use it or lose it.

Well if you are very blonde like my family and you swim every day it does turn your hair green. Also your immune system does not get a boost from having to tackle all the other life forms in the pool. That's two issues.

We (a bunch of friends) did the Akkedis 70km event in support of MS suffers. Anton and Adri did it on the Mountain Bike Tandem. Adri has MS and must be an inspiration to other suffers. TGIP woke up with hot flushes and nausea and dizziness. (Side effects from some drug therapy) and as another side effect of the treatment is muscle weakness he did not have a good ride – negotiating rocky uphill single track when weak and unbalanced gets tricky beyond belief. Usually he out descends the Tandem and the other in the group, yesterday he was just unable to keep up. Thank you Anton, Adri, Andries, Marius and TediBear for the support during the epic event. Thanks also to the Duke of Atholl who accompanied us as sweep on his scrambler. It was a very tough route, at times in thick mist, but the organisation was outstanding. The route including the many, many kilometres of single track had all been cleared with bush cutters, some and tracks recently graded and the route marking was excellent. The waterpoints were very welcome and all were well stocked with food and chocolates. Well done Johan!

Akkedis - Soutpansberg Saturday 10th August Saturday 8am is the Akkedis, the main event beimng the 70Km.(R150 entry) Its a Mountain Bike Race on a real mountain Also featured are a 35km and 10km event. (R80 & R40) They all start at the Schoemansdal Enviromental School ( Finish of Stage 3 In the Kremetart) Below is the route and profile of the 70km event For entries get hold of Renda at admin@kremetart.co.za or pitch up on Saturday (The Guy in Pink is doing the 70km)

I have had no problems in two years of using them.