mazambaan

Sauser is a machine and well done Master Knox. Sure Burry comes to mind sadly. Ex roadie? David George comes to mind; thanks but no thanks.

Nooo, methinks it's time to consider Ride to Rhodes next year. Winter woollies needed.

Omega Man; stop with this. It makes me peep at my passport and credit card. Let's see; spectate Romaniacs, 10 days or so of AM in the Alps or wherever then spectate the ISDE in Sardiniia. 20% of bucket list ticked off. Wife; very ticked off - her bucket list is bus or barge round France.

Nice one Java and I agree with DJR, certainly the message from a chat on radio RSG about ASA that I heard while I was travelling was that SASCOC is basically an ANC backed agency full of cadre types whose only aim was first, the best for themselves and second, the ANC agenda. Certainly nothing to do with participants in whatever sporting code.

The Epic is out of my range. Mentally, physically and monetarily. The problem with AM in SA is no bleddy ski lifts for the uphills. In my humble opinion of course.

Re Die Leer - Jeez what is it with some people! Although I'm a farmer I sometimes want Swedish type land access policies. And I thought the sugar farmers were bad!

Only a matter of time and in fact I thought he'd already had a positive but maybe that was "recreational" rather than performance doping. More and more obviously is that just about everyone doped. Holding out for Jens Voigt though. Armstrong may have doped more and cleverer with the Ferrari but he wasn't the only Ferrari. What I think Armstrong did do was set the tone for what say Sky did last year (not the doping). Super team, one goal for one leader who called the shots, sometimes in the most brutal way. He's got the temperament of a Shumacher; win; at all costs and by any means.

I wouldn't rush to sneer at Wiggo. Give him a little sympathy. He's a very, very good rider; sure he had a dream team and somewhat depleted opposition but not too many, if any, on the Hub can sneer from any height above him. The only benefit I see is that it opens the way for Froome but it won't be easy for the African Pom.

Bliksem but that cold!! Tough people these. I've ridden bicycles and dirt bikes a fair bit in the 'berg, E Cape and Lesotho and the worst thing about the cold is how it stuffs your thinking up if you stop. While riding and exerting yourself it is possible to stay toasty but stop, take off helmet and gloves and start fiddling and soon you are shivering, then shaking, then quaking and you can't think straight. Worse if you've been sweating. Quite scary. The Dreyers are very impressive.

Eish FRAIL, I feel for you. A lot of us are in the vice between work, money, time, family and riding.Suddenly even small problems seem insurmountable. I think you may have also given too much of yourself? I don't have an answer except to realise that life can be hard but there is always someone worse off. Maybe try set and plan small things to look forward to. Make time for yourself (easier said than done I know). Hardest but what can be rewarding is to take the plunge of new scenery, particularly if you don't have family ties. Try a mountain bike to avoid the cars etc!!!

I like those bottle cage mounted tool kits but I just don't have the time to pick them up off the trail. I have to carry everything because there is no one behind me to help. I have a saddlebag as, from riding a dirt bike, the less crap you carry on you, the easier it is to move around. But I've only done it for 15 years or so and still a noob. I certainly haven't got faster.

Whew guys, I'm sure my thought is not new to guys like PoP and Knadui but surely there is precedent from Canada and NZ for access to public land by MTB? My understanding from a friend in NZ is that plenty of towns put in and maintain MTB tracks to promote tourism. There's a thought!

I have to put money where mouth is - R600 donated to day. A good cause - good luck.

This link provides a summary (maybe a little one sided) of where SA motocross is after splitting from MSA. http://www.e-dirt.co.za/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53400&PID=847871&SID=1337232efe9f4dcbf86f4c64a84ed3154513889#847871 This is just for interest but shows what can be done when a sponsor / commercial venture gets behind a sport segment. I often hear Andrew Mclean on S/cycling saying how SA road racing teams should be structured etc. Someone well connected and financed (lol) needs to get out there and do it. Petty sniping and bickering is not helpful. Government interference even less so. Mr Newman may have a great pedigree and work like a Trojan (I hope he travels economy!) but it is unacceptable that very promising young cyclists have to appeal on the Hub for relatively small amounts of support. That alone makes me begrudge my R75. Well done Wayne though..

Excellent, excellent Wayne; do you win one month (at least) free trolling.

ccc2; I'm not so sure about every cycling event. With offroad motorcycles there are all sorts of dual sport and fun events which I'm pretty sure don't fall under MSA or WOMZA (not on their calendars) and, as far as I know all riders (pro's etc) can enter. There has been some hoo ha about events like the Roof of Africa but, for now, its smoothed over. MSA lost their court case to be the sole representative of offroad motorcycle sport in SA by the way. What the split has done it seems is sharpened MSA up as the previous perception was that they were milking dirt bikers to subsidise car racing. It's all a pity as both factions seem to have some good guys and um....... some not so good.

Thanks so much Tubed, please keep it up; agree with you - the weather has been good, aside from some winds earlier my connections in the 'berg report but in an earlier pic of Lehana's I saw smoke rising pretty much straight up. But I bet it's still very chilly at night. Tough people out there. Any chance of a list of the bikes being used?

Positive thoughts with the rider, his family and all concerned. Excellent work ny those that helped.

For fingers I've found a pair of thin gloves ("Thinsulate?") under the usual gloves (even short fingered ones) works quite well and they roll up very small. Cheap from S/warehouse too but easy to lose in the washing!

That Owen looks like a dogged competitor!

I only have a very small dog in this fight (R75) so will just leave a note: MSA and WOMZA squabbled in a broadly similar way about SA motocross (and a few other issues). WOMZA won in court. But SA offroad motorcycling is split and weaker for the fight. If CSA is the "government arm" of cycling it should probably be booted from the IOC. My understanding is that government should not be directly involved in Olympic sport; dictating to CSA about the number of provinces etc.

Good luck Dusty, Wish you tailwinds all the way!

Best I can do is liquid LPG in gas cylinders; liquid oxygen and hydrogen to power rockets (the moon kind, not Guy Fawkes!). But solid? Glue: gas to sniff, liquid to pour and solid as glue. Hmmm, may not go down that well. Go sit in the corner.

Aaag shampies. Jammer hoooor. Nou strip ek sommer.

Well said Happy M! Barry did this inadvertently with no gain for cycling. He's prepared to take his punishment and I think it takes some guts to keep hitting the ball back on this forum. The Owen Hannie comment is valid. I hope Kranswurm and MooToo are as vocal in their criticism of him as he definitely did it to improve his cycling performance. Shouldn't he be banned for life by your "standards" (which are a bit flexible based on MooToo's attempted dodge above), Finally, and from this occurrence, it would be an interesting exercise to test everyone on say the Epic (bulk buy for Mr Noakes?). How many dopers would be found? 1%, 2%, 5%, 10% or more? .