Just to let everyone know... whilst we are traveling through the country untill the end of the year we've launched another kickstarter page so that it is still possible to pre-order the book and be part of the making of the project. Please take some time to read more about the project and how kickstarter works on the site: www.bicycleportraits.co.za/kickstarter http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bicycleportraits/bicycle-portraits-part-ii-everyday-south-africans-0/widget/card.jpg Here are some updates from the road... http://www.dayonepublications.com/Bicycle_Portraits/Martin_Goosen_files/martin_goosen_6388s.jpg Martin Goosen Van der Merwe st., De Aar, Northern Cape, South Africa 2010 / 07 / 30 12:25 'Cycling is fun, it is healthy my brother. The doctor told me I need to cycle and walk as much as I can - I have heart problems. It saves money and what is healthier than cycling? All these years I've been cycling. I worked 43 years for the railways and I cycled for 43 the years. I was a driver, I cycled day and night, winter or summer, always rode with my bicycle. I feel very healthy and I love it. That is why I keep cycling - I'd rather cycle than drive with the car, especially here in town. Sunday afternoons I cycle far, around the town or to the railways - I visit people along the way. I feel very happy and I'm proud of my bicycle - I love my bicycle so much.' http://www.dayonepublications.com/Bicycle_Portraits/Elvis_Klaasen_files/elvis_klaasen_6213s.jpg Elvis Klaasen Friedlander st., De Aar, Northern Cape, South Africa 2010 / 07 / 29 17:10 'My name is Elvis - my dad gave me my name. I cycle because I like it, especially going to the farms. The longer trips - I like those. I cycle every day, I cycle to work three days a week and the rest of the time I just cycle around. I painted my bike like this, I like the bont colors. I bought this frame for R50 from my cousin. The rest I built up bit by bit myself.' http://www.dayonepublications.com/Bicycle_Portraits/Qibintulo_Xhosa_files/qibintulo_xhoza_6470s.jpg Qibintulo Xhosa Qomoyi st., Nonzwakazi, De Aar, South Africa 2010 / 07 / 30 13:45 'I just cycle to go to work and back. Twice a week I go there. I don't walk because it is far. My legs aren't that great to walk, I'm an old man - so the bicycle helps me. It doesn't break down much but I had to replace this back rim and cog. It was R300. I'm a grandfather, my son used to ride his own bicycle but it was stolen, now he is borrowing mine when my wife sends him to fetch things. There is no work around here at the moment, the people are struggling.' http://www.dayonepublications.com/Bicycle_Portraits/Ernestus_Segers_files/ernestus_segers_6693s.jpg Ernestus Segers Grey st., Phillipstown, Northern Cape, South Africa 2010 / 07 / 31 13:25 'I bought a piece of property just outside town, where you can keep about 20 sheep. As it is quite close I decided I will walk - but after a while I started thinking that walking wastes time and sometimes you got things to do - so I bought a bicycle. It’s been about two years now. So I cycle there in the morning, come home around ten to eat and around two I head back and then I tjaila around five again. It’s great exercise you know. With that and a bit of exercise bicycle it keeps one in good condition. It is only about a kilometer, but you'd be surprised as to what it does to a person, just the fresh air and the fact that one doesn't sit and rust up. I bought me and my wife bicycles at the pandjies shop in De Aar. Look, you know life is a chase. With the bicycle you can cycle around and there is opportunity to look around. I often cycle around town and have some usual places I stop at - spending some time with and greeting people along the way. It keeps one young. With a motorcar you are always heading somewhere in a hurry, but with the bicycle you get opportunity to take your eyes somewhere and ask the neighbors how things are going. Otherwise you know one would just sit. I can't sit for very long... I have a story of a bicycle. We lived in Vrede, and our deacon there - rich people with lots of property, farming with about 3000 sheep - he came into town one morning, to the Koöperasie - I was also there, just before he got there he saw a group of guys standing, talking and looking very unhappy. So he asked what was the matter. They said that one of guys’ brand new bicycles was just stolen the night before. So sympathizing with them he mentioned that the week before they had just stolen 300 sheep from him. They didn't sympathize with him saying that he has lots of sheep but this guy only had this one bicycle and it is the only thing he had.' Thanks again for the support! Nic and Stan Bicycle Portraits
