Tim Brink

I'm still in for 2020.

Dismissals for misconduct (4) Generally, it is not appropriate to dismiss an employee for a first offense, except if the misconduct is serious and of such gravity that it makes a continued employment relationship intolerable. Examples of serious misconduct, subject to the rule that each case should be judged on its merits, are gross dishonesty or willful damage to the property of the employer, willful endangering of the safety of others physical assault on the employer, a fellow employee, client or customer and gross insubordination.

And then there are these guys. Donder.

No 365 this year, thankfully. And, yes, BBDO on the Stig. Too much of fun.

3 000km less than 2018 (I did have 30 days off this year, it seems ), but slightly more ascent in a shade under 80 hours less. Not bad for a goal-less year (bar the September Mast-a-Day Silliness).

There is not much on the route that changes, it is all public road, but ask away if you have concerns - there are a few of us who know the route well. I am riding up from Cape Town from 19 December, and know of a few others leaving on 18th doing most of the route.

You are a sick, sick Dassie.

Eish...

Peugeot Rapport. My first gravel bike (true story). 27x1/14 steel rims, that accelerated in wet weather braking. Suicide brake levers.

Oops.

Snigger

On a gravel bike

Haven't posted a pic of the One-9 for a while. She turns 12 in December. No updates in a while other than back to a normal chain after trying out one of those half-link stretch monsters. 32x18 to the Tokai mast, no dabs. Slept well.

Hahahaha

Oh dear...

This Matt Beers' debut race for UAE - seems to be riding well, top 50-ish after three days. Can't even begin to imagine the mind*&^^ of going from pretty much solo riding in SA, to that.

I hope y'all are sitting down....

I have these mint Aero bars ...

It sounds like he got food poisoning, curled up at the side of the road, passed out when he tried to get up and make his bike visible to other riders and hit his head on something, and had some unexpected 'sleep' time... A good night's kip, some farmers-wife TLC and he is on the move again now. With a healthy lead and the easiest part of the FC to do (his words), but now with a goal just to finish. I think he has forgotten he still has about a month's lead over second place... Toughest human I know.

Eeew

I ride it just about daily, during the week. Have heard about one bike jacking and two runner/pedestrian muggings, all three at or near the bridge out of the plantation onto the tar track in the last four years or so, none for a while though. I rarely feel unsafe.

Not any more.

Man, was that fun or what? And the hospitality in the town, was amazing. Thank you John and Arno and everyone else. The 171km bit was unnecessary, my legs are still telling me, but we would do it again tomorrow, right? Loved the roadie start (my riding buddies allowed me to have some fun, and wait for them later). Climbing up through the mist, having waved the racing snakes good bye and at a pace that was sensible, was lovely. Meiringspoort by bike is just too beautiful, after years of driving it and dreaming. Muragie road - what a joy to ride it during the day, and up, not blinking dusky dust at silly speeds with small lights. The tar climb to Kobus se Gat: the devil's work. Knowing the main Swartberg climb was a life-saver - the difference between the viewpoint that looks like the top (and has to be, surely!) and Die Top is an alarming 3km, for the uninitiated. And yet, the sense of humour failure rate was so low. Gravel bikers are lekker people, Lekker. The descent into town was worth every shred of kneecap-restructuring on the way up. The beers at the finish: nectar. My highlight? I got my whole table at our Friday night carboload to Google what a Prince Albert is. Mighty proud of that. It may have affected the dessert order, though. See you all next year.