Slowbee Argus ride report 2014

[Slowbee]

What a day. Thoroughly enjoyed.

 

Left home at 06H15. Parked the car at 07H00, and made it to the entrance of the start pen (ww) at 08H00. After entering the pen, had a bit of nap waiting for the start. Got going at the 08H38 on the dot. The wind through the "tunnel" had a few people falling over but nothing serious. A slow leisurely peddle up the hill was the order with the wind. This meant I was quickly at the back and quickly overtaken by the bullets from the other groups. Seeing the bike handling skills of others was a bit of a worry, as going down the other side is rather fast, and I don't always like to hold onto the brakes when the speed goes up. But safety first.

 

The first hurdle arrived earlier than expected. A very nice lady offered me a glass of champagne up Wynberg hill. Well this turned into breakfast, with freshly cooked bacon and eggs followed by another glass of champers. It was really awesome going into Muizenberg, some guys enjoyed riding in a pace line (which I hooked onto), others just happy to ride all over. It was great that everyone more or else had the same pace so there was very little shouting of keep left keep left. Enjoyed singing Piano man and bad moon rising a few times over. Through Kalk bay got chatting to two guys dressed as girls on a tandem, while I was singing Yellow submarine. They had the jump on me and had already polished off a six pack between them. The ride along that part of the coast is really crackajack. Of course by now the gaps between groups was getting bigger. Then I got chatting to a tandem who had only been riding for a month together and it was the co pilots first time in cleats !! There was a guy doing his 25th consecutive argus !! (yes 25 in a row !) Riding with his daughter. The pace was hot at about 21km/hr and I needed a break, so I pulled in at Simonstown for a croissant and a cuppa tea. Freshly baked the croissant was delicious!! I thought I was pushing the pace a bit as it took me about and hour and half to get there. Was interesting watching people ride by and seeing the ebb and flow of groups and different bikes. Heck those boys on bmx's were mad!

 

Smits awaited, and here I got singing Winnie the Pooh. Next thing a lady starts the wheels on the bus song, and then dora the explorer. All parents who do the morning school run. Smits almost cost me, I got stuck having a beer half way up, but figured I best get going. I love the speed of going down past Smits onto Misty Cliffs.

 

At Noordhoek, I got chatting to a guy pulling a trailer with a disabled kid, from Chaely (sp?) charity. Turns out that they gave special permission for them to be at the race as long as there was a caregiver and a rider together. It also turned out that the kid in the buggy was the same one my mate goes running with (the kid has done two, two oceans). Next year this is what I want to do. Help a little blighter get a medal.

 

But alas, a couch and a glass ummmm x2, of wine at Noordhoek, seemed to hold the ascent up chappies. When I did get going, a bunch of folk were singing the bear went round the mountain. Which we did, rather happily.

 

Once I had stopped for my customary savannah at the bottom of Suikerbossie, I figured it was time to go home. And then the tandem with the first time cleater was stuck. So I helped them get going, helped push them to get over the hill as she was cramping a bit. And then a gentle ride home. In camps bay handed a buy a spare tube and my tire levers. Seapoint some some poor guy blow a tyre close to the end, and his mates had all run out, so I gave him a tube as well. The guy wanted to pay me R50 bucks, but I told him to carry extra tubes next time and hand his spare ones out to others who needed them, kinda pay it forward style. The finish arrived and the day over. All in all a great day out !

 

I saw two single speeds, one was an aussie guy riding in shorts, t-short and takkies, other was more serious in lycra. I would have to say the most interesting bike was a tandem with tiny wheels. They were advertising the thing for sale at R2000. What made it interesting was it appeared to have independent cranks, and it was single speed !!!

 

Bring on next year and a buggie !!

 

Edit: The stats:

 

total time on bike 4hrs

total recorded time 06h10

Ccoming to seapoint I had to push a little as my average by then was 17.9km/hr, had to get an average of 18km/hr, which I managed with 10m to go . Got home at 16H00, or there abouts, cant really remember.

[georgedup]

Awesome ha ha ha sounds like you enjoyed it to the Max!!

[Slowbee]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Slowbee]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Slowbee]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Slowbee]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[IndianRoadie]

nice

[Shebeen]

My best move all day was stopping at klein chappies for a guinness (okes had a keg set up), it was just too hard to ride past.

[Red Zone]

That's the way to do it, I think that this is going to be my style next year (minus the booze possibly - I don't think I could ride after klapping it like that)

[Slowbee]

My best move all day was stopping at klein chappies for a guinness (okes had a keg set up), it was just too hard to ride past.

 

I was tempted !! I really was, but the couch caught me first !!

 

Red Zone, just to give you an idea, my ride time as 4hrs. My total time was 6hrs10

[dev null]

My best move all day was stopping at klein chappies for a guinness (okes had a keg set up), it was just too hard to ride past.

 

Yes, saw him. He begged me to get one, but I just did not have the heart to tell him I hate that black stuff, so I just declined politely.

[Mackem]

My best move all day was stopping at klein chappies for a guinness (okes had a keg set up), it was just too hard to ride past.

 

Me too - paid for it with it a kiss on the "barladys" cheek. Also got offered a flash of the nether regions by another one of the group - but she was quickly hauled away by her better half with him aplogising profusely. I guess she must have had too much herself by the time I got there!

 

I also took a beer from a kindly spectator just before Noordhoek who was practically begging someone to take his beer - who was I to refuse - especially after making a 360deg U turn.

 

This was my first Argus without the ears "pinned back" and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Edited March 10, 2014 by Mackem

[Wayne Potgieter]

Great report....

 

 

Thats the way to do it.

['Dale]

Lekka pics, Slowbee!

 

Nice nudge into 18 kmh avg

[Guest Omega Man]

Nice report there fella.

 

Some of my observations from my first (and last) Argus.

• I was shocked at how well the event was organized. By the time I drove Home (M3 to Tokai) there was almost zero evidence of the race apart from a few bottles on the centre island on Wynberg hill and some porta loo's at Constantia. This morning workers were picking up debris on the highway. WOW!
  
• Cape Town is a spectacularly beautiful city. I'm in love again.
  
• Only in SA will a lighty try to beg your banana/bottle/sweetie from you whilst you are in a bike race
  
• I think more booze was consumed yesterday in Cape Town than on New Years.
  
• Road riding is a LOT more dangerous than downhill. You okes are mad. Riding at those speeds on tar with those skraal little wheels trusting that the monkey in front of you isn't going to do something stupid. Crazy.
  

[CAAD4]

Way to go. I stopped riding the Argus five years ago, as I became gatvol of the k@k weather on the day. I will hopefully make my return in 2016 with two mates from Canada. This is how we will do it. I will then be able to enjoy the scenery for the first time, whilst showing the one chap the beauty of a windy Cape on his first visit to SA...