Cycling - The great equaliser

[Evan Andreou]

At 6h15 myself, Lulu, Mr PV,Joss and 6 other friends and clubmates from Jhb departed from the Waterkloof Lifestyle centre en route to Hartebeespoortdam.

The usual trundle through Waterkloof passed without event, the R21 was quieter then usual, few cars and only a dozen or so Select riders heading in the opposite direction. Past Fountain circle and up towards that bastion of road safety, Eufees Road. Shouted encouragement from the tattered remnants of the Spring day Revellers at Fountains gave us the necessary impetus to up the speed to avoid any unpleasantness, the seemingly endless drag up Eufees, past the Frontpuller monumentgave me the time to reflect on the fact that when you are on the bike, no one cares whether you arrived at the venue in a Ferrari or a '63 Beetle, you are part of a greater family, a family that feels the pain of every hill and the exhiliration of every descent with you. Just like a regular family we are all different Lulu likes to sing while she flies up the hills, at 100 odd kgs I don't sing much up hills, although I could probably cut a parental guidance track on a rap album. Once we reach Iscor the drag ends and the fun starts (the totally awesome downhill into the industrial area)

 

I fly down the hill, as I look round Joss and Mr PV come bulleting down (the buggers can descend as well as climb)

 

Alan, Jen, Louise and Andries cruise down.

 

We take the scenic route through Industria (ok, we got lost and had to do some backtracking)

 

We hit the toll road and wind it along merrily until a broken sewer line means you can chew the air near Atteridgeville, we are all fairly quiet ( too scared to open our mouths)

 

We cruise up Saartjiesnek (Lulu, Joss and PV cruise, the rest of us fight our own inner battle up the little pimple in the road), coming down I feel like the Orca has grown wings, the sheer, mindless pleasure of being with friends, doing something I love has no equal in the world, bar none!

 

At the Wimpy we come to the realisation that service ethic in RSA is still in experimental phase.

Breakfast finally arrives and the sound of clicking cutlery to the background music from a Jaws movie is all we hear. I need some oil to prevent my fork catching fire from the friction (we were d@mn hungry and the food took d@mn long).

 

All too soon the time comes to head back.

 

Saartjies is a lot worse heading back (maybe the sunrise breakfast and the hour cooldown are to blame)

 

On the tollroad back I realise another thing, the cycling family cares for each other; when Andries ripped a big chunk out of his tyre causing the rest of us to wonder where the gunfire was coming from, everyone stops and offers to help. The swiftness and sureness with which banknotes were whipped out to provide a gator reminded me of pensioners day at the casino.

 

We carry on to the shouted requests for sweets and waterbottles from the semi-informal settlement on the outskirts.

 

We enter Pta at DF Malan to the overpowering stench of human excrement and some dudes with serious hangovers, we bunch up and maintain a decent speed to avoid having bikes, cash, phones etc ending up as part of a redistribution program.

 

Through town we avoid taxis and some drivers who look like they are bleeding to death through their eyeballs.

 

We stop to tighten Lulu's and get some much needed liquid, the mercury is hitting 33 by now.

 

The last 5km prove a bridge too far for Liesl ( who has never ridden over 70km) but she soldiers on, with some help from Alan up the hill from fountains circle toward Monumnent park.

 

110km in varying heat, 5 hours on the road (including lengthy stop at Wimpy), spending time on a bike with good friends

 

PRICELESS!

[Evan Andreou]

Breakfast - At Last

[nellie]

Grrrr...sounds like so much fun - especially since i was in the house the whole day! I'm green with envy!...glad you peeps enjoyed it!:-)

[Evan Andreou]

Hey Nellie, sorry you had to spend the day inside:-(

 

This was my best day on a bike..,ever.

 

Till tomorrow

[Joe Low]

Through town we avoid taxis and some drivers who look like they are bleeding to death through their eyeballs.

 

We stop to tighten Lulu's and get some much needed liquid, the mercury is hitting 33 by now.

 

 

Either

 

a) what her eyeballs? or

 

 

b) what are Lulus?

 

Fun report Wolfie, sounds like you respond well to human contact.

 

 

[Lulu]

Thanx for the report Wolfie!

Yeah, it was a great day out on the bike, wih great friends. And now I have proof that I have a screw loose or in this case missing (even though its only in my cleat)

Just one thing - what's this about you suffeirng up Saartjiesnek? you were right behind me all the way!

 

Now, can someone please give my boss a call and convince him I don't have to go to work in the morning, i should rather be out doing this again?

[slowpoke]

sounds like such a lekker ride... i've so gotta work on my fitness level so i can start getting out on rides like that!

[Hendrik Petoors]

Wolfie..... die tolpad IS 'n no no. Jammer om 'n nat waslap te wees, maar dit IS onwettig. Julle kan maar daar ry as julle wil maar enige ongeluk of derdeparty skade hgaan vir julle eie onkoste wees. Dood, medies, of korttermyn versekering SAL NIE betaal as jy aan onwettige berdrywighede deelneem nie. Sorry vir die bad nuus.

 

Ons het vandag vir skoonma vanaf Vaalwater na Vrede OVS geneem en is nou weer terug by Seun in Magallisburg. Ons ry more Wildtuin toe vir 'n hele week!!!!!! Yippppeeeee!!!!!!

 

Ek is ok jaloers omdat ons nie kon saamry nie!!!!! Damn!!!!!!

[Evan Andreou]

LOL Thyolo (oops joe low)   the missing word was cleat.

 

Wolverines are damn near impossible to domesticate but on the odd chance it does happen we generally turn out ok in company

[Evan Andreou]

SP you are welcome any time

[nellie]

Hey Nellie' date=' sorry you had to spend the day inside:-(
This was my best day on a bike..,ever.
Till tomorrow [/quote']

 

agh...wasn't that bad actually! ...had fun building a model for Tech, so enjoyed that

 

But ja...may you have many many more days like that on the bike!

[Evan Andreou]

Oom H, I appreciate the thoughts behind your posting as well as the legal issues you mention, the unfortunate reality is that the alternative through town and Atteridgeville/Pelindaba is a disaster waiting to happen. Hundreds of cyclists are drawn to the toll road due to lack of a readily apparent viable alternative from the East. Not ideal but we're open to all suggestions

[EugeneP]

Klink of dit baie lekker was Wolverine, ek sou graag saam wou kom, maar het gaan MTB ry, 5 en n half ure!!

[Evan Andreou]

Hel Eugene, dis n lekker sessie op mtb, well done! Volgende keer.

[shaunh]

Great ride report!!!

 

I am happy that you all enjoyed your ride and that you are all safe!!!

 

have a great week ahead!!

[Tumbleweed]

nice one, wolfie. btw did you see all that broken glass outside fountains? rode groenkloof yesterday morn and it looked like a poor man's recycling plant.