About time the weather got slightly better, although not feeling great physically (and a bit anxious about the symptoms being that of the H1N1 strain...not!), I have at last been able to get out and do some riding. I'm sure there will be some folk out there who would refer to my riding as "training", and to a degree it can't be denied, but the reason, first and foremost that I do ride, is because I love it. Simple.
There is nothing better to me than getting on my bike on a crispy morning and heading out, wherever that may be. That’s the other great thing about Cape Town and the cycling here, is, that no matter where you decide to ride, it's gonna be pretty. Chapman's Peak has to be my favourite road to ride, especially now that it's closed to traffic...well, mostly, but the whole vibe of the place is awesome. Slightly challenging, which is a must and breathtaking views,something that never goes unappreciated.
The farce of pretending to have it re-opened by mid August is another thing which irks me non-stop. Entilini Projects, also known as Murray and Roberts, have a contract with government which states that they will get 5 Million ZAR per month in Toll fees, whether the road is open or closed, so hence, no great rush to finish repairing whatever it is they have to repair and re-open the road. It's a bloody joke and the government should apply more pressure for the "project" to finish a.s.a.p. Not only does it adversely affect businesses and commuters, it affects us cyclists too. In order to get to the other side and around to Cape Point, we have to ride over Constantia Neck, which is cyclist’s worst nightmare.
Every time I cycle up that hill I nearly get taken out by one vehicle or another and feel it is almost a matter of time before another cyclist gets killed on that stretch of road. The fact that Capetonians, and/or South Africans have squat respect for cyclist is part of the problem, and when taking ones driving test should have to ride a bicycle for 2 hours in peak traffic, to gauge some idea of what we have to deal with daily. Motorists often try and drive so close to you in order to almost show that they are teaching you a lesson. What lesson? That we shouldn't cycle, that we should try another sport? That the asphalt surface is for motorised traffic only? Which one, cos none are ever going to change my mind about cycling, and I think I speak for the majority.
My mate Paul recons it's ‘cos South Africa is an emerging culture, and a car is like a symbol of status and power. It doesn't help that the penalties incurred by motorists who knock cyclists over are rather pathetic, and one case of a motorist who killed a cyclist got a 3 year suspended sentence. So what? Big deal! I'm sure that's no example to other reckless drivers and certainly no consolation to that man's parents, loved ones and cycling mates. If I had my way, if you knocked a cyclist off his bike, it would become so financially crippling, that all you would have left at the end of the prosecution would be the shirt you were wearing when it happened. That’s how it works in Europe and that’s how it should be taught from a young age here.
Where I lived, in Holland (for four years), even if the cyclist was in the wrong and got hit by a car, it was still the motorists fault and had serious implications, so much so, that it's great to ride over there, cars just give you a properly wide berth, as they should. Holland also has a cycling culture, which helps.
So, I managed to get about 7 hours on my bike in thus far this week, but don't feel great. I will probably ride for 3-4 hours tomorrow, including a Time Trial on Chapman's Peak and a further 3 hours on Sunday, so should have done about 13 hours this week by the end of the weekend, which is about my 2009 weeks average training/riding time.
There are 5 weeks left until the start of the Spring League, so will still need to have 3 big weeks, one for time, one for hills and one for speed work and then taper off in the last two. All the guys in the RBS Wrx team are starting to get into some good shape, but we will all be working primarily for our main guy, Keith Milner, who is a good cyclist in his own right and extremely strong and focussed already. We are looking to be competitive in the team competition and hopefully will also have a crack at the overall GC, but that will be an added bonus to the team award.
It is now Monday. I have been in bed with a headache and a dodgy stomach most of the day, so don’t feel brilliant, but at least it’s not swine flu. The weekend may have taken it out of me slightly too. Saturday was wet from the minute I set out and by the time I had ridden 40km, was on my way home and I accidently bumped into my team mate Russell, who had wisely sought shelter in bed and outta the rain, whilst I was foolishly getting drenched. We then met Stuart and Brit and the four of us, with the weather ever improving, ended up riding another 65km.
Sunday was another 4hours 50 on the bike, all the way round Cape Point and over Red Hill from the back. A superb climb, not too tricky, but challenging enough. 2.7km at about 5.8%. The reward at the top is a breathtaking view over Simon’s Town and False Bay, how lucky we are. That ride eventually ended up being 130 odd km with 1450 metres of ascent. Throw in perfect conditions, great company and power-house Stuart Vorster to push the pace, we really did have a special ride.
The day culminated in a gathering of special friends at my favourite haunt in Camp’s Bay, The Sandbar for drinks and dinner and a memorable sunset, all together a fabulous day and an awesome weekend. I’m resting until Friday now, with no riding, and hope I am gonna shake this pseudo H1N1 disease I have grabbed hold of from somewhere.
At the point of uploading this, another South African cyclist was killed on the road on Sunday in Pretoria. A person over took a car and hit them head-on. Tragic! My condolences to his widowed wife, family and friends. Another shocking waste of life brought on by yet another unaware South African motorist. C’mon Government, do something about this mess.
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