The Argus Jitter

I had a horrific sleep in Three Anchor Bay (about 2km from the start) the night before the race. It was hot and humid, so covered flesh wasn't an option. Flesh eating mozzies feasted on me, so much so it felt like I'd been jogging through ankle deep nettles. At different times in the night I turned on the lamp and waited for these monsters. These are also not regular mozzies. Most mozzies languish on your skin and are easy to squish. These guys were small and stealthy. Turn on a light and they disappear. Move, just a slight shift, and they're gone. Even so, I persisted and managed to assassinate 5. Yet more remained to pester me throughout the sweaty wee hours.


But let's get on to the race itself.

The Cape Times today reports about 65 crashes and just 3 serious injuries in yesterday's race. I was in group E. I'm guessing 61 of those crashes were in our group; the guys got spooked quickly and often. The first bodies and bicycles to use the tar road as an urban tanning pad happened before Hospital Bend, but they kept up the "WHOOOOAH" alerts at regular intervals right up until the finish line. Ja, a guy decided to get off his bike and sit in the road with about 300m to go.

So I did a 3:05:50. I'm happy with the effort I put in. Heart rate averaged a high 158, and after Suikerbossie my muscles were on the edge of cramping. I climbed happily and steadily. My biggest booboo was arriving latish and so slotting into the back of E. Thus when the first guys decided to lounge on the tar, I found myself in the second bunch. I made a break and caught them as we entered Muizenberg, but was caught napping at Smitswinkel. As I summit ted the front bunch had drifted on ahead and I'd assumed we'd stick together.

First 39km in 1hour. Halfway at 1h28min. I was tired when I arrived at the bottom of Chapman's peak, at about 2:10. I ate and hydrated very well, which was important after Carnival City, and in the heat. Suikerbossie was hot, and I started easy, getting into a rhythm. Got stronger and faster near the top, pushing my heart rate to it's maximum (171). The temperature of Suikerbossie was pretty hot, 28 C for us at around 9:45am.

Alex did a 2:46 and came 10th in the vets, Helmut who lost a minute to me last year came in 2:53 (wow), and my brother did what I could not, he slipped in just under 3 hours (2:59).
In the Standard Bank Hospitality tent afterwards we heard some horrific stories. One guy hit a small child at full tilt, someone else smashed into a pram that wondered into the road. Someone else had derailleur problems and had to have it sawed off and 'MacGuyvered' to get going again. A lot of people in different groups said that there were a lot of riders who wanted to know what it felt like to put their bumps on the tar beach. I'm guessing it wasn't much fun.

I'm happy with how I rode given my fitness; I improved over 2 minutes on 2007's time. But I feel a bit disappointed in the sense that I want to be riding better and performing better; riding with better riders. This means I need to do more races in Joburg and solve the Saturday ride dilemma. I don't think I rode on a single Saturday. Alex does MTB that day and I haven't demonstrated initiative to go and ride somewhere else. So need to make a plan there. But I am motivated and keen to shatter 3:05 next year - jitters or not.

Things to do before you die

Amid relentless front-page reports about the most intimate details of crimes committed in the bedrooms of families and the unyielding accounts of the lust for power that has begun to unravel the exterior facade of calm normally manufactured by the ruling party, an alien visiting South Africa could easily conclude that there was nothing else happening in this beautiful country.

When I turned 50 the other day, I found myself reflecting on the wonderful ways in which I had been blessed and on what I wanted to do in the next 50 years. So, with the holidays in mind, I thought I would share with readers 20 things to do before you die, which will change your life forever.

Do not die until you have had black coffee and homemade oven bread with dried fish in a fisherman’s cottage in Paternoster.

Do not die until you have looked through God’s Window in Mpuma- langa and seen the shadows of the divine in the rainy mist. [Done that]

Do not die until you have had Maltabella and sterimilk in a Port Elizabeth township.

Do not die until you have visited the Apartheid Museum and the Voortrekker Monument on the same day, for you will never again think of ethnic nationalism in the same way.

Do not die until you have joined the crowds pulling in nets, moaning under the weight of sardines on the Durban beaches. [Done that]

Do not die until you have talked to the disabled guy with the bright yellow vest who mans the robots across from Unisa and, with his shrill whistle, ensures that there is a smooth flow of traffic at this busy Pretoria intersection.

Do not die until you have climbed the majestic Drakensberg mountains. [Done that]
Do not die until you have taken a stroll along Fish Hoek beach at 6am and watched the sun rise and spread its rays across the calm waters surrounding this most beautiful beach in the whole world. [Done that, but might not have been 6am]

Do not die until you have met the Queen Mother of the Bafokeng to experience the gentle humanity of the African spirit embodied in this gracious person (she also has the best recipe for baked bread ever).

Do not die until you have sat in the Blue Bulls stadium at Loftus Versfeld, where you will discover a slice of South African culture that, despite your best endeavours, will have you humming Liefling with the partisan crowd (it will also help answer the question about where all the whites went after 1994). [The Cheetahs guy]

Do not die until you have visited Mbilwi High School in rural Limpopo, where black learners achieve full marks in matriculation mathematics and physical science.

Do not die until you have attended (or attempted to attend) a service of the Afrikaanse Protestantse Kerk. [Done that...NG you mean?]

Do not die until you have walked through the Mkhonto section of Nyanga township.

Do not die until you have spent a day and a night without food and water. [Done that]

Do not die until you have looked across the Valley of a Thousand Hills just before sunset. [Good one]

Do not die until you have had coffee with Leon Wessels.

Do not die until you have eaten apricots on a Montagu farm.

Do not die until you have hiked the Magoebaskloof Mountains.

Do not die until you have read the front page of Die Son. [Ummm...bad one...done that...'Bloem is vrot van die drugs'.]

Do not die until you have stood and stood in a home affairs queue in central Pretoria.

Do not die until you have had tea with South Africa’s teacher, Dr TW Kambule (in fact, get to him before he dies).

Do not die until you have had fish and chips in the Hout Bay harbour. [Done that. Kalk Bay is also good.]

Do not die until you have witnessed the operations of rural commerce, legal and illegal, in the main street of Beaufort West during December. [Done that]

Do not die until you have eaten a Bo-Kaap koeksuster. [Really? I used to park there almost every day when I studied at AAA]

Do not die until you have declared yourself available to run as president of South Africa; do this one last, for it might very well be the last thing you do before you die.

From The Times.co.za by Jonathan Jansen

NVDL: This dude has a fetish for the Cape. Can't say I blame him.

The Jews Are Onto Something

Criminals must have identified Houghton once upon a time as the perfect neighborhood to plunder, to loot the rich pickings. The many Jewish residents in the area did something about the once upon a time obscenely high crime levels, and the result, the brainchild of rabbi Warren Goldstein is the highly effective, highly visible armed "tactical units" co-ordinated by local call centres.

Since I am a recent resident to the area, I've been somewhat charmed, somewhat amused by the large flocks of Jewish people walking around on Saturdays. But you have to hand it to them, they, as communities, came together, decided to do something and did something - which has proved as I say very successful in combatting the absurd and abyssmal crime situation faced by the wealthy suburbanites in Johannesburg. I can also attest that the neighborhood does feel safe, and for Johannesburg, that's saying a lot.

Every street appears to be patrolled, and CAP vehicles cruise by continuously. In one particular dip there is a temporary shelter like a tent, and often two security guards are there, near to a sign that says: "Are you being followed home?" Obviously, this is what the police ought to be doing, but failing obviously in this, the community here have found a way to finance it (and it appears only a wealthy community would be able to).

Interestingly, although these units are armed, they are also backed up (I believe) by teams of Jewish lawyers, who, in the case of an incident, will - one supposes - be able to uphold the rights that need to be upheld (and not allow the rights of criminals to be upheld).

I find it amusing that Essop Pahad (not Aessop) made some comments (in yesterday's Sunday Times) about the death penalty not being up for discussion, as it is a human rights issue. I guess it's the human right of a murderer to murder, but if caught, he has the right to face a lighter sentence - effectively moving the rights of the majority of the population in favour of rights for the criminals. Very astute Mr Politician.

For background on this effective crime fighting stratergy, call o86 18 000 18 or go here:
Protection at a price

A South African Summer (PICTURES)

Boks Parade Route + Times

Pretoria - Today

10:00 Springboks meet President Mbeki at the Union Buildings in Pretoria
11:00 Springboks depart the Union Buildings

11:10 Victory parade busses meet at Southern Sun Pretoria, corner of Beatrix & Church Streets; 11:20 Departure for ticker-tape parade in Pretoria; Exit down Leyds Street and turn right (west) into Church Street; Left (south) into Prinsloo Street; Right (west) into Pretorius Street; Left (south) in Schubart Street; Schubart flows into Ben Schoeman Highway (N14);
12:30 Proceed on the highway & take the M1 South.
Turn off for drive past Vodaworld in Midrand; Proceed back to highway (M1 South); Take the Glenhove Offramp right towards Rosebank over Oxford Road; Right into Sturdee Street.
13:15 Arrival at Sasol office complex; team lunch
14:00 Team departure from Sasol offices

Joburg

14:15 Team heads for Johannesburg CBD, past Absa HQ in Rissik Street; Proceed through CBD towards M1 South; Takes the N12 (Bloemfontein) highway until the N3 (Pretoria) highway; Proceed in the direction of Pretoria until William Nicol off-ramp; Right into William Nicol and proceed for approx 2.5km; Right into Montecasino Boulevard.
16:30 Squad arrival at Montecasino

Above info from Highveld.co.za

Bloem - Tomorrow

09h00 Team departs to the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Houghton, Johannesburg
09h30 Arrival at the Mandela residence
10h00 Team meets former president and Nobel Peace winner Nelson Mandela
11h00 Team departs to the O.R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg
12h30 Team departure to Bloemfontein (BA chartered flight)
13h30 Arrival at the Bloemfontein airport

14h00 Arrival at Grey College
Mayor of Bloemfontein to deliver opening address
Q & A with Jake and John

15h30 Team departure to Vodacom Park
17h15 Halftime of Absa Currie Cup Final
Team to perform lap of honour

Durban - Sunday

19h30 Team departure to Durban
20h30 Arrival at Durban International Airport
Sunday 28 September
09h00 Team depart hotel to commence ticket-tape parade from City Hall
11h30 Team arrival at hotel, lunch
12h00 Depart for airport

PE

14h00 Arrival at Port Elizabeth airport
14h15 Departs for Greenacres Shopping complex
Team appearance and entertainment
15h15 Depart Greenacres for PE airport
17h30 Departure to Cape Town

Cape Town

18h30 Arrival at the Cape Town International Airport
19h00 Departs for team hotel
Monday 29 October
06h15 Selected Springbok players to SABC
07h00 Morning Live interviews
10h45 Team departure to City Hall, Cape Town
11h15 Team arrival at City Hall
11h30 Players greet Capetonians from balcony of the City Hall
Mayor to deliver speech

12h00 Players board bus, start of street parade
From Darling Street right into Adderley Street
Along Adderley, right turn into Strand Street
Up Strand Street and left into Long Street
Along Long Street, right into Buitensingel
Up Buitensingel and right turn into Loop Street
Along Loop Street and right into Hans Strijdom Avenue
Left turn into Heerengracht at the Fountain Circle, right turn into Hertzog Boulevard
Along Hertzog Boulevard, onto M3 to Woolsack Drive turnoff

13h15 Woodsack Drive turnoff, down towards Main Road, turn right into Main Road
Along Main Road and left turn into Boundary Road, Newlands
13h45 Arrival at Newlands Rugby Stadium
Team enters the stadium, parades World Cup to Capetonians
Handing over of Webb Ellis Trophy by John Smit to SARU president, Oregan Hoskins on the field
Team enters the Function Room for brief function
Above schedule courtesy saru.co.za

Gandalf in Cape Town (Video)