Greg and I made it onto SuperSport's TV coverage of the 2010 Contego Wines2Whales mountain bike race!

Imagine my surprise as I was watching the SuperSport coverage of the Contego Wines2Whales 2010 mountainbike race when I suddenly saw myself and my partner Greg on TV!

This grainy pictures show us (me in red and Greg in blue) coming out of a piece of single track towards the end of day 3 of the race.

What a great memory - and so cool fir team frosty!

Highlights from the Contego Wines2Whales Mountainbike race

The 3 days of mountainbiking that make up the Contego Wines2Whales was one of the highlights of my year!  It was pure bliss to spend more than 20 hours in the saddle over the 3 days, riding 230 or so kilometers.

Today a friend Philip (who also rode the race) sent me some links to the superb highlight videos from the first 2 days of riding!

Take a look at this and you'll see why it was so much fun!

Day 1 video highlights

Day 2 video highlights

As I mentioned in my previous pre (and post) race posting my cycling partner Greg and I had a super ride!  We managed 7.30 on the first stage (a very tough day in the mud and rain).  On day two we ripped up the single track with a respectable 6.24 and on the final day we braved the long road over the mountains from Grabouw to Hermanus with a time of 6.40.

If you rode the ride, or know someone who did, I'd love to hear your feedback and insights!  Drop me a comment below.

Contego Wines2Whales 2010 - team frosty is ready to go!

Well, it is just before 9pm on the 11th of November 2010.  My bag is packed, my bike is clean and lubed, and my kit is laid out and ready for the 2010 Contego Wines2Whales three day mountainbike stage race.

My friend Greg and I have been training for this ride for almost a year now.  It will be the first time that either of us does a multi-day mountainbike ride.  We have both ridden longer distances, and of course ridden on consecutive days.  However, this race is unique in that each team has to ride together (you must pass each checkpoint within 2 minutes of your riding partner).

It is called the Wines2Whales because it starts on the historic Lourensford wine farm (which is my 'back yard' - this is where I ride just about every weekend), and then goes via Grabouw to the Whale Watching city of Hermanus on the Cape Coast.

Day 1 is the toughest day, a 70 km climb (1453m) out of the Helderberg valley, over the Hottentots Holland mountains to Grabouw.  Here's a descriptoin of the first day.

Start - Lourensford, Somerset West
The first 10km is open gravel track, climbing from 100 - 325m, with ample opportunity to warm up and for the bunch to spread out
The next 6km include 190m of climbing with 4 downhill single tracks interspersed with gravel
16 - 20km (385m): Granny gear, scenic views, check your heart rate AND keep something for 'DIE KOP'
7 single tracks and short gravel sections (fast and straight) lead you over the Blue Gum dam wall and to the 1st waterpoint at Lourensford Winery (33km,100m), whereafter you cross the Lourensriver into Vergelegen
Single track and long, slow climbs via the Wedderwill Game Reserve with a 'no passing zone' to deal with on this section takes riders to the 2nd waterpoint at Wedderwill winery and then on to conquer 'DIE KOP' with a cut off point at 52km (545m)
Up the Elandskloof single track with a portage over Gantouw / T'kana Ouwe to the 60km (510m) mark
68km (325m): Slightly up, 2 single tracks
Last 2km fast into finish
Finish - Grabouw Country Club

Day 2 is the fun day with a majority of the riding on single track. It is 75km in length and has a total climb of 1265m. Here's a blurb about day 2.

Start - Grabouw Country CLub
The first 2km (320 - 370m) goes out towards 'DIE KOP', then turns back and goes round the start giving the bunch time to spread out
Up to 4km is along the Eikenhof Dam with a steep zig-zag down to 315m
4 - 9km: a long climb ascending from 315 to 415m onto the Molteno Trail
A gravel downhill, between the orchards, takes the riders to the 10km at 370m above sea level
The route climbs up the Oak Valley along 5 Oak Valley and 4 Thandi single tracks, to the 13km mark, at 480m and then on to the 1st waterpoint at Thandi Farm Stall (30km, 250m) 
The Paul Cluver single track climbs up to 400m and then the riders go down via the Lebanon Forest Station to the 2nd waterpoint - Korteshoven Shed at 40km (310m) 
The next 17km takes you up to Houwteq and then down to the 3rd waterpoint at Thandi (57km, 240m) via the Lebanon singles and the subway under the N2
Up Thandi and Paul Cluver single tracks to the Oak Valley and then down 5 Oak Valley singles to 71km, whereafter the route takes you slowly up Applegarth to the finish
Finish - Grabouw Country Club

And then there is the final, leg stretch day, day 3 which is an 85km ride with a 985m climb.

Start - Grabouw Country Club
The first 2km (320 - 370m) goes out towards 'DIE KOP', then turns back and goes round the start giving the bunch time to spread out
2 short climbs in the beginning and a fast downhill, whilst saying a fond farewell to 'DIE KOP', brings the riders to Houwhoek Inn, the 1st waterpoint at 25km as well as Wildekrans Winery, the 2nd waterpoint at 35km
The 3rd waterpoint is situated at the Art House (47km, 125m) and from there the fast sandy downhill called Sandgat at 54km, will take you to the 4th waterpoint at Sumaridge (64km, 270m)
Fall from Hemel-na-Aarde, via Jan's single track to 69km, 90m above sea level
And then on to Rotary View Drive (72km, 250m), with it's stunning view of Walker Bay and the Kleinriver lagoon, via Hamilton Russel (witpad)
72km - 83km: Fast downhill with 3 short climbs and some pain, single track along the Onrusriver, under a bridge, along a trail path to the beach, up to Atlantic Drive and then on to the finish
Finish - Onrus Caravan Park, Hermanus

Greg and I have been riding together for about 2 years now - we have done quite a few MountainBike races together (the Cape Argus MTB, the Burger Sanlam in Stellenbosch, the Lourensford Classic and a few more).

Unfortunately, as is often the case, our training has not been perfect.  We have had a few injuries, some equipment failure, illness, busyness and travel to contend with along the way.  But, we're not looking for a win!  We're looking forward to spending three days in the saddle enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, and some of the most magnificent offroad biking in the world!

Our friends, Ruan and Philip will also be riding as a team.  We're trusting for a safe, fun time over the 240 km's that lie ahead of us this weekend.

I'll be tweeting pictures and experiences from the ride, and will also update my facebook profile - so please keep an eye on those for news.

If you're riding I'd love to hear from you!  I know that the CEO of Vodacom, Pieter Uys, is riding this weekend. We've had some connection via twitter - by the way, did I mention how cool it is that the CEO of Vodacom manages his OWN twitter account? He responds to customers and interacts with clients.  This is truly a great example of the power of social media when it is used well.  I hope more will learn from him!  

There are a number of other big names along for the ride as well.

Drop me a line, DM me on twitter, or leave me a comment here and connect over the weekend, or share your experience after the race.

Remember to keep the sticky bits on the gravel, go fast, go safe and have lots of fun!

Update on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 1:23PM by Dr Dion Forster

Well, team Frosty did a good ride!  We rode in some of the worst conditions imaginable on day 1 - pelting rain and deep mud.  But we managed a respectable 7h34 for day 1.  On day 2 we sped through the single track for a great 6h24, and on day three we braved the climb from Grabouw, past Botriver, over the Hermanus mountains to Onrus caravan park.  We managed a great 6h40.

So, in total we did 20h34mins for the full race.  Greg had two falls - fortunately he was OK.  I broke two chains, and Greg lost his lockout on the front shock.  But our kit held up well, the tent village in Grabouw was excellent, the food was super, the riding was awesome and the scenery a treat.

I will certainly start saving my pennies for another Wines2Whales in 2011!  I hope to see you there!

Otium Sanctum - Riding 'Die Burger' mountainbike race

On Saturday the 31st of July 2010 I had the joy of riding my second 'Die Burger' mountainbike challenge in Stellenbosch.  It is a truly superb race on the mountainbiking calendar - it is well organised, well supported and the riding terrain is second to none!  Plus, it is in my 'back garden' so it is very convenient.

This year I did the 60 KM ride with my Wines2Whales team mate Greg Long. Greg is a great friend and an superb cyclist.  He has super technical ability (mainly due to his experience as a national champion BMX rider in his youth).  He is also very strong physically and mentally - not to mention that we get along so well.  It is a joy to ride with Greg.  He and I are quite evenly matched most of the time.  I am quite strong on the climb but slow on the technical and he is superfast on the technical and steady on the climbs. 

On this race, however, he was on top form!  He did the 60KM course in a super 4h02.  I on the other hand only managed 4h50 - I'll say a bit more about my time below.  I ended up with a slit tyre, no repair kit and two flat tubes...

It was an overcast day with strong winds, but quite a lot of the course was sheltered.  What also made the riding quite good this year was the fact that it had not rained for the 10 days preceding the race.  Die Burger is known to be a muddy ride in winter!  This year wasn't too bad.  There was some mud to contend with, but on the whole the farm tracks, climbs through the vineyards, forest sections and single track were all pretty dry and well maintained.  Much of the tract was quite new and it was clear that the organisers had done great work to get things ready for the race!

I rode on my trusty Mongoose Canaan Comp which I have had for about 2 years now.  She is a trusty steed that handles the terrain much better than I do.  I lovingly refer to her as 'the beast' because she carves up the dirt with ease!  This range of full suspension bikes is truly exceptional value for money!  I was fortunate to purchase my bike as stock from a previous year that had not sold, so I got it at a great price.  But even new they are extremely affordable, well fitted, and durable.  Perhaps the only thing that I would change on my bike is better suspension - to be able to lock out the suspension on the climb would be a great bonus!  But, the bike is comfortable, stable, and fairly light.

Die Burger MTB challenge has 4 distance rides on the day - 15 KM for the kids and novices, a 30 KM ride for teenagers and more avid riders, a 42 KM ride for those who are hankering after a little distance, and then the 60 KM ride for those of us who really enjoy a bit of a leg stretch!  There is also a 75KM ride, but that is by invitation only and caters for the more professional and skilled riders.

The 60 KM ride has plenty of variety - water crossings, farm trails, mountain tracks, jeep tracks, great fast descents, some fairly technical sections with steep dropoffs and switchbacks, and lots of single track (rolling track and some climbs and fast descending track in the forest).

It was this track that I slit my rear tyre on a root.  I heard the air coming out and then my tube burst as it bubled through the slit.  So, I changed it fairly quickly and started riding.  But within about 50 meters the second tube also burst.  That was when I knew I was in trouble.  Both my tubes were flat, my tyre was slit and I didn't have any patches and glue.  I asked all the passing riders for help and they were all kind, but most people ride on tubeless tyres so I wasted 30 minutes before someone came along with spare patches and glue! I patched the tyre first by sticking a patch on the inside of the tyre to strengthen the hole.  Then I patched the tube and put it back in.  It held for the rest of the race, although I had to underinflate the tyre to stop the slit from getting larger.  I will certainly have to get another rear tyre when I have a few spare rand!  I won't be able to ride another race on this one.

Here's my 'bush workshop'.

So, my time could have been 4h20 were it not for the breakdown.

Still, I am happy with my ride.  It was good training for Wines2Whales later this year.

Most of all, I am grateful to have enjoyed nature, engaged with other riders, encouraged a few people along the way, and had a chance for some 'Holy Leisure' (otium sanctum).  My body, mind and soul feel renewed!

Above is a screenshot of the route for the ride (I use a Garmin Edge 705 heart rate monitor and GPS - I sync the data to a program called Ascent on my Apple Mac that allows me to get routes, my speed, calories expended, average speed and a host of other data).

Over the 60 KM we climbed a total of 1519 meters!  The worst climb for me was right at the begining (towards Hellshoogte - I think it is called Bosmanskop), and then the climb from Delvera farm through the Papagaaiberg before one descends into Stellebosch for the finish.  My goodness, that took a lot of lungs and legs to keep peddling!

The image above shows the elevation, my heart rate, and speed throughout the ride.  The slit tyre happened on the highest point of the blue graph (labels 6-8 if you can read them).

I'd love to hear about your rides if you have any to share - particularly if you're from elsewhere in the world!

The cliffs of Mosselbay - Riding the Wandelpad on my Mountainbike

On Monday Megie, Courts, Liam and I drove out to Mosselbay to spend a few days with our great friends, Cois and Corne and their kids, in Mosselbay. For those who don't know where that is, Mosselbay is about 3 hours drive outside of Cape Town. Cois and Corne have a beautiful flat in an area called Diaz beach.

Yesterday was a cold, wet day. Late in the afternoon I decided to go for a ride. It wasn't very long, about 22km, but it was great! I rode from where we are staying to 'the point' and then went looking for the Methodist Church (tip of the hat to the good 'Methodist people'). I found the Church and added it on Gowalla and while I was there a neighbour of the Church told me about a place called 'Die Wandelpad'.

So, I went up Church street, past the golf course and onto the cliffs around the point. It was an awesome piece of single track! Some great technical riding over rocks with a sheer drop on the side. There were a few moments where I was laughing out loud as I rode! I loved it! Just take a look at this view towards the lighthouse.

Here's a little piece of single track pointing out towards the sea. Here you can get some idea of the terrain - rocky and quite close to the edge! It is actually a walking trail, but one can ride most of it.  There were a few places where I had to climb off my bike because the corners were too steep, or there were large (or sharp) rocks obstructing the walking path.  Then of course there were the steps at the end.  But on the whole most of it was rideable in a lower gear (both up and down).  As long as I kept my weight back and my centre of gravity low I could climb and descend the paths.  I will confess that riding single track is what makes mountainbiking so appealing!

This was the last picture I took below the lighthouse before hiking my bike down the stairs to the point.  I had to pick up my bike and carry it down to the parking lot.  I passed a few tourists along the way who clearly thought that i was crazy coming down the walkway with my bike on my back!

 

If you're interested in seeing the track and the change in altitude, here's the info from my Garmin Forerunner 305 watch. It is an older watch, but it works for me.  It handles GPS coordinates, keeps track of my speed, distance, heart rate etc.  And what is best is that I can connect it to my Apple Mac via USB and download both the tracks and the riding data using a piece of software I purchased called 'Ascent'.  The little graphic below comes from a screen shot in Ascent.  It helps me to keep track of my rides, the distances and also to know how my training is going - I am preparing for a three day stage race later in the year called Wines2Whales.

All the gory details!

Yesterday my friends Greg (@gregbeliever) and Ruan (not on twitter!) and I (@digitaldion) did an EPIC mountainbike ride from Somerset West to Stellebosch (on the mountains), and back.

Ruan had to turn back a bit early (I think at about 30km's), but Greg and I did 60km's in total, mostly on the mountains above Somerset West and Stellenbosch.  It was great fun!  There were many parts where we had no roads or tracks to ride - we simply road through the bushes, and at times pushed our bikes, and even had to 'hike' them over our shoulders.  Yes, there were one or two spots where we had to jump a boundary fence!

We left at 13.30 and eventually got back home in Somerset West at 19.30 - 60km's in 6 hours!  Not exactly a world record for speed, but definitely a ride of a lifetime.

It was great to share the experience with Greg - he and I are both deeply committed Christians.  So, we had lots of time to talk, pray and give thanks, and just celebrate being healthy, alive, and riding in one of the most beautiful settings in the world.

It is a great varied ride; some tar, some good jeep track (with lots of climbing), some technical single track, some VERY technical single track (in Eden and Paradyskloof - hectic, steep, rocky downhill!), and some bush with no road in sight!  So cool!

Well, if you're interested in following the route in Google earth you can download the file here (right click and save it if you're on windows, control click it if you're on a mac).  Firefox seems think it is a text file and open it in the browser instead of saving it to open in Google Earth.  Not sure why.

There was some spectacular scenery along the way! My goodness!  At one point we ended up on this farm (I'm still not entirely sure where it is - somewhere behind Avontuur farm).  Isn't this view amazing?

If you're interested in the 'inner workings' of my heart this image below shows my heartrate throughout the ride - I snapped this one at my highest point (166bpm - not too bad for such a long ride!)

A friend asked 'Why would you do this!?' - well, first it is GREAT fun! But, we're also training for the wines2whales race later this year that will be between 80-100km a day for three days.

Have you got any 'fun' activities for which you'll endure strain and discomfort!?

Otium Sanctum - Holy Leisure

One of my favourite passtimes is mountainbiking! Heck, I love spending a few hours riding my mountainbike in the mountains around my home - I am particulalry blessed that I live in Cape Town (Somerset West). About 800m from my home we have Lourensford farm - one of the stages of the ABSA Cape Epic. Then we have some magnificent trails in the Helderberg (about 2km from my front door). And, if I want something a little more adventurous my friends and I put our bikes on the racks and drive the 20 minutes to Elgin, Grabouw (Oak Valley or Lebanon) for another two of the Epic stages.

Hills, climbs, downhill, single-track and scenery!

It is a wonderful way to celebrate God's incredible creative power! I also find it to be a great way to connect with guys who would never darken the door of a Church! We can chat, offer one another support and find companionship and meaning for life's journey.

The monks of the 13th century spiritual communities called such activities that mixed praise, service to others, and personal relaxation "otium sanctum" [holy leisure].

This post contains a few picture from my ride on Lourensford this morning with my friends Graham Power (with whom I wrote my new book 'Transform your work life: Turn your ordinary day into an extraordinary calling' see http://bit.ly/transformwork (Graham is the chairman of the Power Group of Companies see http://www.powergrp.co.za and the founder of the Global Day of Prayer http://www.globaldayofprayer.com for details), and Dawie Spangenberg a friend from
Somerset West who runs Central Weighbridge Company.

Good times, good friends, great cycling!

I almost beat Lance Armstrong in the Argus...

Or maybe not!  Ha ha!

A friend jokingly sent me the following tweet about this year's 2010 Cape Argus Pick n Pay cycle tour in which Lance Armstrong took place:

RT @Grant_Russell: @digitaldion Have a good race, just sit behind @lancearmstong until the end and then attack // ha ha! I'll give it a try!

It's a GREAT strategy Grant!  I was keen to try it, were it not for two little problems... 1)  I'm not a GREAT cyclist, and 2) Even if I was on a motorcycle Lance Armstrong would still have done better than I could!  ha ha!

So, if you look at this picture from Sports Illustrated really hard you may just see me in the background (well, you'd have to look REALY hard because I was about 1hour and 23 minutes in the background.  Can photos show you that far back?!)  Whereas Lance completed the 110 kilometer course of the Argus around Cape Town in 2 hours 39 minutes (he came ninth for the record).  I completed the course in 4 hours and 3 minutes.  I came... well, the number is too special to write here!

Seriously, I had a great ride!  In spite of the strong winds I gave it a good shot and felt strong for the whole race.  I had no mechanical problems and my legs and lungs held out very well.  A year's worth of training paid off!  Secretly (well as secret as posting something on the internet is!) I had hoped to get a time under 4 hours.  But, I rode a good honest ride and I'm thankful to have done the course in the time I did.

So, if you're interested in checking out my ride you can have a look over the data from my Polar Heart Rate monitor.  

For the Geeks out there, I use a Polar SX 625 with a heart rate strap and the speed sensor.  Since I am an Apple Mac user I get the data off the watch using Polar Pro Trainer for Windows and then import it into Ascent (a great Mac program).  When I ride on my mountainbike I use a Garmin 305 which can import directly in Ascent via USB.  So, that way I get to keep all my training data in one place.

I hope you, or anyone you may know who rode, are happy with your time.  I saw a few nasty falls - never nice.  So, I pray that everyone is OK and that you're looking forward to a great offroad season.  Get your mountainbike serviced and get going!  My friend Greg and I will be riding the Wines2Whales in November - it is a 3 day offroad stage mountainbike race from Somerset West to Grabouw ending in Hermanus.  Our training will continue in the next week or so.  For now I have my feet up, an Energade in hand, and I'm loving being home with my family.

I leave for Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong on the 23rd of March.  So no cycling for a week after that.

Let me know any friends or relatives' times for the Argus!  Or feel free to share your super story if you rode this year!  I'd love to hear from you.  Just click on the comments button below and leave a comment.

Final tips, advice, and preparation for the Cape Argus cycle tour

If, like me, you're a cyclist with more passion than fitness, then every tip for the Cape Argus 110km cycle tour will be welcome.  I found these great tips on the 'Wanna-B-Team' blog.

I'll do about 2 hours of cycling this week (it's a busy week unfortunately with not much time to ride).

 I've been eating carefully - lots of carbs, very little fat, and lots of liquids.  After riding the Mountain Bike Argus this Sunday I am feeling fantastic!  My legs were not sore today (perhaps that's because I had trained for the 55km but only got to finish 36km before the race was cut short due to heat).

Anyway, I would love to hear any tips and advice you follow, or would like to share, for this weekend's road race!

Don’t train like crazy in the last few days leading up to the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour. A total of four hours of easy cycling during the final week, with a last light training session the day before and a light, carbo-loaded breakfast two hours before starting time, is the best thing to do.

Here is a list of last-minute do's and don’ts for cyclists ahead of the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour:

Don’t train like crazy in the last few days leading up to the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour. A total of four hours of easy cycling during the final week, with a last light training session the day before and a light, carbo-loaded breakfast two hours before starting time, is the best thing to do.
 

Here is a list of last-minute do's and don’ts for cyclists ahead of the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour:
 

What you shouldn't do 

• Leave it to the last minute to do anything major on your bike - cycle shops are simply not going to have capacity for anything tricky. If you've trained with it, you're going to have to ride with it.
• Try and fix the back/knee/ankle problem that had been troubling you - it's too late to make any significant improvement.
• Train like crazy. Too many extra kilometres and hours will have the opposite effect of what you're hoping for: you may be fitter, but you'll also be depleted on race day.
• Climb Chapman's Peak for the first time, at speed - if you're going to climb it for the first time this week, do it very slowly - or in a car. In fact, if you haven't climbed it before, rather wait until the day unless you are a very strong cyclist.
• Eat nothing but carbohydrates between now and the ride.
• Get drunk the night before the tour.
• Leave picking up your race number to the last minute - particularly if you live in Cape Town.
• Buy new equipment/clothing this week and use it on the ride - only ride in tried-and-tested clothes on a tried-and-tested bike.

What you should do in final preparation  

• Ride for about four hours this week – all easy rides, with just a small amount of sprinting.
• Do your last ride on Saturday - an easy ride (no more than one hour) - using the same kit you will ride with on Sunday.
• Prepare yourself mentally for the ride - know that you will relax and enjoy it.
• Check your splits on the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour website - it will give you a good idea of where you have to be and when, in order to achieve your target time. Be realistic.
• Pick your race number up in good time.
• Try and have an early night on Friday - you will sleep better than you will on Saturday.

The night before: the checklist 

• Make sure you have adequate amounts of your favourite carbohydrate drink - put it in the fridge or the freezer the night before.
• Decide what you will take to eat on the ride, and pack it into easy-to-access bags.
• Include suncream sachets
• Pin your race number on and lay out your cycling clothes for easy access in the early morning.
• Make sure that your start and finish cards and your transponder are with your clothes.
• Put your helmet, gloves and sunglasses out at the same time.
• Check your bike - including pumps, spare tubes and puncture repair kits.
• Don't go to bed too early - you won't sleep.
• Make sure you know your starting time and when you need to be in your shute.
• If you are starting late, make sure you know which roads are going to be closed and when, so that you can get to the start on time.
• Programme the medical emergency number into your cellphone: 021 434 1199.

On the morning 

• Eat breakfast about two hours before your start. Eat mainly carbohydrates, and keep it light.
• Apply sunblock just before you leave.
• Take something to eat and drink while waiting to start - again, carbohydrates in both the food and the drink.
• Stretch while you wait to start and try to sit down until you have to go into the main starting shute.

On the ride 

• Keep to the left if you are nervous
• Look in front of you at all times
• Drink enough water, but don't overhydrate
• Enjoy the ride!
• If you need to bail out, move to the side of the road and wait for the sweep vehicle, or stop at any of the official bail-out points. They are the Old Boyes Drive link to Main Road, Dido Valley Road in Simon's Town, immediately before the Naval Gunnery School, refreshment station #9 at the foot of Red Hill, refreshment station #12 at the foot of Chapman's Peak, and the first traffic circle in Hout Bay.
• At the finish, don't come to a dead stop. You'll cause a pile-up.

Update on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 9:16AM by Dr Dion Forster

What race time are you aiming for this year?  Last year in the Cape of Storms Argus tour I rode a 4h58min!  It was a HECTIC ride in the wind.  I hope to do a sub 4 hour this year - it will be a great celebration if it does happen!

I was sent this link to the Garmin site that allows you to see the splits and activity for a sub 4 hour Argus ride.

I joked with my friends and said I would follow the route but just double the times - I'm heading for a sub 8 hour Argus! Don't joke, my wonderful wife once rode 7h30mins!  She hasn't ridden the Argus since...

Be blessed as you prepare for the ride.  It's going to be a fun one - at least the weather has cooled down a bit in Cape Town today.

Cape Argus Mountainbike Cycle ride at Boschendal - too hot to handle!

Yesterday and today were the Cape Argus Mountainbike cycle rides from Boschendal wine estate just outside of Stellebosch.  I'll be riding my 9th Argus (could be 8th) 'regular' 110 km Argus cycle tour this coming Sunday.

Today was a SCORCHER.  It was too hot to handle!  I took the picture below when I got to my car at around 12noon - it was 44 degrees centigrade.  

I had been entered for the 55km mountainbike race.  However, the race organisers decided to cut the race because of the extreme heat.  I believe that at least one person had a heart attack.  I must say that the race organisation, medical care, water points etc. were all fantastic.  The long and the short of it was that I only did about 36 kilometers of the intended 55 kilometers since we were directed to the finish.  I believe that the 35 kilometer race was cut short to around 25 kilometers for most riders.

Well, let's hope that Cape Town's weather cools a bit before next weekend!  I rode an Argus in 2003 that was stopped because of heat (I think it was 2003).  On that occasion I was already almost finished when they stopped the back markers.

Today's ride was a lot of fun.  There were some steep climbs in the begining.  I was feeling strong and so only had to walk when the foot traffic got too heavy to cycle past.  There was also some serious single track (I saw only one hectic fall), and then there were lots of sandy farm roads!  I got two punctures on the route (well actually only one puncture, but one of my replacement tubes was faulty) so that slowed me by about 15 minutes. My watch showed that I did the 36 kilometers in 3hours 3minutes of which 34 minutes was 'standing time' (i.e., at water points, fixing my punctures etc.)

I'll happily ride again next year, and I'll enter for the 55km race again.  It is so well run and takes place in some of the most magnificent scenery!  Mountainbiking bliss!

One of the more coulourful characters on the race was this guy dressed as Superman.  He was exhausted at the finish!  It looks like he was riding some kind of downhill mountain bike, which  couldn't have been easy on the steep climbs!  He came in about an hour after me.  He was riding like this for a wheelchair charity.  It is great to see people taking up good causes with their rides.

So, for this coming Sunday's Cape Town Pick n Pay Argus cycle tour I would suggest LOTS of sunscreen, lots of water and a well paced ride.  My suggestion to riders is often the following.  1) Choose to ride slower than your regular pace for the first 3rd of the race (there are some STEEP) hills to climb and the bunches can be quite daunting for a novice rider). 2) In the second half take an easy ride, don't be afraid to stop at the water points and stretch a bit.  Make sure you stay well hydrated and do your best to get into 'the bunch'.  Let stronger riders pull you along.  3) In the final third of the race if you've paced it well to start with you'll have some energy left to push a little harder to get that great time!  4)  When the ride is done make sure you drink a good sports drink to replenish your electrolytes, and also eat something to make sure you recover well and don't 'bonk' - recovery in important since it stops your immune system from being compromised, it helps your muscles (and but) to heal etc.

Did anyone else get a chance to ride?   Any stories to share?

Update on Monday, March 8, 2010 at 8:35PM by Dr Dion Forster

Here are a few news articles about the mountain bike race and the searing heat!

From the South African Weather Service (when I passed the river in this picture, about 5km from the end, there were just as many riders 'taking a dip').

Then there's this article from the Star Newspaper  - I can't say that I agree with their estimate that only 1500 riders arrived for the race!  It seemed like much more to me, but hey I could be wrong!

The winner of the 2010 Argus challenge 55km race, Conrad Stoltz, posted this media release.  He suggests that 4500 rider did the ride.  That number sounds more accurate.  Check out Conrad's site.  He has some incredible stuff posted there.

One of the things that I have been wondering about is the special medal that riders get if they complete both the 55km and the 110km Argus rides?  Since we were diverted before the end of the race does anyone know if we will still qualify for this medal?

Regardless, it was a fun day's riding, well organised, incredible scenery and a lot of climbing!!!

I'm looking forward to this Sunday's road ride - last year I rode the Argus on the Sunday and then flew to London for the Hugh Price Hughes lecture I was presenting - not a comfortable flight with sore legs!

This year I'll be home for a week or so before I fly to Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Power Piston fun ride! 110km of Hot, hot, hot fun!!

Today 10 of my friends and I did our own fun ride. It is the second time we've done it (we did it last year this time as well). It is supposed to be a training ride for the Cape Argus Pick n Pay cycle tour which is in 2 weeks time here in Cape Town. That race is 110km (or so) and so we try to do one ride (at least) of the same distance to stretch our legs a little.

We left from Klapmuts (half way between Stellenbosch and Paarl) at 6am. From there we did the 60 kilometers to Malmesbury, and then another 30 some kilometers to Wellington with a final stretch of about 20 kilometers back to Klapmuts.

11 of us started this year with 8 of us doing the entire distance, one going until 80km's and two opting out at 65 kilometers.

The routs has quite a few hills, but the real challenege is the heat -to the temperature was over 40 degrees C. There is also always quite a strong head wind between Malmesbury and Wellington.

My wonderful wife Megie and our two kids prepared goodies for a few 'water stops' along the route. She is WONDERFUL!!!! Ice cold water, a cold coke and a few bannanas saved the day. Plus her little Renault Clio was a great car to help get folks back to their cars when the heat and distance took its toll!

Next week Sunday I'll be riding the 55km mountainbike Argus ride at Boschendal near Stellenbosch, and the week after I'll be at the starting line of the road Argus for a 7.13am start to the race!

Please spare a prayer for stron legs, big lungs and safety on the mountain and road!

A new neuroscience blog, and the concept of time (does time exist?)

A friend of mine, Philip Collier, has just launched a new neuroscience website at http://www.brainsparks.co.za

Phil and I are cycling buddies, but we also share an interest in the brain - Phil graduated with a Masters in research psychology at the University of Port Elizabeth.  He and I often spend our rides up the Helderberg mountain talking about how the mind functions!

Please do check out his new website - it looks set for great things!

I read one of his first posts with great interest.  I would encourage you to have a look at the post here - where are you now.  What struck me as I read it was the question about the nature of time (and how a poor understanding of the nature of time can hamper a person from truly living in the present moment).  I once read a wonderful quote that said, 'we crucify ourselves between two thieves, the regret of yesterday and the fear of tomorrow'.  I'm not sure who said it, so help me with a reference if you know!  However, what I can say is that I have a much more positive view of the concept of the present - 'the now'.  I believe that there is great spiritual value in learning to live in the present moment.

Once you've read Phil's post you may like to consider my response to him (I have copied it below).  This gives some insight into how I view the concept of time.

All that being said, happy new year!  May the next decade be truly blessed for you!

Hi Philip,

Congratulations on the launch of your new site! It looks fantastic.  I look forward to great content and many wonderful interactions in the years to come.

The notion of time has been one that has occupied my mind as well - I have read Tolle's 'The Power of Now' (in fact it is one of the books we use in our conscious leadership programme with the senior management of our company).  I found it a most stimulating and helpful book.  I do think that his intention is much more focussed upon awareness of the moment than on the actual concept of time.

However, your question raises some very interesting thoughts indeed!  The ancient Greek philosophers spoke of two kinds of time, chronos (from which we get our English word 'Chronology' - this is a linear, historical, concept of time).  Then they spoke of kairos, this is the kind of time that has to do with moments of rightness, instead of marking sequential events.  It has often been described as 'pregnant' time: when a child is to be born and gestation is complete, or there is some form of trauma, then kairos comes to the fore, it is the 'right' time, or the 'selected' moment.

The sages of many of the world's mystical religious and spiritual traditions (Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish mystics to name but a few) have long emphasized the incredible value of being 'present to the moment'.

Some years ago when I was doing some research on 'the new science' (particularly the work of David Bohm the quantum physicist) I came to realise just how 'the lived moment' is hardwired into all of the cosmos.  The constant implication and explication of matter in and out of the source of reality (what Bohm called 'active mind') is only perceivable in the moment of realisation.  Of course this concept was discovered much earlier by Einstein, Rosen and Podoslky (also called the EPR or tunneling effect).  You can read about it in one of my books (download a PDF copy here).  See pages 38 forward, but particularly from page 40.

One final note about the philosophy of time, as I have come to understand it, is that time is a construct (like mass or speed).  Time is not an aspect of the ontological nature of reality - rather, it is something that we have created in order to make sense of the sequence of experience and events that we process in our conscious minds.

Consciousness, however, is an ontological necessity!  Becoming conscious of the present moment, and the power of the present moment, is the key to finding blessing and peace in life.  However, history is equally important (since our consciousness of our past and the past of others gives us a sense of perspective on the present, and hopefully it makes us wise enough to act with intention and courage).  Moreover, a conscious aspiration is also a helpful thing (however, not to the extent that it draws us out of the present moment so that we miss the joy and opportunity of 'the now').

Well, those are a few of my thoughts.

Regards,

Dion