As luck would have it...

I has been an exciting few weeks, I won a fabulous prize from Schwalbe (‏@SchwalbeZA) of 2 MTB tyres just by following them on Twitter and to be the lucky one to be picked as the winner!!!! The arrival of these tyres could not have come at a better time as the next ride after they arrived I slashed my tyre on some glass on our morning ride. Fortunately Wayne had a tube for me so I could put in a gator and the tube and finish the ride in one piece. My bike went in for a well deserved service and I had the components changed and front and rear shocks serviced. This cost more then my car service in the same week, but please don't tell my wife :-) 

My awesome winnings 

I have had a few great rides with my son and he is starting to love this sport and is always eager to go and ride on the weekends. I have entered him in for a 35km Transvaal Galvanisers MTB race in September so we have a goal to work towards to. 

Caiden at the Country Club riding under a peacock

Last weekend we join the Cycle Lab group for a fantastic ride out in south of Boksburg and doing part of the route for the race mentioned above in September. It was really awesome doing a new route for a change after slogging through our normal routes North East of Benoni for many years. There was a floating bridge that added a bit of adrenalin in the middle of the route also. Unfortunately Marco broke his rear derailer during the ride and we could not convert his bike to a single speed as the chain was twisted. We were about 15km away from home and took turns pushing/pulling him (Mark doing the majority of the work). Click here are the Strava stats of the ride... and click here for the Youtube video of the ride curtesy of Hanise. 

Hansie flying over the bridge

Sean breaking Marco's chain in an attempt to make it a single speed...

Marco walking through the ice cold water as his single speed was not working... 

Still pedalling...

So it has been a few weeks since my last Blog post and yes I have been riding and not succumbed to an early winter slumber like some people. The early morning rides before work are getting difficult I must admit, it is starting to get really cold and is dark for most of the ride. I have been doing a few spins out to the Broodblik on Saturday morning with the CycleLab group. Below is a picture courtesy of Hansie from one of the rides:

In the same breath I have also had a few longer rides on a Sunday that have been incredible routes with good company. Below is a sunrise from 2 Sundays ago when I went out with Greg and Paul.

I have also entered a new era in my life and have the absolute joy of having my 13 year old son ride with me at the Benoni Country Club mountain bike trails. It is awesome to be able to share this experience with him and see his eagerness to ride and then we can share a coke and have a chat after the ride. Below is a pic that I took last Saturday of some of the wildlife we encountered on the route - and I am not talking about the golfer in the background ;-)

And just to remind me that mountain biking is not for sissies below is a graphic picture (apologies) of my run in with a fence a few weeks ago, leaving a nice cut on my leg. Yes I was late for a ride and should have been more careful but hey s*^t happens.

Good week of riding...

January 2014 is rocking, the last 2 weeks have been really great with over 620km ridden already. Last weekend I did my longest ride so far of a 116km, when I joined the Checkers road group for a ride to Midrand, Sandton, Sylvia's Pass and Bedford etc... Nice big group of 20 riders, led nicely by Clint for a hard but very rewarding ride. Click here: for the stats of the ride.

The next day was my birthday and we went for the short ride to a new MTB track that they are busy establishing at the Benoni Country Club. Nice short technical track with lots of twists and turns. Great turn out for a trial ride of the route established by Cliff.



Group ride at the Benoni Country Club MTB track

4 early morning rides before work this week, teed me up for a great weekend. Saturday I was fortunate to share my mountain biking passion with my ever patient and understanding wife. We went to Modders together (on one of hottest days of the year - Garmin recorded a high of 37 degrees) and had an awesome ride together. She is riding really well and will hopefully be doing her first 30km MTB race soon. 

Better half...

Today was a chance to do a different route from the normal spin out into the Benoni mielie fields. I was fortunate enough to be joined by 2 stalwarts of cycling Rebbecca and Juan for a +90km ride out to Heidleberg and back. I have done this route before and it is never easy as it is fairly flat and you have to constantly pedal with no respite. After the long downhill to Heidleberg there is a tiring spin up to the radio tower hill, over looking the town. Great to get up there, enjoy the view and then replenish the energy levels. The ride back home was very wet as we got caught in rain for most of the ride back. It was a very light rain and and a lot better then the sweltering heat of the day before. Here are the stats of this ride to finish off a really great week of riding.

Juan and Becky on the top of the 'radio mast' hill

Hill top selfie

View of Heidleberg from the top of the radio tower hill