Cape Argus Cycle Tour

As D. wasn't doing the bike race because of her illness I became a bit reluctant and decided to hire a car and do some exploring out of town instead. However no cars were available for hire .... because 32,000 people were in town to do a bike race.

Mike, from the bike club, offered to give me a lift in to town to register for the race Thursday morning at registration some of the buzz of the event started to rub off on me. There were hundreds of people of all nationalities, shapes and sizes registering and a huge exhibition of cycling equipment added to the “big event” feel. Mike's enthusiasm about the event was also contagious. He had been training for months, had done one of the seeding events and had been practising bits of the route ready for the big day. On the way back he deliberately drove along the route and showed me the hills and the dangerous descent from Boyes Drive down to Kalk Bay.

Back at the house was the bike that D. had managed to borrow from her friend Bjorn, - the lightest sleekest bike I had ever ridden, a proper racing bike.

Although it was a bit close to the event on the Sunday I decided that I ought to give my body a warning about cycling in extreme heat and to let my bum have a slight chance get used to a hard narrow racing saddle.

Minutes aftger setting off down the road the first problem became apparent. There was one gear lever on each side ehich changed the gears one way but no way I could see to change the gears the other way. After stopping and checking the bike and trying everything I flagged down a group of cyclists going the other way.

With brisk German effieiency it was revealed that the brake lever moves sideways and that changes the gears the other way!! Incredible!! It would never have crossed my mind that a brake lever moved any other way than in and out. Mein gut Samaritan then checked over my bike, adjusted the quick release tension on the front wheel, pointed out that my front brake had the release open and suggested I eased off the power when changing down a gear! Did he think I was an idiot? Mmhh. I guess if you flag someone down to ask how to change gear that goes without saying.

An hour later my body was giving signs that it was not at all adjusted to the heat and man and bike in tune ..... I had a puncture. And then another puncture half way back and I started to assume that there must be something I wasn't doing right. A visit to the bike shop in Fish Hoek resulted in the purchase of a new rear tyre and when they realised I had only pumped to the tyres up to the 40psi that I use on my mountain bike. They told me that was less than half the pressure needed. I guress this was the moment for them to take me for an idiot and it was a relief they didn't feel the need to give any other advivce.

Sunday, the day of the race, I woke before the alarm even though it was set for 5.30 and at five past six was cycling down the road in the thick darkness and silence in order to get the 6.25 train from Gllen Cairn.

Cruising gently down the hill a familiar gentle whooshing noise and the dark silhouette of a mountain bike swished past followed by another dozen in singles and small groups. Coming up to the main road more cyclists heading from the Fish Hoek direction. The pre-dawn lightening of the horizon over the mountains on the other side of False Bay reminiscent of an Alpine start before some scary climb. The impression of silent intense figures converging like the Close Encounters film also evokes memories of going with Bryn to Winter evening football games at Portsmouth, - and I began to have a really good anticipation about the day!!

Luckily the train was nearly empty and I leaned my bike against the side of the carriage and sat down. Within 5 stops all the entrances of the carriage were completely blocked by bikes and people trying to get to work were being turned away. I wondered how we would get out of the carriage if the train caught fire. The answer so obvious it was best not to think about it.

At the main station I followed the others to a large plaza full of cyclists queing in bays and even more who had arrived early and were waiting for their turn. I asked a volunteer how to get to EE bay (the starting group for international entrants). She said I was too late and ushered me into bay HH with the tandems. If I had realised that Matt Damon was in group EE then I might have been more insistent about finding the right group but it was very pleasant in the HH group. I think tandem riders must be more orieted to being social than competitive and it was a very nice atmosphere with a surprising number of wigs, fancy dress and decorated bikes!

We were ushered out of the bay and lined up on the main road. Finally the count down and Go! It was already windy and as I took my first tentative push on the pedal there was a huge gust of wind and I had to put my foot down to balance myself. Around me a scene of complete devastation. Tandems seem to catch the wind more (and besides I had been eating a lot of pies). Every tandem around me had been blown to the ground along with many of their riders. Tentatively I picked my way around the chaos between further gusts. Reaching an archway the wind was so strong that I had to dismount and push the bike through. It was a relief finally to get on with the familiar feeling of cycling up a steep hill (except that it was a slight hill with a steep wind).

The route of the race is really interesting with spectactular mountain and coastal views, with blue seas lightening to turquoise where they touched sandy beaches. And always the fabulous scenery of the Cape mountains. The number of other comptetitors is a source of constant interest, overtaking and being overtaken adding to the drama.

From Kalk Bay I seemed to find my cycling legs and from here to Smitts Winkel was a steady relentless push uphill and against the wind. Tucking close behind an individual or smal group of cyclists made it much easier and I began to feel like a bit of leech, (but carried on in any event). The relief of reaching Smitts Winkel and changing direction and heading back North with the wind was immense. Half way reached and nearly 15 kilometers of downhill /flat relaxed and pleasant cycling. Nostalgia passing the Garden Centre where I had stayed in a cottage on my previous trip and passing Scarborough and other familiar beaches.

I was passing a lot more people than were passing me and started to feel a bit of confidence growing. Running over a cat's eye at speed punctured the rear tyre which deflated as fast as my confidence. The tyre was changed pretty quickly but then the valve snapped off as I the pump was removed. The second innertube was replaced with more care but 10 minutes had been lost.

After a savage sand blasting when the route passed close to a beach it was a pleasure to finally get to seeChapmans Peak Drive. (This had also been closed on my previous holiday). The wind was a real problem, stopping us in our tracks on some of the uphill sections and making it difficult to get going again up the hill. On the descent, gusts blew people off their bikes and one person was being carried into an ambulance.

Still the views were dramatic and enjoyable none the less. And although increasingly tired I began to get a sense that I was going to finish and that my pace had been judged and my time was going to be as good as it could be allowing for age, flab and lack of fitness.

Feeling so tired it was difficult to really appreciate the changing beaches and views of Hout Bay, Green Point and on towards Cape Town. Lions Peak and the cable car corner of Table Mountain got steadily closer and then were passed. Finally the finish, a medallion pushed in my hand and a very slow ride back to the station. During the 45 minute wait for the next train I fell asleep and thank goodness the girl next to me woke me up when it arrived!

In the train I was woken at Fish Hoek to be asked to move my bicycle just in time so that I was ready to get off two stops later at Glen Cairn..

A double expresso and apple crumble at the deli at the Souther Right gave just enough energy to face getting up the hill to the house and a very early night!!

The sense of achievement was dented a couple of days later when I discovered that Bjorn, whose spare bike I had used, had done the route in a little over 3 hours, - nearly 2 hours quicker than me! It seemed almost impossible to me but apparently a few 1000 manage times of this order.

This hasn't stopped me already starting to wonder if I might be able to come back next year and have another go!!

Simons Town Area

On Sunday I tried again to go for the run through the sports centre and this time found the entrance blocked by a family of baboons!! Apparently they they are endangered, but can be aggressive, especially if they think that you are carrying food. The local dustbins are baboon proof and residents have to be careful about leaving windows and doors open in case the baboons raid the house.

I tentatively followed them at a distance, admiring the enviable slow relaxed way they have of walking. Then when the entrance was clear went jogging up the hill. After thoroughly exploring all the wrong directions worked out where the proper track was but was too tired to follow it. It is the first time I have been running since October

The local beaches of Glen Cairn and Fish Hoek are very nice, sandy, not too crowded and close to good cafes! Does it get any better than this. On Sunday we went very early to the tidal pool at St James beach. Even though it was early we only just squeezed in to park at the station and it was crowded.

In the meant!ime I had been reading a local walking guide and so on Monday got the train to Fishhoek and after checking out Bettys cafe, walked back to the house via Elsie's peak. Including walking along to the end of the ridge overlooking the Atlantic this took about two and half hours and I really enjoyed the incredible variety, flowers and fragrance of the fynbos. And never met a soul!

The following day I ventured further afield and went to Simon's Town which is a lovely place with a pleasant colonial atmosphere and somehow the genteel atmosphere of a place designed for british naval officers. The Sweetest Thing Patisserie serves excellent coffee and has a lovely high ceiling and very nice ambience. I walked along the road to Seaforth and then followed the trail to Block House Gap and onto Simonsberg. The made trail ends there (and so did my map) but the path heading south looked so obvious that I just followed it and discovered one of the best ridge walks I had done for a long time. Nicely level, sandy underfoot reminiscent of walking along a coastal path but either with views west over pleasant hills or occasionally dramatic views to the East of a steep drop of 600m to a wild looking coast. And towards the end of the walk dramatic views to the South of the headland of Cape Point and the sea beyond stretching off to Antartica.

Eventually the path came out to forestry station at Smithswinkel where I got into conversation and was given a lift back to Simon's Town and checked out Bertha's Restaurant and Coffee House which is in a really good location over the harbour but was a bit posh for me.

First Few Days in the Western Cape

Arrived in Cape Town and my friend was too ill to meet having only been out of hospital less than a week.
I also was feeling a bit lacking in energy but not so much that I wasn't constantly marvelling at the heat and the light and general contrast with gloomy England.

On Friday morning I jogged down the mile to the beach at Glencairn but as I was the only person on the beach I was too intimidated to have a good swim because of the fear of sharks. My safety rules are 1) Never be the furthest person on the beach 2) Swim nearest the person who looks most like a seal. Neither of these rules are helpful when there is no-one else on the beach. I invented a new rule .... don't go further than chest deep.
But the beach is lovely, sandy, and the water cool when you first go in and then just right for swimming.Glen

Later on we called in on the other main attraction in Glen Cairn which seems to be the Southern Right Hotel. In the basement they have a deli which sells very nice coffee and pastries booked on the premises.

Saturday morning I jogged up the hill having realised there was a path onto the fynbos through the sports club, .. and I thought I could get high enough up the hill to get a view of the Atlantic Ocean (Glen Cairn is on the Indian Ocean). Unfortunately it was so early they hadn't unlocked the gates at the sports club so I continued up the road until I got to the end and found a path onto the hill through the fynbos at da gama park. I had been reading about snakes in the area particular the puff adder which causes most problems because they don't move when they hear you coming! My concentrated attention on the next step I was taking rather spoilt my ability to enjoy the plants and the view.

My firiend has been too ill to cycle for over a month and so after we called into the Green Bean cafe in West Lake where the SuperCycling club start their weekly ride from the Cycle Lab bike shop and meet afterwards at the Green Beans Cafe which served the best muffin I have ever had. (yes I think it may be even better than the Caracoli muffin available in Alresford)

After we went to see my friends nephew play base ball at the local club.