I remember that feeling of getting my first bike. It was exciting and represented a freedom I had not felt before. I got it for Christmas and my parents wrapped it in a sheet and put it under the tree. Many years later, when I bought my first mountain bike it represented a new level of cool. The black Diamond Back was COOL. I bought really ugly black Diadora shoes. They had red, green and yellow stripes on them but gave me a new ceiling of speed. I had arrived. This was before the days of suspension or helmest being obligatory. We smashed up the trails and roads around Stellenbosch.
I would get excited before a ride. I guess it is the same feeling a Harley rider gets a second before he cranks the engine.
Saturday:
We head out the door for a tour around the Mountain (pronounced with a jo’burg accent). I was on my new Cannondale CAAD8. This beast is so twitchy compared to my previous fat tacky recliners. I have to concentrate quite hard so as not to go skidding along the tar. But then this baby moves. It wants to go fast. That is exciting! We had a great ride. I was in good company with a Lotus, Cervelo and Felt. We left super early and had coffee before most folks had even made it to the Old Biscuit Mill for breakfast. What a way to start the weekend proper!
Sunday:
The trails around Lion’s Head. 9km of the best trail of this city. My hamstring was ok and had not complained. We took it easy and this will be the way to go for me. Once again we were out early and were eating fruit, watching runners at the Kloof Nek Classic deal with the heat. Some more successfully than others. Then Mel made the suggestion of a swim in Clifton. So late afternoon we headed over the Nek to the mayhem on the roads in Clifton/Camps Bay. Suiting up among the sun worshippers was weird. I had to hit the water almost immediately otherwise I would have died of the heat. We headed out to the bouy with me taking a more zig zag course than the others. This was the first time that I had swum out that far. The view was amazing! What a brilliant end to a fantastic weekend I thought. The swim was great and I did not feel cold thanks to the neoprene. My exit of the water was less than elegant. I was told that it is easier to take your wetsuit off in the water. What I did not realise is that it is easier slightly deeper in rather than in the zone where you get pounded by waves, knee deep and trying to get at least one leg out of its constraint. (I swore never to laugh at anybody in T1 again.) My pirouettes and cartwheels were less than elegant and caused quite a bit of entertainment… or so I was told.
leo rust 