Friday, April 30, 2010

Friday 30th- Riviersonderend

Today we would like to re-name "Riviersonderend" as "Heuwel-sonderend"! The day of a thousand hills! The youngest amongst us, in a moment of weakness, even mentioned that it could be merely a 2 hour drive back to Cape Town instead of a 2 day ride. We need to re-name Paul too- Paul "I got my legs back" Roux - very impressive performance! The thick mist presented some challenges although also a lovely cool day- perfect for cycling. The Team covered 117 hard earned km over this difficult and undulating section of the route. Thank you so much to Monica and Jinja at the Sleeping Beauty Guest Lodge who looked after us so well last night in Riversdale and sent us off with an amazing breakfast this morning. And thanks to Klara and Gehardt Sohlms for kindly accomodating us in their idyllic Restore Mountain Cottage near Riviersonderend. They have also generously extended their gift of hospitality in warmly welcoming us into their home where we are currently enjoying watching the Stormers perform! All in all a great day to remember. PS - Thanks to all of you who have posted comments on this blog- it is a great encouragement to us all!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Thursday 29th- Riversdale

The team bravely set off in the cold wind and rain this morning. Thank you to Malcolm Westmore for the best coffee ever - it has been much appreciated, especially on a chilly day like today. Paul's performance was phenomenal today as he kept up an incredible rhythm- at one stage maintaining a consistant 38km/hr for a distance of 20km! He also succumbed to a burst of energy as he and Dave set a new tour speed record of 77km/hr (without even trying - or so they claim!) The cold wind turned out to be a great blessing as it was a tail wind assisting our riders along the 135km that they cycled today.
A great big THANK YOU for the donations, sponsorships, and pledges that have been received so far that continue to make all this so worthwhile! If you are interested, donations towards this cause can be made to:The Kidzpositive Family Fund, Nedbank, Salt River, Branch code:102-109, Universal Code: 198-765, Account number: 1021 275 743 Reference: “Peddie”.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Wed 28th- George

Another 96km down and we are half way (yellow ribbon on map depicts distance completed so far). It has been a day of challenging passes such as Keimanns and others! Paul:"So this is what it means to 'be on one's last legs!'".
Dave broke his speed record by managing 69km/hr.
Paul's spoke broke and so both Paul and Glenda's bikes needed repairs along the way.
Many many thanks to our hosts over the last few nights who have ensured that we are well rested and fed and who have treated us so extremely well. Dave and Colleen of Fountain Vineyard church, Helen Veitch (Jeffry's Bay), Sandy and Trevor Davis (Knysna), and Sandy and Richard Moir (George). A huge thank you to Rose for the delicious crunchies and chocolate brownies which continue to provide much needed energy at each comfort break!