A journal of my Freedom Challenge mountain bike adventures, 2007, 2009(tandem)2011, 2012(solo) and 2014. Race to Rhodes and the 2300km Race Across South Africa. The race starts in Pietermaritzburg and ends in Wellington close to Cape Town, with a 26 day cut-off. The Ride to Rhodes(2008-unblogged and 2010) is a shortened version that starts in Pietermaritzburg and ends 6 days later in Rhodes.
Saturday, 25 May 2024
This House
A breeze whistles through the bare window frames. A loose corner of a corrugated roof sheet taps out a steady rhythm. The house was once someone's pride and joy as they watched brick being placed on brick. It became their refuge, a place of belonging. It was the destination sought when heading home, a place where birthdays and holidays were celebrated. Close your eyes and listen for the sounds of yesteryear: the early morning rustlings of a family rising to face the day, the creak of wooden floorboards and the squeak of hinges from the now absent doors. The bark of a family dog as a car rattles past on the corrugated road, the laughter of children playing in the yard. These sounds have long faded. Only memories remain, echoes of a time when the house had the heartbeat of life. Now a decaying ruin, its stories retold from elsewhere.