Adventures of an Ordinary Cyclist

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.

Wednesday, 3 July 2024

Race to Rhodes ‘24 - Last Day

Trundling along the Pyga Line After a good nights sleep Pieter, Daniel and I headed out from Vuvu School and made our way to the last hairp...

Tuesday, 2 July 2024

Race to Rhodes ‘24 - Lehana’s Pass

Lehana's Pass 2012 Lehana's Pass is a fancy name for a footpath between South Africa and Lesotho. I'm told that it was a regular...

Race to Rhodes ‘24 - Eight Short Kilometres

Vuvu to the start of Lehana's Pass is only 8 km but it is packed with wow moments as well as moments that give you pause to reflect on y...

Sunday, 30 June 2024

Race to Rhodes ‘24 - Masakala to Vuvu

By the time the others arrived at Masakala the weather had changed. The wind had switched and strengthened and was blowing off the snow cove...

Saturday, 29 June 2024

Race to Rhodes ‘24 - Two Springs to Masakala

The ride from Pietermaritzburg to Two Springs had taken me more than two hours longer than I had hoped—it had taken me just over 24 hours. T...

Thursday, 27 June 2024

Race to Rhodes ‘24 - Pietermaritzburg to Two Springs

Umkomass river from Hela Hela Pass Lining up outside the Pietermaritzburg City Hall I was aware of the spasm in my lower back. I had hurt my...

Tuesday, 25 June 2024

Race to Rhodes ‘24 - Preamble

The corrugations send ripples through my aching muscles as I roll out of Rhodes. The roadside grass, adorned with predawn frost, sparkles li...

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 som...

Monday, 4 December 2023

My Bike - A strand of spider silk, once taut, now rises and falls with each breath the room takes. Tethered to my bike's shifter, it beckons

A strand of spider silk, once taut, now rises and falls with each breath the room takes Tethered to my bike's shifter, it beckons I...

Friday, 31 March 2023

Return to Vero’s

Over the last 16 years I have ridden over thirty thousand kilometres down the Freedom Trail. In that time each section has had a chance to d...

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About Me

Mike: Johannesburg, South Africa; Just an ordinary guy who started riding in 2005 at the age of 45. I started with the ambition of completing the local 94.7 Cycle Challenge (94.7km). This is an annual road cycle race in and around Johanesburg. Some where along the way it become a race and not merely a completion excercise. I clocked a 2h54 in my first attempt only 6 months from my first trundle down the road and back. I was hooked and then discovered the magic of MTB. While my efforts on the road were credible, MTBing humbled me. Having said that, over the last 24 months I have competed in 9 multi-day events. I'm a very middle of the field rider, but I enjoy every minute of it.

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