For this trip we went to cape Town for Ouma’s 95th birthday, and then I stayed on for the  The Cape Argus Cycle Tour. I think this was my 5th time that I have competed in this event. This time my claim to fame was that I was the rider who had covered the greatest distance to take part!

Here are some photos:

It seems only the other day that we were in Cape Town for the  The Cape Argus Cycle Tour but February saw us once again back in Cape Town. It was very expensive to take a bicycle from Canada to Cape Town, so a friend of Dave’s purchased a used bike in Cape Town for CDN$300 and this was fine for the event! Still have the bike stored with a friend “in case” we go again!! Here are a few photos from the day:

Lining up to enter the start gates

Chapman’s Peak

Suikerbosse

Nearing the top of Suikerbosse

Finish straight

War wounds – only got knocked off my bike once!!

Click here for a short movie Cycling up to Bishop’s Court

This is the first and shortest of 3 long climbs! I need a bigger cassette!

It is a long way from Vancouver to London, but Dave and his bicycle did just that! The ride was the  “End2End” also known as “LeJoG” which is approximately a 1,500 km ride from John O’Groats at the NE tip of Scotland, down to Land’s End at the SW tip of England.   Before continuing, we had great difficulty with logistics – how to get us and bikes to John O’Groats, and then from Land’s End to Heathrow.  So, if you are visiting UK from overseas, we have provided a logistics section after the write-up. Go to: Logistics (You will first have to click “continue reading…” below or this “Logistics” link will not work!)

But before we start the story, here are the players:

Kate_______________Steve__________Samy ___________Dave

Kate, Steve’s wife, also known as the “Queen of high gear hill climbing and chain entanglements“.
Dave’s son, Steve, also known as the “Doctor of steep, rough and long shortcuts“
both setting out from Deep River, Ontario
Samy, who before we started, had a longest bike ride of 14 kms, and also known as the “Doctor of the selfie”  starting the journey from Ottawa.
And finally, me! I think the young folk regarded me as “The ancient mariner“!

Assembling the bikes at Heathrow….

…..packed in the van, and ready to go!!

We all met at Heathrow, and rented a van to take Dave and Steve plus all the bikes up to Inverness.  Kate and Samy flew to Aberdeen, and thence by rail also to Inverness.  There was a “small” 5 hour delay in that the bikes of both Kate and Samy did not make it onto their plane from Toronto!  Luckily, there was another same day flight later! We spent the night in Inverness where Dave and Steve arrived after midnight, having driven with only a few short fueling stops.  Despite the late night, we were all ready early next morning, panniers packed and ready for the trip to John O’Groats.   We were collected from the hotel by The John O’Groats Bike Transport Co. to transport both ourselves and bikes to John O’Groats. What a great service and we thoroughly recommend them!

At kilometer “0” the famous signpost at John O’Groats.  Just before it started to rain!

Continue reading →

It is a very long way from Vancouver to Cape Town, but both us and Dave’s bicycle did just that! The event was the The Cape Argus Cycle Tour which is a 109 km one-day race (or fun ride!) around the picturesque Cape Penninsula, and there were 37,000 entries! The pros start at 6:15 am, then the rest of us start in groups of 600 every 4 minutes thereafter. Dave started at 7:44 am and headed off into a day of cycling in temperatures of “only” 29º C. Unlike the 2012 race, there were only a few cases of heatstroke, and Dave had no cramp problems. However, as previously, stated into a 45kph headwind that blew all day!

This is a great event with the roads completely closed to all traffic from start to finish. Crowds lined the route cheering us, holding street parties, cheerleaders, etc. all the way!
Our journey was similar to 2012 being a little longer as we made a “side trip” from London to Abu Dhabi and return to see Jo, CJ and our grandchildren, Brodie and Tegan. (The bike remained at Heathrow in “Left Luggage”)
Do it again?? Yes, most likely “one of these days”!! Here are a few of the photos:

Dave just before the start

Along the coast road heading south

Chappies again!

Top of Chappies

Starting Suikerbossie

Top of Suikerbossie

Finish line!!

We did it! Between us, we rode for 3 charities as planned – The Multiple Sclerosis Society, Grandmothers for Africa (The Stephen Lewis Foundation) and The BC Lung Association. Many thanks to all who supported us enabling us to raise over $3,000! In addition, Dave also took part in a the BC Senior Games where he competed in the 3 road bike events, and in the 265km Victoria Gran Fondo. Here are a few photos of Maxine and the Grandmothers:

Maxine finishing the Grandmothers’ Ride in Victoria

Street parade in Victoria

Street parade and welcome ceremony in Victoria

All the Grandmothers at the finish

Here are a few photos of Dave at the BC Lung Trek:

Dave finishes Day 1 of the BC Lung Trek

Dave finishes Day 2 of the BC Lung Trek

Here are a few photos of Dave at the BC Seniors’ Games in Kamloops:

Rounding the cones lap 1

Waiting for the start

Finishing the hill climb!

…and one more photo of Dave near the finish of Ryder Hesjedal’s 140km Tour de Victoria:

King George terrace – about 5kms to the finish