Living Vicariously

The Sabie Experience four day mountain bike stage race starts on Sunday. Why is this of interest to you or me? Well, there is a group of dedicated people making sure that it lives up to its reputation of being a tough, challenging event and I am the ringleader.

No wait, the tough and challenging bit belongs to my race director, Dennis. He is the one who must take the complaints from the riders when they struggle up the next big mountain and the next. When the climbs are nicknamed "Ugly Words, Jelly Legs and Bad Language" then you know that it is brutal and they are cursing him with the little breath they have left.

Moi, I am in charge of all the nice stuff. I get to receive all the compliments. I swan around the route in my VW Caddie with the aircon on, and cheering the riders onward and upward. I am the cheery face of the mountain bike race who commiserates when they suffer and promise downhills to the finish. I am the good guy who pretends to suffer with them, bleed with them and grimace through muddy or dusty faces.

All the while, behind the inane grin on my face is the little voice saying, "I am so glad this isn't me!"  Don't get me wrong, I have ridden the routes so I know all about the sufferfest but that was under far more relaxed circumstances.  I did not have partners ranting at my being too fast or too slow. I had the luxury of stopping frequently ostensibly waiting to show the riders behind the route.

But I do know what its like to stay in the saddle when the legs are begging for respite and the sweat is stinging the eyes. And I do feel the rider's pain when there is yet another uphill. But I live the swooping downhills and single track with them and congratulate them as they cross the finish line pumped with the achievement that comes with suffering.

So to all you riders making the pilgrimage to Sabie for some of the best mountain biking in the country, I'll be there for you but I won't envy you.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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What's your mojo?

This weekend was soul riding. A handful of us headed out to the Cradle of Mankind for a bit of technical riding followed by the ubiquitous coffee and in this case, apple pie and cream. OK, so I had an omelette instead but that's not the point.

The point is that I ride for the exercise, the space, the cameraderie and the social interaction afterwards. This ride just happened to include herds of gemsbok and wildebeest, some impala dashing across the road in front of us and two tortoises giving it horns.

And Sunday was the single track all the way up the Braamfontein Spruit to Greenside for famous Vida coffee followed by brunch at Doppios. (I am such a name dropper).

And for the first time in ages, I loved my riding. Not too much, not too far and wonderful company. 

So what's your story?

What gets you out of bed and onto two wheels?

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End of year blues?

For once, this has seemed a long year. Normally they fly by and before you know it, another one has started.  Its been a year filled with milestones and wonderful adventures. And although there has been a paucity of cycling stuff in the last four months, I have been kept busy with other issues.

Now, we run up to Sabie Experience (the 4 day mountain bike stage race) of which I am the organiser. It is the usual scrummage of getting all the bits and pieces together to give the riders an incredible send off to the festive season. Four hard days of riding will give them a calorie deficit of note which will soon be filled with festive fare.

For those who have battled with the economic downturn, an event like this may sound extravagant but what better gift to give yourself than the joy of riding your bike in some of the best mountain biking terrain in the country. Finishing the year doing what you love best is the perfect antidote to doom and gloom and you can look forward to 2010 with renewed vigour.

Its a pity I can't ride.

Posted via email from Go Cycling