Target Reached!

We would never have expected to reach our target so quickly but thanks to Amazing Anonymous we have, in one proverbial fowl swoop, raised R10 000 for CHOC!

We don’t want to stop here though – we want to blow this target out of the water and raise as much as possible for kids suffering from cancer and other blood related disorders. Please hop on our GivenGain project and donate – I bet you can’t donate R50!

Donate to this cause

We have just secured an anonymous sponsor

…who will be taking both stages! They are so many kinds of extremely generous, altruistic and unbelievably philanthropicous (its a real word…look it up) – we wish we could make an absolute fuss about them but the nature of their business is such that they need to protect the anonymity of their clients. But let me just tell you that they awesome!

I always believed that no act can be truly altruistic – you always get something out of it for yourself  (even if only the satisfaction of having given and the acknowledgement of your contribution) – but this act is bordering on truly selfless.

Thank you Amazing Anonymous!

Anyone else out there keen to match the contribution? As we effectively still have the  2 stages up for grabs; you could help us satisfy our desperate desire to make fuss of people who donate to this incredible cause!?

Donate to this cause

Hi guys

We are selling the 2 stages (Mountain bike ride and Road ride) to Companies/People who want to take advantage of this sick (in the best sense of the word) opportunity to get some great exposure!

For a mere R5000 you can sponsor one of the 2 stages thereby making a tax deductible contribution to our chosen NGO, The Cows.

Sponsorship benefits include press coverage, prominent name and product placement throughout the event, inclusion in press releases, and extensive online marketing. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to send a positive message that your organisation is playing an active role in supporting CHOC and the holistic support for children suffering from cancer and life-threatening blood disorders.

The first 2 companies to hit the donate button and contribute an amount of R5000 will automatically get the stages. So get on it as soon as possible to avoid disappointment!

Donate to this cause

Any subsequent donations received will go direct to CHOC and will make and amazing difference to the kids suffering from Cancer but will not gain the donor the same exposure. Having said this however…we will do all that we can to make a massive online fuss over you!!

When we set out we aimed to average 70 km per day and I trained to the extent that I had got my head and my pins (tiny legs) around an 80 km ride on a BMX. During the initial stages of the ride from Cape Town every niggle and small pain that developed threatened the success of the ride (if only in our minds) but as we pushed on and got into our routine and rhythm’s, our bodies hardened and confidences grew. We never wanted to get ahead of ourselves but as the distance behind us got to around 750 km and as the distance left to ride got to under half we began to feel like nothing could stop us! On days when we felt strong we pushed on past the scheduled km’s and started riding longer distances until 70 km started feeling like a short ride. It is amazing how the human brain works and that if we are mentally prepared, our bodies follow without hesitation.

After my dad had his heart attack I just wanted to get home and with the support of my girlfriend, Marilu, and Doug (Doug is not also my girlfriend) I started getting my head around even bigger distances. To get back in time for my old man’s op I started skipping stop overs and riding 2 stages a day. The first day I attempted this we covered 116 km (the largest distance I have ever ridden in a day (on any bike). The next day we rode through Hoopstad and continued on to Bothaville turning the stage into 130 km stage! Before we set out on the One Gear challenge I would have categorically said that this would not be possible. My altered mindset (perhaps going slightly dilly from the heat) and the support I received from the guys in Bothaville had me feeling like I could keep on riding. We glided into Bothaville that day and I started feeling like anything was possible.

Our next scheduled stop was in Parys, 110 km from Bothaville, which I now knew I could comfortably do in a day. We had planned on stopping there for the night and completing the ride into Joburg the next day (another 110 km). The guys from Bothaville rode me out of town at sunrise and with some great laughs and a wind at our backs we were 20 km down when they turned around to head back for work; it didn’t feel like we had even started riding. The wind stayed at my back and the slight drizzle kept me cool and at 10:30 we arrived in Parys. I stopped just before town where Doug had pulled over to check if I needed anything and we chatted about early it still was. We looked at each other and smiled – we both knew I was thinking of riding on. Doug said to me “you can do it dude”. We quickly smashed a steers chicken burger in our beaks, refilled the water bottles and I started riding out of town towards Joburg.

Having to go back after visiting my dad and complete even one stage became extremely unattractive. My old man was adamant that I should finish the ride and not come back to see him at all (this is the same guy that tried to carry on riding while he was having a heart attack because he didn’t want to let me or the Cows down). Being able to get back in time to have a dinner with my old man before he went into hospital and be able to surprise him with the news that I had finished the ride, was all the motivation that I needed. With Doug driving patiently along with me at 20 km/h for a total of 10 hours I arrived at Soccer City at 15:30 on the 12th of November 4 days ahead of schedule. I had ridden 460 km in 3 days with my biggest ride being 220 km on the final day.

Made it! too surreal

Everyone keeps congratulating me but I got so much out of this trip for myself that I feel guilty at the amount I benefited from the challenge. The biggest treasure I got to keep from this adventure was the knowledge that my boundaries can be pushed so far beyond where my mind puts up that proverbial fence. I now know that literally anything is possible!

It is also a little serendipitous that our fundraising efforts tipped past our targeted amount on this ride and coincided almost perfectly with my arrival at Soccer City! Our GivenGain donation account is still open for another week – help us blow the target out the water and raise even more for kids suffering from Cancer and Blood disorders! Go and donate now!

Funds raised

Donate to this cause

We did the 94.7 Cycle challenge this weekend (now a comfortable distance), which was the actual conclusion of One Gear. Stay posted for some awesome pics and some untold stories from the trip. The Cows are having their awards evening on Friday…so there will also be some crazy cow pictures and mad moo stories from there that will need to be posted!

This stage was very kindly sponsored by Storsure:

Storsure

A selection of pictures from our final stage taken by Trigger Monkey Photography:

Leaving Bothaville - these okes are legends! Rode with me for 20 km's!

Perfect riding conditions

Legs tired = more sitting

Crossed a few rivers on this trip

Got a wee bit wet

Not so flat anymore

Rain behind us...thankfully

We got to Parys...and just kept going

Reckon I might make it

Made it! too surreal

Getting wet...but by choice this time!

Can't believe it - 215 km in one day!

Go Team!

This stage was very kindly sponsored by Storsure:

Storsure

A selection of pictures from Stage 6 taken by Trigger Monkey Photography:

Mooooooo

Check how well that cow is camouflaged

Udders out, eyes closed

Not so succulent Karoo

Land of the long shadow (not really...just made that up)

Just ride through that scarce commodity

So I got suited up and we headed out to a couple of schools in Fraserburg to do a little entertaining and educating. By the way the kids were laughing at me (not with) I suspect that more enetertaining got done. It really is not difficult to get kids excited when you are dressed as a cow with your udders hanging out. The Cows are awesome but there is no way they will be getting this suit back from me – too much fun.

Pretty sure those kids are laughing at me

The udders on that cow are fascinating

Doing the cow dance

Back to the riding…

To be entirely honest it was difficult getting out of my downy soft bed at Kliphuis BnB this morning. The 2 stages of dirt have been very monotonous and it has been a real mind challenge to overcome what I like to call the Krugersdorp Highway syndrome. “Krugersdorp Highway syndrome?” I hear you say. If any of you have ever ridden the 94.7 Cycle challenge you will remember, not fondly, the Krugersdorp highway. You encounter the highway towards the end of the race when you are tired and it is toasty hot out. The road rises slowly but surely and when you finally reach the crest expecting to enjoy a downhill on the other side you see another hill on the horizon. This continues 4 or 5 times until you are almost drunk with dispair. Riding the last section of the Karoo has been a little like this except instead of having to suffer from this syndrome for 20 km we have had to do it, on dirt, for the last 200 km. It has been tough but we are back on tar from tomorrow and super pumped about the Babotie that is scheduled for a 6 ‘o clock arrival here at the 4 Seasons Guest house in Loxton. I am going to inhale that meal.

Just the 2 of us...we can make it if we try

Flat out here (not as in riding fast...but as in the terrain)

That will break the monotony

This stage has very kindly been sponsored by iScrip – they have chucked a substantial amount of money at our cause and we are super grateful:

iScrip - People & Technology

A selection of pictures taken by Trigger Monkey Photography during stage 4:

Leaving Sadawa - what a cool place

Did I tell you the Skies were big out here?

A windmill - a few of those in the Karoo

Check how that road goes on forever

Gat

Rapido

A selection of pictures taken by Trigger Monkey Photography on Stage 3:

First climb out of Ceres

Shame, how good looking is that

what's with the dorky smile

First dirt (not ever, just for us...on this trip)

Big Skies as they say

Water in the Karoo - must swim

Cold beer in the middle of the Karoo - who would have thunk

Product placement - what!

This stage has been sponsored by Realfin:

RealFin Capital

Day 01 – woooohooooooooooooo! And it begins! It is so surreal to think that we start riding on Friday. A literal year of planning coming to fruition…

Friday’s stage takes us from the heart of the mother city out on the Dubanville road to Wellington. The stage is a 73 km long and is sponsored by iScrip – People & Technology. We have to use this opportunity to send out a massive thank you to iScrip for sponsoring not only this stage but a total of 3 stages!

iScrip - People & Technology

We will keep you all up to date via the tweet machine during the day so be sure you are following us:

Ryan: https://twitter.com/khandakulu

Doug: https://twitter.com/DougHolder

View ONE GEAR – Stage 1: CPT to Wellington and see below the proposed route:

Download the full proposed route with Google Street view images: Cape Town to Wellington – The Proposed Route

Cape Town

1.

Head southeast on Darling St toward Parade St About 1 min

go 140 m total 140 m

2.

Slight left to stay on Darling St About 3 mins

go 230 m total 350 m

3.

Slight left onto Sir Lowry Rd About 3 mins

go 240 m total 600 m

4.

Turn left onto Christiaan Barnard St About 18 mins

go 1,3 km total 1,9 km

5.

Turn right onto Duncan Rd About 20 mins

go 1,7 km total 3,6 km

6.

Slight right to stay on Duncan Rd About 11 mins

go 900 m total 4,5 km

7.

Turn right onto Container Rd About 6 mins

go 450 m total 5,0 km

8.

Turn left onto Marine Dr About 48 mins

go 4,0 km total 9,0 km

9.

Turn right onto Kei Rd

go 10 m total 9,0 km

10.

Turn left onto Marine Dr About 2 mins

go 170 m total 9,1 km

11.

Turn right onto Greyton Rd About 5 mins

go 400 m total 9,5 km

12.

Turn left onto Koeberg Rd/M5 About 1 hour 7 mins

go 5,5 km total 15,0 km

13.

Turn right onto Plattekloof Rd About 22 mins

go 1,7 km total 16,7 km

14.

Turn left onto Durbanville Rd About 28 mins

go 2,2 km total 18,9 km

15.

Continue onto Tygerberg Rd/M13 Continue to follow M13 About 59 mins

go 4,3 km total 23,2 km

16.

Slight right onto Durbanville Rd/M13 About 33 mins

go 2,7 km total 25,8 km

17.

Slight right to stay on Durbanville Rd/M13 About 7 mins

go 550 m total 26,4 km

18.

Slight left to stay on Durbanville Rd/M13 Continue to follow M13 About 35 mins

go 2,7 km total 29,1 km

19.

Slight left onto Race Course Rd About 14 mins

go 1,3 km total 30,4 km

20.

Continue onto Church St/M13 Continue to follow Church St About 13 mins

go 1,2 km total 31,5 km

21.

Turn left onto De Villiers Dr About 2 mins

go 150 m total 31,7 km

22.

Slight right onto Wellington Rd About 6 mins

go 450 m total 32,1 km

23.

Turn left onto Langeberg Rd

go 10 m total 32,2 km

24.

Turn right onto Wellington Rd About 1 hour 16 mins

go 6,4 km total 38,6 km

25.

Turn right onto R312 About 4 hours 20 mins

go 20,8 km total 59,4 km

26.

Turn left onto R44 About 49 mins

go 3,9 km total 63,3 km

27.

Slight left to stay on R44 About 1 hour 34 mins

go 8,1 km total 71,4 km

28.

Slight left onto Champagne St About 2 mins

go 190 m total 71,6 km

29.

Turn left onto Stokery Rd/R44 About 10 mins

go 850 m total 72,5 km

30.

Turn right onto 4th St About 2 mins

go 110 m total 72,6 km

31.

Turn left onto 2de About 59 secs

go 79 m total 72,7 km

Wellington