When did we grow up?

The previous night's storm made the Dark&Dirty tracks dust-free. Those tracks that we could find, anyway. Long after-summer grass and lots of new construction sites made the once-familiar tracks hard to find.  First we couldn't find Vetseun - we hiked the bikes quite a bit to get back on track - with a low plane coming in for a landing, and city-light below us on both sides of the koppie. Later (after Python-grins) we couldn't find Quadbuster either. We portaged the bikes up to the birthday-tree, and celebrated DK's birthday with easter eggs, jamcakes (thx Adri) and gluhwein (thx Ducttape).

Going down heartbreak-hill was much easier than the usual drag up. Then up the St George's tracks (where a new fence made it difficult to get through to the singletrack next to the highway). A fast chase down Shebeen Queen, up Mieliemuur, and back at the Spur just in time to order some hot chocolate and chips before the kitchen closed.


Still the most fun you can have on a Thursday night.


Thank you Oupa Gerrit for Trailmeistering, Ducttape for Sweeping, and everyone else for the laughs and the chats and the companionship and for having our childhoods all over again.


When did we grow up? 

Just do it. Now.

I cycled to work today. It's on cyclepaths, some backroads, and through Delta Park and parts of the Spruit. People walk there with their dogs, or run, or walk with their babies in prams. Commuting by bike is one of the most efficient ways that I know of to clear my mind. 

My dad's in hospital. The middle ear infection turned out to be a benign brain tumour, which then turned out to be malignant, which then turned out to be systemic. There were still some unchased dreams that now may stay unchased forever.

A friend died in a motorbike accident in January. He would have done Cape Epic with his wife. She is riding without him.

Many years ago a bunch of my friends did the Double Century with me. We were all on mountain bikes, some with slicks. When we climbed Franschoek pass the second time, I passed 2 guys who seem to not have seen each other for a while. The one asked the other how he was doing.

"Vrot", came the reply.

 "No man, I mean in the other life", the younger guy said.

"There is no other life. There is only now."

It's not important that there won't be time to read all the marketing chapters properly before the online tests.

It's not important that a team member again told me how crappy my contribution to the group's assignment was, just to have him present it as his own a few days later.

It's not important that the SQLserver reporting tool kills the server, or that the fuel price go up.
Lots of deadlines before the next block of classes.
Not enough time to prepare for the tests or put more effort into the group projects.
Not enough sleep.

Good coffee. Friends. Singletrack. My mountain bike(s). Being fully alive, because there is only today. That's what matters.

Tonight I will charge my night-light's batteries. Tomorrow morning I will pack the Trance on the car, and tomorrow night I will go ride Dark & Dirty. And I'll ride in purple, because the passion is back.

Join me. 

Irene Mall (spur side) 19:00. Mountain bike, light, helmet, and some money for hot chocolate afterwards.

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"... that moment," the King went on, "I shall never never forget!"

"You will, though," the Queen said, "if you don't make a memorandum of it."