Adam Reyneke

Adam was about ten years old when we went on a mountain bike tour through the Western Cape. His father Bruce, and mom, Angela Reyneke was so proud of this little adventurous chap. Seeing that I was the only single lady on the tour, Adam had to share accommodation with me in Wilderness. This made us instant friends. We hired a double canoe and did a trip down the river. I was... sooner than later....rather tired. We gave the canoe to Bruce and Angela and had lots of fun when Jan Prok camouflaged himself on the bridge to throw a bucket of water over them. I can still see the big smile on Adams face. That evening he bravely entered the chalet that he was supposed to share with me, gave me one look, grabbed his pillow, and disappeared. I think he spent that night next to his mom and dad's bed.

Adam was part of a lot of us. Cycling is a way of life and the club and bike shop part of our weekly activities. We saw him becoming a teenager and then a young man.....and now.....he is not with us anymore. We all share a passion for cycling and can not believe that he was taken away from his loved ones so early, doing what he and all of us love. I believe that there must be some glory in this. I can't seem to pinpoint it at this stage. I pray to God to be with all his loved ones and to help us to live every moment of our lives to the best of our abilities.

Cooking up a storm

So it is time for doing something else than cycling. Christiana lodge in Plettenberg Bay hosts a cooking course by Janet Telian and I am definittely going. She is a cook who knows the way to a man's heart.. That is a route well worth knowing. If you need to find the way I suggest that you book a plane ticket this way right now. That crazy green group that sells plane tickets are having a sale right now.... 25th and 26th of March is the date. The info is to be found by contacting Christiana Lodge. Google it man!

Baviaanskloof

"Nature untouched!" This is the Baviaans tourism's words on the map of this proclaimed World Heritage Site. How many of those are there in our wonderful world! It is my mission to tell people from all over the world to discover this wonderland. If you are from Timbuktu or from Driebuffelsmeteenskootgeskietfontein or from where ever it is worth the time and effort to get on your horse, donkey or 4x4 and get down to the Baviaanskloof. The easy way, if you are on a horse or donkey, or of course, your mountain bike, is to enter the kloof from the Willomore side. This is the "downhill" option. But beware,what goes down often goes up as again. When reaching Patensie after travelling 203km, please have a cup of tea and gear up for another 220km on the northern side of the Baviaanskloof mountains.This road goes through the Grootrivier poort area and are even more remote than the route through the Baviaanskloof.

After meeting some of the locals in the Baviaans I have decided that the air that they breathe must be totally different from any where else in the world. I have asked on of the farmers if it is possible to bottle some of that air and sell it. The reason for my saying that is that I found everybody in the area to be extremely friendly and helpful. They will move the earth for you if you ask. They are even friendly to the leopards who steal their stock.

Mountainbiking through "The World Cup"

My advice to you for the rest of this winter is....ride your bike. When on a Friday morning ride passing your neighbour, walking the dog with his soccer shirt tightly tucked into his pants, you can turn your head the other way and pedal like mad to get rid of the image implanted in your brain. Green is supposed to be beautiful!

Plettenberg Bay have again showed us that we live in paradise. We have passed April and the weather remains beautiful. The water temperature is mild, the sun is mild, the wind is mild. We swim and cycle, we spend hours on the beach, walking the dog or doing nothing but reading the newspaper. We sit in the study and try to concentrate on work with a view of Robberg on the one hand and the Outeniqua's on the the other. Please tell me I am alive and not in heaven.