Slow start

Last night I put on my running shoes and went for a spin (not run...) Sitting on the spinning bike was never my number 1 pastime, but last night it felt really good. I started off easy and only did 30 minutes at a moderate pace, but I kept the cadence up and the heart rate between 125 and 135, and felt really good. I felt envious this morning when Ilette and her friends got on their bikes for their weekly "house wife" outing. Maybe next Wednesday I will join them...

The cast is off...

The cast came off today and the X rays showed an impressive array of screws and plates. It also showed that the operation was a success, but now I have to take it easy and live in my moonboot. I can gradually put weight on the foot and start moving the ankle to get some mobility back in it.

The best news is that I can take a shower and will not have to "top and bottom" in the washbasin... enough said.

Now that I can shower I will slowly start putting some time in on the spinning bike and I hope to be back on the real deal in a couple of weeks (about 3 weeks to get all the ligaments strong enough)

The Finisher's dinner at Diemersfontein was a great occasion and I hope to be there next year as a 2011 finisher. I really enjoyed the few days with The Pretty One in Cape Town, visiting all the cousins and uncles and aunts.

So tomorrow it is 100% back in the real world and about high time I do some real work...

The waiting game

Waiting:

Waiting for the last batch of riders to finish. With the racing finished and the "touring" racers enjoying the Freedom Challenge it is a "waiting game" to see how far each group will ride every day.

Waiting for the 13th when Ilette will join me in the Cape for a couple of days. Visiting family, taking in some sights, enjoying ourselves.

Waiting for the 17th. The Freedom Challenge Finishers Dinner. Hope to see a good group of "cult foloowers".

Waiting for the 22nd July. That is when the cast comes off. If al goes well I can then start to get some normality back into my life: training, working, walking...

Waiting for 29 May 2011 - when I will again start from Beit Bridge and ride to Cape Town. Will have to do some walking training... not just riding.

In the mean time I am doing what the doc said. "Keep the weight of the foot, keep it high"

More tracks of confusion

Some more tracks of cyclists in a state on confusion...

Navigation, navigation, navigation...

Gawie, Ray and Scott nearly got Perdeberg Portage all wrong.

Chris and Dave nearly missing the Gwaas valley climb UP to KoffieLAAGTE

Once Alex reached the main road in the Baviaans, it took him another hour to find his accommodation. Problem is it changes every year and you do not really know where you sleep. I remember searching for a long time in 2008 for my accommodation at Cambria...

I will keep an eye open for more of these

Docters and casts

Been to the Doc on Wednesday and he opened the bandages and took off the plasters. The wounds looked very healthy in spite of the lymph edema and the swelling was under control, so he put a cast around the fooy to just under the knee and said: "See you in 4 weeks, keep the leg high and NO WEIGHT on the foot." So here I am in bed keeping the foot high and the weight of the foot waiting for the next 4 weeks to pass... At least I have the fredom challenge to follow and the navigational issues and different strategies keep me amazed and busy.

I am also looking at the route from Beit Bridge to PMB for next year's attempt at the Beit2Cape Freedom Challenge. I want to bypass Penge because of the asbestos pollution. I also want to ride through Swaziland (about 2 days). So I am planning that and will have to do some scouting as soon as I am on my bike again. Can't wait...

Some more "Tracks of the Day"

This is the route that Anthony & Jannie took through the Hlabeni forest just before Centacow. The correct path of course is the track on the left of this picture passing by the + and - signs. They were not even close.

Jannie corrected himself and eventualy did find Centacow, but Anthony went on his merry way and eventualy entered Ntsikeni from the south, and not the north like they were supposed to

Scott and Gawie had a bit of a sight seeing trip this morning before tackling the Aasvoëlberg portage. I would love to know what made them turn around?