Weekend jol at Belfast

So I was fortunate enough to have a weekend away at my mates place at The Lochs, just outside Belfast. It was an awesome weekend with a couple of good mates that I have know since high school.  On the Sunday morning (nursing a slight hangover), Craig and I ventured out on our mountain bikes. It was so great riding different routes and exploring through the pine forests. Craig an avid biker knew his way around and took me on a great route that was short enough that we could get back in time for brunch with the rest of the clan. Riding outdoors here is incredible and the scenery allows you to appreciate the beauty of South Africa, forgetting all the troubles that are facing in our country. Thanks Craig and Mieke for your hospitality and the great memories old and new.

We going that way....

Nothing flat, either up or down

Found a paved rode through the forest

Customary selfie with Craig and I

Puffing up a drag and I could still have the skills to take a selfie :-) 

Winter rides and sunrises

So winter is officially over as the leg warmers and balaclava have been packed away. We rode through winter once again, although the Rough Riders numbers were somewhat reduced on the really chilly mornings. This time of the year you get to experience some incredible sun rises in the morning and I have managed to capture some of these on my phone:

SentraRand out ride

Korsman Pan

Modderfontien -3 degrees at the start of the ride

Paul, Franz and Sean

Paul makes an appearance at the end of winter

On the way to SentraRand

Out ride to Kitty Hawk- finished on 116km

Pre-Winter riding

Benoni Rough Riders are still turning the pedals at least 4 to 5 times a week. Early morning rides leaving home at 04:20 and meeting in the dip at 04:40 to troll through the plots ending up with the customary coffee at M&B on Atlas road. Mornings are getting fresh but nothing unpleasant at the moment. Weekend rides have been incredible, always a nice group and rewarded with a 70-80km ride with awesome views and terrain. I am enjoying taking photos on these rides that capture the moment and experience. Below are a few examples:

Weekend group rides  

Morning ride on voting day 8th of May

Train bridge ride in Feb

The great thing about morning rides is that you get to see some amazing sunrises, these are so rewarding and the best way to start ones day. Below are a few photos from the various rides over the past few months.

Airport track

Korsman Pan

Yes, Yvonne did rock up for a ride :-)

Rough riders on the way to M&B

Full after Condensed Milk coffee and pancakes 

Chunky shadow

Kobie don't hide you face, we all saw you fall...

Best thing about MTB, is riding alongside and chatting (no cars to worry about)

Cosmos flowers to signify the end of summer

Korsman Pan on the way home from a morning ride 

Kitty Hawk and Rosemary Hill

Great ride out from Benoni to Kitty Hawk air strip on the edge of Pretoria. Wayne, Becky, Sean and myself ventured out there one late summer morning. It was really good doing a different route and the end destination did not disappoint - we could have a nice breakfast and see light aircraft land. We saw a WW2 Russian YAK land and taxi in just near us. Definitely going to return to this place. Ended up doing 116km round trip.  

Train tracks just before I took a tumble over the handle bars

Kitty Hawk Aerodrone 

A few weeks prior to this Wayne and myself ventured out to Rosemary Hill in Pretoria East. It was great riding just the 2 of us as we could control the pace and not except ourselves so we could at least have a nice ride at Rosemary Hill MTB track once we got there. Close to 100km ride that was spectacular, nice to ride down WTF hill, it looks like a nice challenge to go up it, but that is for another day. Fortunately Wayne's in-laws could give us a lift back to Benoni so we didn't t have the slog back. 

Rosemary Hill riding - great route

Wayne waiting ahead as usual 

Cradle ride with Pierre

January the 6th 2019, I was fortunate enough to join my mate Pierre for a ride in the Cradle of Humankind. It was awesome to do a route different from the boring miellie fields of the East Rand. A reminder that mountain biking involves climbing hills, which is something we do not have in the East Rand. The Cradle Mountain bike route is incredible single track carved out next to the road and it is either up or down, not many flats like my chunky body is used to. It was an awesome ride and I really enjoyed it, below is a Video that that Pierre took during the ride. 

Pierre and I Cradle Selfie

Wide open spaces and lots of single track

Holiday riding

Great few rides to end off 2018 and start 2019 with a the joy of mountain biking. Pictures tell the story:

Returning from a Irene ride

Forbidden quarry ride

Jumping the fence to get out the quarry

Benoni Rough Riders on a Friday coffee ride

Michael on the dry pan before the rains

Mile, Mark and Rene

Becky picked up a stray at the BP beautiful puppy who has a new loving home.