I have been blogging a lot about me lately. The Housemate calmly reminded me of this last night. Thanks dude. Holding me to the ground in precisely the right moment. It’s been a great year and at times it’s hard to keep it in. Finding that balance between humble, balance and Howard Roark get’s a little blurred at times.

Finding Timm Koelln should remind us of how hard the journey often is, why we strive for the journey as opposed to the finish line. Journeys are rewarding in a bigger sense. They are what “raw” is all about. Finish lines look amazing, all dolled up, with podium girls and loud music. Personally I prefer the quiet moments where I am not sure how I am going to make it through the day. They happen more often than we give credit to. Doubt, fear, they are all very real to all of us.

Smartie-box pretty and plastic fantastic don’t give lasting happiness. There is always unfinished business. For every time we have heard someone say they have unfinished business at races we should have to hear a thousand people tell us how raw and powerful it was to doubt themselves and come through the other side and stride to victory over themselves. That would be a sign that you are filling your lives with the right people. Go on, be raw. Be real. Never stop at the finish line. It will never be enough.

Timm Koelln captures this very well. Thank you Timm.

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Day 1:

Our departure from Lovane Farm about 60km past George was as unceremonious as it comes. No crowds, no cheers, just an envious Louis who wouldn’t be making the trip with us. Our destination was set to be Prince Albert, around 130km away, over the Swartberg Pass. We were carrying only what we needed and would have no support along the way.

We had zero clues on the actual route or what lay ahead.

To most people, that seems a little crazy. We are included in that, but there was an air of excitement, the hint of mystery that all boys crave so much, and the sense that an epic adventure lay ahead. We had no idea of how big an adventure.

The difference between ordeal and adventure lies in the level of suffering. For one of my compatriots, it was an adventure, the other was about to start dealing with a 2 day ordeal that had me concerned beyond a level that I knew how to handle. Watching someone give their long term health a big poke in the eye is never fun for me.

Back to departure and onto the road for about 5km before we were on dirt. It was 9am and we reckoned it was above 30 degrees already. The road was littered with tortoises and thankfully, no Cape Cobras, of whom we had been warned by everyone.

A headwind which would persist for the next 380km came up. #FAIL

The first 60km seemed to scoot scoot by in a jiffy, and the spirits were high. We were laughing at random things and talking boy nonsense to kill time.

Lunch in Oudtshoorn was a foregone conclusion, and we sat under the most beautiful trees and had a killer sarmie each. All could not have been better I tell ya! Oudtshoorn is basically ostrich city and every hotel, guest house and petrol station is named after the creature with the tiny brain.

The road out of Oudt’ies was tar, and through a valley, but we thought we would give it a go, even though it was now PROPER hot. Gringo, of the ordeal, melted like ice cream in a microwave, his head glowing. 30km and we stopped just before Cango Caves to chill under the trees, drink loads of sugary drinks, and get into the shade. It was already ominous.

The Google road said that the Swartberg pass was one of the most beautiful in the world, but it looked straight uphill for 18km to us. The road leading to the dirt pass was hectic enough, and I hung back with Gringo while TheHousemate went bobbing up the road. It was disgustingly hot and Gringo’s stomach infection had him bloated and really uncomfortable. I tried to keep him motivated as we still had about 50km to go. We chatted about girls, Ivan the Tiger, chicken burgers and old memories.

He was proper chopping off when we thought we got to the top, only to find out there was about 4km more to go. Properly into the ordeal now, we reached the summit (again no crowds of ACDC Thunderstruck playing) and couldn’t understand why this was regarded as the most beautiful pass in the world.

Then we hit the descent. Gringo lead us out, breaking virgin territory on what is the most beautiful canyon gorge ravine whatever you want to call it, in the whole freaking world. It was narrow, ploughed into the depths of the valley and we were going at 70km/h at points.

The discs brakes were humming and my front brake semi failed on the downhill at one point, adding mild screams into tight corners. It was pure, it was enthralling in a way only a single tasked moment of survival can be. There was no peripheral noise in our heads and we had forgotten about work, about our made up busy lives totally at this moment. All ordeal was gone and there was only adventure.

There was a section of road leading into Prince Albert which seemed flat, but we had a huge tailwind at this point and we ran out of gears we were going so fast.

Totally spent we got to our cottage (which was wide open) and took off towards town to find a spot to eat, and hopefully, a swimming pool, as our heads were cooked.

Then small town-ness kicked in. A lady we met 2 min before offered her sisters pool to us, and she proceeded to lift us there, climb over her sisters gate to open it from the other side, and bugger off leaving us there to swim, uninterrupted, at her sister’s house.

We may have used the garden pillows to dry our naked asses.

Dinner was wolfed down and the night was hot hot hot, the only thing more concerning were the mossie sized mosquitoes flying around the house, which meant sleeping on the floor on a thin mattress with a giant industrial fan blowing on full blast.

I told you it was an adventure….

That was day 1, and we rose on day 2 a little weary, but ready for it…

Tune back tomorrow for day 2’s report.

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hello guys and girls. another cracking weekend in Cape Town saw the first From Monday workshop go down, as well as my first weekend of structured training.

why structured training I hear?

well, I have accepted a major challenge, and its for the greater good as well as for a bit of mental extremity. In an effort to grow and accept and take what comes, I have gained entry to some incredible races early next year, and aim to race 4 extreme races in the space of 4 months. they are:

1. Totalsports Challenge

2. sani2c

3. Cape Epic

4. Ironman South Africa

Just the entry for Epic is amazing, as the worlds toughest stage race, and a waiting queue of about 1000 people to get in, the fact that I got an entry is amazing.

BUT, there is more. In order to raise R100 000 for street girls…. YES, you heard me right. I want to raise R100 000 for a wonderful home in Cape Town called Ons Plek, which takes girls off the street, rehabs them, returns them to a life of meaning, and does this process over and over again.

I can only do this by racing all these races, as I am going in with a “sponsor 1km of my journey” campaign launching in about 8 weeks. I have entries, but here is where you come in.

I need sponsors to help cover the expenses to do the 4 races. The expenses are considerable. I believe not only does this website offer a worthy channel to advertise on, which all sponsors will receive, but I believe that with my partner for the MTB challenges, Brett Chilcott, that we can get some good TV time, and break the R100 000 barrier in funds.

Would you sponsor me? Do you know of anyone who wants to be involved with over 8000 people on a regular basis. This month, I have had over 52 000 unique visitors to this website. That is more than Runners World, Bicycling, Triathlete Magazine, Go-Multi and MSM magazine together.

I am asking for very little in real terms, if you look at those numbers. I am not asking you to support someone random. You read this blog, you get value from it, and you know that I offer a service of integrity, honesty, and a real return.

Dont believe me? Look at the list of people in my sidebar who already believe in this concept.

my proposal is attached ons-plek_urban-ninja-2009-2010-proposal here to have a look through at who is already involved, and to see what I am offering.

Any help will be hugely appreciated.

This blog has gone from zero to 2nd best Sports blog in South Africa. 3rd best Original Writing blog in South Africa, in the space of 12 months. Zero to 52 000 readers in 12 months.

This is the next phase in this incredible journey.

Can you help me?

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