The Swee...test Thing !!!

Its been a hell of a long time, I have, along with alot of people and friends here have suffered bleary eyes and hangovers watching cricket in Australia at the ungodly hours it is shown. Its been pure pain for years and years. Our first tour was back in 1993-94. Fresh from finishing Std.8 we could'nt wait to have a chance. Realistically we should have lost that series 2-0 but thank god Vinnige Fanie bowled his ass off on the final day at Sydney and we won the final test by 18 runs or so. Very memorable times.

I dont know what it is about our Aussie mates but we f'ing hate them. Its basically cause they very good and usually beat us. Fair and square. But its not just the teams it's the place, who could forget losing the 1992 World Cup Semi final. Watching the team on the balcony in tears as they realised the dream was over, maybe it was also the dream was over for the whole country, remember the referendum just after that or was it during the World Cup. Who cares, this place was sitting on a knife edge and us usual sport was our escape from the realities of life. Thank heavens I was probably too young to appreciate the full pressures of life, mine were far worse. Teenage years were a living hell, dont tell me they were the best years ever. Crap.

Anyway back to my old friend sport and that B E A U...TIFUL tour of Australia. Lets put it down in history, put up a monument to Smithers, with the words " Drive Smithers , Drive ! "

Who cares lets celebrate it, its a massive achievement. Right alongside winning a series in New Zealand ( rugby you plonkers )

The Australian series started just before my holidays and now that the one dayers are finished too, I can finally go back and focus on work. For me and every over eager purist out there who will tell you in the members at Newlands ( I'll never call it what they call it now ) Test Cricket is the shit, the series was truly amazing. I have watched a few days of the old game in my life but this was different. Every time we seemed to wobble and look to hit the floor like an old boxer we somehow managed to find our legs again and come out fighting. The 1st Test, I can honestly say that I thought we were out of it, not a chance in hell. Dont even bother getting your hopes up ( I was'nt the only one ) but the 2nd with that deficit and the batting we had left. I was almost crying in my pillow saying how could they do this to us again. I never set my alarm the next morning and when Jamie phoned me screaming something along the lines of..." Duminy, that little mutha f@%&* is still batting, we cleaning them !!! " I was down the stairs and had the TV on in seconds my mind or my eyes could not comprehend what was happening. After years, again I'll say it, I mean years of them doing this stuff to us we finally were doing it to them. The Sweetest thing I ever did see, well until now that is. Watching the stress build on every Aussie player, fan and most definitely their beloved Commentators has been true bliss. I could go on and on but I wont.

For those of you out of the loop and not quite getting it here dont worry its just something has been bothering a few of us for a while. Its over for awhile now we can sit back relax enjoy it and look forward to the return tour in a months time.

First team to win a series in AUS for 16 years.

First SA team ever to win a Series.

2nd Highest run chase in 1st Test ever. 414 Highest 418 but who cares this was so sic.

I could go on, please send me stats if you have them.

Well talk about that another time.

Attakwaaskloof MTB

For anyone out there thinking about doing a tough race, pencil this one in. Its one of the hardest days I have had on the saddle. I like to compare myself to a cowboy riding over terrain on some mission, not sure why maybe its the kid thing or it just helps the mind whittle away them miles, but this way definitely some cowboy terrain. 126 km from Oudsthoorn to Groot Brak which took me 7 hrs and 21 minutes landing me in 62 posi overall. I wanted to get a silver under seven hours and was on track but sometimes we write cheques our body just cant cash. It's a very painful and harrowing reminder that we are all human and no matter how much you do we all have a point where the body says, no sir !

The last 50 kms are a massive ball ache of constant rolling hills as we wound our way to the coast. Down a valley then back up again was enough to send me very close to suicide. Seriously, when someone says save some energy for the last 40kms you should listen, but hey whats life without a lesson learnt. Overall I would say the first three quarters were rad but they could find some tracks to help ease the boredom of rolling hills. My mind by that stage was thinking of the Spur burger I had passed up at water point 3 or 4. 

But riding through the Attakwaaskloof was awesome, tough jeep track with some rocky descents and stunning scenery to make it a proper ride. The miles are now under the belt and its not far from Epic time for me and my partner Anton. Its serious now, you dont want to go through that day after day. 

Until next year and my quest for the Sub Seven Silver...

CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN

Hello there,

Sorry for going AWOL for awhile there, no excuses needed so welcome to our first New year.

I heard this quote over the holidays and think it will fit very nicely into my life.

So get yourself out there ---CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN---

All the best for your New Years, I hope I can bring you some joy and perhaps add something to your day or life via my ramblings.

Take care out there

HEAVY DAYZ

Theses are some very large and powerful waves that a friend of ours rode over the winter. Seriously try and imagine being there, the sheer size of these beasts, the noise and the ability of these monsters to literally kill you. To hold you under and squash the life out of you.

I am really happy with 3-4 ft offshore at the moment. I doubt whether this would ever be my cuppa tea. Each to their own i guess.

Hats off to Chris, who by the way is an Old Boy and was the first surfer to paddle into Jaws.

Just doing it...

Livestrong

A good friend of mine recently broke his arm really badly playing rugby in Italy.
If you want to see the break and read the horrific story go to http://www.bismarkriva.blogspot.com/

Anyway I just wanted to let you know, hopefully he can take some strength from my old mate and training partner, although he doesn't know it yet, Lance Armstrong-

““Anything is possible. You can be told that you have a 90-percent chance or a 50-percent chance or a 1-percent chance, but you have to believe, and you have to fight.””

Fight brother fight.

In other news the Boks play Wales who are spoiling for a fight.
I am backing the boys to bring it home but not without some hijinks.

REGISTER TO VOTE

Epic Ticket

Well yesterday turned into quiet a day for me. Apart from the usual Wednesday stuff, I got a call from a good friend offering me an entry into next years Cape Epic. Trust me they are like gold at the moment so I feel really special, luck, privileged I could go on.

So that's it, after training for the Cederberg Escape a little half heartedly, mainly due to the weather and bouts of loneliness on the trail, I have my wish. My ticket.

Well now its down to the training, which if you don't know is pretty much harder than the Epic itself. There are alot of sacrifices made but hey its what I love doing so it's really not that hard.

I particularly enjoy watching and feeling my body adapt to the stress' of training. Our bodies are pretty much amazing, bend them and they can break but ease them into something and they will work for you. Its like nothing else, ok the mind plays a massive role in any sport but you have to put in the time so the body is able to withstand the challenge.

It will be my third Cape Epic and I am enthralled as ever. There can only be one first time but trust me this event grips you inside. If you work hard you can enjoy it, if not it obviously turns into a nightmare. A nightmare for 8 days, that can be pretty tough.

I will keep you updated with my progress.

PS: thanks for my ticket !!!

Oh the Poms are at it again

"As ever, the All Blacks will be about half as good as their followers think they are, though still hardly bad. The power and pride of their collective, the magnificence of their basic skills and ability to adapt to any circumstances cannot hide the fact that a large number of their individuals on this trip would not make a Guinness Premiership club roster.

These are the words of the world renowned Steven Jones, a British journalist of the highest order. I have seen some of his columns an they are generally really good. But this one comment just typifies what a bunch of bumbling fools the Poms are. There is a huge wave of optimism around the fact that they believe the Aussies and Kiwi's are clearly very beatable. Yes, any team are beatable fella's, but I will eat my hat if either of these teams loose a game on tour. The Aussies are far more susceptible to having a bad game ( Ellis Park ) but I don't see them losing unless their forwards go walkabout again. Deans is too shrewd to let them allow one area of the game to dominate the final result. Just for the record Jones' ire for the All Blacks is well documented and almost nauseating. He just wont give them any credit.

But lets get back to the perennial hopers, The Poms. Teams have barely arrived and they are slamming them in the bin pinning their hopes on a victory for the home team. I can hear them in the pubs and along the fields all over the Mud Island, " come on chaps, be brave, give them a good thrashing "

Oh its too much for me.

If the Boks can play a simple game and allow themselves to settle into a pattern they can win well, minded they must concentrate for the full 80 minutes. Something we have a real problem with on tours. Subduing the Welsh passion is crucial, don't let the cat out of the bag sort of thing. I feel Ruan Pienaar has huge potential but like Frans Steyn they are pone to brain fades and panic sets in. Pienaar must allow the pressure to be handled by the team, collectively. He is a bit individual at 10 and this poses his greatest problem. Watch Carter, he dictates the game, but seldom allows the pressure of situations to force him into taking contact. Rather kick or pass. Running on your own creates panic. I always say, let the situation present itself, don't go looking for the situation. Meaning, if there is a gap take it, the rest is self explanatory.

Enjoy the rugger, Come on the South...