After a long, hard year’s traveling and racing…

The start line of TriLanai  on the privately owned island of Lanai, Hawaii, certainly is idyllic, but after 7 months on the road, living out of bags and dragging a bike around – the fun was wearing thin and #PrincessHotstuff and I really really wanted to go home.

But first, starting with a nice ferry ride,  the 4 day travel from the island on Lanai, Hawaii to Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Where we were excited to see friends… (This one is also our alarm clock)

Have a  much missed Stellenbosch brewed cappuccino. (Over the winter Deluxe coffee roastery sprung up literally at out front door)

Take care of business. (Picture only a metaphor- If you think its as easy as swapping SIM cards, “the business” of being a pro athlete is huge and never ending)

Ride your home trail on your favourite  bike.   (G-spot & Stumpjumper FSR)

Test your new knee pads, and say hi to your doctor friend to catch up over stitches… (sutures)  “Its not a REAL ride till someone bleeds into their socks” #Cavemanism

What happened: I was just telling a new friend I met on the trail about “the biggest crashes of my career happen when I pay the least attention” ie “this one time I looked at the view of Lake Tahoe and broke my back and wrist”.  At the summit of Saaltjie, I put on my new knee pads. (last years’ Xmas box from #PrincessHotstuff) Nailed the new Ace of Spades Enduro section, and on the flat, wide open fire road to Neverending Story I tried to open a packet of Clif Shot Bloks. (pic above) I fumbled – not used to long gloves- and started using my teeth- #CavemanStyle. We were riding along, and of course I wasnt holding the bars or watching the road. Intent on skinning this trail snack alive, my slightly wider than normal handlebars barely clipped the end of a smallish bush – just enough to make the bars (and front wheel!) wobble back and forth, getting worse with each wobble.  I watched this happen over the top of my knuckles, with a Clif wrapper in my mouth and realized, “I HAVE TO GET OFF NOW!” So I unclipped and started running. It didnt work out so well. The pad really saved my knee, the pedal really got my shin (7 stitches) but the real hero of the day was the packet of Clif Shot Bloks – I landed right on top of it (not sure with which body part) and just like the magic rubber in the G-Form knee pad, the usually soft Clif Shot Bloks harden up on impact to save the day. And if you pick out the pebbles they would still make a good trail snack.

Taking time off training to clear the head, restore the body and, all those braaibroodjies, boerewors and cheesecake has to burn somehow.  #PrincessHotstuff and I climbed Stellenbosch mountain and enjoyed the view of False Bay, Table Mountain, Stellenbosch and Simonsberg. It doesnt fit into one picture- you have to see it yourself.

#PrincessHotstuff, Stellenbosch & Simonsberg. “I can see my house from here”

We celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary on the farm where we got married, spent a few days revisiting our honeymoon farm house. No electricity, no phones, no internet and no bikes!? THAT felt weird. So much room in the car, didnt know what to do with it!

        Designed a new trail in Banhoek Valley. Exciting plans developing…

Test driving a candidate for “The Search for the perfect #CavemanMobile.” The years of fantastic support from Kelfords in Somerset West has unfortunately come to an end – due to pressure from Ford HQ. Thanks for the amazing times- my dream vehicle probably still is the Ford F150 Raptor, but its not available in SA, so the search continues… Applicants/ suggestion apply within.

Helped Kim and Michael Lord build some trail for Origin of Trails– which in part, went through the Banhoek Valley.

                   This is the “before” picture.

               Riding said trails. Like last year, Origin of Trails catered for the “real” mountain bikers. 2 days of fun, but hard riding. Being at the end of my 4 week Ice Cream and Beer Season didnt help- Day 1 I was 5 or 6th after my legs turned to blocks of concrete 2hrs in, and Day 2 I rode the opening 90′ hardish to stay clear of the riff raff through the single track, then doodled home with Bobby.

The effects of racing  2 days back to back on “Ice Cream and Beer Season” form is evident in the “Recovery time” mode of my Suunto Ambit3…

Next thing we’re at the airport again (?!) this time without a bike, so it felt like we were flying business class.

Cool to see the huge Specialized ads on the billboards at OR Tambo, Johannesburg. Mountain biking is really becoming main stream in South Africa.

We picked up my dads bakkie which has been standing on a friends farm near Nelspruit for the past 3 years and drove over a misty Long Tom pass to visit my mom and the farm.

To be continued…