Saturday 28 July 2007

The Mountain Bike Bite

The first time I got on a mountain bike was in 2007, a few guys from church was going out & I can't really remember how I got roped in or convinced to go along. I think it was mostly peer pressure & being completely overwhelmed by such friendly people & wanting to spend more time with them.

Before I knew it, I was in Evans with Elisca & Annelize trying out cycling tights & buying gloves. I just followed there lead, because I knew nothing about the sport. The only other people I knew who mountain biked was Conrad Stoltz & his buddies when I was at university. They were in a totally different category & washed there bikes all the time which was a complete foreign concept to me.

Now the last time I was on a bike was at university where my daily commute was 3km to campus, at that time, it was a long way... :) I hardly had any brakes on the bike as replacing brakes was low priority with all the other fun I was having.

So totally unfit & not knowing WHAT to expect I've mounted a 17" framed mountain bike, I am only 5"2.

We got to Leith Hill & had a well deserved cup of tea. This is also where my sentiment & tradition of having tea whilst mountain biking was born.

I also didn't know that it is NOT cool to take leftover chicken drumsticks from a party the night before as 'padkos' with you, but one of the guys must've felt bad for my goodwill gesture, so carried it in his backpack for us. 

Soon after that we made our way to Summer Lightning & this is where the "mountain bike bite" bit me. (Die gogga het my gebyt.) My arms was so tired from stretching so far to reach the handlebars, but all the complaining for going uphill was long forgotten as the downhill made up for it.

We took the train back to London & went Hein's house where we had to wash the bikes.
My thoughts was: "Wash your bike? Why?" But it is like my uncle always says when I cook, "Part of the cooking is the cleaning."


2 Traditions that stuck from the very first time riding:

1. Tea with 2 sugars @ our halfway stop
2. The original invite from Hein Muller said, we are riding whatever the weather.

Elisca & Me
Hein & Ricky
"We are riding whatever the weather."
Chicken drumstick lunchtime @ Leith Hill Tower
Renee, Elisca, Annelize, Eloff (the chicken carrier) & Daleen
Cheesa & TC (TC1)

Thank you Hein, Ricky, Eloff, Elisca & Annelize for getting me into this!