My cycling and wine adventures with a story
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TP Stage 3
To the top of Portugal 75km 2620m of climbing. Pic below, from hotel looking to where we are headed. Days Video The 2620 climbing in 75km and average speed tells the story of a very hard day out. It was like doing two Tankwa Marino Monsters in one day. Hope to recover before tomorrow. On…
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TP Stage 2
Hard stage at 93km and 2700m of climbing which started in the first km. Beatiful climbing out of the Douro valley, many times on the old Roman roads. With TP we ride down the rural spine of Portugal. Only small villages or little towns. Some even completely deserted. Coming out of Dora valley was mainly…
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TP Stage 1
Finished safely in 5h39 for the 110 km. Weather was great but a proper day out. The last 30km shows downhill but it was crappy jeeptracks that shook every bone in my body. The climbs were steep up to wind farms. Just so pleased to have finished but this only day 1 with many big…
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Querciabella 2017
I feel that wine experiences are about the occasion and memories. I spent the Easter weekend in Rooi Els with my cousin Sienie and Phillip. The Sunday started with a quick wholesome breakfast. A beautiful day so we then went on the most amazing walk through fynbos heaven and climb up Hangklip. This walk brought…
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Cape Epic-The Other Side
The 2023 Cape Epic took place last week and I was there to support two teams of close friends. Before I carry on, I need to congratulate Team “Ginger Beer” (Stu and Amri) and Team “Act Your Age” (Seamus and Kfir), for finishing the 8 stages of the Epic. Truly an admirable achievement for what…
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Riding sea & wine
It is one of those days that go into ones memory bank with gratitude for the day that was. I was awake early and decided on an early around the mountain anticlockwise MTB ride so lights were needed for the early start. I was in the zone, in the dark, focused on the climb at…
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Argus Cape Cycle Tour #21
So pleased to finish another Argus safely. #21 – I am not sure if and why it is a milestone but it certainly brought back some previous memories. For one of my first tours I had flown down to Cape Town and was staying in a small flat. I decided that because I was racing…
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Stanford MTB Classic 25 Feb
The Stanford MTB Classic race takes place near Stanford which is the next town after Hermanus. The race has some lovely trails in the surrounding area. I entered the race a while back having enjoyed riding it over the last two years. I also rode some of the trails in December. After last weekends Imbuku…
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Gouverneurs Reserve 2018
I was given a bottle of the Groot Constantia Governors Reserve 2018 by Boela Gerber, the winemaker at Groot Constantia. Somehow, getting a bottle of wine from the winemaker has a lot of meaning and that it needs to be enjoyed at a special occasion. I know Boela is also a Cape Wine Master and…
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Imbuko Big 5 on 18 Feb
The Imbuko race starts near Wellington and covers 5 passes in one race. I entered and arrived thinking that I would enjoy the best MTB trails in the Wellington area on a chilled day out. Not to be! 5 passes with 3179m of climbing in 79 km taking 7 hours! there must have been at…
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