Welcome to my very own BIG 12 adventures!
It has already started. But I have no idea how it is going to end. Either way. This is the plan below. Sometimes all you need is a carrot dangling in front of you to keep things interesting. And to keep you honest. Which is exactly what I am doing here. And now that I have shared it with the world it is something that I have to adhere to. Even though the plan might change. As it already has changed, for the better. Lets go!
July – KRUGER PARK
Ok I know this isn’t a massive outdoorsy adventure like all the rest below. but it was a significant outing. And one that deserves to be top of the list. Because family first. And it was the first time the kids (A) took a flight, (B) went to JHB PTA NLP and Gold Reef City, and (C) we spent some quality time in the Kruger National Park with the Big Five and more. Pure bliss. And now for the physical adventures below. 1 of 12 adventures. Done.
August – FISH RIVER
foreverfresh.co.za/blogs/recent/a-guide-to-the-fish-river-canyon
Hiking the FISH RIVER canyon in Namibia. It has always been on my bucket list. And Freddie have been on my case for what feels like a decade. But this year when driving back from the Kruger Park (see activity for July above) Freddie phone me with a last-minute option. Finally the stars aligned and I joined. And it was as good as a FISH RIVER CANYON hiking trip can be. Hats off to MAMBE TOERE. And something I would LOVE to do again. Thanks Freddie! 2 of 12 adventures. Done.
September – 2KAROO2COAST
Sometime aso this thing started where we pick a bicycle race and then either (A) cycle there or (B) cycle back home afterwards. Case in point is the KAROO2COAST, Dewald’s favourite MTB race. And this year we cycled there, again. Myself and Chris and Steven. Day 1 from Stellenbosch to Swellendam. Day 2 to Oudtshoorn. And Day 3 to Uniondale. And day 4 was the KAROO2COAST race to Knysna. Love it! 3 of 12 adventures. Done.
October – GRAVEL BURN
Now this was completely unexpected. I never thought I would be on the start line of the 1st Nedbank GRAVEL BURN. But 2 days before the start there was a to-good-to-be-missed option on bikehub as one of the riders who had a full corporate entry package with hotel accommodation before and Specialized bike service for the week had to withdraw. So I picked up the entry for half price and never looked back. The gravel was a bit more STROH RUM than their advertised champagne gravel but we will always have been there for the first one. Another adventure with Chris. 4 of 12 adventures. Done.
November – MUNGA
Well, first things first was Wines2whales. My first one. And I think it is one of the best MTB stage races on the cycling calendar. For many reasons. And I would LOVE to do it again. And now on to the MUNGA. The 1000km+ MTB race from BFN to Wellington in the heat of summer. Which is not quite as tough as they market it (because we cycle up to the start, and have done so 3x times before). And this year I will not by racing down, just cycling up to BFN, as there are some bicycles to be sent and ‘plig voor plesier’. So I will join Chris to cycle from Paarl to BFN and then fly back while he proceeds to start the MUNGA. Solo. The next of our 12 adventures. This weekend…
December – FESTIVE 500
rapha.cc/us/en/story/festive500
Yes you need some activities to keep you honest during the festive season and even though I have always thought about it I have never done it. So this year will be a first. Cycling the festive 500. Maybe even in a single day. Who knows. Lets see. Doing 500kms between XMAS day and new years day this year. // OR 100x pushups (minimum) per day for the whole month. To see what happens. I know it will be great for posture. And this will be the last of the 12 adventures for 2025.
January – ATTA+BACK
Continuing with the theme of where we either cycle to or from a bicycle race, this one has to be a standout feature. We all know the Attakwas is referred to as the hell of the south and certainly not the easiest 1 day MTB race around. but getting to the finish line and having a beer and a burger and then casually turning around to cycle via George (and Montagu pass last time) to make it in time to catch the SPUR open in Oudtshoorn for dinner. Is something special. Which I guess not many people have experienced before. Thanks for the cool idea, Chris. Let’s do so again. Also the 1st of the 12 adventures that continue into 2026.
February – BOLANDCYCLETOUR
Bolandcycletour is my very own 3 week road cycling spectacular in which we cover almost 1500 kms with an international tour group from mainly the US but also the UK en EU. We did one earlier this year with a smaller group and I absolutely loved it. And fun filled afternoons. Big Five. Massages. Olive tasting. Wine tasting. Beer breweries. And this and that and the other. Then we finish with the CTCT Cape Town cycle tour on the final day before everyone flies back home again. Probably my favourite of the 12 adventures, for obvious reasons.
March – EPIC
epic-series.com/races/capeepic
Before the EPIC there is the small matter of pulling my nephew Bellingan in a buggy for the CTCT Cape Town cycle tour around the peninsula. Between him, and me, and the bike, and the buggy, we’ll probably weigh in at around 180kgs. And that is even BEFORE we start drinking all the COKE en route! // Hoping to be in a position to do the ABSA Cape EPIC again with Chris, who will be doing his 10th(!) one next year. Let that sink in. 10 years of the EPIC. Now those are some hard miles indeed. The most prestigious of the 12 adventures.
April – CAPE 1000
Or the 36ONE MTB race which covers 361kms in 36 hours and is high up on Bram’s todo list. Even higher than the Transbaviaans. But the 1000km or 1200km Cape Beast road Audax BRM ride is one not to be missed. I was ill when starting it this year and sanity prevailed in the KOO valley when I turned back down to Montagu to come home. While Heinrich and Chris and Mark and Lenny continued to finish at the top of the Taalmonument many kms later. Cape 1200 km BRM next year!
May – OWN IRONMAN®
ironman.com/races/im-south-africa
This was Danie’s idea. Doing our very own IRONMAN®. Sans the recognition. But with the same rewarding feeling having completed it. probably do the swim in the Maties gym Coetzenburg outside Olympic sized swimming pool. Then a flat cycle section maybe out on the R304 loop and back on the R44. And then the thing that I dread the most – the running part. Well, running is such a strong word that it will likely mostly be walking on my part. In fact I know it will…
June – 7SUMMITTING
On a bicycle. Like Everesting. This one I have started and then got sick right at the end. And if I continued I would have missed our Paul Roos matric year school reunion. Which was tons of fun. So I am glad I made the right call. But it means I have to revisit this one and climb around 35000 vertical meters on 7 consecutive days again. To summit the highest or chosen peak on each of the 7 continents. And despite weighing in at a current close to 111kgs I am very much looking forward to this challenge. And a challenge it is. Some Strava local legends coming up, for those who are into that kind of thing. Nice one!
July – ROBBEN ISLAND
cldsa.co.za/location/robben-island/
Cornelius is on the hot list here. He has been swimming for ages. Much more than me. But always seems hesitant when I mention the Robben Island crossing. However I will not take no for an answer and at one point he will just get a date on which the support boat is booked and a time to jump in from the harbour wall on Robben island. Swem Jannie Swem. I think it is about 7.5kms from Nelson’s lodgings to the lifesavings club at Eden on the bay. Which is where we are heading. With English swimming channel rules. Which means just a cap and a speedo and goggle. No wetsuits here.
Other – SOME IDEAS
Here are some backup plans in case I need to adjust. Maybe an indoor spin day where yo do the very first and the very last spin class at the gym plus the whole day in-between. But I have done that before. Maybe again. Or doing an FTP test every day for a whole week. or getting to 1000 watts every day for a whole week. Let’s see where this goes. Some interesting data to be collected, I am sure. And there are so many other things you can do. Impromptu TO HELL AND BACK weekend. Or cycling to the TRANSBAVIAANS for number 6. And and and.
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Follow me!
Will I get there? I don’t know. Probably. More than likely. Maybe that and more. Follow me and see how it goes. Monthly updates incoming. Onwards! Oh and help me on these adventures by sending your bicycle with #bicyclecouriers! The more you send the more I can do. Thanks in advance.
