New Dimensions

  Rent a Cherry Picker/Lifting Platform Rent a lifting platform, also known as a cherry picker, from SA Platforms in Vanderbijlpark and you get exceptional service.  SA Platforms have been renting out cherry pickers since 2013 . That's when I first wrote about them: "There are many types of cherry picker machines, some of which are trailer mounted and driven by diesel motors or electric or even both. To get a better idea of some of the most popular machines you can go to http://www.saplatforms.co.za to have a look. The company that specializes in renting or selling these machines called cherry pickers is SA Platforms." On September 02, 2015 , I wrote the following: SA Platforms now have a mobile responsive website at www.saplatforms.co.za . They continue doing a fantastic job of renting or selling cherry pickers and mobile lifting platforms of various configurations to companies needing these machines. They also provide excellent training to operators of these machines. ...

It is Sunday morning, May 3, 2020. I have spent some time checking out my Facebook notifications, my emails and what is happening on my blog. My thoughts go to a time when I communicated with an author from Seattle by the name of Charlotte Roth. As I look at the worldwide map of the COVID-19 hotspots I decide to enlarge the section around the State of Washington. I know that Seattle is located there on the west coast. The state of Washington has a larger circle than the adjoining states of Montana and Idaho and Oregon which means there are more people affected by the virus. I wonder if Charlotte and her family are safe. My other friend, Ken Findlay, lives in Lantana, Florida in the States. We used to be friends when he was in South Africa a long time ago. I really hope he is safe as well. Then over to Sydney, Australia, where another good friend of ours resides. When you study the Corona virus map on Google, you can zoom into areas and get a better idea of how aff...

I bought a green Bicycle - my Silverback replacement. Cycling is part of my DNA, just look at my Facebook avatar. Read my previous article and you'll understand. My dog, Java, is a cross between a chow and a sharpei. I reckon she is magical and possesses some kind of super powers. She sees through walls and has super hearing. If Superman is faster than a speeding bullet, then Java is a close second. With energy like that, I would be a sensation on my mountain bike - but alas. Maybe Java is also psychic because she shadows my every move in the house even if she is outside. She even knows when I'm about to bring her a treat and sits wagging her tail in delightful anticipation outside the door. Sometimes I wonder who is smarter, me or Java. When the Glam Guru recently visited us to film Maggie I decided to put her in the carport - just in case. The filming crew took a long time to bring their gear in the house and I went to investigate. Java was up to her magical ...

After a hard day's work painstakingly building a battery website consisting of volts, amps, dimensions, part numbers, stock code numbers, and pictures, we settled down to a plate of fine chicken, rice, and vegetables. Feeling quite full and lazy I decided, on the spur of the moment, to go for a ride on my mountain bike. As I set out on my bike I noticed that the sun was already over the horizon and a slight breeze greeted me. I followed my usual route passing the local petrol station through a patch of trees where the rusty autumn leaves crunched under the tyres, then along the shoulder of the main road. Then a left turn between the houses where I accelerated up a slight incline. Then a thought came to me. I have already passed my late dad's age and here I was riding like a maniac. I coasted after the burst of acceleration and considered how lucky I am. Most people in their mid-sixties already accept their age as being old while I still feel as fit as a fiddle and have...

Here is a "reality show" look at the start of my Human Rights Day on 21 March 2017. No, I'm not attending some mass rally. It's far too crowded and I love to do my own thing and relax when I get the chance. I woke up at 4 a.m. and made myself a cup of hot tea and settled into my lazy boy chair to read my new ESV bible. The passage I read was about the martyr Stephen who was stoned for speaking his mind. The amazing thing was that he gazed into heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. What an experience that must have been. All I can say about that is that there certainly has to be another dimension that we are not always aware of and don't see. When I started this blog I decided to name it New Dimensions because of the many subjects I would be writing about. New dimensions also refer to many new experiences I would be having and write about. So far I've reported on things like wanting to scuba dive and then being invited to a scuba divin...

As I drifted from my dreams into wakefulness I stretched and stood up in the dark. I flipped my iPhone and saw that it was just after 3 a.m. Peering through a window I noticed that it looked rather wet outside. Yesterday I decided to take better care of myself – to read something every day, exercise every day and learn something new every day, amongst other things. All in the interest of self-improvement. Oh yes, I also need to practice writing every day too. So, after reading and meditating a bit in my lazy boy, I donned my cycling clothes plus a jacket. I walked my mountain bike out the front gate and cycled off into a chilly morning. I could detect a light breeze on my back and fine drops of rain gently tickled my face. It had rained quite a lot during the night because there were puddles of water all around and the ground was covered with fallen leaves. Initially, I wanted to ride a short distance, but then changed that to a 4 kilometre. To have fun you need to do a proper j...

<a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/18369685/?claim=hw2vebhzb7n">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a> I have just written a new blog post about being on my bicycle and how it actually came about. It is probably the reason why I still cycle today, because when I was very young, I got on a friend's bicycle and the cycling bug bit me. Riding is one of my favourite ways of getting rid of stress and to unwind. When I ride it feels like I'm flying in an aeroplane with an open cockpit. Maybe this sounds a bit silly, but I can feel the wind over my skin and smell the scents coming from grass and trees and flowers and someone making a braai (barbeque). On my bicycle, I feel free! Read more .

Silverback Mountain Bike Today the weather was fine, just like a summer's day, so I donned my riding gear and grabbed my Silverback and off I went for a ride. With a successful day behind me, it was time to enjoy myself and unwind by cycling. Just 3 months ago I wasn't sure whether I would ever ride again. A month or two prior to that I bought my new bicycle, which wasn't cheap, but then the most annoying pain developed in my lower back and left leg. It was so bad that I couldn't walk or sit, never mind ride a bike. I even thought about why I had spent so much money on a new bike because the doctors were talking about an MRI scan and vertebrae fusions. Any medication I took or treatment that I went for made no difference. I could just look at my new bike and shake my head. Fortunately, things got better in time and today my Silverback beckoned. Conditions were ideal and I was in the mood for some exercise. I followed my usual route in the neighbourhood a...

Silverback is a strange way to start a blog article. It's the name of a mountain bike which I recently purchased. In just over a week from now I will be on my way to ride in the next Mapa 24 hours Southern Skies MTB Challenge in Parys. The new bicycle was procured for the very reason of riding in the challenge. Why did I go to all the trouble and expense of getting yet another mountain bike? Well, when you go to a cycle dealer you are overwhelmed by the variety of choices you are confronted by. Then the sales person helping you could be trying to sell you something that suits him and not you. Quite often I have looked at bikes and was told that a medium would suit me, but that was incorrect. I had made up my mind to buy a Momsen this time, but again I was steered by the salesman in another direction and I ended up buying a Silverback. Nevertheless I insisted that I wanted a small. That was the best decision I ever made because, as it turned out, it was the correct size for ...

This is what happens early in the morning when most people are snuggled up in their cosy beds. I go out for a refreshing ride on my mountain bike. It rained through the night and there were delightful puddles of water to splash through, a blessed relief from the awful drought. I followed a different route this morning involving fast downhills and tortuous uphills - no boredom there! In May of this year I had a scary episode with my heart. The doctor recommended that I go for an angiogram and then have stents implanted in my arteries. Well I survived without that and was determined to recover naturally. After my return from Parys I was all pumped up to get fit and ready for another race, but the episode with my heart was a huge disappointment causing me to change those ideas for a more sedate life. But deep inside of me that isn't who I am. I am the never-give-up-never-give-in kind of guy - nothings going to get me down. So eventually I am getting back on track to where I wan...

Southern Skies 2015 24 Hour Race was great. This year the weather was sunny with a slight chill in the air. We arrived in Parys on Friday afternoon and found the perfect spot to camp. A little while later Sean, Janine and kids arrived and we pitched our tents and unpacked our gear. The new additions to our team were Wouter and Mundy. Maggie and I visited the registration counter and also bought some new riding gear. When they announced that the course was open for a test run I was all for it and went for the ride to see what they had created. After climbing and climbing over various sections I finally came across the most awesome downhill stretch. Throwing caution to the wind I allowed my bike to build up speed and I literally flew down the single track as my full suspension mountain bike glided effortlessly over uneven patches. I was tempted to look down at the bike computer on the handlebars to see how fast I was going, but decided that all my attention was needed to remain in...

On 10th October 2013 I mentioned that I added this picture to my blog post for future motivation. As I sit and type this post I have an aching body. I suppose it serves me right for not riding consistently for more than a year. About two weeks ago I was informed that we would be riding again in the 24 hour race. Late this afternoon we were on our mountain bikes doing 8 kilometres. Around 6 kilometres my backside couldn't take it anymore, but we pressed on. Tomorrow morning I will have to drag myself into an upright position when I get up. Whilst riding I commented to my wife that two years ago we were so fit that we didn't feel a thing at the end of a long ride. Now it's hard slogging to get riding fit again - like starting all over again. We are really looking forward to the event. Both my wife and I have full suspension bikes which should make the ride a lot better. This time I am going to take pictures which will help with my future posts. Hopefully I will find th...

Three years after our last   Southern Skies 24 Hour Race in Parys and another invitation to compete this year again. If we enter, what lies ahead for us? Are we still up to the challenge? At this moment I don't know who will be in our team, but this is a picture of our members in 2012. My wife and I are on the far left and my son-in-law and daughter are on the far right.  In terms of preparation my wife, Maggie, and I would have to start practising daily to get ourselves back into shape again. We also need to have our mountain bikes serviced. Besides that we also need to make sure that our camping gear and equipment are all ready. We would have to get some powerful LED lights for riding at night. Maybe I should consider taking a voice recorder along so that I don't miss out on recording events as they are happening - better for blogging about our experiences afterwards. Keeping a record of experiences like these are great for when I'm older and don't feel like ...

On 31 st December 2009 we collected our brand new shiny mountain bikes from a dealer in Boksburg called Cajees. I had a Scott Aspect and Maggie a Schwinn Frontier. Maggie had never owned a bike before, but she managed to ride it around the block. On her following rides she often fell but always got up and tried again. For the first month her legs were always covered with blue marks. We cycled regularly, sometimes twice a day, and I decided to keep a logbook just for the fun of it. Sean, my son-in-law, wanted us to compete in the Southern Skies 24 Hour Race. On 1 st May 2010 we arrived at Parys totally unprepared for the event. The whole setup looked very intimidating and we soon discovered that we were totally useless on the course. It had rained heavily leaving water puddles everywhere. The conditions were treacherous for us beginners and in some places we had to battle through deep mud. Needless to say we only completed a single lap and left for home early the following day. ...

Maggie and Janine a few metres form the finish line. Two competitors coming up the finish line ramp. This is night riding. Contestants coming over the steel bridge before the end. Sean and Janine posing with the hall in the background. Janine and Joshua, my grandson at the start of the OFM mountain bike race. Janine, Joshua and Sean at the OFM finish line. Thanks for looking at the blog post. The family are all involved in mountain bike races.

The riders in our team of 2012. Four men and three women made up our mixed team. We were just posing without our riding shorts. Each contestant gets a number after paying to participate. The start of the Southern Skies 24 Hour Race in 2012. Here the riders have to run an collect their bikes and then exit the hall and come racing down the track on the other side of the fence (where the man with the green shirt is running on the right). Conditions on the track early on Sunday morning. Riders waiting in the hall for their team mate to arrive so that they can ride next. I hope this has shed some more light on the subject of mountain bike competition riding.

I have been asked to write about mountain bike riding by a reader. In one of my previous posts I mentioned the Eiffel Tower at Parys. Well, there it is! To really enjoy your cycling it is a good idea to do some training so that when you participate you will be able to at least do a few rounds. Just managing one lap won't cut it. We trained on a daily basis for months so that we could contribute towards our team's score. Some days you really enjoy the cycling and other days you have to motivate yourself to ride. If you keep this up you eventually get fitter and can handle quite a bit of riding. Without training you won't last. Some races, such as the Dunblane March Hare, give you a pretty medal like these for participating. The medals from the Southern Skies 24 Hour Race at Parys are not quite as nice, but are still good for your collection. There are races all over the place every month. It's a good idea to select an event and distance that you are comfortabl...

It was another lap we were engaging as Maggie and I made our way up the hill – I accompanied her for support. Having reached the top we carefully cycled down the other side as the sun tried to mop up the wet patches from the previous night’s rain. In our team, the Spider Riders, we believed in safety and provided assistance and guidance where necessary. Teamwork and camaraderie was our motto. Going downhill I lagged behind so that Maggie could find her own rhythm on this very technical section, encouraging her all the way. Zoom! An airborne hotshot flashed past me only touching ground here and there as he literally flew downhill. He miscalculated and, with an agonizing clunk of metal, hit Maggie’s bike from behind, both riders and bikes flew in opposite directions. Stunned, an awkward moment of silence ensued as they tried to recover from the unexpected collision. Slowly both riders got up and looked around in disbelief, having survived the massive impact. The hotshot apolo...

Having made it back to our tent it wasn’t long before I retired to my bed and sank into a deep sleep with not a worry in the world – at least I felt safe again amongst my kin. The previous time we raced at Parys we set up camp right next to the hall where the competition was being run and they had the music so loud that those needing a bit of shut-eye before their next turn on the course found it almost impossible to sleep. Realising that this would be a factor again we pitched our tents far away enough to avoid the booming sound. Competing in a 24-hour race means that you have to endure whatever conditions prevail at the time not succumbing to any desire to quit. The sooner you can get into your groove and master your share of the cycling the better because you are part of a team that depends on you. This is also where the weaker links soon come to the forefront due to the pressure because it ain’t easy. Total commitment is paramount. Anyway, back to my next lap. Befor...

What happened next? The weak headlamp mounted on my helmet would have to do as I entered the dark, wet forest as I felt lost and alone. The silence hung in the air like the whole world had stopped to watch my next move with baited breath – only being broken by the wheels beneath me crunching on the damp earth. As I piloted my bike along the winding track through the undergrowth I was confronted by an awesome spectacle which cannot be described by mere words. Maybe the invisible beings lurking in the darkness had pity on me for I was treated to the most unusual sight I have ever seen. A night-time garden scene like the movie Avatar seemed to play itself out before my eyes. The light on my helmet burst in all directions off the wet leaves in that forest in a surreal way, glowing with fluorescent brilliance – a virtual magical spectacle. My spirit lifted immediately giving me new strength to get the hell out of there. It felt as if I had been given a head start before those imaginar...