New Dimensions

On 10 March 2012 I collected my first scooter, a Big Boy 250 cc Citiflite - it already had 2459 km on it since it was second hand. Needless to say I was elated since I love the feeling of freedom that comes from riding a motorbike. But this was a scooter and I needed to adjust to the different style of riding - smaller wheels and no clutch. The ride was much lighter than the BMW 1200 RT that I owned before and it was considerably down on power as well. Riding my newly acquired scooter was wonderful, but it didn't take long for trouble to rear its ugly head. The first problem was with starting. Sometimes it would start and sometimes not. This situation grew worse over time until  it wouldn't start at all. Asking for advice from a motorcycle dealership wasn't helpful eithe. Recruiting a family member to service the scooter lead to another dead end. In the end it was towed away to another dealership where it spent about two weeks in the workshop - part of the problem w...

Here is the ultimate weight loss formula. But beware there are some serious side effects when you start the program. You might find yourself spending money on trying to alleviate some of the symptoms to make the experience more comfortable. You may develop symptoms like aches and pains in your muscles all over your body. When this happens don't consult your doctor. Back pains may occur at times. Sometimes another side effect can be the feeling of limbs that feel like lead. Just ignore those feelings. Psychologically you may get thoughts of doubt and wanting to give up. Warning! Ban those ridiculous thoughts from your mind! Another symptom is often loneliness when taking your formula. If that happens, start talking to yourself. Those are the cons. Here are the pros. Lose about 600 g per week if taken correctly. Feelings of freedom and release of stress - euphoria can occur. Being energised for longer periods. Brain functions take a giant leap for the better. Better self...

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...

I feel so blessed doing some writing in my blog because so many people read what I write about. I just want to say thank you to all my readers. You are a real encouragement to me. I thought I'd just add a photo of me and my granddaughter in the sea near her home. She just loved the fact that I went for a swim with her and I was so blessed by that fact that she enjoyed it and showed her appreciation.

23 Years ago I ventured out into the unfamiliar realm of self-employment. That was on 5 February 1992, just before Nelson Mandela was made a free man by Mr. F. W. de Klerk. At that time I had no clue of what to do or how to run a successful business. I was retrenched and on my own. Now I can look back with a smile on my face because I can say, “I made it.” So here is a story that proves a point. I am quoting it from my blog post on Typepad: “I read a story of how a young boy lost his left arm in a car accident. You can imagine how devastating this was for him. He eventually took up judo. His judo master taught him one move only. He could not understand why the sensei only taught him that one move. In his first tournament he easily won his first two matches. The final match was against a more difficult opponent. It seemed as though he had met his match and the end seemed like it wasn't going his way. Through perseverance the boy finally won with that one move wh...

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 ...