Twittering the Cycletour

As I have essentially not been able to train for this year's Argus Cycletour around the Cape Peninsula, I have been looking for a way of forcing myself to take it easy and make regular stops along what is sure to be an ardous course in my present condition.
I found it. This year I will be twittering my progress and my experiences as I struggle around the 110 odd kilometer course. The Cycletour is Cape Town's premier event and around 32 000 cyclists take part cheered on by thousands and thousands of supporters who don't just spectate, they participate as they egg on, water down and push up total strangers who like me find the trip more than just a challenge. Hopefully the upcoming tweets from hacker Eishman will help you experience a little of this spectacular event.

Follow from me on 07h30 Sunday 8th March (South African time) on twitter here, or keep refreshing this page and follow the updates in the left columns of Eish!! under the heading I'm Tweeting ...

... and while you are at it pop over to www.race4change.co.za and sponsor the Eish!! team.

Links

• http://twitter.com/eishman
• http://www.race4change.co.za
  

Eish!! takes up the challenge for charity - You can join!

The Argus Cycle Tour has a initiative to coincide with this year's massive cycling event. Titled Race4Change it give the participants a chance to raise money for a selected group of charities.
This makes it easy for groups or individuals to use this epic to raise money for charities, with the knowledge that a legitimate organisation is handling of the collection and distribution of the monies.

So let's give it a test!!

I have set up a group for Eish!! readers to donate money to The Sunflower Fund.

Simply click here and donate ... and Eishman will make the full 109km's to ensure your money is well spent.

CycleTour entries to close soon

Those of you wishing to take part in next years PicknPay/Argus cycletour, better move fast. The date has been set for 9 March 2008 and entries are limited to the first 35000.
While this may sound like a lot, entries opened midday on the 1st September and as of today (11 September) they had filled close to 90% of the available spots, you can do the math.
There has been a little controversy on the cumulative cost of the tour this time round. But anyone who has taken part in this event will know that there is very little that compares to it ... and the obligatory massage afterwards.

If you are even thinking about maybe doing it, perhaps. Do yourself a favour , click here and enter. You will not regret it ... your bum might, and probably you legs, but it will all be worth it.

Related post : The Cycletour

The Cape Epic

They call it the Tour De France of mountain biking. Nearly 900kms of off road cycling along the Western Cape's Garden Route, from Knysna to Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West. It's the Cape Epic 2007!

Believe it or not, I was actually offered an opportunity to enter this event. Fortunately I am way to much of a realist to even consider taking this one on.

Today was actually the second day, so around 600 two person teams are already making there way south in the process climbing nearly 16000 meters of mountain passes. The event has grown very rapidly to become a must do event on the global mountain biking calendar. Current leaders are Team Cannondale-Vredenstein 1, Roel Paulissen of Belgium and Jakob Fuglsang of Denmark with the German Team Bull's Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm of Germany. There's a whole bevy of contenders biting at their proverbial toeclips, including Ralph Naef , reigning UCI World Marathon Champion, and team mate Olympic medalist Jose Hermida, last years winner Silvio Bundi and Gion Manetsch and Olympic Gold medallist Bart Brentjens and Rudi van Houts.

Keep tabs of the latest news and results at the official Absa Cape Epic website, and while you do so enjoy be inspired, or like me scared off!

The CycleTour

"30th Cycle Tour one of the best yet!
Excellent weather conditions, thousands of spirited supporters lining the route and the fact that there were no fatalities provided the perfect backdrop for yet another successful Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour.
Just over 30 000 cyclists from around the globe participated in the world's largest timed cycle race, including familiar names and faces like Francois Pienaar and tandem partner, Lucas Radebe, as well as Tour de France greats, Greg LeMond, Jan Ullrich and Steven Rooks."
Quoted from the Argus/PicknPay's website.
Although I can't help thinking the support was a little muted in areas when compared to previous years, the trip around the Cape was a great deal of fun yet againthis year. Yes, the weather helped but then so did the little bit of training!

If you haven't done so already check out www.cycletour.co.za and you will be able to search for your or your friends, colleagues, neighbours etc results. While you are at it click over to www.actionphoto.net and see if the pain has been sufficiently captured by one of the many photographers around the route.

No idea what I am talking about? EISH ... See you next year.