Hi patient people,
Today the subject takes me back to my 2010 cycling exploits, not fantastic mind you, but fulfilling nonetheless :-)
The best part of the training was the weekend route from Somerset West to Rooi Els on the R44. The next pics show me leaving home for training - training starts (downhill) were always great, the finishes (uphill) never so :-). The fauna and flora at home are eternally enjoyable though!
I may bore you with my detailed descriptions but, apart from the famous #Chapman'sPeakDrive, there is no better coastal scenic cycling route in the Western Cape - if you can ignore the crazy boat towing motorists!!
The training route starts in a normally busy Somerset West but traffic starts thinning out just past Gordon's Bay. As you descend on the R44 towards Faure Road you will see Bikini Beach - one of our numerous #BlueFlag beaches. Do not sight-see too much though because you'll need to concentrate on the road :-). If you get closer to the beach in winter, you may see the seal in the pic sunning itself :-)
1 km further on up the road, you will see the first sign denoting the #WhaleRoute - exciting! The left side of the road is populated with high value residential properties hanging (some precariously) onto the Helderberg mountainside.
You are now on your way to the Steenbras River crossing on this sea-hugging road. One can stop off here and make your way down the rocky coast ravine for a dip in the refreshing waters of the river mouth. Unfortunately, I do not have pics but you can find some at: https://www.google.co.za/maps/@-34.1936696,18.8210447,3a,75y,90.49h,71.67t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sQxJOr6W2z38MKYvsxfQnyw!2e0.
The Steenbras River crossing lies at the bottom of the first nice climb on the R44 after Gordon's Bay. Going up this climb allows one the first clear sighting of Rooi Els, one's destination. It is a stiff climb but not too long (about 1 km) Near the top, there is a water fountain and plaques denoting Clarence Drive - the official name of this stretch of the R44. Before 10 o'clock in the morning this part of the road is in beautiful shade - believe you me, you need this piece of otherwise useless information during our hot summers!
Another two turns in this drive and you come to the top - many blessings from a view and tired legs perspective! Here you may choose to wait for your training partners or have your training partners wait for you because you will experience a very nice (no pedalling, yea!) down hill with ample sea views. You will now make you way down towards Kogel (Cool) Bay and the temporarily straight part of the R44 that runs past it. In summer, this is a favourite Christmas season camping spot for Capetonians and Stellenbosch inhabitants.
At the bottom of the downhill there is a series of twisty sections before one starts climbing again - this time a much more manageable climb towards a seaward crest to the right. On the way back from Rooi Els, this is a view that rival (in my humble opinion) that of parts of Chapman's Peak Drive. This crest is the last before the winding downhill towards Rooi Els. On this stretch there is another whale watching point that is best visited towards the 10th month of the year.
My favourite training technique was to conserve energy on the way to Rooi Els and to burn it on the way back - my training partners were never impressed!! Since it was training for the Argus Cycling Tour, I simply mimicked the way I envisaged racing.
One of the many sunset views you can get, sitting at a roadside restaurant in Gordon's Bay
Of all the cycling training roads I did in 2010, I miss this one the most. Unfortunately I have since sold my road bike because of safety concerns. Apart from that stretch of road, I also trained on Spook ("Ghost") hill in Somerset West, Chapman's Peak Drive, Helshoogte between Stellenbosch and Franschoek, Jonkershoek and the R44 between Stellenbosch and Wellington, returning with the R304 via R312.
Until next time, when I hope to chat about my recent squash trip to Durban.
.
Today the subject takes me back to my 2010 cycling exploits, not fantastic mind you, but fulfilling nonetheless :-)
The best part of the training was the weekend route from Somerset West to Rooi Els on the R44. The next pics show me leaving home for training - training starts (downhill) were always great, the finishes (uphill) never so :-). The fauna and flora at home are eternally enjoyable though!
I may bore you with my detailed descriptions but, apart from the famous #Chapman'sPeakDrive, there is no better coastal scenic cycling route in the Western Cape - if you can ignore the crazy boat towing motorists!!
The training route starts in a normally busy Somerset West but traffic starts thinning out just past Gordon's Bay. As you descend on the R44 towards Faure Road you will see Bikini Beach - one of our numerous #BlueFlag beaches. Do not sight-see too much though because you'll need to concentrate on the road :-). If you get closer to the beach in winter, you may see the seal in the pic sunning itself :-)
1 km further on up the road, you will see the first sign denoting the #WhaleRoute - exciting! The left side of the road is populated with high value residential properties hanging (some precariously) onto the Helderberg mountainside.
You are now on your way to the Steenbras River crossing on this sea-hugging road. One can stop off here and make your way down the rocky coast ravine for a dip in the refreshing waters of the river mouth. Unfortunately, I do not have pics but you can find some at: https://www.google.co.za/maps/@-34.1936696,18.8210447,3a,75y,90.49h,71.67t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sQxJOr6W2z38MKYvsxfQnyw!2e0.
The Steenbras River crossing lies at the bottom of the first nice climb on the R44 after Gordon's Bay. Going up this climb allows one the first clear sighting of Rooi Els, one's destination. It is a stiff climb but not too long (about 1 km) Near the top, there is a water fountain and plaques denoting Clarence Drive - the official name of this stretch of the R44. Before 10 o'clock in the morning this part of the road is in beautiful shade - believe you me, you need this piece of otherwise useless information during our hot summers!
Another two turns in this drive and you come to the top - many blessings from a view and tired legs perspective! Here you may choose to wait for your training partners or have your training partners wait for you because you will experience a very nice (no pedalling, yea!) down hill with ample sea views. You will now make you way down towards Kogel (Cool) Bay and the temporarily straight part of the R44 that runs past it. In summer, this is a favourite Christmas season camping spot for Capetonians and Stellenbosch inhabitants.
At the bottom of the downhill there is a series of twisty sections before one starts climbing again - this time a much more manageable climb towards a seaward crest to the right. On the way back from Rooi Els, this is a view that rival (in my humble opinion) that of parts of Chapman's Peak Drive. This crest is the last before the winding downhill towards Rooi Els. On this stretch there is another whale watching point that is best visited towards the 10th month of the year.
My favourite training technique was to conserve energy on the way to Rooi Els and to burn it on the way back - my training partners were never impressed!! Since it was training for the Argus Cycling Tour, I simply mimicked the way I envisaged racing.
One of the many sunset views you can get, sitting at a roadside restaurant in Gordon's Bay
Of all the cycling training roads I did in 2010, I miss this one the most. Unfortunately I have since sold my road bike because of safety concerns. Apart from that stretch of road, I also trained on Spook ("Ghost") hill in Somerset West, Chapman's Peak Drive, Helshoogte between Stellenbosch and Franschoek, Jonkershoek and the R44 between Stellenbosch and Wellington, returning with the R304 via R312.
Until next time, when I hope to chat about my recent squash trip to Durban.
.
