The 21st July bought with it the 3rd in the series of the MiWay Big 5 Mountain Bike Races. This time around, things were a little different as the surrounding farmland changed from sugar cane to pineapples, and the starting chute was lined with a group of young Zulus in traditional garb, encouraging all the riders with some exciting rhythms and frantic yells.
An added bonus to the day was the company of our first visitors - Mum and Dad!
I managed to scrounge a bike for Mum to use, so she joined William and me on the 10km, while SImon did his usual 25km. Dad kept the home fires warm, soaking up the carnival atmosphere and the smell of cooking braiis.
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| So here we all are - up at sparrow fart and ready to go! |
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| The start line - thankfully, even the Zulu dancers have discovered lycra. |
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| The welcome return of the crazy unicyclist. |
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| So here's some of the beautiful scenery from the 25km track (don't know the cyclist from a bar of soap) |
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| And here are the pineapples! |
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| The photographer only managed to catch a rear view of Mum and me - probably because we were going so fast... |
...the ride was another great day which capped off an exciting weekend. While in the area, we went on several drives through Hluhluwe, and had a record viewing of 11 different rhino, including one female with a very peculiar front horn (the other rhino were not fans of it, and we watched the poor thing being fobbed off by a couple of young males who clearly have not discovered that looks aren't everything).
