Get Close to Nature, Cycle.

Around this time last year we, myself and BF, went to Rocherpan Nature Reserve, a small nature reserve up the West Coast, between Velddrift and Elands Bay.



A little map of Rocherpan.



We had our folding bikes with us and quickly found a spot to park the car and unfold the cycles.  



(I will formally introduce the folding bikes at a later stage)
Rocherpan Nature Reserve is quite small and we managed to cycle to the end a back in a couple of hours, in a very leisure pace and with time to enjoy the nature. In the time we were there we only came across other people ones (in a big 4x4 off course) and it was in general a very peaceful place. Maybe on account of it being off season.

Me having a good time.

Cycling as oppose to driving a car really brings you closer to nature, not only do you have time to spot all the little tings and animals, you also meet them on more equal terms.
I never appreciated how big (those legs, uh) an ostrich is before it ran pass me only 10 meters from me.

Also the sounds, not being boxed in a car you can hear the sound of the wind in the trees, the sound of the birds whistling and the sound of the waves braking on the beach.

Me with little Table Mountain in the back ground, to the left of my head.

We had brought fresh fruit and a blancket, and enjoyed parking our bikes and relaxing on the sand.

There is always a handy parking for a cycle.

We did not only encounter the ostrich but also a large colony of flamingoes, pretty little orange birds(?) turtles and lots of flowers.

Small purple flowers.

I do not know what kind of bush this is. But it is intersting looking.

Little orange birds.

Flamingo colony.

One of many turtles.

Having a Braai, the Bicycle Way.

Saturday afternoon we decided to go Braai, resulting in best of both worlds, Denmark= Cycling, South Africa= Braai.
We packed the braai equipment on our bikes and headed for Maidens Cove Braai area, a 30 minutes cycle from our home in Green Point. The weather played its part and it was a wonderful afternoon, with the best lamb chops I have had in a long time.

Parking the bikes in the shade to prevent the saddels getting to hot.

It is spring time and even Maidens Cove had a few flowers, like these pretty purple ones.

Taking the Cycle for a Ride, the South African Way.



Main Road in Green Point

In my opinion cycles does not belong on cars, just like birds does not belong in cages.
Come one Cape Town set the cycles free..!

This Guy Just REALLY Want a Bicycle. (And who can blame him?)

I found this add on Gumtree.
So if you have a bicycle and want to swop for a masage machine please give this guy a call.

Simplicity

I love the sleek elegancy.
Spotted at Water Front.

If you build it, they will use it!!

Then where are the Cyclists???

Yesterday I cycled around on the cycle lanes in the city centre and Green Point between 15.00 and 17.00 (Peak Hours) and I saw no other cyclists on the lanes, there was a few cycling on the roads, but that is it.

So I have to ask myself: Where are the cyclists??? The facilities are there, I am not going to pretend it is world class facilities, in fact there are many things that need to be improved for the cycle lanes to work. But in my opinion the fact that there are so few Capetonians using the lanes says more about the people in Cape Town, than it does about the substandard cycle lanes. 



Adderley Street



Adderley Street. No cyclists but lots of MTN promoters/Air time sellers.

 



Bree Street



Bree Street



Somerset Road



Somerset Road



I cannot help to think that the City of Cape Town are wasting the rate payers money building all these cycle lanes that no one uses. Maybe the money would be better spend on something else.



Finding a Cycle Like Mine!!!

Today was a rainy day in the Cape, I did not get to do the trip I had planed for today, but in the early evening there was a break in the rain which my Boyfriend and I used to cycle to Water Front, it is a short cycle from our Green Point home, it takes about 7 minutes on cycle, and ironically at least 10 minutes in car..! We had only just arrived and gotten of our bikes when a couple approached us to ask if we had rented the cycles? No, we have not, it is ours. Next question was, where we got them from? Hunted down with blood, sweat and tears, searching sites like gumtree, and driving from one end of Cape Town to the other. Then they wanted to know how much we paid for them? The problem is not how much you must pay, the problem is finding the product you want. If I was offered thousands of Rands for my cycle I would not sell it, because how will I be able to get another one?? 

If I had been in Copenhagen or anywhere else in Denmark I could go into any cycle store and find what I want, here in Cape Town it is more rare than picking up a diamond on the beach.  

My Cycle, the Gazelle

I love this cycle, it has a low cross bar, making it easy to get on and off.

The handles are nice and high, it has a chain guard, basket at the back and mudguards on front and back wheel. Besides that it has nice detailed finishes. Like the little gazelles on the nuts on the wheels.

This is an used dutch bike, I do not know how it ended up in South Africa or what its history is. But it rides fantastic, got nice 3 speed Sturmey Archer, this cycle can take on the hills in Cape Town and it glides beautifully.