My wife was offered the position of High School Counselor at the American International School of Johannesburg, South Africa. She accepted.
Of course, the first thing I "googled" about Johannesburg was cycling. Up came this site and you can see that there's just a bit of interest in cycling in South Africa: www.ananzi.co.za/catalog/Sport/Cycling/index.html with a plethora (i love that word) of cycling sites. After checking some of the sites I wrote to a member at the Cresta Cycling Club www.crestawheelers.co.za/ and was surprised with an immediate response. Lo and Behold (nope..not a legal firm) the club start is about 15 kms from the school. This is good. This is very good.
Some of you may be familiar with a randonneuring event called "Paris Brest Paris" or PBP, which happens only once every four years with the next event in August 2011. I figured I was back in the states permanently and wouldn't have a problem finding qualifying brevets (rides of varying length). Uh oh. Now I'm going to be in South Africa during the qualifying time for brevets. So I wrote to the Big Kahuna of Brevets in Paris France. He replied there's an individual in Jeppestown, only 30 kms from the school. Dang it. Turns out he's on vacation, so I've got to wait until the New Year to find out if there will be a qualifying series in South Africa.
And yes "bike jacking" is a problem in Johannesburg. As with any big city, there are troublesome areas. I learned living in New York City that I wasn't going to walk around a bad neighborhood wearing my three piece suit at 11 o'clock at night!!! Hmmm.... wonder if having a recumbent will be a deterrant. There just aren't too many there. The Cresta cyclist said that in all the time he's lived in Joburg, he's seen maybe two recumbents.
A plus is that Johannesburg is hilly, which will make the next year's training plan for PBP so much better.
Oh did I mention that when it's winter here, that it is summer in Joburg? So I get to leave Portland Oregon the end of summer, head to Joburg as winter is ending, spend the summer and fall in Joburg, and when school ends, come back to Portland for spring and summer.
I can see 12 months of cycling in my future.
To continue with my new motto: "I can live with that."
P.S. The bikes be going to Joburg:
Ti Aero: Go fastest climb bestest bike.
Bike Friday SAT R DAY (green): Folder if I have to fly somewhere or for intermodal commuting.
Bike Friday NWT: For gett'n around the city streets.
Bike Friday Tandem: Obvious, eh?
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