Quickly

Today has been a rollercoaster. Broke another spoke on my way down Swartberg Pass. Got really really frustrated at what was going on. My brakes were screeching like absolute cats being put through a grinder. I was not doing well. 

I find a bike shop.... I find this place called heaven. It is a bike shop. I speak to the boss man. Hey boss, spokes no good. Brakes broken. Chain think it's toast too. Pedals feel like sandpaper. Rider seriously unhappy. 😔 You got solutions? He says go across the road. Have a coffee ☕ and a food. Take your time and come back just now. I said is that it!! He says go. I go'd. I do what he says. I feel sad. I can't see my bike. It's gone. Trip is over. Call 911. Life is ending. Bring me the rope. 

I pull myself together with the cable ties I find in my pocket. Not great but it works. I go back. Boss man is nowhere to be seen. I start crying. Young dude comes over and says "your wheel?" and shows me my wheel. It is fixed 🤩🤩🕺🕺. I cry, he cries. The lady at the desk starts crying. It is reunited to the bike. I cry, he cries. The lady at the desk cries. I ask about the other shit. He says chain it's no gang but it is good. I cry, he cries. The lady at the desk cries. I ask about the pedals. He looks at me. He starts crying. I cry the lady at the desk slaps her hand down and says shut up, enough now. I stop crying. He stops crying. We all look around to see if anyone is watching. The boss man is crying of laughter from his "perch" above the store. 

I had mentioned to the lady at the desk about my accommodation dilemma. She had kept quiet up until now. After I had settled my very reasonable tab she says... oh yes. I got an option for you. R300  for a 4 star 🌟🌟🌟🌟 place down the road. I cry, she cries the bossman and the mechanic piss themselves laughing. I shout sold! 

Here I am. 4 star accommodation. 💵💵💵. Three hundred notes. No sleeping bag. No blow up mattress. No windy tent. Today had been a very emotional day. For reasons above and other. I don't know how to explain things sometimes. I just feel I live my life how I can. I don't always get it right. I don't always do the right thing. 

On this trip I have learnt many things. Most of all sometimes when you feel you are being kicked in the balls, don't look down the barrel of a gun. Change your mindset. I was very negative when the second spoke broke. Angry. Confused. Disappointed. Pissed off. Bitter. But life came through. 

I stopped at the campsite on my way in and asked how much. 280 she says. For a campsite. Here 300 for 4 stars. I think I am going back to the campsite tomorrow 🤣😅😆🤣😅😆🤥🤥🙈🙉🙊.

Just for a little icing on this... the couple who own this palace are legendary. He is a bicycle rider like myself. In fact he owns a company that does exactly what I want to do. He says times are tough. He also has another gig going to pay the bills so they will get through this. He has offered to ride with me out of town tomorrow. So it will be. 10am kickoff. Today has been a learning curve I hope to remember. Never look down. There is nothing down there. Look up. The sun is shining. Let it shine on you. On me. On us. Look up. The sun is shining my friends. If you are reading this. Look up. Let's go there together. 

Be safe all. 

Lots of love

G