Most school leavers in SA head off for a week of drunken debauchery at the seaside town of Ballito or Margate. Not Timia. Just yesterday she finished her final exam of her school career and today at 5:30 am together with friends Keegan and Daniel, they set off on an pedal powered adventure to Cape Town. A trip that will no doubt have a profound impact on the way they see the world from now on, well at least that is how it was for me. With a hodge-podge of second hand and make-shift panniers, I was impressed by their half empty bags indicative of a minimalist approach . I admire the courage and spirit of Timia, even more so that she only started to ride about 2mths ago. She set herself a challenge and she’s stuck to her plan, still leaving Howick as planned, even though it was a drizzly damp summer day. I joined them for the first 45min and was very tempted to just keep going….
Oh yes and they are riding in support of the Black Rhino Expansion Programme.
Keep pushing your pedals! see www.firsttimeriders.blogspot.com for their updates.
The 'First time riders', setting off at 5:30 am on their approx 2000km trip to Cape Town
Timi, just freshly one day out of school, kitted up on her 2nd hand Trek, 2nd hand panniers (from my first Asian trip)
Heading through the Midlands mist, their route will head around the 'top' of Lesotho into the Free State, the Eastern Cape etc... Nothing really planned - just how it should be
Timia and the 'helichrysum decorums'!
Heading for Mooi River, I was tempted to join them and just keep going ...
