WEEKEND SNORKELING

This past weekend  Port Elizabeth dished up the best weather we have seen this  year. Windless, warm and crystal clear oceans.  You only get a handful of days like this in Port  Elizabeth and you better maximize them!

I went out to Sardinia Bay for a snorkel and a swim. This time I was way more successful than when we went to Storms River Mouth.   The idea was more to test my GoPro in underwater conditions.  But as soon as I went under the surface I was amazed at the fish swimming around. Although I didn't get to see a Goblin Shark I still had one heck of a time.This in a spot  where we regularly go for  a swim oblivious to the sea life underneath. I had some great opportunities for some underwater Selfies

Im not scared of sharks

Perfect pool for snorkeling

Underwater Selfie

Its weekends like this that makes me wonder if I really want to move away. The ocean is an easy 10 minute drive away, traffic is never really bad, weather is pretty good all year around and Eastern Cape is the Adventure Province of South Africa.  Its great for raising kids. There is rivers, ocean, mountains (although a bit of a  drive), greenbelts, clean air!

I also found an interesting video about social media and the internet. I agree with the author although there is a place for it. Like all things in life its about striking the  right balance. Its up to each one of us to determine that balance. Keep in mind that the building blocks for fellowship and community is what builds great families.

Now stop reading this blog and go for a jog!

Blogs For Adventurous Dads

Five blogs that will get your blood racing to go on an adventure.

Gone are the days where fathers just sat on the coach, drank beer and watch sport. There is an awakening under fathers and making them realize the time with their kids are precious and they are the number one influencer in their children s life.

Nothing gets kids more excited than  getting dirty and out and about in fresh air. And an adventure is an excellent way for fathers to bond with their children and teach them valuable life lessons.

I keenly remember my father taking us to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town. Its arguably the best botanical garden across the world.With the mesmerizing Table Mountain as a backdrop who can disagree.  One  of our favourite games would be to follow all the small rivers until we cant go any further, then get back onto terrafirma and find our way back to where we started. This was in fact the start of my thirst for adventure, but then it was only playing.

My dad doesnt have a blog showing off his adventures with us kids. It was  a time before the interweb. His only got pictures as proof.  But these guys got blogs and they rock! They stand as a  great example for what dads can do with their kids and how easy it can be.

1. Extreme Jogging:  Like a lot of dads this guy loves the outdoors and running. Unlike a lot of dads he is  not allowing it to come in the way of having a good time with his children.  Every now and again he takes  them with him for a jog while he pushes them in a jogging stroller. The  get to see the great views and he sets a great example of staying fit.

2. Dads Adventure: These guys are all about gearing dads up for being the best in the business. They have great articles specific to dads on how to travel with your baby and making him part of your daily life and they even offer a Daddy Boot Camp.

3. Timothy Olson: The trail runner in me just  had to add this one to the list. Timothy Olson is a two time Western States Endurance Run champion and current record holder.  His also got a great life story worth sharing.  He takes his family along to all the nifty places he gets to race and they are there waiting for him at the finish line. He makes his  family part of his passion. The first time this struck me was with his first win at Western States when he went down on his knees kissing his pregnant wife's belly.

Timothy and family. Image from http://www.sftrails.com

4.  Mike Horn: Mike Horn stands testament that having a family does not stop you from adventures.  He is acknowledged as the worlds greatest modern day explorer.  Having swam the length of the Amazon,  circumnavigating the equator and going to the North Pole in the dark season. Currently he is on his way to bag his fourth (of fourteen) 8000m+ peaks.

5.  Alastair Humphreys:  Alastair is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year award winner  for his work on Microadventures. This concept is to get people outdoors and into the unknown without blowing a load of cash. Its about getting on your bike and seeing where it takes you or going camping on a hilltop in the middle of the week.  This guy makes adventures look easy and is a great source of ideas on simple cheap adventures.

Go check out these blogs for ideas and motivation and let us  know what YOU are planning to get out and about!

EASTER WEEKEND ADVENTURE

Easter weekend rolled in and the weather was looking great! With the parents, newly grand mothered and grandfathered, in town we had some fun up our sleeves.

First up was an egg hunt in the St Georges park. We took turns to hide chocolate eggs, bunnies and even polar ice bears in the nearby bushes and trees.  Everyone then got a chance to go on a hunt with the assistance of "cold" or "hot".  My trusty GoPro was there as well to capture the moment.
   Besides treasure hunting we acted like kids again and did handstands, went on the swing, see-saw and "romtomtalie".

Round  and Round we go

Easter Bunnies be every where

We had a swinging time

Geocaching in the park

Easter eggs also everywhere

Family Day, Monday, took us to St Francis Bay and the river. The plan was to head up river with the guys froom River Break and find a cache that is part of a multi cache which starts in Cape Town.  What is a cache you might ask? Well its part of Geocaching.  A much more advanced form of Easter egg hunting.

Geocaching is a world wide treasure hunt. You hide something and post the GPS  co-ordinates on their website. Its then for anyone to use those co-ordinates to go find the cache and write their name in the logbook.  Thats the simple version. The creative guys use rhymes and riddles to make you solve the answer for the co-ordinates. And dont think these caches are easy to find. They can range from micro size to as big as shipping containers placed in the depths of the sea to even in space!  its a great way to explore the world, have fun and the whole family can join in.  If you are not sure how to go about going on adventures and feel that your short of creative ideas. Just sign up at Geocaching and start caching. But be warned, it might take total control of your life and take you places you thought you would never visit.

5 REASONS YOU NEED TO GO ON AN ADVENTURE

Take your bag, put on your boots, step and get out. Going on a adventure, no matter how small will rejuvenate you beyond imagination.  Here is five good reasons you should do it!

1. Bonding Time: Taking your whole  family or just the kids on an adventure is a  great way to bond on a  personal level.  It gives you the opportunity to spend  real time in each others company without the usual interruptions and duties of every day life.

2. Leave It All Behind: Talking about the daily grind, packing your stuff and taking that trip forces you to leave the worries of every day life  behind and focus on the task at hand. Soon your daily salt mine routine will feel light years away.

3. Pride and Esteem: Travelling and taking on difficult challenges and overcoming it and even excelling at it by using skills you have learned over time gives you pride in achieving it. It boosts your self esteem. This is especially helpful you have gone through some tough times in your life.

4. Reliving Childhood:  When we were little kiddies there was adventure  around every corner, everything was a new discovery for us. Going on adventure connects you to your inner child again where everything is new and exciting. Like going down a sand dune a piece of wood. (Click for video)  We get the opportunity to see the world again through the eyes of a child and appreciate all the beautiful wonderful things.

5. It takes you places and opens the world: A short quote from Sir Ernest Shackleton to motivate  you to go on that adventure you have been putting off:

                “We had pierced the veneer of outside things. We had “suffered, starved and triumphed, grovelled down yet grasped at glory, grown bigger in the bigness of the whole.” We had seen God in His splendours, heard the text that Nature renders. We had reached the naked soul of man.”

Im not the first guy asking why we need to go on adventure. Many has done so before and many will in future.  Here is some guys asking the question as well.

Rogue Priest
Adventure Sauce
Alastair Humphreys

Call for comments:

What adventures did you get up to when you were a little kid?
What benefits are you getting from getting out on an adventure?

THE MEANING OF ADVENTURE

As per the Oxford Dictionary:

Adventure time in my life used to involve physical risk.  Big mountains, long trail runs stuff, we see adventure athletes like Ryan Sandes from Red Bull take head on. Yes, I always aspired to be an adventure athlete.  But, alas, we mere mortals must do desk jockey work to keep the bacon on the table.  So I have opted to do trail running as a hobby and rather tackle the adventurous life of marriage and raising children.  

You might disagree that family life  is  not an adventure, but I would like to point you to the definition of adventure: "A reckless or potentially hazardous action", "Put one's money or life at risk".  Those that disagree with me  probably never saw the fury of an upset wife or the never ending black hole for money in raising kids.  Dont get me wrong, I love every moment and I love my wife and child.  

Adventure is no more an outing in the mountains in horrible weather all alone.  The same type of planning does go into normal family life though.  You still need to pack, repack, check, check and check again before you leave the house with a baby. Even for the most rudimentary of activities like picking up milk and bread. Because heaven forbid if a dirty diaper strikes you in the middle of the dairy isle and you have no diapers available! 

Big adventures can be expensive. Equipment, accommodation, travelling, recce. So maybe raising a baby boy is not so much different. Its expensive, diapers, wet wipes, toys, diapers, food, breakages.

According to Psychology Today there is five elements to adventure.  I will attempt to draw some parallels between adventure in the outdoors and adventure in normal life:

1. "Adventure is high endeavor. It is the ability to think big and think bigger about who you are, how you live, and what you can do in the world."
-The effect a parent can have on his kids are tremendous and bigger than we can think. Raising a child to honour and  respect his fellow beings and nature are just as glorious as going to some far of land to climb a high mountain in raising funds for a charity.

2. "Adventure is total commitment. It is the spirit of willingness to embrace challenge and move toward success. It is the acknowledgement that total commitment does not mean blind faith or brazen disregard, but it is confidence and belief in the face of challenge."
- Only 100% commitment will get you to the top of Mount Everest. Only 100% commitment and belief will raise a well adjusted child that can make a difference in  the world one day.

3. "Adventure has an uncertain outcome. A predetermined outcome is not an adventure but a packaged experience or amusement ride. Life is uncertain - get comfortable with it! It is the acknowledgement that there will be adversity and unease, but that an uncertain outcome is a gift of possibility."
- Planning on rowing the pacific ocean? Accuweather.com saying the weather is looking good? Dont trust a weatherman I always say. its going to be a rough trip and the sooner you adjust mentally for it the better. Kids will always throw you a curve ball. You just think you have sorted out that sleeping cycle and then they start having other issues. Hard part is they cant explain whats wrong and its up to you to figure it out.

4. "Adventure is tolerance for adversity. It is our ability to be resilient in the face of challenge. Our willingness to laugh, use humor, and graceful during difficult situations. The opportunity we each face to take a step back and acknowledge the sometimes absurd aspects of being human, embrace it, and continue on."
-Adventures dont go as plan always, and the best medicine is to take it in your stride and believe you have done all you can and enjoy a cold one afterwards. Your kiddies will challenge you with difficult questions or by challenging your rules. Either way its going to be a bumpy ride and you better take their awkward "Where did I come from?" questions in your stride.

5. "Adventure is great companionship. While our lives can sometimes feel solitary, we can't do it alone. It takes a team to support living in commitment, joy, generosity, and gratitude."
- Companionship is what family is about, through the good and through the bad.

Family life and "extreme" sports are equally adventurous. The one gets more praise and exposure than the other. Doesnt matter how you see it, both can have a profound positive effect on your life and YOU can have a profound positive effect on people through adventure!

Call for Comments:  Did you exchange an adventurous outdoor life for the adventures of family life? Or have you got the magic key to getting your family involved in your adventurous outdoor lifestyle? How did you do it?

Return to Bothmaskop and Beyond

A three o'clock wake up will always be early. Especially a couple of days in Knysna partying hard and looking for wedding venues.  But I was excited never the less. The prospect of standing on a peak beckoned.  Something I haven't done for a while and definitely not this year yet.

We had to hit the road to get to Stellenbosch by 8:00.  My father and I would have another attempt at summiting Bothmaskop. And if time allows continue to Saaltjie via the watershed.

Father and son on Bothmaskop

 It took us 2 hours to summit Bothmaskop at 925m above sea level. The weather was perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed the views while having some biscuits and Melrose Cheeses.  We looked towards Saaltjie and it didn't look that far. So we decided to be brave and push on and then descend through Jonkershoek.

Saaltjie...in the distance before the sharp incline

 The road to Saaltjie is tough. There is no road. You basically follow the ridgeline rock hopping some of the way and bundu bashing the rest through burnt protea bushes. And there is some small koppies thrown into the mix topping out at just below 1000m.  The day dragged on and got really hot. And so the going got rather slow.

The view back to Bothmaskop from the last beacon

 We took regular breaks enjoying the views over Pniel and the Drakenstein mountains.  After much longer than anticipated we summited the last koppie and started our descent.  The descent felt forever winding through the pine plantation and on mountain bike routes. At least we got out of the sun.

The Cathedral...Still on the bucket list

 It was a great day out on my favourite mountain with awesome views. Six and a half hours, 800 vertical meters and 12.5km later we collapsed on the lush green lawn of Jonkershoek tea garden with a couple of beers to celebrate the achievement.

RIDING YOUR SCRUNCHIE OFF: IMPROMPTU RACE

With the beautiful weather hitting our coast last weekend and the half of PE streaming onto the roads for the annual Herald Cycle Tour we decided to head down to the beach front Primi Piatti.  A lazy afternoon of coffee sipping and big burgers was on order while watching the people enjoying the surf and sand.  We also saw some cycle legends refueling with some pasta.
    It was a round trip of 16km.  But disaster struck 400m from home.  OK, I'm exaggerating.  Lida was pedaling gently across the road when a stray chain link got jammed in the rear derailer. The hanger and derailer ended up being bent.  I had to replace the hanger.  It turns out this is not covered on the warranty.  This was very disheartening on a bike that is 2 months old and hasn't even seen the best part of 100km!

Thats not right!

 
I got the bike back yesterday and we decided to go for an gentle ride. An 4k ride and then return via the valley back home.  Nothing serious, just getting back into things.  Arriving at the parking lot where we enter the valley we were confronted with loads of MTBers.  Some of them asking us if we are here for the race. Not sure if they thought we looked like competition for them.  On closer inspection it turned out to be a weekly thing called "The 1 hour madness". It's hosted by one of the local cycle shops, Cyclo Pro.  You get 1 hour to ride a 3k course as much as possible.  Lida was super excited to do this! Even some slight persuasion from my side to reconsider wasn't enough to break her spirit.  We entered and decided that completing two loops will be an achievable target.

We started off quickly and enjoyed the fast sweeping turning single track. By far the most technical we have done. We were leading the slow pack! There was one major climb and Lida owned it on both loops!  We finished our two loops in 35 minutes and decided to call it quits, seeing that we still had to get home.  What a good way for Lida to finish her 25th year on earth.  I would have done another one trying to keep up with the fast guys, but my crank bolt was coming loose.  Another not so good advertisement for the Scott Aspect 40.  I had to free wheel most of 4.5k's back home, with Lida pushing me here and there. Quite a sight for some I'm sure.

Our total distance for the day was 15km. The same as the race I'm training Lida for.  That race will be much less technical than this one and flat as well. So Lida is well on her way!