Its been a busy sporting week.. two rounds of  golf including the best 2 iron I have ever hit, 30km on the water over the weekend with 3x 60min ergo sessions in between. By Sunday, I was pretty knackered after a hard session at Wemmer.

We are travelling to Greece next weekend, so I'm trying to put the milage in this week in anticipation of what I will miss over the weekend (spending time with friends at their home in Andros). and then a couple of cocktail parties in Athens at the beginning of next week - so we are leaving the cooler weather behind for a week.

Last nite, I pulled my best 60 min ergo ever.. 2.02.2 average for 60 mins and the last 30 mins in 2.00.05 splits - or 14718m!!

For months I have been dawdling along at a rate of about 20 spm for 60 mins, but as my fitness (and confidence) has improved, so I have managed to up the SPM. Now I am quite happy at around 25 SPM or more for an extended period of time and consequently the splits are dropping and the distances increasing.

Another 4km to go to get to 1200km!!

Matjiesfontein

Reached Matjiesfontein today - bit of a shithole but loads of history.,... 1184 km into the ergo trip from Sandton to Cape Town. 

Matjeisfontein was an important stop on the railway between Cape Town and Kimberley, and subsequently through De Aar to Johannesburg.

Matjiesfontein was also a recuperation town for the British soldiers wounded during the relief of Kimberley (after the Battle of Magersfontein) and Mafeking in early 1900. After the Boer war ended in 1902, Matjiesfontein became a trendy spot for Asthma suffers - and any other chest ailments. Cant imagine anyone with TB or the likes would want to live the rest of their lives in this spot.

So about another 240km to go. At 14km a session, should be another 17-20 sessions so we should be there be there before the end of June...

Then we have to make another decision on where to go or what to do..

Matjiesfontein Hotel

I found this splendid place for you to stay in while you are here, Simon.
Sue.

Previous experience

Flights and hotels are booked, entries are in so just visa and training to do.  With only two and a half months to go and this to look forward to - bums and balance:

Stardate 83 - or 17 May 2014

It was a fabulous day for a row...so we did. Tim was on a Tour de Restaurant of Harties Dam, so we wound our way all around the edge looking for likely landing spots and eateries!

 

Judy is the one holding the camera!

Ladies training hard for Canal du Midi (Lunches)!

An Easter Training outing at Hartebeespoort

We will be rowing in Youlettes at Canal du Midi, and so have been focusing our training on long outings in the Hutton's fleet of Youlettes, at Hartebeespoort.

 It's quite a production to tow all the boats down and then get everybody into them, but an early trip along the length of the dam to the Yacht Club for breakfast is quite something!

 Tim and Wendy own several 4's including a large seagoing Youlette which feels much like its smaller cousins on the water!

 You can row for nearly 20km's around the dam if you try!

 The Youlette's are light in the water, but just try carrying one! For those of us used to light Empacher shells, it was quite a shock! At that point we began worrying about what exactly we had gotten ourselves into, with all that portaging to come! Wendy and Tim run what they term 'Adventure Rowing' tours in their boats all over Southern Africa from this site www.adventurerow.co.za.

The Canal du Midi Tee.

Stardate 90 and counting down!

"I can teach 90% of the rowing stroke in ten minutes.  The other 10% will require a lifetime of effort to learn." - Quote from the late Alan Francis.

Late last year a couple of the oarsmen (persons) at Wemmer Pan Rowing Club bandied around the idea of going to Rallye Canal du Midi 2014. Wemmer Pan had been several times over the last decade and the prime members of the past groups were planning on doing it again this year - the Huttons! Judy and I had longingly talked of going since the late 1980's and this year I took a look at my Bucket List and decided that whatever the cost, this was what I really wanted to do for my 50th.

Wendy and Tim Hutton were both already rowing when I was struggling to learn to do so as a student at UPE in Port Elizabeth. Judy was the stroke of our arch enemy and long time rivals at Wemmer Pan. Soon I had moved up to Johannesburg and joined Judy's team of ladies, rowing at opposite ends of 2 eights. Over the years the ladies members dwindled, until I found myself still rowing behind Judy, but now in a double and firm friends with the Huttons who were stalwarts at Vikings Rowing Club.

Time passed (as it does) and now we were all celebrating our 50th's one by one. The rivalry of different clubs had blurred into teams fielding both ladies & men in one boat. Add to that members of different clubs climbing into the same boat to race against another mixed Masters crew, so putting together 6 good men & ladies for the Oarsome Crew was no trouble. OK it is mostly created from like minded people with both the time and wherewithal to go on a 2 week trip to France!

So now would probably be the best time to introduce you to the members of this group. Spearheading the team is Professor Tim Hutton (Prof) always the first with a dry quip or observation.









Keeping him in hand is Wendy (Row Harder) Hutton. She is the organizer and glue around which we all revolve. Wendy has the experience as one of South Africa's most prolific and long lasting scullers to claim the attention of her team mates when she coxes them from any position in which she might find herself in the boat.

Chief Director is Judy, she of the pearls and high heels. She is both the steel and the Social Butterfly of the team.  Nothing daunts Judy...except maybe the thought of Rowing a 200km stage race! But Judy is nothing if not faithful to her closest friends and would do it with a smile to make me happy!








And then there is Simon (Strongman) Lester about whom legends revolve! It has been said that he can lift a 200kg Youlette from the water on his own! It is also documented and witnessed that he has rowed enough ergs in training to have done the 1500km's between Johannesburg and Cape Town! This without losing his svelte waistline! We hope to not have to put the legend to the test, but it makes us happy knowing that you will be with us Simon!

In every group of overachievers, there is one individual who keeps going in the background. Being on time, doing the necessary work with a smile and filling in the gaps where they appear. This is Mark. His claim to fame is being uber successful at finding TOILETS on the banks of the Canal du Midi. I expect much will be written about him in the months to come.





 

Lastly, myself in the Bow (Mighty Mouse) Sue...although I should point out that I am actually at the front, working hard to help steer the boat, braving cold water on my back, not to mention first over the line! This is a crew full of talkers and I am no exception. I believe the secret to a happy crew is as little discord as possible. Keeping sarcastic quips to a minimum will be our greatest challenge through the 49 portages around locks, with a heavy boat!





Our mission for the next month - to row together as many times as possible. The short term objective is Long Row at the Vaal on the 17th June...mid Winter in South Africa. Flights and accommodation have been booked and paid for, t-shirts designed and gloves are being tested out. By my reckoning Simon has passed Worcester on his erg-trip to Cape Town and the balance of us are beginning to feel the urgency of training for 45km rowing days...

From the left: Simon, Judy and Sue celebrating a win at SA Champs together with Johnny and our cox.