Hi Friends

You have been asking us when we are going to play next, so now you have an answer, next month! I hope that you will be able to join us (more details below the advert).

Craig

Saturday 25 April

1st Pinelands Scout Hall

St Stephens Road, Pinelands

Doors open at 7:30pm

Prebook your ticket for R90, or R100 at the door. Book online www.tuesdayschild.co.za/bookings

Email craig@johnwhiffen.co.za, or call 082 789 3899

Bookings limited to 100!

Charity Gig! – all proceeds donated to the John Whiffen Golden City Memorial Trust, promoting and supporting personal growth for disabled people through Toastmasters membership. Download some of our tracks for free now www.craigstrachan.com/tuesdayschildpodcast The John Whiffen Golden City Memorial Trust is a registered Not For Profit Organisation—NPO 47-931

For further details, please visit www.johnwhiffen.co.za

So, what exactly does the John Whiffen Golden City Memorial Trust do? Most of you know that that Lois and I have been members of Toastmasters for many years. Toastmasters is one of the best ways to develop communication and leadership skills.

A few years ago, a friend of ours, John Whiffen started a Toastmasters club in Johannesburg, to create opportunities for the physically and mentally challenged to achieve personal growth and integrate more fully with society through Toastmasters in South Africa. John died tragically in a construction accident in 2004. As a tribute to John, the trust has been setup to continue John’s vision, providing Toastmasters training to people that otherwise do not have a voice.

About tuesday’s child When Lois was declared blind in Durban in 1992, the first thing she did was to join a rock band. When she moved to Cape Town, she met Craig, and it was not long before they were performing a mixture of original and cover music throughout Cape Town, mostly under the name “tuesday’s child”. The music varied from a quite acoustic duo, through to a full four-piece rock band, with Mike on lead guitar, and Richard on drums.

Tuesday’s child have been played on both national and international radio, and one of their tracks even reached #1 on the SA Rock Digest music charts in 2002. Tracks can be downloaded for free off the band’s website – www.tuesdayschild.co.za

Happy St Patrick's Day

Have a good glass of Bushmills, a good party and plenty of Irish luck!

May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you, and all your heart might desire.

Happy St Patrick’s Day, even if he chased the druids of Ireland.

To misquote Charles Dickens, Sunday was the worst of rides, Sunday was the best of rides…let me explain. I have been training for the Argus Cycle Tour for almost a year now, and this time I have really been putting in the extra hours in the saddle.

On Saturday evening the South Easter started to blow. By Sunday morning, it was howling. When I arrived at the start line, the city bowl was experiencing a regular Cape Doctor. Portable toilets had been blown over, banners had to be cut in half to prevent the scaffolding from blowing over, and later I learned that about 7000 people simply did not arrive at the start – it was too windy.

When my group eventually left (45 minutes late), it was so windy that just beyond the start line we had to get off our bikes and walk for about 100m through a particularly windy section under a bridge. The wind howled all the way through Simonstown, and up to Cape Point. My average speed at that time was a modest 17km/h (very slow).

For the next section, the wind was behind us, which was a pleasure. I could cruise along at over 50km/h, without even breaking a sweat. That was the only really enjoyable part of the race (except of course the finish line).

However, the rest of the ride was miserable. The wind (which at times gusted at over 140km/h) was gusting in every direction. One minute it would blow at you from behind, rocketing you forward, and the next it hit you head on, suddenly slowing you down to a stop. I had to hang only my handlebars simply to keep my bicycle in a straight line. In fact, I believe that somebodies bicycle actually got blown off the side of Chapman’s Peak; thank goodness they were not on the bike at the time.

I also believe that because the wind was getting too heavy, they had to close the mountain passes early. I eventually finished after 5 hours 45 min, over 1.5 hours slower than I was hoping for.

So, why on early was it the best of rides? Simple, because my training paid off. In every measurement (except for time), I performed better. I did not stop at all (except to full my bottles or to eat something), I did not get cramp, and I had no problems getting up the hills. Sure, the hills were tough, but I was not struggling. In fact, my relative placing was over 10% better (in improvement of about 2500 in position). I have no doubt that without the wind, I would have got my 4.5 hour time that I was hoping for.

Just a few days break, and then back into the saddle to start training for next year.

Yes, we are almost there.

Tomorrow the roads are closed, Cape Town grinds to a halt, and over 35000 cyclists take to the streets. They will cycle 109km through the wonderful city of Cape Town. It is of course, the annual Cape Argus/Pick n Pay Cycle Tour tomorrow – the largest timed cycling event in the world.

In fact there are so many cyclists that the last group, which starts at 10:09am, will start approx 1.5 hours after the first group have finished! I will be on the road tomorrow, leaving at a modest 8:30am, which is not too bad.

This will be my fourth cycle tour, it is going to be a hot race, but I am looking foward to it! Look out for me, and if you get a chance, pop past our tent #115 at the finish line.

I am cycling for the John Whiffen Golden City Memorial Trust, so how about making a donation to a good cause!

Just a quick update – Lois is being interviewed today on GHFM (Good Hope) at 12:50pm. She will be speaking on Toastmasters, communication and leadership skills.

You can listen online here.

I hope that you manage to listen.