I have just realised that the Argus cycle tour is in just over two months.

So, I guess I had better get onto my bike…

Hi all

A huge thank you to everybody that was at our charity gig last month. After deducting the costs, I am very excited to tell you that we managed to raise over R3500 for the trust, which is fantastic. Thanks to everybody that was there, and thanks especially to our wonderful team of helpers, especially Rory, Lynne, James, Malcolm and Neil.

We had loads of fun, and judging by the reaction, everybody else did as well. Neil recorded the whole gig on video, so once he has finished editing, we will let you know.

This is our first gig in a very long time, and it has inspired us to do some more playing, so watch this space! Anyway, here are a few pictures.

Lois on guitar

Rory on Sound

Me playing my new guitar

Live mixing

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

Lois and Craig Strachan will be playing a selection of covers and their own songs 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

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!

Yes, that is right. After years of being quiet, Lois and I are doing a charity gig. Please keep the evening of Saturday 25 April open. Details to follow.

www.tuesdayschild.co.za

download the band’s music

Netathlon does not have a mechanism by which you can export the training data to import into your training software (well at least not that I could find!). So, I created a simple utility to do just that.

This very simple free utility converts the RAW data generates by Netathlon into a HRM file that can be imported into most training software (tested with SportTracks and Polar Precision Performance).

Download Netathlon to HRM.

No cost or registration (also no viruses or spyware). Just install and off you go. Download the installation here (only about 400k). The software only runs in Windows, and works on Vista.

Instructions

It is very easy to use, simply select the file(s) that you wish to convert, and it saves a copy as a .hrm file. You can then import the .hrm file into SportTracks, and all of your training data will be available. Remember to select metric or imperial units first.

DO NOT RENAME the RAW file before converting. The RAW file does not contain the date of training, so the only way that you can get the date is from the file name.

Upgrading

To upgrade, simple uninstall the previous version, and install the later version.

A few notes

• This utility was written by me, it has nothing to do with the folks that created the Netathlon software
• I have only tested it with cycling files. However, if you have any other Netathlon files, send them to be and I will have a look
• This utility is provided “as is”. While it works fine for me, I cannot guarantee that it will not do any damage on your machine. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.
• You may not modify the software, however feel free to distribute it.
• If you have any comments or suggestions, please leave a comment below, or Email me – cdstrachan@gmail.com

Version History

1.0.3

• Updated to support Run and Row files.

1.0.2

• added support for Polar Precision Performance software.
• Fixed minor error with progress bar when running more than one import sequentially.

1.0.1

• first version supported SportTracks only

If you do like this software, how about making a donation to my favourite cause.

Finally, thanks to this site, and this site for the help on the file formats.

I have just got back from a fantastic 65km cycle, and do you know how I feel? GREAT!

The cycle tour is in exactly 30 days, and this year I really am putting in the time training (mostly on my indoor trainer). However, getting out today on the road showed that the indoor training is really making a huge difference.

Even though the South-easter was howling, it didn’t really bother me. So, I am looking forward to a great race (remember that this time last year I was in bed after back surgery).

I am just about ready for the 109km race, and I think that I should even be able to tackle Boyes Drive!

By the way, for our annual fund-raiser (of which the cycle tour is our main event), watch this space for a surprise announcement…

65km cycle

Good news, the decision regarding Chapman’s Peak being open for the Argus Cycle Tour has finally been made. Yes, it will be open.

According to the cycle tour website:

Following high level meetings, we are very pleased to announce that Chapman’s Peak will be open on Race Day Sunday. We are comfortable that the safety of cyclists, which is clearly our primary concern, will not be compromised and are delighted that this iconic part of the route will be enjoyed again this year.

I am so glad they managed to sort this out. The alternative route (the dreaded Ou Kaapse Weg) is a much tougher and longer route. So we will be cycling through Hout Bay after all. I just hope that no rocks fall on my head :-)

A blogger is being sued for defamation by the RCI-affiliated Quality Vacation Club (QVC) for criticising it on his website Insights and Rants.

This is of huge interest to be, because I often write about good and bad service in my Orchids and Onions section of my blog site. Personally, I feel that if you don’t open your business to public scrutiny and comment, you should question your business practises and integrity very closely.

According to Independent Online,

Donn Edwards was phoned by a telemarketer last year and told that he had won a car. All he would have to do to claim his prize, he was told, was attend a prize-giving ceremony in Midrand, north of Johannesburg.

When he and his wife arrived at the venue, they discovered that the prize-giving ceremony was a QVC marketing presentation at which he and his wife, and the other “guests”, were told to choose a key, after the airing of a video, to determine if he had won the car. He had not.

Edwards wrote about his experience, and his unhappiness about being misled, on his blog.The result of this is that QCV are suing him for damages of R461 500.

Pamela Stein, a partner at legal firm Webber Wentzel Bowens, said the blogger would be able to defend his actions on the basis of fair comment.

“The right of fair comment, along with truth for the public benefit, is one of the fundamental rights of free speech,”

“I have no doubt that commentary that is in the consumer’s interests is in the public interest.”

It will be a very sad day if RCI win this court case. Freedom of expression, and the right to tell the truth are fundamental rights. If RCI are concerned about Donn’s views, they have every right to respond, to comment and to tell their side of the story. However, in my opinion, a large organisation suing a single person that is unhappy is not the approach to follow.

The full artice is on IOL.

The Facebook support group is here.