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Jimbo Armstrong is 72 today!
The Grandads Army cyclist celebrated his birthday on the bike, pedaling alongside nine cyclists from Orpen gate at the Kruger National Park to Jock of the Bushveld, near Mbombela in Mpumalanga.
He is honoured at this morning’s devotion, each member of our party says a word that describes him.
Kindness, strength, eccentricity, knowledgeable, tenacity, unconventional, unassuming.
He is shy of the spotlight amid showers of love and appreciation.
Then it’s back in the saddle for day five. (The kitchen kweens will no doubt pick up a sweet treat or cake for the evening).
Friday’s 104km cycle is split into three legs, with a stop at the Graskop Gorge for a taste of SA splendour and heritage down a huge elevator.
It was a mist opportunity. The entire valley was engulfed in white, so no big gorge photo opp, but a gorgeous rainy forest walk.
Capt Andrew Langtree, 65, said: “I’m sh** scared of heights. if it was a normal day I would not take the lift. I would gladly wait at the top and park off looking the other way.”
I don’t know how these men manage it, cycling over 100km a day, waking up before dawn, and still being able to visit some of the most incredible sites.
The Eyabantwana Heritage ride is raising funds to support the paediatric unit at Cecilia Makiwane and Frere hospitals.
The aim is R500,000, the online fundraising platform is set to R200,000 and we hit the R20k mark on Thursday.
It must be been a sign of good fortune.
Prof Lazarus and I saw something incredible on Thursday.
The last car in our convoy, rushing to get out the Orpen Kruger gate, in the dusk.
A leopard steps onto the road not 15m in front of us.
He is large, flicking his tail lightly he lopes to the other side of the road, staring straight at our car, tail flicking.
Prof and I are platzing, I’m shaking trying to grab my phone for pics which is slipping out of my hands because I took the cover off — the leopard flops down behind a bush. I manage to snap some kind of evidence that this actually happened.
I edge forward, he gets up, lopes back into the bush to a large tree in a clearing 50m away.
Stops. Looks back. Walks to the tree. Marks his territory with a wizz and scratch in the dust.
And he’s gone.
At dinner when we show the Grandads our incredible sighting, Cappie Andrew Langtree jokes that at each stop they have also been marking their territory.
In total they have covered 528km, 35.2% of the total.
Only 972km to go.
Today’s padkos: Egg mayo sarmie, fruit chews, peanuts and raisins, mutton wors, mini Bar One, muffin and of course, a banana.
Support the ride and the trust. Donate to Eyabantwana for the Children Trust, Nedbank, Beacon Bay, current account 1138181366 or give at Given Gain at www.givengain.com/campaign/eyabantwana-heritage-ride
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Daily Dispatch
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