Howzit?

    Oh how the days go by so fast and the scenery changes. This last month has seen a fair bit of travel days and a whole lot of training. I am now fully on into my base training and the miles are being piled on.

    As with just about every year since 1999 this year I went to the annual Ambush Hill Training Camp with the Ambush Racing Team over Thanksgiving weekend. The weekend was filled with the standard mix of innate ramblings and jovial antics that always come about when the Ambush guys get together.

    Friday night brought about a debate on which route we would be taking. After a bit of back and forth talk about everyone's current fitness level we decided to do the Epic. The Epic is a thing of legend among the Ambush Team and the 118 mile ride is looked at with reverence and a bit of reservation.

Ambush Team resting 75 miles into the ride.

    The team set out to ride early on Saturday with five brave souls, only two made it. One of the guys was a victim to a cold and turned around early. This was actually luck for the rest of us as we had a person to meet us at about mile 75 and follow with food and drink. Had no one turned back it would have been no stores for the first 80 miles and the last 38, most of which are hilly, would have to finish because there was no ride home less your bike.

The infamous Charlie's Angles Lookout Point. An Ambush Racing tradition since 1999.

    Still, I finished the ride and was happy with how well I felt during the ride. The Ambush Training Camps to Ambush Hill have always been some of my favorite riding. It may be 7 hours on a bike, but it never feels like it. After the camp I planned to stay at Ambush Hill for another week, but my trip was ended early by a broken spoke and no spare wheel. So I headed home before my trip to South Africa.

    My trip to South Africa entailed a little three day stop off in Belgium where I picked up my contract for 2005, dropped off some winter clothing at a friends house and sorted out those details of life that can't be handled via phone and e-mail. It was a nice time and I got to ride with my teammate Jurgen on the indoor velodrome in Gent. For me it was a nice flashback to my track days.

    My arrival to South Africa was quite an adventure. When I boarded the train to Paris in Brussels an Air France representative said the flight was under a possible cancellation due to a crew strike to take place at midnight, twenty minutes pre depart! At the airport the baggage checking personnel didn't want to take my bags because I was arriving an hour before the flight even though I had pre-checked in at Brussels. I did finally make it onto the plane and arrived in South Africa to the slowest passport control known to man. Still to top off the trip was having a nice car wreck just an hour into the country. We were hit from behind with my bike in the boot (trunk). There was 6 inches clearance pre-wreck, 1.5 post wreck!

Roodeport, the area of Johannesburg where I will be staying, last time in Sa it was a 1k climb, this time it's just over a kilometer and steeper!

    The first two weeks in South Africa were full of long rides with my friend Peter-Lee. We became friends the first time I came to South Africa and he makes for a good training partner. The rides have been long, the tan lines defined as well as the legs. All nice signs of the winter training going well.

    We did take off a little time from the bike for the New Years holidays, but far less than I ever have in the past. I went with Peter-lee and his parents to the Dragon Peaks Resort in the Drakensburg Mountain range for a nice little holiday break. While there we got in some great riding with some great scenery and mountain passes.

Peter-Lee with the Dragons Peak Mountain behind him.

    For me the highlight of the trip didn't involve the bike. Actually the low point was my rear derailleur breaking, that did involve the bike. Back to the point, Dragon Peaks has its annual Johnny Kambouris Memorial Run. My friend Peter-lee has won the run for the last three years in a row. So this year I wanted to take the run. It's only 4k, but it's along the airfield and straight up the mountain side!

Along the airfield and up the mountain side, then to the two trees on the right side of the mountain and back.

    The start of the run was fast, with guys sprinting all out from the gun. I started off at a nice pace and kept it steady, not being lured into going to hard to soon. Hey, my Junior High Cross Country experience helped me finally! By the time we hit the mountain side I was in a small group of five. Going up the mountain it was one right after another the two guys in front just stopped. Soon enough the footsteps became less and less behind me. At the top I had a comfortable lead and going back down I maintained it. At the finish I was a little over 30 seconds on Peter-lee and dead. So the first win of the almost new year, but it was a small running race. I did pick up a 500 rand (90 dollar) voucher for next years stay at the park, so I guess I need to come back.

    Now it's back to regular training, long miles, and some early season races. This up and coming weekend I have the Pick'N'Pay Hyper to Hyper, one of the fastest races in South Africa. Three years ago I was 6th, one out of the money, so this time I will work to increase placing. Take care and keep the rubber side down.

    Tot Ziens,

    -Gregg Germer-