It was to be the 40th Argus/Pick n Pay Cycle Tour – the world’s largest timed cycling event – but it did not happen. A number of issues worked against it, starting with the wind. After the 2009 Cycle Tour which was also crazy windy, I think the organisers didn’t want a repeat of that. But then there was also some civil unrest in a crucial part of the race and fires in another. It was a good call. Check these videos out…
This is when those at the start tried to leave…
Even the tandems couldn’t cope…
Yip, 2017 will go down as the 40th year of the PnP Argus Cycle Tour – the tour that never was.
It was the right decision to cancel, but a real difficult pill to swallow for the 5000 participants who had flown into Cape Town to take part.
Cape Town is known for its variable climate. The strong south-easter has been blowing like this for centuries. During the change in seasons (March/April and September/October) it is known to moderate but it’s not impossible to get gale force winds during these months. The 2009 Cycle Tour did go ahead with extreme winds. Thousands of participants did not finish the race.
Maybe the answer is to move the date to the end of March in the hope that by then the fierce summer winds may have abated. But nothing is guaranteed. After all my biggest memory of 2009 was Stacey’s wedding day. Arranged for 20th June 2009, it was mid-winter. We had a plan to have it all indoors, but the day before the wedding, we changed the plan to have the reception outside. Cape Town mid-winter and here was the incredible setting on a lovely calm sunny June day….
It was spectacular.
So with Cape Town’s weather you just don’t know. It’s possible to have all 4 seasons in one day.
One thing we do know is that the Lord brings out the wind from His storehouses…
Psalm 135:7
He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses.
#229 of my 1000 thanks is for a calm day despite the rough winds.
Hopefully, next year will be a successful and happy Cycle Tour.
These are the days!
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂