Real Pure Savage training ride.

The morning started with our new recruit messaging the group at 4:55am that he was already at our starting point in the quaint town of Somerset West, a full 35 minutes before the arranged meeting time. This is very different to Travis “I just left the house” Coppin. Once the mocking had subsided and everyone rocked up, Kevin made the amazing observation that sitting in the Virgin Active parking lot there was in fact no wind, a statement he would be reminded about for the next 78.7km.
Nothing better than a paceline in the morning
As soon as we ventured through the empty streets of the Strand we soon realised that the wall of wind in our face was not going anywhere soon. We made our way through Gordon’s Bay as we remembered how much Szymon, one of our Savages now overseas used to love coming to Somerset West. 
We reached our first climb of the day, the Steenbras dam climb and headed up. We are planning an everest attempt soon and this was one of the climbs on our short list. The South Easter was properly pumping now making the switch back up the mountain side that more painful. The wind was so strong Calvin was blown off his bike and into the road. Luckily the more meatier guys stayed upright although not moving at any amazing pace. By the time we had reached the top the use of the climb for the everest attempt was ruled out as certain death was guaranteed.
Top of Clarence drive
We decided not to be soft and continued into the headwind towards Klienmond. Although we were sitting at 85% of our max heart rate and staring at a 25km/h average speed the views did make up for the weather. 
We dropped Aaron going into Betty’s Bay, kidding, he had to turn back as he was only doing a 3 hour ride that day. The next two hours went by in relative silence as we took turns on the front into the wind. 
Big rigs into the wind
Once we turned left to head towards Arabella the worst of the head wind was over, in fact all the wind was over and there was no tail wind to speak of on the way home. 
As we hit the rollers coming passed Arabella Kevin was in his big blade with his shinny new 32-11 cassette cruising ready for next weeks Everest attempt, although when he changed into the 32 there was not enough chain and the derailleur met the cassette and bonded into one mangled paper weight. As he poked at the hopeless situation Brendon collected some jockey wheels from the road and handed it to him like really useless time share prize. 
Derailleur “hugging” cassette
In true Pure Savage fashion we just left him there, we did leave him a phone and call our amazing support crew from Somerset West first though. (In all fairness they did not know they were our support crew until the phone call, thanks to Jess and friends for helping out Dolley with his broken trolley.) 
Amazing views and roads
Sufferfest Selfie
The boys rolled onto the Houwhoek Pass, its a really great climb, ,amazing views, good road surface and wide shoulder. Although while on the pass with zero wind it felt like a furnace, but when checking the garmins later it was only 30 degrees. Once the two mountain goats had waited for Brendon the boys headed off to Perequin farm stall for a well deserved top up. While topping up with supplies Brendon thought he spotted Bernard using the serviettes to clean the dirt off his bike, on further investigation he was just wiping all the pain from the past four hours off his glasses. 
Waiting for fatty
Once summited Sir Lowrys Pass the team rolled back to the car park to meet Kevin and have a quick debrief/laugh at the days exploits. It was decided then and there that Kevin would be in charge of the blog this week seeing as he would feature in most of it.

Here is a link to the ride on Strava here