Argus Part 1...

Saturday morning was the Junior Argus Cycle Tour.  Jake was adamant that he'd be doing the 10km ride this year, after having done the 5km last year.  We have spent quite a bit of time on our bicycles this year, just doing short trips to the local shopping centre and to visit family nearby.  We definitely haven't done 10kms!!  On one slightly longer trip (probably about 5km), Jake had to stop 3 times for water, so I wasn't holding my breath for a great ride on Saturday and was secretly quite relieved that he had Danie to ride with him.  Before the race, I made Jake promise that he wouldn't whine and moan about being thirsty and tired, that it wasn't a race (it always is when it comes to boys though) and that he just needed to go out there and have fun.  Needless to say, he did stop for water plenty of times en route, but he had a great time and he is so, so proud of the medal he "won".  Well done, Jake!  And thank you, Danie, for riding with him, you're the best!

At Danie's house the morning of the ride...

An excited little man.  That's Laila's snout on the right...

Arriving at the race track (Youngsfield Military Base, which is just around the corner from where my mom grew up)...

Jake & Jamie, Danie's brother's son.  Jake adores Jamie.  They were hoping to win the PS3 that was being given away...

There was lots of entertainment for the kids, including magic and snake shows before the ride.  The boys are watching the snake show here...

Jake with his cousins, as he calls them, Kira and Jamie, all ready to go...

As a surprise, Jake's Granny and Grandpa came through to watch his ride...

My boys all set for action...

Looking cool after lap one...

This guy was super good.  The commentators kept calling him Michael Schumacher...

All done - well done, Jake!!  And I think well done Danie!  It's crazy out there, the kids are all over the show, which is why I'm glad I could stand on the sidelines and take photos.  I would've fallen, or crashed into a kid.  Probably my own...

Coming through to collect his medal and goodie bag...

I'm super proud of you, my beautiful (naughty) boy...

Happy cyclists...

And one last one with his proud mommy.  Shew - I know where Jake gets his white pins from now...

To those of you with kids, this is such a lovely, fun day out as a family.  The tricycle tour is only 2.5km, then there's the 5km and the 10km rides.  They all get medals (if they finish), a cool drink and a goodie bag, which had a packet of crisps, a cereal bar, a bucket & spade, a canal walk voucher, a spur voucher, a lollipop and a few other odds and ends in it.  There are water points along the road for them too.  It was not expensive either - I paid R135 to register Jake to ride with one adult rider, plus paid for an extra adult rider and bought him a gorgeous T-shirt.  All for R135??  Join us next year, it'll be fun!!

Once again, well done Jake, you're my super star!!

Sue X