Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour 2011.

Exactly 10 years ago Grant took part in his first "Argus" cycle tour and yesterday he took part in his second - with one BIG difference: this time he used his arms not his legs.

Since his operation in May last year there has been a significant reduction in Grants pain levels, unfortunately it comes with the loss of the use of his legs. However it has allowed him to take part in activities that, for the last 10 years, have been out of the question.

He is able to go to the gym and takes part in swimming and some weights training and has also

taken up hand cycling.

Now, "in his day" Grant was a very good swimmer and enjoyed tri-athlon so this is a huge step

for him to be able to exercise and "compete" again at some level.

After buying a bike second hand and doing it up a bit (a lot!!) he was determined to attempt the 109km cycle tour that is held every year in Cape Town. It follows a beautiful scenic route around the Cape Peninsula and over quite a few hills and in fact mountains!!

The day started out (very) early - at 3:45 a.m. to be exact! We needed to be in Green Point by 5:30 a.m. to get set up and get ready to join some other hand cyclists, including Ernst van Dyk, as they were given a police escort to the start in Town.

So Saturday night entailed getting everything ready to go and loading the Praying Mantis (as it has become known!) into the car.

At 5 a.m.ish we arrived outside the Cape Town stadium to meet some serious cycling dudes! Their bikes are awesome, (Grant's is a dinosaur in comparison), costing +- R45000.00 a piece! Grant's doesn't come close! They were given a police escort and then waited in the wings for

their time slot. They are not able to line up in the official start gates because of pavements etc.

Just look at these bikes, these guys lie down almost completely flat, their bikes are amazing.

Just before their time slot they line up along the side of the starting area:then after that group leave they turn around and get into position.

And then they're off!

Can you spot the celebrity?!!

Grant looking very nervous!

It was a beautiful day and "perfect" conditions little or no wind and a moderate temperature.

This was the only other time I saw him along the way - in Constantia, about 14km from the start. He had lots of supporters along the way but with many of the roads closed for the cyclists I couldn't get to anywhere except Hout Bay on the the other side of a mountain and one of the most dreaded hills - Chapman's Peak.

After seeing him in Constantia I went home to sort out a few things that were left in a not so organised state while getting ready to leave long before the crack of dawn and then headed off to wait in Hout Bay.

I sat there, on a rock in the middle of a traffic circle for about 4 and half hours watching literally thousands and thousands of cyclists go past.

The crowd eventually dwindled as everybody got to see whoever it was they were waiting for.

It rained. And I was eventually left with a bunch of out of tune, slightly drunk 60+ year olds who were obviously devoted to the bitter end singing things like "Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag" badly.

There was also a group of township boys aged about 5 who sat on my rock singing "Suikerbos ek wil jou he" and if you are a Capetonian and/or familiar with the route you will appreciate the humour.

Anyway, the end of the story is that Grant was stopped at the start of Chapman's Peak and not allowed to continue. I finally got the call I was dreading from an unknown number but it wasn't a paramedic calling to tell which hospital he had been taken to, it was Grant asking me to meet him at home. It was a disappointing end but wise one as he would most likely not have made the finish in time and it would have been that much more devastating after conquering Chapman's.

The distance he covered was 84.8km which on your arms is no joke and although he didn't finish we are very proud of him and as he put it, he didn't give up he was forced to stop! A small consolation for someone who doesn't like to give up!

He will be back next year to try again with more training and hopefully a better bike but for now he is resting his very tired arms for a while!

And to end, Niaves picture of "Daddy riding his bike":

So sweet - although I don't see any arms in there!!