I cannot, for the life of me, remember if I have ever had a blind date, if I didn’t, I now know that I missed a valuable life experience while growing up.
I can however imagine what it would feel like; sweaty palms, elevated heart rate, quickened breathing… (OK I stop there).
Meeting my Absa Cape Epic partner was much the same feeling.
I had not seen, spoken to or ridden one meter with him prior to the Absa Cape Epic. Three very short e-mails were our total communication.
#Rule 101 of the Epic; choose your partner carefully. #Rule 102 of the Epic choose your partner VERY carefully.
I met Heinz Zorweg at the Cape Town Water Front registration. I received a WhatsApp saying “I will be in KTM cycling top see you at 11am at race registration (note to self – perfect English).
Sure as tubeless tyres puncture there he was, ready and waiting. Germanic punctuality!
To my absolute amazement Heinz spoke little or no English. The WhatsApp message had come via Heinz’s’ daughter studying in America.
No problem to our Manager/soungiour come chef, driver and mechanic, washer and general dogs body Ali, she downloaded a German/English translation app and we were in communication, well kind of.
The two mission-critical words were dealt with immediately;
1.Fast- Schnell
2.Slow- Langsaam
Another note to self, I got the order of these two words wrong.
And… so we began our Anglo-German War, the only difference we were now on the same TEAM, but still not talking.
We were however starting to communicate; it is unbelievable how much non-verbal communication we had in common.
And so, we tackled the Absa Epic, eight days, 718km’s 14 850m of climbing.
Prosit to Heinz and a Successful Absa Cape Epic! – Cycle Nation
