Pedal Power to the People

It's arguable who had the hardest job on Sunday at the Value Logistics Fast One Cycle Race where New Dawn was one of the clubs marshaling.
     Fortunately we were well prepared, as can be seen by the marshaling lesson given by President Jankees Sligcher at last Wednesday's meeting!

President Jankees flies the flag for New Dawn

     We were also all still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at our rendezvous in Henley on Klip at 6.30 am, before the race started.

The A-team assembles for the long day ahead

    

Brooms at the ready!

     It was swelteringly hot on Sunday though, which must have sapped the pedaling power of even the best cyclists.
     Spare a thought for all those handling the race as well. Marshaling is never easy, but this was even trickier than usual with motorists' tempers flaring in the heat and a gang of at least a thousand motorcyclists pitching up in the middle of the race, engines roaring, on the way from who knows where to some undisclosed destination.
     At least our efforts didn't go unappreciated, as can be seen in the email below to Tom McGhee, the Rotary route manager for the race.

     Thanks also to Mike Shewring, our area manager, who didn't think it was a good idea that all the marshals stay on the course until after 2 pm just for the sake of a few stragglers who didn't bother pitching up at the right time to start. By doing that he narrowly averted the full wrath of Ian and quite a few of the rest of us.
     Fortunately there was a Metro policeman on duty at our busiest intersection and he agreed to stay on. Here's Jankees thanking him:

The Metro cops on point duty made the job a lot easier

Finishing off in the Vaal at midday also meant that the Sligchers and Vinks were released from purgatory in time to have lunch with Greta Schuler's parents, on their first visit to South Africa.

     

Second from left is Kevin Schuler from St Louis, Missouri,
 with Greta's head sticking out in the background with her
 Mom, Martha, next to her

Greta, as most of you know, was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in 2011, mentored by the Sligchers. The role has now been taken over by John Vink (or is it the other way round?) as he and Greta are engaged to be married.

     On another note: Dr. Maria van Driel from Wits and coordinator of the upcoming Jozi Book Fair, sent one of her staff to pick up the Usborne Illustrated Dictionaries which New Dawn and the Rotary Club of Johannesburg North Central donated.

     These will find their way to some of the schools which they help.

     A Date to Remember: The next cycle race is the Carnival City Macsteel race on 21 February. Please let myself or Carol know if you can be there. Our two marshaling posts are right at the beginning of the race, so it should be over much earlier than last weekend.

     A thought for the week: The pessimists see difficulty in every opportunity. The optimists see opportunity in every difficulty. - Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)