Ann De Ruig
Ann had racked her brains to find some way of putting back into the larger community the kindly support and generosity of her small Tzaneen, South Africa, community. They had made it possible for her to participate in the 5,000m and 10,000m running events at the World Association of Veteran Athletes’ Championships in Durban in 1997, placing third in the former.After many frustrations and resistance from Colin, she organized a tandem cycle ride from Beit Bridge to Cape Town in 1999 for the SOS Children’s Villages.This proved such a success and so much fun that she immediately started organizing another ride, this time on a grander scale to draw the attention of the country to the struggles of the elderly. It proved even more of a hassle and a heart-ache but on Women’s Day, August 9th 2002, they left Tzaneen on a 4550km ride through the length and breadth of South Africa. . It was tiring, uncomfortable at times, positively exhausting at others, but she would do it all again in an instant.The final ride from Johannesburg to Cape Town was a breeze as it was organized by Charity Beyond 2000 for Meals on Wheels and all they had to do was pedal.During their adventures they visited small, little-known, out of the way villages. And in doing so they met, ate and lodged with members of all the groups of this rainbow nation learning more of the country’s history, culture and traditions than they had ever been taught in school.Read and experience their South African adventure through her eyes than come here and see it for yourself.
