Me. I’m a cyclist. I have seen every road, street and ally of Cape Town on two wheels. Off-road, down rocks at speed dodging moms with their kids in parks and skimming side mirrors of angry motorists on the road. Seen it on hot days where most people are half naked and happy. Been in rain and wind on days where there are no people to be seen except in passing cars that are warm and dry. Seen the city sleep and arise with the sun. Even walked along the tracks and footpaths of its soul. Been in the heart of it. Felt the love. I hear the beat and how it never skips one. The people, populous, populi are what make things popular.
People go through phases, fads come and go, and the cycle of life does full circles. We all have biorhythms, much like the earth. Cape Town is no exception, although it is exceptional. The heart of the planet, the rhythm beats love. Cape Town is no fad, it is eternal, been through infinite cycles. Sun, rain, moon, snow the seashore has moved back and fourth, the populace has changed along with norms and mindsets. The face of time has changed its expressions, I’m its hands tick tocking, doing Cape Towns bidding.
I was born on two wheels, the days that where memorable in my childhood were spent far away somewhere unbeknown to my mom or me. I used to cycle to school everyday. I was the only one who did. I had to get a special key to lock my bike up in a room no one knew about. I was part of the environment, not watching it through a windscreen.
Those who do watch through a windscreen are generally unsympathetic to cyclists. Iv been hooted at, sworn at, ashed on, death stared, sprayed by the jets that clean windscreens you name it, its probably happened to me, those fat fuckers in cars stomping their carbon footprint all over my planet.
Watching, seeing, believing the mind numbing ripple effect of a butterfly flap. That’s what its like being in Cape Town right now. Little things that seem like they don’t matter have an enormous effect on your life. Cape Town being such a small place accentuates that fact.
I love it though, there’s nowhere else id rather be in South Africa. I haven’t explored the world yet, I have explored SA and Cape Town has my heart.
