SKATE FOR CHANGE

PARTY FOR CHANGE

2010-11-09T00:22:00.000-08:00

Skate for Change is not over yet. We will be hosting still a few more events to raise more money because we didn't reach our goal and we not going to give up until we have made it.

Thanks to:
Van Coke Kartel
Hog Hoggidy Hog
Taxi Violence

Come join us Mercury Live where these 3 awesome bands are playing for free to help us.
R30 will get you in and you can also get some free merchandise.

Saturday. October 30. Day 92. LAST DAY!!!!!!

2010-11-02T03:47:00.000-07:00

THE DAY WE HAVE BEEN WAIITNG FOR AND MORE......

There was so much excitement the last two days that I only got round to the blog this morning. And boy was it all worth it. Every km on the way from Joburg to Cape Town paid off.

Waking up on Saturday all grinning with smiles of excitement as there was only about 5 k’s left and not a gruelling 1800 anymore we quickly got dressed and started the day.

Making our way to the marker rigging the safety sign for the last time and surrounded by journalists of every degree we felt a little bummed that it was all over now but at the same time being super excited and proud that we have made it to the end.

Puddy’s family joined in and formed a convoy for us which were led by the metro police to ensure our safety on the busy roads off Cape Town. The skating went smooth and fast with only 4.5 k’s to skate we made it to the Village safely and speedily.

On our arrival we were overwhelmed by the response. The kids went crazy. The supporters went crazy. Every one cheering so loud that we thought Puddy had skated around the world. Some people were overcome with emotion shedding some tears for this amazing feat that Puddy has done for the kids of the SOS Children’s Villages.

Looking at Puddy from a distance we could see that this man was proud off himself and he had all the reason in the world to be. He had just conquered 1800km’s on his skateboard all for charity.

The kids prepared a special welcoming dance for Puddy, on which he even joined in on. A real special moment for the crew. Knowing that these were the kids that the cause was directed to and that they were just as overcome by emotions as we were felt amazingly humane. Knowing that one can still make a difference in the lives of the youth.

Speeches were made and thank you’s were said while a sea of flashes from camera’s filled the air. After handing out skateboards to the kids – which they appreciated tremendously, we were supprised to learn that another convoy had been arranged for us at Mad world and they were taking us out to Amadoda Shebeen were we where to have lunch and relax.

We got to Mad world and were stumped. A convoy of about 30 cars all branded with Skate for Change banners was waiting for us at Mad World. Lead by a huge truck donning speakers and sound equipment with a MC talking to the whole of Cape Town we made our way through the city streets. Puddy was a rock star and the whole Cape Town heard of it. What a great moment to see so much support directed to our cause. Truly mind blowing

We had a lovely lunch and some drinks and watched the rugby. After this we made our way to the Final Frontier Party at Hectic on hope were all the proceeds went to charity.

THANKS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN SKATE FOR CHANGE 2010.

ALL THE SPONSORS. ALL THE FANS. ALL THE KIDS AT THE VILLIAGES. ALL THE MEDIA COVERAGE. ALL THE PARENTS AND FAMILIES THAT TOOK US IN ON THE ROAD. EVERY SINGLE ONE WHO GAVE US A CHEER AND A HOOT ON THE ROAD. THE SUPPORT YOU GAVE US HAS BEEN BEYOND OUR EXPECTATIONS .

THIS HAS TRULY BEEN AN AMAZING TRIP AND WILL GO DOWN IN THE HISTORY BOOKS. THANKS YOU. WITHOUT ANY OF YOU NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.

Friday. October 29. Day 91

2010-11-02T03:33:00.000-07:00

Today is Friday and we used this last day before the grand finale to prep and get our heads straight. Tomorrow is that day we all have been waiting for. After not seeing friends and family for three months Puddy spent some quality time catching up with his loved ones. Human spent some time with his lady and the rest of us explored Cape Town.

To all the readers remember to SMS PUDDY to 38665 as the lines are not closed yet.

A huge thanks to all the people involved. All the sponsors and all the places that gave us accommodation. Great thanks to Fire and ice that have cared for us like royalty. Thanks to all the news hounds and news papers who covered our story and gave us much needed publicity.

Thursday. October 28. Day 90

2010-11-02T03:10:00.000-07:00

Confidence blooming.

With only a few k’s left on Skate for Change 2010 and no more uphill’s and rough roads Puddy was as amped as ever to hammer down some k’s on the way to the final line at the SOS Children’s village in Cape Town. We started our marker which was 20 km’ from the charity and stopped after about 15 k’s. He will skate the rest on Saturday when he skates into the village.

Puddy’s parents pulled through and some other friends and family to give him support and encourage him on these last k’s. It was great to see some familiar faces again after 3 months on the road.

We are still staying at the Fire and Ice Hotel in Cape Town and would like to give them our sincerest thanks for accommodating us in such style.

Wednesday. October 27. Day 89.

2010-10-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

So we have 1 day left and I really don’t know what to say1 looking back on the road all I can reflect on wa how incredible it has all been! Quite surreal actually!

We spent the day doing admin and getting our clothing washed – which was long overdue. We also managed to wash the van. Puddy and Human spend most of the day at the Hectic 9 studios – a kids program on SABC 2 doing interviews and promoting the tour. We hooked up later with another old friend, Hardus who showed us around town and gave us a good lunch.

Christi and Tertius joined in on the session again but we knocked off after a few k’s to leave the final stretch for Saturday. We will also be visiting the SOS children’s village in Cape Town tomorrow

Once again a great big thank you to all the people who have made this tour possible. It has truly been an amazing trip.

Tuesday, October 26. Day 88.

2010-10-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

We said our goodbyes at the lovely Protea Hotel in Stellenbosch and made our way to our fina base camp; the Fire & Ice Hotel in Cape Town. We only have a few k’s left and the crew are supremely pumped.

Christi Wiehahn, legendary South African skateboarder and good mate of Puddy joined in on the road today skating the stretch with hi. Another friend of the crew, Tertius also joined in and skated the session with them. The bakkie Tertius was driving gave some problems along the road causing a bit of a halt. Puddy however kept on skating and the crew including the two new comers joined him a bit later again.

The session flew by really quickly and Puddy made good time on the road averaging at 28km/h. We have set up base camp in the mother city and wewill be skating the last stretches into her in the days to follow.

Monday. October 25. Day 87.

2010-10-26T13:01:00.001-07:00

With a big uphill to facing us Puddy started the day skating up the Houwhoek Pass towards the St Lowry’s Pass. On the summit we had a quick team meeting and realised that from our vantage point we were able to view Table Mountain for the first time. This felt great and, especially Puddy felt proud that he had come this far.

We were warned that once on top of Houwhoek Pass Puddy would have to bomb the St Louries Pass. From what we gathered this was the zenith of downhills. After some discussion Puddy Padded up and took the Hill head on.

Gaining a lot of speed really fast Puddy mange toride it out most of the way. He foot braked on occasions but once he reached the bottom he said that he was pretty bummed that he didn’t suck it up, tucked in and went full speed. Safety first I suppose. Especially when we are critically close to the finish. A fatal possibly fatal thing happened however. One of his wheels overheated from the speed and duration of the speed that it melted and finally burst open almost causing a vicous bail. Pulling off from the road he quickly set up a new set only to have them do the same thing on another downhill we encountered further along the road.

After another change of wheels the skating continued to just past Gordonsbaai where Tertuis Vivier caught up with us to chat with Puddy.

Tonight will be our last evening in the Protea Hotel in Stellenbosch so a greatest of thanks you’s to the staff and all who looked after our every need. You guys have been spectacular.

We are so close to done that we can taste victory. But let’s not count the chickens before they hatch.

Sunday. October 24. Day 86.

2010-10-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

We took the day off from skating to prepare the van and finalise the last few arrangements for skating into Cape Town next week. We were one man down as Human spent the weekend with his loved ones in Hout Bay and is only to return tonight or Monday morning.

Late afternoon we hooked up with some of the friendly folk from town we met on our day off yesterday and played some soccer on the local sports field. Last night we had a tour off the town and its night clubs. Thanks to Nicola and Ruark who showed us a good time in Stellenbosch.

A band playing in one of the local joint; Bohemia even supported the cause and did some punting from on our behalf over the mic.

The St. Luawries Pass awaits and the local kids say that it’s going to be way too harsh to bomb. We’ll have to wait and see till tomorrow....

The tour is nearing completion now and we would like to thank everyone who has been involved to thus far and showed their support. The show is not over yet and if you happen to see us on the road please do not hesitate to stop us for some photos or make a donations.

Skate for Change 2010. From Jo’burg to Cape Town on a skateboard.

Saturday. October 23. Day 85.

2010-10-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

Last night was an interesting and fun evening spent among the students of Stellenbosch. We met some great people and had an absolute blast.

We spent our last off day before the tour ends exploring the town while Human drove through to Hout Baai to pick up is wife and daughter. They will be joining us on the last leg of the tour.

Protea hotel are really looking after us and have gone out of their way to accommodate us on the final days of our epic journey.

With only a couple of k’s left the crew are jumpy with excitement and looking forward to reaching our final destination.

Friday. October 22. Day 84.

2010-10-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

We shared our breakfast table with a journalist from The Somerset Journal who interviewed the crew. Ailsa and Mark from the Caledon Hotel met up with us a bit later, they stocked up with some Skate for Change T-shirts, which the whole crew signed. they want to frame one, and put it up for displayin the hotel.

While waiting for the team to finish up, so the day’s session could get under way, Human though it a good idea to pop into the casino for a moment or two. Well, a moment or two later he stepped out a bit richer. It was time to get the show on the road.

The road was anything but easy and Puddy’s luck was against him (unlike Human’s) as he faced a 5km climb off about 300m. Puddy on the other and gave the uphill the finger and pushed like a monster. 84 Days on the road has turned Puddy into a skateboarding machine. The team just looked on in awe from within the van as he climbed the mountain. Reaching the top Puddy was not rewarded with a downhill; however that is said to come. The Sir Lauwries Pass which awaits us in the next day or two is apparently a monster of a downhill, long and steep.

After the 23km skate for the day and the killer uphill which was conquered we made way for our new base camp. The Protea Hotel in Stellenbosch gave us accommodation for four evenings, massages for each member. They even made us a “welcome” sign which was just great. Definitely looking forward staying here this week.

Tomorrow is our day off and we look forward to exploring the beautiful town of Stellenbosch.

Thursday. October 21. Day 83.

2010-10-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Hotel Caledon...

There are only 7 days left of the Skate for Change tour 2010 and we are all buzzing with excitement.

We woke this morning and had a lovely meal at the Caledon Hotel. These guys have gone out of their way to accommodate us. They have sponsored us all accommodation and meals for our stay here and also threw in a massage for each crew member. The service is superb and if you are ever in Caledon you are missing out if you dont spend at least one night there.

We skated into Caledon today. The road surface was pretty good but the weather was a bit fowl. Rainy and cold. We skated to the doorstep of the Hotel where we had some lunch and relaxed for a bit after hitting the road for the second session. It all started well with a sweet downhill from the hotel but took a turn for the worse as we reached the high way were the surface reminded us again of “the road to Mordor.”

Tomorrow we pack up and leave the hotel. A thank you of the highest regards to them for making our stay unforgettable.

Distance skated 23 km

Top speed 34 km/h

Average 18 km/h

Tour kilometers 1778 km

http://www.thecaledoncasino.co.za/

Wednesday. October 20. Day 82.

2010-10-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

Just as we were getting used to the idea that no major mishaps would present itself on the trip the weirdest thing happened. We started the day thanking the Swart family for their extreme hospitality and care during our two day stay on the lovely farm just outside Riviersonderend.

On the road Puddy encountered a ridiculously rough surface which comprised mostly of uphills. What a nightmare. Puddy managed to skitch behind (hold on to a passing vehicle) a truck for about 2 k’s which helped out a little bit. After 8 k’s of torment Puddy and the crew pulled off beneath some shady trees to take a water break. All of a sudden a tractor charged from behind at a violent speed, half on the road with the other half on the dirt.Human anticipated fatality and jumped in the van to get it out of the way. Luckily he did it because if he hadn't we would have no van at this moment. The tractor vroomed by as we watched in a disgusted awe. Why couldn't it just swerve onto the road? Why wasn't it driving in the road in the first place? It really wasn’t that busy. Sadly Puddy dropped his board in the commotion and the tractor crushed the back part of his board crippling the truck (thats the axis for the non skaters reading this blog). He has a spare so the tour is not over. In case you were wondering..

Max drove out to Caledon to manage accommodation. We are staying at the Caledon Casino Hotel and they have really gone out of their way to accommodate us. A retreat all of us deserve after spending 82 days on the road.

Distance skated 25 km

Top speed 40 km/h
Average speed 19 km/h

Tour distance 1754km

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OCT 30 2010

2010-10-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

Mischif Skateboards presents: Final Frontier

Date: 30 October 2010 @ 21:00pm
Where: Hectic on Hope, Hope street, Cape Town
Entry : R10 (goes to charity)

Featuring:

DJ MDK
80'S POWER HOUR (driven by Christi Wiehahn)
DJ TOXIC RYTHM

Puddy Zwennis will arrive in Cape town October 30 2010 with his skateboard after he has been skating for 90'days from Joburg to Cape Town. Come and join Puddy and the skate for change crew for the FINAL FRONTIER party as they celebrate this amazing feat ! Lots of prizes to be won! Cover charge will go to charity!!!

Tuesday. October 19. Day 81.

2010-10-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

The road was anything but pleasing today. The surface was rougher than a sailors beard and the wind spewed from the front. Puddy got super frustrated almost quitting the attempt. Luckily the road smoothed out as we entered Riviersonderend.

We encountered to gentlemen from the area that stopped us to donate towards the cause. Thanks guys! Later on two other guys stopped us and said that they had read about us and were stoked that they actually got to meet us. They joined us for a group shot.

We went back to the farm and spent some time with the Swart family who treated us to a lovely lunch. I must say Mrs. Swart has treated us extremely well a BIG THANK YOU to her and the family. Definitely getting us back on that optimum nutritional level.

When sundown came Puddy felt the urge to go and get somemore km’s done. So off we went into the tranquil surroundings of the farmlands. The surface was a bit better but still extremely rough. The second session was a lot more fun for everyone as we amused ourselves with crackers and other random acts of ‘being in a good mood’. Tomorrow we head out to Caledon and we are getting closer day by day! Everyone is getting pretty excited.

Top speed: 31km/h

Average speed: 16km/h

Distance skated: 30 km

Total tour distance: 1729

Monday. October 18. Day 80.

2010-10-19T01:43:00.000-07:00

A major thanks to the friendly folk from the Swellengrebel Hotel who provided us with accommodation.

We packed up and started the session from where we ended yesterday. The session proved to be quite difficult with some major uphills and a surface that was rougher than a prison rugby match.

A usual Max drove out to the next base camp to try and hook up some accommodation. It was a bit of a mission at first as the only lodging in Riviersonderend was fully booked. Luckily a friendly family from the distric took us in and gave us accommodation on their farm about 7k’s from town.

Due to the rancid conditions the skating went a bit slow with only 25km’s down and a top speed of 16km/h.

We are 10 days away from the deadline and the excitement has started to build up. We would like to urge all to make donations as time is running out to show your support.

Sunday. October 17. Day 79

2010-10-19T01:36:00.000-07:00

Today was by far the hottest day on the road. After almost a week of rain we are now facing the extreme sunshine and over powering heat. We started the session right in front of the hotel where we were staying. At first the road was a bit rough but smoothed out a bit later. Puddy skated behind the van for the most of the day just to try and stay in the shade. We ended the session on a 19km’s for the day and made our way back to base camp. Tomorrow we pack up and leave for Riviersonderend.

Distance for the day 19 km
1674 km skated on tour
top speed 33km/h
average 22km/h

Saturday 16 October. Day 78

2010-10-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

Hooray for sunshine.

Today was the first day of complete sunshine in about a week so everyone was in good spirits. Headed out to the road around 11 am and pushed a total of 22km’s. Max joined Puddy on the road. Only for a short while though. Not falling victim to Puddy’s ‘encouragement’ Max quickly jumped ship back into the van as they approached a fast downhill. At the bottom it became evident that Max had the right idea. Puddy went on to reach a top speed of 58km/h. Not a speed a novice skater wants to challenge on a short board. However Max joined Puddy again later and skated with him all the way to the front door of the Hotel.

The session went by surprisingly fast as most of the way was riddled with smooth mellow downhill’s.

The evening was spent watching the rugby. The majority of the team are Bulls supporters with Cornell being the only Province man. An amusing evening and a great way to end a hard week.

We are closing in on our destination with only a 10 days left on the trip. The excitement is definitely starting to build up.

Friday. 15 October. Day 77.

2010-10-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

After a day lost to the incessant rain we decided to take the weather head on. Puddy donned a safety vest for visibility, tucked his head and pushed hard against the miserable conditions. He did surprisingly well and totalled a distance of 33 km’s with an average of 45km/h, pretty fast considering that the road is wet making it really slippery.

Two German tourists drove by and pulled us off farther down. They were travelling up the coast themselves and enquired about the cause and initiative. The Tazz also started overheating during the course of the session, stalling progress for another 15 min; someone forgot to check the radiator... To top it all, the roof of the van started leaking leaving the back of the van somewhat unpleasant.

After we got back on the road Max went along to Swellendam where he was set to rig accommodation. The Swellenberg Hotel in Swellendam has agreed to provide three nights free of charge accommodation.

A wet but good day over all.

Thursday. 14 October. Day 76

2010-10-16T14:41:00.000-07:00

The rain came today. It washed all hopes of skating away. We tried going out to the marker hoping it would clear by the time we got there. We eventually turned around not even reaching the marker as it just kept gushing down. Hopefully it will clear up tomorrow as we are losing time due the delay caused by the weather.

Thanks to De Doorn Kraal for the accommodation.

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUES SUPPORT! IT DIES NOT GO UNNOTICED

Don’t forget to sms PUDDY to 38665 or to click on the page above to order a shirt.

Wednesday. October 13. Day 75

2010-10-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

Moving out this morning we were stumped by the slow moving traffic. We later learned that there had been an accident up ahead, jarring the traffic. When we finally made it past we could move on to our marker of yesterday.

The road was a bit rough at first but smoothed out later Puddy was also blessed was some super fun banks next to the road which kept him entertained and made for some sweet shots.

We went back to our base camp a friend of ours parents' The Du Preez came and said hello and to support the cause. They also brought us a pack of biltong as a present. After lunch Puddy felt amped to do another session. So off we went, lead by Puddy to skate an extra 17km leaving us with 1599 k’s done for the trip. The road on the second session was quite fun. There was an epic downhill on the last stretch which Puddy took head on and bombed it reaching a new top speed of 66km/h. " It was pretty scary stuff, especially on a short board, but super adrenaline pumping and I really liked it."

Tomorrow we break the 1600 km mark and move base camp to Swellendam.

Support the cause - buy a shirt!

2010-10-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

ORDER YOUR LIMITED EDITION SKATE FOR CHANGE SHIRT AND SUPPORT THE CAUSE.

By ordering these on of a kind shirts not only would you be supporting the cause we are working towards but you get a one of a kind Quicksilver quality shirt to sport in the summer sun too.

Shirts are selling for R150 including postage.

All you have to do is send an e mail with your contact and postage details and size to human@skateforchange.co.za

Tuesday. October 12. Day 74.

2010-10-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

Packed up today as we are hitting the road to Swellendam. The road ahead is another long stretched were the towns and stops are pretty far between each other. We had grown accustomed to the Garden route with all the towns so close to each other. It’s going to take some getting used to.

Before departure we thanked the lovely people form Point Village Hotel in Mosselbay for the free accommodation and great service.

On the road Puddy took to the skating in serious fashion. Pushing fast and hard he reached a top speed of 51km/h and did a total distance of 32km’s for the day. He rocked out with a bandanna in support of Bone marrow cancer.

Max went out in front to go and organise us some accommodation in Riversdale andcame back with success. Three nights at De Doornkraal.

We are close to finishing the tour with only 16 days left and would like to urge all to get involved by sending an sms or buying one of the limited edition skate fir change shirts of which a portion of the profits are going to charity.

Monday. October 11. Day 73

2010-10-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

A slight rain and strong wind made the session somewhat difficult today. Puddy pulled in behind the van to catch the slip stream and tried to avoid the weather. The conditions were a bit rough on the Pud man, but he kept pushing hard and managed a total of 25km’s for the day.

Some surprises on the road kept him motivated. Gerhard, the mate we met while staying in PE drove past us again and stopped to say hi. A while later another old friend from CT stopped him in his tracks to say hi and give some encouragement.

When we finally made it to Mosselbay we ducked out of the rain into the local skate/surf shop. And to our surprise we found a stunning little wood indoor mini ramp providing us with some great fun and skating.

Sunday. October 10. Day 72

2010-10-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

Even though our base camp is still in Mosselbay, we took the road out of there today heading towards Swellendam. The road was pretty standard so Puddy maintained an average of 20km/h. We did a total of 21 km’s today pushing us through the 1500km mark and on to a total of 1509 km’s done on Skate for Change 2010.

1500km mark!

We also bade farewell to our accommodation of one night which Max arranged for us and booked into some new housing, a nice comfortable apartment at the Point Village Hotel.

Backpackers who gave us a nights free accommodation.

The conditions were nice today, not too much wind and not too hot. Puddy spent a lot of time skating behind the van where Max kept him company and the two joked around quite a bit. Anything to get your mind off skating a flat surface for 25k’s straight a day...

At sunset we all gathered for a nice cool drink and something to eat. Whales leapt out of the water as if they where saluting us – or we like to think so at least. Tomorrow back on the road as we are getting closer to our destination day by day.

Safety First. part off the safety dance we do prior to each session.

Saturday. October 9. Day 71

2010-10-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

A fast paced day..

Left town around 11am as we first had a few errands to run! We did a link with the managers from the Wilderness Resort Hotel and thanked them for their superb service and generosity.

When we made it to the marker where the skating went flew by. Puddy encountered a few mellow uphills and some nice long downhills on the way to Mosselbay. Puddy reached a top speed of 52km// down the one.

Human and Jono took the trouble to drive out ahead to Mosselbay in an attempt organise some accommodation but to no avail.

When we got to Mosselbay, still with no accommodation, we put Max up to the job. As in the past he came back with good news. A nights free accommodation.

Nice work Max.

Friday. October 8. Day 70

2010-10-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

Then team had the day off which all enjoyed thoroughly. Fist we all slept in, seeing sleep is somewhat off a luxury on the tour. After waking up we made our way to down to the dining hall at the hotel where they treated us to a lovely free of charge breakfast.

Puddy and Human challenged each other to a life size game of chess where neither of the actually won...

We took the van and headed through to George as a family member of Max living in the area organised us an interview with the local paper, The Herald.

Back at the beach, we took a stroll, and made a mission all along an abandoned rail way track. We passed through a tunnel that looked pretty sketchy at first, but passing through we stumbled upon a hippie commune tucked away from society.

The night we kicked back at the hotel, played some table tennis and knocked off early as we are hitting the road again in the morning.

Thursday. October 07 . Day 69

2010-10-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

On the way to George...

Started this Thursday with a mellow downhill where Puddy reached an average speed of 45km/h. What a way to start the session.

As the old saying goes:“For every up there is a down.” In this case, after the down an up awaited. It’s inevitable. As Puddy reached the bottom off his starting downhill he faced a super uphill, demotivating him somewhat.

The scenery around this part of the country is fantastical. A thick morning mist enshrouding the valley had us feeling like characters from the Lord of the Rings movie.

We encountered some Metro cops again. Twice actually, luckily they were very cool and supportive in both instances.

The afternoon Puddy was treated for all his hard skating up until now. The Hydro Spa in Wilderness treated him to a much earned massage to soothe and repair his aching muscles.

Thanks to Anne’s Place in Plet who cared for our accommodation whilst we were there.

Stats for the day:

Top speed 54km/h

Average speed 21 19 km/h on road, down hills 39 km/h

Distance skated 26km

Tour distance 1459 km

Tomorrow the team enjoys another off day, time to get our wits together for the final couple of hundred kilometres that awaits us.

Don’t forget to order your limited edition Skate For Change shirt @ R150. Quicksilver quality and a percentage of the money go towards the cause. Stock is flying so mail Human asap @ human@skateforchange.co.za.

Wednesday. 06 October. Day 68

2010-10-07T02:51:00.000-07:00

Packing up this morning we greeted and thanked the friendly folk from Island Vibe backpackers in Knysa. If you ever need to sleep over in Knysa or are planning a holiday there this is a must stop. Good people and good service.

After we packed and said our good byes, we headed for the marker where we left of yesterday. The road was mostly uphill but luckily it went by quickly. We met an old friend on the road. I guy we knew from our P.E stay. He was on his way to Cape Town and agreed that Jhono get on the back of his bakkie so we can get some nice shots from the front for the blog.

On the road Puddy encountered a huge slow moving truck. Skating next to it he saw that if he could gather enough speed he could cruise right below it and through to the other side. Pushing, he managed the needed and speed and came out safely the other side. Pretty extreme.

Max drove out to Wilderness as to arrange some accommodation for us. Well done, as he hooked up three night’s free accommodation for us at the Wilderness Resort Hotel.

When the rest of team arrived after the days skating we set up out base camp and made our way to Quad adventures where they took the team on a free hour-long adventure of the surrounding forests.

Top speed 50 km/h

Average 24 km/h

Distance skated 23 km

Thanks to everyone on the trip thus far. You have made it all made it worth it..

www.quadgardenroute.co.za

http://www.islandvibe.co.za

Tuesday. 05 October. Day 67

2010-10-07T01:31:00.000-07:00

Knysa is prettier than any woman ever. Skating past the lagoon, Puddy could hardly keep his eyes on the road as he was looking at the beautiful scenery the whole time.

Our session today started nice and early and our marker from where we were to skate was right in front of the backpackers where we were staying. On the road Max took the wheel of the van while the extra hands of Jono managed the camera! Little ‘goggas’ filled the air and constantly ended up in Puddy’s eyes and mouth making the skating a bit tough. Even the van was filled with them.

The surface of the road was good for skating and luckily there was no wind. However Puddy face a dramatic uphill which really tired him out. He kept pushing though and was rewarded with a nice long smooth downhill ending just before Knysa.

We think Puddy broke a record today – unfortunately there was no ‘official authority’ to witness it. We do have it all on video though. Puddy managed to manual (wheelie with a skateboard) for a total of 1.1km’s on an average of 35km/h. As far as we know the furthest manual is somewhere in the 800m mark.

It was Tuesday so Dj Fresh from 5fm phoned Puddy again catching up with the tour.

The evening was spent enjoying some great fish which Jono cooked up for us! Not only is he quite crafty with the camera but enjoys cooking too.

Good day of skating done with 25km in the bag.

Top speed 56km/h

Average speed 13km/h uphill

Average speed 40 km/h downhill

Average speed 24km/h flat

Monday. October 04.day 66

2010-10-05T02:22:00.000-07:00

On the Garden Route...
Surf school from earlier this weekend!

We are closing in on our destination with a total of 1385 km’s under the belt leaving us with only 415km’s left to go!

We packed up this morning and made our way to the lovely town of Knysa. Cornell, Puddy and Human took the road on for the day’s session while Max and newcomer Jhono made ahead to hook up some accommodation.

The skating was beautiful. The Knysa and surrounding areas is probably the most aesthetically pleasing place n the country. Puddy encountered a hectic downhill on this stretch which scared him a little. None the less he took it head on reached an epic top speed of 52km/h.

Arriving in Knysa Max and co waxed sweet accommodation at the Island Vibe Backpackers.

31km skated for the day
50km/h top speed
Average 22 km/h
1385km total

Sunday. 03 October. Day 65.

2010-10-05T02:14:00.000-07:00

After an adrenaline pumping few days we kept to ourselves and spent most of the day indoors. The rain was gushing so there was no skating that could off been done in any case. We got some ingredients and made ourselves some delightful sandwiches.

The rain cleared later that day and we made to the beachfront were we hooked up and spent some time with the locals.

Human had been away for the weekend, attending a wedding in George. After we had said our farewells to the locals and thanked all for their hospitality Human called us telling us he was back in town.

Johno, an old friend of ours who joined Human at the venue also hooked up with us and is set to join us on the tour from here on forth. Good to have the whole crew and an old friend on board again.

Thanks to all who had made the past few days incredible, Anne from Anne’s Place, Dr. John Donald for treating Puddy’s injured foot free of charge, Stefan Bouwer and Clayton as well as the Surf Cafe.

Saturday. October 2. Day 64.

2010-10-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

After yesterday’s extreme activities we thought it would be good to stick to some regular skateboarding.

The local skate/surf shop along with local man Clayton organised a small demo and Puddy show cased some of his unique skateboarding skills to the local kids. Thanks to Clayton for setting everything up.

After the demo the locals brought out a huge tarpaulin. Pulling it fast enough the tarpaulin or tarp creates a wave like tube and skater cruise through it as if on a real surfboard. Great fun and laughs were had with this as everyone joined in. Even max gave it a go and took a quite the wipe out when his wheel hooked and he flew forward face first.

That night we watched the game; WP vs. Bulls. Too bad for Cornell as he is a Province fan.

Stefan and his girlfriend joined us at the rad guesthouse called Anne’s Place for a braai and some socializing.

Friday. 1 October. Day 63

2010-10-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

BUNDGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Waking up was quite hard this morning as there was so much adrenaline in the air! Today was the big bungee day and every one anticipated this with some fear.

We made our way to the Bloukrans Bridge were we hooked up with Stefan again, He is the guy who hooked us up with Face Adrenaline.

Stefan brought his short boards with as he was going to join Puddy on the road for a session later that day. That and he wanted to Ollie into the bungee which, in the end didn't work out to well as he lost his board.

Pudddy the fearless was up next for the bungee. Afraid at first, he took it like a man and took his skateboard with him. Grabbing his board in a melon grab style he bungeeeeeeeeeeeeeed and is the first guy to do a grab with a skateboard from the Bloukrans bridge.

After the bungee we made out to the highway were Puddy was still to skateinto Plet. Stefan joined in but soon after had to retire due to some fatigue. Puddy kept pushing and we made a total of 25k’s for the day

We are looking forward to the weekend as there are some surf lessons arranged and some more demo skating to be done

Thanks to Stefan Bouwer and Face Adrenaline for making it all possible.

http://www.faceadrenalin.com/

Thursday. September 30. Day 62

2010-10-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Downhill all the way.

After yesterdays eventful day we took it quite easy. Puddy managed a 28 km skate today. He didn't want to take it too hard on his injured foot.

Human went to the post office to mail some more shirts. Remember if you want a quicksilver quality skate for change shirt mail Human at human@skateforchange.co.za.

Max joined Puddy on the road again for the second time today. First he did a 13km stretch with Pud and then later another 4. We skated over the Bloukrans

Bridge today which is epically high. Tomorrow we are bungee jumping from it. We are all a bit scared but are looking forward to it.

A local, Stefan Bouwer hooked up with us today and also joined Puddy on the road. Big ups to this guy as he hooked us up with the bungee for tomorrow.

Back in town we fooled around on the downhills. Puddy catching some nice speed and carves around the corners.

Tomorrow we bungee and Saturday we Tarp surf...

Average speed 22km/h

Top speed 29 km/h

Distance skated 28

1353 km skated

Wednesday. September 29. Day 61

2010-10-02T06:46:00.001-07:00

Treetop adventure

We packed up our comfortable stay at Kareesie Guesthouse in Kareedouw and made our way to the next stop. As we made it to high way max realised he forgot his phone so we had to chase

back to get it. Max and mobile phones are a bit like oil and water...

Today was set to be an adventure of note. The Tsitsikama falls invited us to come and enjoy their famous treetop zip slides. Human was scared at first. He is not to good with the heights and Cornell strapped his camera to his body just in case it fell. Zipping from tree top to tree top was something like we never experienced before./The tranquillity between the canopy was

something our souls longed and it really gave us some time to relax after the days spent on the road. Well deserved and earned after 61 days on the road.

After an eventful morning at the Tsitsikama adventure slides we made our way to the road to get the days skating done. At first it went well but soon after Puddy had some trouble with is foot. A huge callous was forming on is foot and he developed internal bleeding. Not the kind of thing one needs at this stage of the trip.

He managed 25km’s for the day after which he just couldn't go further. We made a stop at the local GP which issued him some meds enabling him to carry on with the tour.

That night we set up camp in Plet and made our way to the local beach club were some locals had organised a karaoke event. Human dominated the evening with his Vanilla Ice style skate for change rap.

A glorious day spent at the Tstsikama adventure slide. Many thanks to them all.

http://www.tsitsikammaadventure.co.za/

2010-10-02T06:18:00.000-07:00

CAR WASH ALERT. TO all living in the Atterbury area PTA be sure to get your car washed by some local honeys. All proceeds to go to the charity!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday. September 28. Day 60.

2010-09-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

Double time.....

It was evident today that the weekends rest paid off as Puddy pushed whopping a total of 51km’s today.

We woke this morning to the friendly faces of the guest house owners and after a healthy breakfast made our way to the marker.

The weather was great for skating with no wind pumping from the front.

The road surface was abit rough and after a couple of k’s Puddy started complaining about the constant vibration in his calves. Puddy kept pushing though, and soon the surface took a turn for the better.

A visitor from “another planet” joined Puddy, for a brief moment on the road. A team of engineers were driving a solar powered car past us, escorted by a van. Much like we are doing. They contacted us a while later and organised that we take a photo with them but unfortunately we couldn’t manage to locate each other.

Trucks were a bit of a problem as they sped past dangerously fast causing Puddy’s cap to blow off.

We made it back around lunch at grabbed something to eat at a local coffee shop. The friendly owner gave as a friendly R100 donation after he heard what we were doing.

Puddy felt recharged after lunch and said he wanted to go out on the road and do another session. So off we went to burn some more rubber..

DJ Fresh from 5fm phoned Puddy while on the road. He does this on Tuesdays and Fridays to get an update on the tour. Soon after Puddy said good bye people started responding and recognising us on the road.

Further down the road the road looked better as the surface smoothed out again. Some more "visitors" came to say hi to Puddy as he skated along. A pack of baboons lurked over the road to have a look at this strange being that is Puddy. At first Puddy was scared shouting "hulle gaan my buit" but luckily he moved past them without being attacked. Planning this trip we never thought we would have to prepare for animal threats.

We made it back to camp with a great 51 km's on the clock for the day. 31 during the morning session and then 20 in the afternoon with a 19km/h average and top speed of 24km p/h.

Be sure to catch Puddy on 5fm during the Fresh Drive show on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Monday. September 27. Day 59.

2010-09-28T01:10:00.000-07:00

Up and at it again as we went out to the High Wat to continue our mission. From Jo Burg to Cape Town on a skateboard in order to raise funds and create awareness for the SOS Children’s Villages across South Africa.

Packing up we were delighted to find our 3G connection enabling us to update the blog and get back in contact.

On the N2 heading to Kareedouw we were unfortunate to find that the surface was rough and practically impossible to skate that and the wind had decided to keep on blowing like it had some kind of vendetta against us. Puddy kept pushing and managed to reach the days target.

The scenery is also started to change again as we head into a more mountainous and forest like conditions.

We are now stationed in Kareedouw for the next tow days.

Sunday. September 26. Day 58

2010-09-28T01:04:00.000-07:00

Our last day in J Bay we spent resting and preparing for the road ahead of us. Hopefully it’ not like the one we encountered coming in. The wind has not died down yet either and we hope that it will die out before we get back on the road.

The weekend in Jeffery’s Bay was definitely a good one as we managed to gather some much needed support from holiday makers. Puddy also got some good skating done at the Quicksilver Bowl which he says is undeniably one of if not the best bowls in South Africa

We would like to remind you about our Skate For Change shirts produced by Quicksilver. We will have photos up shortly and you can order them from us by mailing us at human@skateforchange.co.za. After we have contacted you we will post it to you where ever you are. The great thing is that a percentage goes to our cause so not only do you receive a rad shirt but you also support as well.

Saturday. September 25. Day 57

2010-09-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday might as well not have existed as the weather was so terrible that skating would have been close to, if not impossible. Luckily we are ahead of schedule on the tour. Like true “binne landers” we made it outdoors whilst on the coast, took the weather head on and made it to the beach front. We spoke to some friendly locals and pushed the sms line to everyone we met.

That night we went out to a local eatery known for its incredibly hot Habanera. Puddy made a bet with Max that he wouldn't be able to eat it without breaking a sweat but Max took it like a man.

Friday. September 24. Day 56

2010-09-28T00:54:00.000-07:00

Last night at the Parrow show proved a success with Parrow embracing our cause and promoting it full steam to the fans at the show. We got too meet the man who turned out to be a really cool and friendly guy who supported our cause.

We moved to J bay and soon started stressing as we couldn't manage to find any vacant lodging. Luckily we found a place at the caravan park and settled in.

The weather was really rough and unpleasant but we embarked on a journey outdoors to promote the cause and spread some awareness.

It happened to be the Skulpie Fees in town so we were able to promote to a large amount off holiday makers.

Thursday. September 23. Day 55

2010-09-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

Skating against a strong coastal wind is no easy task, throw in a rough and worn out coastal road and you get the conditions Puddy had to embrace and conquer on the days skating. None the less fitness and perseverance prevailed and Puddy pushed through and we made it to our next marker in J bay. Our base camp is still in St. Francis so after the session we went back to unpack. We also managed to misplace our 3G connection thus the blog being a bit behind schedule over the weekend.

The local supermarket in St Francis organised a meet and greet with Puddy and some local kids in the parking lot. The wind was really troublesome but the enthusiastic crowd and response from the locals made it worth it And Pud managed some tricks for and "over" the kids.

Arriving in J bay over the September holiday, and being ahead of schedule we decided that we would spent the weekend J Bay after our stay in Cape St. Francis as to push our cause and gather support from the large amount of holiday makers in the area. The legendary Jack Parrow was performing that night and we set out to get him to punt the cause to the fans.

Thanks to all who supported the cause and for their donations.

Wednesday. September 22. Day 54

2010-09-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

Twice the fun, double the pain....

We packed up from The Gecko Lodge to make way to our next base camp, St. Francis and to skate the day’s k’s into J bay.

First we had to stop and purchase a new 3g connection as the previous one broke over the weekend. Puddy was blessed with the skating today with lovely weather and road surface as smooth as a baby’s bottom. The conditions notched up our average to between 26 and 32 km/h. Not only was the road smooth but rocked with a natural quarter pipe alongside it providing some awesome fun skating.

Puddy managed to bail not once but twice on this leg. The irony of it all. Not one bail has been sustained by Puddy on this trip and then on this day he managed two. First he stepped in front of one of his wheels and falling quite hard. After that his wheels caught on a gap in the road ensuring a solid slam. Despite eating tar Puddy had all the reason to smile. First, after arriving at the quicksilver shop we received our new SKATE FOR CHANGE SHIRTS (more of that later) and he got to skate the indoor wood bowl inside the shop. After all of that, when we headed back to Cape St Francis a huge welcoming sign protruded from the ground as we entered making Puddy forget about the slight injuries.

SKATE FOR CHANGE SHIRTS ARE AVAILABLE NATION WIDE @ R150 from Quicksilver. email human@skateforchange.co.za with details and we will get back to you with how we will send it your way.

Such a great day on the road .

Tuesday. September 23. Day 53

2010-09-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

The crazy guy on the road.......

Our heart warming day at the SOS Children’s Village came to a positive end and we were on the road again to our destination.

We set out from our accommodation; The Gecko Lodge in Blue Water Bay, rigged the sign and started the day’s session.

It is evident that, thanks to last night’s television exposure people are a lot more aware of us and the cause. Most of the cars hooted in support and the cash donations also picked up significantly as people noticed “that crazy guy skateboarding from Joburg to Cape Town.”

At first the road was terrifying. The section beyond the yellow line was super rough. Luckily after about six k’s it smoothed out giving Puddy a chance to enjoy the skating and the weather. It was the first day since last week that we enjoyed some sunshine again and helped us regain an average of 20km/h.

We made good time today and only have 32km’s left till we hit the J Bay turn off tomorrow. SABC man Mike Propter also met us on the road to come and greet. He was the man behind the news publicity last night.

Dj Fresh from 5fm also gave Puddy another call to hear how he was doing on the road.

Tomorrow we set out to our new base camp in Cape St. Francis.

A good day for skating

Top speed 25 km/h, Average 20 km/h, Distance skated 25, Tour distance 1147

Monday. September 20. Day 52

2010-09-22T02:37:00.000-07:00

A day of smiles and sunshine faces amidst the rainy skies.....

Today was one of the reasons why Puddy embarked on this historical Journey, to raise funds and awareness for the

SOS Children’s Villages across the country. Now finally, after 52 days he finally managed to roll into one of the SOS Children’s Villages in P.E. Known as the windy city, the friendly city and on this day the rainy city lived up to all three of these titles.

Upon arrival at the village the kids wore smiles bigger than theirHeads whilst singing and cheering like only happy children can. They even made hugebanners in all colours of the rainbow promoting the cause and the tour.

After our welcoming we moved into a hall where Puddy and Human spoke a few words about the tour and what it’s all about and also encouraging these kids to stay motivated considering their situation. The mic was passed to one of the people working at the Village and she quickly prompted the children who burst into song which they had specifically composed for Puddy and the team. By far the most beautiful and hart warming moment we have experienced as a team, reminding us that there are children less fortunate, and its initiatives like the Children’s SOS Villages that help kids like to reach their goals.

SABC news crew popped in again to film the episode giving us some much needed and more national exposure. Hopefully people saw what we are doing here and donate towards the SOS Children’s Villages. Puddy did a few tricks for the admiring crowd and camera who looked on in awe and kept on cheering the roof off the building.

Outside Puddy and the crew spent the afternoon (despite the rain) learning to skate (the Village had provided the kids with boards).We had scrunches Boere wors rols supplied by Shoprite Checkers.

A great amount of thanks to Shoprite Checkers and Marine Protea Hotel who made this day possible and provided us with some great accommodation.

Sunday. September 19. Day 51

2010-09-22T02:08:00.000-07:00

WE DEDICATE THIS DAY TO ALL THE SPONSORS WHO MADE THIS TRIP POSSIBLE AND SUPPORT THE CAUSE

MY SPONSORS

SPONSORS PER KILOMETER

VIEW THE PAGE LABELLED LINKS AND SPONSORS TO GET MORE INFO

Saterday. September 18. Day 50

2010-09-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

Puddy kickflips over the motorhome

Saturday was another off day for Puddy and the team. Time to stretch the legs and rest out for the trip down the coast. We spent a nice day along side the cricket field witching the Pro 20 and basking in the sun. Tomorrow we will plan the rest of the trip and prepare for our first visit to a SOS Children's Village on Monday.

Here's a promotional clip showcasing some of Puddy's sick Skateboarding skills. Not only can he skate 'marathon' but he has some really impressive skills on the ramps and rails provided.

Friday. September 17. Day 49

2010-09-17T15:37:00.000-07:00

Great day for exposure...

Ate an early breakfast at the guesthouse and made our way out to the N2 where the SABC camera man filmed Puddy skating the Days stretch. He skated a total of 31km’s making up for some lost time.

People were exceptionally friendly to us on the road waving and cheering. We learned later the day that we were featured on the front page of the local paper The Herald that morning. Dj Fresh form 5FM also gave us a call around 16:30 which gave us some more media exposure.

The raod also offered thses footpaths next to the high way enabling Puddy a smooth and safe ride for the day. Cornell was also able to shoot some nice videos with the ocean backdrop.

The rest of the day was spent at the SOS Villiage. We will be spending Monday at the Villliage with all the children playing with them and enjoying a lunch.

Thanks to The Palace Gusthouse who fed us a lovely Breakfast.

Thursday. September 16. Day 48.

2010-09-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Danger on the road...

We went for the days session but Puddy found the traffic to intimidating and dangerous. There was nou yellw line or shoulder to skate on. So We travelled a distance of 7.8 km’s.

WE drove through to P.E. to sort out accomdation for the next few days and to get a feel for the road to P.E. The Palace Guesthouse sorted us out for one evening after which we transfer to the Protea Hotel.

That night we ate some Pizza on the board walk and discussed tomorrow. The SABC News team are meeting us tomorrow for an interview and to film us skate. This will hopefulle raise more awareness for the cause and push the donations higher.

A massive thanks to James at The Sundowner BB who hooked us up with accommodation the previous two nights.

Wednesday. 15 September. Day 47

2010-09-17T15:15:00.001-07:00

Excitement in the air.

We started the day early and made the mission to the gentleman with the gyrocopter’s farm, dropped off Cornell and made it back to base camp to greet James as he heads to Cape Town today.

We met Cornell and the copter on the high way were we arranged to film some more aerial shots of Puddy skating. Our target for the distance skated is at a an all time low. Puddy has only to skate 13 km’s as we are only to arrive in P.E on Monday

We caught the early traffic which was comforting in a way as it’s been a while since we have been in a major city. During this session a motorist pulled from the high way, stopping a distance from us and stuck his hand out the window waving something. When Puddy arrived he was surprised as the guy donated R200 towards the charity. What a great guy. Hopefully we get more peoplelike this guy as we travel down the cost.

The wind, heat and humidity really tired us out and a power nap back at the BB was enjoyed. Waking up we went on down to the beach and enjoyed a swim. The wind was a bit strong but the ocean view was still a sight for sore eyes. We watched some Pro 20 cricket on which Puddy and Human place another bet. Human fore saw that the cricket would end a score of 200 and Puddy prophesied on 202. Human got it spot on and Puddy owed him R10.

Puddy braid us some meat and we enjoyed braaivleis and salad. Even though Puddy dropped the plate with all the meat we still dug in like wolves.

Tuesday. September 14. Day 46.

2010-09-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

On the road again...

Packed up and ready to hit the road we were stopped in our tracks as the van packed up! The coils had burned out. Luckily a local from the township took us to his back yard workshop where he sorted the problem tjop tjop for a very reasonable price.

We started on the marker of yesterday skating through Paterson on the way to Colchester. The road was pretty standard rough at times and smooth on others. Skated a total of 31km’s, an average of 20km/h with a 55km/h top speed. Currently on 1070 km’s in total for SKATE FOR CHANGE 2010.

We stopped at the farm gates of the owner who owns the gyro copter we filmed from leaving Bloem. He agreed that he will take Cornell up again to get some aerial shots.

After we completed the last 14km’s of the day we made our way to the Sundowners BB were we are staying free of charge for two nights. Had some lovely Burgers and had a team meeting.

We end the day on somewhat of a sad note as James will be departing from the tour tomorrow.

Monday. September 13. Day 45

2010-09-15T03:38:00.001-07:00

Top speed for the fearless....

Started the sun kissed day aprox 17km before the Olifantskop Pass. At the foot of the pass Puddy racked himself for the monster that he was about to conquer. Initially we thought he would take the whole day getting to the top but it actually went real fast. Puddy did it k for k stopping for a short breath in between. The team was amazed at the pace he made it to the top.

On the summit we discussed safety measures and padded up for the epic ride to the bottom. Puddy rocked his biker jacket and some pads and James kitted some sliding gloves and donned the safety vest.

Skating down a hill of this size might seem like fun but it’s a whole different “board” game when you actually speeding down the hill. Even more so when you skate a short board made for tricks and street riding as opposed to n long board which is more equipped for this kind of riding.

Puddy started off on 35km/h and gradually increased until he reached a top speed of 62km/h. EPIC!! Keep in mind that he did this on a short board. James flew down it on his long board and you can see a yellow speck down the road in some of the photos. In the words of Puddy when we reached the bottom: “Dit was beter as wat ek al top spoed met my Yamaha R6 gejaag het.”

Back at bass camp in Patterson (which we are yet to skate past) we relaxed at our camp site trying to avoid the blistering sun. We organised another nights of accommodation before we head out to Colchester tomorrow.

We ended off the day’s skating with 35km in total. A new top speed and a another bet. We bet Human that he won’t be able to get a fire going armed with a newspaper, wood and a light. Human owes us R10. HAHA.

We are closing in on the coast and we are looking forward to catching a glimpse of the ocean soon.

Sunday. September 12. Day 44.

2010-09-13T03:03:00.000-07:00

Sunday in small town.....

We said good bye to our comfortable accommodation in Somerset and packed to camp in Patterson. On the way there, James driving the Tazz, realised that he was low on petrol and had to turn around to avoid the inevitable. At first he struggled to find some petrol as small towns seem to close down completely on a Sunday afternoon. Eventually he caught up with us and we could continue in peace.

The road to Patterson was unforgiving. Wind from the front and a surface similar to “Road to Mordor” which we encountered on day 28. Skating behind the van, to avoid the oncoming wind one of Puddy’s wheels broke AGAIN. This is the second wheel on the tour blowing out from rough roads. James rocked him a new set and Puddy was back on the road in no time.

Not one of the best days as he only reached 35km/h top speed, averaging 18km/h and a total of 25km’s. Considering the conditions the team is still proud on the day’s progress he made.

In Patterson we struck another Sunday in a small town dilemma. Finding accommodation was practically unheard of. The one place we found couldn't hook us up free accommodation so we kept on searching. Luck was on our side as the friendly tannie from the caravan park sorted us out with some free accommodation.

After packing out and settling in we rigged a camp fire and started playing some hackie sack. The game has become a lot more intense as everyone’s skills are improving making for some exciting play. Darkness delayed play and the reminder of the night was spent next to the fire sharing stories until the small hours of the night.

Tomorrow is set to be enduring. Puddy has to skate up the Olifantskop pass and from what we saw today, we can only say that its going to be tough. On the other hand, a epic downhill awaits him on the other side. Maybe a new top speed...

See you tomorrow.

Saturday. September 11. Day 43.

2010-09-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

After yesterday’s off day we were back on the road and started on our marker by the Somerset turn off. James and Human had a swim to shake the heat and to wake up...

We are now moving in the direction of a place called Patterson. At first the road was rough but quickly smoothed out in some sweet downhill enabling Puddy to reach a top speed 54km/h. Passing a rad ditch on the side of the road we got our gambling hats out and made a bet that James won’t be able to crawl through a sewerage pipe under the road. He managed to do it, winning the bet and generating many laughs form the crew.

Cornell spent the night in Graaf Reinette, visiting some old friends in the area and will join the crew again tomorrow. After the session Puddy and James went for another session around d town whilst James cooked us up some nachos of note and Human watched the soccer.

Tomorrow we pack up and head to our new camp, Patterson.

Friday. September 10. Day 42

2010-09-12T16:12:00.001-07:00

Somerset brought out our gambling spirit....

We had the day off so we spent it fooling around town looking for spots to skates. Found a nice set of stairs which Puddy popped an ollie fro only to get hassled by security straight after.

We headed towards the local high school in search of some more spot but this deemed futile. So we started betting... We bet Puddy some cash that he wouldn’t be able to jump 6m in the long jump pit. Close but no cigar. This was however just a preliminary jump. We are waiting for a proper sand pit on the road somewhere. Max claims he can tee a rugby ball 50m - we still have to see this.

Around 19:00 we rolled over to the local pub and restaurant “ Somerset On Main” where we got a fire burning and Puddy cooked us some lekker braai vleis. We also received a few donations from supporting locals,

A good day spent relaxing and resting for the rest of the road!

Thursday. September 9. Day 41

2010-09-11T04:31:00.000-07:00

We bid farewell to our superb accommodation in Craddock and set out on the road to Cookhouse, our next base camp and stop on Skate for Change 2010. This is life on the road; town after town and stop after stop. Just as you get to know the friendly folk from towns across this great country of ours, you have to pack up get on the road again. Then again, getting on the road is what makes it exciting and keeps us a team, amped and motivated.

The road to Cookhouse was a great one, which provided some fun skating.Most of it headed downhill so Puddy pushed and reached a new top speed of 58km/h. Pretty intense on a short board. The road was smooth and the traffic friendly which led to skating a total of 39km's for the day. We ended this session on the Cookhouse / Summerset East turn off.

Human organised some cosy accommodation for us in Summerset East where we, after the day's session, pulled in and unpacked. We managed to get some long needed washing at the local Laundromat and popped in at the local eatery across the road from where we were staying for a long deserved hot meal.

There is an off day ahead of us so the team is looking supremely forward to that. Time to get some street skating done for the first time in a looooong while. .

Wednesday. Septmeber 8. Day 40.

2010-09-09T02:12:00.000-07:00

Celebration filled the air as we reached our half way mark! 900km done on the trip to thus far and we congratulated ourselves by corking a bottle of non alcoholic Champaign – much like race cars drivers do...

We initially thought we would reach our half way marker on day 45 as the total days of our trip is set at 90 days but it seems that we are a bit ahead of schedule. We’re not complaining though.

The road was standard, not to smooth and not to rough but the wind was against Puddy again, making the skating a bit tough. This however did nothing to sway the good mood Puddy found himself in.

This leg of the tour also saw the first run in with the law. Metro cops pulled us over.

Fortunately we were on the right side of the justice system and they let us off with a smile.

The humidity is rising and we can feel it as our shirts are slowly starting to stick to our backs. The scenery is becoming a lot greener as we approach the coast (only 200km’s to go to P.E.).

Our next stop is Cookhouse. Aprox 30km’s from Craddock. What a great day on the SFC 2010 trip. Halfway mark reached, top speed of 34km/h averaging 18km/h with a distance of 29km’s travelled!

Big thanks to all our main sponsors who have supported us up until now. Shoprite Checkers, DVS, VERB, Revolution, SkullCandy and Stix & Stones, and never forgetting the cause: SOS CHILDRENS VILLIAGES.

Until tomorrow.

Tuesday. September 7. Day 39.

2010-09-07T15:49:00.001-07:00

“If the weather holds up we are in for some good laughs and fun times”. So ended yesterday and started today – with some good laughs and good times.

Arose this morning, with some PeriPeri scrambled eggs for breakfast, and a sun shining like only the summer sun can. Cornell did some interviews for the diary cam and we headed out on the road.

We started skating 5k’s before Cradock upon which we painted Puddy green from head to toe, no it’s not a tribute to The Hulk but rather creating some awareness for another cause close to our hearts. The South African Green Skin Initiative exists to combat racism in our diverse country and advocates racial neutrality and tolerance. We are all green Skinned.

The skating went much better than yesterday. A light wind from the front, 42km/h top speed averaging 23km/h.

Passersby “skeefd” the “Incredible Puddy” as he rolled through town. Closing in on the edge of town, kids from the local neighborhoods started following us and cheering. Before long there were hordes of children screaming and running around the van in total awe of the great green skater.

Stopping we spent some time with the kids, telling them about our cause and the Green Skin initiative. We bought some big bags of chips (filled with smaller packets and handed them to the kids). It was amazing to see their faces light up and really shows one how little they have and how fortunate we are.

After the excitement we headed back to base camp where we relaxed for a bit and started preparing for tomorrow. A mile stone awaits us as we pass the 900km mark. Looking forward to that!

Monday. September 6. Day 38.

2010-09-07T14:31:00.000-07:00

You know the wind is brutal when you have to push down a downhill to get to the bottom. This was exactly the case on day 38.

The day started and ended early. We got to our marker on the road around 09:50 and quickly realised this was going to be one tough session. The wind was barricading Puddy from the front making it close to worthless trying to skate. The roads’ surface didn't make it any easier on him either. Frustration almost got the upper hand after 18km's but the crew motivated to do another few k's. We ended the session on 25km with a 37km/h top speed and an 18km/h average. Not a good day according to Puddy.

We headed back to our base camp bracing the weather and anticipating the current over cast. Let’s hope we don't encounter rain on the road any time soon.

Tomorrow we enter Cradock and if the weather holds we are in for some good fun and laughs

Puddy was exhuassted after this battle with the elements and promptly passed out on the couch in the van.

See you tomorrow.

Sunday. September 5. Day 37.

2010-09-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

Another round of thanks to the donations and accommodation received in Hofmeyer. It really gave us some motivation for the road ahead.

We took to the road after breakfast and were let down by the surface. Another day of rough roads and up hills was staring back at Puddy.

Luckily towards the end there was a nice downhill to finish the day on leaving us with a total of 32 km’s for the day reaching a top speed of 42km/h. Nice work!

Our new base camp is situated in Craddock and Puddy has yet to skate the 30km’s into town. Luckily the most part seems to be downhill and pretty sick too – maybe Puddy will have to wear his biker jacket again...

Cradock’s’ size surprised us and we were happy to be in a bigger town where we could stock up on some supplies from SHOPRITE CHECKERS. We went searching for some street spots for the first time today and also took a relaxing swim.

Saturday. September 4. Day 36.

2010-09-05T12:57:00.000-07:00

Firstly huge thanks in Steynsburg for receiving us with smiles and special thanks goes out to Nic and Petrusa form Sonnekus Guesthouse who housed us.

The sun was out and beating down on mother earth as we made our way tothe marker ready to skate into Hofmeyer.

When we reached the marker Cornell and James couldn’t resist the cool water of a nearby dam. The climb the wind pump to the top and leapt into the dam.

Luckily the road was pretty smooth and we didn’t experience to much traffic skating to Hofmeyer. Puddy complained about a slight case of light headedness but focused his thoughts on the cause and pushed through till the end anyway.

Puddy did well today with 28km's worth of skating a 40km/h top speed averaging at 22km/h

We spent the night in the Local Victoria Hotel in Hofmeyer owned by Gert and Louise where we watched the rugby and received some donations from friendly locals.

Thanks Hofmeyer for your hospitality and support.

Tomorrow Cradock.

Friday. 3 September. Day 35

2010-09-04T03:30:00.001-07:00

The crew Started day at the 28km mark before Steynsburg making the mission in the Tazz as the van has gone for a long needed service. Human stayed behind on this one to catch up some outstanding admin work.

The road was smooth as can be making the skating fly past super fast and before we knew it we had 28k’s on the clock. Puddy reached a top speed of 32km’h with an average of 19km/h.

Back at base camp we rested a bit only to go for a lovely sun downer session. Reward after yesterdays gruesome up hills was the flavour of this session and Puddy paid off with a super smooth road going downhill almost all the way. James couldn't resit and joined Puddy on the road. Reaching a top speed of 43km/h with an average of 26km/h Puddy said that this stretch has been by far the best one on the road yet. Complimenting this great session was the incredible scenery with which we were blessed with. We surely do have a beautiful country.

The day was ended with a smile as we did the most on the trip yet, a total of 43km’s is definitely something to smile about.

Thursday. September 2. Day 34.

2010-09-02T13:55:00.001-07:00

Feeling refreshed after yesterday we made our way to the marker on the R390 to Steynsburg where we ended on Tuesday. A while into the session Pudy's luck turned sour as the R390 to Steynsburg became violently uphill and terribly rough. Puddy said that this has by far been the worst roads on the trip. Especially the 350m climb to the top on the Steynsburg Pass which had Puddy gaping for breath.

Every 10k's Puddy - as in the past, would take a break to drink some fluids only this time he was so wrecked that he could barely stand. However This was not going to conquer Puddy and sooner than later he jumped up and kept pushing to the top.

We skated 24km's in total for the day. This is pretty good considering we went up hill 90% of the time. Our new base camp is in Steynsburg even though we are yet to skate 25k's into town tomorrow. After this we head on down to Hoffmeyer about 65km's from Steynsburg.

Until tomorrow

Wednesday. September 1. Day 33

2010-09-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Today was one of our scheduled off days which Puddy welcomed with a smile. All slept a bit later and took the chance to re vitalise and prepare.

Had a nice breakfast and a heap of thanks to Johan from The Glasgow Pont Hotel for 3 nights free accommodation and great food. He also let us sign his bar wall as a memento from our side.

The rest of the day was spent in relaxed fashion having lunch and enjoying the sun set on the bridge while picking up on our hackey skills.

Tuesday August 31. Day 32

2010-09-01T05:01:00.000-07:00

Arose in good spirits ready to skate the 11km stretch into Venterstad. Last night some Venter- stad Township locals invited us over to their side of town. It was amazing to see how they embraced our cause and supported it wholeheartedly. The day was another scorcher making us really aware of summers presence here in the middle of the country. The road surface has finally taken a turn for the best and we are once again rolling over much smoother tar.

Taking the R58 through Venterstad we turned left onto the R390 leading to Steynsburg. James joined in on the skating providing Puddy with some welcoming company. He ended on 30km for the day which marked a total of710km's on SFC 2010. A Real triumph for Puddy and the crew.

Tomorrow is Puddy’s day off. Looking forward to resting his legs and preparing for the road

August 30. Day 31

2010-08-31T06:12:00.001-07:00

Between Borders.......

Monday started as usual, “another great day of venturing into the great unknown”. Thanked the nice ol’ people form “Ou Vellies” (pictured) and started skating towards Venterstad.

We started skating just on the other side of the bridge were we left off yesterday. This meant that we are skated into the Eastern Cape but base camp is still in the Northern Cape.

What we hoped for, a good smooth road, was replaced by yet another rough and even road including some big up hills.

We ended up 12km’s before Venterstad and pushed a total of 31km’s for the day and can feel the summer is sneaking up on us. The time on the road is starting to get hot. You can see Puddy in the pictures skating shirtless.

We made our way back to base camp, The Glasgow Pont Hotel (in the Northern Cape), pleased with the unknown road we conquered.

29 August. Day 30. Exit Free State. Enter Eastern Cape.

2010-08-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

Last night’s rugby match was a whopper...

We definitely had a good day today executed in good spirits. Spent half the day doing some long needed washing (by hand) and the other half putting k’s on the clock. James, Max, Puddy and Cornell devoted some time to “skogging” (mixture of jogging and skating) and getting Human a bit more comfortable with skateboarding. After a training session Human joined Puddy on the road for a first time long haul! Big ups to Human!!

We started skating 21km’s before Bethulie – in which Human accompanied Puddy in and did another few k’s at sunset across the bridge of the Oranje River (which was a sight to behold) leaving us with 29 km’s for the day. Average of 18km/h and a top speed of 42km/h.

Standing on the edge of such a magnificent piece of natural beauty (Oranje River) it was hard not to devour its splendour for a moment.

Had a some lunch and celebrated another border. We are now out of the Free State and officially in the Eastern Cape. Next town Venterstad!

P.E. here we come..