Durban - Crowds of more than 50 mean money for casual workers in the Midlands who find work when there are large weddings, which means level two is no relief.

Aware of their plight and conscious of the need to boost regional tourism, lodge manager Leon Rennison is setting off on a 1000km fundraising ride to feed local feeding schemes that help these workers.

He said the restrictions also affected opportunities to train casual staff.

“I am grateful that the owners of Lythwood Lodge (near Lidgetton) have been good to me and the (permanent) staff. None of us lost our jobs,” he said.

When he and cycling companion Gerhard Botha, a labour consultant, take to the road through the southern Drakensberg and into the Eastern Cape, on to Jeffrey’s Bay, they plan to stay off tarred roads as much as possible.

They will also punt local tourism along the way as well as document spontaneously stories they encounter. They expect to tell hard but inspiring stories as well as share their knowledge and skill with managers and employees on their way.

“The cycle tour gives us a way to put our compassion in motion. We don’t just want to speak about the hardships of our people, but do something about it.”

Rennison stressed: “We are riding for our industry. The impact of the last four-and-a-half months is ongoing and far from over.

“The industry faces huge loss of income, forced short-time, and countless retrenchments.

“Tourism and hospitality will continue to struggle until international travel bans are fully lifted.”

Once the pair have finished, they hope their Facebook page will be a guide to anyone wanting to take a road trip.

“I thought of doing something uplifting that also takes me way out of my comfort zone,” said the 52-year-old who is 30kg overweight. He has called the epic “The Phat GM Rides”.

The trip’s website, http://phatgmrides.co.za/ stresses that the word “phat” is synonymous with marvellous and delightful, and “in our case a lodge manager with a ‘phat’ passion for his people and equally ‘phat’ management skills”.

Rennison added that midlife could have something to do with the ride. “And I can’t afford a Porsche,” he quipped.

Botha is an experienced cyclist, while Rennison said he started training “only 27 days ago”.

The pair are scheduled to set off on August 30 and to arrive in Jeffrey’s Bay after 27 days.

Cyclists may join them for a day along the way, and make a donation.

The two expect their first day of riding, from Lythwood to Impendle, to be one of the toughest.

“There will be 1000m of climbing in 46km,” said Rennison.

The longest stretch will be 68km on the approach to Queenstown, culminating in a 1300m descent.

Rennison foresees mornings he will be so stiff he will not even want to get out of bed, but that, he believes, is what also happens in every day life.

“You’ve just got to get on with it,” he said.

The Independent on Saturday

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