The Masiphumelele township bicycle experience is already an award winning tour of international acclaim. However, faced with the challenge of a ‘non-cyclist’ in the Providence Day School group, AWOL Tours achieved another first with the introduction of the ‘Fivecycle’ to the township.
You may remember AWOL Tours rolling out the Fivecycle in early 2011. Made from three OV Fietse (Dutch city bicycles), the Fivecycle proved so hugely popular at the V&A Waterfront that all the usage took its toll. After a hiatus from active duty for repairs, the Fivecycle was re-commissioned for its inaugural visit to Masiphumelele. It’s mission? To assist Shanna, the non-cyclist of the PDS group, who had avoided getting on a bike since a bad cycling accident a few years ago.
With calming reassurance and superb piloting skills, Zwai from AWOL Tours showed Shanna the sights of this vibrant community on five wheels, with the assistance and unabated interest of the local children. Shanna had a safe, enjoyable and memorable day with her friends and a forgotten love of cycling was rekindled.
The fun-filled AWOL Tour of the community was concluded with a soccer match mixing the tourists and locals into opposing teams at the local municipal grounds. Although the action on the pitch was hot, the Fivecycle was voted the winner of the day! The students and chaperones from the ‘Providence Day School’ in North Carolina thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon out with AWOL Tours, as they met more people than they dreamed possible, thanks to the fabulous Fivecycle!
Put simply, one can’t resist the Fivecycle’s crowd pulling, icebreaking capacity! Watching the afternoon unfold and partaking in the cultural exchange that such tours initiate, I was reminded of the profound prose penned by H.G. Wells, “When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race”.
Imagine what H.G. Wells may have penned had he observed the Fivecycle and the reactions of those who see it?
Look out for future AWOL adventures with the Fivecycle!
Written by Jason Menzies