BakerBoy


John was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (nee Rhodesia).  John's high school was well out of town so like many of his school mates, BakerBoy, rode to school on his trusty treadley ie. his old clunker.  One of John's mates was a keen cyclist and John used to go down to the asphalt cycle track to watch his friend "do loops".  One day John had a ride on his friend's bike and was hooked!!  John bought a second-hand track bike, unfortunately two sizes too small, so John had to have the seat pillar extended way up.  "Rhodesia was a small landlocked country with few frills or furbelows, so you grab what you can."

John recalls that he his old track bike followed him around for some time, using it to go to school and for road training. BakerBoy recollects his bike with no brakes and a fixed gear, seemingly resembling a "gaunt grasshopper" on his track bike.  The next bike John strung enough rand together to buy fitted his gangly frame, being a prestigious 'Frejus', made in Italy with a chromoly Columbus steel frame. Same set up, no brakes and a fixed gear again.  Jean aka ChiliDog still rides a fixed wheel.

John was so keen on cycling that his school work suffered. However, luck came his way in 1960 when John represented Rhodesia in the team pursuit at the South African Championships in Cape Town, whereupon a 2nd Place chuffed him. In the same year John eclipsed the Rhodesian Junior 5 Mile record to 11 minutes 36.9 seconds, which stood for 11 years. "The juniors were very keen and active in those days to the point that we beat the seniors in the team pursuit and broke the Rhodesian record."

By 1961 John was a tad more knowledgeable about track racing and did quite well in Rhodesia.  All track racing was held in Bulawayo because there was "only one cycle track in the country".  John dabbled in road racing but on his track bike as he could not afford a road bike.  In fact, he considered himself to be a sprinter and did not really push himself in road racing.

John was selected to represent Rhodesia in the South African Cycling Championships. This was to be held in Krugersdorp which had a concrete track around a rugby field, "a lot better than the asphalt track we were use to!  Here I managed a second in the five mile and a third in the ten mile."

In 1962, BakerBoy was in his final year as a junior and "following some good results in local races", John was chosen to ride in the esteemed Cycling Champs.  In the one mile heats, John broke the South African record but only managed a second in the final. Also at that memorable meet, John scored a third in the 1,000 metre time trial.

"That was the end of my competitive cycling because in 1963 I left Rhodesia for Jo’burg, South Africa. Here I took up an apprenticeship in the printing industry, which entailed a lot of overtime which I had to do as I was boarding and needed the money. However, I did ride to work for the next two years and then with a loan from my Dad, I bought a car. This was the end of my cycling for many years and I only took it up again to keep fit after I was married."

In the early seventies, John changed occupations and became a baker/pastry cook within his family's company. John moved to Krugersdorp, where he had raced before, with his wife, Marijke, and two kids and opened up a bakery. It was there that he started cycling again, after a break of about ten years, to regain some fitness on the open road.

When John and his family emigrated to Australia in 1988, he brought his road bike with him [no more track bikes] and started a cake shop in Castle Hill.  "We were working our butts off to establish the business but once it got going, I would go out for a ride, I even did the Sydney to the Gong once. Since moving up to Pearl Beach, I have been a volunteer for Bicycle NSW and for MS rides."

"Not having met a group like the Muggaccinos before, I am pleased to be one of the group and look forward to the Sunday rides, at least the ones north of Sydney, as unlike most of the crew, I have to travel down from God's Own Country."

John in St Ives carpark after a memorable SloshFest in mid-Feb 2008 where the torrential rain was warmish,
which is a lot better than getting dumped-on in colder times.

John rolling out of Peats Ridge bound for Yarramalong and Wyee.

France - Aug 2014  The SHIT (cycle) Club with our guide, Eros Pino, who won a gold medal in the team pursuit at the 1984 Olympic Games  
Also, won a stage at the 1994 Montpellier to Carpentras ascent up Mont Ventoux - a very strong cyclist

BakerBoy beating the Winter Chill at Cardwell, Qld  - 170km north of Townsville -  July 2015

A 'Happy Snap' after circumventing Uluru - July 2015

20th Dec 2015 at Mt White

A commemorative stone at the Arboretum at Pearl Beach for John aka BakerBoy for his tireless volunteer efforts for the Rotary Club of Woy Woy, particularly at the Arboretum which hosts the annual Opera in the Arboretum (each March) and Jazz in the Arboretum (each Nov).  John's wife, Marijke, was a world-class trampolinist and spends a lot of time creating a variety of artwork.  John also assisted when Marijke presented her artwork at annual art shows. John joined Muggaccinos back in late 2007, after Marijke enquired of BankTeller on Woy Woy train station that her hubby was looking for a cycle group.  For several years, BakerBoy would catch an early train to Hornsby to join Muggs' Sunday rides.  Then John discovered that a cycle group had formed locally.  As chronicled further above, John represented Rhodesia in cycling as a teenager.  John was an exceedingly powerful cyclist, with a big heart in every sense of the word that included his cardiovascular endurance.