Kammievlei na Marlu

 

Die weer lyk vanoggend baie goed. Die lug is oop en daar is geen teken van reën nie. Die temperatuur is 7 grade Celsius en ek trek albei my baadtjies aan.

Ek kom 07:13 aan die gang. Die pad is baie nat. So 500 meter pad op is daar 'n redelike styl stukkie wat vir so 50 meter net 'n modder moeras is. Dit is van daardie dik sagte modder. Dit pak so aan my wiele dat hulle op hou draai en ek is verplig om my fiets te dra! Na die stuk kry ek 'n stok en krap die ergste modder af. Die pad oppervlakte raak so dat ek darem weer kan ry. 

Die lug is skoon na die goeie reën en in die laer gedeeltes is daar mis. Ek kry 'n mooi foto van Cockscomb met mis in die voorgrond. Daar is ook 'n paar gedeeltes waar ek weer maar genoodsaak is om af te klim en te stoot omdat dit net te styl is. Dit neem my 'n uur om die eerste 5.5 km af te lê. 

Nou is ek bo-op die kop en begin ek daal. Net voor die bopunt staan daar 'n motor in die "veld". Ek kom agter dat hy blybaar daar parkeer omdat dit moeilik is om met sy klein motortjie van so 200 meter laer af, waar sy huis is, tot by die hek te ry!

Na 'n aanvanklike daling is daar weer 'n paar kort styl stukkies. Dan volg die pad die kontoer met meesal afdraendes. Die pad oppervlakte in oor die algemeen baie klipperig en ek kan nie eintlik vinnig ry nie. Die omgewing is baie mooi en ek dank die Here vir die voorreg om te kan doen waarmee ek besig is. Ek is in my eliment! Ek het in tweede uur 10 km af gelê.

Daar is so 'n paar waterpoele, maar nie te lank of diep nie. Ek sien so een of twee wonings. Dit moet besonders wees om hier 'n plek te hè. Ek wonder net hoe gereeld dit benut word want daar is nie teken van lewe nie. Geen landerye of diere nie.

Die pad kronkel op die plato voort. Ek ry ook verby die Osseberg af draai wat deur die Freedom Challenge gebruik word. Die pad voor en anderkant die hek is heeltemal toe gegroei. Ek onthou van 2019, toe ek FC gedoen het dat ons die eerste 500 meter ons fietse moes stoot. Verder aan kyk ek terug en sien dat die Ossebergpad verder aan oor die rante baie meer duidelik sigbaar en skynbaar rybaar is.

Ek ry oor Antoniesberg, waar die oorspronklike pad nou net dongas is. Daar is so 'n paar alternatiewe paaie deur die veld wat oor die tyd gebuik is. Die is ook redelik verspoel maar rybaar met 'n fiets. Die topografie van die omgewing is gedurig óf op óf af maar dit is meesal rybaar. Ek is een of twee keer verplig om af te klim en te stoot. Gelukkig is dit kort entjies. In die derde uur lê ek weer net 7.5 km af. Na drie uur is my gemiddelde spoed 7.6 kpu.

Nou begin ek afdaal na Grootrivierpoort. Die uitsig van bo is asemrowend. Die pad is baie klipperig en ek is dankbaar dat ek met 'n trapfiets hier kan af ry en nie met 'n 250 kg motorfiets nie! Ek was bekommerd oor die moontlikheid dat die rivier, as gevolg van die voorrige dag se reën, so sterk sal loop dat ek nie kan deurkom nie. Waar dit 'n glade water oppervlakte was toe ek gekom het, is daar nou duidelik tekens van 'n stroom wat loop. Ek besluit om nie te waag nie en klim af en stoot deur. Ek kan die stroom voel maar hy is omtrent net so 40 cm diep en ek kom gemaklik deur. Ek stop vir 'n foto.

Aanvanlik ry ek die bult aan die anderkant uit, maar besluit baie gou dat dit makliker gaan wees om te stoot. Dit is nou redelik warm en ek trek albei my baadjies uit. Dit is 'n redelike lang stoot tot bo. Dan volg die pad meesal die kontoer en is oor die algemeen lekker rybaar. Na 33 km en 4:16 se ry, draai ek af Hadley toe. Bennie en Anine is tuis. Bennie vra of ek al ge-eet het, want hulle gaan nou "brunch" maak. Ek aanvaar die uitnodiging. Bennie vertel vir my die geskiedenis van Wilgerhof dam, wat met die eerst groot reën nadat dit in 1981 voltooi is, gebreek het. Swak werkmanskap en toe het die bouers nie geld om hulle brouwerk reg te maak nie. Dit is nog nie hertsel nie aangesien die hele ou wal weggeneem sal moet word en 'n nuwe wal gebou moet word. Ons kuier baie lekker saam en ek kom eers na 1:39 daar weg. As gevolg van die lang kuier, het my gemiddelde spoed nou na 5.5 kpu geval. Ek werk uit dat ek eers tussen 19:00 en 20:00 op Marlu sal aankom. Net nadat ek in die hoofpad kom, stop ek om een van my baadjies aan te trek want hier is 'n koelerrigheid in die lug.

Die pad Steytlerville toe kronkel tussen die heuwels deur. Die lug het in tussen redelik betrokke geraak en ek sien reën in die heuwels links voor my. By my is dit droog en die pad is goed. Daar is 'n ligte Noord Weste wind wat my vordering so 'n bietjie bemoeilik. Ek handhaaf darem 'n gemiddelde spoed van ongeveer 14 kpu. Dit neem my 2:39 om tot by Steytlerville te kom.  Dit is nou amper 17:00.

Daar is nog 32 km oor en ek skat dat dit my so 2:30 sal neem Marlu toe, dus gaan ek so 19:30 tuis wees. Dit raak nou koel en so halfpad teen die bult op, nadat ek deur Steytlerville is, stop ek om my tweede baadjie aan te trek. Ek trek ook my warm handskoene aan. Net voor 18:00 begin dit donkkerig word en ek stop om my ligte aan te sit. So 'n entjie die pad af word ek geseën met die mooiste sonsondergang. Dit lyk of die horison aan die brand is. Ek hou 'n paar keer stil om fotos te neem. Elke keer wanneer ek 'n foto neem, moet ek een handskoen uittrek. Na die derde foto, bêre ek die handskoen en trek 'n gewone, kort handskoen aan sodat ek makliker fotos kan neem. Die koue het in tussen ook tot 'n mate gewyk en ek verwissel die ander handskoen ook. 

Ek geniet dit altyd om in die donker te ry. Ek moet meer versigtig wees want ek kan nie so ver vooruit sien nie, maar die stilte en nag geluide om my maak dit baie rustig. Die gehalte van die pad is hier so dat dit nie 'n probleem is nie. Maandag het ek hier lekker vinnig gery, maar nou is dit 'n 1 tot 2 grade opdraend, dus gaan dit 'n bietjie stadiger. Dan bereik ek uiteindelik die T-aansluiting waar ek links draai, Marlu toe. Nou nog net 9 km oor, maar daar is 'n paar "knoppies" in die pad, so dit gaan my so 'n bietjie langer neem om dit af te lê. 

Ek word weereens geseën met 'n lieflike sekelman wat elke nou en dan tussen die wolke deur loer. Ek probeer 'n foto neem, maar die resultaat is nie bruikbaar nie. Ek ken die pad hier al goed en weet toe ek die laaste bult pak, dat die Marlu afdraai net oor die bult is. Die hek is darem die keer net ingehak en dus maklik om deur te kom. Al met die plaaspad af, verby die werkers wat lekker om 'n vuur sit, tot by die huis. 

Ek kom 19:29 tuis. Dit was voorwaar weer 'n besonderse dag. My mikpunt met hierdie rit was om my uithouvermoeë en deursettingvermoeë te toets. Die toets het ek met vlieënde vaandels geslaag! 

Statistiek vir die dag: 115.48 km; 12:05:46 in die saal; 9.5 kpu; 1,856 meter geklim.

English version

The weather looks very good this morning. The sky is clear and there is no sign of rain. The temperature is 7 degrees Celsius and I put on both my jackets.

I get going at 07:13. The road is very wet. About 500 meters up the road there is a fairly steep section that is just a mud bath for about 50 meters. It is just thick soft mud. It grips my wheels so much that they stop turning and I am forced to carry my bike! After the section I get a stick and scrape off the worst of the mud. The road surface improves to such an extend that I can ride again.

The air is clear after the good rain and in the lower parts there is fog patches. I get a nice photo of Cockscomb with fog in the foreground. There are also a few sections where I am forced to dismount and push because it is just too steep. It takes me an hour to cover the first 5.5 km to the top of the hill.

Now I am on top of the hill and I start to descend. Just before the top there is a car in the "veld". I notice that he always parks there because it is difficult to drive his small car from about 200 meters lower, where his house is, to the gate!

After an initial descent there are a few short steep sections. Then the road then follows the contour with mostly downhill sections. The road surface is generally very rocky and I can't really ride fast. The environment is very beautiful and I thank God for the privilege of being able to do what I am doing. I am in my element! The going is slow and I have covered only 10 km in the second hour.

There are a few pools of water, but not too long or deep. I see one or two houses. It must be special to have a place here. I just wonder how often it is used because there is no sign of life. No fields or animals.

The road continues winding on the plateau. I also ride past the Osseberg turnoff used by the Freedom Challenge. The road in front and beyond the gate has completely over grown. I remember from 2019, when I did FC, that we had to push our bikes for the first 500 meters. Further on, I look back and see that the Osseberg road further along the ridge is much more clearly visible and seems rideable.

I ride over Antoniesberg, where the original road is now just dongas. There are a few alternative roads through the veld that have been used over time. These are also quite washed out but rideable with a bike. The topography of the area is constantly either up or down but it is mostly rideable. I am forced to dismount and push once or twice. Fortunately, it is short distances. In the third hour I have covered only 7.5 km. After three hours my average speed is 7.6 kpu.

Now I start to descend to Grootrivierpoort. The view from the top is breathtaking. The road is very rocky and I am grateful that I can ride a mountainbike down here and not a 250 kg motorbike! I was worried that the river, due to the previous day's rain, would be so strong that I would not be able to get through. Where it was a smooth flowing surface of water when I came, there are now clear signs of a current running. I decide not to risk riding through and get off my bike and push through. I can feel the current but it is only about 40 cm deep and I get through comfortably. I stop for a photo.

Initially I pedal up the hill on the other side, but very quickly decide that it will be easier to push. It is now quite warm and I take off both my jackets. It is a fairly long push to the top. Then the road mostly follows the contour and is generally easy to ride. After 33 km and 4:16 of riding, I turn off to Hadley. Bennie and Anine are home. Bennie asks if I have eaten yet, because they are going to have "brunch". I accept the invitation. Bennie tells me the history of Wilgerhof dam, which broke with the first big rain after it was completed in 1981. Poor workmanship and then the builders did not have money to fix their work. It is not yet complete as the entire old embankment will have to be removed and a new embankment must be built. We have a great time together and I only leave after 1:39. As a result of the long stay, my average speed has now dropped to 5.5 kph. I work out that I will only arrive at Marlu between 19:00 and 20:00. Just after I get on the main road, I stop to put on one of my jackets because there is a coolness in the air.

The road to Steytlerville winds through the hills. It have become quite overcast and I see rain in the hills to the left of me. It is dry where I am and the road is good. There is a light North West wind which makes my progress a little difficult. At least I maintain an average speed of about 14 kpu. It takes me 2:39 to get to Steytlerville. It is now almost 17:00.

There are still 32 km to go and I estimate that it will take me about 2:30 to get to Marlu, so I will be home about 19:30. It's getting cool now and about halfway up the hill, after I've passed through Steytlerville, I stop to put on my second jacket. I also put on my warm gloves. Just before 18:00 it starts to get dark and I stop to put my lights on. A few kilometers down the road I'm blessed with the most beautiful sunset. It looks as though the horizon is on fire. I stop a few times to take pictures. Every time I take a picture, I have to take off one glove. After the third picture, I put the glove away and put on a regular, short glove so that I can take pictures more easily. The cold has also subsided to some extent in between and I change the other glove as well.

I always enjoy riding in the dark. I have to be more careful because I can't see as far ahead, but the silence and night sounds around me make it very peaceful. The quality of the road here is such that it's not a problem. On Monday I drove pretty fast here, but now it's a 1 to 2 degree climb, so it's a little slower. Then I finally reach the T-junction where I turn left, to Marlu. Now only 9 km left, but there are a few "knobs" in the road, so it's going to take me a little longer to cover it.

I'm once again blessed with a lovely sickle moon which peeks through the clouds every now and then. I try to take a photo, but the result is not usable. I already know the road here well and know when I take the last hill, that the Marlu turnoff is just over the hill. At least the gate is just hooked in this time and so it is easy to get through. All the way down the farm road, past the workers sitting around a fire, to the house.

I get home at 19:29. It was truly another special day. My goal with this ride was to test my endurance and perseverance. I passed the test with flying colors!

Statistics for the day: 115.48 km; 12:05:46 in the saddle; 9.5 kpu; 1,856 meters climbed.

Dodds familie na Kammievlei

 

Die plan was om vandag van die Doddse na Hadley, deur die Grootrivierpoort te ry. 83 km met 1,900 meter se klim. Ek besluit om 07:00 in die pad te val. Llise Dodds het vir my 'n paar grondboontjiebotter toebroodtjies gemaak en ook 'n paar ander lekkernye in gesit.

Na 'n goeie nag se rus en 'n lekker gesonde ontbyt, val ek 07:17 in die pad. Dit is redelik bewolk en die weervoorspelling vir Patensie en Steytlerville wys baie reën! Ons hou maar duim vas dat die weer hou.

By die hek uit en regs in die Elandsrivier vallei op. Die wolke lyk redelik hoog en dit wil voorkom of ek droog sal kan bly. Die padoppervlakte is goed en die bulte nie te lank nie. Ek handhaaf 'n gemiddelde spoed van so om en by 13 kpu. Die temperatuur het op 18 begin en daal geleidelik na 15. Ek stop om my reënbaadjie, wat nie meer waterdig is nie, aan te trek om warm te bly. Die wolke is nog redelik hoog en dit wil voorkom of ek in goeie weer sal kan aan ry.

Na 'n rukkie begin die weer meer toetrek, maar dit reën nog nie. Op 32 km begin ek die eerste nattigheid ervaar. Ek hou weer stil en trek my "windbreaker" aan om te help teen enige reën. Aanvanklik hou die weer maar dan begin dit saggies reën. Niks om oor bekommerd te raak nie, maar hoe later hoe kwaadter. Die intensiteit van die reën neem stadig toe. Teen 40 km reën dit lekker hard en is die pad vol waterpoele. 

Ek begin my opsie oorweeg. Ek weet daar is 'n plek "Ingwe" of so iets waar ek sal kan bly. Indien dit so aanhou reën sal ek beslis my dag moet kort sny. Op 45 km kom ek by Mount Ingwe Lodge uit. Die intensiteit van die reën het redelik afgeneem. Ek draai af en volg die bordjie was sê "Plaashuis" maar daar is geen lewe nie. Ek hoor egter stemme. Regs bo by die waanhuis is daar lewe. 'n Plaaswerker kom aangestap. Hier is niemand nie. Die eienaar is in Jeffreysbaai. Ek vra of daar nog blyplek verder aan is. Hy bevestig dat daar by die Beers oor die bult plek is. Hy sê hy kan my by Ingwe uitsorteer, maar ek besluit om eder oor die bult te gaan kyk! Die temperateur het intussen tot net onder 14 grade Celsius gedaal. Om my is daar gereeld donderweer en blitse! Dit raak nogal vrees aanjaend! 

Die bult is 'n "bulletjie". Ek is genoodsaak om 'n stuk te stoot as gevolg van die gradiënt maar ook omdat die pad te glad raak en ek nie behoorlik traksie kan kry nie. Selfs my skoene gly terwyl ek loop. Sake vorder gelukkig redelik goed en ek trap die res uit. Onder in die vallei kom ek by Kammievlei van Roelie en Sareta Beer aan. Die voorhekkie en voordeur is oop! Ek trek hier in. Noes, wat besig is om skoon te maak, lyk nie te gretig om my in te laat nie. Sy skakel vir Roelie wat nie toestemming wil gee nie. Ek skakel vir Roelie en hy sê ek moet met Sareta praat. Haar telefoon lui net! 

Die besluit is geneem. Hier pak ek vandag af. Sal maar later die gevolge moet hanteer. Noes is heel te gemoedkomend en bied vir my koffie aan. Ek vra waar ek kan stort en sy wys my die badkamer. Na 'n lekker warm stort en baie droë en warm klere, kry ek my koppie koffie. Ek eet van my toebroodjies vir middag ete. Ek probeer weer vir Sareta en Roelie skakel maar kom nie deur nie. Nadat ek klaar ge-eet het, lui my foon. Dit is Sareta. Sy stem in dat ek kan bly en reël met Noes om vir my aandete te maak. Dit blyk dat die probleem was dat hulle 'n groep kinders hier gehad het en Sareta was nie seker of hulle al weg is en of die pkek aan die kant gemaak is. Noes het bevestig dat alles in orde is.

Nou sit ek op die stoep en skryf my "blog". Dit het 10 minute gelede nog honde en katte gereën, maar nou is dit heel aangenaam. Die wolke het gelig en dit het opgehou om te reën. Ek kan dit amper oorweeg om aan te ry! Ek het egter al lankal besluit dat wanneer ek op so 'n rit "afgesaal" het, ek klaar is vir die dag. Begin eder môre vroeg weer!

Nog 'n ding wat die dag vir my duidelik uitgewys het is dat ek 'n waterdigte reënbaadjie en broek moet kry. Ek sou my dag se mikpunt behaal het indien my lyf net droeër was, maar met nat klere raak die koue faktor net te groot om aan te hou. Soos die weer nou is, sal dit eintlik baie lekker wees om fiets te ry!

So eindig 'n baie interessante dag. Nog eens 'n "toets" vir die hanteer van moeilike omstandighede wat buite my beheer is. Môre lê die laaste drie kilometer na die toring voor en daarna af deur die poort en deur Marlu toe via Steytlerville. Ek kom net na 20:00 tot ruste en slaap die nag baie lekker.

Dag se statistiek: 49.61 km; 4:18:13 teen 'n gemiddelde van 11.53 kpu met 1,107 meter se klim. 

English version

The plan was to ride from the Dodds family home to Hadley, through the Grootrivierpoort. 83 km with 1,900 meters of climbing. I decided to hit the road at 07:00. Llise Dodds made me some peanut butter sandwiches and also put in a few other treats.

After a good night's rest and a nice healthy breakfast, I hit the road at 07:17. It is quite cloudy and the weather forecast for Patensie and Steytlerville shows a lot of rain! We are keeping our fingers crossed that the weather will hold.

Out of the gate and up to the right into the Elandsrivier valley. The clouds look quite high and it seems like I will be able to stay dry. The road surface is good and the "bumps" not too long. I maintain an average speed of around 13 kpu. The temperature started at 18 and gradually dropped to 15. I stopped to put on my rain jacket, which is no longer waterproof, to stay warm. The clouds are still quite high and it looks like I will be able to ride in good weather.

After a while the weather starts to get worse, but it is not raining yet. At 32 km I start to experience the first wetness. I stop again and put on my "windbreaker" to help against any rain. At first the weather holds but then it starts to rain gently. Nothing to worry about, but the later the worse. The intensity of the rain slowly increases. At 40 km it is raining really hard and the road is full of puddles.

I start to consider my options. I know there is a place called "Ingwe" or something like that where I will be able to stay. If it keeps raining like this I will definitely have to cut my day short. At 45 km I arrive at Mount Ingwe Lodge. The intensity of the rain has decreased quite a bit at this point. I turn off and follow the sign that says "Farmhouse" but there is no life. However, I hear voices. There is life right up at the warehouse. A farm worker walks up. There is no one here. The owner is in Jeffreys Bay. I ask if there is any accommodation further on. He confirms that there is place at the Beers over the hill. He says he can sort me out at Ingwe, but I decide to go and see what is over the hill! The temperature has meanwhile dropped to just under 14 degrees Celsius. There is regular thunder and lightning around me! It is getting quite scary!

The hill is a real "hill". I am forced to push a bit because of the gradient but also because the road becomes too slippery and I cannot get proper traction. Even my shoes slip while I walk. Fortunately, things are progressing quite well and I pedal the rest out. At the bottom of the valley I arrive at Kammievlei of Roelie and Sareta Beer. The front gate and front door are open! I go in. Noes, who is busy cleaning, doesn't seem too keen to let me in. She calls Roelie who doesn't want to give permission for me to stay. I call Roelie and he says I need to speak to Sareta, his wife. Her phone just rings!

The decision has been made. I'll pack up here the day. I'll have to deal with the consequences later. Noes is very friendly and offers me coffee. I ask where I can shower and she shows me the bathroom. After a nice hot shower and lots of dry and warm clothes, I get my cup of coffee. I eat some of my sandwiches for lunch. I try to call Sareta and Roelie again but I can't get through. After I've finished eating, my phone rings. It's Sareta. She agrees that I can stay and arranges with Noes to make me dinner. It turns out that the problem was that they had a group of children here and Sareta wasn't sure if they had already left or if the house had been cleaned. Noes confirmed that everything is in order.

Now I'm sitting on the porch and writing my "blog". It was still raining cats and dogs 10 minutes ago, but now it's quite pleasant. The clouds have lifted slightly and it has stopped raining. I can almost consider riding on! However, I have long ago decided that when I "dismount" on such a ride, I'm done for the day. Rather start early tomorrow!

Another thing that the day clearly showed me is that I need to get a waterproof rain jacket and pants. I would have achieved my goal for the day if my body had been just drier, but with wet clothes the cold factor becomes just too big to continue. The way the weather is now, it will actually be very nice to ride a bike!

Thus ends a very interesting day. Another "test" for dealing with difficult circumstances that are beyond my control. Tomorrow the last three kilometres lie ahead to the tower and then down through the poort and through to Marlu via Steytlerville. I come to rest just after 20:00 and sleep very well that night.

Today's statistics: 49.61 km; 4:18:13 at an average of 11.53 kpu with 1,107 metres of climbing.

Marlu na Elandsrivier

 

Met 'n week met twee vakansiedae, is daar geen rede om by die huis te sit nie. Ek reël dus om by Lucia en Martin Dorfling op Marlu te gaan kuier en die Maandag met my fiets deur te ry na Llise en Mark Dodds in die Elandsrivier vallei. Albei kan my akkommodeer en ek ry Saterdag 26 April, met my motor, Marlu toe. Kuier Saterdag en Sondag lekker daar.

Ry afstand van Marlu na die Doddse is 165 km met net meer as 2,000 meter se klim. Dit sluit onder andere 'n rit deur Grootrivierpoort in. 

Lucia maak vir my 'n padkos pakkie met twee gekookte eiers, twee ham en kaas roosterbroodjies, biltong, 'n paar oorskied gebraaide lieslappe, 'n Coke, 'n pakkie Fritos en 'n Pakkie Jellie Tots. Ek voeg die twee piesangs wat ek saam gebring het by, saam met twee appels. Ek gaan dus nie honger ly nie!

Ek kom 05:57 aan die ry. By die plaashek, wat gewoonlik net in gehak is, kry ek nou 'n gesluite hek. Dus moet ek my fiets oor die hek tel. Daar is gelukkig 'n groot gat langsaan waar deur ek kan kruip. 

Na die hek draai ek links, Steytlerville se kant toe. Ek begin sommer met 'n klim. Gelukkig nie te erg nie. Die eerste 9 km is meesal afdraend. Daar is heelwat teken s van vloedskade by die driffies waar ek deur ry. In een geval is daar 'n groot gat aan die linkerkant waar iemand net 'n groot klip in die gat gesit het. Met 'n gewone voertuig sal die bestuurder mooi moet mik om een wiel op die klip te kry en die ander wiel op die deel van pad wat nog rybaar is. 

Na 9 km draai ek regs Steytlerville toe. Na 'n redelike klim, kronkel die pad tussen twee bergreekse deur. Die pad oppervlakte is goed en redelik gelyk met die gevolg dat ek 'n lekker pas handhaaf. Die laaste 5 km Steytlerville is alles afdraend! 

Deur die dorp en dan klim ek weer. Die gradiënt is redelik en die bult nie te lank nie. Op 43 km split die pad. Links na Cockscomb en regs Grootrivier toe. Ek kies regs. Eers stop ek vir 'n "snack" en eet 'n toebroodjie en drink die Coke. Ek het vroeër een van die piesangs ge-eet.

Net na die Winterhoek afdraai, stop 'n bakkie by my en vra waarheen ek oppad is. Die man se oë rek toe ek sê ek gaan deur die Grootrivierpoort en dan Elandsrivier toe. Hy wys die verte in en sê daar aan die einde van die berg is Grootrivierpoort. Hy groet en draai af Winterhoek se rigting. 

Op 60 km is daar weer 'n afdraai. Reguit gaan weer Cockscomb toe en regs Grootrivier toe. Ek sou later agterkom dat die Cockscomb by my pad aansluit. My pad klim so 'n bietjie en dan ry ek al bo teen 'n rant langs. Ek gaan verby 'n plaas genaamd Wilgerhof. Agter die plaashuis is daar 'n groot damwal met twee groot gate in. Gelukkig is die huis so 'n bietjie regs van die dam, maar ek dink die moes nogal skrikwekend gewees het toe daardie wal gebreek het!

Na 72 km sluit ek by die Cockscomb pad aan. Die pad Cockscomb het so 'n entjie vroeër links weggedraai en hierdie pad gaan nou ook Grootrivier toe. Die "ekskursie" het my dag se rit met ongeveer 2 km gerek! Ek is nou op die pad wat die Freedom Challende (FC) gebruik om van die Bucklands "Support Station SS" na die Hadley SS te ry. Ek onthou die pad van 2019  se FC en hy is baie op en af met 'n paar redelike lang bulte op en af. 

Ek het met Bennie Rathbone gereel vir 'n koffie en waterbottel stop. Ek kom 11:30 daar aan. Ek is dus op die stadium so 45-60 minute voor skedule. Bennie is nie tuis nie, probleme met 'n luiperd wat beeste vang, maar Anine is daar ek kry lekker moer koffie, koue water en maak my waterbottel vol. Die Hadley draai het my 36 minute geneem. Voor my stop was my gemiddelde spoed 16 kpu. Na die stop het dit na net meer as 14 kpu geval. Nou kom die Grootrivierpoort en die klim anderkant gaan 'n groot vermindering hierin gee!

Van Hadley is dit so 5 km na die begin van die poort. Die pad af na die rivier is baie rof en ek ry maar versigtig teen die bult af. Onder is daar twee stroompies. Die eerste nie baie diep nie maar die twee kom tot oor my skoene. Daar is ook 'n paar groot klippe onder die troebelwater wat mens nie kan sien, maar ek kom sonder probleme deur. 

Nou kom die groot klim. Ek het my reggemaak vir baie stoot en dit is dan ook binne 500 meter sulke tyd. Die gradiënt is oor die algemeen nie te erg nie, maar die los klippe maak dit moeilik om momentum te behou. Na 'n ruk raak die oppervlakte so dat ek kan ry. Ek kry ook twee 4x4's wat stil gehou het om fotos van die poort te neem. Ek kan darem lamgs hulle verby kom. So 'n entjie verder moet ek noodgedwonge maar weer af klim en stoot. Op hierdie stadium is daar 'n lekker koel bries reg van agter. 

Ek ry verby die Osseberg afdraai, wat deur FC gebruik word. Ek dink eers dit is nie die pad nie want die aanloop is meer toegerooi as wat ek kan onthou. Die pad anderkant die hek, wat maar altyd redelik begroei was, is nou glad nie eers meer sigbaar nie! Dit nogal interessant dat die pad nog steeds op Track4Africa as 'n "track" aangedui word! Sal met hulle daaroor moet praat.

Van hier na "die toring", waar die pad by die Elandsrivier pad aansluit, klim die pad redelik. Daar is weer 'n paar korter stukkies waar ek maar af klim en stoot. Na 113 km bereik ek die aansluiting. Die het my 9 uur en 6 minute tot hier geneem en my gemiddelde spoed het nou na 12.4 kpu geval. Daar is nou nog 54 km oor. Dit behoort ek darem in so tussen 3 en 4 uur af te lê. 3 uur beteken om kom met laaste lig daar aan. 4 uur sal ek donker daar aankom. 

Ek was hoopvol dat die pad in 'n goeie toestand sal wees en dat ek, sodoende, my gemiddelde kon lig sodat ek voor donker my eindpunt bereik, maar dit is ongelukkig nie so nie. Die pad is redelik verspoel en ook klipperig. Dit verbeter darem na so 'n paar kilometer, maar dan begin die bulte! Ek stop vir 'n "verversings breek" en eet my laaste eier en een helfte van my laaste toebroodjie. 

Ek ry verby die punt op 120.5 km waar die pad wat ek wil terug ry veronderstel is om af te draai. Die Dodds het my ingelig dat hulle nie van die pad weet nie. Ek sien toe ook hoekom hulle nie van hom weet nie. Daar is wel tekens van 'n pad maar hy word duidelik nie meer gebruik nie. In hierdie geval verskyn hy ook nie op Track4Africa nie. Komoot en Ride with GPS dui hom wel aan. Ek besluit dat ek maar eder met dieselfde pad waarmee ek gekom het, terug gaan ry. Ek gaan my egter nie twee keer in een week so beproef nie en gaan die terug tog in twee skofte verdeel en op Hadley, wat net mooi halfpad is, oorbly. 

So 15 km van my bestemming af hou 'n bakkie by my stil. Die bestuurder will weet of ek hoe ver ek nog moet gaan, want dit gasļn netnou donker wees. Ek bevestig dat ek nog net 15 km oor het. Hy groete en ry aan.

'n Rukkie later sit ek my ligte aan. Met 8 km oor sien ek 'n fietslig voor in die pad. Dit is Llise wat my na hulle huis "eskort". My water is teen die tyd leeg en sy gee my 'n vol bottel. 

Nou hoeveel bulte kan daar nog in die laaste 8 km wees! Te veel! Dit hou net nie op nie! Dit neem my seker meer as 'n half uur om die laaste 8 km af te lê. Ek was redelik verlig toe Llise sê daar is nog net 100 meter oor na hulle afdraai. Nog 'n verdere paar meter met hulle paadjie en dan is ek eindelik tuis.

Dit was voorwaar 'n goeie dag se oefening en ek was bly ek het die uitdaging vir my daargestel en suksesvol afgehandel.

167.14 km 12:37 met 2,668 meter se klim. 4,883 kalorië verbrand. Finale gemiddelde spoed is 13.2 kpu.

English Version

With a week with two public holidays, there is no reason to sit at home. So I arranged to visit Lucia and Martin Dorfling at Marlu and on the Monday I would cycle to Llise and Mark Dodds in the Elands River valley. Both can accommodate me and I drive to Marlu on Saturday, April 26, in my car. I spend Saturday and Sunday there.

The riding distance from Marlu to the Dodds Family is165 km with just over 2,000 metres of climbing. This includes, among other things, a trip through the Grootrivierpoort.

Lucia put together a "padkos" package with two boiled eggs, two ham and cheese toasties, biltong, a few leftover fried loincloths, a Coke, a packet of Fritos and a packet of Jellie Tots. I add the two bananas I brought with me, along with two apples. So I won't go hungry!

I get on the road at 05:57. At the farm gate, which is usually only hooked in, I now find a locked gate. So I have to pick my bike up and slide it over the gate. Fortunately, there is a large hole next to it through which I can crawl.

After the gate, I turn left, towards Steytlerville. I start with a climb. Fortunately, not too bad. The first 9 km is mostly downhill. There are many signs of flood damage at the drifts that I ride through. In one case, there is a large hole on the left where someone simply put a large stone in the hole. With a normal vehicle, the driver would have to aim carefully to get one wheel on the stone and the other wheel on the part of the road that is still drivable.

After 9 km, I turn right towards Steytlerville. After a reasonable climb, the road winds between two mountain ranges. The road surface is good and fairly flat or slightly downhill, with the result that I maintain a nice pace. The last 5 km Steytlerville is all downhill!

Through the town and then I climb again. The gradient is reasonable and the hill not too long. At 43 km the road splits. Left to Cockscomb and right to Grootrivier. I choose the right. First I stop for a "snack" and eat a sandwich and drink the Coke. I had eaten one of the bananas earlier.

Just after the Winterhoek turnoff, a bakkie stops stop next to me and the driver asks where I'm going. The man's eyes widen when I say I'm going through the Grootrivierpoort and then on to Elandsrivier. He points into the distance and says that Grootrivierpoort is at the end of the mountain. He greets me and turns off in the direction of Winterhoek.

At 60 km there is another turnoff. Straight is to Cockscomb and right to Grootrivier. once again I go right. I would later find out that the Cockscomb joins the road that I took. My road climbs a bit and then I ride along a ridge. I pass a farm called Wilgerhof. Behind the farmhouse there is a large dam wall with two large holes in it. Luckily the house is a little to the right of the dam, but I think it must have been quite scary when that wall broke!

After 72 km I join the Cockscomb road. There was a turnoff to Cockscomb left a little earlier and this road now also goes to Grootrivier. The "excursion" has extended my day's ride by about 2 km! I am now on the road that the Freedom Challende (FC) uses to ride from the Bucklands "Support Station (SS)" to the Hadley SS. I remember the road from the 2019 FC and it is very up and down with some fairly long ups and downs.

I arranged with Bennie Rathbone of Hadley for a coffee and water bottle stop. I get there at 11:30. So I am about 45-60 minutes ahead of schedule at this stage. Bennie is not home, problems with a leopard catching cattle, but Anine is there I get coffee, cold water and fill my water bottle. The Hadley "stop" took me 36 minutes. Before my stopped my average speed was 16 kpu. After the stop it dropped to just over 14 kpu. Now comes the Grootrivierpoort and the climb on the other side is going to give a big reduction in this!

From Hadley it is about 5 km to the beginning of the Grootrivierpoort. The road down to the river is very rough and I ride carefully down the hill. Below there are two streams. The first is not very deep but the second comes up to my shoes. There are also a few large rocks under the murky water that you can't see, but I get through without any problems.

Now comes the big climb. I've prepared myself for a lot of pushing and within 500 meters I get off and start to push. The gradient is generally not too bad, but the loose rocks make it difficult to maintain momentum. After a while the surface becomes such that I can ride. I also find two 4x4s that have stopped to take photos of the "poort". I can barely get past them. A little further on I am forced to climb down again and push. At this stage there is a nice cool breeze from behind.

I drive past the Osseberg turnoff, which is used by FC. At first I thought it wasn't the road because the approach was more overgrown than I remembered. The road beyond the gate, which was always quite overgrown, is now not even visible at all! It's quite interesting that the road is still indicated as a "track" on Track4Africa! I'll have to talk to them about that.

From here to "the tower", where the road joins the Elandsrivier road, the road climbs quite a bit. There are a few shorter sections where I just climb off and push. After 113 km I reach the junction. It took me 9 hours and 6 minutes to get here and my average speed has now dropped to 12.4 kph. There are now 54 km left. I should be able to do it in between 3 and 4 hours. 3 hours means arriving with last light. I'll arrive there in the dark if I take 4 hours.

I was hopeful that the road would be in good condition and that I could, therefore, raise my average so that I would reach my destination before dark, but unfortunately that is not the case. The road is quite washed out and also rocky. It does improve after a few kilometers, but then the "bumps" begin! I stop for a "refreshment break" and eat my last egg and one half of my last sandwich.

I drive past the point at 120.5 km where the road I want to take back is supposed to turn off. The Dodds informed me that they did not know about this road. I now see why they did not know about it. There are signs of a road but it is clearly no longer used. In this case, it does not appear on Track4Africa either. Komoot and Ride with GPS do indicate it. I decide that I will just ride back the same way I came. However, I'm not going to try this twice in one week and will split the return trip into two shifts and stay in Hadley, which is the halfway point.

About 15 km from my destination, a bakkie stops next to me. The driver wants to know how far I still have to go, because it's going to be dark soon. I confirm that I only have 15 km left. He greets  and drives on.

A while later I turn my lights on. With 8 km left, I see a bicycle light ahead on the road. It's Llise, who is going to "escort" me to their house. My waterbottel is empty and she gives me a full bottle.

Now how many bumps can there be in the last 8 km? Too many! It just doesn't stop! It probably takes me more than half an hour to cover the last 8 km. I was quite relieved when Llise said that there were only 100 meters left to their turnoff. Another few meters on their path and then I'm finally home.

It was indeed a good day's riding and I was glad I set myself this challenge and completed it successfully.

Statistics: 167.14 km 12:37 in the saddle with 2,668 meters of climbing. 4,883 calories burned. Final average speed is 13.2 kph.