Vrydag 29 Desember 2017

Rawsonville na Bloubergstrand

Ek het die vorige aand gereël vir ontbyt in my kamer en ‘n “lunch pack”. Dit is net na 21:00 afgelewer en ek was teen 21:45 in droomland totdat my wekker my 04:45 wakker gemaak het. Ek was redelik tydsaam en kom 05:55 weg.

Ek besluit om eers ‘n draai by die garage te gaan maak om my fiets se wiele op te pomp. Ook maar goed, want die agterwiel was redelik pap. Daarna volg en ‘n grondpad uit die dorp oor die Deetlifs Landgoed. Dit loop egter in ‘n sirkel na die verbindings pad met die R101. Net nadat en op die verbindings pad is, is daar ‘n goeie grondpad na links en ek besluit om ‘n kans the vat. Die pad kronkel deur die wingerde en plase. By een van die opstalle kry ek ‘n paar mense en hulle bevestig dat die pad deurloop na die R101. Dit is toe ook so en ek sluit by die R101 aan net voordat die pad by die N1 aansluit.

Van hier moet ek noodgedwonge die N1 volg tot by die weegbrug waar die ou pas links afgaan. Daar gekom besluit ek om eers ‘n breek te neem en te kyk wat alles in my “lunch pack” is. Ek eet ‘n eier, kersie tamaties, ‘n toebroodjie en ‘n stukkie vleis. Na 15 minute val ek weer in die pad. Die pas is redelik stil, maar daar kom tog ‘n paar voertuie en vragmotors verby, een ‘n bietjie naby na my sin! Dit neem my 48 minute om die 7 km tot by die bopunt van die pas af te lê. Die bene is vanoggend redelik tam na gister se 193 km en die stere is baie gevoelig! Anderkant is ek redelik verbaas om te sien dat al die dene bome afgekap is. Toe ek drie jaar gelede hier af is was die hange van die berg bedek met bome. Nou is alles kaal en dit is dus baie maklik om die kronkel paadjie vir die aansluiting by die Beulah pad te volg.

Ek besluit om in Wellington te stop vir ‘n koffie of ‘n koeldrank, maar toe ek deur my sakkie gaan waarin ek gewoonlik ‘n noot of twee bêre gaan, kry ek niks. Ek is toe maar verplig om net my waterbottel vol te maak. Net nadat ek oor die Lady Loch nou bruggie is, trek ek af en neem weer ‘n ete breek. Die keer eet ek weer ‘n eier, van die bruin saadbrood, die druiwe en ‘n “cheese griller”. Na 15 minute is ek weer aan die gang, maar die energie vlakke bly vanoggend laag. Die seer stere maak dit oor nie makliker nie. By die R45/R44 kruising draai ek regs en ry tot by die Agter Paardeberg afdraai. Na 2.5 km draai ek links op die Langvlei pad.

Die nood druk en by die volgende kruising hou ek stil vir, onder andere ‘n nommer 2 gemaks breek! Na 11 minute is ek weer aan die gang. Hierdie pad ken ek baie goed en ry ek gereeld wanneer ek vir ‘n lang wedren oefen. Dit loop oor Middelburg en Leeuwendans en sluit by die Slentpad, wat Paardeberg met Klipheuwel verbind, aan. By Leeuwendans se bestuurder se huis maak ek weer my waterbottel vol. My stere en bene protesteer en by die Occultdale afdraai stop ek weer om net ‘n bietjie te rus. Na ‘n rukkie kom ek weer aan die gang. Die Occultdale pad sluit by die M58 (Adderleypad) aan en dan draai ek af na Malanshoogte. My water is min en die watersak in my rugsak is ook leeg met die gevolg dat ek by Faircape stop om water te kry.

Die einde is nou is sig met net Malanshoogte waar ek nog oor kom moet word. Ek “grind” die bult uit en geniet die afdraand na die Vissershok vierrigting stop waar en regs draai na die N7. Ek ry oor die N7 en met die ou brug oor die Dieprivier. Net naderkant die brug volg ek ‘n plaaspad wat my deur neem na Sandownweg toe. Dan al langs Sandownweg langs tot by Sandown Retail Crossing. Die teerstrate agter die sentrum is meesal klaar maar nog nie oop vir verkeer nie, maar dit is maklik om met ‘n fiets by die versperrings verby te kom. Na ‘n stukkie deur die veld kom ek by die pad uit wat die verlenging van Big Bay Boulevard is en my dit neem huis toe. Ek is net na 15:30 by die huis. Moeg en dankbaar!


Data: Afstand 111.49 km; Tyd 9:40:24; Klim 1,256 meter; Daal 1,426 meter; Maksimum temperatuur 40 grade Celsius!

Keisie Cottages na Rawsonville


Die plan was om 05:30 in die pad te val. Aangesien ek 04:35 reeds wakker was, het ek besluit om maar op te staan en aan die gang te kom. Ek het alles die vorige aand reggekry met die uitsindering van betaalmiddele aangesien my beursie in die motor was. Dus nadat ek geskeer, gewas en aangetrek het, gaan ek eers motor toe voordat ek vergeet. Sommer ook die voetpomp gebêre nadat ek gevoel het dat albei wiele styf is na die afgelope week se papwiele.

Ek kom 05:20 weg. Die eerste 13 km is teerpad en meesal afdraand tot by die Pietersfontein afdraai waar ek links draai om ‘n bietjie ekstra grondpad in te kry. Die pad loop parralel met die teerpad deur ‘n vallei vol vrugtebome en sluit 7 km verder weer by die teerpad aan. Hier is min opdraandes en die algemene helling van die pad val tot in Montague met die gevolg dat ek baie goeie tyd maak.
Gelukkig laat hulle my deur by al die Stop and Go’s wanneer ek by een kom wat toe is. Dit is teerpad tot by die afdraai na Steenbokvlakte op die Stormsvlei pad. Op die stuk kom ‘n ander fietsryer by my verby. Ek probeer nie eers om by te hou nie, alhoewel dit ‘n sy is en nogal gewigtig!

Die weer speel mooi saam met aanvanklik ‘n paar wolkies en ’n ligte Suid-Oostelike briesie. Dit sal later in die dag baie handig te pas kom aangesien die algemene strekking van my roete vanaf McGregor in ‘n Noord-Westelike rigting is. Ek stop op McGregor vir koffie en iets om te eet. Ek het die pad tot op McGregor al ‘n paar keer gery, maar die stuk van McGregor tot by die Brandvleidam is nuut vir my.

In McGregor draai ek Wes en dan Noord-Wes op ‘n goeie grondpad wat soort van parralel met die teerpad Robertson toe loop.

Net voor die teerpad oor die Brederivier gaan, sluit ek by hom aan maar na 2 km gaan ek links op ‘n teerpad wat die boere Suid-Wes van Robertson bedien. Ek was van mening dat dit ‘n grondpad was, maar dit is geteer, ook waar ek later regs draai. Na so ‘n paar kilometer moet ek links draai op ‘n grondpad wat my weg van die wingerde en vrugtebome neem na regte Bolandse fynbos. Die paaie is almal in ‘n baie goeie toestand en ek handhaaf ‘n gemiddelde spoed van net meer as 17 k.p.u. insluitende my stop op McGregor. Daar is ‘n afdraai na ‘n “Lodge” met ‘n oulike hek wat ‘n strooi afdak het. Ek stop om my stere ‘n blaaskans te gee en eet ‘n Woolies energie stafie.

Na nog ‘n paar aansluitings kom op die R43 tussen Villiersdorp en Worcester. Ek neem die Klipbokkop vakansie oord se afdraai, maar kom voor ‘n groot hek wat toe is. Ek skakel die eerste nommer, maar kry nie antwoord nie. Het meer geluk met die tweede nommer maar word meegedeel dat die hek deur die Brandvlei Gevangenisdiens beheer word. Ek het dus geen ander opsie as om Aandedoorns en Worcester om te ry nie, ‘n draai van seker omtrent 20 km!

Net nadat ek verby die punt van die dam is, sien ek ‘n pad op my Garmin wat teen die dam om loop en heelwat korter is. Ek was nie bewus van die pad nie en besluit om te kyk of dit werk. Die aanwysbord sê Riverside en ek besluit om daar af te draai. Dit is ‘n teerpad en dit is in ‘n baie goeie toestand. Net na Riverside begin die toestand van pad verswak en na ‘n rukkie sien ek ‘n “doodloop” teken en ‘n pyl wat wys na Worcester bakstene. Net verder aan is daar weer ‘n groot hek maar net voor die hek draai ‘n grondpad weg na Worcester bakstene. Ek volg die pad en sien dat die ander pad na die hek aangaan maar heeltemal toe gegroei is. Ek kyk Noord-Wes ek sien dat daar ‘n rybare pad oor die damwal is wat lyk of dit aansluit by ‘n ander pad teen die oorkantse heuwel, wat ooreenstem met my Garmin. Ek ry ‘n entjie deur die veld, tel my fiets oor ‘n draadheining en ry oor die damwal. Terwyl ek oor die wal ry, sien ek dat die pad wat my Garmin wys eintlik onder die wal loop, maar dit lyk of die twee teen heuwel saam kom. Op die einde van die wal is dit ook so en ek ry met ‘n kort styl voetpaadjie tot by die grootpad, wat na ‘n ruk weer ‘n teerpad word. Om die draai is daar weer ‘n hek, maar daar is plek langs die hek om met ‘n fiets deur te gaan. Ander kant hek staan ook ‘n hele paar motors van mense wat seker visvang. Net verby die motors is daar ‘n teerpad na regs wat ook in onbruik is. Dit is dus duidelik dat hier ‘n paar paaie was wat vir een of ander rede toegemaak is! Wonder waarom want daar was heelwat geld spandeer om die pad, wat nou nie meer gebruik word nie, teen rant uit te kap!

Die pad loop deur die Nekkies Vakansie oord en sluit by die ingang by die Rawsonville/Worcester pad aan. Ek ry die ongeveer 7 km Rawsonviile toe sonder enige moeite en arriveer 16:30 by my blyplek.

Data: Tyd 11:11:19; Afstand 193 km; Klim 1,137 meter; Daal 1,423 meter; Maksimum temp 38.6 grade Celsuis



Dinsdag 22 Augustus 2017

Trans Baviaans 2017

Hennie de Clercq, Hoffie Conradie en ek het weer vir vanjaar se Trans Baviaans, “Repeat, ingeskryf. Die relings was dat ons weer by Lucia op Willowmore bly en na die tyd so ‘n paar dae saam met Hennie-hulle op Natures Valley deurbring. Danie Kotze willig weer in om die bestuurder van ons ondersteuningsvoertuig te wees.

Donderdagaand skakel Hoffie om te laat weet dat hy griep onder lede het en dus moet onttrek! Ons vertrek Vrydagoggend 09:10 uit die Kaap en ontmoet vir Hennie en Helena by Terdici Deli, op Swellendam net na 12:00. Na ‘n ligte middagete vertrek die vrouens Natures Valley toe en ons vat die pad Willowmore toe. Ons kom net na 17:00 in Willowmore aan, registreer, gee houer vir Bergplaas in en ry na Lucia-hulle toe. Die vorige naweek was daar 47 mense wat oorgebly het. Hierdie naweek was daar net 21 en die mense in Sandkraal het vir hulle self kos gemaak.

Na ‘n goeie ontbyt ry ins Willowmore toe en kom so ongeveer 08:30 daar aan. Pak fietse af, sit ligte op en beweeg 09:00 na die wegspring area. Weer is heerlik met ‘n temperatuur van 7.5 grade Celsius.
Ons begin 10:00 en vir die eerste die eerste 7 kilometer is dit ‘n geval van saam met die stroom ry tot by die R332. Vandaar sorter die groepe uit en ryers van soortgelyke sterkte vorm bondels. Daar is ‘n ligte windjie uit die NO, maar dit pla nie eintlik nie. Die manne wat die vorige naweek gery het, het baie gekla oor die sinkplaat, maar dit voel vir my nie erger as vorige jare nie. Die kloof is droog en daar is geen water waar ons oor die eerste paar laagwater bruggies ry nie. Ons handhaaf ‘n goeie pas en bereik waterpunt 1 by Vero’s Restourant na 2:35. Na 10 minute vat ons weer die pad.



Van waterpunt 2 tot 3 is meesal afdraand en ons gemiddelde spoed van 21.9 k.p.u.vir die 52.21 kilometer is ‘n aanduiding daarvan. Die natuurskoon is baie mooi en dit is ‘n groot voorreg om deur die Baviaanskloof te kan ry. Die kloof is baie droog. Hier en daar is daar ‘n poeletjie, maar dit is maklik om die modder te vermy. So halfpad na waterpunt 3 lig Hennie my in dat hy nie gaan klaar maak nie. Hy moet net besluit of hy tot by punt 3 of eder punt 4 gaan ry. Ten spyte daarvan handhaaf ons ‘n redelike goeie pas oor die Grasnek pas.
By die waterpunt aangekom, parker ek my fiets en gryp ‘n sosatie. Ek sien Hennie gesels met die beamptes en neem aan dit is oor sy onttrekking. Ek stap nader om te verneem wat die prossedure nou is. Hennie bevestig dat hy hier ophou en die beampte lig my in dat ek nie op my eie kan aangaan nie, maar by ‘n ander span moet aansluit. Daar is twee ouens wat reg maak om weer te begin en ek vra of by hulle kan aansluit. Hulle stem in, ek gryp my fiets, groet vir Hennie en is binne 4 minute weer aan die gang! My nuwe spanmaats is Lukas en Bernard.

Die volgende skof begin met ‘n klim van so 55 meter en ek gee die pas aan, maar die twee manne is op my hakke. Ons handhaaf ‘n goeie pas en dit lyk of Lukas die sterkste van die twee is aangesien hy elke keer voor Bernard is wanneer ons oor die twee “fangs” ry. Die volgende klim is die Holgat Pas. Ook bekend as Mother of all climbs (MAC). Ek voel goed en vat voor!. Ek gaan heelwat ryers oppad boontoe verby. Die son is besig om onder te gaan en ek bereik die parker terrain aan die bopunt van die pas, net voor die son ondergaan. ‘n Klim van 360 meters oor ‘n afstand van 7 km wat my 40 minute neem. Daar wag ek ‘n rukkie vir my nuwe spanmaats en is redelik verbaas toe Bernard ‘n paar minute voor Lukas daar aan kom. Laasgenoemde kla dat sy bene kaput is.
Ons pak die laaste 4 kilometer na Bergplaaas aan en kom na 8:25 en na 142 km daar aan. Ons gemiddelde spoed tussen waterpunt 3 en 4 is 9.9 k.p.u.! Ek kry my houer en trek my “leg warmers”, n warm top en my Seals Skins beanie aan. Daar is ook lekker sop en ons hoor die laaste stukkie kommentaar oor die Springbokke se wedstryd teen Argentinië in die agtergrond. Lukas en Bernard neem heelwat langer as ek om al hulle dinge gedoen te kry en ons val na 36 minute weer in die pad.

Die Combrinck Pas af in die donker is altyd ‘n uitdaging, maar ons bly by mekaar en is gou op die goeie pad wat ons Hadley toe neem. Die toestand van die pad hier is beslis beter as aan die begin van die kloof en ons ry teen ‘n lekker pas. Hierdie is my gunsteling deel van die Trans Baviaans. Die pad oppervlakte is goed en die bulte en afdreandes, wat nie te lank is nie en wissel mekaar goed af. Daar is ook heelwat gelyk gedeeltes waar ons ‘n goeie pas kan handhaaf. Dit neem ons 1:32 om die 33.3 km af te lê wat ons ‘n gemiddelde spoed van 21.7 k.p.u. gee. Ons arriveer 20:30 in Hadley. Ek kry my “power banks” by Danie sodat ek my Garmin en selfoon kan laai om seker te maak die batterye hou tot by die einde. Ete bestaan uit ‘n “tjip rol” en gegeurde melk, waarvan ek ‘n hele paar drink. Lukas se lig het die gees gegee en hy moes die laaste gedeelte in die donker ry. Hulle ondersteuningsvoertuig het gelukkig ‘n spaar lig vir hom en ek help hulle om die op die fiets gemonteer te kry. Ons val na 26 minute weer in die pad.

Die volgende skof bestaan hoofsaaklik uit die “never ender”, ‘n bult van 7 kilometer met ‘n 200 meter klim. Die klim is nie so erg nie, maar die bult hou net nie op nie. Dit neem ons 30 minute om tot bo te kom. Dit word gevolg deur ‘n paar “undulations “ oor die volgende 7 kilometer wat ons ‘n verdere 25 minute neem. Dit sluit ook die “onbemande” punt in. Dit is ‘n kontrolepunt waar ons moet stilhou en ‘n plakkertjie moet kry om te bewys ons was daar. Uit die aard van die saak is daar niemand nie, net ‘n lig en ‘n tafel met die plakkers. Ons bereik die laaste waterpunt teen 22:30 na 12:30 in die saal. Ons vertoef 7 minute en pak die laaste skof aan.


Daar is nog 28 kilometer oor en die aard van die laaste gedeelte is so danig dat ons nie in onder 14 uur sal kan klaar maak nie. Die roete volg nou ook ‘n “jeep track” wat redelik tegnies is en ‘n lekker klim insluit. Van 214 to 220 kilometer is ‘n baie goeie distriks pad en ons handhaaf ‘n pas van tussen 30 en 40 k.p.u. Ek ry meesal voor aangesien dit my 5de Trans Baviaans is en ek die pad beter ken as my spanmaats. My geheue laat my ‘n klein bietjie in die steek en ons kom onverwags by ‘n T-aansluiting aan! Gelukkig is dit ‘n skuins aansluiting en ek kry dit reg om te stop net waar die pad eindig. Niks ernstig nie en ons is gou weer aan die gang. Vanaf 220 kilometer volg ons ‘n “single track” langs die treinspoor wat ook ‘n redelike helling het. Dit is nou 23:48 en daar is geen manier waarop ons hierdie laaste 6 kilometer in 12 minute gery gaan kry nie! Gelukkig is daar nie veel ander ryers voor ons nie en ons pak die laaste gedeelte met hernude ywer om te sien hoe na aan 14 uur ons kan klaar maak. Ons gemiddelde spoed val na 14-16 k.p.u. as gevolg van die helling. Ongelukkig kom ons op ‘n paar stadiger manne af net voor die einde en moet toe maar agter hulle sit aangesien dit bykans onmoontlik is om hier by iemand verby te kom. Ek kry dit reg om net voor die einde verby te kom maar my spanmaats sit agter die ouens vas. Ek wag net voor die einde so 2 minute vir hulle en ons ry na 14:12:27 oor die eindstreep.


So eindig my 5 de Trans Baviaans. Ek het regtig baie lekker gery en die wedren geniet. Die stuk tussen waterpunt 4 en 5 en die laaste 12 kilometer was vir my die hoogte punte van die wedren.

Sondagoggend 10:00 is ek terug in Jeffreysbaai om my skild vir die voltooiing van 5 Trans Baviaans wedrenne te ontvang.

Dinsdag 13 Junie 2017

Tuscany Trial 2017 Summary in English

I “stumbled” upon a website called “Bikepacking” a while back. While looking through this I saw a reference to a “race” called Tuscany Trial. This immediately attracted my interest and I followed through to their website. Here I discovered that it was an unsupported “ride/race” through Tuscany, which starts at the beginning of June. Everybody starts together. No support is provided or allowed and you can ride as long as you want to and sleep where you want to.  I mentioned this to Hennie de Clercq, a cycling friend of mine. We started talking and also got our wives interested and towards the end on 2016 we decided that we would make a tour of it. The idea was to combine the Tuscany Trail with a holiday in Italy.

Entries opened on 10 January 2017 at 00:00 hour and I managed to be the first one to enter. Hennie was 187 and entries closed at 593 towards the end of February.

The idea was that we will fly over to Italy a week or two before the race to “explore” the country, give ourselves 5-6 days to do the race and then spend three to four days to get back to the airport to fly out.

We left South Africa on 21 May, met up with Hennie and his wife on 28 May and drove down to Massa, where the race was due to start, to arrive on 1 June for registration. After registration and collection of our race packs and cycling jersey, which we bought to memorise the occasion, we went back to the hotel to relax. We also bumped into a South African husband and wife, who current are living in Perth, Australia.

The next morning we arrived at the start at 07:45 and found parking, which tends to be a big problem in Italy, around the corner. The woman we due to drive our van down to Sam Gimignano where we were due to meet up with them on day 3. We had to be at the start at Plaza Amanci, Massa at 08:00 for the race to start at 08:30. Start was a very low-key affair with no escort and everybody filling through the narrow streets.



The first 22.9 km was fairly flat and easy riding and took us 1:08 to complete. Then the climbing started. First at a reasonable incline, but after a while we went onto a cement path with gradients of 31%! Everybody was pushing their bikes. The incline was just too much and too long to ride. It took us 1:40 to cover the next 7.4 km. The scenery was breathtaking event though we were out of breath pushing our bikes up the hill. 

The next 12.6 km was rolling hills consisting of beautiful single tracks to gravel and tar roads, but everything was ride able and it was mostly in the woods. This was followed b 16 km down hills with lots of twisty turns on good tar roads, with the last 12 km flat.

At 68 km we reached a town and accepted the first available accommodation of a rather second rate hotel, which was not up to the standard of the price charged! We met up with the ex SA couple and had supper at a local restaurant and got to bed at about 23:00. Being summer in the northern hemisphere, it only goes dark at about 21:30! During supper we decided that we would look for accommodation before Florence as it should be cheaper and we felt that to go through the city during peak tourist time in the late afternoon, would not be a good idea.

We got going at 06:23 the next morning. The initial riding was flat, but at 6 km the road started heading up and the beginning of our troubles! I am a fair bit stronger that Hennie on the hills, but that is to be expected as he is 71 years old, so I normally ride my tempo and wait for him that the top of the hill. At 5 km up the hill, there was a gravel road towards the left.  I cycled past this and only realized after a further kilometer that I was on the wrong road and turned around. When I got to the gravel turnoff, I cycled down the tar road to look for Hennie. I waited a while on a corner, but he did not turn up. I went further down the road to look for him, but could not find him. He had quite a nasty fall the previous day when he stepped aside to let somebody though, lost his balance, and fell 3 meters down the hill. No serious damage, but he did hurt his side. I was getting worried that his side was bothering him so much that he decided to turn back. I had no cell phone data or connection, so there was no way for him to contact me. I went further down the hill to look for him, but could not find him. I went back up, but found no Hennie. I rode on to the saddle of the last hill, where there was cafe. I stopped there a sandwich and coffee and to see if Hennie turns up. After two hours, the SA Australians, who had a later start, also turned up. I enquired from them weather they saw Hennie, but the answer was no! They also had a bite and when they left, I decided to join them.

We had one last small climb, which ended at 26 km and then some very nice down hills, some of which was very rough and technical. I really enjoyed myself on these sections. The wife of the ex SA couple was on her first MTB race, so I spent quite a bit of time waiting for them to catch up with me. At 40 km we were on the flat and aiming for a town by the name of Signa, where we hoped to find accommodation for the night.  We were now cycling on purpose built gravel cycling paths along the backs of the river Arno, which flows through Florence. One even had the name of Via Fausto Coppi! The surface was of bright white gravel. It was so white that we tended to have problems with the glare of the son reflecting back to us.  We started looking for accommodation at about 16:30. The first hotel was full. So was the second, but the manager started phoning around to see if he could find place for us. After a while he found place at Euro 130.00 for the night. That is about R1,950 for two people.  We decided that beggars couldn’t be choosers, so we accepted it. We also realized that Italian MotoGP was scheduled for Mugello, about 60 km from Florence, the next day and that is why all the hotels were full. We booked in at 17:45. I immediately tried to phone Hennie on WhatsApp, but no reply. As I got out of the shower, my phone started ringing. It was Hennie. He was about 20 km past Florence! We later worked out that he passed me when I went off course at 12 km into the days riding, but we must have missed one another with seconds!

The SA couple decided to get going early. I felt that at R1,950 for the room, breakfast included, I needed to get value for my money and would only leave after breakfast, which was served form 07:30. I got going at 07:52 and started one of the best days of riding on this Tuscany Trail. The first 25 km to Florence is flat and continues next to the river. I took me 1:15 to cover this. In Florence we were taken through the center of town past the main tourist attractions, which did slow progress down.
Once through town the rolling hills started with a number of very steep climbs. Every now and then we would leave the tar roads and went off on obscure little gravel paths, which made for some very interesting and beautiful rides. The Tuscan countryside really is extraordinarily beautiful and it was a pleasure riding up and down these hills. My aim for the day was San Gimignano, where I would meet up with my wife and Hennie and his wife again. I did pass the ex SA couple along the way. They were planning to go through to Siena, a further 47 km past San Gimignano. I really had a good ride and rode into San Gimignano at just before 16:00 and one of the first people I saw as I cycled through the cycle gate, was my wife! One of those amasing co-incidences of life! Hennie, who had to sleep in the bush the previous evening, as he could not find any accommodation, arrived just before 13:00. We all had a lovely supper and got the bed fairly early. The hotel did not provide breakfast, so we bought some provisions for an early breakfast in our rooms with the hope of getting going at 06:00.

Our timing was good and we hit the road at 06:00. The first 5 km was all down hill and the only problem we had was to take it easy on the gravel corners! The view once again was something to behold! Once we finished the decent, the rolling hills started. During the next 80 km we would climb 1,500 meter, but also descent 1,500 meters, with the result that our progress was not too good.
After 47 km we reached Siena. The tourist traffic was so dense that we had to push our bikes! We stopped on the city square for a light lunch. During the previous evening we decided that we would sleep at Buonconvento, giving us only 84 km for the day. The next town was 21 km away and while we were riding, I forgot about the previous evening’s discussion and had the idea in my head that we would do 105 km for the day. Our riding was good, Hennie was feeling refreshed after his rest in San Gimignano and we were once again enjoying the Tusvany countryside. We cycled through Buonconvento at about 13:45 not even thinking about the fact that we really decided to sleep there. I think we both had it in our minds the next place, San Quirico was only 21 km away and that we should get there in good time. Hennie felt that I should ride at my pace if his pace is too slow. I felt that we should stay together and if I feel good, I will accelerate for the last 20 km, find a hotel, and wait for Hennie at the next town. With about 15 km to go, we caught up with two other guys, who we have bumped into a number of times during the previous days. We rode together for a while and when we got to the first incline, two of us went ahead leave Hennie and one of the other in our wake. When we got to the top, I felt good and decided to keep going. I managed to maintain a good pace and was riding away form the other three. Just before San Quirico I passed the ex SA couple again! As I rode into town, I waited for them and we rode together to the first restaurant here we stopped for some refreshments. Hennie and the two other guys arrived 30 minutes later. We managed to find a hotel and all checked in after another good days riding. The hotel agreed to open breakfast for us at 06:00. The ex SA couple felt that they were running into timing problems and decided to call it a day. They would start making their way back to Milan to catch their plane.


Hennie and myself got going at 06:24. The total distance for the day was scheduled for 89 km, but we would climb 1,660 meter, including the climb to Radicofani, which is at 785 meter above sea level and about 360 meter higher than San Quirico, but before we got there was a number hills and valleys to negotiate! We stopped for some light refreshments. While sitting there, a group of mountain bikers turned up. In this group were two South Africans, Gary Green and his wife, from Winterton. They were on tour from Siena to Rome, a distance of 300 km over six days. It is a small world. Gary has also done the Freedom Challenge from Pietermaritsburg to Wellington. We spent about an hour eating and chatting with various people.
From here it is a drastic descent on a tar road, but it was not long before we were take off onto a very good gravel road. Once down in the valley, the rolling hills started once again. This carried on until we reached the beautiful medieval town of Sorano at 75 km. This was such a beautiful little town that we felt we just had to spend some time here even though it was only about another 10 km to our destination for the day. We saw a little restaurant with four other bicycles parked outside and stopped there. We spent some time conversing in broken English, with a couple of Italian words in between. Two of the guys were Italian while the other two were Lavanians. So the six of us represented 3 nationalities! One of the Italians rode in their Eroica and I was quite pleased when I could show him a photo of me participating in the SA Eroica, which was held in the Montague district on 18 March. We spent 45 minute here and Hennie and myself agreed that moments like these make an adventure like the Tuscany Trail special. Our next port of call was Pitigliano, another magnificent medieval town. The entry into this town took us up an obscure walking trail and finally up some steps before we were led down one of the narrow old town streets to the main plaza. We caught up with another rider on our way her and we old stopped at the first café for a beer and a cold drink. This guy was a 61-year-old Frenchman, with very peculiar legs, who did Ironman 20 years ago! He had a booking at a hotel and we managed to get a room in the same hotel. So we reached the end of the second last day of this amasing trip!



The last days include a loop around a peninsula, which include a 500-meter climb. Hennie decided that he has had enough and the he was going to cut this loop out. The next morning we got going at 07:07. From Pitigliano, which is on a hill, it is downhill again before we have to climb out the other side. Once on the small plato were led down some gravel roads through some woods, making for some spectacular riding. Pitigliano is about 350 above sea level. We first went down to 200 meter before climbing to 380 and from there it was steady descent to Albina, which is at sea level and after 59 km. Hennie was going to take a direct rout from here to Ansedonia, cutting about 40 km and 800 meter of climbing. We stopped at a café, were there were some Belgium cyclist from Gent. Hennie plotted his route on his Garmin and after we had some refreshments, we went our different ways.

My route took me down a natural causeway linking Albinia with Porto San Stefano, where the hilly part of the peninsula begins.
The climb out of Porto San Stefano starts off as a tar road, which becomes a gravel road and then turns into a gravel footpath, climbing steadily up the hill. It was around 12:00 and the temperature was reaching the high thirties and I was running out of water. I managed to fill my water bottle from a water tank at one of the farms, but I was not sure of the cleanliness of this water, so I only used it to cool me down. I still had some clean water in my backpack. The climb up the hill and over the other side was very spectacular. Just before I went over the last hill, I came upon the most beautiful, exclusive beach resort with some very expensive houses! The path went over the last hill on the peninsula and into Porto Ercole, another beautiful little harbor town that reminded me of Hout Bay.
Porto Ercole was linked to the mainland with a natural causeway through a pine forest. Out the other side there was a 150-meter climb and then the run onto the finish at Capalbio. At 112 km I switch the display of my Garmin from navigating the route to check the distance. When I tried to go back to the navigation display, the unit seized! This happened before and the only way to resolve it is to witch if off and on again, but normally that results in loosing all the data for the days ride. I still had 6 km to go and the only way to get to the end was with the track on my Garmin, so I had no other option! Fortunately I managed to go through the procedure and get the track displayed. The last six km went off without a hitch and I was glad to see Hennie waiting for me at the finish.


From there he escorted me to the hotel where we were staying, only about 2 km from the finish, where I was welcomed by my wife.


Thus ended a wonderful and amasing experience. This “race” is something that someone from outside Italy should not “race” but ride at a reasonable pace to absorb the beautiful scenery, experience the wonderful camaraderie and friendship. Our aim was ride for 5-6 days and I did it in 5 days 7 hours and 46 minutes. An experience well worth the effort and investment!


Total riding time 49:02:17; total distance 564.94; total meters climbed 9,742.