Freedom Challenge Race Across SA day 5

FCRASA day 5

We knew we were in for a long so we got going at 05:00. The navigation out of Malekonyane is quite challenging and we did spent some time finding the correct route, but did well and got through to the district road in 1:20. It then took us another 20 minutes to get to the top of Ongeluksnek. 

After assembling there, we were off to find our way through the local village to Taba Chitja. There we had to scramble fown the hill and up the otherside through Keobung village. Over the escarpment and onto Blackfountain. We then went South West along the ridge to the point where we had to decent down to Tiana Mission. There were three options. Myself, Sarah and Johan R opted for the first tigerline, Willem went for the second tigerline and the rest were taking the road around the koppie. We all agreed to meet at the local spaza shop. Sarah took us back quite a distance to start down the mountain. It was quite a scramble, but we made it. When we eventually reached Tiana Mission we realised that we went too far back and did not come down where we thought we did! In the end everybody arrived at the spsza shop within a 15 minute time frame! We all got something to drink and eat and set off again. We were running a bit late and I had my foubts about reaching Vuvu before dark. 

From Tiana Mission we took a short cut through to a district road, up the hill and down the otherside through Mjikelweni, joining the road to Ntabelanga. Here we went left and onto the Vuvu valley. Our navigation through the valley was spot on and we reached the exit points with daylight to spare. We descided to got for the second option which ment we had to scale a rockface of about 100 meters, which included carring our bikes some of the way. Once reaching the top we encountered one of the most terrible road I have travelled along. The surface was covered with fist size rocks and it was very undulating with some very steep climbs. After lots moaning, growning and some sware words, we finally hit the main road through Vuvu, arriving at the school at 18:00! What a day! Supper was at the school. Showering was with hot water, which you poured over yourself. After super everybody was shown, in pairs of 2, to some private dwellings where the locals accomodated us.