Refleksie/Reflection

English version is after the Afrikaans text.

Wat 'n wonderlike 39 dae was dit nie. Die ondersteuning en aanmoediging wat van alle kante gekom het was ongelooflik. Die welwillendheid wat mense getoon het en die onbaatsugtige gewilligheid om 'n ietsie ekstra in te sit om my te ondersteun en het gehelp om hierdie avontuur 'n besonderse ondervinding te maak.

'n Bietjie statistiek: Ek het op 14 Maart 17:22 by Beitbrug begin ry en op 22 April 2024 14:29 in Bloubergstrand klaar gemaak, dus was ek 933 uur aan die gang. Ek het eers van Musina na Beitbrug gery, maar ek tel dit nie as deel van die rit nie, want ek moes by Beitbrug begin. Daarvan het ek fiesies 305.265 uur gery. Totale afstand was 3,492.49. Van die ry het ek by Magoebaskloof, Naudesnek, Clifford en Fleck Vieh op 'n vorrtuig geklim nadat daar vir my die opsie gegee is. Magoebaskloof was 16.03 km; Nuadesnek 20.31 km; Clifford 74.73 km; Fleck Vieh 14.14km. Ek het ook van Renosterkloof tot in Nelspruit en van daar na Kaapsehoop met 'n voertuig gery, 'n afstand van 60.6 km. Total = 185. 27 km. Dus is fiesies getrapte afstand 3,307.22 km. Gemiddelde afstand per dag was 89.69 met die verste dag van Marlu na Uniondale wat op 157.06 km te staan gekom het. My gemiddelde spoed was 11.46 kpu. Langste dag was 12:11:14 wat die Uniondale dag was. My gemiddelde hartklop was 84.15 met 'n maksimum van 145 op dag 1. Soos die fiksheid toe geneem het, het dit geval na 113-127 met net 'n paar oor 130 en geen oor 140 nie. Totale kalorië verbrand staan op 85,054! Total meters geklim is 51,083 met 'n gemiddeld van 14.4614 meter se klim vir elke kilometer gery.

'n Paar gewaarwordings: Die grootste oomblik was toe ek oppad Rhodes toe was. Ek ry op 'n pad wat in 2019 van die bestes op daardie jaar se Freedom Challenge was. Nou is die gras knie hoogte en gedeeltes is baie kilpperig. Regs van my lyk die weer oor Naudesnek ook glad nie goed nie. My "swakpad" sluit by 'n beter plaaspad aan. Ek hoor 'n voertuig agter my en trek een kant sodat hy kan verby kom. Hy hou langs my stil en draai die linker venster af. "Waarheen is jy oppad" vra die jong man agter die stuurwiel. Ek antwoord "Rhodes, en waarheen is jy oppad?" vra ek. Hy antwoord"Rhodes!" Ek vra of ek kan saam ry en hy sê onmiddelik ja. Ons tel my fiets agter op die bak, waar twee werkers staan en ek klim voor langs hom in. Hy is James Reeders wat aan die Rhodes kan van Naudesnek boer. Hy kom sopas terug van 'n stuk grond aan die kant van die pas. Indien hy 5 minute vroeër was of indien ek 5 minute later was, het ons mekaar gemis. Enkele minute nadat ek in die warmte van die bakkie met hom sit en gesels, begin dit honde en katte reën. Ons "slip and slide" Nuadesnek uit. Indien ons paaie nie gekruis het nie, sou ek daardie dag baie moeilik, indien wel, my bestemming bereik het. Nou kom ek, droog en voor 15:00 op Rhodes aan! Watter seening! 

Seker die moeilikste dag was van Marlu na Uniondale. Dit word gevolg deur een van die "lekkerste" dae van Uniondale na Knysna via Prins Alfredpas en Kom se Pad. Asemrowend mooi! 

Die wonder van die "avontuur" was hoe die Here Jesus op die regte tyd die regte mense oor my pas gestuur het soos Cecil van der Merwe wat sy seun kry om my 75 km ver na Dordrecht met sy bakkie te neem op 'n dag wat die weer 'n massiewe uitdaging was, of soos hoe ek en Philip van der Merwe, nadat ek 34 op die pad, se paaie "toevallig" in Swellendam se hoofstraat kruis nadat ons sedert dag 4 by mekaar probeer uit kom het! 

Geen ernstige meganiese probleme nie. Ek moes net gereeld my fiets se ketting olie. Geen siektes of enige "kwale" wat my kon terug hou nie. Ek kon elke aand in 'n lekker bed slaap en goed eet. Ek het nie een oggend wakker geword en opgesien na wat voorlê nie. Elke dag was 'n heerlike avontuur en ek sou dit enige tyd weer kon doen. 

Ten tyde van hierdie skrywe staan my CANSA fonds op R276,000 waarvan R243,000 reeds betaal is en dit verander nou daagliks. Dit sluit nie die 19 plekke waar ek nie betaal het nie, in nie. By van die plekke het van die mense gesê ek hoef nie te betaal nie aangesien ek vir CANSA ry óf iemand anders het betaal óf ek het by familie of vriende gebly wat nie betaling wou hé nie.T een R900 per keer kom dit op 'n addisionele R17,100 te staan.

Wat nou? Die lewe gaan aan en ek moet weer terug in 'n normale ritme inval. Dit is maar 'n feit van die lewe en dit mask sulke avonture soveel waardevoller!

Reflection

What a great 39 days it has been. The support and encouragement that came from all sides was incredible. The goodwill shown by people and the selfless willingness to put in a little extra to support me helped make this adventure a special experience.

Some statistics: I started riding at Beitbrug on 14 March 17:22 and finished in Bloubergstrand on 22 April 2024 at 14:29, so I was on the go for 932 hours and 53 minutes. I first rode from Musina to Beit Bridge, but I don't count that as part of the ride because I had to start at Beit Bridge. Total cycling time was 303,99 hours. Total distance was 3,492.49. I boarded a vehicle at Magoebaskloof, Naudesnek, Clifford and Fleck Vieh after I was given the option. Magoebaskloof was 16.03 km; Nuadesnek 20.31 km; Clifford 74.73 km; Fleck Vieh 14.14km. I was also driven in a vehicle from Renosterkloof to Nelspruit and from there to Kaapsehoop, a distance of 60.6 km. Total = 185.27 km. So distance traveled physically amounted to 3,307.22 km. Average distance per day was 89.69 with the furthest day from Marlu to Uniondale coming in at 157.06 km. My average speed was 11.46 kph. Longest day was 12:11:14 which was the Uniondale day. My average heart rate was 84.15 with a max of 145 on day 1. As fitness picked up it dropped to 113-127 with only a few over 130 and none over 140. Total calories burned stands at 85,054! Total meters climbed is 51,083 with an average of 14.4614 meters of climbing for every kilometer driven.

A few experiences: The biggest moment was when I was on my way to Rhodes. I ride on a road that in 2019 was one of the best on that year's Freedom Challenge. Now the grass is knee height and sections are very bumpy. To my right, the weather over Naudesnek doesn't look good at all either. My "poor road" joins a better farm track. I hear a vehicle behind me and pull to one side so he can pass. He stops next to me and rolls down the left window. "Where are you going" asked the young man behind the wheel. I reply "Rhodes, and where are you going?" I ask. He replies "Rhodes!" I ask if I can get a lift and he immediately says yes. We put my bike on the back of the truck, where two workers are standing and I get in next to him in the front. He is James Reeders who farms on the Rhodes side of from Naudesnek. He was just coming back from a piece of land on the otherside of the pass. If he was 5 minutes earlier or if I was 5 minutes later, we would have missed each other. A few minutes after I got in the warmth of vehicle and enjoy chatting with him, it starts to rain cats and dogs. We "slip and slide" up Nuadesnek. If our paths had not crossed, it would have been very difficult for me to reach my destination that day, if at all. Now I arrive, dry and before 15:00 in Rhodes! What a blessing!

Probably the hardest day was from Marlu to Uniondale. This is followed by one of the "most enjoyable" days from Uniondale to Knysna via Prince Alfred Pass and Kom se Pad. Breathtakingly beautiful!

The wonder of the "adventure" was how the Lord Jesus sent the right people over me at the right time, like Cecil van der Merwe who got his son to take me 75 km far to Dordrecht in his bakkie on a day that the weather was a massive challenge, or like how me and Philip van der Merwe, after 34 days on the road, "accidentally" cross paths in Swellendam's main street after trying to get to each other ever since day 4!

No serious mechanical problems. I just had to oil my bike's chain regularly. No illnesses or any "ailments" that could hold me back. I could sleep in a nice bed and eat well every night. I didn't wake up one morning and looked up to what lay ahead. Every day was a wonderful adventure and I would do it again anytime.

At the time of this writing, my CANSA fund stands at R276,000 of which R243,000 has already been paid and it is now changing daily. This does not include the 19 places where I did not pay. At some of the places, some of the people said I don't have to pay as I ride for CANSA or someone else paid or I stayed with family or friends who didn't want payment. At R900 a time it comes to a an additional R17,100.

What now? Life goes on and I have to fall back into a normal rhythm. It's just a fact of life and it makes such adventures so much more valuable!

BB2BB2 Day 39

 

So the end is here. Today I felt like the Tour d'France winner on the final day of the Tour d'France during the ride into Paris! It really was awesome! The support, the camaraderie, the encouragement, it was very special.

Hennie and myself nearly polished the lasagne last night with only a very small helping remaining. I was ready for bed after supper, but Hennie felt it was too early. We both "hung" around for a while and went to our rooms at about 20:45. We arranged to meet Johann and Annemarie along the road and had to get going by 07:30. I set my alarm for 06:30 and had a good sleep. 

Hennie was up early and breakfast of museli, yoghart, toast and coffee was provided at 07:00. Johann advised that the meeting place and time has been changed to 08:00 the Pot Belly down the road from our accommodation. We left just before 08:00 and met them there for coffee. We were a little early for our scheduled arrival at Eden on the Bay by 14:00, so we were in no hurry. We joined the other two for coffee and got going after that, at a leasurely pace.

When we left Mitre's Edge, Hennie commented about the perfect weather. That actually changed as we crossed the N1. Suddenly it was very misty and the temprature dropped to 12 degrees. Even Hennie, who normally ride with bare arms, stopped to put on a jacket. Across from the N1 we took the road to Eenzaamheid through to the Agter Paarl road. Here we went right for a short distance and then left on to the road leading through Leeuwendans and onto Slent road. There was very little relenting in the mist, but the temperature did creep up to 15 degrees. 

At the Slent road junction we took stock of our timing again and it was obvious that we were going to be early if we do not take a deviation or two. First we thought of going through Durbanville, but in the end we decided to take the Klipheuwel turn-off from the Occultdale road and then cross Adderley road to join up with the Malanshoogte road past Fair Cape. This also cut out quite a bit of tar road. 

When we reached the tar section of Malanshoogte, we met up with Andrew Keevy who rode through from Sunningdale on his road bike. He cycled with us over Malanshoogte up to the entrance of Anna Bealah, where we turned off for lunch. My brother and his wife also waited for us half way up the Malanshoogte climb. We stopped to greet and have some water. 

We stopped at Anna Bealah for a bite to eat and to while away some of our excess time. We spent an hour and a bit here and then tackled the last streach. I wanted to arrive at Eden on the Bay at 14:30 so when we got to Table Bay Mall at 14:00, we decided to stop at Vida for a final coffee. This took just more than 10 minutes and we were on our way again. It is only 3.5 km from here to the end where we arrived at 14:30. 

That is it then! 3,500 km over a period of 39 days. What an awesone adventure! Thank you to everyone who helped to make this possible. Without your support, this could not have happened! A special thank you to CANSA. It was while paging through their magazines when I accompanied Sue during her chemo sessions in 2014, that the seed for BB2BB was planted! Now it has been realised twice.

I enclose a couple if videos taken by Con Malherbe while cycling from Nothingham Road to Underberg and up and down Sani Pass.

I will follow up with a reflection in English and Afrikaans together with all the relevant statistics.

BB2BB2 Dag 38

So begin die tweede laaste dag. Wat 'n wonderlike ondervinding en die ondersteuning wat van talle kante kom is net ongelooflik. 

Helena de Clercq het vir ons ontbyt saamgebring en broodjies gemaak. Op die laaste nippertjie sluit Willem Kamstra, wat in 2019 'n deel van die Freedom Challenge saam met my gery het, by ons aan. Ons is dus vandag 5. Jannie Steyn kon dit nie maak nie, maar Annemarie Muller, wat Trans Baviaans saam met my en Johann ry het saam met Johann gekom. 

Die mis is baie dig en ons kan nie verder as 100 meter sien nie. Die lug is dus ook baie klam. Net na die Genadendal afdraai draai ons regs by die Villiersdorp teken. Die pad is aanvanklik teer en word later grond. Na 1:27 en 23 km draai ons weer regs en die keer om die Rusty Gates klim te begin. 5.5 km wat wissel tussen 6-20%! Dit neem ons 1:30 om tot bo te kom. Die 20% gedeelte stoot ek want daar is te veel los klippe om behoorlik traksie te kry. Wanneer die gradiënt afkom na 14%, besluit ek om aan te hou stoot totdat dit afkom na minder as 10%. Bo rus ons en eet ons broodjies. Teen die tyd het ons bo die mis uitgestyg.

Anderkant af is aanvanklik redelik rof en sluit die kruising van 'n diep poel water in.

Daarna volg ons 'n baie goeie dienspad wat soms hoë snelhede teen die bult af genereer. Tot ons op 'n punt kom waar Willem voorstel ons volg 'n pad deur die plantasies wat ons nader aan die Theewaterskloofdam se wal gaan uitbring. Als gaan redelik goed totdat ons op 'n punt kom waar dit lyk of ons te ver links is. Ons posisie in vergelyking met Komoot bevestig ons vermoede. Vier van ons besluit om terug te gaan tot waar ons sien Komoot wys ons moet afggaan. Willem besluit hy gaan kortpad vat. Nadat ons so 'n entjie op ons roete teruggegaan het, kry ons die regte pad. 'n Ent af kruis ons pad met Willem en hy bevestig dat sy pad moeiliker was. Nou is almal weer saam en ons volg die redelike tegniese pad tot by die teerpad. Hier links en oor die damwal. Van nou af is dit teer tot by die huis behalwe wanneer ons op die grondskouer van die teerpad ry.

Na bykans 6 ure se ry en 67 km pak ons Franschoekpas aan. Nie te styl nie, maar konstant. 54 minute om die 7 km tot bo af te lê. Ons neem gou 'n foto en dan is dit volstoom bult af.

Die 7 km af neem net 11 minute! Ons hou by Trebodore stil vir koffie en iets om te eet. Michele, Johann de Bruyn se vrou daag op om vir Johan en Annemarie huis toe te neem. Willem ry saam tot in Kraaifontein waar sy seun sokker speel. 

Hulle vertrek na 'n uur en ek en Hennie pak die pad Klapmuts toe aan waar ons vannaand oornag by Mitre's Edge Wine Estate. Ons handhaaf 'n goeie pas op die pad wat nie te heuwelagtig is nie en lê die 30 km af in 1:41. Ons is heel verras met die "suite" wat ons kry met 'n swem bad en "jacuzzi". Ons bevestig egter dat ons dié fasalitiete nie sal benut nie. Die plek voorsien nie aand ete nie en Hennie het met die gasvrou gereël vir 'n Woolworths gereg. Sy bring vir ons 'n groot bak lasgne. Ons sal beslis nie honger gaan slaap nie. Ons gesles oor lekker met haar die plaas en waar hulle hulle wyn bemark. 

So eindig nog 'n dag. Hennie wil weet hoe vergelyk vandag met van my ander dae. Ek noem vandag se 113 km in 9:42 vir my redelik gemaklik was en goed vergelyk met 'n gemiddelde dag. Nie te veeleisend nie en lekker wisselende topografie. 

Dana Murray het gevra oor die laai van toerusting. My "tracker" werk met AAA batterye. Ek het ou batterye in gehad en hulle was na 9 dae pap. Koop toe nuwes op Badplaas wat tot op Barkley Oos hou, dus 14 dae. Hier en op Hofmyer kry ek net Evereadies wat net 4 dae hou. Reël vir Duracells vanaf Knysna en hulle hou nog steeds. Nuwe Garmin laai ek daagliks en sy battery gaan, volgens persentasie gewys oo sy skerm, meer as 20 uur hou. Selfoon word ook daagliks gelaai. Soms is hy nie vol gelaai wanneer ek gaan slaap nie. Dan los ek hom op laai. Indien ek gedurende die nag wakker word en ek sien hy is volgelaai, ontkoppel hom. So die laai van toerusting is van die eerste dinge wat ek aan die einde van die dag doen. Al die plekke waar ek oorgebly het, het krag gehad. 

P

BB2BB Day 37

Yesterday was the 19th day where the host either said I do not have to pay or a friend paid or I stayed with family or friends who did not charge me for accommodation! Amazing! There has been so much awesome goodwill all along this trip, it just boggles the mind!

I arranged to meet with Philip van der Merwe at the end of Swellendam at 07:00. When I got there, he was allready waiting. We continued straight onto the gravel road leading to Drew. This part of the country do not have many flat areas. You always remain amongst the hills. Nothing serious, but either up or down! We chatted about various subjects while cycling. Philip spent most of his working career with Pepkor, where we met, in the property department. He has been retired for a number of years and while he and his wife loves travelling, he also have partisipated in some interesting cycling events like The Munga and PBP! PBP stands for Paris-Brest-Paris, a 1,200 ride from Paris to Brest on the French west coast and back. We have not seen one another in quite a while so we had lots to talk about. We both also gave completed 33 CTCT/Argus cycle tours. When we reached the tar road leading to Drew after 2 hours, Philip went right to where he is staying for his son's wedding tomorrow, while I went left to find my way to Riviersonderend. 

My route was taking me through Melozhori Private Nature Reserve. I did contact them while organising my trip and they gave me permission to ride through it. All I had to do was advise the date and time so that they could open the gates for me. I arrived at the eastern gate just before 10:00 and informed them that I was there. A young man arrived shortly afterwards to open the gate. The gate obvious have not been opened in quite a while as it could bearly open wide enough for me to get my bike through. As the ride through the park is only 7 km and I would have had to call them again when I got to the western gate, I suggested that I put my bike on the back of the bakkie and take a ride to the otherside. While riding we saw koedoe, waterbuck and a giraffe. The giraffe was far away, but right on the horizon, so that was quite a magnificant sight!

At the otherside I got onto my bike again and had a nice pleasant ride on the R317 for 4 km before turning right onto a gravel road running parallel to the N2 but on the mountain side of the river. This continued for 14 km when I had to join the N2 and ride the last 7 into Riviersonderend on it. I stopped at Ou Meul for a Pepper Steak Pie and a  Mega Coffee. After 20 minutes I was on my way again. 

The ride through to Greyton was pleasant and not too taxing. The normal ups and downs, but nothing serious. I arrived at Lady Grace after 108 km and 8:30 in the saddle. Now there are only two days left. Hennie de Clercq, Johan de Bruyn and Jannie Steyn will be joining me for tomorrow's ride.