BB2BB Dag 18

Na gisteraand se lekker Esbien by Bierfassel in Nothingham Road het ek regtig lekker geslaap. Was 05:50 wakker en geseën met 'n lekker ontbyt van museli, yoghart en vrugte. Sue, Con se vrou het vir ons elkeen drie "gourmet" toebroodjies vir die pad gemaak. 

Net voor ons reg is om te ry, daag Richard Erasmus, nie familie nie, wat 2019 op dieselfde dag saam met my en Leon die Freedom Challenge klaar gemaak het, daar op. Hy en sy vrou Lucy, gaan die eerste 20 km saam ry. Theuns Pauw daag ook op om saam te ry en ons is 'n groep van 5!

Ons kom so net voor 07:20 aan die gang. Die eerste 30 km is teer en die Erasmusse en Theuns ry die eerste 20 km saam. Dan draai hulle af op 'n paadjie wat hulle terug neem Nothingham Road toe. Ons gesels lekker terwyl ons ry en Con neem videos met sy GoPro. Hy beplan om 'n video van die dag se rit te maak. Op 20 km groet ek en Con die wat terug gaan en ry alleen aan. 

Op 30 km begin die grondpad. Vandag is die dag van die lang bulte. Dit is nou op en af. Die op bulte is nie so lank nie maar een van die af bulte is 14 km lank. Ons stop by 'n watervalletjie waar ek 2016 ook gestop het en eet ons eerste broodjie. Sue het regtig haarself oortref met die broodjies! Om terug te kom na die bulte, wanneer ons oor 'n kruin kom kan ons die lang afdraend sien en in die verte waar die pad die volgende bult uit kronkil en oor die volgende nek verdwyn! 

So 10 km voor Himeville kom daar 'n fiets ryer van voor. Dit is Craig Mackrory wat in 2011 in die Freedom Challenge groep was saam met wie ek gery op die dag wat ek onttrek het. Nie 'n aangename herrinnering nie. Gelukkig kon ek in 2014 en 2019 terug kom en daardie struikelblok oorkom! 

Ons stop nog twee keer om ons ander broodtjies te eet en kom so net voor 16:00 in Himeville aan. Ek het besluit om die nag saam met Con en sy seun se familie by Khotso deur te bring. Dit is nog so 'n 16 km verder. Ons eet elkeen 'n Magnum en ek versmag my aan 'n goeie cappacino. Die rit Khotso neem ons 'n verdere 1:09. In klok verloop glad en aand ete is spaghetti bolognaise. 

Ons reël vir 'n "schuttle" om my môre oggend Sanipas toe te neem. Die grenspos maak eers 08:00 oop en Con besluit om saam te gaan. So môre is dit Sanipas en môre aand slaap ek by 'n Warmshowers gasheer in Underberg.

Afstand staan nou op 1,451, nog so 250 kort van

halfpad, maar môre is halfpad wat dae betref.

So I had a nice relaxing day in Nothingham Road. Con stays at Gowrie Farm Estate where there are big grounds where the dogs can run free. It really is a magnificent setup in the country. Next to the Estate is Gowrie Farm and golf course, so there is lots of open space. We took the dogs for a brisk walk at 06:15 and had breakfast of museli, yoghart and fruit. Con and myself then took by bike for a  wash and to have it checked over at Callan's Bike Tech. I did notice a nail in the rear wheel but as it was not leaking, I left it as is. Callan Deacon agreed to drop the bike at Con's shop at The Avenues afterwards. 

Con owns two Coffeeberry restaurants and two Coffebox Drive Thru coffee shops. He took me down to the drive thru's. A very interesting concept. The second one is at Maritsburg College, where they had a rugby tournament. An old school, steeped in tradition. Con picked up some "logistical" issue at the shop and quickly arranged to address this, which resulted in him having to pick some staff up at other venues. He dropped me at his mom, who is 92, and we all were to meet for lunch at Sagewood at 11:00.

After lunch we went to The Avenues, where I drew some cash for the road. Callan rocked up after a while. He had to replace the brake pads and fixed the rear wheel with a mushroom plug. He agreed that it was best that I left it as is. If I had taken the nail out, I probably would have had trouble re-inflating the wheel. 

We got back home at 14:15 and I put my saddle bag back on my bike and got my luggage ready for tomorrow. Tonight I will treat the Malherbe's for supper at Bierfassel, just around the corner. Apparently their "eisbein" is devine and I love eisbein!

Con agreed to ride with me tomorrow. Instead of staying over at Sani Backpackers, we will be going through to Underberg, where his son is camping and organised a chalet for us. He is also going to ride up Sani Pass with me. This will add 25 km to the journey to the top, but as we got all day, it should be OK. On Monday night we are staying at Warmshowers where the host is Jelle Meintsma and his wife. 

BB2BB2 Dag 16

Ek het besluit om vandag eers 07:00 in die pad te val met ontbyt wat 06:30 bedien is. Die wiele begin 07:08 rol. 

So 3 km teer, rigting Weenen en dan links op 'n grondpad tot net voor Mooirivier. Die pad is baie goed en ek karring rustig aan. Tussen Durban en Pietermaritsburg is daar 'n uitkyk plek met die naam "Vallei van 1,000 heuwels". Wel die res van Natal het meer as 'n duisend heuwels. Die pad is baie selde gelyk. Dit is óf op óf af en van die klimme is lank maar nie een so styl soos gister nie. Die gevolg is dat dit moeilik is om 'n goeie gemiddelde spoed te handhaaf. Die natuur is ook die moeite werd om na te kyk. Ek stop 10:15 om een van die grondboootjiebotter toebroodjies wat ek vir my gemaak het, te eet. Dit is op dieselfde plek waar ek 2016 gestop het. Die pad se skouers is deurtrek met die mooiste pink en wit blomme!

Die profiel vir die dag toon dat ek op 847 meter begin het en op 'n maksimim hoogte van 1,607 meter gedraai het. Totale meters geklim vir die dag was 1,650. Verbasend min verskil tussen maksimum hoogte en totale klim indien in ag geneem word dat daar heelwat afdraedes was. 

Ek sluit net voor Mooirivier by die R103 aan en ry deur die onderdorp. Daarna neem Garmin my deur Bruntville, 'n swart woongebied teen 'n baie styl bult uit. Anderkant draai ek regs op 'n teerpad wat verander in 'n baie goeie grondpad met nog 'n paar bulte. Die top van die laaste een bereik ek met 18 km oor Nothingham Road toe, waar ek net na 15:00 aan kom.

Ek bly vannaand en môre aand oor by Con en Sue Malherbe. Ek en Con het in 2014 'n stuk van die Freedom Challenge saam gery. Hy is ook die afgelope paar jaar deur 'n moeilike tyd met kanker, maar het goed herstel en beplan om Sondag saam met my te ry tot by Underberg en Maandag ook Sanipas saam met my te ry. Môre neem ek my fiets na die plaaslike fiets winkel vir 'n goeie was en algemene nagaan.

BB2BB2 Day 15

 

What a day! But let us just go back to last night. The "Britsh" guests were South Africans form Durban/Kloof, who are preparing to bring two Britsh tourist out to South Africa for some shooting, which they cannot do in UK, and show them the battlefields around Kwazulu-Natal. There were supposed to 6 but the other 4 got cold feet because SA is too dangerous!

I had a good sleep and Philip brought me a breakfast pack. When I wanted to pay for the accommodation and meals, he said that it is his contribution to my CANSA fund. Dieter Muhl did the same the previous day!

I remember from last time that the climb out of Elandsview is long and steep. Good preparation for what was too come! The 8 km took me 1:05. I was really climbing well and enjoyed the "warmup"! Gradient was around 8% with one or two sections going up to 15%. Once on top I was "blessed" with beautiful pink and white flowers growing next to the road. 

A little further along the road, I took a left on the R33, losing a lot of height immediately and then right onto an old tar road. This led me to a left on a gravel road. I checked with my Komoot track, which I downloaded the previous night and saw that according to that I had to turn earlier. I did not notice the road Komoot referred to, but as the two tracks was running parallel, I continued on the Garmin route. After about 30 km the Garmin track wanted to take me right. I looked at Komoot and saw that their was a track from this point, which would take me back to the Komoot track. 

I am not sure what the Garmin track was like, but from here up to about 80 km, when the two tracks converged again, I rode through some of the most beautiful country side I have seen in a very long time. The "connecting track" took me down a very steep mountain and at the bottom I joined the Komoot track. I was now on a valley with high cliffs on eirher side as the road meanered though the mountains. On top of a hill I stopped to have the other bacon and cheese burger as well as the Coke Philip gave me. A little while later, I came to a T-junction. When I look at Komoot, saw that I lost the track somewhere. Fortunately I could get back on track by turning right and was on course again. 

The Komoot profile showed a rather big hill and I was approaching that hill. At this point the Garmin and Komoot tracks converged again for a short while. About 2 km up the hill there was a road turning off to the right while the road I was on was going straight. There was a roadsign indicating the straight goes to Ladismith with no indication where right goes to! Garmin wanted to go right and as that was away from my general ditection, I stuck with Komoot. This big hill had a "step" in it. First it went up, then a little level part and then up again. The first "step" was brutal! 2.55 km and it took me 55 minutes. That is an average speed of 2.8 kph! I have never ridden up a hill that slowly. This time includes the three rest stops as well as a photo stop, so my moving speed was faster, but I was moving along at between 3-5 kph. The gradient was between 14 and 16% most of the time with some 17% and a small section at 9-12%. I was enjoying this climb and never felt the urge to stop and start pushing. Conquering a hill like this in your own strength gives enormeous satisfaction! The level section was 3.73 km and then the last step was 3.22 km, but fortunately not as steep as the first part. 

This was followed by a long downhill, some of which was tarred where I managed to reach 66.8 kph! Towards the end this route converged with Garmin again, meaning that the Garmin route went around the mountain I went over. I wonder which would take the longer to complete as the Garmin route is longer. My Garmin track for the day was 117 km against Komoot's 94 km. 

Now I had 27 km left to Weenen, which once again was quite undulating making it difficult to make good time. I reached Weenen after 10 hours 20 minutes. The Owl and Eliphant is just outside Weenen, so it took me another few minutes to get there.

I was the only guest and was treated to a lovely plate of beef and vegetable stew on rice. Tomorrow is only 81 km so I will have breakfast at 06:30 to leave at 07:00.

BB2BB2 Dag 14

Lekker saam met die Muhl's en hulle kinders aand ete genuttig. Seun se skoonma is familie van Shaun van Durbanville Cycles! Reël met Gail Muhl vir toebroodjies vir die pad en tel dit eers by hulle huis op voordat ek in die pad val. Oppad uit word ek gegroet deur 'n son wat tussen die bome deur vir my loer!

By die grootpad sê Garmin ek moet regs draai op die R34 en ek maak so. Na so 5 km besluit ek om na die roete wat ek op Komoot afgelaai het, te kyk. Die sê ek moes links gedraai het! Ek besluit om vir Komoot te luister en draai om. Die pad is redelik besig en ek is dankbaar toe ek op die R33 regs kan draai en so 'n paar kilometer verder weer links by Kingsley op 'n grondpad. Hierdie pad is in 'n goeie toestand en daar is minimale verkeer. Na 'n ruk stop ek om bene te rek. 'n Boer kom verby en verneem of als reg is en ry dan verder. Die landskap hier is redelik heuwelagtig maar gelukkig is die gradiënt nie te veeleisend nie. Op 40 km kom ek by 'n T-aansluiting waar ek links draai na die Bloedrivier Monument wat so 8 km verder aan my linkerkant verskyn. 

Daarna is dit op en af deur swart landelike gebied met klompies huis elke hier en daar. Na so 60 km kruis ek die R68 en Garmin neem my deur die "veld". Ek onthou die paadjie van my 2016 rit, maar sal volgende keer eder by die groter paaie hou want ek moes meeste van die volgende 3 km my fiets stoot. Ek sluit darem later weer by 'n redelike grondpad aan wat my deur neem tot by die kruising van die Buffelsrivier en Rorckesdrift. 

Van hier tot by Elandsview is daar twee klimme van 3 en 6 km, maar weereens is die gradiënt nie te veeleisend nie. Die pad is ook heel goed en die omgewing mooi met heelwat bome en baie gras. Die mense van Elandview het gister vir my 'n "pin" gestuur en ek volg die pad daarheen. Tydens my 2016 rit het ek by Elandsheim, wat eintlik 'n jeug afsonderings plek is, gebly. Elandsview Gastehuis is 1.8 km en 'n lekker klim verder! Ek kom 14:15 hier aan. Nog 'n goeie dag agter die rug. Hier kom blybaar vannaand Britte en hulle gids wat die "Battlefields" besoek oor bly, so ek sal darem geselskap vir aandete hé.

Ons kry blykbaar "potjie" vir aandete en Philip Voigt het 'n vuur op die stoep gemaak, so ek sit nou lekker en ontspan voor die vuur!

The firsts perfect cycling day but lets just go back to my host of last night. Had a lovely time with Elsa Thiele and slept like a rock! As today was an easy day, I decided to delay my departure 06:30 and only got up at 05:30. I only got going at 06:40. 

The sky was clear with mist in the valleys. After 3 km I was in the mist and that stayed with me for the next 5 km. Thereafter I had beautiful sunshine for the rest of the day. My route took me past Bosangoma, where I was due to sleep last night and it took me 1:15 to cover the 13 km to that turn-off. The nect 20 or so kilometers were initially mostly uphill and amongst the hills. Once over the top I was amongst wheat fields. Onto the R44 and then for 7 km on the R33. Fortunately there was not much traffic as there is very little shoulder. 

I then turned right on the R43. Generally the road surface was excellent, but every now and then I had to negotiate through a mud pool. I managed all these reasonably well and stopped a number of times to scrape the excess mud off my wheels. The road was meandering through the country side with a number of wheat fields. I then went a area with natural growth of mistly grass. Every herecand there was a number of dwellings. I also saw a number of people who I "labeled" as those unemployed who stopped looking for work judging from their age. Every here and there were, mostly older ladies, cutting the grass next to the road. One of the things which facinate me is that it is mostly elderly, over weight ladies and they bend over and cut the grass. I can just imagine what their backs myst feel like after a day's work. i aldo suppose this us some form of creating employment. If only they do it next to the larger roads as there the grass is more than a meter high right up the the tar. 

My travels took me onto a road of which I did not get the number, except for a sign stating "Blood River Poort". This was with 26 km to my destination. At this point my average speed was 10.4 kph. The next 26 km was mostly downhill and it took me only an hour and a half to cover this distance, increasing my average speed to 11.9 kph. 

This last photo is the crossing of Bloedrivier. The sign on the left says Bloed with the river sign below it.

I arrived at Indwe Farm Stay just after 13:00 and was welcomed by the owner who directed me to the "cabin". There also us a "glamping tent" i asked about supper and he indicated that I will get food off their table, which he will bring to the cabin and then as an after thought he said that I could join them. I accepted that offer with both hands as it is much better to eat with someone else, than to eat on your own! 

And so ended another day of cycling. I am getting "spoiled" with all these "shorter" days and will have to get mind around ding some greater distances in days coming. Today I passed the 1,000 km mark. Total distance done now stand at 1,042.19 kilometers. Tomorrow's distance will probably be in the nineties with very few level areas. The profile very much look like a crocodile's teeth! I may deviate from my planned route as my host said it is mostly through rural areas and he suggested a more scenic route.