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 932 uur en 53 minute 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 302.95 uur gery. Totale afstand was 3,538.08. 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 64.3 km. Total = 189.51 km. Dus is fiesies getrapte afstand 3,348.57 km. Gemiddelde afstand per dag was 90.72 met die verste dag van Marlu na Uniondale wat op 157.06 km te staan gekom het. My gemiddelde spoed was 11.02 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 302,95 hours. Total distance was 3,538.08. 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 64.3 km. Total = 189.51 km. So distance traveled physically amounted to 3,348.57 km. Average distance per day was 90.72 with the furthest day from Marlu to Uniondale coming in at 157.06 km. My average speed was 11.02 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!