Moorreesburg - Bloubergstrand

We booked in at die Koeistal on the SW outskirts of Moorreesburg. It is part of the setup of Wilinda Hanekom, with whom I stayed during my visist to Carine at the beginning of August. Supper was at "smorgasbord" of mince and spinach with some cheese added as we had no spices! Riley brought an avo with and we also shared a bread roll. Pudding was a couple of pieces of chocolate!

I spent most of the afternoon updating my blog. After supper we both spent some time reading various articles on our phones and then went for walk to the pool. Sat there for a while cooling down my feet and doing some star gazing. I did manage to point out the evening star, three kings and southern cross, which is not visible in the northern hemisphere, to Riley. We retired to bed at 21:30 mand planned to get going at 06:30.

We rose at about 06:00 and Riley took quite awhile to pack his bike. He had some issues with his bag moving around so he decided to try it lengthwise today. In the end we only got going at 07:05. 

When we got to the main road through Moorreesburg, I told Riley he must go left while I go right! He was quick to point out that that was not what Komoot, on which he loaded today's route, recommend! I looked my map and immediately realised that he was right! The road I tried to send him down was the road to Hopefield! I therefore decided to ride with him until we are on the correct road out of Moorreesburg. That took me down a 2km detour, but it was well worth it. When Riley agreed that he was on the right road, we bit our good byes and I turned around to head back to Malmesbury. 

My route for the day was the same as the previous day, just in the opposite direction. The wind was howling all night and while Riley was going to have this wind on his back while I had to ride into it. The further I went, the higher to temperature rose! By 10:00 my Garmin indicated 44.7! The wind did tone down from earlier this morning and was actually a blessing as it cooled things down a little. 

After 21km the wind changed direction from SE to NE and suddenly I had the benefit of a wind on my back! This lasted up to Malmesbury. On the way I stopped at a pool of water and submergged by bandana to cool my head. In Malmesbury I bought a 1.5 liter bottle of water, drank half and filled my water bottle with the other half. The wind changed to SE again, but was not too strong. At Kalbaskraal I stopped at a Spaza shop and bought a bag of ice. I first filled my water bottle with ice, then threw some ice down the inside of my cycling jersey at the back and front and put some ice blocks in the big hole on top of my helmet. On the way to Philidelphia I kept on filling may water bottle with ice. I also stopped a a stream and cooled my head with a wet bandana. 

Just before I crossed the Philidelphia tar road, I realised that I have a rear flat! Stopped and pumped it! I very quickly realised that this flat was not going to seal itself. I did have a bottle of sealant with me and stopped to put this in and hope for the best. I do have a number of friends who would have been more than willing to come and fetch me, but I felt that phoning anybody at 13:30 on Christmas day while they are in the middle of their Christmas dinner, was asking a bit much. So with a quick prayer I pumped the tyre as hard as I could and hit the road. Wel, my prayers were answered, as the sealant did the trick!

In Melkbosstrand I stopped for some more water and treated myself to an ice cream. The temperature now came down to 36. What a blessing is it to be able to cycle next to the sea! I did managed to maintain a reasonable pace on the cycle path to Blouberg and arrived home just before 15:30. 

Total time 8:15; distance 109.49. Average speed 13.3 kph.

In the meantime Riley had his own issues. When he contacted me at 19:45 it was to inform me that he is back in Moorreesburg. He had 4 punctures and broke a spoke! The only option is to wait until Thursday, get a lift to Malmesbury and see if bike Addict can sort him out.  

Riley - Bloubergstrand to Moorreesburg

Riley was planning to ride up the West Coast road to Langebaan on the first leg of his tour. I "convinced" him to change by agreeing to ride with him on the first day if he was willing to take another route which I suggested. He agreed to my proposal, but first we had to take the new bike for a test ride!

So when we got home after collecting the bike, we doned our cycle gear and went for a lap of what I call our "lock dowb" route. This is circle route through Blouberg, West Beach, up the R27 to the Table Bay Mall traffic lights and back. On our way back we stopped for a "compulsory" photo of Riley with the bike and Table Mountain in the back ground. Back home Riley fitted all his luggage, with help of Henk, my son-in-law. We did weigh the bike with all the "assessories" and ot cane in at about 16kg. We did not weigh it after all the luggage was  added, but my guess is that the final product would push thescal past 39kg. We did weigh his bag and that was just short if 10kg. To that must be added two 1 liter water bottles, two 750ml water bottles, a tent and a sleeping bag sng mat!

The plan was to get moving at 06:30 this mirning, but we only got away at 06:54! The route started with our regular Botterberg route. At the left before the Oliphantkop hill, which  we skipped today I took a photo of Riley with Table Mountain in the back ground, for the last time! At the Old Malmesbury Road we turned left towards Malmesbury. For the next 30km we would be on tar, going through Kalbaskraal and past Abbotsdale. The "drag" up the hill through Malmesbury was quite an effort. We reach the new mall on th NE side of Malmesbury after 3:21. Seatle Coffee was our destination and the order was for two slices of banana nread and two coffees. If took us 25 minutes to get and consume this. 

Now there was 45km left to Moorreesburg and most of it on gravel. When we left Seatle my temprature gauge indicated high forties! That partly was due to the bike being in the sun and it did come diwn to tge high thirties, but between the two towns the temperature hovered between 37-42 and did go up to 45.7 for a while! Up the last hill it was between 42-45. That is hot! There was a little breeze, which did help in making it more barable! We did stop at a farm just after crossing the R311, but found nobody home, only some dogs, which was reasonably friendly after they saw that we were no threat. We did find a tap with some water, which was quite cool, at least cooler than our water bottles which have been in the sun!

On the the last hill Riley did fall behind a little and I had to wait for him before we crossed the N7. In town we stopped at Shoprite to get some cool drinks and something to make for supper. Our accommodation was right at tge SW corner of town and we arrived there at 13:50.

Total riding time 6:54:42; distance 106.49, meter acsent 1,117.

Riley from Canada

Riley contacted me towards the end of November via Warmshowers to hear if he could stay with me while he waited for his bike, which should have arrived during the first week of December. 

Couple of problems: He bought a frane made from "bamboo" from a manufacturer from Uganda, thus "Africa time" entered the equation. The grame finally arrived in Johannesburg on about 10 December and was promptly held up by Customs for inspection. This took a week of to and throwing with Customs duty gaving to be paid and was finally cleared on 17/12. It arrived in Cape Town on the morning of 18/12 and the courier company tried to deliver it to the Back Packers where Riley stayed before he "moved in" with me. He managed to get hold of the diver, who then told him he is only allowed to make deliveries in Green and Sea Point. I asked Riley to let me soeak to the guy, where upon he confirmed his area. I asked where his base is and via which route he gets there. The answer was the Airport via N2. I asked him to deliver the bike to Woodstock Cycleworks, in Searle Street. Initially he refysed as this was not on his route! After some persuation he realise that Searle Street is not too far off his route and agreed to deliver it there!

Riley did contact Nils of Woodstock Cycleworks during November and they agreed that Nils will add all the necessary components as soon as the frame arrives. On receput of the frame, Nils immediately got going on tecepit of the frame. Our first visit to the shop was on Thursday 19/12. By this time wheels, fork and seat have been fitted. Nils did mention that he had a problem with the fork, as the frame was a 60cm frame (Riley is quite rall), he did not have a rigid fork long enough to clear the head of the frame and that might have to fit a suspention fork. Nils, being the innovative guy that he is, then went ahead and extended a ridig fork to ensure that it is long enough. 

The frame was ment to be fitted with a 1x drive train, but after some consultation if was agreed that a 2x will provide a better range of gears and will be easier to work with in "Africa" should something go wrong. The next problem was the tread on the bottom bracket, which seems to be warn! Once again Nils' innovation came into play and he retreaded it. Riley also gave him the carrier which he bought and this was also fitted. Finally everything was completed by mid afternoon on 23/12. Woodstock Cycleworks was closing down at 17:00 on 23/12 for their Christmas brake! So, completion was in the nick of time.

Riley and myself were really impressed with Nils and the "extra mile" he was willing to walk to ensure that Riley leave with a proper working bike to tackle his trip from Cape Town to Kenia.