HotH Toer (Reverse) Dag 2

 

Na 'n heerlike ontbyt, kom ons net na 08:00 aan die ry. 

Vandag is 61 km en meesal afdreand. Daar is, soos gewoonlik, 'n paar klimme oppad Herbertsdale toe, waar ons vir Johan moet kry. Dit neem ons 45 minute om die 13 km dorp toe af te lê. Ons wag 5 minute vir Johan voordat ons weer aan die gang kom. 

Net na Herbertsdale draai ons regs Jakkalsvlei toe. Dit is teerpad tot net verby Jakkalsvlei Kelder, maar ons begin met 'n 1.92 km klim met 117 meter se hoogte byvoeging wat  18 minute neem om te oorwin. Daar kom 'n driekamp atleet by my verby en ons gesels so 'n bietjie. Sy is van plan om tot by die einde van die teerpad te ry, dus sien ons haar weer terwyl sy oppad terug is. 

Ons ry oor die Gouritsrivier net nadat die teerpad opgehou het. Daar is nog 'n paar klimme en Mike en Johan ry vooruit. Intussen hoop ek dat hulle vir my by die Lasarus Wildsplaas se afdraai vir my sal wag. Daar gekom, maar geen Mike en Johan nie! Ek probeer hulle skakel, maar daar is nie ontvangs nie. Ek besluit om op die regte pad aan te ry totdat daar ontvangs is. Daar skakel ek vir Mike maar hy antwoord nie. Ek stuur vir hom 'n boodskap om hom in te lig dat hulle verkeerd gery het. Ek het verlede week die roets vir hom op Komoot afgelaai. Ek stel voor hy gaan op Komoot en navigeer na die regte roete.

Ek en Hennie het verlede Oktober ook verby die "verwaarloosde" plaas, hier onder, gery en die boot met die naam "Dreams come true" daar gesien. Vind dit baie ironies dat so 'n boot met so 'n naam op so 'n verwaarloosde plaas so ver van die see kan staan!

Op 48 km stop ek onder 'n boom om my toebroodjie te eet. Ek skakel weer vir Mike en die keer antwoord hy. Gelukkig het hulle agter gekom hulle is verkeerd en het omgedraai en by die Lasurus Wildsplaas afgedraai. Hulle is dus so 'n entjie agter my. Na 11 minute val ek weer in die pad. 

Ek is nou bo-op die plato en sal binnekort daal na die Valsrivier. Dit is 'n lekker lang afdraend met so 'n paar klein bultjies tot onder waar ek die rivier kruis. Anderkant is daar weer 'n 3.17 km klim waar tydens ek 117 meter styg. Op 56 km bereik ek die kruising waar ons moet afdraai na ons oornag bly plek. Ek wag hier vir my maats wat na 7 minute opdaag.

Nou net 6.43 km huis en aanvanklik gelyk ek dan 'n lekker afdraend. 'n Bakkie kom van agter verby ons. Dit blyk toe Kosie Sauerman, ons gasheer, te wees. Ons groet en dan ry hy aan. Ons handhaaf 'n goeie pas en lê die afstand in 19 minute af. 

Die weer was baie lekker met 'n gemiddelde temperatuur van 31 grade Celsius. Die maksimum het by 41 grade gedraai, maar dit was van korte duur.

Totaal vir die dag 60.99 km tyd 4:18:40 en net 762 meter se klim. 

Vannaand eet ons steaks! Iets om na uit te sien want Kosie weet hoe om steak lekker gaar te maak.

After a lovely breakfast, we set off just after 08:00.

Today is 61 km long and mostly downhill. As usual, there are a few climbs on the way to Herbertsdale, where we have to meet Johan. It takes us 45 minutes to cover the 13 km to town. We wait 5 minutes for Johan before we set off again.

Just after Herbertsdale we turn right to Jakkalsvlei. It is a tarmac road until just past Jakkalsvlei Cellar, but we start with a 1.92 km climb with 117 meters of elevation gain that takes 18 minutes to conquer. A triathlete passes me and we chat for a bit. She plans to ride to the end of the tarmac road, so we see her again on her way back.

We cucle over the Gourits River just after the tarmac road ends. There are a few more climbs and Mike and Johan cycle ahead. In the meantime, I hope that they will be waiting for me at the Lazarus Game Farm turnoff. When I get there, there is no Mike and Johan! I try to call them, but there is no reception. I decide to cycle along the right road until there is reception. There I call Mike but he does not answer. I send him a message to inform him that they are the wrong road. I downloaded the route for him on Komoot last week. I suggest that he go on Komoot and navigate to the right route.

Hennie de Clercq and I also cycled past a "neglected" farm, along this road, last October and saw a boat called "Dreams come true" there. I find it very ironic that such a boat with such a name can be parked on such a neglected farm so far from the sea!

At 48 km I stop under a tree to eat my sandwich. I call Mike again and this time he answers. Fortunately, they realised they were wrong and turned around and turned off at the Lasurus Game Reserve. So they are a little behind me. After 11 minutes I am back on the road.

I am now am on top of the plateau and will soon descend to the Vals River. It is a nice long descent with a few small bumps to the bottom where I cross the river. On the other side there is another 3.17 km climb during which I gain 117 meters. At 56 km I reach the intersection where we have to turn off to our overnight accommodation. I wait here for my friends who arrive after 7 minutes.

Now only 6.43 km home and at first fairly level and then a nice descent. A bakkie comes past us. It turns out to be Kosie Sauerman, our host for the night. We say greet one another and then he drives on. We maintain a good pace and cover the distance in 19 minutes.

The weather was very nice with an average temperature of 31 degrees Celsius. The maximum was 41 degrees, but it was short-lived.

Total for the day 60.99 km time 4:18:40 and only 762 meters of climbing.

Tonight we eat steaks! Something to look forward to because Kosie knows how to cook steak well.