Kammievlei na Marlu

 

Die weer lyk vanoggend baie goed. Die lug is oop en daar is geen teken van reën nie. Die temperatuur is 7 grade Celsius en ek trek albei my baadtjies aan.

Ek kom 07:13 aan die gang. Die pad is baie nat. So 500 meter pad op is daar 'n redelike styl stukkie wat vir so 50 meter net 'n modder moeras is. Dit is van daardie dik sagte modder. Dit pak so aan my wiele dat hulle op hou draai en ek is verplig om my fiets te dra! Na die stuk kry ek 'n stok en krap die ergste modder af. Die pad oppervlakte raak so dat ek darem weer kan ry. 

Die lug is skoon na die goeie reën en in die laer gedeeltes is daar mis. Ek kry 'n mooi foto van Cockscomb met mis in die voorgrond. Daar is ook 'n paar gedeeltes waar ek weer maar genoodsaak is om af te klim en te stoot omdat dit net te styl is. Dit neem my 'n uur om die eerste 5.5 km af te lê. 

Nou is ek bo-op die kop en begin ek daal. Net voor die bopunt staan daar 'n motor in die "veld". Ek kom agter dat hy blybaar daar parkeer omdat dit moeilik is om met sy klein motortjie van so 200 meter laer af, waar sy huis is, tot by die hek te ry!

Na 'n aanvanklike daling is daar weer 'n paar kort styl stukkies. Dan volg die pad die kontoer met meesal afdraendes. Die pad oppervlakte in oor die algemeen baie klipperig en ek kan nie eintlik vinnig ry nie. Die omgewing is baie mooi en ek dank die Here vir die voorreg om te kan doen waarmee ek besig is. Ek is in my eliment! Ek het in tweede uur 10 km af gelê.

Daar is so 'n paar waterpoele, maar nie te lank of diep nie. Ek sien so een of twee wonings. Dit moet besonders wees om hier 'n plek te hè. Ek wonder net hoe gereeld dit benut word want daar is nie teken van lewe nie. Geen landerye of diere nie.

Die pad kronkel op die plato voort. Ek ry ook verby die Osseberg af draai wat deur die Freedom Challenge gebruik word. Die pad voor en anderkant die hek is heeltemal toe gegroei. Ek onthou van 2019, toe ek FC gedoen het dat ons die eerste 500 meter ons fietse moes stoot. Verder aan kyk ek terug en sien dat die Ossebergpad verder aan oor die rante baie meer duidelik sigbaar en skynbaar rybaar is.

Ek ry oor Antoniesberg, waar die oorspronklike pad nou net dongas is. Daar is so 'n paar alternatiewe paaie deur die veld wat oor die tyd gebuik is. Die is ook redelik verspoel maar rybaar met 'n fiets. Die topografie van die omgewing is gedurig óf op óf af maar dit is meesal rybaar. Ek is een of twee keer verplig om af te klim en te stoot. Gelukkig is dit kort entjies. In die derde uur lê ek weer net 7.5 km af. Na drie uur is my gemiddelde spoed 7.6 kpu.

Nou begin ek afdaal na Grootrivierpoort. Die uitsig van bo is asemrowend. Die pad is baie klipperig en ek is dankbaar dat ek met 'n trapfiets hier kan af ry en nie met 'n 250 kg motorfiets nie! Ek was bekommerd oor die moontlikheid dat die rivier, as gevolg van die voorrige dag se reën, so sterk sal loop dat ek nie kan deurkom nie. Waar dit 'n glade water oppervlakte was toe ek gekom het, is daar nou duidelik tekens van 'n stroom wat loop. Ek besluit om nie te waag nie en klim af en stoot deur. Ek kan die stroom voel maar hy is omtrent net so 40 cm diep en ek kom gemaklik deur. Ek stop vir 'n foto.

Aanvanlik ry ek die bult aan die anderkant uit, maar besluit baie gou dat dit makliker gaan wees om te stoot. Dit is nou redelik warm en ek trek albei my baadjies uit. Dit is 'n redelike lang stoot tot bo. Dan volg die pad meesal die kontoer en is oor die algemeen lekker rybaar. Na 33 km en 4:16 se ry, draai ek af Hadley toe. Bennie en Anine is tuis. Bennie vra of ek al ge-eet het, want hulle gaan nou "brunch" maak. Ek aanvaar die uitnodiging. Bennie vertel vir my die geskiedenis van Wilgerhof dam, wat met die eerst groot reën nadat dit in 1981 voltooi is, gebreek het. Swak werkmanskap en toe het die bouers nie geld om hulle brouwerk reg te maak nie. Dit is nog nie hertsel nie aangesien die hele ou wal weggeneem sal moet word en 'n nuwe wal gebou moet word. Ons kuier baie lekker saam en ek kom eers na 1:39 daar weg. As gevolg van die lang kuier, het my gemiddelde spoed nou na 5.5 kpu geval. Ek werk uit dat ek eers tussen 19:00 en 20:00 op Marlu sal aankom. Net nadat ek in die hoofpad kom, stop ek om een van my baadjies aan te trek want hier is 'n koelerrigheid in die lug.

Die pad Steytlerville toe kronkel tussen die heuwels deur. Die lug het in tussen redelik betrokke geraak en ek sien reën in die heuwels links voor my. By my is dit droog en die pad is goed. Daar is 'n ligte Noord Weste wind wat my vordering so 'n bietjie bemoeilik. Ek handhaaf darem 'n gemiddelde spoed van ongeveer 14 kpu. Dit neem my 2:39 om tot by Steytlerville te kom.  Dit is nou amper 17:00.

Daar is nog 32 km oor en ek skat dat dit my so 2:30 sal neem Marlu toe, dus gaan ek so 19:30 tuis wees. Dit raak nou koel en so halfpad teen die bult op, nadat ek deur Steytlerville is, stop ek om my tweede baadjie aan te trek. Ek trek ook my warm handskoene aan. Net voor 18:00 begin dit donkkerig word en ek stop om my ligte aan te sit. So 'n entjie die pad af word ek geseën met die mooiste sonsondergang. Dit lyk of die horison aan die brand is. Ek hou 'n paar keer stil om fotos te neem. Elke keer wanneer ek 'n foto neem, moet ek een handskoen uittrek. Na die derde foto, bêre ek die handskoen en trek 'n gewone, kort handskoen aan sodat ek makliker fotos kan neem. Die koue het in tussen ook tot 'n mate gewyk en ek verwissel die ander handskoen ook. 

Ek geniet dit altyd om in die donker te ry. Ek moet meer versigtig wees want ek kan nie so ver vooruit sien nie, maar die stilte en nag geluide om my maak dit baie rustig. Die gehalte van die pad is hier so dat dit nie 'n probleem is nie. Maandag het ek hier lekker vinnig gery, maar nou is dit 'n 1 tot 2 grade opdraend, dus gaan dit 'n bietjie stadiger. Dan bereik ek uiteindelik die T-aansluiting waar ek links draai, Marlu toe. Nou nog net 9 km oor, maar daar is 'n paar "knoppies" in die pad, so dit gaan my so 'n bietjie langer neem om dit af te lê. 

Ek word weereens geseën met 'n lieflike sekelman wat elke nou en dan tussen die wolke deur loer. Ek probeer 'n foto neem, maar die resultaat is nie bruikbaar nie. Ek ken die pad hier al goed en weet toe ek die laaste bult pak, dat die Marlu afdraai net oor die bult is. Die hek is darem die keer net ingehak en dus maklik om deur te kom. Al met die plaaspad af, verby die werkers wat lekker om 'n vuur sit, tot by die huis. 

Ek kom 19:29 tuis. Dit was voorwaar weer 'n besonderse dag. My mikpunt met hierdie rit was om my uithouvermoeë en deursettingvermoeë te toets. Die toets het ek met vlieënde vaandels geslaag! 

Statistiek vir die dag: 115.48 km; 12:05:46 in die saal; 9.5 kpu; 1,856 meter geklim.

English version

The weather looks very good this morning. The sky is clear and there is no sign of rain. The temperature is 7 degrees Celsius and I put on both my jackets.

I get going at 07:13. The road is very wet. About 500 meters up the road there is a fairly steep section that is just a mud bath for about 50 meters. It is just thick soft mud. It grips my wheels so much that they stop turning and I am forced to carry my bike! After the section I get a stick and scrape off the worst of the mud. The road surface improves to such an extend that I can ride again.

The air is clear after the good rain and in the lower parts there is fog patches. I get a nice photo of Cockscomb with fog in the foreground. There are also a few sections where I am forced to dismount and push because it is just too steep. It takes me an hour to cover the first 5.5 km to the top of the hill.

Now I am on top of the hill and I start to descend. Just before the top there is a car in the "veld". I notice that he always parks there because it is difficult to drive his small car from about 200 meters lower, where his house is, to the gate!

After an initial descent there are a few short steep sections. Then the road then follows the contour with mostly downhill sections. The road surface is generally very rocky and I can't really ride fast. The environment is very beautiful and I thank God for the privilege of being able to do what I am doing. I am in my element! The going is slow and I have covered only 10 km in the second hour.

There are a few pools of water, but not too long or deep. I see one or two houses. It must be special to have a place here. I just wonder how often it is used because there is no sign of life. No fields or animals.

The road continues winding on the plateau. I also ride past the Osseberg turnoff used by the Freedom Challenge. The road in front and beyond the gate has completely over grown. I remember from 2019, when I did FC, that we had to push our bikes for the first 500 meters. Further on, I look back and see that the Osseberg road further along the ridge is much more clearly visible and seems rideable.

I ride over Antoniesberg, where the original road is now just dongas. There are a few alternative roads through the veld that have been used over time. These are also quite washed out but rideable with a bike. The topography of the area is constantly either up or down but it is mostly rideable. I am forced to dismount and push once or twice. Fortunately, it is short distances. In the third hour I have covered only 7.5 km. After three hours my average speed is 7.6 kpu.

Now I start to descend to Grootrivierpoort. The view from the top is breathtaking. The road is very rocky and I am grateful that I can ride a mountainbike down here and not a 250 kg motorbike! I was worried that the river, due to the previous day's rain, would be so strong that I would not be able to get through. Where it was a smooth flowing surface of water when I came, there are now clear signs of a current running. I decide not to risk riding through and get off my bike and push through. I can feel the current but it is only about 40 cm deep and I get through comfortably. I stop for a photo.

Initially I pedal up the hill on the other side, but very quickly decide that it will be easier to push. It is now quite warm and I take off both my jackets. It is a fairly long push to the top. Then the road mostly follows the contour and is generally easy to ride. After 33 km and 4:16 of riding, I turn off to Hadley. Bennie and Anine are home. Bennie asks if I have eaten yet, because they are going to have "brunch". I accept the invitation. Bennie tells me the history of Wilgerhof dam, which broke with the first big rain after it was completed in 1981. Poor workmanship and then the builders did not have money to fix their work. It is not yet complete as the entire old embankment will have to be removed and a new embankment must be built. We have a great time together and I only leave after 1:39. As a result of the long stay, my average speed has now dropped to 5.5 kph. I work out that I will only arrive at Marlu between 19:00 and 20:00. Just after I get on the main road, I stop to put on one of my jackets because there is a coolness in the air.

The road to Steytlerville winds through the hills. It have become quite overcast and I see rain in the hills to the left of me. It is dry where I am and the road is good. There is a light North West wind which makes my progress a little difficult. At least I maintain an average speed of about 14 kpu. It takes me 2:39 to get to Steytlerville. It is now almost 17:00.

There are still 32 km to go and I estimate that it will take me about 2:30 to get to Marlu, so I will be home about 19:30. It's getting cool now and about halfway up the hill, after I've passed through Steytlerville, I stop to put on my second jacket. I also put on my warm gloves. Just before 18:00 it starts to get dark and I stop to put my lights on. A few kilometers down the road I'm blessed with the most beautiful sunset. It looks as though the horizon is on fire. I stop a few times to take pictures. Every time I take a picture, I have to take off one glove. After the third picture, I put the glove away and put on a regular, short glove so that I can take pictures more easily. The cold has also subsided to some extent in between and I change the other glove as well.

I always enjoy riding in the dark. I have to be more careful because I can't see as far ahead, but the silence and night sounds around me make it very peaceful. The quality of the road here is such that it's not a problem. On Monday I drove pretty fast here, but now it's a 1 to 2 degree climb, so it's a little slower. Then I finally reach the T-junction where I turn left, to Marlu. Now only 9 km left, but there are a few "knobs" in the road, so it's going to take me a little longer to cover it.

I'm once again blessed with a lovely sickle moon which peeks through the clouds every now and then. I try to take a photo, but the result is not usable. I already know the road here well and know when I take the last hill, that the Marlu turnoff is just over the hill. At least the gate is just hooked in this time and so it is easy to get through. All the way down the farm road, past the workers sitting around a fire, to the house.

I get home at 19:29. It was truly another special day. My goal with this ride was to test my endurance and perseverance. I passed the test with flying colors!

Statistics for the day: 115.48 km; 12:05:46 in the saddle; 9.5 kpu; 1,856 meters climbed.

Dodds familie na Kammievlei

 

Die plan was om vandag van die Doddse na Hadley, deur die Grootrivierpoort te ry. 83 km met 1,900 meter se klim. Ek besluit om 07:00 in die pad te val. Llise Dodds het vir my 'n paar grondboontjiebotter toebroodtjies gemaak en ook 'n paar ander lekkernye in gesit.

Na 'n goeie nag se rus en 'n lekker gesonde ontbyt, val ek 07:17 in die pad. Dit is redelik bewolk en die weervoorspelling vir Patensie en Steytlerville wys baie reën! Ons hou maar duim vas dat die weer hou.

By die hek uit en regs in die Elandsrivier vallei op. Die wolke lyk redelik hoog en dit wil voorkom of ek droog sal kan bly. Die padoppervlakte is goed en die bulte nie te lank nie. Ek handhaaf 'n gemiddelde spoed van so om en by 13 kpu. Die temperatuur het op 18 begin en daal geleidelik na 15. Ek stop om my reënbaadjie, wat nie meer waterdig is nie, aan te trek om warm te bly. Die wolke is nog redelik hoog en dit wil voorkom of ek in goeie weer sal kan aan ry.

Na 'n rukkie begin die weer meer toetrek, maar dit reën nog nie. Op 32 km begin ek die eerste nattigheid ervaar. Ek hou weer stil en trek my "windbreaker" aan om te help teen enige reën. Aanvanklik hou die weer maar dan begin dit saggies reën. Niks om oor bekommerd te raak nie, maar hoe later hoe kwaadter. Die intensiteit van die reën neem stadig toe. Teen 40 km reën dit lekker hard en is die pad vol waterpoele. 

Ek begin my opsie oorweeg. Ek weet daar is 'n plek "Ingwe" of so iets waar ek sal kan bly. Indien dit so aanhou reën sal ek beslis my dag moet kort sny. Op 45 km kom ek by Mount Ingwe Lodge uit. Die intensiteit van die reën het redelik afgeneem. Ek draai af en volg die bordjie was sê "Plaashuis" maar daar is geen lewe nie. Ek hoor egter stemme. Regs bo by die waanhuis is daar lewe. 'n Plaaswerker kom aangestap. Hier is niemand nie. Die eienaar is in Jeffreysbaai. Ek vra of daar nog blyplek verder aan is. Hy bevestig dat daar by die Beers oor die bult plek is. Hy sê hy kan my by Ingwe uitsorteer, maar ek besluit om eder oor die bult te gaan kyk! Die temperateur het intussen tot net onder 14 grade Celsius gedaal. Om my is daar gereeld donderweer en blitse! Dit raak nogal vrees aanjaend! 

Die bult is 'n "bulletjie". Ek is genoodsaak om 'n stuk te stoot as gevolg van die gradiënt maar ook omdat die pad te glad raak en ek nie behoorlik traksie kan kry nie. Selfs my skoene gly terwyl ek loop. Sake vorder gelukkig redelik goed en ek trap die res uit. Onder in die vallei kom ek by Kammievlei van Roelie en Sareta Beer aan. Die voorhekkie en voordeur is oop! Ek trek hier in. Noes, wat besig is om skoon te maak, lyk nie te gretig om my in te laat nie. Sy skakel vir Roelie wat nie toestemming wil gee nie. Ek skakel vir Roelie en hy sê ek moet met Sareta praat. Haar telefoon lui net! 

Die besluit is geneem. Hier pak ek vandag af. Sal maar later die gevolge moet hanteer. Noes is heel te gemoedkomend en bied vir my koffie aan. Ek vra waar ek kan stort en sy wys my die badkamer. Na 'n lekker warm stort en baie droë en warm klere, kry ek my koppie koffie. Ek eet van my toebroodjies vir middag ete. Ek probeer weer vir Sareta en Roelie skakel maar kom nie deur nie. Nadat ek klaar ge-eet het, lui my foon. Dit is Sareta. Sy stem in dat ek kan bly en reël met Noes om vir my aandete te maak. Dit blyk dat die probleem was dat hulle 'n groep kinders hier gehad het en Sareta was nie seker of hulle al weg is en of die pkek aan die kant gemaak is. Noes het bevestig dat alles in orde is.

Nou sit ek op die stoep en skryf my "blog". Dit het 10 minute gelede nog honde en katte gereën, maar nou is dit heel aangenaam. Die wolke het gelig en dit het opgehou om te reën. Ek kan dit amper oorweeg om aan te ry! Ek het egter al lankal besluit dat wanneer ek op so 'n rit "afgesaal" het, ek klaar is vir die dag. Begin eder môre vroeg weer!

Nog 'n ding wat die dag vir my duidelik uitgewys het is dat ek 'n waterdigte reënbaadjie en broek moet kry. Ek sou my dag se mikpunt behaal het indien my lyf net droeër was, maar met nat klere raak die koue faktor net te groot om aan te hou. Soos die weer nou is, sal dit eintlik baie lekker wees om fiets te ry!

So eindig 'n baie interessante dag. Nog eens 'n "toets" vir die hanteer van moeilike omstandighede wat buite my beheer is. Môre lê die laaste drie kilometer na die toring voor en daarna af deur die poort en deur Marlu toe via Steytlerville. Ek kom net na 20:00 tot ruste en slaap die nag baie lekker.

Dag se statistiek: 49.61 km; 4:18:13 teen 'n gemiddelde van 11.53 kpu met 1,107 meter se klim. 

English version

The plan was to ride from the Dodds family home to Hadley, through the Grootrivierpoort. 83 km with 1,900 meters of climbing. I decided to hit the road at 07:00. Llise Dodds made me some peanut butter sandwiches and also put in a few other treats.

After a good night's rest and a nice healthy breakfast, I hit the road at 07:17. It is quite cloudy and the weather forecast for Patensie and Steytlerville shows a lot of rain! We are keeping our fingers crossed that the weather will hold.

Out of the gate and up to the right into the Elandsrivier valley. The clouds look quite high and it seems like I will be able to stay dry. The road surface is good and the "bumps" not too long. I maintain an average speed of around 13 kpu. The temperature started at 18 and gradually dropped to 15. I stopped to put on my rain jacket, which is no longer waterproof, to stay warm. The clouds are still quite high and it looks like I will be able to ride in good weather.

After a while the weather starts to get worse, but it is not raining yet. At 32 km I start to experience the first wetness. I stop again and put on my "windbreaker" to help against any rain. At first the weather holds but then it starts to rain gently. Nothing to worry about, but the later the worse. The intensity of the rain slowly increases. At 40 km it is raining really hard and the road is full of puddles.

I start to consider my options. I know there is a place called "Ingwe" or something like that where I will be able to stay. If it keeps raining like this I will definitely have to cut my day short. At 45 km I arrive at Mount Ingwe Lodge. The intensity of the rain has decreased quite a bit at this point. I turn off and follow the sign that says "Farmhouse" but there is no life. However, I hear voices. There is life right up at the warehouse. A farm worker walks up. There is no one here. The owner is in Jeffreys Bay. I ask if there is any accommodation further on. He confirms that there is place at the Beers over the hill. He says he can sort me out at Ingwe, but I decide to go and see what is over the hill! The temperature has meanwhile dropped to just under 14 degrees Celsius. There is regular thunder and lightning around me! It is getting quite scary!

The hill is a real "hill". I am forced to push a bit because of the gradient but also because the road becomes too slippery and I cannot get proper traction. Even my shoes slip while I walk. Fortunately, things are progressing quite well and I pedal the rest out. At the bottom of the valley I arrive at Kammievlei of Roelie and Sareta Beer. The front gate and front door are open! I go in. Noes, who is busy cleaning, doesn't seem too keen to let me in. She calls Roelie who doesn't want to give permission for me to stay. I call Roelie and he says I need to speak to Sareta, his wife. Her phone just rings!

The decision has been made. I'll pack up here the day. I'll have to deal with the consequences later. Noes is very friendly and offers me coffee. I ask where I can shower and she shows me the bathroom. After a nice hot shower and lots of dry and warm clothes, I get my cup of coffee. I eat some of my sandwiches for lunch. I try to call Sareta and Roelie again but I can't get through. After I've finished eating, my phone rings. It's Sareta. She agrees that I can stay and arranges with Noes to make me dinner. It turns out that the problem was that they had a group of children here and Sareta wasn't sure if they had already left or if the house had been cleaned. Noes confirmed that everything is in order.

Now I'm sitting on the porch and writing my "blog". It was still raining cats and dogs 10 minutes ago, but now it's quite pleasant. The clouds have lifted slightly and it has stopped raining. I can almost consider riding on! However, I have long ago decided that when I "dismount" on such a ride, I'm done for the day. Rather start early tomorrow!

Another thing that the day clearly showed me is that I need to get a waterproof rain jacket and pants. I would have achieved my goal for the day if my body had been just drier, but with wet clothes the cold factor becomes just too big to continue. The way the weather is now, it will actually be very nice to ride a bike!

Thus ends a very interesting day. Another "test" for dealing with difficult circumstances that are beyond my control. Tomorrow the last three kilometres lie ahead to the tower and then down through the poort and through to Marlu via Steytlerville. I come to rest just after 20:00 and sleep very well that night.

Today's statistics: 49.61 km; 4:18:13 at an average of 11.53 kpu with 1,107 metres of climbing.