Carine se doeke party April 2026

Carine se doeke party vir haar tweede baba, wat op 7 Mei bestem is om in die wêreld in te kom, is gereel vir 18 April by De Tol bo-op Piekenierskloofpas net voor Citrusdal. Ek besluit om die naweek 'n FC Oefen naweek te maak en met my fiets Citrusdal toe te ry. Die plan is om dag 1 (16 April) van Bloubergstrand na Bridgetown, op die Bergrivier te ry, 'n afstand van 113 km. Dag 2 (17 Aoril) van Bridgetiwn na CItrusdal via Porterville en Beaverlac, 'n afstand van 111 km. 18 en 19 April kuier ek op Citrusdal en dan begin die terugtog op Maandag 20 April, dag 3. Roete vir die dag is oor Greyspas en Piketberg weer na Bridgetown (85km) en dag 4 van Bridgetown terug Bloubergstrand toe via Riebeek Wes en Malmesbury (127km).

Dag 1 en 2

Ek kom Donderdag 16 April net voor 09:00 aan die ry. My roete us dieselfde as begin Maart met die CBMC kamp op Bridgetown. Die weer is egter baie beter. Waar ek die vorige keer in temperature van hoë 30's en 40's gery het, wissel dit vandag tussen 24-26 met 'n maksimum van 30. Ek stop weer in Malmesbury vir 'n koffie by Seattle en is na 16 minute weer aan die gang. Vandag se rit loop baie goed en ek maak goeie tyd. Na 113 km en 6:39:29 trek ek by Bridgetown in, waar Anso my hartlik ontvang. Aandete is 'n heerlik pasta gereg en 'n slaai. Ek kom vroeg in die bed en slaap soos 'n klip. Daar was 12 klimme met 1,189 se klim.

Na 'n lekker ontbyt. Kom ek op dag 2 eweer so net voor 09:00 aan die gang. Die Swartland is nie plat nie en dit kom mens baie gou op 'n fiets agter. Gelukkig is die bulte nie te lank of styl nie. Aanvanklik ry ek weg van die rivier en na 18 km kom ek af rivier toe by Misverstand dam. Daarna daai die pad weer weg van die rivier tot by Die Brug waar ek oor die rivier gaan. Anderkant is die grootse klim voor Porterville, 1.33 km met 'n maksimum gradiënt van 10.8%, maar die bult voor Beaverlac lê nog voor! Daar is vandag 22 klimme op die roete, maar nie een langer as 2 km nie met 'n gemiddelde gradiënt van so om en by 2-4%. Waar my gemiddelde spoed gister 17 kpu was, veroorsaak al die bulte dat dit op 13 kpu staan toe ek deur Porterville ry. 

Ek het beplan om in Porterville te stop, maar ek sien nie 'n geskikte plek nie en druk deur. Ek ry verby die Dasklip afdraai sonder om te besef dat dit eintlik die Bearlac afdraai is. 'n Bietjie geluk saam met die ongeluk, want 5 minute later begin dit reën. Ek is voorberei vir die reën, maar moet eers 'n plek kry waar daar 'n bietjie skuiling is om my reënbaadjie aan te trek en dit is baie skaars op die pad. Teen die tyd wat ek 'n geskikte boom kry, is ek al redelik nat. Intussen het my foon se battery tot 20% gesak. Ek laar weet vir Carine en sê hulle moet my op my Spot "tracker" volg en sit foon af. Nadat ek my reën baadjie aan getrek het, val ek weer in die pad. 

Dit reën nou lekker, maar my baadjie werk goed want ek word nie natter nie. Ek handhaaf ook 'n redelike pas, onder die omstandighede. Ek hou regs sodat ek kan sien wat aankom. Wanneer daar 'n voertuig aankom, gaan ek af op die skouer. Dit werk beter as om te skat wanneer om af te gaan wanneer ek iets van agter hoor. Die turbulensie van groot vragmotors is egter 'n groot probleem en ek hou later stil wanneer ek een sien aankom. Gelukkig is daar nie te veel nie. Die pad het ook nie 'n teerskouer nie, maar die gruis langsaan is rybaar! 

Terwyl ek so ry debateer ek nog of ek Beaverlac oor moet gaan of maar op die teer moet bly. Gelukkig is dit 'n geval van "sanity prevails" en neem ek die regte besluit om op die teer te bly. Ek kom eers by die huis agter dat ek in elk geval die Bearlac afdraai gemis het. Ook maar gelukkig! Na 6 ure se ry kom ek by die N7. Ek oorweeg dit om by die padstal, by die Eendekuil afdraai in te gaan en ook om oor Eendekuil te ry, maar besluit om maar op N7 te bly en deur te druk. N7 het lekker breë skouer. 'n Ander geluk tref my. Hulle werk aan die N7 en daar is net een laan vir verkeer. Daar gaan nie vandag veel aan die die laan wat "toe" is nie, so ek het my eie laan met geen verkeer nie! Dit is so tot net voor die voet van Piekenierskloofpas.

Die hele tyd wat ek so in die reën ry "hoop" ek dat Carine en Henk my "jammer" sal kry en my kom haal! Net toe ek die Eendekuil afdraai nader sien ek 'n bakkie, wat soos Henk sin lyk, wat sy "hazars" aan het en daar afdraai, maar hy lyk wit en Henk se bakkie is bruin! Toe ek by die afdraai kom sien ek Carine wag daar vir my. Dit was toe hulle. Watter verligting. Ons laai my fiets agter in en ek ry die laaste stukkie in die "luukse" van 'n droë warm bakkie! Ek het darem 'n goeie 93 km in 7:03:54 in die saal in gekry. Reënbaadjie het ook goed gewerk, maar dit was 'n fout om nie ook die reënbroek aan te trek nie. Sou minder koud gewees het met broek aan. By die huis blyk dit darem dat my top nie natter geword het nadat ek die reënbaadjie aan getrek het nie. Goeie dag se oefening! 22 klimme met 1,085 meter se klim.

Dag 3 en 4

Sienende dat ek Vrydag Beaverlac gemis het, het ek besluit om oppad terug Bloubergstrand toe, eder oor Beaverlac te ry as Piketberg om.

It rained a lot on Sunday and the "locals" adviced me not to take the Beaverlac route as there is a river crossing on the way which may be impasable. As this was 30 km into the ride, which would have resulted in a 60 km added for the day, I decided to rather stick to my original plan and go via Greys Pass and Piketberg.

Carine and Henk leave for work at 07:00 and 07:15, so I agreed to have breakfast at their place at 06:45. I managed to get going at 07:10. 

The cycle up Greys Pass always is something to enjoy. Not too steep and a good way to start the day. I originally planned to join the Eendekuil road at the bottom of Greys Pass, but as the distance for the day was only 85 km, I opted for a little gravel detour which added about 10 km. The ride was smooth and the weather was cool but dry. I did see some rain over Piketberg as I came off the pass and while aproaching Piketberg it did rain on the cliffs north of Piket-bo-berg, but where I cycled it was dry. I stopped in Piketberg a the Crazy Cat restarant, which I discovered during my previous trip and had lunch there at 12:30. I got going again at 13:00.

I did not want to get to Bridgetown too early, so while cycling through town, I decided to take another detour, this time via Moravia. Just after Moravia, and after crossing the river, I turned left towards the N7. After a number hills, I turned onto the N7 and shortly afterwards left at Neuwedrift. This road was on Tracks4Africa (T4A), but became very distinct with some locked gates. I just kept going on the T4A track through sone vineyards until the track became a larger road. I then searched Club Elani on my Garmin and followed the road there. Very shortly afterwards I joined the road I travelled on on Thursday, just before the river crossing at Die Brug. Now I was back on my original rout and could revert back to my app for navigating with only 16 km left. The rest of the journey went smoothly and all my "detours" added 18 km to my original route. 

Total distance for the day 104.7 km; 8:29:06; 14 climbs with an elivation gain of 1,489 meters.

I managed to get going at 08:21 on day 4.  Out of Bridgetown is a 1.8 km climb. When I reached the top, I realised I have left my water bottle in the fridge so I had to go back and climb this hill a second time! Nice way to start the day! The rest of the morning went fine with a light north easter on my back. Due to the undulations in the topography of the area, it was difficult to maintain a good average speed. After 28 km I took a right turn towards Riebeek West. The road up to here is used by big lorries delivering and fetching loads from a quarry next to Bridgetown, so I was quite pleased about getting onto a road not used by them. I did encounter some local farmers and although most of them are quite friendly, some of them realy like to drive at breakneck speeds! 

Riebeek West was at 42 km. My original plan was to go around the righthand side of Kasteelberg and then take the Klawervlei road to Malmesbury, but I decided to rather take the Riebeeksrivier road and go over the neck, which is quite a nice climb. Down the otherside I took a farm road off to the right at the bottom of the decent. This also had some nice climbs and joined the Klawervlei road after 60 km. Once again I was confronted with some serious undulations until I joined the R46. While riding up the hill on the Riebeeksrivier road, it started to drizzle and I stopped to put on my rain clothes. This little excersize took me 20 minutes. When I finally got going, the drizzle stopped! While on the farm road, I though it was a mistake to put on my rain clothes but a little further down the road the drizzle was back. It was very faint and was coming and going. The temperature hovered between 15-19. 

The R46 took me into Malmesbury. The road through Malmesbury goes past a restaurant and I hoped to pop in for a coffe and something to eat, but I was closed. Round the corner was a McDonalds. I settled for some water to fill my water bottle. No appetite for McDonalds. At least the water was nice and cold. So I was on my way again. 55 km via Kalbaskraal and then I am home. Should take me about 4 hours. It now realy started to rain! This carried on for about the next 15 km. The Kalbaskraal road has a number of "markers" into which I break it down. First I pass Abbotsdale after 5 km, then Kalbaskraal after 15 km. Next is the farm of Pieter Human en Seuns at 20 km and after 30 km I cross the Philadelphia road and join up with the Old Malmesbury road. 4 km up that road I take the right turn past Capaia and onto the Melkbosstrand/N7 connection.

The weather has improved and it was really pleasant riding conditions. I stopped the eat the Mini Cheddars I had in my bag. I also took out my phone, which I stashed away when it started to rain. This was connected to my powerbank as the battery level was low. When I tried to "awake" it, I got no reaction! It seems as though my powerbank ran out of "juice"! So much for that and the result is the I will not be able to use the App to switch my alarm off when I get home. Will have to see if I can get to the alarm pad, which is in the main bedroom, before the alarm goes off! 

From crossing the Philadelphia road to the Melkbosstrand/N7 connection, there 5 climbs. Not too serious but at the end of a 9 hour day the legs do get a bit tired! I do get over these without too much trouble and finally get onto the tar road going under the N7. From there it will take me an hour to get home. The traffic on this strech up to the traffic lights at the West Coast road always is a bit of a nightmare. Fortunately the road has a wide shoulder, but it is not nice when vehicles "whoose" past you at 100 kph and more! Once through Melkbosstrand I joined the cycle lane to Bloubergstrand and arrived at my home after 10:01:28 and 133.68 km. 

I did not manage to beat the alarm and as my phone was "dead" I did muss the call from Star Alsrms. I did get a visit from Star Alarms, who turned up at my front door about 5 minute after the alarm went off. 

So ends 4 days of cycling through the Swartland. 444.71 km; 42:13:48 hours in the saddle and 5,237 meters of climbing. 

Bloubergstrand na Bridgetown vir CBMC naweek

CBMC beplan ‘n Manne kamp by Bridgetown vanaf 13 -15 Maart 2026 en ek besluit om dit by te woon en om, as oefening, met my fiets daarheen te ry. Ek vertrek Vrydagoggend 13 Maart 09:10, na ons plaaslike CBMC byeenkoms, uit Bloubergstrand.

 

My beplande roete is oor Kalbaskraal, Malmesbury, ou Piketberg pad en dan af Bergrivier toe. Vanaf Blouberg tot by Malmesbury is dit meesal teer, maar dit is ‘n lekker stil pad en dit neem my 3:23:21 om die 59.9 km af te lê. Ek stop by ‘n garage om ‘n liter Coke te koop. Daarna stop ek ook by Seattle vir koffie en ‘n ietsie om te eet. Ek laat my bottle volmaak met koue water. Teen 13:00 val weer in die pad. 

 

Die res van my roete is alles grootpad. Op hierdie stadium staan die temperatuur op 37 grade Celsius. Ek loop ‘n dame, wat draf, langs die pad raak en vra, so in die verby gaan vir haar “ wie is die malste, ek of jy?”. Sy antwoord “ja Oom ek wonder self!”. Die pad oppervlakte is baie goed en hier is baie min verkeer. Die temperatuur is besig om te klim en binne 10 minute staan dit op 45! Op 82 km daar ek af na ‘n plaas om te kyk of ek hier nog water kan kry nie. Daar is nie veel lewe nie, maar ek kan darem die Coke bottle, waarvan ek alles al teen die tyd gedrink het, vol maak met “lou” water uit ‘n kraan. Die temperatuur styg tot in die hoë 40tigs en draai by 50! Nou bak ek behoorlik! Ek gooi van die water in die Coke bottle oor my kop om af te koel. Op 86 km draai ek regs af op ‘n pad wat my nader aan die rivier sal neem. Op 91 km kry ek weer ‘n plaashuis, waar daar die keer lewe is, en laat maak my waterbottel weer vol. Die temperatuur het nou na ‘n meer “aanvaarbare” 45 gedaal! Op 95.6 km sluit ek by die Gouda pad aan.

 

Intussen het my selfoon, wat ek vir navigasie gebruik, se battery na onder 20% gedaal. Ek koppel my batterypak sodat hy kan laai. Na so ‘n ruk se ry sien ek ‘n boodskap op my selfoon: “Moister has been detected”. Ek neem aan dat van die water wat ek oor my kop gegooi het ietwers iets moes laat nat word het. Die netto effek is dat die batterpak ophou om my selfoon te laai! Ook nie lank nie, toe is hy heeltemal dood! Nou sal ek maar op my Garmin moet terugval vir navigasie. Ek soek Bridetown maar kry dit nie op my Garmin. Gelukkig weet ek waar dit is en kan dit op die Garmin kaart identifiseer. Daar is nog so ongeveer 16 km oor. Op 106 km sluit ek by die teerpad, wat vanaf die N7 na Bridgetown loop, aan. Op 110 km hoor ek ‘n motor aankom en die ry al stadiger hoe nader hy kom. Ek weet toe sommer onmiddellik dat dit van die CBMC manne moet wees. Toe die motor langs my in trek, toe sien ek ek was reg. Ons gesels so in die ry en ek vra vir nog water. Hulle hou stil en gee my ‘n bottle koue water en ‘n bietjie ys. Dit is darem nog net 2 km tot by Bridgetown en dit is nou alles afdraend. 

 

Na 7:08 in die saal en 112 km kom ek net na 16:15 by my bestemming aan waar die temperatuur op 43 grade staan! Dit was voorwaar ‘n besondere ondervinding. Ek dink nie ek het al ooit so lank in sulke hoë tempertature fiets gery nie. Gedurende die naweek bly dit warm. Kobus Toua bied aan om my fiets op sy bakkie te laai en my huis toe te neem nadat die kamp tot ‘n einde gekom het. Na ‘n bietjie “groepsdruk” swig ek maar en aanvaar, met groot blydskap, die aanbod. 

CTCT (Argus) nr 35 English (Sien Afrikaans onder)

8 March 2026 is time for the CTCT (Argus) cycle tour again. This will be my 35th one! I went to Green Point on Friday 7 March to collect my number. I went by again on Saturday to visit the CANSA stall, which I missed on Friday. There I bought a new CANSA top and Leillani also give me sunblock and so other goodies. 

 

On Friday 27 February I fell with my mountain bike and hurt my left hand. I am currently wearing a “brace” and, although nothing is broken, my hand is quite sensitive. So I decided that I will have to take it “easy” on Sunday and adjust my target to under 5 hours instead of 4 hours! I also decided that it would be better to, like normal people, drive to the start by car rather than riding to the start on my bike in like I have done for the past few years. 

 

I left home at 05:45 and parked in Canterbury Street just above the Castle. Movement through to the start area went smoothly and then it was the big wait until 07:12, my start time. The weather looked very favorable and there was no wind. The weather forecast predicted a storm force South East for Simon's Town, so we will just have to see what it looks like when we get there!

 

At the start I remain "calm" and tackle Eastern Boulevard very calmly.

At Hospital Bend the South East showed some teeth, but not too badly. I cycle down the hill carefully. I don't want to add problems with my sore hand or get involved in someone else's "accident"! Where in the past I have "flown" down the hill past Constantia, I now kept left and let the others "fly" past me. At Jubilee Square in Simon's Town I am 11 minutes behind 2025's time and at the Cape Point turn-off, 15 minutes. It looks like I will get in under 5:00. 

The ride through Scarborough and Sun Valley goes well. I lose more time on the descents than on the ascents. This is because the pace is calmer when we go uphill. I also pass a number of people on the hills, just so they can “fly” past me on the way down again! 

We tackle the “big climb”, Chapman’s Peak. It’s actually two climbs. Chappies 1 is 1.48 km, with 61 meters of ascent and an average gradient of 4.09% and a maximum of 8.96%. Chappies 2 is 1.85 km long, with 94 meters of ascent and an average gradient of 5.09% and a maximum of 15.1%! These two takes me 19 minutes to master. Quite a decent pace. Down the other side and through Hout Bay goes smoothly.

Now only Suikerbossie remains. It takes 12 minutes to master the 1.61 km with 122 meters of ascent. From here to the finish line it is mostly downhill!

It takes me 31 minutes to cover the last 16.5 km. At the end of the proceedings I am very happy with my 4:21, my slowest CTCT (Argus). Now at least I have a goal that I can try to beat in 2027 and I should be able to do it!

CTCT (Argus) nr 35 Afrikaans

  

Sondag 8 Maart 2026 is weer tyd vir die CTCT (Argus) fietstoer. Dit sal my 35 ste een wees! Ek is Vrydag 7 Maart deur Groenpunt toe om my nommer te gaan haal. Ek maak Saterdag weer ‘n draai daar om by CANSA se stalletjie te besoek. Daar koop ek ‘n nuwe CANSA top en Leilanni gee ook vir my sonblok ensomeer. 

 

Ek het Vrydag 27 Februarie met my berg iets geval en my linkerhand seer gemaak. Ek dra tans ‘n “stut” en, alhoewel daar niks gebreek is nie, is my hand redelik gevoellig. Ek besluit dus dat ek Sondag dit “rustig” sal moet neem pas my mikpunt aan na onder 5 uur in stede van 4 uur! Ek besluit ook dat dit beter sal wees om, soos normale mense, met die motor na die wegspring te ry eder as ok met my fiets in te ry soos wat ek die afgelope paar jaar gedoen het. 

 

Ek kom 05:45 by die huis weg en parkeer in Canterburystraat net bokant die Kasteel. Beweging deur na wegspring area verloop glad en dan vir die groot wag tot 07:12, my wegspring tyd. Die weer lyk baie gunstig en daar is geen wind nie. Die weer voorspelling het ‘n storm sterkte Suid Ooster vir Simonstad voorspel, so ons sal maar moet sien hoe lyk dit daar!

 

Sommer met die ingang is ek “rustig” en pak Oostelike Boulevard heel rustig aan. Bo by Hospitaal draai druk die Suid Ooster, maar darem nie te erg nie. Ek ry maar versigtig die bult af. Ek wil nie nou met my seer hand probleme optel of in iemand anders se “ongeluk” betrokke raak nie! Waar ek in die verlede die bult af verby Constantia “laat waai” het, hou ek links en laat die ander by my verby “vlieg”. Teen Jubilee Square in Simonstad is ek 11 minute agter 2025 se tyd en by Kaappunt se afdraai, 15 minute. Dit lyk darem of ek onder 5:00 sal in kom.

 

Die rit deur Scarborough en Sun Valley verloop goed. Ek verloor meer tyd op afdraendes as op opdraendes. Dit is omdat die pas rustiger is wanneer ons bult op gaan. Ek gaan dus ook heelwat mense verby op die bultte, net sodat hulle bult af weer by my verby kan “vlieg”! Ons pak die “groot klim”, Chapman’s Peak aan. Dit is eintlik twee klimme. Chappies 1 is 1.48 km, met 61 meter styging en ‘n gemiddelde gradient van 4.09% en maksimum van 8.96. Chappies 2 is 1.85 km lank, 94 meter se klim met ‘n gemiddelde gradiënt van 5.09% en maksimum van 15.1! Die lot neem my 19 minute. ‘n Heel skaflike pas. Anderkant en deur Houtbaai verloop vlot.

 

Nou is net Suikerbossie nog oor. Dit neem 12 minute om die 1.61 km met 122 meter se klim onder die knie te kry. Van hier na die einde is dit meesal bult af!

Dit neem my 31 minute om die laaste 16.5 km af te lê. Op die einde van die dag is ek heel tevrede met my 4:21, my stadigste CTCT (Argus). Nou is daar darem ‘n mikpunt wat ek in 2027 kan probeer klop en reg behoort te kry!

 

 

Kaleo Toer 27/0-01/03

Ek het ‘n Kaleo Toer beplan vir die naweek van 27/02-01/03. Die idee was om Vrydagmiddag die ou Tankwa Trek Prolog (24 km) aan die Suid Ooste kant van Kaleo te ry. Saterdag die Witzenberg roete van ongeveer 90 km en dan Sondag met die ou Gydopas af deur Prins Alfred Hamlet en dan om die Merino Monster. Dit is so 80 km. Al my “maats” wat ek saam genooi het, het ongelukkig voor die tyd onttrek, maar ek het besluit om, op my eie, voort te gaan.

 

Ek val Vrydag 12:15 in die pad en kom net na 14:30 daar aan. Pak af, trek fietsry klere aan en val 14:53 in die pad. Die ou Prolog is ‘n lekker uitdagende roete en ek het dit al ‘n paar keer op my eie en saam met van my maats gery. Dit het ‘n paar lekker klimme en met heelwat “single tracks”, rowwe “jeep tracks” en so ‘n bietjie distrikspad. Dit lyk nie of die roete eintlik meer goed onderhou word nie. Die onlangs reën het ‘n paar lelike spoelslote nagelaat en daar was ook ‘n paar bruggies wat weg gespoel het.

Ek het werklik baie lekker gery en dit vreeslik geniet. Dit was tot by kilometer 18.6! By ‘n baie onbenullige kliprantjie, met ‘n kleinerigge gat in die middel, neem ek die verkeerde lyn! My voorwiel steek in die gat vas ek ek vlieg oor die handvaststels. In  Engles noem hulle dit ‘n klassieke OTB (over the bars). Gelukkig was daar nie skerp klippe nie en ek val tussen die bossies en op die sand. Ek probeer natuurlik die val keer en maak daarmee my linkerhand redelik seer. My linker bobeen swel ook vining op. Niks is stukkend nie, behalwe dat my “ego” ‘n redelike “duik” in het. Ek klim op en ry verder. Ek kan voel dat my linkerhand redelik “gevoellig” is, maar darem nie so dat ek nie die handvatsel kan vas hou nie. Ek ry die laaste 7 km sonder enige ernstige probleme. Hand is ‘n bietjie seer, maar leefbaar! Terwyl ek ry maak ek vrede met die feit dat my naweek se fietsry nou iets van die verlede is. Ek het reeds betaal en sal dus maar die res van die naweek “chill”!

 

Die res van die naweek was heel aangenaam, behalwe vir die feit dat ek Vrydagaand baie min geslaap het as gevolg van pyn. Saterdagaand was die hand nog gevoellig, maar toe slaap ek soos ‘n babatjie!

 

Saterdagoggend ry ek na die plek waar ek geval het en kan weereens nie glo dat ek so agterlosig was nie. Ek het vroeër die dag by baie moeiliker gedeeltes, sonder enige probleme, afgery. Wys weer, konsetreer 110% wanneer jy oor ongelyke terrain ry!

k is voor einde Mei terug om dan weer die hele avontuur aan te pas. Mag dalk die Sondag korter maak.

 

Seweweekspoort Dag 3

 

Danie en Willie is vroeg op en ry voor 07:30. Die res van ons maak gereed vir die Bosch Luys Kloof rit en ons kom net na 08:00 weg.

By die groot pad weer links in Seweweekspoort se rigting. Verby die afdraai poort toe en bult op na Bosch Luys Kloof toe. Die pad in die kloof af is besonder mooi. Dit kronkel teen die bult af. Die eerste 2 km is heelwat styler as die laaste gedeelte. Net nadat die pad begin afplat, sien ek twee koedoe bulle en hou stil om hulle dop te hou. Hulle begin die kloof uit stap en ek sien net elke nou en dan 'n beweging tussen die bosse totdat hulle heelbo is en dan sien ek die wonderlike silhoeët wanneer hulle op die horison stop en ek kan net die horings teen die agtergrond van die lug sien. Wanneer die ander by my aansluit, is hulle weg. 

Ons ry rustig af tot by die "lodge". Hulle is nie oop vir dag besoekers nie, maar ons kan water by hulle kry op ons pad terug. Ons vat die pad af Gamkaskloof dam toe. Dit is 12 km tot by die dam. Dit is 'n mooi pad met geen ernstige bulte nie. Ons ry so 'n entjie verby die waterfiskaal se huis. Daar stop ons en eet verversings en wonder oor die watervlak en die water wat ons hoor uitloop. 

Oppad terug stop ons by Mnr Fox, die waterfiskaal, se huis. Mike herinner hom daaraan dat hy en Pieter Reinders die grond in 2004 wou koop toe dit vir R450,000 in die mark was. Hulle het R400,000 aangebied en was bereid om Mnr Fox, wat met volstruise geboer het en op die grond gewoon het, aan te laat bly. Die eienaar aanvaar toe Gerhard Rademeier se volle aanbod met die versoek dat Fox 30 dae het om van sy volstruise ontslae te raak en pad te gee. Hy maak toe so, maar aangesien die waterfiskaal kort te vore weg is en sy huis leeg gestaan het, trek hy daar in. Hy word later aangestel as die nuwe waterfiskaal en is nog steeds daar!

Na ons gesprek met hom, ry ons terug "lodge" toe. Hier word ons water bottels met ys en koue water gevul en dan pak ons die terug tog teen Bosch Luys Kloospas, aan. Dit is net minder as 8 km waarvan die laaste 2 km die stylste is. Dit neem my 1:45 om die 8 km teen 'n gemiddelde spoed van 4.5 kpu af te lê. Die temperatuur draai by 46.2 grade celsius! Bo "konsolideer" ons weer en pak dan die pad af na die Seweweekpoort aansluiting aan, maar ons moet eers deur die Bosch Luys Kloof hek gaan. Gelukkig is die kode op 'n kennisgewing by die hek. Oppad stop ek by 'n poel water om my "buff" nat te maak sodat my kop kan afkoel. 

Net verby die aansluiting is daar konstruksie werk aan die pad en ek en Johan stop om weer ons water bottels vol te maak. Die ander drie ry aan. Nou is daar nog die 2 km bult oor en dan 'n paar ops en afs tot by die huis. Ek kry dit nie reg om die afstand wat ek na die ander verloor het toe ek my waterbottel vol gemaak het, uit te wis nie en kom so 5 minute later by ons huisie aan. 

Nog 'n goeie dag se oefening en 'n besonder mooi rit agter die blad! 

Data: afstand 65.24 km; tyd 6:12; meters geklim 1,258.

Seweweekspoort Tour Day 2

 

The plan for Day 2 was to either do a 121 km loop, which included 58 km of the Freedom Challenge or a 66 km loop. Alan agreed to join me on the 121 km loop. 

We got going just after 08:00. Right at the main road, travelling west towards Anysberg. We quickly got to the top of a 3 km downhill where I clocked 63.5 kph. This was followed by some undulations until we reached the Rouxpos turn off after 17 km. 

Here we nearly had a problem as some of the guys went ahead and missed the turnoff! We were fortunate in that we managed to call them back. The next 5 km was a gradual climb and we did spread out a bit. I waited at the top so that we could "regroup". Alan, Mike and Johan joined me. Hannes lost his cellphone and turned around to look for it. Danie and Wille joined him in the search, which was unsuccessful. It fell out of his frame bag after he took some photos. There also were some brake marks from a bakkie close to where he lost it and the conclusion was that these guys picked it up and drove away with it. Hannes did quite a search, including asking some people, but had no success. Due to all this, they did no do the short loop, but home from there.

The four of us continued down past Rouxpos heading towards the Droëfontein turnoff. Mike and Johan raced ahead and once again missed the turnoff and this time we had no luck in calling them back! Fortunately the road swings to the right and goes uphill. We saw them stopping high above us, while we waited at the turnoff. After awhile they realised that we were not coming after them, so they turned around to come and join us. Johan was going to do the shorter loop, but at the spur of the moment, decided to join us. Mike indicated that he was joining me and Alan when we "regather" at the top of the hill before Rouxpos. 

Once we were all together again, we started negotiating the Freedom Challenge route past Droëfontein along the mountain to join the Anysberg road 19 km later. Intially there was a farm track leading up to the Droëfontein Guest House, about 3 km down the road. Our track goes around the righthand side of the dwelling, but we did pop in to fill up our water bottles. 

Once that was done, we joined our track again. It was obvious that this track is no longer used too often as there were no tyre marks. The track was quite clear for the first 2 km and then we hit the riverbed and it turned out to be soft sand, which was mostly unridable. We had to push our bicycles along for most of the next 2 km. In winter, when the Freedom Challenge comes through here, the sand is cold and mostly ridable, but in summer that is not possible! We also crossed some bigger, dry streams with big rocks and some sections with reeds. 

Once through all this, we again picked up a nice, ridable jeep track, meandering along the side of the mountain going up and down. The scenery was quite beautifull.

After 52 km we got to the gate that took us onto the Anysberg road. At this point our average speed was 11.3 kph. We turn right and head in the Anysberg direction. Up a steep hill and down the otherside. Here we were confronted by a stationery bakkie in the middle of the road with the driver's door opened. This was a downhill and I was doing about 50 kph. The gap looked big enough and I decided to go for it, shouting"idiot" as I passed him. Mike also made it and by the time Alan came past, the door was closed! 

At 58 km we reached the Anysberg gate. This was unlocked and we proceeded down to some empty chalets, where we managed to get water. After filling our bottles and eating what we brought for lunch, we were back on the road again. Still 63 km to go and by now have been on the road for 5:22! At this rate we are not going to get home before 18:00! The road is undulated and it is difficult to maintain a good average speed. 

A number of kilometers down the road we find a farmhouse and stop to fill up our water bottles. We get nice cold water and am on our way again. More undulations, through a beatiful "poort" and after 82 km we get to a T-junction. Left to Lainsburg and right to Calitsdorp and this is a tar road. Left is called Witnek and right is Rooinekke. This is a "pass" and once again the road is undulated. A further 8 km down this road, the tar becomes gravel. At about 96 km we find a dwelling where we can fill our water bottles again. The undulations do not stop, but at least we can average 14 kph. 

I am heading up the rear as Alan is much stronger and I cannot keep up with the e-bikes. I see the guys stopping in front of me next to a large sign on the side of the road. It reads"Porcupine Cold Beers"! Alan phones them. They are closed but will open for us. Alan state that we will not have any beers as we still have 17 km to go! We take an "imprompto" decision to stop here and call our friends to come and fetch us. It is now 16:40 and the remaining 14 km includes another 500 meters of climbing. This would take us at least another 2 hours. That would mean we will only get home at 19:00! We cycle down to Porcupine and is welcomed with ice cold beers! Danie and Hannes arrive within 15 minutes and after some more beers, the bikes are loaded and we head home. 

What a day. Distance 107 km; time 8:41; meters climbed 1,561.