Louvain Toer (Reverse) Dag 1 Ou Meul na De Vlugt oor die Kammanassie

 

See English below

Hennie de Clercq het nou onlangs gevra wanneer gaan ry ons weer saam fiets. My voorstel was toe om die Louvain Toer, wat ek Augustus 2024 saam met Mike Smit en Danie Kotse gedoen het, te ry maar in die teenoorgestelde rigting en wel van 21-23 Maart. Louvain het daardie naweek 'n troue en ek kry blyplek, so 20 km pad af by Ou Meul Gasteplaas. Ons spreek af om mekaar so tussen 17:00 en 18:00 daar te kry. Hennie sorg vir Donderdagaand ete en Sondag is dit my beurt. Die plan is om Vrydag via die Kammanassie vallei na De Vlugt te ry. Saterdag Knysna toe en dan Sondag via die Ou Voortrekkerpas terug Ou Meul toe. 

Hennie braai vir ons 'n paar kasler tjops en sit dit saam met 'n brianni gereg en 'n kuskus slaai voor. Dit reën 'n paar keer lekker hard, maar die voorspelling vir Vrydag is gunstig.

Ons bepkan om 06:00 op te staan en en 07:00 weg te kom. Daar her ook 'n paar buie gedurende die nag uitgesak en dit is nat buite. Ek besluit om maar met my reënbaadjie en "windbreaker" te begin. Ons kom 07:04 aan die ry. 

Net voor die N9 draai ons links op plaaspaadjies langs plaaswerkers huise en appelboorde verby. Na 6.5 km kruis ons die N9 en draai links op na Buffelsdrif langs die Kammanassie. Na 'n klim van so 120 meter oor 2 km begin ons afdaal na die Kammanassie. Die volgende 12 km is uitputtend met baie kort op en afdraendes! Dit word gevolg deur 'n gelydelike opdreand na die N9 met 'n skep klim oor die laaste paar honderd meter. Ins stop na 2 uur vur 'n vinnige versnapping. 

Die volgende groot klim kom in die eerste 5 km op die N9. Voor die klim stop ons by 'n padstal en eet 'n lekker warm roosterkoek met spek, eier en kaas en 'n beker moer koffie. Na 27 minute val ons weer in die pad. Ons klim van 730 meter na 980 meter en dit word gevolg deur 'n 14 km afdraend wat ons vat na 530 meter. Dan draai ons links op 'n grondpad wat ons afneem na die R339. 

Teen die eerste bult op stop Hennie. Daar is 'n probleem met die fiets se ketting. Na 'n lang gesukkel kom ons agter dat die binneste plaatjie van die "derailleur" gebreek het. Die gevolg is dat die ketting van die rat af val sodra hy van rat verander. Ons kry die ketting op en ek stel voor dat hy 'n middel rat kies en dan moet hy in daardie rat bly en nie van rat verander nie. Dit kan goed werk aangesien hy 'n e-bike het en dus net meer batterykrag teen die bult moet gebruik. Hy skakel en kry 'n fiets winkel in Knysna, wat eers sê hy kan nie help nie maar na 'n tweede oproep en 'n beter beskrywing van die probleem, stem hy in dat hy kan help. Die enigste probleem is dat hulle besluit het om op die vakansie dag te werk sodat hulle Saterdag kan af vat. Hy stem in dat Hennie hom kan skakel wanneer ons in Knysna kom en dan sal hy kyk wat hy kan doen. 

Ons ry voort en die ketting hou op die een rat. By die K'buku Bush Pub stop ons vir iets om te drink. R30 vir 'n bier en R10 vir 'n Coke! Die pryse sal jy nie maklik weer kry nie! Ons rit af na die Plaaskind Padstal, waar ons vannaand in Ou Doc de huus slaap, verloop sonder enige verdere insidente. 

Adri van Rooyen, van die padstal bring vir ons lekker bugers en koek vir aandete. Ons reël ook vir twee ham en kaas rooster koeke elk, vir ontbyt. Die plan is om 06:00 te begin sodat ons vroeg in Knysna kan wees vir die fietswinkel. 

Hennie besluit om te kyk of hy nie self 'n plan met die deraillier kan maak nie. Hy kry 'n stukkie draad en met dit kry hy die deraillier sodat hy werk! Hy gaan vir 'n toets rit en is tevrede met sy handewerk. So môre sal ons sien of dit regtig suksesvol was.

Hennie de Clercq recently asked when we could cycle together again. My suggestion was to ride the Louvain Tour, which I did in August 2024 with Mike Smit and Danie Kotse, but in the opposite direction, from 21-23 March. Louvain has a wedding that weekend and we found accommodation at Ou Meul Gaste Farm, about 20 km down the road. We agree to meet there between 17:00 and 18:00 on Thursday 20 March. Hennie will take care of dinner on Thursday evening and it will be my turn on Sunday. The plan is to ride via the Kammanassie Valley to De Vlugt on Friday. On Saturday to Knysna and then on Sunday via the Ou Voortrekker Pass back to Ou Meul.

Hennie grilled some Kasler chops on the fire and serve them with a brianni dish and a couscous salad. It rained quite hard a few times during the night, but the forecast for Friday is favourable.

We plan to get up at 06:00 and leave at 07:00. There have also been a few showers during the night and it is wet outside. I decide to start with my rain jacket and windbreaker. We get going at 07:04.

Just before the N9 we turn left onto farm roads past farm workers' houses and apple orchards. After 6.5 km we cross the N9 and turn left up to Buffelsdrif and then along the Kammanassie Valley. After a climb of about 120 meters over 2 km we start descending to the Kammanassie. The next 12 km are exhausting with very short ups and downs! This is followed by a gradual climb to the N9 which ends with a steep climb over the last few hundred meters. The next big climb comes in the first 5 km on the N9. Before the climb we stop at a roadside stall and eat a nice hot "roosterkoek" with bacon, egg and cheese and a cup of "moer" coffee. After 27 minutes we hit the road again. We climb from 730 meters to 980 meters and this is followed by a 14 km descent that takes us down to 530 meters. Then we turn left onto a dirt road that takes us down to the R339.

At the first hill, Hennie stops. There is a problem with the bike's chain. After a long struggle, we discover that the inner plate of the "derailleur" has broken. The result is that the chain falls off the gear as soon as he changes gears. We get the chain on and I suggest that he choose a middle gear and then he should stay in that gear and not change gears. This could work well since he has an e-bike and therefore only needs to use more battery power against on the hills. He makes a phone call and finds a bike shop in Knysna, who at first says they can't help but after a second call and a better description of the problem, they agree that they can help. The only problem is that they have decided to work on the holiday so that they can take Saturday off. He agrees that Hennie can call him when we get to Knysna and then he will see what he can do.

We ride on and with the chain in one gear. At the K'buku Bush Pub we stop for something to drink. R30 for a beer and R10 for a Coke! You won't easily get those prices again! Our ride down to the Plaaskind Padstal, where we are sleeping tonight in Ou Doc se Huis, goes without any further incidents.

Adri van Rooyen, from the padstal, brings us delicious burgers and cake for dinner. We also arrange for two ham and cheese toasties each, for breakfast. The plan is to start at 06:00 so that we can be in Knysna early for the bike shop.

Hennie decides to see if he can't make a plan with the derailleur himself. He gets a piece of wire and with it he gets the derailleur so that it works! He goes for a test ride and is satisfied with his handiwork. So tomorrow we will see if it was really successful.