Yesterday was spent driving from Bucklands to Fietskraal. We left Bucklands just after 08:30 and arrived at Fietskraal at 12:15, where we were welcomed by Charné and Michael van Gend.
After a breakfast of bacon and eggs, I hit the road. Leon had some other commitments (with internet connections, work follows you where ever you go) and would join me during the course of the morning. My route took me out of Fietskraal, left on the R337 and after 4 km left again still on the R337, going towards Cradock.
This district road is in a good condition and climbs steadily for the next 20 km from 1,039 to 1,261 meters. Nothing serious and I managed to maintain a good pace. It took me 1:30 the get to the Schurfteberg turnoff. From here it is a more taxing climb up to 1,492 meters over the next 7 km. There after there is a short downhill to the beginning of Coetzerskloof, but I decided to carry on up the Schurfteberg farmstead, owned by CW Erasmus to find out if there is any family connection. That took me another 30 minutes. I was lucky enough to find Wilhelm Erasmus outside with one of his labourers. After a pleasant chat we did establish that there is no direct family connection in spite of the fact that his family is form Somerset East and my dad grew up in Cradock, as a matter of fact just across the mountain about 35 km to the north. We did establish that there is a family connection between him and Spike Erasmus, the knee surgeon from Stellenbosch. I was at varsity with Spike and we, previously, establish that even though our ancestors came from the Eastern Cape, that there is no direct family relationship. Maybe there is way further back to the records we have!
After I bid my goodbyes, I started my journey back. There still was no sign of Leon! Just before the Coetzerskloof turnoff, I stopped to have my sandwich. Just as I was about to continue my journey, I saw Leon in the distance! He only got away at 10:00. I waited for him to have his sandwich and then we were on our way.
The first 2 km was quite a good, disused, farm track which took us through a number of farm gates. There even were some old road signs!
The next 1.5 km consisted of various cattle tracks, some which was very indistinct! Through threes and over round brown boulders. A couple of meters down the river, which did have a little water and then back again over the boulders. There were lots of spike-thorns, so I had to be careful where I push my bike because these thorns can cause serious damage if they penetrate your tyre. I did pick up a couple, but fortunately the holes were quickly sealed by the “slim” in the tubeless tyres when I pulled them out. It took me 1:30 to cover the 1.5 km!
The track now became ridable and after a further 500 meters we crossed the river and picked up a reasonable and ridable farm track. This became a reasonable road, which took us past the Coetzerskloof farmstead and onto larger good quality road which took us down to Fietskraal over some minor undulations. After 66 km and 5:46 I pulled in to the Fietskraal yard again. Another good day in the saddle with a worthwhile scouting also completed. We did pick up that there is an alternative which is 3.4 km, against the one I took, which is 1.5 km, but the 3.4 km alternative is ridable and should therefore be quicker. There is a 100 meter climb in the first 1.5 km of the 3.4 km alternative, but as this is ridable., it should not pose a problem.
Data for the day: 66.05 km; Time 5:46:52; 826 meters climbed.
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