Day 14: Kleinpoort – Hadley
I woke with sore legs, no surprise there then after the previous couple of days. I took my latest start of the trip, waiting until 7am for the road side cafe to open for breakfast. Then took a gently ride to Bucklands for second breakfast.
” Ohh we were not told people are coming today” as I walked up the steps to the house in Bucklands. All the same I was sitting down to a full fried breakfast within 10 minutes, amazing hospitality coupled with sad stories about what the drought is doing for the farmers in these remote areas. 30 minutes later I was on my way to Hadley.
“Follow the track until it reaches another gate with an old reservoir and windmill off the the left.”
Another classic piece of narrative in a valley full of old reservoirs next to windmills.
A couple of hundred meters from the turnoff to Hadley farm a bakkie stopped and the driver said ” I’ve been sent to tell you you’ve missed the turn-off 2 km back”. I said “thats strange, the turnoff is in 300m, has Mr Rissik been talking to you”. ” Haha, yes, hi I’m Bennie, I’m off to do some work but will see you later, my wife is at the house.” Me “don’t worry I’ll leave her alone”. With a smirk from ear to ear he drove off.
A short day was just what I needed and I didn’t want to risk the 11 river crossings of the Ossenberg jeep track in the dark. So stayed for an evening of great food and hilarious stories from Bennie. I heard Jacques and Leon stop briefly in the night but was too lazy to get up for a chat, I figured the next few days most of the riders would be passing me at some time or other during the day and night.
Day 15 : Hadley – Cambria
The next morning was a stunning ride out of the Groot river valley (was dark going in). Then the descent again via the Ossenberg jeep track, a bumpy ride, stunning view and the realisation I was entering the last milestone of the trip. If I didn’t get hopelessly lost during the river crossings, the next day would be the Baviaanskloof, after that I’d ridden most the remainder of the route during my last trip to Africa.
The Ossenberg jeep track through Mordor proved to be a piece of cake. Lower water levels than usuall meant the water was only once waist deep and other recent races meant navigation through the reeds wasn’t too bad. Regularly spotting Jacques/Leon’s tire tracks helped a lot as well.
I arrived in Cambria in the early afternoon to find Leon sleeping out a time penalty while he waited for a new tire to be delivered. My time alone was over, that evening another 8-9 riders turned up. Sitting around the fire it was nice to hear other stories and finally meet more riders many I’d dot watched during previous FC’s. But the lack of piece and quiet was quite the culture shock (understatement).
The eye opener for me was when people started talking about getting up 90 minutes before they planned to leave, I was now used to 20-25 minutes in the morning. Then someone pointed out there was only 2 bathrooms, lots of people and breakfast was self service in a small kitchen. “Bugger, this is going to be a mess, I want to be alone again.”
Day 16: Cambria – Damsedrif
The morning was a mess, and when we left the place was like a bomb site, I gave up trying to tidy up. We rode down hill and were ready at the gate for the escorted group ride through the Baviaanskloof.
“Cambria boom gate: you will only be allowed to proceed on a bicycle between 06h00 – 13h00 and only with a vehicle escort.”
The gate opened and they were off, it was like a race and before long there was no sight of the escort vehicle and most of the riders were out of sight in front or behind me. So much for the escorted group ride and the strict instructions to stay with the escort.
Finally riding with other riders it was obvious how much slower than everyone else I am (the fact that they’d all caught up 1-5 days on me was maybe also a clue). In the descents the difference between a rigid 26″ bike and full suspension 29er were also painfully obvious. That said I finished the race without any mechanics or flats except a worn out chain tensioner, so the bike was the right choice from a bombproof point of view (and that was the whole point of my bike choice).
I was pretty much the last one in to Damsedrif and was still contemplating doing a double to Willowmore (it was only 1130). But the grass garden in the sun and beer in the fridge was looking very tempting. When I saw the lunch I thought ” If this is the lunch I want to see what’s for dinner too”. Derrick and Kevin also fell for the beer and sun trap and we chilled out for the afternoon. The death by chocolate pudding after dinner was the perfect end to the perfect afternoon.
It almost felt like being on holiday.
Day 17: Damsedrif – Willowmore
Derrick and Kevin had a 21 day plan, and if fitted in well with my plan, if I did the same doubles I could finish in 22 days, that sounded like a good plan. Riding partners for a change seemed like quite a luxury.
We set off together around 0530, twenty minutes later they were gone in the distance, it was pretty depressing to be confronted with the truth of how slow I am. I pushed on despite a killer headwind, corrugations and later in the day my only rain of the trip. Arriving two hours later than them in Willowmore. We had a nice chat, food and beer around a nice log fire trying to stay warm in the cold hotel with a brief visit from the tired looking racing snakes Tim and Marnitz “Next time I do this I’m going to do it your way, that beer looks good” Ironically I would hear this a lot the next week. I retired early with plans of getting a head start on Derrick and Kevin in the morning. Just before going to bed I moved the heaters out of my room into the other rooms of the cottage so that Johnny and Estelle would have a warm arrival (they were a day behind but were doing the double from Cambria).
Day 18: Willowmore – Prince Albert
After the only disappointing breakfast of the whole trip I was on the road at 4am. It was a cold dark morning but I pushed it hoping to cover the 160km before dark that evening so I could have a couple of beers with a friend that lives in PA. Two hours into the ride Derrick and Kevin caught me, the wind was picking up so I tried to slip stream them, despite the brief respite, they where just too fast for me and once again their red lights disappeared into the distance. By 1200 I was falling asleep while riding, the boring road, little nav to pay attention to and dull audio book finished me off.
I stopped at the side of the road for a sleep, 15 minutes later ” is that you Shane? are you ok” “Yup, just having a nap” “Ok” and Estelle was off again. I pushed on for an hour and had a quick lunch at Rondawel. An hour after Rondawel a got an sms from race office ” please change your tracker batteries”. “I replied can’t it wait ’till PA?” “Please change them now, the tracker is dead and showing you still in Rondawel.
I appreciate that the tracker batteries are expensive and its important to use up. But, the please change now method really isn’t handy, race office can see exactly how charged they are. To me it would make more sense to say ” your batteries are at 5-10%, please change them at your convenience sometime in the next 24 hours” Knowing race office wanted to watch me like a hawk going past my friends street in PA(individual outside support is strictly forbidden during the FC) I stopped at the side of the road 2/3 through a 14 hour day to change my batteries……/end of rant.
23km from PA, something magical happened, standing there next to the road was Johann Rissik, last years race director and a FC veteran. He wasn’t just standing there minding his own business, he was dishing out coffee. I said ” The rusks look nice but where’s the good stuff?” An ice cream tub materialised filled with coconut fat bombs “Bingo” Such a welcome boost 90 minutes from town, I was a happy man.
I got in just after dark and once again had a wonderful evening of chatty chatty, beer and amazing food at Dennehof guesthouse. (Derrick and Kevin had finished an hour before me).
It almost felt like being on holiday.
Thanks for the race report Shane! It’s always fascinating to hear the stories behind the dot.