Clanwilliam to Dorp-op-die-Berg (134km) - South Africa

South Africa

Day 119 – May 11 – Stage 85

A group of us decided to take a "Seniors Ditch Day". In other words we decided to take our own day off from cycling. We were just too fatigued to spend the day cycling and climbing over 1'900m in elevation on poor dirt roads through the Cederberg.  Peter, Deborah, Murray, Judith and I racked our bikes and climbed into the Main Truck "Dog Box" armed with a cooler box of champagne, orange juice, crackers, pâté, cheese, wine, glasses and serviettes -  all of which we had purchased yesterday at the Clanwilliam Spar!

Before we reached the lunch position we indulged in the champagne & orange juice, then after leaving the lunch position had our cheese and wine party while the rest of the other riders battled the cold, misty weather and the mountains.

We arrived at the Camp site in Dorp op die Berg relatively early, pitched our tents and congregated at the “Boma” (an enclosed fire pit area) where we continued the day’s festivities, until our supplies ran out later in the afternoon.

We became a little anxious at sunset, when we realised Mike vd Berg had not arrived at Camp yet, it was very uncharacteristic of him to come in so late.  It turned out, he had not seen the flagging tape and so hadn’t taken a turn (his Garmin and cell phone had died) and subsequently he cycled an extra 40km, before arriving at the finish in near darkness. This earned him the “Columbus Award" for discovering far and distant places!! 

Not a bad camping site, at least there was an open fire "donkey" which supplied the riders with hot water for the showers and the opportunity to light a large camp fire in the Boma to keep the early winter chill away.

Our penultimate day would arrive tomorrow, and all of us who took the day off feel we are once again energised and will be back on our bikes with two more riding days to go before we reaching Cape Town, and our last night of camping scheduled for Malmesbury.

Cheers,
Mike T

A great spread for our cheese and wine

Cheers on our day in the "Dog Box"

The Main Truck and the infamous " Dog Box"

Lunch Truck position in a wet and cold Cederberg

Charles' Parents Colleen and Tony join him at the Boma

Sunset in the Boma around the fire

Briefing - Dorp op die Berg to Malmesbury

Camp at Dorp op die Berg

Supper time at Dorp op die Berg

Todays sunset as we wait for Mike vd Berg's arrival...

Liz is joined by Husband Tim and friends from Cape Town

Murray and Mike vd Berg build a Mother of all fires to keep out the Winter chill

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Nieuwoudtville to Clanwilliam (136km) - South Africa

South Africa

Day 118 – May 10 – Stage 84

Sunrise over a chilly Nieuwoudtville

Started the ride with Philip, and left a still-sleeping and cold Nieuwoudtville; riding to lunch on one of the worst corrugated roads we have encountered on the whole trip, it made the corrugated roads in Sudan, Namibia and Namaqualand  look like nursery school training rides! There was no regularity to them, it was just a continuous jumble of irregular, rock-filled corrugations, where riders were unable to pick a preferred line. At approximately 50km into the corrugations, I had a rare sense of humour failure, fortunately not witnessed by any of the other riders, as Philip had left me on my own to battle my own demons.

Philip setting out from Camp final destination Clanwilliam

Closer to lunch, I was joined by Peter (Peter the 4th) and the dirt road improved considerably, as we approached the Botterkloof Pass, where we were treated to an amazing vista. While the ride down the Pass was truly sensational, it was long, fast and a white-knuckle occasion,. We were travelling at high speeds down a Pass which had no side railings whatsoever separating us and the steep drop-off into the valley floor below.

Arriving at the top of Botterkloof Pass

Peter 4 admiring the view from the Pass

At 70km I reached the lunch position, had a long slow lunch while most of the back markers and the Sweep Rider caught up to me, then decided I had ridden enough dirt roads for the day, and caught the Lunch Truck. Peter joined me later, when he flagged the truck down as we passed him.  He had also decided to take a break from the dirt roads.

Arriving at the lunch position

Liz enjoying some grapes at lunch

We stopped at the coffee shop previously known as Khoisan Kitchen (the day’s designated Coke Stop) for Coffee and Ice-cream (with coffee sauce) before continuing onto Clanwilliam.

As the Bokkeveld gave way to the Cederberg Mountains we were treated to some amazing views of the Cederberg.

The start of the Cederberg Mountains

Deborah about to enjoy her cake at the designated Coke Stop

Both Judith and Murray did not cycle on the day, and on arrival in Clanwilliam, they went shopping in Town, where they bought cheese, biscuits and wine for our planned “Seniors Ditch Day” tomorrow.  A group of us had decided to skip Stage 85 (because we can) and to have our own Cheese & Wine in the “Dog Box” (Main Truck) tomorrow while traveling from Clanwilliam to Dorp-op-die-Berg.

Camp was situated at the Clanwilliam Dam, where we were joined by Charles’s parents, Anthony and Colleen Butler, who would be following us for the next three days all the way into Cape Town. Tony had been a Sectional Rider and had ridden with us through Malawi.

Cheers,
Mike T

Charles's Parents Colleen & Tony talking to Judith and Peter 1

Riders relaxing and enjoying some quality time at the Clanwilliam Dam Camp Site

Tallis at this evenings Briefing Session

Briefing board - Clanwilliam to Dorp op die Berg (tomorrow's ride)

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Kliprant to Nieuwoudtville (140km) - South Africa

South Africa

Day 117 – May 9 – Stage 83

Woke up to a freezing, misty, and drizzling Kliprant, decided that due to the unpleasant weather, poor gravel road conditions and my general state of fatigue, that I would take the Lunch Truck to the lunch position, then cycle the rest of the way to Camp from there. I would be missing out the longest portion of dirt road surface (lunch would be at 75km while the tar would start at the 85km mark).  It seems as if this sentiment was shared by quite a few of the other riders as the Lunch Truck was full when we left Camp after breakfast.

Judith, unfortunately was feeling worse than I was, and under Doctor’s orders, she took the Main Truck to Nieuwoudtville, a blessing in disguise, since she would be able to erect the tent and organise our camp spot before I completed the day’s ride.

Rob, Murray, Tom & Deborah riding the Lunch Truck to the lunch position

Justina, Mike T and Philip on their way to the lunch position

At the lunch position, accompanied by the other riders who caught the truck, I helped Wynand to set up the truck awning and to prepare the food for lunch. Had a quick early lunch and left just before the Main Truck reached the lunch position.

By skipping the first half of the day’s ride, I was able to eliminate the worst portion of the day’s gravel section and after 19km was back on the tar, where I was joined by Murray.  We rode together all the way to Camp, but it wasn’t easy, as we had a long pass to negotiate, with some major climbing to do, and the climbing was not made any easier by some very weary legs...

Riders helping Wynand erect the Lunch Truck awning

Murray, Philip and Justina having an early lunch before riding the second half of the day to Nieuwoudtville

The Bokkeveld between Kliprant and Nieuwoudtville

Murray and a Bridge on the road to Nieuwoudtville share the same age (60 years old)

Murray negotiating another long slow hill on the way to Camp

I eventually reached Nieuwoudtville and went straight to the Village’s only Coffee Shop where we spent some quality-time drinking cream soda floats and eating toasted sandwiches, before making our way to Camp, situated about 3km outside of the Village. Later just before Briefing, I took a ride back into the Village to organise some liquid carbo-loading refreshments from the one and only bottle store.

It was a very cold night, since Nieuwoudtville is situated on the Bokkeveld Plateau (where the Cape Fynbos meets the Hantam Karoo). Sad to say, but an early winter is upon us.  I am definitely missing the equatorial heat!

Cheers,
Mike T

The Riders enjoying their supper

While others enjoy their supper on their own

A full moon rises over a chilly Nieuwoudtville Camp

Andje pitching her tent in the fading light

Briefing board - Nieuwoudtville to Clanwilliam 

Sunset approaches...

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