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Baviaans cycle tour
5 x 6
402 kilometers
Day 1 Monday 19th October 2009.
Marlu to Mount Mac 86km.
This was the start of our week long cycle with Colleen, Patrick, Sean and Sandra. We called it the 5 x 6 Baviaans (5 days , 6 cyclists). We spent the night before the cycle at Marlu guest house not far from Steytlerville – fantastic 3 course meal, big breakfast the next morning (typical boerekos), and then the cycle began. The first 50km were very pleasant through Karoo rock formations, into the town of Steytlerville. Along the way we saw many large tortoises and a kudu cull in full swing. 650 kudu were culled and loaded into bakkies to be loaded off at a central point for dispatch to the processing plant. 90% of the meat is exported. We had a HUGE lunch on the stoep of the Royal Hotel which was very rustig. Steytlerville is a small town which is really clean and well looked after, which is a nice change from the dilapidated state of some towns. Our next leg was 50km to Mount Mac, on the farm Hadley, our next overnight stop. It was as hot as hell, being mid-day and the easy route of the morning was a thing of the past!! The sun was scorching hot and the undulations became more intense as we came ever closer to the Baviaankloofberge and we had the inevitable headwind. Anyway, with much moaning (from Patrick) and tears (from Sandra) silent swearing (from Chel) we finally got there at 18.50. With steaming hot water from a donkey boiler we all had a much needed bath and a lovely meal, good bottle of wine and early to bed.
Day 2 Tuesday 20th October.
Mount Mac to Die Ou Skoolhuis 82km.
The major challenge today was the Grootrivier Pass which is squashed between the Grootwinterhoekberge (harbouring Cockscomb at 1758m) and the Baviaanskloofberge. This is a monster down and up on very rough roads, definitely 4x4 only. We go from 600m elevation at Mount Mac down to the Grootrivier at 200m and then back to 800m at Elandsberg followed by a long downhill to Patensie at 100m, a real roller coaster and all this in a mere 61 km. Sean had convinced our host to give him and Sandra a lift for the first 25km as she was already taking strain (translating to him taking strain!) Whew – he was very wise – it was so tough – we were only managing 4km an hour in some place (pushing uphill over very rocky terrain) and then the downhill started…. And it was a lot faster and full of rocks and gravel. This was really tough. When we got to about 30km I was convinced that the worst part must surely be over but what a foolish thought! Anyway we carried on slowly and then it started to rain. Whew – the language coursing thru my head!!$@^%$%^@ On the Elandspad downhill I lost control of my bike when my front wheel stuck in a wash out rut and I plowed into the dirt. I hit my head first (helmet fortunately) my knee, elbow, shoulder, bum, hand (all on the right side) Dave was just behind me and came rushing over – you know he doesn’t ever get excited but he was quite impressed with the cuts on my knee – “really deep, oh yes this is really deep, this will need stitches…” He cleaned and bandaged my knee, then my elbow, the hand was really sore by this time with my thumb already going black. In his normal sympathetic way, he told me to get back on my bike and keep going, he would pack up the 1st aid stuff and join me…. I could not hold the handle bars and could not attempt to use the brakes, but just keep going??? Col and Pat were waiting just around the corner – both quite exhausted by this time and glad to have the excuse to flag down a bakkie. Just then a big flatbed bakkie (very dilapidated with the bonnet flapping up and down) flew around the bend. Col waved the driver down and convinced him that we needed a lift into Patensie to the doctor. I did my best to get him (coloured guy) to go slowly because I am so scared on the dirt roads, but if that was him going slowly it was about 30kph faster than I would have liked! He dropped us off at the doctors and when we asked how much we owed him he said “nothing, we must all help each other!” He did seem pleased with the R100 though! The doctor, a young woman by the name of Adi-mari Schoeman, was really amazing, so gentle and concerned, put the stitches in and was keen to get x-rays of my hand – she insisted on calling Dave in to tell him that I could not carry on riding – that my knee would not bend (as if he wouldn’t listen to me.) She then organised our accommodation for the night at her B&B for the same rates as our other accommodation – we had planned to sleep at Die Ou Skoolhuisie (out of town) but that was no longer an option as we now needed to get a lift from Patensie back to Marlu to collect our vehicle. No such thing as car hire in Patensie. The doctor made quite a few phone calls to the local farmers to check who was going that way but to no avail and then she phoned a lady friend of hers who also ran her B&B, Elsa, and convinced her to take us through – a 500km round trip. Elsa took us to the B&B, took Dave to go and sort out keys etc with Sean at Die Ou Skoolhuis, took them both to the Country club to order dinner and brought them both back and promised to see us early the next morning.
Day 3 Wednesday 21st October 2009.
Die Ou Skoolhuis to Damsedrif 72km.
We paid Elsa’s petrol plus R500 for her efforts – R1000 but we didn’t have any other option and were very grateful for her help. Sean had decided that he would collect his bakkie as Sandra needed the rest. Col and Pat in the meantime were the only starters on day 3. We could have managed with just one vehicle but were not sure how things would develop. Dave and I drove to our next overnight on the other side of Baviaanskloof, Damesedrif, going on the good dirt roads as we don’t have a 4 x 4 vehicle while Sean collected all 4 bikes and Sandra and went on the 4 x 4 route. Colleen and Patrick arrived late in the afternoon telling us of the punishing route and that they would never had made it without a short lift from the conservation guys. Sean and Sandra arrived much later after spending a glorious day driving through Baviaans and taking in all the magnificence of the wilderness. That night at Damsedrif we had another lovely 3 course farm meal and 2 bottles of wine before bed.
Day 4 Thursday 22nd October 2009.
Damsedrif to Finchley 86km.
After a huge breakfast a slightly bigger team of cyclists, Dave, Sean, Col and Pat headed out towards Willowmore through the Nuwekloof Pass while Sandra and I drove slowly to a really good farm coffee place, sat and enjoyed the view and the food (again) and then rode to the top of the pass to wait for the cyclists. Sean and Dave were racing each other in the boiling heat and were having a ball. Col and Pat were taking it easier and had stopped at a shop for cold drinks and a break. Sandra waited to collect them at the top of the pass while I rode on towards Willowmore and Finchley Farm. I only just made it ahead of the two very tired and sweaty cyclists – they had really enjoyed the day without Sandra and I slowing them down! I think they were making up for the cycle they had missed out on. Sean and Dave made the trip back to Marlu to drop off Sean’s bakkie – Sean had decided that Sandra was up to the challenge of the last day. Dare I say it – another huge farm meal, wine and off to bed.
Day 5 Friday 23rd October 2009.
Finchley to Marlu 76km
Yes, you guessed – more food and then straight onto the bikes for all but me – I had the luxury of the car and the air conditioning for the relatively easy ride back to Marlu. It was a short cycle which followed the Grootrivier valley without any significant hills and soon we were at the Marlu camp site down next to the banks of the Grootrivier. The campsite is very basic, catering for 4x4 enthusiasts but it has a more than adequate ablution block where we showered and then sat relaxing over a few beers in the shade of the thorn trees. Col and Pat had decided that they should head for home and after a quick shower they were off, leaving us one couple short. Later in the evening we went up to the farm house for our farewell dinner. On our way we saw a number of kudu. We were amazed at how many we had seen in the early morning and late evening during our trip. That night we laid very tired bodies into our sleeping bags but we had had a good time (for the most part), we had loads of stories to tell and more adventures to plan!
All the people we met and all our hosts were really special people and nothing was too much for them to do for us. In particular Elsa and Adi-mari were kind and helpful when we were a bit in the poo and without their help I am sure we would have been faced with enormous problems. Thanks to our good friends for sharing our adventure.
Where can we plan to go for 2010??