Elandsbaai to Hopefield - 118km

Day 20: 15th September 2014

Elandsbaai kind of grew on me overnight. It feels much safer in the morning and the sleepy cove feel makes me consider another visit to the town. We are up as usual and continue peering into our rapidly emptying fridge and decide that bacon and eggs it is going to be. By now our clothes, bedding and just about everything needs a major overhaul and I swear even the sheep I see this morning-- if they were to wear lipstick, would look attractive to me. Yep this must be the home run!

Vlei at Elandsbaai

There is a steady climb out of the bay area and I look over my shoulder to have a last look at the resident baboon. A new and appealing side to the town emerges which I must admit was different to what we had seen before. The road for Eugene is not great but the tar gives him exceptional speed. By now he is so fit that my stops are short and my book is complaining for lack of attention. Its a beautiful drive and of course all the way to Dwarskersbos is birding country.

Iron Ore haul

Abruptly Velddrif arrives and suburbia pokes its head out with all its trappings of Spar, Pep and banks. Traffic is fast becoming a problem and we are faced with new challenges that just a short few weeks ago we would have welcomed as "nothing like our traffic" in town. We take a long uneventful drive towards Hopefield in the "hope" of finding a campsite. Nothing, but then the hospitality angel arrives and we get taken in by an eclectic family who gives us their lawn and a farmyard which they are currently converting into an eatery. Ah, it all ends well. Now for the long haul home tomorrow which becomes more dense and complicated with every km we do. But we'll deal with that tomorrow as we usually do. So far we have eaten the elephant 1 bite at time---which works for me!

Strandfontein to Elandsbaai - 98km

Day 19: 14th September 2014

                                     Doringbaai

It is a soggy day to start off with as the Atlantic mist continuously coats the sleepy resort town. I am not sure what the road ahead is like, but it is Sunday and all is quiet. Our municipal park attendant hasn't come to collect the rent so it looks like it may be Christmas in September. So off we go through Doringbaai which in itself does not seem like too bad an option as towns go, but the road drags on until the outskirts of town where we hit the dreaded gravel. By now we have gone through all the moans and grumbles and Eugene says "push on". It relentlessly winds its way through to Lambert's bay with nothing much to show. The town once again is lazy and typically West Coast, but we start noticing more Cape Town cars and Sunday drivers.

Elandsbaai

We head out along the Spoornet services road to Elandsbaai with the sea lapping along on our flank and we unceremoniously arrive in the local caravan park with Baboon Rock in the distance reminding us of its presence. We decide that this will be our last braai for the trip and pull out all the stops. We are now going through our rations closed eyes as our preferences have long been consumed up the track. Ah, to bed with the sound of crashing waves and the pleasant thoughts of loved ones soon to be seen after 3 more sleeps.

Kotzerus to Strandfontein - 127km

Day 18: 13th September 2014

                 West Coast tortoise

After some final directions from our host I am on my to the land of nowhere. Well, I have a vague idea as I am aiming for Koekenaap.I am hopeful that a tarred road will appear. A railway crossing is the first sign of life. Finally I hit tar and Namaqua Sands Mining generously offers me their asphalt.I suppose I have to be grateful for what they do for us cycling types!

End of Day

Small towns and their inhabitants in these outlying areas have their own psychology. When asking for directions things never stretch further than say 30-40km. Also responses are not given in mileage but rather visual descriptions of things like passing a water tower or some obscure hill or something totally baffling. So you humour the dude and start agreeing to not seem too disinterested, but you say to yourself, hier kom k….k . I think its their way of keeping sane and to deal with their localised environment, they say to themselves, don't go large or you may just question what you are doing in this small dorp! 
Well any route we follow out today still comes back to the same point. In fact this happens to us and we just smile at each other like two moegoes who have been taken for a ride. Even the GPS yearns for some direction in its now short lived life. Yep, this is the forgotten part of South Africa, even Pofadder, Pella or Keimoes gets more hits on the popularity ratings. If I ever want to hide from the tax man or Gerrie Nel, this would be my place of choice. We end up in Strandfontein much further than expected along with fish and chips and a pooped Eugene.
I don't know how he does it and I suppose I never will!

Wallekraal to Kotzerus - 78km

Day 17:12th September 2014

We arrived in Soebatsfontein in the late afternoon. After some investigation we found a fenced off area which we were told we could use as camp for the night. We were still unsure about our current location and after a quick call to the park we were assured of proper accommodation in an adjoining farm. We were given directions to the park. We entered the park from Soebatsfontein and were charged a park fee for entering and exiting. This was at 4pm and we were not told it was a 30km journey to the office which took just under an hour. If we had known this we would not have entered. I must say the park on the other end was spectacular and had we been there a week earlier we would have seen the daisies in all their glory. I got to see the Namaqua Park which is absolutely huge, beyond my expectations. 

Sunset at Kotzerus

The detour has cost us a bit of time and our journey begins today at Wallekraal.

The day is slow and tiring and even the gps is not playing along. The day ends off with an introduction to a very colourful character called Ettiene De Jager who runs an accommodation establishment who kindly offers us space for the night without charge. I think we needed to pay him for not only the stay but the entertainment value of his conversation as well. We look forward to tomorrow with better prospects.

Springbok to Soebatsfontein - 120km

Day 16: 11th September 2014

The landscape of Springbok is quite interesting. The N7 is the backbone to the town. The planning is not conventional so the town developed on either side of the N7 with older more established areas formed as part of the old copper mine.

My route will take me towards town of  Kleinsee (alluvial diamond territory).  The sharp incline out of town is a bit harsh for the morning. Not long after that the Sandhoogte Pass is about to add more heat. Strangely enough, there is a mist that hangs over the valley. I'm  riding with a jacket on and the downhill is cold. Not long after another climb, the  Spektakel Pass appears with an amazing downhill at least 5km long. At the  50km mark the turnoff to Kommaggas is a tarred road uncannily and the country side is dry and barren. Sheep and goats are farmed in this area. 

Uphill climb to Kommaggas

Another nasty climb awaits me at the crest and in the  distance is the town of Kommaggas, a mission town. The tar road ends here for no reason and the poorly maintained  gravel  takes over. Ever so often I have to push my bike through the loose sandy soil. The turnoff to Soebatsfontein brings no comfort. Long stretches of rolling hill and the landscape has turned the ochre soil green. Along my route I enter the Namaqua National Park. At far end of the park I enter Soebatsfontein

The stretch along here is very confusing. Fences for farms are either non-existent or neglected, sheep and goats roam freely and people tend to erect a khaya in the veld and then continue farming. Its strange I must say. The infrastructure and governance seem to have fallen by the wayside. Have there been land claims here or is it unprofitable to farm? At this rate all the vegetation will be chewed up pretty soon. Then one stumbles across these little hamlets where people seem to yearn to go to Springbok whether to seek a better existence or because there is nothing better to do … I don't get it. One thing for sure is that employment and opportunities are in short supply. On the other hand, when one enters the National Park and things seem better. Farms are more prosperous and still run by generational families. There definitely is a political vacuum here. We will see tomorrow if there is any change when we leave the park. 

Noordoewer to Springbok - 121km

Day 14: 9th September 2014

When people plan holidays to Mauritius, Greece etc. I wonder if they take into account what our subcontinent offers. Here I am awake at 6 in the morning, the sun rising with a beautiful hue which can only be experienced in Africa. The morning temperature is a moderate 12 degrees with the promise of a warm day - its spring! We depart rather hurriedly as we have to pack up the caravan to drive the 10 or so km to the border post to continue where we left off. We give a woman a lift who finds it strange that we cannot just pop back across to Namibia. My phobia of borders quickly put an end to that idea. 

Okay, so if there is a Kilimanjaro in cycling, then today is going to be one. Poor Eugene has to climb a steady 800m to get to the plateau and then a bit more further down the line. I am done trying to predict what the day is going to be like, it never works out. I will spare you the details other than to tell you that I now know what a dung beetle feels like. I think we should give Eugene the nickname of Miskruier or shit shovelled because his tenacity is put to the test today. 

We eventually settle in to the Springbok caravan park and are amazed at how full it is. They even have a SASSA official to deal with the pensions. Off to town to get my window fixed after I exported my computer to Walvis to some very needy computer thief. That is sorted in a flash by a very efficient crew at PG glass headed by Marilize. I will have my window broken any day to go back to experience their service. The day ends off with a celebratory supper at Die Grasdak restaurant then back to camp.

Noordoewer is situated very close to the Orange River. Spending the night at Aquacade Camp is amazing. The evening is peaceful with the setting sun over the Orange River Valley spectacular. My journey starts a few meters away from the boader facility on the N7 and heads up through an orange stone valley floor, a steady climb for the next 8km in the early morning. Its cool with a slight breeze blowing. The road is somewhat busy as trucks head across the border to Namibia and surrounding farms. The road has a wide shoulder with ample space for every other road user. I'm very aware that  I'm on the South African side now  where truck is king. I would like to know who trains these drivers, because, as the day progresses, my battle with truckers is a f%$^%s battle I'm going to lose one way or the other. They are inconsiderate and simply barrel along with no consideration of what the wake of the trucks does. All they consider is the load they  are carrying and of what financial value it holds after delivery. Between Steinkopf and Springbok if you plan to do a similar route get ready to do battle. The road is narrow and truckers minds even narrower. I survive to live another day. My journey will continue far away from the dreaded N7.

Aussenkehr to Noordoewer - 53km

Day 13: 8th September 2014

A night the bullfrogs put us to sleep is a night to remember. I brought along some earplugs just for occasion. The bull frog symphony continued till first light. We had a short day ahead and were not too sure about the road condition although the staff did mention a tar road all the way to the border.

After breakfast and a bit of a pack away I go on my way. The road is a black line drawn in the desert sand. A head wind makes all the difference. The road meanders along the river with its rises and falls. By midway the sun is boiling and makes the air conditioned offices at the border very attractive.

Orange River

Curt: I have an audience around me while packing up, not because of the cycling interest but as an excuse to get our campsite. Apparently, the geriatric brigade from colonial Africa couldn't sleep a wink last night because of the frogs. When in Africa … accept what comes your way. Anyway, I manage to sell off my Namibian book which will hopefully give them direction …. and the ZAR cash will come in handy as we are running thin the closer we come to the border. One promise I made to myself a while ago was that I would rather sacrifice certain things now, than spend a pension travelling when I am too old to enjoy it. I do appreciate the privilege of travelling especially without the hotel, lodges and resorts. 

Lunar Landscape

The day is like no other and we feel that we are nearing the border as all the South African influences become evident. We cross without any pain, always something I am anxious about as I seem to attract trouble at borders. Looks like my luck is changing, I think I'll play the lotto when I get to Springbok. Oh, we didn't get to eat the custard and canned cocktail fruit, but boy does it taste good tonight!