Usakos to Hentiesbaai - Day 3

Spitzkoppe

Dear followers, I hope you are aware that Internet access is not always available, hence the gaps in the dates. 
After a good night's sleep and a good breakfast, I am ready to tackle the day.  The steady incline slows me down a bit and after yesterday's lesson I am back  to the slightly softer wheels.  After the 25 km mark the big test of the day arrives. The gravel road starts off well and I make some good time. I must admit this is the first time I am tackling riding on the 29er which apparently does well on the gravel surface (time to test this theory). With the wind behind me I make the most of the suitable condition. The bicycle deals with corrugations pretty well and as the day labours on the wind condition changes. The D1918  introduces me to the maniacs who bolt with their huge 4x4s down the road without much care for anyone else.  

One has to concentrate to keep the bike upright. The ruts are made of thick sand which tend to throw you off your bike. It gets harder and harder as the day continues. I have 120 km ahead of me. It is going to be a tough day in the office. The landscape is dry and dusty and very, very harsh. I'm lucky the sun is a mere 25 degrees. Curt spurs me on and halfway we have lunch and I take a deserved break. I complete the last few km in a stupor.  The day is completed thanks to Curt.

The vastness of the desert

Curt: Someone once told me I was a Kalahari kid -miles and miles of bugger all! I now only see the true depth of this insult looking at this landscape. I keep thinking what is driving Eugene to continue on this road, not only is it a longer stretch than usual but its openness,vastness and emptiness would drive me potty! I think that if I was on that bike I'd slit my wrists. 
Well, Hentiesbaai is a typical West Coast town with everything centred around fishing but lacks Internet. I think they use fishing nets as wifi. I manage to charm a bored library clerk to give me the password to her wifi, only to be glad to hear our story to break the monotony of the day. Later that night after kabeljou and chips we stake out the library to syphon off wifi like two cyber criminals.  

Wilhelmstal to Usakos (93km)

 We get up feeling worse for wear. The night turned out to be a very cold one indeed. Just a memory forgotten of a similar situation we encountered in Chile. The drop in temperature to 2 degrees would not leave us in peace. Even with the rising sun it makes no difference. 

By mid morning I shed the additional clothes I have on. The road up to Karibib is in good condition with a wide shoulder and one can ride in comfort without the hazard of fast moving cars and heavy laden trucks. In Karibib Curt goes to the day hospital and delivers some brochures, tee-shirts and speaks to the Head Matron.

The leg between Karibib and Usakos is very different: the B2 is in bad condition, however, the road is very busy. Curt meets me halfway and we have some snacks and water. We also discuss to meet up at the Usakos Hospital. A  similar delivery as in Karibib, the PMO is too busy to see us, however we hand the haemophilia material to the administrator. Once completed we head off to our rest camp for the day. 

Just when you think all is going to be ok , the worst happens.  While waiting to find out where Curt is, I have a blowout.  The front tire tears completely off the wheel rim, with a loud bang. OMG, what a gemors. In the back of my mind somewhere,  I was told to only pump the tyres to 2bar and no more. The thing is that for first day I was struggling with under inflated tyres. Clever me decides to do the opposite. Now I realise, uh oh, wheel be entertained is all I can say. Tubeless tyres are a hengse storie.  I fill up the tyre with liquid which was given to me by my bike shop,  and pray to the tyre gods to help me. Oh! he is merciful,  it worked.

Luister manne - listen to what your mommy says, wear your socks at night as I nearly got frost bite last night - no fun! It was bitterly cold and we went to bed too early so I was awake at 3am. Felt like I was dressed up and nowhere to go but look out into the darkness thinking of hot chocolate and brandy. Anyway, its all part of the excitement, its what sets us apart from those who prefer their creature comforts or so I like to think, Bear Grylls eat your heart out brother I am after you…..not!

Well, as explained the day went on as usual and I expected a bigger town in Usakos. It is quaint and the locals prove very helpful. A minister even offers to put us up at his rectory if we do not find any place to stay. We eventually find a place called Namib Oasis which is closed for camping but the owner obliges and gives us a stand for free. We then decide to have a meal at his restaurant which works out well. Tomorrow is going to be a true test as we tackle the long dirt road to Henties.

Windhoek to Wilhelmstal (128km)

Eugene at the send-off

Up early and off to the hospital to meet the folks of Erongomed and other medical personnel  It was apparent that the morning was off to a slow start as all complained of the hour and the fact that it was so cold. Anyway, it soon warmed up into a beautiful African morning and I watched keenly to see it all come together what with red balloons, banners, marketing gazebos, chairs etc. The only thing missing was a popcorn machine and the sounds of Judy Boucher! The speakers are Marelize Roberts (Miss Namibia-2008), Pastor Robert Smith, Me (haemophilia patient), Dr. Regina Redecker (volunteer GP), Sr. Cruickshank (SAHaemophilia Foundation), and Dr. Shalongo (Superintendent Windhoek Central Hospital). Wow, Jolandie (Erongomed) went to great lengths to ensure that it all worked smoothly. 

After all the important people had made their speech, which was quite touching, Eugene was let loose to do what he does best with red balloons and fanfare under police escort nogal. Yippee, we are on our way and I double back to "Urbancamp" to pack up the caravan and zip through to find Eugene along the B1. 

He has already done 30km in the first hour. I think to myself, stadig meneer, we only have another 2 170 km to go! Well, Eugene was certainly cycling that the stof gaan staan, quite literally as our other fear, roadworks, was kicking up dust clouds that the visibility was as close to a Cape skin diver in the South Easter trying to catch kreef. Yes, this is what he signed up for so off he goes without any further ado. The road proves undulating from Okahandja towards our first overnight stop at Wilhelmstal. 

Its windy and the car's a/c cranks up along with the temp gauge (29 degrees). I am not on the bike but beads of sweat remind me that the bakkie is the more sane option. I go up ahead to do my thing but come back after seeing the non existent town feeling like an incompetent cuckoo with an empty nest. Oh boy it looks like Chile all over again and that on our first night! Signing out - Curt

Travelling from Cape Town to Namibia

We leave Cape Town around 11:00am on Monday, 25 August 2014 and by the time we hit the N7 the traffic has melted away. Curt hopes that the road construction before Citrusdal is completed. What a gemors. The N7 from Citrusdal  all the way to Klaver is still in bits and pieces with road stoppages in abundance. Through this section of the road we lose about two hours of our journey.

Once out of the construction we make good time and out first stop for diesel is in Garies, a windswept hamlet. The road up to Springbok and beyond is in very good condition. We reach the border of Vioolsdrift at about 20h00 and cross the border without any hitch.

Once on the other side in Namibia, we stop at the border town road inn and have something to eat. We decide to head off to  Grunau which is 160km on the B1.  Our main concern is the animals that migrate across the road at night. After chatting to one of the locals, we are warned to be on the look out especially on the leg between Grunau and Keetsmanshoop. The darkness in the distance and the expanse is quite eerie. If you suffer from agoraphobia this is not the the place to be!
By  the time we reach the outskirts of Grunau we make the decision to kap aan driver as Curt is still feeling good behind the wheel. Keetmanshoop will be another 160km plus. One and a half hours later we pull into Keetmanshoop. We load diesel one more time, have a bite to eat and pull in at the far end of the truck stop. Curt and I call it a night. We make what we call "the Chile" - that is, we curl up in the car, only a much bigger vehicle than the Suzuki we hired in Chile a few years ago.
Next stop Windhoek!

Windhoek Urban Camp

No hitches so far other than a leaky jerrycan which we fix in Windhoek with Ma's rubber glove as a seal for the spout. To die for! I love Africa….
Tonight we will have our first braai and possibly a bottle of wine to send Eugene on his way tomorrow, and I gather, he is meeting Ms Namibia et al. I knew there was a reason I came along, not just to be chief handlanger but to hobnob with the rich and famous. I reckon tonight I am going to sleep like a baby in my own bed after a hot shower and shampoo……wish you were here South Africa.
Signing out - Eugene and Curt.

My cycling biography on SA Haemophilia Foundation

Quoting from the South Africa Haemophilia Foundation website "Eugene recalls his first cycling adventures ‘borrowing’ his uncles’ bicycles and being so tiny he had to cycle under the bars. Eventually one uncle realized his passion for cycling and bought him a second hand bicycle. This was the start of his life-long bond with cycling". Read more here .

Why cycle for haemophilia?

Every few years I enjoy going on a long solo cycling adventure. I have cycled across Cuba, through the mountains of Morocco, through the Atacama Desert in Chile and last year I cycled along the Loire River in France. This year I had decided to cycle closer to home - Namibia. My good friend, Curt, who seconded me in Chile, was keen to come along again in his 4x4.

One afternoon whilst watching a rugby game at my friend Shaun's, Brad overheard me discussing my next cycling adventure and the idea of driving a campaign for awareness about haemophilia in Namibia was born. I liked the idea. Brad is a dear friend and a haemophiliac. He is the chairperson of the South African Haemophilia Foundation(SAHF). Brad is very passionate and committed about driving home awareness of haemophilia. Most of us only hear about the condition but never allow ourselves to find out more about haemophilia. The sad part is that haemophilia does not have the same support and attention as some of the more spoken about medical conditions.