"....floods that caught us by surprise........."

The floods that caught us by surprised yesterday, required icy pre-dawn river crossings and left behind some grim mud to contend with. Black & sticky, it quickly clogged up the wheels and shoes and we wasted a lot of time scraping it off with a stick. We were exhausted after the long slog up the skurweberg. The view was glorious and once over the neck we were treated to 7ks of single track dropping over 400m.
Now we're in big-tine hunting country (near Pearston) staying at a lodge tonight. We're also over the halfway mark and getting into a rythm - rise at 4.45, 45 mins to dress, pack and eat, target is to be pedaling as the 1st blue tinge appears on the eastern horizon' about an hour before sunrise. We mostly get home inthe dark. So we try to ride into the light and do our best not to have to cover tricky routes late afternoons when one navigation error can leave us bunbling around the dark for a long time, even forcing one to sleep out in the rough.

Tomorrow 28th the scratchy portage over the Swaershoek mountains, and if no mishaps to try and cover 2 support stations to claw back some of the 2 days lost with all the challenges.

Reception stll spotty so battling to get blog ent

Muddy mountain & cold river

Diectly from Di's sms - "Made it in daylight today,thank goodness,but, boy was it a muddy, slippery, treacherous track!Poor bikes are wrecked.they got a little much needed TLC this evening.The day began just 1.5 km down the road with a bitterly cold river crossing.I had to inch my way bare foot over jagged rocks that felt like shards of glass,with my bike on my shoulder,desperately wanting to move faster,but afraid tolose my footing and get swept down the rapids - man it was so cold and painful! It took 15 mins to rub my feet vaguely warm before I could put my shoes and socks on and pedal int the pre-dawn freeze - Brrrrrrrrrrrr

Hello Karoo

26June 2011
The last couple of days have been a bit of a blur. The Stormberg continued to bedevil us. After a meander through the historic battlefields of the Boer war, ala Vegkoppies, Moordenaarspoort and so on, we ended up stumbling around in the worse mud imaginable trying to find our way to Molteno. To add insult to injury it started snowing and Di's freewheel hub packed up again.

But some angels were looking out for us. Our hosts Will&Stephanie were worried and sent the teenagers in the bakkie to come look for us. Not long after that we were warming up at the Aga stove waiting for dinner. And they feed us well.

The next morning we got dropped off where we were pic0ked to complete the 3 hour home stretch of the previous night. Getting across the Aasvoelberg was touch and go with the snow, but things cleared and after another monster muddy hike a bike, we descended down 15 ks of verrry technical tracks down into the Karoo at last.Waiting in Hofmeyer were of course their legendary pies and a whole lot more comforts.

The weather improved dramatically, and today (my birthday) was the best day riding of the race so far. A big drop down the Elandsberg, and we're again well fed by Margaret,before riding over the Great Fish river to near the Mt Zebra Nat Pk outside Cradock.. The day did have sting in the tail when with only 20 ks left we ran into and had to cross two rivers that were flooding.Some locals helped us by showing us the best line which still didn't prevent me falling in but at least we were not washed down the raging waters.Let's hope the weather holds a bit longer.

Spluttering through the Eastern Cape

Thurs 23rd June
There was a cold wind blowing and we got going early as our eye was on Moordenaarspoort 118km away - by 12 we were over Kapokkraal and down into the Bamboeshoek and Slaapkranz the support station.Here we briefly missed the turning to first portage and from then on the clock started running away from us.These portages are just never simple - the directions have you following fence lines, crossing watersheds, hopping over fences, 'bundubashing' etc. Just before cresting the second watershed the light faded and we were in the dark which made it really difficult finding the track running off the mountain. Sean W. apparently also slept rough on the Bonthoek some days ago and we were next in line.As we bumbled down into the valley we came upon a disused shed and sheltered here for the night.This was the same shed that Bruce used in 09 the shelter from similar weather.I use the term 'sheltered' quite loosely here as it was freezing as all hell and not very comfortable at all.Fumbling in the dark i hit the SOS button - sorry. Fortunately we woke to find ourselves on the right track and headed through Rossouw just down the road before swinging off to Moordenaarspoort where we got a hot drink and some food. The weather stayed bad - cold ,rain, wind and we only made it as far as Kranzkop and stayed put for the night.
(images archival,07,08-real ones to follow)

Into the Stormberg

Fab day. After a full nights rest, the whole morning spent cleaning bikes and clothes, we left Rhodes at 11am nicely energised. Near perfect weather, chilly but sunny & no wind.

The plan was a gentle half day 70k ride to chesneywold where christo and minki botha awaited us with good farm food and cosy conversation around the Aga stove in the kitchen.

Magnificent countryside of green pastures, crystal clear rivers (trout country) glowing mountains and endless passes - every serious climb rewarded with swooping drops into the valleys, gentle cruise along the streams and repeat.

We dropped down the last pass as the sun set and temps dropping instantly from chilly to freezing. This is seriously cold country. Tomorrowks 6am departure will see us wearing almost every piece of clothing we have. Tomorrow we will try and catch up the half a day lost in Rhodes. Tall order _ 150k with 2 serious portages. We will join brothers Leon & Anton, who know the route potentiall saving us from getting lost. With a serious cold front expected Thu, we need to movE while the going is good.

The ride to Rhodes

Sundays disaster day had left us dejected, exhausted and doubtful of our ability to navigate. Deon's achilles heel and Di's thumb were very painful - 1st time we tucked into the stash of miprodols and oxyflams.

Surprisingly we woke up relatively fresh and re-energised after a fitful 2 hours sleep. The riders to Rhodes ( a supported 550k event Deon & Di did in 2009 - see www.savetheworld.co.za) had left so we had the usual hearty breakfast of porridge, steam bread, boiled eggs, sausages, tomatoes. Tea made with diluted hot milk and we were ready to leave at the planned 9am.

Tim James had finally arrived and we were to ride together - a shortish and very beautiful ride with no navigational challenges. Hoorah! We were very chirpy, full tummies and rations replenished.

But it was not to be, as bad luck comes in threes. We were 10mins out when Di's freewheel gave in, leaving us sitting by the side of the road - we just didnt have the tools or knowhow for this. The prospect of sitting around for a couple of days waiting for a replacement wheel left us gloomy and dejected. The makeshift solution of cable- tying the cluster to the spokes so we can limp along so long didn't hold past the 1st bend.

I called my bike engineer (Shane from Bowmans Cycles back in Cpt) who told me that type of hub had a known problem that could be repaired without specialiased tools. Great, except there were only huts as far as the eye can see, the closest town many hours away.

But we managed to find a bucket of rusty old tools at a spaza shop and got to work (a hammer and pliers rusted solid were invovled, as well as a huge 19" crescent wrench and two vice grips. True African style.

Much grunting, head scratching and swearing later (boosted by tennis biscuits and fanta from the shop) we had it sorted. With Shane talking us through the finicky job of tweaking the spring to force the pawls to engage properly. 3 hours lost but elated to be mobile again, we charged off.

A 2 hour climb up to the 1st Drakensberg plateau with the bikes uncomfortably balanced on our packs, up very steep and scratchy sheep tracks. Then the most beautifull ride down to the next valley followed by the hectic Naude' neck pass, at 2500m the highest road in SA. Frozen waterfalls and iced over roads etc

By then the sun had set and temps plummeted to -2. Donning full snow gear, we set off down the treatcherous 35 ks to Rhodes. Icy hairpin bends and pitch darkness and we had some close calls. It took forever with Deon having to push up every hill bdue to the moggy achilles heel. Our hands were frozen and teeth chatering when we finally arrived at 9 to cosy fires, hearty stews and a glass of red wine! CivilizAtion!

We have decided to lie low today. Wash and dry all our cllothes, stock up and give the broken bodies some rest. So a 10am dept and an easy 5-6 hour ride to Chesneywold, an interim station en route to Slaapkrans our next compulsory stop. Apparently the mother of cold fronts will be hitting us Wed/Thu, oh dear. Watch this space.

HELL

21:27 sunday, sitting by the side of the road outside Mtabelanga waiting for someone who knows the rough route up the vuvu river valley. With our track record of navigation disasters and bumbling around in the dark we decided to play it safe. Eating evrything left - biiltong, wasabi peas, chutney corn, tenniS biscuits & prunes. A picnic complete with a smoky fire with wood scavenged from a derelict building.

The day started so well, we were ready at 1st light and august carstens, a racing contender sitting out a bad knee, showing us the tricky route out and up to black fountain- where he disappeared on his mission with our encouragemnent. Then all hell broke loose- a terrible gale force wind made it impossible to ride, blowing us off our bikes. Di took a bad tumble with bike even loosing a wheel in the process.

We spent the whole day criss crossing endless valleys and spurs after a bad call by deon took us down too early. We finally got to Tinana mission stn at 17h00 instead of the planned 11am.

Another bad call had us deciding to press on when we should have bunkered down. The 1st time we left the road we got lost in a little village Mjikelweni in pitch darkness. Fortunately a rare english speaker Spha (with dozens of squealing kids in tow) showed us the way down and thru the Tina river and out to the road to Vuvu. His mission for which he energetically tried to canvas our support, is get support to build an acceSs road and start an agricultural cooperative for the 23 families. We exchanged cell numbers and promised to stay in touch.

So here we are, staring at the fire hoping to tag along with an experienced racer, skoffing all our rations and watching the stars. The prospect of finding our way to cape town like this is a daunting thought.

Part 2
So after waiting for Tim for 2 hours huddled close to our hobo fire by the side of the road, we got mesg he was holed up "High up on the little berg, overlooking Tinana. Hiding from the wind and cooking up some soup. Biltong and chocolate" - tim at 21h38
Arrved at vuvu 4:20 Took the road after stmbling around looking for vuvu valley 4 2hrs. *#@+" terrible experience. Want to pushon to rhodes, leaving 8.30. 2.30 hrs fitful sleep - very noisy iin the village (we eat, slept at the school.

At least no wind today, hoping to make good time 2 rhodes - cheers

Heaven

Today made all the paın worthwhıle. After yesterday's hell on earth and 4 hours sleep, thıngs could only ımprove - and they dıd ın buckets.

-4deg start before sunrıse meant we were wearıng all 5 layers of clothıng we had. Glorıous dawn colours wıth the snowy malutıs as a backdrop, wheels crunchıng through ıced peuddles. The awful wınd dıued down overnıght and by lunch we were dow to shorts & e layers, stıll chılly but no wınd makes a bıg dıff.

And then the rıdıng. Thıs ıs what mountaın bıKıng ıs all about - endless sıngle track swoopıng down, swept smooth by years of anımal traffıc.

And to crown ıt all - a "short" rıde, only 65ks, 10 hours, arrıvıng at Malekholonyane, the most beautıful place one can ımagıne wıth the sun shınıng. Beautıful local people welcomıng you wıth vetkoek, honey and peanut butter - no better recovery fOod on earth. Clothes and bıkes gettıng washed whıle we sıt on the lawn wıth cold beers starıng at snow-capped peaks.

Sun settıng now, warm shower, food, whole nıghts sleep ahead - ıt doesnt get better.