Foolish to even think Iike that. This has been a theme of this race - the moment you start patting yourself on the back you get floored by some unforseen event. Twice in the last couple of days we thought we were home and errr.. dry, only to face another raging river to cross. Before Cambria we had to strip and go head under water to get through - that now with a bicycle in your arms - no fun.
The Baviaanskloof is a mess. Debris and trees have covered the tracks and river crossings and the water is still flowing strong. Endless crossings, we lost count but it's many dozens. At least the water is not quite as freezing as the stuff we had to deal with in the Karoo. Still it was a magnificent ride. Views from the top all the way down to the sea, 15k descent into the floodplains down the original oxwagon trail, now almost non-existent. Endless wilderness, huge folded mountains, not a human is sight.
Today we left the Bkloof and back into the Karoo en route to Willlowmore & Prince Albert. Hah! Freezing blustery headwinds made the going slow and decidedly unpleasant. When we got to Willowmore, 80 of the 160ks planned for the day, we had enough. Big plates of food and pudding, *real* coffee and watching rugby/tour de france/wimbledon by the fire and our stoic commitment crumbled. According to yr.no the wind will abate tomorrow, so we'll leave at 04:00 to make up loast time - it's going to be a loooong day. 180ks but reasonably flat and uncomplicated, so just the weather wild-card.
We can smell the cape, and can count the days. The compass has moved from south-west to due west and there is renewed determination to give a big push. The bikes are starting to show strain, hubs and suspension linkages are creaking, brakes are patchy and tyres need regular topping up.
The little Griqua kids stand by the side of the road chanting "Hou bene hou".
Getting there, one k at a time
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