A "lady's" perspective
Di Thomas
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
When I was asked to write a lady's perspective on this race, the first thought I had was that I'm sure many do not consider us mountain biking chicks to be "ladies" in the conventional sense of the word. Who can blame them, what with all the sideways-blowing-of-snot, immodest squatting behind non-existent bushes, mud bespatted, sweating bodies and foul language!
I am reminded of Carl Crouse's comment to me last year: "Ek sal nooit toelaat dat my vrou so iets doen nie!" It was bad enough having to deal with the notion of a woman along, but when she opened her mouth and all manner of choice expletives poured forth, it was just too much: " Nee man, jy moenie so vloek nie!" he felt obliged to admonish. I was undaunted: " Hang onto your helmet dude. Die vloekery het nie eers BEGIN nie!" These $%^&%&% sore knees/ thornbushes/mountains/marshlands/torrential downpours/freezing temperatures/ ^$££$ narratives are not going to get the *&^&* better of me!!
He could only hope I was wrong and that my true feminine nature would kick in soon and I'd see the folly of my ways and realize that this was a MAN'S terrain.
Thing is, though there's no denying that men have the advantage from a pure brute strength perspective ( even Tim James who is tiny - we could probably wear the same clothes - weighs 12kgs more than I do), we "ladies" have a different kind of muscle. It's a tenacity born of eons of labor & childbirth, stoked by centuries of abuse and marginalization in a MAN'S world. We may be built like gazelles, but we've got the hearts of lions and what better way to give vent to our roaring spirits, than to take on such an extreme challenge and emerge victorious DESPITE our comparative lack of physical stature!
I reckon it's time for the full-scale launch of "Action Barbie". Let's teach our daughters what they're really capable of and guys, why not cheer them on, instead of allowing the old Male Ego to rear it's threatened head?
I won't mention names, but one of the R2R guys specifically asked his friend not to get me in the same photo as him. OK, he was laughing & at least he had the good grace to admit that he did not want his mates back home to know that a woman was able to keep up with him, but there was more than a grain of truth in his joking.
My dear husband, Steve, reckons we're just in it to be around REAL MEN.
Yeah! Ken se moer! Give us the Fat Farmers, et al any day. Not to mention the uber athletes who cry real tears on the phone to their wives when the going gets tough! What a turn on!
Seriously, though, it's really not a battle of the sexes, but a personal journey for everyone who undertakes it and just as most of the "Real Men" also turn out to be real GENTLEmen, so too, are each of the ladies that has undertaken this race so much more than the stereotype and I think you'll find they clean up pretty well and that they can be feminine and sweet and alluring if they want to be. They just don't always want to be.
God, it's liberating to chuck away the hair dryer, the make-up, the perfume & the entire wardrobe and spend 3 weeks without a thought to your appearance, reveling in the sheer simplicity of it all. Granted there's no time or energy to care about such things and no one to see you anyway except the REAL MEN, who anyway have forgotten by this stage that you are a woman!
Not surprising, the way you wolf back man-sized portions at every opportunity, not to mention your matted hair; swollen, piggy eyes; chapped lips; craters where your boobs used to be and the fact that you are beginning to exude a certain pungent aroma that will not fade despite the most ardent clothes laundering - 'n ingebakte stink, I call it and the only remedy is to pile on the outer layers in an effort & bury the pong.
There is no doubt that this journey is a huge undertaking and it is guaranteed to take even the toughest of the tough way out of their comfort zone, but the rewards are indescribable and the experience seems to bury deeply under the skin of all who have ventured there.
Most women would never consider taking on such an "adventure" and up until
2009 there has never been more than one lone female on the start line. This year has seen that figure jump by a massive 200% and we now have 3 ladies en route to Cape Town: Fiona Coward, Estelle Labuschagne & Esti Du Plessis and by all accounts they are doing our sex proud and taking it all in stride.
YOU GO GIRLS!!
6/30/2009
Veteran rider breaks Freedom Challenge record
Tuesday 30 June 2009
4…3…2…1…1 – the hours of sleep that veteran mountain biker Tim James of Team Squirt riding Scott had over the last 5 nights of his record-breaking ride to the finish of the 2009 Freedom Challenge non-stop mountain bike race across South Africa at Diemersfontein Wine Estate outside Cape Town.
Having left Pietermaritzburg on 16 June 2009 with the last batch of riders to start, James set the early pace in the race. On the first day of riding he pushed through the initial support station at Mc Kenzie Country Club situated on the watershed between the Umkomaas and Umzimkulu Rivers and arrived at the second support station in the Ntsikeni Nature Reserve at midnight, having ridden 203 kms and climbed over 5000 metres. He arrived at the village of Rhodes 500 kms from the start in 3 days – an achievement that was only made possible when he took on the 1000 metre climb up the escarpment of the Maluti Drakensberg on the footpath of Lehana’s Pass at night.
This initial effort appeared to be taking its toll as James’ progress then slowed over the next three days. By the end of the sixth day of riding the lead shifted to Andrew Barnes. Barnes, who is 20 years younger than James, left Pietermaritzburg four days before him and was riding about 400 kilometres ahead of him. For the next five days the initiative lay with Barnes who appeared to be riding strongly and consistently. Maintaining a punishing schedule of limited sleep James not only managed to hold to his own strategy for breaking the race record but also to keep in touch with the pace of Barnes. However, he admits that the effort was taking its toll.
Approaching the town of Willowmore late at night on the 11th day of the riding he was physically and mentally depleted and was tormenting himself with thoughts of withdrawal. However, he was then buoyed by the news that Barnes up ahead of him had been delayed in the Swartberg by a snowstorm and he continued onwards.
Rather than stopping at Willowmore James’ began a really big push. He slept for two hours at Rondawel in the Moordenaars Karoo. He then rode for 22 hours and 237 kms through Prince Albert, up the Swartberg Pass, into the Gamkaskloof and took on the portage up Ladder. He arrive at Rouxpos on the slopes of the Swartberg after midnight. After sleeping at Rouxpos for 2 hours, James continued on to the Anysberg Nature Reserve, where he catnapped for an hour, before riding across the Little Karoo to Montagu. He crossed the Breede River to reach Macgregor in the early evening and then took on the Coenieskraal climb to arrive at the Oestervanger Guest House in the Agterkliphoogte Valley well after midnight. After sleeping for an hour he then rode past the Brandvlei Dam and up alongside the Holsloot River before taking on the 8 km portage up the Stettynskloof in the Du Toits Kloof mountains and continued through to the finish at Diemersfontein.
James arrived at the finish at Deimersfontein on 9.45 pm on Monday night. His total riding time for the 2350 kms from Pietermaritzburg was 13 days 15 hours and 45 minutes. He broke the previous race record by 21 hours.
Talking at the finish, where he received the Basutho blanket given to all Freedom Challenge finishers, James spoke of the incredible effort that had been required and how punishing it had been. However, apart from saddle sores the only other ailment of which he spoke was a burnt tongue – the result of hurriedly drinking hot soup as he rushed through support stations.
Having completed the event for the third year in a row, James indicated that he had found this year’s ride particularly taxing. Whilst his record raises the bar he pointed out that it serves also to show others what is possible. However, even if others are able to better his time it remains to be seen whether any rider will be able to match his finishing places in successive years of 2nd, 1st and 1st.
With James having claimed first place and Barnes confirmed in second, attention now turns to the race for third place where Freedom Challenge veteran Francois Riekert has been riding with the tandem of Mike Woolnough and Glenn Harrison of Snapper Display. Whilst the tandem have been battling with bike problems and injuries they have also had to try to fend off the chase of Marnitz Nienaber of the North West.
Nienaber, in turn, is doing his best to not only secure third place but, in the process, beat his North West riding partner, mielie farmer Carl Crous. By Monday night the Riekert and the tandem had arrived in Prince Albert, Nienaber, who started in Pietermaritzburg 2 days later, had arrived in Willowmore.
Crous, in the meantime, appears to be putting in an incredible charge – on Sunday he rode from the support station at Toekomst on the banks of the Darlington Dam, through Bucklands above the Groot Rivier Poort and down the Osseberg jeep track into Cambria. On Monday he left Cambria, rode up the length Baviaanskloof and, arriving at Willowmore well after midnight, found Nienaber sleeping. Whilst the two will ride together into Tuesday it remains to be seen how far this will continue.
4…3…2…1…1 – the hours of sleep that veteran mountain biker Tim James of Team Squirt riding Scott had over the last 5 nights of his record-breaking ride to the finish of the 2009 Freedom Challenge non-stop mountain bike race across South Africa at Diemersfontein Wine Estate outside Cape Town.
Having left Pietermaritzburg on 16 June 2009 with the last batch of riders to start, James set the early pace in the race. On the first day of riding he pushed through the initial support station at Mc Kenzie Country Club situated on the watershed between the Umkomaas and Umzimkulu Rivers and arrived at the second support station in the Ntsikeni Nature Reserve at midnight, having ridden 203 kms and climbed over 5000 metres. He arrived at the village of Rhodes 500 kms from the start in 3 days – an achievement that was only made possible when he took on the 1000 metre climb up the escarpment of the Maluti Drakensberg on the footpath of Lehana’s Pass at night.
This initial effort appeared to be taking its toll as James’ progress then slowed over the next three days. By the end of the sixth day of riding the lead shifted to Andrew Barnes. Barnes, who is 20 years younger than James, left Pietermaritzburg four days before him and was riding about 400 kilometres ahead of him. For the next five days the initiative lay with Barnes who appeared to be riding strongly and consistently. Maintaining a punishing schedule of limited sleep James not only managed to hold to his own strategy for breaking the race record but also to keep in touch with the pace of Barnes. However, he admits that the effort was taking its toll.
Approaching the town of Willowmore late at night on the 11th day of the riding he was physically and mentally depleted and was tormenting himself with thoughts of withdrawal. However, he was then buoyed by the news that Barnes up ahead of him had been delayed in the Swartberg by a snowstorm and he continued onwards.
Rather than stopping at Willowmore James’ began a really big push. He slept for two hours at Rondawel in the Moordenaars Karoo. He then rode for 22 hours and 237 kms through Prince Albert, up the Swartberg Pass, into the Gamkaskloof and took on the portage up Ladder. He arrive at Rouxpos on the slopes of the Swartberg after midnight. After sleeping at Rouxpos for 2 hours, James continued on to the Anysberg Nature Reserve, where he catnapped for an hour, before riding across the Little Karoo to Montagu. He crossed the Breede River to reach Macgregor in the early evening and then took on the Coenieskraal climb to arrive at the Oestervanger Guest House in the Agterkliphoogte Valley well after midnight. After sleeping for an hour he then rode past the Brandvlei Dam and up alongside the Holsloot River before taking on the 8 km portage up the Stettynskloof in the Du Toits Kloof mountains and continued through to the finish at Diemersfontein.
James arrived at the finish at Deimersfontein on 9.45 pm on Monday night. His total riding time for the 2350 kms from Pietermaritzburg was 13 days 15 hours and 45 minutes. He broke the previous race record by 21 hours.
Talking at the finish, where he received the Basutho blanket given to all Freedom Challenge finishers, James spoke of the incredible effort that had been required and how punishing it had been. However, apart from saddle sores the only other ailment of which he spoke was a burnt tongue – the result of hurriedly drinking hot soup as he rushed through support stations.
Having completed the event for the third year in a row, James indicated that he had found this year’s ride particularly taxing. Whilst his record raises the bar he pointed out that it serves also to show others what is possible. However, even if others are able to better his time it remains to be seen whether any rider will be able to match his finishing places in successive years of 2nd, 1st and 1st.
With James having claimed first place and Barnes confirmed in second, attention now turns to the race for third place where Freedom Challenge veteran Francois Riekert has been riding with the tandem of Mike Woolnough and Glenn Harrison of Snapper Display. Whilst the tandem have been battling with bike problems and injuries they have also had to try to fend off the chase of Marnitz Nienaber of the North West.
Nienaber, in turn, is doing his best to not only secure third place but, in the process, beat his North West riding partner, mielie farmer Carl Crous. By Monday night the Riekert and the tandem had arrived in Prince Albert, Nienaber, who started in Pietermaritzburg 2 days later, had arrived in Willowmore.
Crous, in the meantime, appears to be putting in an incredible charge – on Sunday he rode from the support station at Toekomst on the banks of the Darlington Dam, through Bucklands above the Groot Rivier Poort and down the Osseberg jeep track into Cambria. On Monday he left Cambria, rode up the length Baviaanskloof and, arriving at Willowmore well after midnight, found Nienaber sleeping. Whilst the two will ride together into Tuesday it remains to be seen how far this will continue.
Dag 14 Cambria - Willomore
David se ma maak vir my die lekkerste oats pap, en ek eet nie eers oats nie< te veel darvan in die army gehad, maar ek moet sê die oats geniet ek sommer baie.
6H00 trek ek weg op bekende terrein, moet sê die "mother of all climbs" is heelwat maklike van Cambria se kant, ek ry bykans die hele pas uit, dalk is ek net baie sterker en meer moedswillig.
Amper bo neem ek een van die mooiste sonsopkomse af in 'n lang tyd, moet sê die laaste paar dae was maar baie bewolk en reënerig en dit het seker die sonsopkoms baie meer spesiaal gemaak.
Onthou my as ek weer gaan jag om dit op 'n mtb te doen, ek het vandag 'n kudu surprise en kon 'n foto op 30m neem, 100m verder surprise ek 'n vrou wat bietjie water terug gee aan moeder aarde, nie dat die aarde eintlik water nodig het nie. Ek wys toe maar aan hulle uit dat daar ook nie 'n te skaam kudu net om die draai is.
Die Baviaans bly mooi, nat of droog, dis altyd 'n plesier om hier te ry en ek ry sommer met nuwe krag na Dam se Drift. By Dam se Drif lig Estelle my in dat daar iemand op my spoor is, hy het glo 9H00 in Cambria aangedoen en dit kan net Commander Carl Crous weer soos Fiona hom nou gedoop het. Soos wat ek vir Crous ken het hy sy troepe tot op die uiterste gedryf en nou gerebelleer hulle, Crous is nou warm op my spoor. Ek besluit om die laaste deel uit die Baviaans gas te gee om die aanval te stuit, en ek trap vir die vale, soms wonder ek of ek nie maar moet oorgee aan die wilde jaagtog en maar saam met Crous die laaste deel moet aanpak nie ?
Ek besef dat die Trans Baviaans eintlik 'n moerse lang afdraande is oppad na Jeffrey's Baai, dit voel nie altyd so wanneer jy daaraan deelneem nie, my hier waar ek nou ry is dit 'n grenslose lang sinkplaat opdraande, ek wurg die fiets om 15 km/u uit hom uit te kry, waar is gister se ooste wind nou ? Net voor Nuwe Kloof pas maak iemand Antartika se deure oop, die son skyn nog maar die warm strale word deur die berge verberg en ek stop om warm klere aan te trek. Ek val die Nuwe Koof pas aan in laaste lig en dis so asof dit makliker gaan in die donker, dis eintlik 'n baie gemaklike mooi pas en ek verwonder my aan die skaduwee's van die rotsformasies wat moeder aarde in boë gebuig het.
Willem WP stop my by sy hek, hy beloer my liggie al van ver af, hy nooi my in vir koffie en koffie klink vir my baie lekker veral in die helse koue. Willem vertel my van Steve Honey een van die challengers wat hy gister in die ysreën te hulp gesnel het, Steve het aan erge hipotermie gely toe hy hulle vind, was nie eers meer instaat om te praat nie, wat te sê van loop of ry. Willem dompel hom toe maar in 'n warm bad en nadat Steve ontdooi het, prop hy hom toe vol warm koffie en kudu biltong. Steve ken ook nou vir Rageltjie de Beer, hy was blykbaar in 'n noue ontmoeting met haar betrokke, Willem kerf van die biltong, dis warm in die kombuis en ek geniet nog 'n koppie gasvrye koffie. Willem sit musiek aan, nogals U2 een van my gunstelinge en ek geniet die musiek tot in my klein toontjie, suiwer musiek met die regte woorde, ons begin gesels oor jag en hy verneem ek het nog nooit 'n kudu gejag nie. Ek moet net keer, Willem wil my vat vir 'n Kudu jag, sommer dadelik, 'n man kan nie die Freedom Challenge doen en nog nooit 'n kudu gejag het nie, moet sê Willem het my amper oortuig........
Ek val weer in die vriesende pad, nou baie kouer na die warm kombuise met ekstra spesiale koffie, biltong en goeie geselskap en ek kan net dink hoe Steve gister in die ysreën moes voel. Willem stuur nog medisyne saam vir Steve en so ses wilde stukke biltong en my kruik loof oor van gasvryheid, net na 20H00 val ek by die Willow's in, ek maak my staan voor die kaggel, trek die laaste hitte uit die lawende vlamme, hier sal 'n man regtig vir Rageltjie ontmoed as jy nie versigtig is nie.
Ek ontmoet vir Steve en hoor sy ontberings aan, die man is baie bly om my te sien en vra of hy more kan saamry en ek dink dis 'n goeie plan, ek het bietjie geselskap nodig en so wonder ek oor Crous, waar is die man, gaan ek voor hom bly tot die einde of gaan hy my more vang ?
Amper bo neem ek een van die mooiste sonsopkomse af in 'n lang tyd, moet sê die laaste paar dae was maar baie bewolk en reënerig en dit het seker die sonsopkoms baie meer spesiaal gemaak.
Onthou my as ek weer gaan jag om dit op 'n mtb te doen, ek het vandag 'n kudu surprise en kon 'n foto op 30m neem, 100m verder surprise ek 'n vrou wat bietjie water terug gee aan moeder aarde, nie dat die aarde eintlik water nodig het nie. Ek wys toe maar aan hulle uit dat daar ook nie 'n te skaam kudu net om die draai is.
Ek val weer in die vriesende pad, nou baie kouer na die warm kombuise met ekstra spesiale koffie, biltong en goeie geselskap en ek kan net dink hoe Steve gister in die ysreën moes voel. Willem stuur nog medisyne saam vir Steve en so ses wilde stukke biltong en my kruik loof oor van gasvryheid, net na 20H00 val ek by die Willow's in, ek maak my staan voor die kaggel, trek die laaste hitte uit die lawende vlamme, hier sal 'n man regtig vir Rageltjie ontmoed as jy nie versigtig is nie.
Ek ontmoet vir Steve en hoor sy ontberings aan, die man is baie bly om my te sien en vra of hy more kan saamry en ek dink dis 'n goeie plan, ek het bietjie geselskap nodig en so wonder ek oor Crous, waar is die man, gaan ek voor hom bly tot die einde of gaan hy my more vang ?
6/29/2009
Dag 13 Bucklands - Cambria
Dou voor dag vat Hannes my terug na die plek waar die polisieman my opgelaai het, ek weet nie wat my gisteraand besiel het om in die bakkie in te klim nie, die laaste deel van die pad is amper heelpad afdraande en so teen 8H00 val ek weer in by Hannes vir 'n lekker ontbyt.
Met die wegtrek slag begin dit liggies reën, die wind steek op en soos ek vorder klim die Duiwel agter die berg uit, dit voel of ek in 'n monsoon vasgevang word. Die reën val in vlae neer, die wind waai my rugsak se reën mantel weg, my rugsak en alles binne in is pap sop nat en ek gooi sulke wilde esse in die modder soos die wind my probeer wegwaai. Ek word kinderlik gatvol, ek is moeg vir die reën, gatvol vir die modder wat oral inkruip en alles opdonner, en van die Duiwel se wind wil ek nie eers praat nie. Vir sewe dae swoeg ek elke dag teen 'n geweldadige Weste wind, en op die agtste dag, die dag wat ek saam met die wind moet ry sal die Duiwel 'n Ooste wind afvuur wat die reën so horisontaal in my in my oe in steek........
'n Man se kop moet sterk wees vir die race, want as die kop nie wil nie dan wil die lyf ook nie, die alleen swoeg teen die wind, reën en modder is besig om my stelselmatig af te breek en ek bereik breekpunt, ek gooi die fiets eenkant en ek wonder wat de donner soek ek hier, is dit my straf omdat ek 'n lift by die polisieman gekry het ? So staan ek seker vir 10 minute in die gietende reën, die reën is eintlik besig om my skoon te was en ek besef dit help nie om maar net daar te staan nie, ek kan niemand bel nie en niemand ry die god verlate paaie nie, al genade is ek moet maar opklim en aanry......
Netso voor ek die Grootrivier poort aanvat, lui my sel, dis Melanie, die Here het haar seker gevra om my moed in te praat en ek pak uit, alles uit, ek is klaar en al wat sy vir my sê is : " Kom dan maar huistoe"
Ek is verstom geslaan, my wonderlike vrou wat my altyd in alles ondersteun en motiveer sê ek moet maar huistoe kom, het ek so afgeleef en negatief geklink. Ek besluit dan gaan ek maar huistoe, en die pad na die huis is deur die Grootrivier poort, dieselfde pad as die Freedom Challenge s'n, gelukkig is dit 'n lang pad met lekker styl opdraandes en baie dinktyd. Ek bereik die uitkykpunt en in plaas van reëndruppels word daar 'n arsenaal sms boodskappe op my afgevuur, my wonderlike vrou het al my pêlle ingelig van my mismoedige gemoeds toestand en ek besluit om af te trek en die wêreld te bekyk en die reën bedaar en die son se strale breek deur en ek kry weer nuwe moed.
Met nuwe moed val ek die Osseberg aan, dis so asof die sonstrale al die sukkel van my afdroog, ek sien die mooi weer raak en die lus om klaar te maak helder weer op in my, Osseberg is nie te erg nie en ek vorder gou deur die Grootrivier poort, kruis die rivier dertien keer en voor die son sak staan ek voor die 4m hoë wildshek, ek klim oor en binnekort bevind ek my op die bekende Baviaans pad en ek is sommer weer baie lus vir ry. Die pad ken ek, ek bevind my nou op baie bekende grond, Trans Baviaans grond en ek weet ek gaan lekker ry, ek het dan elkeen van my vorige vyf Trans Baviaans renne geniet.
Ek kom by die support station " The Haven" volgens die roete aanwysings aangedui by dooie mans deur aan, hier is verseker niemand nie, nie 'n siel nie, hier was ook nie 'n siel vir 'n lang tyd nie, die plek is ook nie oop nie, wat nou wonder ek. Ek besluit toe maar om aan te ry na die volgende support station Dam se Drift so 80km verder, ek behoort seker so na middernag daar aan te kom. Uit die bloute lui my selfoon weer, dis Eduard wat baie besorgd oor my doen en late uitvra, hoe voel ek, sien ek nog kans om aan te gaan en waar is ek ?
Ons het nog nooit sein hier gehad nie en hier is ek nou in 'n gesperk met 'n goeie pêl, en die vlammetjie brand sommer baie helderder. Ek bel vir Melanie, bedank haar vir haar geloof in my en al haar ondersteuning en liefde en belowe sommer om baie vinnig te ry, ek mis haar regtig baie.
Ek besluit toe maar terwyl ek nou sein het om uit te vind waar ons nou eintlik moet slaap en waar ek my roomysbak met voorrade gepak kan kry. Ek kan sommer hoor hoe lekker David lag toe hy die oproep antwoord, die oornag plek is geskuif na Kudu Kaya, so entjie verder aan, hy prewel iets van hy het ons gesê die oornag plek het geskuif die aand voor ons weggespring het. By Kudu Kaya aangekom besluit ek om maar oor te slaap, vandag was 'n harde dag vir my gewees, baie amper te hard.....
Ek probeer uitvis waar Crous is, niemand weet nie, hy praat nie en die aarde swyg ook oor sy doen en late.
Met die wegtrek slag begin dit liggies reën, die wind steek op en soos ek vorder klim die Duiwel agter die berg uit, dit voel of ek in 'n monsoon vasgevang word. Die reën val in vlae neer, die wind waai my rugsak se reën mantel weg, my rugsak en alles binne in is pap sop nat en ek gooi sulke wilde esse in die modder soos die wind my probeer wegwaai. Ek word kinderlik gatvol, ek is moeg vir die reën, gatvol vir die modder wat oral inkruip en alles opdonner, en van die Duiwel se wind wil ek nie eers praat nie. Vir sewe dae swoeg ek elke dag teen 'n geweldadige Weste wind, en op die agtste dag, die dag wat ek saam met die wind moet ry sal die Duiwel 'n Ooste wind afvuur wat die reën so horisontaal in my in my oe in steek........
'n Man se kop moet sterk wees vir die race, want as die kop nie wil nie dan wil die lyf ook nie, die alleen swoeg teen die wind, reën en modder is besig om my stelselmatig af te breek en ek bereik breekpunt, ek gooi die fiets eenkant en ek wonder wat de donner soek ek hier, is dit my straf omdat ek 'n lift by die polisieman gekry het ? So staan ek seker vir 10 minute in die gietende reën, die reën is eintlik besig om my skoon te was en ek besef dit help nie om maar net daar te staan nie, ek kan niemand bel nie en niemand ry die god verlate paaie nie, al genade is ek moet maar opklim en aanry......
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| Die groot besluit op Osseberg uitkykpunt, gaan ek huistoe of ry ek aan. |
Ek is verstom geslaan, my wonderlike vrou wat my altyd in alles ondersteun en motiveer sê ek moet maar huistoe kom, het ek so afgeleef en negatief geklink. Ek besluit dan gaan ek maar huistoe, en die pad na die huis is deur die Grootrivier poort, dieselfde pad as die Freedom Challenge s'n, gelukkig is dit 'n lang pad met lekker styl opdraandes en baie dinktyd. Ek bereik die uitkykpunt en in plaas van reëndruppels word daar 'n arsenaal sms boodskappe op my afgevuur, my wonderlike vrou het al my pêlle ingelig van my mismoedige gemoeds toestand en ek besluit om af te trek en die wêreld te bekyk en die reën bedaar en die son se strale breek deur en ek kry weer nuwe moed.
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| Osseberg in sonlig. |
Ek kom by die support station " The Haven" volgens die roete aanwysings aangedui by dooie mans deur aan, hier is verseker niemand nie, nie 'n siel nie, hier was ook nie 'n siel vir 'n lang tyd nie, die plek is ook nie oop nie, wat nou wonder ek. Ek besluit toe maar om aan te ry na die volgende support station Dam se Drift so 80km verder, ek behoort seker so na middernag daar aan te kom. Uit die bloute lui my selfoon weer, dis Eduard wat baie besorgd oor my doen en late uitvra, hoe voel ek, sien ek nog kans om aan te gaan en waar is ek ?
Ons het nog nooit sein hier gehad nie en hier is ek nou in 'n gesperk met 'n goeie pêl, en die vlammetjie brand sommer baie helderder. Ek bel vir Melanie, bedank haar vir haar geloof in my en al haar ondersteuning en liefde en belowe sommer om baie vinnig te ry, ek mis haar regtig baie.
Ek besluit toe maar terwyl ek nou sein het om uit te vind waar ons nou eintlik moet slaap en waar ek my roomysbak met voorrade gepak kan kry. Ek kan sommer hoor hoe lekker David lag toe hy die oproep antwoord, die oornag plek is geskuif na Kudu Kaya, so entjie verder aan, hy prewel iets van hy het ons gesê die oornag plek het geskuif die aand voor ons weggespring het. By Kudu Kaya aangekom besluit ek om maar oor te slaap, vandag was 'n harde dag vir my gewees, baie amper te hard.....
Ek probeer uitvis waar Crous is, niemand weet nie, hy praat nie en die aarde swyg ook oor sy doen en late.
Dag 12 Van de Venterskraal - Bucklands
Nie te goed geslaap nie, ek het 'n allemintige hoes aan my, ek hoes nou al so dat jy net sterretjie sien spat eklke keer wat ek hoes. Ek het antibiotika by my, maar dis vir 'n noodgeval en eers wanneer ek naby kom om 'n aar te bars sal ek dit oorweeg. Gedurende die dag kan ek die hoes onder dwang hou, maar in die nag rebbeleer hy en hou hy my die heel nag wakker, iewers gaan ek iets aan die hoes moet doen.
Val so net na 12H00 by Toekomst in, ek val weg aan 'n lekker bord kos wat Phillip Henderson se vrou Lisa vir my voorberei het, ek word tot in die afgrond bedelf en oorlaai met padkos. Ek oorweeg om myself 'n BCO inspuiting te gee, maar ek is bang my alie ruk homself weg voor ek die naald inkry, maar daar is altyd 'n eerste keer. Phillip vra my wat wil ek maak, en ek verduidelik hom ek benodig 'n BCO inspuiting om my imuniteit op te bou en die ondraaglike gehoessery te verjaag. Hy het al baie volstruise en beeste ingespuit en ek buk sodat hy die mal mountain biker kan inspuit.
Vertrek 13H00 kry die damwal maklik, sukkel my gat af om versteekte padjie na die Gwaas vallei te kry, op en af ry ek opsoek na die padjie. Die roete aanwysings sê dis 'n baie swak padjie, maar dit sal verbeter soos ek verder in die vallei opbeweeg. In my geharwar op soek na die padjie verloor ek my waterbotter, los die fiets en sak en hol so 5 km terug, dit was my spaar waterbottel, my eerste een het ek op Struishoek verloor en nou het ek niks. Kry nie die bottel nie skeeu dat die berge antwoord gee. Gelukkig het ek darem 'n pad gekry wat ek vermoed is die Gwaas vallei se pad.
Ek stop by 'n houthuis drink ou brakwater, wurg die water in, die volgende water is seker 40 km verder by die Draaifontein opstal en ek hoop ek hou tot daar, gister was 'n lekker dag, vandag is besig om baie vinnig skeef te loop. Dis warm in die Gwaas vallei, stowwerig, die son brand meedoonloos op my neer en vir eens is ek bly die donkerte sak op my toe, maar met die donkerte keer die welbekende hoes terug, die hoes kom diep uit my longe uit, dis seer en ek snak na asem ek het nou retgte medisyne nodig.
In die donkerte ploeter ek voort, al hoesende 'n polisieman van Kleinpoort ontferm hom oor my en bied aan om my na Hannes van Bucklands te neem, die koue lug is nie goed vir my nie en ek gee in. Uitgedroog al hoesende stap ek by Hannes in, my race is nou eintlik verby, jy mag nie van gemotoriseerde hulp gebruik maak nie. Hannes prop my vol pille en hoes medisyne en dan lekker kos, ek vat 'n lekker bad en kom sit voor die vuur. Ek is nou eintlik baie spyt ek het van die polisieman se hulp gebruik gemaak en Hannes wil weet wat gaan ek nou maak. Wel daar bly net een ding oor, ek moet David inlig oor wat ek aangevang het, ek sal maar op my fiets moet klim en terugry na die plek waar die polisieman my opgelaai het, dis al genade. Hannes bied aan om my terug te vat na die plek waar die polisieman my opgelaai het, daar is nie sein nie en ek stuur dadelik 'n boodskap vir David om hom in te lig oor my oortreding en wat my plan van aksie is. Ons sal more weet wat sy besluit is wanneer hy die boodskap kry, maar nou het ek rus nodig ek moet die hoes op 'n manier afskaf anders gaan ek in 'n hospitaal opeindig.
More oggend vat Hannes my terug na plek waar poliesman my opgelaai het sodat ek die stuk kan ry, en daar begin dit weer reën en dit hou nie op nie, en die wind waai en dit hou nie op nie, en ek raak gatvol sommer baie gatvol en dit gaan verby.
Ek stop by 'n houthuis drink ou brakwater, wurg die water in, die volgende water is seker 40 km verder by die Draaifontein opstal en ek hoop ek hou tot daar, gister was 'n lekker dag, vandag is besig om baie vinnig skeef te loop. Dis warm in die Gwaas vallei, stowwerig, die son brand meedoonloos op my neer en vir eens is ek bly die donkerte sak op my toe, maar met die donkerte keer die welbekende hoes terug, die hoes kom diep uit my longe uit, dis seer en ek snak na asem ek het nou retgte medisyne nodig.
In die donkerte ploeter ek voort, al hoesende 'n polisieman van Kleinpoort ontferm hom oor my en bied aan om my na Hannes van Bucklands te neem, die koue lug is nie goed vir my nie en ek gee in. Uitgedroog al hoesende stap ek by Hannes in, my race is nou eintlik verby, jy mag nie van gemotoriseerde hulp gebruik maak nie. Hannes prop my vol pille en hoes medisyne en dan lekker kos, ek vat 'n lekker bad en kom sit voor die vuur. Ek is nou eintlik baie spyt ek het van die polisieman se hulp gebruik gemaak en Hannes wil weet wat gaan ek nou maak. Wel daar bly net een ding oor, ek moet David inlig oor wat ek aangevang het, ek sal maar op my fiets moet klim en terugry na die plek waar die polisieman my opgelaai het, dis al genade. Hannes bied aan om my terug te vat na die plek waar die polisieman my opgelaai het, daar is nie sein nie en ek stuur dadelik 'n boodskap vir David om hom in te lig oor my oortreding en wat my plan van aksie is. Ons sal more weet wat sy besluit is wanneer hy die boodskap kry, maar nou het ek rus nodig ek moet die hoes op 'n manier afskaf anders gaan ek in 'n hospitaal opeindig.
More oggend vat Hannes my terug na plek waar poliesman my opgelaai het sodat ek die stuk kan ry, en daar begin dit weer reën en dit hou nie op nie, en die wind waai en dit hou nie op nie, en ek raak gatvol sommer baie gatvol en dit gaan verby.
Die dag wat die wind van agter moet wees, is dit 'n plat oosterwind wat die reën horisontaal in my oë steek. Die pad is al so deurdrenk ek ry in 'n modderbad en ek kry myself baie jammer, die lang dae op my eie begin nou byt. By die selfoonmas naby Doringfontein besluit ek, ek het nou genoeg gehad, bel vir Melanie en sê haar ek is klaar. Sy ken my malligheid in my kop en sê toe sommer dat ek dan maar moet huistoe kom, in die wete dat ek nooit doen wat sy sê nie. Sy bel inderhaas al my pelle en vertel hulle van my voornemens en die reën verander in sms boodskappe. My sel piep-piep onophoudelik so asof dit die reën verjaag en soos dit sagter reën en ek weer die mooi kan sien kry ek nuwe moet - ek dink dis al die gebede.
Sit op die oomblik bo op die berg en kyk na die ossewa roete na Cambria. Dankie vir julle boodskappe, sonder julle sou ek nie aangegaan het nie, dankie vir julle Moerse ondersteuning, mis julle baie !
6/28/2009
First rider finishes 2009 Freedom Challenge
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Diemersfontein, WellingtonSaturday 27 June 2009In the fading light of Saturday Andrew Barnes of Pietermaritzburg crested the Du Toits Kloof Pass and started the last 10 km descent down through the Hawekwas forest to the finish of the 2009 Freedom Challenge non-stop mountain bike race from Pietermaritzburg to Diemersfontein Wine Estate outside Paarl.
By the time Barnes reached the finish darkness had set in. However, the mood amongst family and friends who were there to meet him was one of levity. He had completed the 2300 km cycle race in 14 days and 13 hours. Although he had narrowly missed the record set in 2008 his ride was quite remarkable. 10 days into the ride and emerging from the Baviaanskloof he was two days ahead of the 2008 record pace. However, the next day as he rode alongside the Droëberge from Willowmore towards Prince Albert he was slowed by gale force headwinds and two days later as he climbed from the Gamkaskloof into the foothills of the Swartberg he was forced to stop riding by a snowstorm. Despite a hard 240 kms of riding the following day that took him through the Anysberg Nature Reserve and on through Montagu and MacGregor to the Agterkliphoogte Valley he was not able to recover the lost time.
Nevertheless, arriving at Diemersfontein where he received the Basutho blanket given to every Freedom Challenge finisher he said of his ride "It was great. My preparation paid off. Until I hit the bad weather I rode to plan. I really enjoyed the riding and I also really enjoyed the people that I met along the route. This race is gold".With Barnes now settled in at Diemersfontein all eyes now turn to 2008 record holder Tim James of Team Squirt riding Scott.
James, who started from Pietermaritzburg four days after Barnes, set the early pace and led the race until a difficult day in the Stormberg saw him lose the initiative to Barnes. When James left Willowmore on Thursday afternoon Barnes still held an effective 7 hour lead over him. After stopping for the night at Rondawel, on Friday, the day that Barnes was finishing in Diemersfontein, James rode through Prince Albert, climbed the Swartberg Pass and descended into the Gamkaskloof. In the early evening he then took on the climb up the Ladder and rode through Vleiland to Rouxpos where, after 237 kms and 20 hours of continuous riding, he finally slept. In the process he moved a day ahead of Barnes.
It must now be seen whether James is able to match Barnes's pace from Rouxpos through to the finish at Diemersfontein. If so he will not only win the 2009 Freedom Challenge but will better his 2008 record by at least a day. However, James will be mindful of the fact that it was at this late stage of the 2008 race that he experienced technical difficulties that slowed his further progress.
Further back on the South Africa's Freedom Trail Marnitz Nienaber from the North West remains settled into third place. Nienaber, who is currently headed for the Baviaanskloof, has been keeping race followers entertained with his tales of daily hardship and splendour. Riders have experienced extreme cold, driving rain and knee deep snow but, as rider Esti du Plessis said, "Every day has brought something incredible". On Thursday night, riding towards Toekomst and the Darlington Dam section of the Addo Elephant National Park, Ugene Nel, who is riding with fellow Freedom Challenge Extreme Triathletes, Trevor Ball and Australian Dave Barr, was charged by a bush pig.
With the worst of the current spate of bad weather now passed, riders in the 2009 Freedom Challenge can now look forward to a few days of good riding.
Diemersfontein, WellingtonSaturday 27 June 2009In the fading light of Saturday Andrew Barnes of Pietermaritzburg crested the Du Toits Kloof Pass and started the last 10 km descent down through the Hawekwas forest to the finish of the 2009 Freedom Challenge non-stop mountain bike race from Pietermaritzburg to Diemersfontein Wine Estate outside Paarl.
By the time Barnes reached the finish darkness had set in. However, the mood amongst family and friends who were there to meet him was one of levity. He had completed the 2300 km cycle race in 14 days and 13 hours. Although he had narrowly missed the record set in 2008 his ride was quite remarkable. 10 days into the ride and emerging from the Baviaanskloof he was two days ahead of the 2008 record pace. However, the next day as he rode alongside the Droëberge from Willowmore towards Prince Albert he was slowed by gale force headwinds and two days later as he climbed from the Gamkaskloof into the foothills of the Swartberg he was forced to stop riding by a snowstorm. Despite a hard 240 kms of riding the following day that took him through the Anysberg Nature Reserve and on through Montagu and MacGregor to the Agterkliphoogte Valley he was not able to recover the lost time.
Nevertheless, arriving at Diemersfontein where he received the Basutho blanket given to every Freedom Challenge finisher he said of his ride "It was great. My preparation paid off. Until I hit the bad weather I rode to plan. I really enjoyed the riding and I also really enjoyed the people that I met along the route. This race is gold".With Barnes now settled in at Diemersfontein all eyes now turn to 2008 record holder Tim James of Team Squirt riding Scott.
James, who started from Pietermaritzburg four days after Barnes, set the early pace and led the race until a difficult day in the Stormberg saw him lose the initiative to Barnes. When James left Willowmore on Thursday afternoon Barnes still held an effective 7 hour lead over him. After stopping for the night at Rondawel, on Friday, the day that Barnes was finishing in Diemersfontein, James rode through Prince Albert, climbed the Swartberg Pass and descended into the Gamkaskloof. In the early evening he then took on the climb up the Ladder and rode through Vleiland to Rouxpos where, after 237 kms and 20 hours of continuous riding, he finally slept. In the process he moved a day ahead of Barnes.
It must now be seen whether James is able to match Barnes's pace from Rouxpos through to the finish at Diemersfontein. If so he will not only win the 2009 Freedom Challenge but will better his 2008 record by at least a day. However, James will be mindful of the fact that it was at this late stage of the 2008 race that he experienced technical difficulties that slowed his further progress.
Further back on the South Africa's Freedom Trail Marnitz Nienaber from the North West remains settled into third place. Nienaber, who is currently headed for the Baviaanskloof, has been keeping race followers entertained with his tales of daily hardship and splendour. Riders have experienced extreme cold, driving rain and knee deep snow but, as rider Esti du Plessis said, "Every day has brought something incredible". On Thursday night, riding towards Toekomst and the Darlington Dam section of the Addo Elephant National Park, Ugene Nel, who is riding with fellow Freedom Challenge Extreme Triathletes, Trevor Ball and Australian Dave Barr, was charged by a bush pig.
With the worst of the current spate of bad weather now passed, riders in the 2009 Freedom Challenge can now look forward to a few days of good riding.
6/26/2009
Dag 11 Gansvlei - Van de Venterskraal
Ek stap by my beskerm engel Oom Gawie van Ganslei se deur uit en betree 'n sprokieswêreld, spierwit sneeu lê die hele wêreld vol. Ek het nog nooit so baie sneeu in my lewe gesien nie, dis oral en ek neem die een foto na die ander.
Al ooit gehoor van kraak vars, wel dis kraak vars sneeu en ek maak die eerste nuwe spore in die sprokiewêreld. Van ry is daar nie sprake nie die sneeu is te diep en jy weet nie wat onder die sneeu skuil nie en ek stoot my fiets al huppelend voort. Die sneeu knars onder my voete en die fiets rol redelik maklik daaroor. Bogekom besef ek hoe gelukkig ek eintlik was, Oom Gawie moet 'n regte engel wees, hy was reg op plekke lê die sneeu regtig 'n meter diep, die hele pad is toe gesneeu, ek sou verseker vir rageltjie hier onmoet het. Ek neem 'n paar foto's wat my sekerlik weer sal teruglok vir meer, aan die Coetzerskloof kant van die Schufteberg lê die sneeu nie so dik nie, maar dis nogsteeds prentjie mooi. Mens moet seker maar baie suffer voor die Freedom challenge jou in nooi om sy prag te kan geniet.
Op pad na De Doorns support station neem ek so kort draai seker so kilo of wat afgedwaal, maar ek is glad nie spyt daaroor nie, sien eers twee rooikatte en toe die lang verlore ou chevy, ou bakkies het nog altyd diep spore in my hart getrap. Ek verlang na my ou Ford F250 4x4, dis nou 'n regte bakkie, nee mens kan dit nie 'n bakkie noem nie, 'n hond eet uit 'n bakkie, dis 'n trokkie en my ou Trokkie sou nou lekker hier gery het.
By de Doorns aangekom bevind ek my voor 'n toe deur, daar is nie sein nie en ek dwaal al om die opstal opsoek na 'n inkom plek, moedeloos gaan sit ek op die stoep en wag vir die boer, 'n half uur gaan verby en sielsongelukkig sit ek en wag en ek kry 'n besieling en voel aan die voordeur en wragtig dis oop. Ek stap in al roepende, daar moet iemand binne wees, jy los mos nie 'n huis netso oop nie en toe kom ek op die brief in die kombuis af. Dis 'n self sorg opstal, maak jouself tuis eet genoeg en sterkte vir jou tog vorentoe, o ja maak net die deur toe wanneer jy die huis verlaat. As jy jou huis in jou tuisdorp ooplos sal jy baie bly wees om die mure oor te hê nadat weldoeners die binnegoed oor die aarde versprei het......
Ek maak vir my 'n lekker bord kos warm, drink 'n glas coke of twee en val vernuwe in die Freedom pad, op pad na Vandeventers kraal, nou vir die Struishoek portage, moet die begin in daglig maak, dis glo nie grappies in die nag nie, die hele plek word deur hoë kranse omsingel. Dit word weer 'n dolle gejaag na die laaste ligstrale, ek was nog nooit bang vir die donkerte nie, maar die Freedom Challenge bring 'n versigtigheid in my mee, eintlik meer 'n ontsag vir die donker, alles gebeur stadiger en geskied met baie respek.
Ek betree die Struishoek portage met laaste lig en jy sal dit nie glo nie, iemand het die plek met wit kalk klippe gemerk, en ek beweeg van die een gebleikte klip na die ander. Die portage is nie baie lank nie, seker so vyf kilometer en dis afdraande, maar ongenaakbaar ongelyk en dit sluk tyd in soos ek water van my bottel insluk. Dit hou net aan en aan, onrybaar aan, jy kan stoot of dra maar dit gaan jou dieselfde tyd vat en baie daarvan. Onder aangekom sien ek iemand met 'n flitslig, ek draai om en ontmoet vir Oom David Hobson die baas van Struishoek. Oom David is die man met die briljante gedagte om Struishoek met kalk uit te merk, en nou nooi hy my vir 'n oorslaap, en ek kan sien dis aardse mense die en ek oorweeg dit. Die gedagte dat Carl warm op my spoor is dwing my die donkerte in, dis nog net 40km verder en ek wys Oom David se offer van die hand.
My sel lui, dis Eduard, hy verneem net hoe dit gaan en lig my sommer in dat die boere vir Carl aanhits en opsweep om my in te haal, en ek ken vir Crous, hy het nie baie aansporing nodig nie. Crous het 'n hele peleton opgesaal en dryf nou sy nuutgevonde peleton deur die vlaktes, en wanneer die een ryer afval saal hy die volgende troep op. Carl was lank in die valskerm batejon en ek kan net dink hoe hy sy nuwe troepe aanhits......
So 20km van Vandeventerskraal kry ek die geur van gebraaide skaap tjops, die boere braai en my mond water, drup eintlik vir so skaap tjoppie, man dit sal nou lekker wees en ek ry baie stadig verby in die hoop om raakgesien en jammer gekry te word, maar helaas is die geur van lekker gebraai skaap tjops al wat ek sal smul. Ek kom op die plek waar Vandeventerskraal veronderstel is om te wees, die pad is vars geskraap en ek soek die afdraai na die opstal, maar van 'n afdraai is daar geen sprake nie. Ek ry tot teen die T-aansluiting, draai om retireer terug op my pad soek die afdraai, maar niks. Bel vir David, hy verduidelik iets van 'n paal met die naam Vandeventerskraal in yster letters uitgekerf en 'n Freedom Challenge bokkie bo aan, wat duidelik langs die pad staan, ek moet net daar indraai, wat kan nou so moeilike wees ?
Ek soek die verdomde paal, daar is geen teken van afdraai nie, bel weer vir David en hy verseker my ek moet naby wees want daar is net sein naby die afdraai en soos 'n bloedhond snuffel ek die pad vir engige afdraai. Die skraper wat die pad so lekker gelyk geskraap het, het 'n skouer geskraap en die afdraai toegeskraap, so 10 m weg van die pad in die stuk donkerte vind ek die paal met die yster gekerfde letters, ek sug van verligting en pak die laaste deel van die pad aan na die opstal. Een ding wat my dwars in die krop steek en hoog dedonner in maak, is wanneer ek onndige tyd verspil, jy weet jy's daar, dit moet naby wees, maar jy is nie daar nie, ek het sopas 'n halfuur van rus gemors na die afdraai.
Teen 22H00 betree ek Vandeventerskraal se opstal, smaak my hier het eens op 'n tyd reuse gebly, die plafoone is seker 4 meter hoog, ek dwaal van die een vertrek na die ander, vind die kombuis en begin dadelik smul aan die lekker boere kos. Pensie vol, klaar gestort daal ek in my eie opstal op 'n bed neer, en ek wonder waar bevind Carel Crous en sy peleton hulle nou ?
6/25/2009
Dag 10 Elandsberg - Gansvlei
Lekker geslaap, lus vir 'n goeie skof, alles begin goed, wind matig, ry teen 'n lekker pas en dit lyk of dit regtig 'n wonderlike dag vereens gaan wees. Ek is weer op my eie, maar daaraan is ek al gewoont, niemand luister tog na my klagtes nie, in die verte sien ek snaakse wolke< lyk eintlik soos 'n foto geleentheid en ek stop en nee die onheilspellende wolke af......
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| Spekboomberg onweers wolke |
Die duiwel se wind begin weer waai, die reën steek soos bye, die modder byt soos polisie honde, bring my tot stilstand. Ek gooi die fiets eenkant neer, ek is gatvol vir die wind, ek is gatvol vir die reën en ek is baie gatvol vir die modder, dit hou net nie op nie......
Sit 'n rukkie, rus 'n rukkie, eet ietsie, dink bietjie oor die race, jaag die polisiehonde weg sak die kop en trap dat ek voorkom. Die enigste manier om die warboel te oorkom is blykbaar om klaar te maak en dit gaan nie gebeur as ek my fiets neer moer en op my gat sit nie.
Maak Stuttgaurd in 6 ure, was die fiets, jaag 'n bord sop deur ek gaan De Doorns toe, Amanda waarsku my teen die sneeu op die Schufteberg, en my informante waarsku my teen Carl Crous en ek besluit ek sal eerder die sneeu storm aandurf as om die aftog voor Carl te blaas. Ek donner aan, op teen die berg, PJ 'n boer oppad boontoe stop my en sê ek's mal, steeds donner ek aan, hy verstaan nie lekker die diepte van die wortels van kompetisie tussen en Crous nie, ek is mos op die regte pad.
Ek beland pens en pooitjies reg in die middel van my eerste verwoedelike sneeu storm en dis nie lekker nie, die sneeu steek soos bye op die oop plekke, dis vrekken koud, die sneeu vries op die voue van my baadjie, op my fiets enige plek waar dit kan vashou. Van ry bly daar niks oor nie, ek worstel op die grond voort, beur voorwaarts, kan nie 10m voor my sien nie, maar ek beur voort want Crous is op my spoor.
Ek stop by die laaste opstal in die vallei, ek moet nog warm klere aantrek, dis vrek koud, ek vind beskerming in die opstal se stoor, terk alles aan wat ek het, trek die kaart nader om seker te maak waarna toe ek eintlik moet gaan. Ek vra een van die plaaswerkers, hy verwys my na die baas van die plaas, Oom Gawie van Gansvlei.
Ek beland pens en pooitjies reg in die middel van my eerste verwoedelike sneeu storm en dis nie lekker nie, die sneeu steek soos bye op die oop plekke, dis vrekken koud, die sneeu vries op die voue van my baadjie, op my fiets enige plek waar dit kan vashou. Van ry bly daar niks oor nie, ek worstel op die grond voort, beur voorwaarts, kan nie 10m voor my sien nie, maar ek beur voort want Crous is op my spoor.
Ek stop by die laaste opstal in die vallei, ek moet nog warm klere aantrek, dis vrek koud, ek vind beskerming in die opstal se stoor, terk alles aan wat ek het, trek die kaart nader om seker te maak waarna toe ek eintlik moet gaan. Ek vra een van die plaaswerkers, hy verwys my na die baas van die plaas, Oom Gawie van Gansvlei.
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| Schufteberg sneeu storm |
13 Days down
13 Days down and we take a look at the finish
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Since the race for first is really hotting up, I’ll do my best to try and see what’s possible for our two frontrunners in the upcoming days.
Andrew will be following a final plan of sorts for sure, he’s in the Western Cape for starters. Between him and a hidden but extremely important dam wall lies 400km of mostly moderate terrain, but he’ll be looking into the west and oncoming weather of varying difficulty.
Looking back from Prince Albert(SS19) it’s a big ride up the Swartberg Pass and then down into Die Hel/Gamkaskloof(SS20,87km). Up Die Leer and it’s a stroll of sorts to the Vintage farmstead at Rouxpos(SS20, 70km). Some soft sand will slow your way to Anysberg Nature Reserve(SS22, 80km). Through the plains and dropping down to Montagu(SS23, 77km) where there is some actual traffic. Chop through the Cogmanskloof and come round the back of MacGregor(SS24, 58km) before jumping over the ridge to the elegant retreat of Kasra(SS25, 25km). The last big ride is past Brandvlei to Trouthaven(SS26,84km). Ending it off with a big portage(read bundu bash) and popping out near the Hugenout tunnel one scales the Du Toitskloof pass before Diemersfontein(Finish, 66km).
The final stage of the Freedom Challenge is in many ways its toughest. It goes through an ‘out the way’ valley that has really been put on the map by the race. The Holsloot river runs past Rawsonville and not much further flows into the Breede. The riders are looking for the source of this river as they follow it uphill into this valley called Stettynskloof (regarded as a swear word by many past participants). The final Support Station Trouthaven(SS26) is up this valley
There is a time gate at the Stettynskloof damwall, and riders may only pass it between 10pm and 8am. It is a contentious issue, but is there mainly to prevent people from getting stuck in the kloof overnight. Many a racesnake has eyed this 8am cut-off from as far afield as Gamkaskloof as the rest of the trail can and has been done in darkness. We start looking at time in terms of hours and not days, as sleep becomes a non-essential luxury.
Andrew will have as his first goal a finish on Saturday 27 June, and will see 8am as his target. Any earlier and he could sleep at Trouthaven or get going up the kloof.
He has roughly 36 hours of riding time from Gamkaskloof(SS20) to the dam wall, and about 50hours in which to do it. That’s probably going to have some 2/3 hour catnaps on the way. Forget about even drying your clothes. This is easier said than done, and is similar to his massive day in the Baviaanskloof, but then carrying on further.
His second goal will surely be to beat Tim James’ 2008 record of 14 days, 12 hours and 15 minutes. The cut-off for that is looming 6:15pm, on Saturday. However, one would have to probably get to the dam wall by 5am to have a crack at this target.
However he’ll know only too well that another potential challenge follows about 3 days behind him, and his tired body will have to get to the finish as soon as possible to secure overall victory in the 2009 Race. That will be his third goal, the one he can’t fully control (short of laying thumbtacks along the route!).
Tim James has the luxury of knowing what he has to beat. However he can’t sit back and wait for the news, as he has to keep a pace up anyway. He has very kindly stopped in at Doringrivier last night, which puts him on the same timeline as Andrew who was there three days ago. He will most definitely not go all the way through to Willowmore, but should be able to catch up to Andrew’s time on the next day. In a one on one race, Tim probably has the edge right now, but there is still a lot of terrain still to go. The weather factor is huge as well, and will definitely play a part in this piece.
Tim had stated a 12 day finish as a goal. That would be coming in on Sunday. Once again, that’s roughly 65hours of riding in 72 hours. With the weather being what it is, we’ve probably seen that plan fall away. A Monday finish would still see the current record dropping by a full day. A Tuesday finish and we could have a photofinish with the three day lag (assuming Andrew gets in on Saturday).
All I can really say, is watch this space!
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Since the race for first is really hotting up, I’ll do my best to try and see what’s possible for our two frontrunners in the upcoming days.
Andrew will be following a final plan of sorts for sure, he’s in the Western Cape for starters. Between him and a hidden but extremely important dam wall lies 400km of mostly moderate terrain, but he’ll be looking into the west and oncoming weather of varying difficulty.
Looking back from Prince Albert(SS19) it’s a big ride up the Swartberg Pass and then down into Die Hel/Gamkaskloof(SS20,87km). Up Die Leer and it’s a stroll of sorts to the Vintage farmstead at Rouxpos(SS20, 70km). Some soft sand will slow your way to Anysberg Nature Reserve(SS22, 80km). Through the plains and dropping down to Montagu(SS23, 77km) where there is some actual traffic. Chop through the Cogmanskloof and come round the back of MacGregor(SS24, 58km) before jumping over the ridge to the elegant retreat of Kasra(SS25, 25km). The last big ride is past Brandvlei to Trouthaven(SS26,84km). Ending it off with a big portage(read bundu bash) and popping out near the Hugenout tunnel one scales the Du Toitskloof pass before Diemersfontein(Finish, 66km).
The final stage of the Freedom Challenge is in many ways its toughest. It goes through an ‘out the way’ valley that has really been put on the map by the race. The Holsloot river runs past Rawsonville and not much further flows into the Breede. The riders are looking for the source of this river as they follow it uphill into this valley called Stettynskloof (regarded as a swear word by many past participants). The final Support Station Trouthaven(SS26) is up this valley
There is a time gate at the Stettynskloof damwall, and riders may only pass it between 10pm and 8am. It is a contentious issue, but is there mainly to prevent people from getting stuck in the kloof overnight. Many a racesnake has eyed this 8am cut-off from as far afield as Gamkaskloof as the rest of the trail can and has been done in darkness. We start looking at time in terms of hours and not days, as sleep becomes a non-essential luxury.
Andrew will have as his first goal a finish on Saturday 27 June, and will see 8am as his target. Any earlier and he could sleep at Trouthaven or get going up the kloof.
He has roughly 36 hours of riding time from Gamkaskloof(SS20) to the dam wall, and about 50hours in which to do it. That’s probably going to have some 2/3 hour catnaps on the way. Forget about even drying your clothes. This is easier said than done, and is similar to his massive day in the Baviaanskloof, but then carrying on further.
His second goal will surely be to beat Tim James’ 2008 record of 14 days, 12 hours and 15 minutes. The cut-off for that is looming 6:15pm, on Saturday. However, one would have to probably get to the dam wall by 5am to have a crack at this target.
However he’ll know only too well that another potential challenge follows about 3 days behind him, and his tired body will have to get to the finish as soon as possible to secure overall victory in the 2009 Race. That will be his third goal, the one he can’t fully control (short of laying thumbtacks along the route!).
Tim James has the luxury of knowing what he has to beat. However he can’t sit back and wait for the news, as he has to keep a pace up anyway. He has very kindly stopped in at Doringrivier last night, which puts him on the same timeline as Andrew who was there three days ago. He will most definitely not go all the way through to Willowmore, but should be able to catch up to Andrew’s time on the next day. In a one on one race, Tim probably has the edge right now, but there is still a lot of terrain still to go. The weather factor is huge as well, and will definitely play a part in this piece.
Tim had stated a 12 day finish as a goal. That would be coming in on Sunday. Once again, that’s roughly 65hours of riding in 72 hours. With the weather being what it is, we’ve probably seen that plan fall away. A Monday finish would still see the current record dropping by a full day. A Tuesday finish and we could have a photofinish with the three day lag (assuming Andrew gets in on Saturday).
All I can really say, is watch this space!
6/24/2009
Dag 9 Romansfontein - Elandsberg
Trek laat weg by Romansfontein weet nie of ons oor Aasvoëlberg mag gaan nie, die duiwel se wind waai weer en die groep kan nie by hou nie. Ek vind my weereens stoksiel alleen, hulle het iewers gaan hoor of hulle oor die berg mag gaan en of hulle 'n ander pad moet neem.
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| Sneeu of Aasvoëlberg !!!! |
Die duiwel se snerpende wind waai weer, gaan dit nooit ophou nie ? Ek jaag vir die vale, want net voor Elandsberg is daar weer 'n portage en ek is nie lus om weer te verdwaal nie, die paaie is beter en meer begaanbaar, maar jy wonder die heel tyd : " Is ek op die regte pad " Ek betree die Vlekpoort, dis so asof die Karoo voor jou oopmaak, vlakte en vlaktes so ver jy kan sien, hierdie is mos meer my tipe plat wêreld, wêreld waaraan ek gewoond is en wat die verskil in my race kan maak, hier kan ek dalk bietjie jaag....
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| Die Vlekvlakte |
Ek snel verby Hofmeyr, sal volgende keer 'n pie kom eet, maar nou moet ek jaag vir laaste lig, dis so asof jy die heel dag die son jaag, nie dat die son die pad duideliker vir jou uitspel nie of makliker maak nie, dis net die donker huisves die in jou moer in verdwaal ongediertes. Ek jaag soos 'n besetene die laaste deel van die grondpad net om die vertroosting te kan hê dat ek darem die portage reg begin....
Sukkel baie om die begin van die portage te kry, in die kwynende strale van die son bepyns ek weereens die kaart, bepaal my rigting, identifiseer my landmerke, kry 'n fokus punt in die verte en moer toe maar voort. Dit word donker en ek bliksem deur die een donga na die volgende, my fokus punt 'n nek in die verte, drie koppie aan die regtekant en Elandsberg aan die linkerkant, ver in die donkerte is 'n ligskynsel vermoedelik Cradock se ligte kring en dis vir die skynsel waarvoor ek mik en die een doringbos na die ander trotseer.
Uit die donkernag verskyn 'n jeep track en al waaraan ek kan dink is : " Dankie Here, baie baie dankie dat U my op die regte spoor geplaas het !" en ek volg die jeep track moeiteloos tot by die Elandsberg opstal.
Weereens vind ek 'n veilige vesting, buite loei 'n snerpende Duiwels wind, daar is nog 6 ryers wat pad soek na Elandsberg, hulle bel my op die sel al soekende na pad, ek probeer verduidelik, die sein raak weg en ek kan maar net hoop hulle vind die plek. Dis 12 uur en ek lê dankbaar in 'n snoesige bed in my eie kamer en wag vir Klaas Vakie om sy werk te doen.
Blazing saddles in the Drakensberg
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Things are hotting up in the 2300 km 2009 Freedom Challenge non-stop mountain bike race from Pietermaritzburg to Diemersfontein Wine Estate outside Cape Town.
Over the weekend early race leader, Andrew Barnes from Pietermaritzburg, followed up his 85km run in the inaugural Duzi Trail Run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg by then setting out into the interior of southern Kwa Zulu Natal with Australian ironman Dave Barr.
Three days later, approaching the escarpment of the Maluti Drakensberg Barnes broke away. Since then he has not let up. Riding alone through the settlement of Rhodes he then headed up the valleys of the Sterkspruit. The following day he took on the portages of Kapokkraal, Slaapkranz and Bonthoek before picking up the track ridden by General Jan Smuts and his commando when they entered the Cape Colony in 1901.
Rather than pushing on deep into the night, as was expected, early on Thursday evening he stopped for the night in the shadow of the Hangberg, near Jamestown. "Whilst my head wants to push on my legs simply will not", he said. Whilst Barnes is experiencing considerable fatigue he has not had to endure the hardships of that commando which battled through sleet and extreme cold. It has been sunny weather in the Stormberg. Barnes is now headed off the Drakensberg escarpment and into the Great Karoo. At this stage he is a day ahead of the schedule maintained by 2008 winner Tim James in his record-breaking ride.
Tim James himself was part of the last group of riders to leave Pietermaritzburg, departing on Tuesday morning. Since then he has shown every intention of bettering his own record and beating Barnes.He reached the Ntsikeni Nature Reserve after riding continuously for 16 hours in the process covering 206 kilometres and climbing 5600 kilometres. After sleeping he then pushed on off Swartberg and into the valley of the Umzimvubu, arriving at the Masakala lodge 3 hours faster than Barnes did. From there he pushed on into the night to arrive at the Malekhalonyane lodge near midnight.
From there it now must be seen whether he can take on the 4 kilometre ascent of Lehana’s Pass that climbs 1000 metres up the face of the Maluti Drakensberg escarpment to arrive at Rhodes in day. If so it will put him ahead of Barnes’ early pace.
Whilst the main drama of the 2009 Freedom Challenge is currently centred on the race leaders, others are playing themselves out in the valleys and mountains of southern Kwa Zulu Natal and the Eastern Cape.. The difficulties of Australian Dave Barr, who is battling with saddle sores, has captured the attention of South African inventor Graeme Murray who has freighted one of his customized "Tour de Force" orthoped saddles to Rhodes for collection by Barr, hopefully bring some relief to his blazing backside.
The demanding climbs and difficult terrain of the trail has taken its toll on other riders. Having left Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday morning, by the afternoon, Mike Roy and Andy Masters, were lost in the dense thicket of a remote valley of the UmkomaasRiver. By nightfall they had become separated. Roy spent the night under the stars whilst Masters was more fortunate, obtaining refuge for the night in a local hut.
Speaking the next morning Masters, who is from the UK, was unusually upbeat. Explaining his mood he said "There I was a complete stranger knocking on someone’s door in the middle of nowhere and I was given a bed for the night. I simply love this country and its people."
Other riders who have gone astray or failed to reach designated overnight stops have similarly benefited from the hospitality and genorisity of rural villagers who have been willing to give them a bed late at night. The oldest rider in the field, 66 year old Gavin Greig, was forced to seek a bed in a local hut when he had failed to make Ntsikeni by midnight.
The progress of the riders in what some are now calling "the Everest of mountain biking" is undoubtedly being made easier by the good weather in the eastern part but with the testing climbs that now lie behind Barnes.
Things are hotting up in the 2300 km 2009 Freedom Challenge non-stop mountain bike race from Pietermaritzburg to Diemersfontein Wine Estate outside Cape Town.
Over the weekend early race leader, Andrew Barnes from Pietermaritzburg, followed up his 85km run in the inaugural Duzi Trail Run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg by then setting out into the interior of southern Kwa Zulu Natal with Australian ironman Dave Barr.
Three days later, approaching the escarpment of the Maluti Drakensberg Barnes broke away. Since then he has not let up. Riding alone through the settlement of Rhodes he then headed up the valleys of the Sterkspruit. The following day he took on the portages of Kapokkraal, Slaapkranz and Bonthoek before picking up the track ridden by General Jan Smuts and his commando when they entered the Cape Colony in 1901.
Rather than pushing on deep into the night, as was expected, early on Thursday evening he stopped for the night in the shadow of the Hangberg, near Jamestown. "Whilst my head wants to push on my legs simply will not", he said. Whilst Barnes is experiencing considerable fatigue he has not had to endure the hardships of that commando which battled through sleet and extreme cold. It has been sunny weather in the Stormberg. Barnes is now headed off the Drakensberg escarpment and into the Great Karoo. At this stage he is a day ahead of the schedule maintained by 2008 winner Tim James in his record-breaking ride.
Tim James himself was part of the last group of riders to leave Pietermaritzburg, departing on Tuesday morning. Since then he has shown every intention of bettering his own record and beating Barnes.He reached the Ntsikeni Nature Reserve after riding continuously for 16 hours in the process covering 206 kilometres and climbing 5600 kilometres. After sleeping he then pushed on off Swartberg and into the valley of the Umzimvubu, arriving at the Masakala lodge 3 hours faster than Barnes did. From there he pushed on into the night to arrive at the Malekhalonyane lodge near midnight.
From there it now must be seen whether he can take on the 4 kilometre ascent of Lehana’s Pass that climbs 1000 metres up the face of the Maluti Drakensberg escarpment to arrive at Rhodes in day. If so it will put him ahead of Barnes’ early pace.
Whilst the main drama of the 2009 Freedom Challenge is currently centred on the race leaders, others are playing themselves out in the valleys and mountains of southern Kwa Zulu Natal and the Eastern Cape.. The difficulties of Australian Dave Barr, who is battling with saddle sores, has captured the attention of South African inventor Graeme Murray who has freighted one of his customized "Tour de Force" orthoped saddles to Rhodes for collection by Barr, hopefully bring some relief to his blazing backside.
The demanding climbs and difficult terrain of the trail has taken its toll on other riders. Having left Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday morning, by the afternoon, Mike Roy and Andy Masters, were lost in the dense thicket of a remote valley of the UmkomaasRiver. By nightfall they had become separated. Roy spent the night under the stars whilst Masters was more fortunate, obtaining refuge for the night in a local hut.
Speaking the next morning Masters, who is from the UK, was unusually upbeat. Explaining his mood he said "There I was a complete stranger knocking on someone’s door in the middle of nowhere and I was given a bed for the night. I simply love this country and its people."
Other riders who have gone astray or failed to reach designated overnight stops have similarly benefited from the hospitality and genorisity of rural villagers who have been willing to give them a bed late at night. The oldest rider in the field, 66 year old Gavin Greig, was forced to seek a bed in a local hut when he had failed to make Ntsikeni by midnight.
The progress of the riders in what some are now calling "the Everest of mountain biking" is undoubtedly being made easier by the good weather in the eastern part but with the testing climbs that now lie behind Barnes.
Go till you Blow
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Jamestown 22 June 2009,
The pace is picking up in the 2009 Freedom Challenge non-stop mountain bike race across South Africa. The pace of early race leader Andrew Barnes who left Pietermaritzburg on Saturday 13 June 2009 has been matched by Freedom Challenge veteran and record holder Tim James of Team Squirt riding Scott.
Starting from Pietermaritzburg 4 days after Barnes James put in three monumental days of riding to cover 500 kilometres and climb 11150 cumulative metres to reach the village of Rhodes high in the Maluti Drakensberg mountains, arriving there on Thursday half a day faster than Barnes. Needing to recover from the effort of the previous three days, on Friday James then only succeeded in riding 107 kms up the Sterkspruit river through to the next support station at Slaapkranz in the valley of the Vaalhoekspruit.
On his fifth day of riding and having recovered slightly, he then pushed on through the Stormberg and by nightfall he had passed through the next support station at Vaalbank outside Jamestown and was heading on towards Molteno.
With this nighttime push through towards Molteno James will be building a lead on Barnes who at the end of his fifth day of riding had stopped for the night at Vaalbank. In the meantime, Barnes has managed to maintain a constant pace. Despite regularly pushing through support stations and riding long days, he appears to be riding conservatively. On his 6th day of riding he pushed from Vaalbank passed Molteno and over the Aasvoelsberg to drop into the Great Karoo, stopping for the night in the village of Hofmeyr. The next day he rode through the basin of the Great Fish River and into Olive Schreiner’s Swaershoek Mountains. On Saturday he then took on the Struishoek descent at the back of the Bruintjieshooogte and the rest of the day was spent riding through the plains of the Camdeboo.
It now remains to be seen whether on the one hand James will be able to build on the advantage that he has secured by pushing through Vaalbank and on the other whether Barnes, through securing good nighttime rest, has laid a platform on which he can now start putting in a big push to the finish.
Further back in the field, other riders have at various times sought to push ahead. Mike Woolnough and Glenn Harrison of Snapper Display who are riding the only tandem in the race were amongst a number of riders including single speed rider Andre Britz, Freedom Challenge finisher Francois Riekert and Marnitz Nienaber from the Northwest who pushed through the first support station at Mackenzie in the Umkomaas valley to stop for the night at the Centocow Mission on the banks of the Umzimkulu River.
Northwest mielie farmer Carl Crous persuaded Capetownian Derrick Baard to leave early from the first support station at Mc Kenzie in the Umkomaas valley in an effort to match the early break by his northwest riding partner Nienaber and push through the next support station at Ntsikeni and on towards Masakala outside Matatiele. Their efforts came to nought. In the darkness they got lost in the forests around Donnybrook as a result of which they lost time and were force to stop for the night at Ntsikeni.
Further ahead Shane Harrison and Brett Rheeders pushed through the Malekhalonyane support station and on through Black Fountain. Unable to negotiate the single track descent to Tinana Mission in darkness they were forced to take a cold night’s refuge in a simple stone shepherd’s hut. By the next day they had fallen back into their main batch.
At the end of its first week those riders who have been participating in the Ride to Rhodes which is run in parallel with the Freedom Challenge head home. Ride to Rhodes finisher Brian Squires described his ride as an experience that serves as wonderful to introduction to true trail riding in Africa.
Meanwhile the bulk of the field in the Freedom Challenge Race Across South Africa now into the Stormberg. With heavy snows and bad weather forecast they will need to endure cold and wet similar to that described by Denys Reitz in his account of Smuts’ commando in Anglo Boer war.
Jamestown 22 June 2009,
The pace is picking up in the 2009 Freedom Challenge non-stop mountain bike race across South Africa. The pace of early race leader Andrew Barnes who left Pietermaritzburg on Saturday 13 June 2009 has been matched by Freedom Challenge veteran and record holder Tim James of Team Squirt riding Scott.
Starting from Pietermaritzburg 4 days after Barnes James put in three monumental days of riding to cover 500 kilometres and climb 11150 cumulative metres to reach the village of Rhodes high in the Maluti Drakensberg mountains, arriving there on Thursday half a day faster than Barnes. Needing to recover from the effort of the previous three days, on Friday James then only succeeded in riding 107 kms up the Sterkspruit river through to the next support station at Slaapkranz in the valley of the Vaalhoekspruit.
On his fifth day of riding and having recovered slightly, he then pushed on through the Stormberg and by nightfall he had passed through the next support station at Vaalbank outside Jamestown and was heading on towards Molteno.
With this nighttime push through towards Molteno James will be building a lead on Barnes who at the end of his fifth day of riding had stopped for the night at Vaalbank. In the meantime, Barnes has managed to maintain a constant pace. Despite regularly pushing through support stations and riding long days, he appears to be riding conservatively. On his 6th day of riding he pushed from Vaalbank passed Molteno and over the Aasvoelsberg to drop into the Great Karoo, stopping for the night in the village of Hofmeyr. The next day he rode through the basin of the Great Fish River and into Olive Schreiner’s Swaershoek Mountains. On Saturday he then took on the Struishoek descent at the back of the Bruintjieshooogte and the rest of the day was spent riding through the plains of the Camdeboo.
It now remains to be seen whether on the one hand James will be able to build on the advantage that he has secured by pushing through Vaalbank and on the other whether Barnes, through securing good nighttime rest, has laid a platform on which he can now start putting in a big push to the finish.
Further back in the field, other riders have at various times sought to push ahead. Mike Woolnough and Glenn Harrison of Snapper Display who are riding the only tandem in the race were amongst a number of riders including single speed rider Andre Britz, Freedom Challenge finisher Francois Riekert and Marnitz Nienaber from the Northwest who pushed through the first support station at Mackenzie in the Umkomaas valley to stop for the night at the Centocow Mission on the banks of the Umzimkulu River.
Northwest mielie farmer Carl Crous persuaded Capetownian Derrick Baard to leave early from the first support station at Mc Kenzie in the Umkomaas valley in an effort to match the early break by his northwest riding partner Nienaber and push through the next support station at Ntsikeni and on towards Masakala outside Matatiele. Their efforts came to nought. In the darkness they got lost in the forests around Donnybrook as a result of which they lost time and were force to stop for the night at Ntsikeni.
Further ahead Shane Harrison and Brett Rheeders pushed through the Malekhalonyane support station and on through Black Fountain. Unable to negotiate the single track descent to Tinana Mission in darkness they were forced to take a cold night’s refuge in a simple stone shepherd’s hut. By the next day they had fallen back into their main batch.
At the end of its first week those riders who have been participating in the Ride to Rhodes which is run in parallel with the Freedom Challenge head home. Ride to Rhodes finisher Brian Squires described his ride as an experience that serves as wonderful to introduction to true trail riding in Africa.
Meanwhile the bulk of the field in the Freedom Challenge Race Across South Africa now into the Stormberg. With heavy snows and bad weather forecast they will need to endure cold and wet similar to that described by Denys Reitz in his account of Smuts’ commando in Anglo Boer war.
6/23/2009
Dag 8 Brostelea - Romasfontein
Die duiwel het 'n kopwind afgevuur om ons op te donner, as jy baie gelukkig was kon jy dalk 12km/h teen 'n moerse afdraande kry. Ek het so bietjie na die ander manne weggespring, maar vang hulle sommer gou voor die eerste afdraai, die manner redekawel weer om te besin of hulle op die regte pad is en ek laat hulle in hul innige gesprek agter, vorder goed tot by Stromberg.
Was gou die ergste polisiehond modder van my fiets af en val weer in die pad, dis vrek koud en die wind waai my siel uit my uit, stadig maar seker vorder ek teen Stormberg op al soekende na die pad, hier is baie afdraai padjie en toe ek my kry is ek bo in Stormberg ver van enige begaanbare padjie. Nooit gedink die wind sal my gewese 90 kg lyfie kan omwaai nie, sommer 2 keer op Stormberg. Beplanning....... wat's dit ?
Oor so lang race speel die elemente so groot rol dat enige beplanning vir 'n bol gaan, in die verte in die vlaktes sien ek 'n Engelse blokhuis en ek donner teen die berg af na die blokhuis. Iets sê my ek moes vroeër afgedraai het, gelukkig weet ek, ek is op die regte pad, by die blokhuis aangekom bepyns ek weer die kaart en in die verte gewaar ek nog 'n blokhuis, die blokhuis waar ek eintlik moes wees en so maak ek my eie Freedom zig zag padtjie. Die roete aanwysing praat iets van mik vir die Stormberg Blokhuis, watter een van die twee sal dit dan nou eintlik wees, die versteekte een of die alleenstaande duidelik sigbare blokhuis ?
Dis toe die versteekte blokhuis naby die handelspos........
Maak 'n wille draai op die Sandfontein plaas, moes blykbaar nie daar afdraai nie, hervat toe maar weer die regte pad, eintlik is dit maklik om die regte pad te identifiseer, soek net die modderigste spoorlose pad jy sal weldrae uitkom waar jy moet uitkom of nie moes uitkom nie, dis so half of moertoe verdwaal verpligtend is op die Freedom.
Die donder wolke pak wees saam en ek durf die laaste 8 km na Romansfontein in die ysige reën aan, te bly om aan Stefanie en Wil se deur aan te klop. Dis so asof die warboel van modderige paaie, die bedrieglike afdraai padjies, die wind en die weer agter jou toegesluit word met die toemaak van die deur, jy betree 'n nuwe wêreld vol warmte, gasvryheid en liefde agter die skanse van die toe deur......
Die race is hard, eintlik fokken hard, jy moet bietjie mal wees om dit te doen, ek dink ek is nou al baie mal, want ek praat nou al self in tale wat ek nie eers verstaan nie.
Beplanning vir more, moontlike temp 1 tot -14, enkel diepte sneeu, beplanning na vandag se 6,6 km per uur worsteling, niks ek gaan net my kop sak en voort donner, hoop ek haal Hofmeyr...
Was gou die ergste polisiehond modder van my fiets af en val weer in die pad, dis vrek koud en die wind waai my siel uit my uit, stadig maar seker vorder ek teen Stormberg op al soekende na die pad, hier is baie afdraai padjie en toe ek my kry is ek bo in Stormberg ver van enige begaanbare padjie. Nooit gedink die wind sal my gewese 90 kg lyfie kan omwaai nie, sommer 2 keer op Stormberg. Beplanning....... wat's dit ?
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| Die regte Stormberg Blokhuis |
Dis toe die versteekte blokhuis naby die handelspos........
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| Die verkeerde Blokhuis......... |
Maak 'n wille draai op die Sandfontein plaas, moes blykbaar nie daar afdraai nie, hervat toe maar weer die regte pad, eintlik is dit maklik om die regte pad te identifiseer, soek net die modderigste spoorlose pad jy sal weldrae uitkom waar jy moet uitkom of nie moes uitkom nie, dis so half of moertoe verdwaal verpligtend is op die Freedom.
Die donder wolke pak wees saam en ek durf die laaste 8 km na Romansfontein in die ysige reën aan, te bly om aan Stefanie en Wil se deur aan te klop. Dis so asof die warboel van modderige paaie, die bedrieglike afdraai padjies, die wind en die weer agter jou toegesluit word met die toemaak van die deur, jy betree 'n nuwe wêreld vol warmte, gasvryheid en liefde agter die skanse van die toe deur......
Die race is hard, eintlik fokken hard, jy moet bietjie mal wees om dit te doen, ek dink ek is nou al baie mal, want ek praat nou al self in tale wat ek nie eers verstaan nie.
Beplanning vir more, moontlike temp 1 tot -14, enkel diepte sneeu, beplanning na vandag se 6,6 km per uur worsteling, niks ek gaan net my kop sak en voort donner, hoop ek haal Hofmeyr...
Battered riders battle on
Battered riders battle on
CradockWednesday 23 June 2009
As bad weather sweeps across South Africa riders in the the 2009 Freedom Challenge non-stop mountain bike race from Pietermaritzburg to Diemersfontein Wine Estate outside Paarl are experiencing mixed fortunes.
Freedom Challenge extreme triathlete, Andrew Barnes took the lead from early race leader Tim James of Team Squirt riding Scott when James slowed in the Stormberg. Barnes, who started from Pietermaritzburg 4 days ahead of James, then found his progress from Willowmore through the Moordenaars Karoo towards Prince Albert slowed by driving gale-force headwinds. Worn down by the previous day of riding through the Groot Rivier Poort and up the length of the Baviaanskloof, Barnes battled to cover 90 kms of flat riding directly into the wind. After 10 hours of joyless riding he stopped for the day at the farm Rondawel. On Wednesday morning, with a slight break in the weather, he rode on into Prince Albert and up the Swartberg Pass. By nightfall he was headed towards the Gamkaskloof in the Swartberg.
James, meanwhile, appears to have recovered from his difficult day in the Stormberg and has made good progress across the catchment of the Great Fish River. After stopping for the night at the farm Stuttgart on Tuesday he rode up into the Swaershoek before taking on the Struishoek descent and crossing into the plains of the Camdeboo. The following morning he followed the Voëlrivier down to the Toekomst support station on the banks of the Darlington Dam in the Steytlerville District. He left Toekomst in the late morning. This was 5 hours later than Barnes left there 4 days earlier. It must now be seen whether James can maintain his current pace and take advantage of Barnes’s slow day out of Willowmore to wipe out Barnes’s effective 5 hour lead.
Meanwhile, further back in the field, injuries and adverse weather have caused 20% of the riders to withdraw. Those remaining are soldiering on. Mike Roy, who started riding with his bird book and binoculars, cannot have seen much birdlife in the last few days. Most sensible birds have surely sought shelter from the current cold and cloud. He is accompanied by crocodile fighter, Tim van Coller. Tim, who beat off a crocodile attack when paddling alone down the length of the Zambezi River will surely not be daunted by a bit of rain, wind, cold or snow. On Wednesday they rode slowly up the valley of the Sterkspruit River, 2 days behind the rest of the field, but savouring the experience.
Ahead of them “Two bike” Derrick Baard spent the night in the Rossouw police station whilst not-so-fat Ixopo farmer, Eric Egeland, is riding with Esti du Plessis and Andre Eksteen towards Molteno. Fiona Coward, Doug Kennaugh and Gregg Donnagh left their wool bales on the farm Gouevlei to ride through Molteno and on to the next support station at Romansfontein.
Ahead of them North West mielie farmer and Freedom Challenge veteran Carl Crous has joined forces with Namibians Louis Wessels and Pierre le Roux and Mossel Bay wild man Mark Mitchell to help him hunt down his North West riding partner Marnitz Nienaber. Nienaber left Crous after the two had crossed the Umkomaas River shortly after leaving Pietermaritzburg and, since then, has maintained a consistent lead on Crous.
Nienaber was part of a large group that left Romansfontein on Wednesday morning to cross the Aasvoëlsberg and drop off the escarpment of the southern Drakensberg into the Fish River basin. Included in the group are Derek Hall-Jones, woman rider Estelle Labuschange, Errol Derrick who despite the poor weather is proceeding with far greater efficiency than was the case when taking on the race in 2008, Sean Woolnough and Brett Rheeders. They had joined GIANT rider Siceko Maraneni, a guide from the Maluti section of the Freedom Challenge who set a good pace through the Stormberg before falling back. Presumably they have left the worst of the cold behind them.
Riding well ahead of them are Freedom Challenge veteran Francois Riekert and the Snapper Display tandem duo of Mike Woolnough and Glenn Harrison. The charge of the tandem has slowed considerably in the last few days, partly as a result of the difficulty of hauling a 40 kg bike over the mountain portages of the Stormberg and partly as a result of the acute ITB that Woolnough has developed. As they move through the halfway point in the race, Harrison must be wondering, should Woolnough withdraw, how he can single-handedly get the tandem to the race finish at Diemersfontein outside Paarl.
Ahead of them, early race leader Australian Dave Barr not only seems to be benefiting from his orthopedic saddle but is relishing the sheepskin covering subsequently provided by Stormberg farmer Jim Stretton. Also benefiting from the sheepskin treatment are his co-riders and fellow Extreme Triathletes, Ugene Nel and Trevor Ball as well as big man Steve Honey.
With driving winds and more bad weather moving into the interior of the South Africa the 2009 Freedom Challenge is proving to be a test of physical and mental fortitude.
CradockWednesday 23 June 2009
As bad weather sweeps across South Africa riders in the the 2009 Freedom Challenge non-stop mountain bike race from Pietermaritzburg to Diemersfontein Wine Estate outside Paarl are experiencing mixed fortunes.
Freedom Challenge extreme triathlete, Andrew Barnes took the lead from early race leader Tim James of Team Squirt riding Scott when James slowed in the Stormberg. Barnes, who started from Pietermaritzburg 4 days ahead of James, then found his progress from Willowmore through the Moordenaars Karoo towards Prince Albert slowed by driving gale-force headwinds. Worn down by the previous day of riding through the Groot Rivier Poort and up the length of the Baviaanskloof, Barnes battled to cover 90 kms of flat riding directly into the wind. After 10 hours of joyless riding he stopped for the day at the farm Rondawel. On Wednesday morning, with a slight break in the weather, he rode on into Prince Albert and up the Swartberg Pass. By nightfall he was headed towards the Gamkaskloof in the Swartberg.
James, meanwhile, appears to have recovered from his difficult day in the Stormberg and has made good progress across the catchment of the Great Fish River. After stopping for the night at the farm Stuttgart on Tuesday he rode up into the Swaershoek before taking on the Struishoek descent and crossing into the plains of the Camdeboo. The following morning he followed the Voëlrivier down to the Toekomst support station on the banks of the Darlington Dam in the Steytlerville District. He left Toekomst in the late morning. This was 5 hours later than Barnes left there 4 days earlier. It must now be seen whether James can maintain his current pace and take advantage of Barnes’s slow day out of Willowmore to wipe out Barnes’s effective 5 hour lead.
Meanwhile, further back in the field, injuries and adverse weather have caused 20% of the riders to withdraw. Those remaining are soldiering on. Mike Roy, who started riding with his bird book and binoculars, cannot have seen much birdlife in the last few days. Most sensible birds have surely sought shelter from the current cold and cloud. He is accompanied by crocodile fighter, Tim van Coller. Tim, who beat off a crocodile attack when paddling alone down the length of the Zambezi River will surely not be daunted by a bit of rain, wind, cold or snow. On Wednesday they rode slowly up the valley of the Sterkspruit River, 2 days behind the rest of the field, but savouring the experience.
Ahead of them “Two bike” Derrick Baard spent the night in the Rossouw police station whilst not-so-fat Ixopo farmer, Eric Egeland, is riding with Esti du Plessis and Andre Eksteen towards Molteno. Fiona Coward, Doug Kennaugh and Gregg Donnagh left their wool bales on the farm Gouevlei to ride through Molteno and on to the next support station at Romansfontein.
Ahead of them North West mielie farmer and Freedom Challenge veteran Carl Crous has joined forces with Namibians Louis Wessels and Pierre le Roux and Mossel Bay wild man Mark Mitchell to help him hunt down his North West riding partner Marnitz Nienaber. Nienaber left Crous after the two had crossed the Umkomaas River shortly after leaving Pietermaritzburg and, since then, has maintained a consistent lead on Crous.
Nienaber was part of a large group that left Romansfontein on Wednesday morning to cross the Aasvoëlsberg and drop off the escarpment of the southern Drakensberg into the Fish River basin. Included in the group are Derek Hall-Jones, woman rider Estelle Labuschange, Errol Derrick who despite the poor weather is proceeding with far greater efficiency than was the case when taking on the race in 2008, Sean Woolnough and Brett Rheeders. They had joined GIANT rider Siceko Maraneni, a guide from the Maluti section of the Freedom Challenge who set a good pace through the Stormberg before falling back. Presumably they have left the worst of the cold behind them.
Riding well ahead of them are Freedom Challenge veteran Francois Riekert and the Snapper Display tandem duo of Mike Woolnough and Glenn Harrison. The charge of the tandem has slowed considerably in the last few days, partly as a result of the difficulty of hauling a 40 kg bike over the mountain portages of the Stormberg and partly as a result of the acute ITB that Woolnough has developed. As they move through the halfway point in the race, Harrison must be wondering, should Woolnough withdraw, how he can single-handedly get the tandem to the race finish at Diemersfontein outside Paarl.
Ahead of them, early race leader Australian Dave Barr not only seems to be benefiting from his orthopedic saddle but is relishing the sheepskin covering subsequently provided by Stormberg farmer Jim Stretton. Also benefiting from the sheepskin treatment are his co-riders and fellow Extreme Triathletes, Ugene Nel and Trevor Ball as well as big man Steve Honey.
With driving winds and more bad weather moving into the interior of the South Africa the 2009 Freedom Challenge is proving to be a test of physical and mental fortitude.
6/22/2009
Dag 7 Moordenaarspoort - Brostelea
Ek is letterlik uit my skoene toe Andre Britz my sê dat Eduard op pad is met nuwe skoene, 9H00 daag hy op met 'n ekstra geskenkie my wonderlike vroutjie, ek wil sommer huil, die emosies van die afgelope week wel in my op, dis soos 'n dam wat wil bars, ek wil hulle van alles vertel maar ek weet nie waar om te begin nie en die tyd staan nie stil nie. Hulle het gister weggespring uit Klerksdorp, in Bloemfontein oornag en vroeg vanoggend deurgeskiet na Jamestown en toe die modderige pad gly-gly na Kranzkop aangedurf. Sandra en Diederick voorsien hulle van 'n bakkie vir die laaste stuk na Moordenaarspoort, stads karre is nie gemaak vir die modderige paaie nie, my skoene ook nie. Ek wil my vroutjie net vashou, ek is baie broos en het haar liefde regtig baie nodig, wens ek kon haar in my rugsak inpak en saamvat en in 'n oogwink neem ons afskeid en ek durf die baie moeiliker meer emosionele pad nou aan. My hart vergaan van verlange, al waaraan ek dink is Melanie en die kinders en asof dit nie genoeg reën nie stort ek sommer nog 'n traan of twee, moet ek nie maar ophou en saam met hulle terugry nie, ek was in die regte army en ek het mos my deel van bloed en sweet en afkak daar gehad, hoekom dan nou weer ?
In die warboel van gevoelens en verlange sê ek vir Mark hy moet maar gaan, ek nodig tyd om myself weer te vind, maar hoe vind jy jouself in die warboel van ysreën en oneindige modder, hoe vra ek jou ? Mark verdwyn in die verte en stadig vind ek myself, die Freedom Challenge was my keuse, niemand het my gedwing nie, ek het dit begin en ek gaan dit klaarmaak, mens hou nie net op nie, jy veg eers en wanneer jy jou laaste asem uitblaas, dan gee jy eers oor.......
Ek kry vir Andrè langs die pad, hy geniet ook nie die warboel nie, ons ry so rukkie saam en dan groet ek hom, my visie raak weer duidelik soos die gly spore wat Mark vir my agter gelaat het, ek vang hom net voor Vaalbank, Sandra is oppad met lekker kos. Sy vertel my wat 'n wonderlike vrou en vriend ek het, hulle moet baie spesiaal wees om so ver te ry en my in my nood te hulp te snel, en die verlange wel weer op in my.
Mark besluit hy het eers genoeg gehad, hy gaan bietjie rus en van die warmte inneem voordat hy more weer die tog sal aanpak en ek bevind my weer alleen in die alomteenwoordige koue en modder, alles loop goed en ek hou koers met my nuwe skoene. Ek kan nou weer trap en ek bou spoed op, net om weer die pad byster te raak voordat ek die Jamestown teerpad moet kruis, ek is so 3km links van die spoor af en 'n vriendelike boer beduie my so 4km terug na die teerpad en ek vat weer die regte spoor. Wat is nou 8km draai op die Freedom Challenge ?
Vordering is stadig, die pad is glad nie lekker nie, ek is weer alleen in die helse koue en hopelik is ek op die regte pad, sien 'n bewegende liggie in die verte net na die Gansvlei stasie, stadig maar seker rol ek die liggie in, dis Brett en ek weet nie wie is meer gatvol as die ander nie. Dis weer 'n klipperige hobbel pad, die blitse sak op ons neer en die reën verdrink ons en ek wens ek was al by die warmte, net na 21H00 trek ek by Brostelea in, op soos ou skoene, gelukkig blaas die warmte en lekker kos weer nuwe moed in my are in....
In die warboel van gevoelens en verlange sê ek vir Mark hy moet maar gaan, ek nodig tyd om myself weer te vind, maar hoe vind jy jouself in die warboel van ysreën en oneindige modder, hoe vra ek jou ? Mark verdwyn in die verte en stadig vind ek myself, die Freedom Challenge was my keuse, niemand het my gedwing nie, ek het dit begin en ek gaan dit klaarmaak, mens hou nie net op nie, jy veg eers en wanneer jy jou laaste asem uitblaas, dan gee jy eers oor.......
Ek kry vir Andrè langs die pad, hy geniet ook nie die warboel nie, ons ry so rukkie saam en dan groet ek hom, my visie raak weer duidelik soos die gly spore wat Mark vir my agter gelaat het, ek vang hom net voor Vaalbank, Sandra is oppad met lekker kos. Sy vertel my wat 'n wonderlike vrou en vriend ek het, hulle moet baie spesiaal wees om so ver te ry en my in my nood te hulp te snel, en die verlange wel weer op in my.
Mark besluit hy het eers genoeg gehad, hy gaan bietjie rus en van die warmte inneem voordat hy more weer die tog sal aanpak en ek bevind my weer alleen in die alomteenwoordige koue en modder, alles loop goed en ek hou koers met my nuwe skoene. Ek kan nou weer trap en ek bou spoed op, net om weer die pad byster te raak voordat ek die Jamestown teerpad moet kruis, ek is so 3km links van die spoor af en 'n vriendelike boer beduie my so 4km terug na die teerpad en ek vat weer die regte spoor. Wat is nou 8km draai op die Freedom Challenge ?
Vordering is stadig, die pad is glad nie lekker nie, ek is weer alleen in die helse koue en hopelik is ek op die regte pad, sien 'n bewegende liggie in die verte net na die Gansvlei stasie, stadig maar seker rol ek die liggie in, dis Brett en ek weet nie wie is meer gatvol as die ander nie. Dis weer 'n klipperige hobbel pad, die blitse sak op ons neer en die reën verdrink ons en ek wens ek was al by die warmte, net na 21H00 trek ek by Brostelea in, op soos ou skoene, gelukkig blaas die warmte en lekker kos weer nuwe moed in my are in....
My linker knie en regter elmboog bietjie seer, gat verskriklik seer, die potklei en modder maak 'n onvergeetlik grinding paste wat geen agterstewe ontsien nie, probeer nie daaraan dink nie, my gedagtes by my familie en pelle.
Waarvoor is swart potklui goed ? Voel nogal lekker tussen die tone, onaangenaam tussen die boude maar eintlik net goed om 'n fiets op te f@k.
6/21/2009
Dag 6 Chesney World - Moordenaarspoort
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| Vadersdag Marnitz en Mark by Spitskop opstal. |
Wanneer is genoeg genoeg en wanneer kan jy nie meer nie?
Lehana's pas is 'n bliksem ek het respek vir enigiemand wat net daar uitloop wat nog te sê van 'n rugsak en 'n fiets in die hoogvoor met stomsterk rukwinde. Nadat ek Lehana oorwin het sien ek sommer vir baie kans en ons mik sommer vir Vaalbank, hoe dan nou dit kan moes nie erger word nie.
Ek word wakker met die gedruis van reën op die sinkdak, eintlik lekkerder om na die reën op die sinkdak te luister onder die warm snoesige komberse as om die koue aan te durf, maar ek is nie hier om te lê nie, ek is hier om te race. Die reën bedaar en ons val in die pad, lekker modderig en vordering is maar aan die stadige kant, ons gly-gly ons pad oop na Kappokkraal en ek sien iets broei in die verte.....
So halpad op teen die portage bars die broeisel en ontaard in 'n helse storm, net betyds om ons reënjasse aan panser veg ons die ysreën, jy kan nie verder as 15m voor jou sien nie, gelukkig weet ons, ons moet op boontoe na die nek wat ons nou glad nie meer kan sien nie. Die hele plek is blykbaar uit swart potklei aanmekaar gesit en so beur ons drie tree vorentoe net om vyf tree terug te gly. Met die bokomslag is die storm net so vinnig verby as wat dit gebore is en die son skyn weer. Eensklaps besef ek dis Vadersdag, vra Mark of hy kinders het en wens hom toe sommer 'n baie gelukkige Vadersdag toe, nadat ek van sy steunpilaar seun verneem.
Die storm het die vallei in 'n kleiput verander, gelukkig is dit afdraande na Slaapkranz en so gly ons die berg af tot by die volgende warm support station, Joyce verwelkom ons met vuurwarm gasvryheid en baie lekker kos, ek probeer die swart klei van die fietse verwyder met 'n ysige tuinslang. Nog twee portages oor, gelukkig skuin die son en behoort dit nie te erg te wees nie, ek sou my woorde gou opvreet. Slaapkrans portage is 'n bliksem, dit begin gelydelik en bliksem dan reguit teen die berg op, reguit sê ek jou, niks se gezig zag nie, pyl reguit en om dit nog moeiliker te maak is dit met polisiehond modder besaai. Jy weet mos wanneer 'n polisie hond byt los hy nie, hy wurg die laaste bietjie energie uit jou uit en dit smaak my ek sleep 'n paar van die honde die berg uit.....
Bogekom het my skoen die gees gegee, hy's dood daar is niks meer oor nie, ek loop op my kous wat langs die kant uitpeel al soekende na vastrap plek. 'n Wonerwerk gebeur, my sel lui en dis Eduard Herselman, my getroue vriend van my tuisdorp, hy pak so droe laggie weg toe hy hoor van my dooie skoen en vra wat gaan ek maak. Wel al wat oorbly is ek sal iewers skoene moet bedel, die boere ry nie regtig fiets nie, maar ek is seker ek sal 'n verlore army boot iewers opspoor wat my voet sal pas, dis al genade.....
Dit word weer 'n gejaag na die kwynende so se strale, die son is besig om water te trek, ja water wat in donder wolke ontaard en ons nou-nou weer gaan wegspoel. Bontehoek portage is weer met polisiehond klei besaai en dit gaan maar skoen skeur, my pogings om my skoen te herstel is netso power as my pogings om vorentoe te beweeg en ek begin wonder of ons in die kleispul vasgevang gaan word en daar gaan oornag.
In die verte onder die drygende donder wolke sien ons die pad, die probleem is om daar uit te kom, ons maak dit net in die doodsnikke van die laaste lig, dit begin weer reën, dis ysig koud en donker, ons gly die berg af, letterlik. Ek dink die boer het van dieselfde padvinder as by Slaapkrans gebruik gemaak, of daar was nie genoeg geld om zig zag padtjie te maak nie, dis reguit af ondertoe in die modderspul, die polisie honde het hulyster greep laat gaan en ons boender die berg af.
Onder by die plaas opstal besluit Mark hy het genoeg gehad, hy slaap nou net daar, dit kos baie motivering om hom te ootuig dat ons moet aansterk na Moordenaarspoort, daar is darem warmte en kos en dis baie beter as in die ysige kloue van die nag sonder kos.
Dit begin vir my soos 'n army opfok voel, die vlae ysreën sak neer op ons, weerlig verlig die donker nag, ons gly die wêreld vol en dit raak 'n eindelose geploeter wat voel of dit nooit gaan ophou nie. Rossow verkyn in die donker nag, die weerlig het die krag uitgeslaan en self ek begin wonder of ons nie maar in een van die bouvalle moet toevlug neem nie. Uit my Google navorsing onthou ek dis 'n gelydelike klim en dan 'n lekker afdraande na Moordenaarspoort, al probleem is die polisiehonde en die koue het al my energie gesteel en met moeite beur ek voor al stotende in die modder. Vaalbank is nou vergete, my fokus is op Moordenaarspoort en 'n stel army boots en warmte, iets om die koue en die ysreën te verjaag.
Moordenaarspoort voel vir my of dit nooit wil kom nie, smaak my die aarde het die plek ingesluk, dis stuk donker, nie 'n liggie nie, nie 'n sterretjie nie, nee niks nie net die ysige donker nag wat ons al dieper in die donker insleep. Eindelik kry ons die plek in die donker en ploeter van die een opstal na die ander, dis baie laat nag 12 uur, en ons is by warmte maar ons weet nie waar om in te kom nie, Andrè Britz een van die ander manne maak sy verskyning en lei ons na beskutting. Ek vang 'n koue bad, Mark ondek 'n windspastei en ons vul ons wurgende honger, ek ondek 'n oop kamer en steel baba beertjie se bed, moertoe moeg raak ek aan die slaap. 60km het ons net 10 ure geneem vandag, wat gaan more oplewer ?
Ek word wakker met die gedruis van reën op die sinkdak, eintlik lekkerder om na die reën op die sinkdak te luister onder die warm snoesige komberse as om die koue aan te durf, maar ek is nie hier om te lê nie, ek is hier om te race. Die reën bedaar en ons val in die pad, lekker modderig en vordering is maar aan die stadige kant, ons gly-gly ons pad oop na Kappokkraal en ek sien iets broei in die verte.....
So halpad op teen die portage bars die broeisel en ontaard in 'n helse storm, net betyds om ons reënjasse aan panser veg ons die ysreën, jy kan nie verder as 15m voor jou sien nie, gelukkig weet ons, ons moet op boontoe na die nek wat ons nou glad nie meer kan sien nie. Die hele plek is blykbaar uit swart potklei aanmekaar gesit en so beur ons drie tree vorentoe net om vyf tree terug te gly. Met die bokomslag is die storm net so vinnig verby as wat dit gebore is en die son skyn weer. Eensklaps besef ek dis Vadersdag, vra Mark of hy kinders het en wens hom toe sommer 'n baie gelukkige Vadersdag toe, nadat ek van sy steunpilaar seun verneem.
Die storm het die vallei in 'n kleiput verander, gelukkig is dit afdraande na Slaapkranz en so gly ons die berg af tot by die volgende warm support station, Joyce verwelkom ons met vuurwarm gasvryheid en baie lekker kos, ek probeer die swart klei van die fietse verwyder met 'n ysige tuinslang. Nog twee portages oor, gelukkig skuin die son en behoort dit nie te erg te wees nie, ek sou my woorde gou opvreet. Slaapkrans portage is 'n bliksem, dit begin gelydelik en bliksem dan reguit teen die berg op, reguit sê ek jou, niks se gezig zag nie, pyl reguit en om dit nog moeiliker te maak is dit met polisiehond modder besaai. Jy weet mos wanneer 'n polisie hond byt los hy nie, hy wurg die laaste bietjie energie uit jou uit en dit smaak my ek sleep 'n paar van die honde die berg uit.....
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| Een by moertoe skoen... |
Dit word weer 'n gejaag na die kwynende so se strale, die son is besig om water te trek, ja water wat in donder wolke ontaard en ons nou-nou weer gaan wegspoel. Bontehoek portage is weer met polisiehond klei besaai en dit gaan maar skoen skeur, my pogings om my skoen te herstel is netso power as my pogings om vorentoe te beweeg en ek begin wonder of ons in die kleispul vasgevang gaan word en daar gaan oornag.
In die verte onder die drygende donder wolke sien ons die pad, die probleem is om daar uit te kom, ons maak dit net in die doodsnikke van die laaste lig, dit begin weer reën, dis ysig koud en donker, ons gly die berg af, letterlik. Ek dink die boer het van dieselfde padvinder as by Slaapkrans gebruik gemaak, of daar was nie genoeg geld om zig zag padtjie te maak nie, dis reguit af ondertoe in die modderspul, die polisie honde het hulyster greep laat gaan en ons boender die berg af.
Onder by die plaas opstal besluit Mark hy het genoeg gehad, hy slaap nou net daar, dit kos baie motivering om hom te ootuig dat ons moet aansterk na Moordenaarspoort, daar is darem warmte en kos en dis baie beter as in die ysige kloue van die nag sonder kos.
Dit begin vir my soos 'n army opfok voel, die vlae ysreën sak neer op ons, weerlig verlig die donker nag, ons gly die wêreld vol en dit raak 'n eindelose geploeter wat voel of dit nooit gaan ophou nie. Rossow verkyn in die donker nag, die weerlig het die krag uitgeslaan en self ek begin wonder of ons nie maar in een van die bouvalle moet toevlug neem nie. Uit my Google navorsing onthou ek dis 'n gelydelike klim en dan 'n lekker afdraande na Moordenaarspoort, al probleem is die polisiehonde en die koue het al my energie gesteel en met moeite beur ek voor al stotende in die modder. Vaalbank is nou vergete, my fokus is op Moordenaarspoort en 'n stel army boots en warmte, iets om die koue en die ysreën te verjaag.
Moordenaarspoort voel vir my of dit nooit wil kom nie, smaak my die aarde het die plek ingesluk, dis stuk donker, nie 'n liggie nie, nie 'n sterretjie nie, nee niks nie net die ysige donker nag wat ons al dieper in die donker insleep. Eindelik kry ons die plek in die donker en ploeter van die een opstal na die ander, dis baie laat nag 12 uur, en ons is by warmte maar ons weet nie waar om in te kom nie, Andrè Britz een van die ander manne maak sy verskyning en lei ons na beskutting. Ek vang 'n koue bad, Mark ondek 'n windspastei en ons vul ons wurgende honger, ek ondek 'n oop kamer en steel baba beertjie se bed, moertoe moeg raak ek aan die slaap. 60km het ons net 10 ure geneem vandag, wat gaan more oplewer ?
6/20/2009
Dag 5 Vuvu - Chesney World
Lekker warm geslaap in my hut, spring 6H00 weg, Gawie het gister aand gevra of hy saam kan ry, enige geselskap en roete kennis is nou baie welkom. Mark Mitchell sluit ook by ons aan en ons val in die pad.
Dis 'n hobbelpad, laat my dink aan die Romeinse paaie van ouds, met sulke ronde klippe gemaak.
Dis ysig koud, 'n snerpende wind waai, dalk 'n teken van wat op ons gaan wag in die komende dae. Uit geskiedenis weet ek dat ons nie tyd moet mors op Lehana's nie en so vinnig as moontlik van die berg moet af en verby Rhodes moet kom, as dit hier begin sneeu sit jy vas, Andrè Britz moes al per geleentheid omdraai omdat die mis op die berg hom verblind het.
Mark besluit om af te draai, die roete aanwysing sê so, Steven het my vertel jy kan die container op die berg sien en ek sien hom nie, Mark draai af en ek en Gawie ry voort tot ons die container, 'n spikkeltjie op die kruin in die verte raak sien. Die container, 'n nood slaap plek en weermag vesting, is regtig net 'n spikkeltjie op die berg, baie ver bo ons en ek wens ek was 'n arend......
Ek en Gawie vat pad container toe, die pad is nie so moeilik nie, ons volg 'n lekker uitgetrapte skaap padjie, 'n pakdonkie met sy drywer steek ons verby en Gawie wonder vir 'n oomblik of ons nie die donkie drywer moet betaal om ons fietse op te vat nie. My antwoord is dadelik nee, dis teen die reëls en wat as die donkie drywer met die fietse padvat, ons sal hom nooit vang nie.
Ons sien van die ander manne wat 'n aangrensende kruin klim, lyk vir my op 'n staduim of hulle ry en ek weet sommer wanneer ek volgende jaar terugkom vat ek hulle roete. Ons sluit almal bymekaar aan op die hoof kruin, Mark het ook sy foute agtergekom en is ook oppad, op Lehana's maak jy jou eie pad, volg maar die kruin en besluit op jou eie links- of regsom. Die pad word al hoe styler en die wind al hoe ysiger, halpad vind ek en Mark skuiling in 'n skaapkraal, tyd om iets te eet en moed te skep vir die volgende deel, Lehana's is 'n 1000m klim oor ongeveer 5km, jy kan self besluit of jy dit langer wil maak. Die skouers is lekker moeg, die fiets voel of hy al hoe swaarder raak met elke tree in jou skouers insny, jy sien hier stoot jy nie jou fiets nie, jy dra hom op jou skouers.
Gawie vat pad, en ek en Mark voltooi die opfok in 3H30, ons doen aan by die sprokie mooi Tena Head vir die lekkerste koffie wat ek in 'n baie lang tyd gehad het. Op pad na Rhodes sien ons 'n foto geleentheid op die Naude's nek pas, dis 'n gou foto want die ysige wind sal jou vries voor jy ys kan sê.
Naude's nek is die hoogste punt op die Freedom Challenge, hier waai die wind met mening, as jy nie ge-anker word nie, kan jy sommer gou-gou baie ver van hier eindig. My duursaam noukeurig nagevorste skoene is besig om baie ernstig houe te vat, my linker skoen se sool is besig om te skeur, ek weet nog nie wat ek gaan doen nie, maar ek sal dringend 'n plan moet maak........
Vroegdag by Rhodes, my eerste aanklop, al baie van die plekkie gehoor en dit lyk na 'n lekker plek om bietjie af te saal, maar ek is gewaarsku om nie daar rond te hang nie, as die sneeu jou vasval sit jy, Gawie besluit hy bly, Mark besluit hy val in, ons kry padkos en daar gaan ons. Mark is my tipe mens, 'n harde baard, hy hou van adventure, hy het al aan die Augrabies Bull of Africa race deelgeneem, nie iets wat jy met kaal hande aanpak nie. Mark leer my van klein doelwitte, breek die pad op in dele, jy mik vir 'n bos, 'n opstal, 'n kruin en so bereik jy elke nou en dan 'n sukses. By die Bottelnek afdraai sak die donkerte op ons toe, nie net die donkerte nie, maar 'n ysigheid wat ek nie ken nie en ek is baie bly ons is van die berg af....
Net na 19H00 kom ons by die warmte van Chesneyworld aan, Christo Botha het 'n Aca stoof en ek kan my
nie van die stoof wegskeur nie, ek is tot in my diepste binneste koud. Baie gasvrye mense die, aardse mense hulle nooi ons in hulle harte in, bedien 'n konings maal, vertroos en versorg ons en prop ons vol nuwe moed.
My linker skoen is moertoe, ek het nie meer 'n sool nie, die Freedom het die sool aan vlarde geskeer en 'n plan moet ek vinnig maak. 'n Boer maak 'n plan en die boer gaan nie lê voordat daar nie plangemaak word nie, ek sny gate langs die kante van die oorblywende sool, wurm twee groot cable ties deur en trek hulle vas in 'n poging om 'n sool te maak van die nerwe. Om die sool verder te versterk daar ek so paar sukke duct tape om, my skoen lyk nou soos 'n Christmas tree en ek hoop vir die beste........
Dis 'n hobbelpad, laat my dink aan die Romeinse paaie van ouds, met sulke ronde klippe gemaak.
Dis ysig koud, 'n snerpende wind waai, dalk 'n teken van wat op ons gaan wag in die komende dae. Uit geskiedenis weet ek dat ons nie tyd moet mors op Lehana's nie en so vinnig as moontlik van die berg moet af en verby Rhodes moet kom, as dit hier begin sneeu sit jy vas, Andrè Britz moes al per geleentheid omdraai omdat die mis op die berg hom verblind het.
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| Die spikkel container links bo op die kruin. |
Ek en Gawie vat pad container toe, die pad is nie so moeilik nie, ons volg 'n lekker uitgetrapte skaap padjie, 'n pakdonkie met sy drywer steek ons verby en Gawie wonder vir 'n oomblik of ons nie die donkie drywer moet betaal om ons fietse op te vat nie. My antwoord is dadelik nee, dis teen die reëls en wat as die donkie drywer met die fietse padvat, ons sal hom nooit vang nie.
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| Halfpad op, ons kom doer ver van onder....... |
Naude's nek is die hoogste punt op die Freedom Challenge, hier waai die wind met mening, as jy nie ge-anker word nie, kan jy sommer gou-gou baie ver van hier eindig. My duursaam noukeurig nagevorste skoene is besig om baie ernstig houe te vat, my linker skoen se sool is besig om te skeur, ek weet nog nie wat ek gaan doen nie, maar ek sal dringend 'n plan moet maak........
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| Rhodes Hotel |
Net na 19H00 kom ons by die warmte van Chesneyworld aan, Christo Botha het 'n Aca stoof en ek kan my
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| Christo Botha van Chesney World |
My linker skoen is moertoe, ek het nie meer 'n sool nie, die Freedom het die sool aan vlarde geskeer en 'n plan moet ek vinnig maak. 'n Boer maak 'n plan en die boer gaan nie lê voordat daar nie plangemaak word nie, ek sny gate langs die kante van die oorblywende sool, wurm twee groot cable ties deur en trek hulle vas in 'n poging om 'n sool te maak van die nerwe. Om die sool verder te versterk daar ek so paar sukke duct tape om, my skoen lyk nou soos 'n Christmas tree en ek hoop vir die beste........
6/19/2009
Dag 4 Malekholonyane - Vuvu
Daar is geen keuse vir my nie, 'n Time Penalty sal betekin dat Crous my inhaal en moedeloos verlaat en my nuwe bende, alweer op my eie, kry gelukkig weer 'n skool nog 'n water tenk en david se regte pad en ek maak soos beesmis : Val in die regte pad.
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| Die pad na Tinana |
Ek het al gehoor van die Vuvu vallei,
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| My Spoorsnyers |
Bo gekom sien ek die ligte van die toring naby die skool en ek kry amper 'n gemoedsbekaking van vreugde, my spoorsnyers het my op die regte pad geplaas, uit dankbaarheid deel ek my laaste padkos uit en jaag na die ligte, ligte van beskerming, kos en rustigheid........
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| My Vuvu kombersbed |
Fiona en die res van die manne wil weet waar ek die pad byster geraak het, en ek wonder self oor hoeveel keer ek vandag die spoor verloor het. Ek wonder nog of ek nie maar Lehana's pas in die nag moet aandurf nie, ek weet Crous is op my spoor, Steven oortuig my om eerder vir daglig te wag, hy sal dit nie vir 'n eerste keer aanbeveel nie, daar kan die aarde jou insluk as jy mis trap...
Ek en Deon Botha deel 'n huis van een van on Vuvu weldoenes, hulle trek uit hulle huise uit om die hele nag langs 'n warm konka te spandeer sodat ons veilig en snoesig onder die lae komberse in hulle huise kan slaap.
Ek wonder vanaand sal ek uit my huis uittrek om in die snerpende koue langs 'n konka te gaan waak, sodat 'n vuil stinkende fietsryer in my bed kan slaap ?
Dis hoe dit hier werk, mense wat niks het nie is eitlik baie rykers as ons wat alles het........
Ek en Deon Botha deel 'n huis van een van on Vuvu weldoenes, hulle trek uit hulle huise uit om die hele nag langs 'n warm konka te spandeer sodat ons veilig en snoesig onder die lae komberse in hulle huise kan slaap.
Ek wonder vanaand sal ek uit my huis uittrek om in die snerpende koue langs 'n konka te gaan waak, sodat 'n vuil stinkende fietsryer in my bed kan slaap ?
Dis hoe dit hier werk, mense wat niks het nie is eitlik baie rykers as ons wat alles het........
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