Shenanigans on a Bike - By Leana Niemand
SOUTH AFRICA (3)
717 Kilometres - 15 Days
18 February - 4 March 2022
PHOTOS
8 – 17 February -
Bangkok, Thailand – Cape Town, South Africa
Eventually, I was
airborne and landed in Cape Town, South Africa, after a dreadfully long flight.
As can be expected, there was a great deal of eating and drinking before getting
to the bike shop to do the necessary.
18 February –
Melkbosstrand – Yzerfontein – 60 km
The time was late
in the day before finally cycling out of my sister’s place. I popped into
Caron’s along the way and cycled to the main road together. She returned home
but promised to join my sister and me in Yzerfontein by car after work. My
sister, Amanda was keen to drive along for a few days, which meant I, at least,
would’ve been company during the evenings.
The road along
the West Coast is utterly dull, and not a considerable amount was happening. I
wasn’t too fond of the traffic flying past at high speed, but most seemed
friendly enough, always giving a toot and wave. En route, I popped into Route
27, a small farm stall and restaurant selling homemade treats. Again, the
people were immensely friendly. After a chat, I hopped on the bike to cycle the
short distance to Yzerfontein. The short day made early arrival and allowed a visit
to the supermarket to stock up on everything needed.
Late afternoon,
Caron arrived, and we drove to the shop to buy wood and stuff to braai. I also
bought a chair to make camping more comfortable and planned on throwing it into
Amanda’s car as it isn’t something I would lug around on the bike. Unfortunately,
the weather turned icy, and I realised I didn’t pack while keeping cold weather
in mind.
19 February –
Yzerfontein – Langebaan – 50km
We woke to
freezing weather and a reasonable possibility of rain. If I had known the
weather would be this dreary, I never would’ve ventured so far south. Still, I
crawled out of the tent, made coffee and tried reorganising my panniers as
things were thrown in randomly. Around 10 a.m. I cycled out of Yzerfontein in
the direction of Langebaan.
A windy 20
kilometres further was the turnoff to the West Coast National Park, where Caron
had already paid my entrance fee and was waiting to cycle to Langebaan. The
ride was beautiful, and we chatted endlessly, stopping at a little restaurant
to have coffee and milk tart, where Caron again picked up the tab. Thanks, my
friend; your kindness is much appreciated. The Langebaan lagoon was a Caribbean
blue as we headed into town, where Amanda was waiting to give Caron a ride to
her car.
Again, shopping
was done at the supermarket, and a fire was made for our nightly braai.
20 /21 February -
Langebaan – Laaiplek – 40 km
Packing up was a
leisurely affair as we waited until the tents were dry. The time was thus
around 10 a.m. before we got underway. Caron drove home, and Amanda took the
scenic route to Laaiplek. I flew along, aided by a strong tailwind, and arrived
at camp nearly simultaneously with my sister. The short distance was due to me
needing off-road tyres to cope with the anticipated bad roads ahead. Langebaan
had a bike shop but it was closed on a Sunday, and so was the one in nearby
Vredenburg.
Things are
relatively quiet in these small coastal communities. But, after driving around,
we eventually managed to find something to eat.
We emerged to an
uncharacteristic wind-free but misty morning and stayed in our tents until the
sun warmed the air. Fortunately, the camp had a laundry, and we made good use
of it before driving to Vredenburg in search of off-road tyres.
It was a pleasant
surprise to find a well-stocked bike shop where I bought two tyres. We further
invested in a camping table and bowl to do dishes—luxuries I’d never
experienced.
Pat, a friend
from my running days living in St Helena Bay, invited us around. A lovely
afternoon was spent catching up while eating and drinking. Pat spoiled us
rotten and dished up all kinds of delicious snacks. The wind was still howling,
and we crawled in early.
22 February –
Laaiplek – Elands Bay – 71 km
The West Coast
can be an unforgiving place. The sun-baked, sandy soil looked forlorn in the
ferocious wind plaguing the region. The plastic bags flapping on fence poles
and tortoise skeletons added to the desolate vibe.
An unexpected
farm revealed kids waving enthusiastically. Stopping to take a few pics made
them even more excited. Finally, the mum, baby on hip, quietly asked, “Mevrou,
waar gaan mevrou heen?”
I replied, “Ek
gaan Namibia toe.”
With sympathy in
her voice, she said, “Oh, gaan mevrou daar werk soek?” (For what other reason would
a person cycle to Namibia?)
I nearly burst
out laughing but answered feebly, “Nee, ek ry sommer net.”
“Oh, ry sommer
net,” she repeated, sounding tired but most likely thought her life was all bad
afterall.
And right there,
I fell in love with the West Coast.
My route
zig-zagged across the Sishen–Saldanha railway line, an 861-kilometre-long
heavy-haul railway line. I intended to follow the service road, which cuts out
a long detour. The line connects the Sishen iron ore mines to the port at
Saldanha Bay. Trains transport iron ore (100 million tonnes per year!) and
don’t carry passenger traffic.
Wagons carry 100
tonnes, and trains pull 375 wagons at a time! These trains (pulled by ten
locomotives) and 375 wagons are more than 4,000 metres long, the longest
production trains in the world.
Once in Elands
Bay, Amanda had already found a spot to camp, and we set off to the nearby
caves. Elands Bay Cave had been used at different times for various purposes;
evidence found at the cave suggests a series of overlapping times. Research
concludes people lived there around 4,400 to 3,000 years ago. Hunting and
gathering activities persisted until the 17th century AD.
23 February –
Elands Bay – Strandfontein - 91 km
We woke to a
beautiful wind-free morning and felt reluctant to pack up. Instead, the way
took me inland over hills sporting views over vast stretches of nothingness
featuring only a lone farmhouse in the valley. This is indeed a sparsely
populated area. The road stretched miles ahead, which added to the desolate
feel.
Eventually, my
path veered back to the ocean and Lambert’s Bay, from where I opted to cycle
along the service road along the railway line. In hindsight, this wasn’t such a
great idea. The road slowly deteriorated and became rutted, corrugated and
sandy. It took all my concentration to keep going. The poor bicycle took a
hammering, not to mention my electronics. In the process, I lost the bike lock,
the mirror and the phone holder, and the odometer gave up the ghost. These
items weren’t designed with rough roads in mind. Neither am I, for that matter!
The path
eventually reached the tiny community of Doringbaai, from where a paved road
ran six kilometres to pretty Strandfontein. Fortunately, my sister had already
found a campsite and beer, an arrangement I could get used to.
After sunset, the
wind subsided, and the sky turned a beautiful deep red colour. The pretty scene
masked the icy waters in the bay. The cold water along the West Coast of South
Africa is due to the cold Benguela current that flows northwards from Cape Town
to Angola. The prevailing southerly winds produce upwellings of water from a
very deep part of the ocean (200-300m), moving in line with the rotation of the
Earth. Hence the icy but nutrient-rich water. Thus, it is no surprise the
primary income of villages along the coast is from fishing.
24 February –
Strandfontein – Bitterfontein - 100 km
The day dawned
wind-free but misty. Wanting to use the favourable conditions, I hurriedly
packed and got underway, leaving Amanda to pack the car and clean up the mess
at the campsite.
I was in no mood
to take the service road and repeat the bumpy ride the day before and, therefore,
opted for the route to the dreaded N7.
I saw Amanda heading
to Lutzville to shop at the little supermarket during the day. She later passed
me but not before handing me a cold drink and a packet of jelly sweets. All
luxuries I’m not accustomed to but very much enjoyed. My path followed the
Olifant’s River as it meanders through the valley bringing life to the
surrounding area, allowing for the cultivation of wine grapes, export table
grapes, sundried raisins, watermelon, beans, potatoes, beetroot and pumpkin.
The rough road
caused a flat tyre, but the Gu/sealant did the job, and after inflating the
tyre, the Gu held, and I could be on my way without replacing the tube.
Not a great deal
further, the paved road gave way to a dirt and hilly road, which eventually
spat me out on the highway. Fortunately, it was only a 16-kilometre (but windy)
bike ride to the hamlet of Bitterfontein, where Amanda found a gorgeous and
intriguing cottage at the Art House. Unfortunately, the only shop and petrol
station closed early in this tiny settlement. However, the lady offered to
prepare a large bowl of French fries accompanied by a lovely fresh salad mostly
from her garden.
25 February –
Bitterfontein – Garies – 63 km
Leaving
Bitterfontein, the surrounding landscape reminded me of the Australian outback.
Fortunately, not as harsh and widespread. En route, I met another cyclist en
route to Cape Town. Henk Horstink hailed from the Netherlands and started
riding in Windhoek. I met Tania and her husband on their way home to
Strandfontein from the Kgalagadi. We chatted a while before moving on.
Not a
considerable amount happened along the lonely and hilly road, and my path soon
reached the small settlement of Garies. Here Amanda had located a lovely
cottage as the campsite was closed.
26 February -
Garies – Kamieskroon – 52 km
My unhurried
departure was due to the short distance, and the sun was already high in the
sky, cycling out of Garies. The way to Kamieskroon was hilly, and at the top of
each rise, one could see the vastness of the surrounding area and the road far
in the distance. It was dead quiet except for the occasional dassie scurrying
to the safety of its den or a truck roaring past. I grinned from ear to ear on
the downhill, but the grin faded on the slow slogs up the hills. Fortunately,
the gradient was easy, and I pedalled into Kamieskroon, situated amongst stony
hills, in good time.
Kroon Lodge
provided camping, a beautiful, well-equipped campsite where we were the only
campers. By evening we lit a fire, Amanda braaied and I stuck to my bread and
cheese sandwich.
Laying in the
tent one could look up at the sky and see a bright Milky Way. It was good the
see the Southern Cross again.
27/29 February –
Kamieskroon – Springbok – 70 km
It’s an immense
pleasure to emerge from your tent in this barren landscape at sunrise. But, unfortunately,
the nights can be cold and with a chill in the air I drank my coffee, enjoying
the peace of this unique area.
The scenery was
unchanged from the previous day, and the road stretched far into the distance
over stony hills. Place names screamed adversity and hope. One couldn’t help
but feel sorry for the people trying to make a living in this desolate and
unforgiving area. Still, a strange air of calmness prevailed, and I enjoyed the
ride up and over stony hills with their views over desolate valleys.
By the time I
rolled into Springbok, Amanda had sent a message stating she was at the
Springbok campsite, where she had booked a lovely chalet. Good thing, too, as
we’d a few things to sort out before crossing the border into Namibia.
The following day
we did laundry and shopped for items we may need later; I found a new bike
lock, chain tube, two spare tyres, and sealant. In addition, we stocked up on
beer and crisps, as those are two things I don’t want to run out of. Hahaha.
The main reason for stopping in Springbok was to get a PCR test before crossing
into Namibia. The lady at PathCare informed a test takes up to two days and it
will be easier and quicker to do the test at the border. We were delighted with
this news and returned to the campsite.
1 March –
Springbok – Vioolsdrif – 120km
Getting underway
early was due to my fear of encountering a headwind or intense heat, but none
materialised. Barely 10 kilometres outside Springbok was the turnoff to the
mining towns of Okiep and Nababeep. Okiep is the oldest mining town in South
Africa. By 1870, it was the richest copper mine in the world. Today, these two
towns are only sad-looking settlements.
Midday, I met up
with another cyclist from Italy and we chatted nonstop to Vioolsdrift.
Once at the
border, we checked out of South Africa and on the Namibian side was escorted to
the testing centre. To our shock and horror, we learned they stopped testing at
that location that day! I felt sorry for the chap who accompanied us as it was
his job and he was unaware of the new arrangements. No amount of explaining
could change their minds, as the person doing the testing wasn’t there. We’d no
option but to return to the South African side.
After much
deliberation, Amanda and I opted for a night at the over-priced Vioolsdrift
Lodge.
2/3 March –
Vioolsdrift - Springbok – Vioolsdrift – By car
Amanda drove us
to Springbok, where PCR tests were only done between 2-4 p.m. My word, what a
performance! Eventually, we returned to PathCare, where we waited in line on
plastic chairs. The process became a jovial affair and we learned the purpose
of each one’s visit. The PCR results would be emailed and there was thus no
reason to hang around. Finally, we returned to Vioolsdrift, where camping was
at Kwelanga, a lovely spot on the river.
4 March –
Vioolsdrift, South Africa – Aussenkehr, Namibia – 63 km
We chatted to
Katy, the owner, forever before getting on the dirt road for the return trip to
the border checkpoint. At least this time we’d our PCR tests and all went
smoothly. The first stop was at a petrol station to buy a SIM card and have
breakfast. Amanda continued to Aussenkehr and I enjoyed the last of the paved
road for some time. It was a long and lonely stretch along the Orange River and
the scenery desolate but spectacular.
Amanda located a
lovely resort where camping was right on the river. The only problem was the
lack of internet connection and thus no means of contacting me to tell me where
to go, and she had to drive back to inform me.
The lodge sported
a pool as well as a bar, and the sunset was spectacular as we lit a fire to
braai.
