Today we arrived in somewhat of a paradise... the ocean (at Elands Bay) and after 4 months of being on the road (let’s not count Egypt nor the Red Sea) and not seeing it... you realize how beautiful it is... of course the water was freezing cold but some just had to do it! The route was a challenging one today – not because of the distance or the hills but the terrain – a mismatch of paved and dirt roads and just when you were getting used to one... it finished and then the other started. The dirt road reminded most riders of Kenya somewhere (a little bumpy and corrugated in parts) but on the whole it was a non race day, there was the ocean and the weather was perfect. The highlights of the day... delicious fish for dinner plus the innagural TDA granny gear race which was won by Andy Paton. Tonight we were treated to a sunset that rated as one of our best over the 4 months and tomorrow... second last day of TDA 2007.
Oh lovely mountainous South Africa; bring on the mountains, the fresh air, glimpses of the ocean and loads of sunshine. The road? Well, it was paved, smooth, hilly and the scenery made you forget how the ups and downs were going. Actually most riders were a bit tired in the legs today but they were smiling and relaxed coming into the caravan park which offers a great view of the nearby mountain range and is relaxed, quiet and very green and reminds you of a hacienda in Spain or Mexico! In Rafi’s words today….’I love uphills’ and ‘Today is a good day’! Meals took the forefront in what was good about the day; egg salad, avocado and tuna, and beef sandwiches were all available as well as the usual staples of chocolate sauce, peanut butter and jam with the most juiciest oranges ever. Dinner consisted of t-bone steaks, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage salad plus garlic mash potato and bottles of red wine. If you’re a food lover then this bbq rocks! Tomorrow we arrive at the coast and the Atlantic Ocean! Many riders have made the claim that they will have a swim in the glacial waters. We'll see about that one but until then, bike heaven does continue….
Another beautiful day in the paradise we know as South Africa;blue skies, big hills, smooth roads, yummy lunches but unfortunately the tail wind had become a cross wind and sometimes a headwind. The honeymoon just might be over on that account. Rolling hills most of the way and fast down hills allowed most riders the opportunity to get halfway up the uphill before pedal power took over. After lunch the crests of the hills gave us glimpses of the Atlantic Ocean which we will meet up with in just over a day. Nels Hagglund took out the final sprint to win the stage today. It must be all the water and ice cream he has been consuming over the last month. The rest of the riders enjoyed the great conditions and, coupled with the fact that we have only 4 riding days to go (cross your fingers that all the bikes make it as wear and tear has definitely taken over), everyone is feeling relaxed and raring to go. Alan even entertained us at dinner tonight with a few songs of his own and we have set up an outdoor theatre to enjoy ‘Napolean Dynamite’ under the stars this evening. I’m sorry…..did someone say bike heaven??
Ai Ais was the location of our final rest day on the tour, a small government-run resort that serves as an entry and exit point for walks in Fish River Canyon. Depending on the location rest days can be a busy, touristy, shopping affair or a day where you catch up on sleeping, reading, do your washing properly, sort out your red box meticulously, eat copious amounts of food and if there is a bar with a tv, then you can indulge in a few quiet ones (sometimes loud) and find out the latest rugby scores (admittedly, tv’s have become more prevalent in the south rather than the first part of the trip). Ai Ais was busy enough with a few overland trucks, plenty of tourists, walkers filtering out of the canyon and the crew from TDA. Our first night there, people stayed around the trucks for the majority of the evening while some hit the small outdoor bar and a few went and made the most of the lukewarm swimming pool. Temperatues had climbed as we descended the corrugations into Ai Ais so it was a great night for staying out of doors and fortunately there were not too many mosquitoes. For once, most people stayed up past 8pm, a rare sight for the last month or so. The following morning, a few folks donned their walking gear and took a 1hour walk up to a view point above the resort scambling over rocky outcrops and up scree slopes to enjoy a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. Others meandered along the canyon floor, choosing to look down rather than look up
To mark our departure from Ai Ais and our arrival into South Africa we decided to have a 22km time trial….all on dirt. Sounds fairly straight forward with the first few kms uphill and then pretty much flat and downhill until the finish line. However, no one had counted on the ripping tail wind that came through today and believe me the talk at the finish line was not how strong the riders felt but how fast they all went. Nels H asked 'Pinch if I am dreaming but that was awesome!’ After the excitement, the riders then headed off for a quick bite to eat with Elaine and Thor at the lunch truck made their way to the border crossing and into South Africa (country number 10!!). Our destination tonight is Fiddlers Creek, a camp on the Orange River. You can swim, play volleyball, the showers are fantastic, the staff super friendly, the bar has a fun atmosphere and the South Africans amongst the group were happy to be on home soil. So, with the rolling hills back in our own back yard and with less than a week to go…..start times are later, distances somewhat shorter, riders are smiling and the tour is now definitely in the home stretch!!!
We awoke to a beautiful sunrise over the Orange River, marking our first full day in South Africa. Everyone had enjoyed a sleep-in as we move into later departure times for the rest of our journey south and, believe me, after a month of 5am starts…..6am is bliss! Rolling hills have returned so after bumping along the 10km dirt road stretch from the Fiddlers Creek campsite to the paved road, everyone enjoyed a smooth ride and, ‘joy of joys’, an almighty tailwind that blew them directly to Springbok.The terrain was similar to that of a roller coaster ride and as you crested the top of one hill, there were ups and downs as far as you can see, and the downs were incredibly good fun and fast. Along the way the rocky sandstone hills lined the roads creating an almost lunar landscape dotted with low lying shrubs and trees. The race pack was blown apart as Chris decided that he wanted to ‘ride the hills fast’ so Adrie was the only rider that went with him. Instead of the normal large group arriving, the lunch truck was a scene of constant arrivals and departures of riders eager to continue the last 59kms to Springbok and get new currency, enjoy toasted sandwiches and the gourmet fare of the Superspar grocery store. The Springbok caravan park is our abode for the night and, although a little windy, there is plenty of grass to camp on, a cold pool and a store and we have a barbecue happening so yes…..bike heaven is good!
A non-race day allowed the racers and expedition riders to make the 20km detour to the lookout at Fish River Canyon. The canyon itself is like a mini version of the Grand Canyon and an incredibly beautiful way to begin the day. A small group of riders took a drive (organized by the Canon Roadhouse) to the canyon for sunrise this morning and were then dropped back at the roadhouse to enjoy breakfast. Afterwards, they made their way through the lunch spot and on to Ai Ais. Riders packed up and headed into the canyon on their bikes and then rode on through while others just headed straight to Ai Ais. Whatever their route, the scenery was breathtaking for the entire ride; canyons, large rocky hills and a myriad of contrasting colors (the greens, blues and browns) made it impossible not to look around throughout the day. The bonus at the end of the ride? A 20km downhill section weaving through the canyon walls. For the majority of the day even the wind was behind us…..yeehah! Ai Ais has great energy! Unfortunately, the pumps in the indoor hot pools are broken so riders are unable to enjoy them but the temperature has climbed again so most have planned to get up early, do a short walk up to a rocky view point above the campsite and then spend the rest of the day relaxing by the pool….sound familiar??? Well, it is our last rest day before we arrive in Cape Town!!
After having survived the night at our ‘deserted town’ campsite, we awoke to a beautiful sunset and a clear blue sky day with flat roads and a tail wind!!! The landscape turned almost lunar as rocky outcrops appeared and we discovered the famous ‘quiver tree’. Craggy ranges loomed in the distance as we made our way toward the famous Fish River Canyon, one of the largest and possibly the most scenic in the world. The riders ate up the 150km, breezing through lunch early and then flying onto the finish flag and into the paradise that is our campsite for tonight. The sprint finish today consited of a small group of three including none other then our tour leader Jack (a riding legend in his own right) as well as the usual suspects (Adrie and Chris). Jack, being the great guy he is, hung back a wee bit and let Adrie complete a finish that was a bit reminiscent of Lance Armstrong's finish in a Tour de France.
Garas Park is a scenic campsite surrounded by rock clusters and quiver trees and made all the more special with outdoor showers, a friendly dog and a spot to capture an incredible sunset. Music is playing, riders are happy and well fed and the moon should be full.
Waking up to a sunrise at Garas Park (on a blue sky morning) is an experience not to be missed and we were not disappointed today. Vantage spots were snapped up by riders having breaky today and while a few left at dawn, the majority of the riders hung back to enjoy the sunrise. A small group enjoyed a champagne breakfast to help Elaine, the tour nurse, celebrate her birthday. Gunther was part of this crew and attributed his early morning fill of champagne as the main reason for his stage win today (Let’s hope he doesn’t expect this each day until the end of the tour).The other reason was that we hit the dirt roads again. The route took us about 65kms down the paved road and then we turned off and traveled along a dirt road for the rest of the ride. Of course, Gunther had a huge grin on his face when he arrived at lunch today. The dirt roads were largely in great condition with a few corrugations, sand patches and bumps to remind us of Sudan and Northern Kenya. A couple of the riders were forced to remember how to ride off-road again after tumbling off early on in the day. All in all everyone was in a great mood at the end of the day and many are looking forward to a non-race day tomorrow and a side trip to the lookout at Fish River Canyon. From there, we head to Ai Ais for our final rest day before Cape Town, and with the promise of a little soiree to help celebrate a birthday. It should be a fun night and fun day!
First day of a new month and a crisp, cold and clear morning greeted us at our bush camp as the expedition riders set off early to get as much distance behind them before the heat set in. Everyone had their long sleeve jerseys on, plus arm and leg warmers, and hats and gloves. It is nice to get some cool weather! The day ahead was flat and fast and guess what…..Namibia has tailwinds!!!!! Our campsite is an interesting one;a deserted town now owned by a Namibian local, complete with a railway line running through it. The warnings from Christie, the owner,included snakes, a train arriving at 10.00pm and a claim that as it was a full moon the grave yard nearby might be active??? It made for a few interesting conversations amongst riders throughout the afternoon. Still, it’s a beautiful sunset tonight complete with passing train and the scenery at dusk was incredible. Bikes are being locked up, tents zipped to ward off any reptilian visits and most people are camping near the trucks (they are a brave lot these riders!) Less than two weeks to go and many are getting a sniff of the homeward stretch. Still, Namibia has turned on its charm, and once again the scenery has changed and most are enjoying the beautiful, semi-arid feel of the landscape.
