Pieter had to leave early for work so I got up and said bye
and thanks for everything. He was also kind enough to give me R200 to help me
out with any accommodation I may need later. I was touched and thanked him for his kind gesture. I was also still
vrek tired so he let me get back to sleep for a few hours leaving me a key to
lock up once I was gone. 2 hours later I got going. I locked up and threw the
keys through the bathroom window as he had a spare set. 8kms later I was back on the N14.
 |
| Saying cheers to Pieter before I fell right back to sleep. |
My first target for the day was the legendarily named town
of Pofadder which was 60kms away. Much like the previous day it was long
stretches of open road and nothing else. I also noticed these huge nesting
colonies on some of the phone poles, which I had never really seen before. I
also came across what I like to think of as a small miracle, a working tap on
the side of the road. I stopped and washed my face and head thoroughly after
sweating like pig that had been on a bike the whole day. Plus I filled up some
water bottles. I swear if I had a portable shower attachment I would have
showered right then and there.
Finally I got to Pofadder. I remembered the Pofadder bros I
had met a few days ago and thought why didn’t I ask them if they could help me
out with accommodation when I passed through. But it wasn’t needed. I was quite
tired and needed something more than just water to get me going as I still felt like riding for another 2 hours so I bought a
Redbull and a chocolate for my sugar energy fix. While resting outside the
garage I had a little chat with a guy who said he was an ex gang leader.
Based on the fact that he had no shirt which showed all his tattoos, I didn’t
doubt him. Can’t remember a thing we talked about to be honest but he was
interesting enough to be remembered. He then offered me R20 to buy myself
something but I politely declined as I thought he needed it more than I did.
Plus I told him that I had just bought myself something to eat so it wasn’t
necessary but again thanked him immensely. I was truly touched by this act of generosity coming from someone
who I judged purely on appearances as having less than I did. In one day I had
been offered cash by two people. I said cheers to him as he left for some kind of
work by getting on the back of a bakkie.
 |
| Outside the restroom in Pofadder. Thanks for the support so far people. |
 |
| Anyone else not concerned about this? I mean, who knows what those feathered things are plotting in there? |
The redbull did its job. I smashed the last 25kms quite easily. I
also saw a huge nesting colony in the one tree which allowed me a closer look. These things were huge! I wish I knew how many birds stayed in them. Then
the energy surge seized just like that and I was now in ‘lets find a place to
sleep’ mode. I was literally in the middle of nowhere with the next possible
town being about 28kms away. Not a f@ck was I thinking about riding that. So
after a slow ride for a few minutes hoping to find a decent spot I found one.
It was an open space next to the road that was being used as a temporary
storage area for gravel stones which I think would be mixed in with tar for
road works. I’m sure there is a better way to describe it but I can’t think of
it now. Basically far enough off the side of the road to be out of harms way, I
called it, for my 20
th day.
Distance 90kms
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