Cycle Around South Africa 2013: Day 43: Rooibokkraal to Hardekraaltjie

The day started off on a high note with an awesome bag of padkos given to me by Anelde. How I wish I had one of these at the start of everyday. Today I was just gonna ride and see how far I could get. Reaching Stockport in one day would have been possible but on a gravel road, was not worth the trouble and distance.

This is what a high note looks like. 110% deliciousness!!! Thank you so much Anelde!

The drive way out.

The drive way in. I was back on the road.

Less pointing, more riding.

Again hot and dusty much of the way with more red sandy sections than I would have liked. Nothing to do but push through them. It was nice to look back after making my way up a little bit of an incline to get some perspective. It reflected what I already knew. I was in the middle of nowhere but it was pretty sweet.

Shortly thereafter I saw an nyala that was out of the confines of the fences. Such an interesting and unique looking buck. As I cycled it ran away from me but was always darting across the road hoping to get away. Shortly thereafter, the owner of the game farm it escaped from drove by and trapped the buck between him and myself. The buck then ran back and forth jumping into the fence only to fall back in failure. I had seen this same thing happen to a couple goats and warthogs who ran away from me a couple days ago and it was much funnier. They would be running at speed along the fence then would dart to the side hoping to escape, only be bashed back by the fence. I watched this nyala for a few seconds before the other guy said I must quickly come across in order for him to scare the buck back in the right direction. So I quickly biked across the section past his car and carried on leaving man and animal to carry on.

Can't go wrong with soft red sand ey?! Just a little slower is all.

Little builders. Big structures.

Lil more cloud please.

Many miles still ahead.

Nothing a mountain bike can't handle.

Looking back a little. Gain some perspective.

This Nyala was out of the enclosure for a little while.

It was almost 5pm and I was now tired and was looking for a place to stay. I tried one house but was told no by the farm workers as it wasn’t their land. I pushed on. I could have easily camped anywhere her to be honest but I was being hard arsed to find a proper place to camp not next to the road. So I tried a farm which seemed to be owned by a foreign family based on the name. No answer at the intercom. Next I heard the sounds of some people and found some farm workers who said just try up ahead so that’s what I did. I pushed through the gate and shortly thereafter I saw a daschund run out the bush and run into the bush across the road. Cool I thought. I found the house and met a handful of people. Most of which were just visiting and were on their way out. After hearing my story they said I could stay plus the one guy who was leaving offered me his card in case I needed any help further up the road when I travelled through the place he stayed at. My hosts for tonight were Piet and Hannelie Wessels and once again I was blessed with the most wonderful of hospitalities. They put me up in their guest bedroom with all the trimmings. My sacrifice to the dark lord the night before had paid off.

This is what all the trimmings look like.

They invited me in for dinner which seeing as they weren’t expecting me, let me have the remaining salad plus a load of bread and jam seeing as I was a veggie. It was very simple but I relished every mouthful. Every meal I had on the road was one to be savored. I was informed that this little farm was called Hardekraaltie and Piet showed me exactly where it was on one of his maps cause it sure as hell wasn’t on mine, but there it was in his book. They were renting this place and were getting a game farm or hunting lodge ready for business. Setting up fences and such before putting in all the required game. They also had another friendly dog which only had 3 feet as the one had been bitten off by another dog some time ago. Maybe by the bush daschund? Highly unlikely, but that would make for an interesting story. Ok then bed time.