Tuesday 22 April 2014
So I'm riding to AfrikaBurn with some cool peeps.
#BijouToBurnByBicycle
We doing this to raise funds to collect all the bikes left behind, restore them and put them back out to people who need them...
Also taking the idea of radical self reliance to the next level.
Prepping so last minute getting a trailer built by AMS Mechanical services for my GtZasker 29er,
Trying to pull all the strings together.....
If you would like to make a donation towards our endeavour please check out this site.
We leave 25 April Thursday Morning from Bijou Hq in Observatory at around 7:30 am heading out to Malmsbury for our first stop...
Day 1 Thursday 24 April
Cape Town too Malmsbury
85km
From Tears to Elation
Wow where do I start well I had organized a lift from my home Base Muizenberg at about 06:30 to get to Observatory to the Bijou Afrika Burn HQ but he decided to over sleep....
So I packed all my stuff onto my un-tested single wheel trailer with the help of my beautiful lady Shani, I was up in arms because I was never going to make it in time.
She made sure I left with a massive hug and a big smile what a awesome partner to have at your side.
I was off trailer and all in peak hour traffic and it was tough the trailer wobbled but I mad it even thou I was 30 minutes late...
I got to Afrika Burn Hq with everyone awaiting my arrival and they where all stoked flip it was good to become one of a team of awesome like minded people...
Katja,Kevin and Gerhard.
Well with a quick photo session and hello to this who did not know each other we were of on our adventure, an Adventure for a purpose.
We have two support vehicles and 4 bikes permantly on the road , some have hardly ever cycled some just looking for adventure. But I am awed by the instant camaraderie and can do attitude.
Kayden & Katya doing there thing.
We left Cape Town via the cycle route heading thru the heart of the industrial area onto the west coast just chatting smelling the awesome mix of smells and pretty much just getting to know each other.
We cycled through Melkbos of R27 down into Philidelphia a awesome little town that if you don't know go find it. Here we ate lunch it was epic with 25km to go we headed out towards Malmsbury for the last push.
We got here and where put up at a amazing guest house called Manasse Manor.
Gerhard Van Eck
And here starts day 2 next overnight Guinevere Guest Farm today should be awesome.
Day 2 Friday 25 April
Malmsbury to Tulbagh
Massive Trucks No shoulder
Well we left Malmsbury after a awesome nights sleep at Manasse Manour, such nice people they even helped me ad onto my trailer.
Watching the night change to dawn on their balcony with sheep bleating in the background is something special.
We stopped at a rad bike shop called Kroff cycles where we got some disk brake pad for Katja's bike and some new ones for mine too as I was worried about the weight of the trailer coming down some of the passes!
We crept out of Malmsbury onto some awesome back country roads with acres and acres of farm land .
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| Katja grinding through farmland |
Everyone was feeling strong and their were smiles all around the comraderie was and is awesome, what a laaker (nice) group of people.
We picked up a reporter for the local Malmsbury paper so if anyone comes across it please pass it along.
We had our halfway stop at a little place called Du Vlei a really cool little lunch spot with some epic people.
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| Lunch at Du Vlei |
After this we had to head out onto one of the more dangerous parts of the route. So had a little briefing By Kayden Klienhans I donned a high visibility vest and my helmet and headed out onto the R46 no shoulder big trucks and hi speed cars it was stressful but the team worked like a well oil machine.Two bakkies working as buffers and then us.
We made it safely back onto the shoulder, we headed passed Gouda where we had stop to stick a tube in Katja's rear tyre as it was not handling the road and started to warp.
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| A De stress |
We found a beatiful river to take a swim and met a man who has been living on the side of the road for 17 years.
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| Cool Down |
After that it was the long flat burn against the setting sun to get to Guinevere Guest farm, which we made just before sunset not with out some fun and games along the way though.
My trailer was taking strain and wheels were falling of literally as Packed cars of Weekend warrior mountain bikers flew past heading in for the TransKaroo race.
Well we made it to Guinevere to catch the sunset and a quick swim thank you so much to Carli and Will for their epicness and hospitality and our amazing breakfast sponsored nogall.
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| Felix And I |
Blown away by this ride thank you universe.
Day 3 Saturday 26 April
Tulbagh to Karoo Port
A day of Climbing
Wow what a awesome night we had at Guinevere a braai, cyclists pulling in and preparing for the TransKaroo.
It was great seeing the weekend warrior in full force and then us just a group of cyclists taking it easy our hearts beating to a different drum....
I won't lie I am itching to race again i think it's good for the soul....
So this morning I decided to stay behind and use Guinevere's workshop to modify and get my trailer ready for the R366 dirt and desert.
I was grinding chopping adding and totally lost track of time whoops..
So I left Guinevere at a round about 11am and had a bit of catching up to do, I rode out and put my head down what a epic ride along the R46 we are blessed to live in such a beautiful country truly.
My phone was ringing with Kayden and Gerhard checking up on me, they were already passing the Toll Huis on Mitchell's pass.
I had some catching up to do at least they were going to do some final shopping and water re filling.
Mitchell's pass what a climb what a epic epic ride and just put my head down and rode by the time I got to the Toll Huis tears of pain were rolling down my cheeks, which soon turned to whoops of elation as i crested the pass and rolled down into Ceres trailer and all.
I caught up with the crew got a rushed shop in and found a ATM for some cash and we rolled out as Ceres was crazy with Saturday morning kayoss of a small town.
Kayden warned us today would be tough and time was becoming a factor as the sun sets early and we still had Theronsberg pass ahead.
Off we headed Kayden, Katja Jannel and Myself with Gerhard driving the support vehicle.
My gosh Theronsberg pass was a beast 1091m of climbing epicness,
I took a break under a tree about half way up after a Adventure Motorcyclist just put his head down shaking as if to say "bru are you MENTAL!"
While doing this I sent out a quick tweet and got tuned buy Kayden come know hurry up. So I did A man on a racer passed me and shouted "YOU CAN DO IT 2KM TO GO".
I spotted Kayden under a tree we used one of my handy Holdfast straps as a tow rope and got ourselves to the top.
