Jeff's Relive
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Day 109 Monday April 29 Felix Unite to Springbok First Day in South Africa
by Henry
133 km, 1557 m total ascent, 28°C maximum.
We had a healthy tailwind for most of the day, lessening the fatigue we might have experienced, as there were many rolling hills and some lengthy climbs today.
Crossing the Orange River into South Africa, country #10 (but actually #11 if counting our foray into Zimbabwe without our bikes). The border crossing was early today, at 13 km.
The road was badly washed out here.
For the next two days, we will be riding on N7, a major highway in South Africa. The tarmac is smooth, with a good shoulder. However, vehicles are moving along at 120 to 140 km/h. Colleen and the medics announced that if they saw us riding two abreast or unsafely in any manner, they would pull us off the road, load up our bikes, and not allow us to ride the rest of the day.
We technically left the Namib Desert once we crossed the border, but we are still in a dry desert landscape called the Richtersveld.
A small town along the highway.
A closer view of the dwellings. Because there is more population density, more trash accumulates along the highway than in Namibia.
Our destination was Caravan Park campground in the small town of Springbok. We stopped at the SuperSpar before arriving at camp to pick up a Coke and some ice cream. TDA staff also replenished the food supply for the final days of the Tour.
Monday, April 29, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Day 108 Sunday April 28 Rest Day at Felix Unite Cabanas and Campground
by Henry
Sat down at 7 AM to the lodge’s breakfast buffet. We are all weary of the oatmeal served every morning on ride days, so any variation is welcome.
The backside of our cabana, situated on a small knoll overlooking the Orange River.
Canoe float trip down the Orange River, as viewed from our patio.
Per the usual rest day protocol, we completed and hung out our laundry to dry. In this super-arid climate, clothes readily dry within an hour.
Of the 719 km remaining, only 10% will be on gravel roads. We changed our 50 mm tires back to 42 mm to allow for smoother rolling on tarmac.
We washed the sand off our drivetrains and re-lubricated chains.
My handlebar tape was slipping, so I re-wrapped a portion of it.
My rear derailleur cable is not gliding smoothly, and I may need to change it out in the next day or two.
After chores and lunch, we dared to spend a lazy afternoon by the pool.
TDA staff utilized this last rest day to reorganize and inventory the contents of the trucks for the final six day stretch. This will allow the drop off in Cape Town to be more efficient.
After their tasks were completed, some of the staff played hacky sack by the river.
Eero, Ken, and Jeff, the 3 caballeros who most recently celebrated birthdays, hosted a late afternoon party at the bar. (This picture was taken earlier, before the party started.)
Everyone had dinner at the on-site restaurant, and then we retired to get ready for our final set of rides. We cross the border into South Africa tomorrow.
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Day 107 Saturday April 27 Cañon Resthouse to Felix Unite Cabanas and Campground
by Henry
169 km, 949 m total ascent, 33°C maximum.
Our final day of riding in the Namib desert’s gravel/sand. For most of the day we had a tailwind or cross-tailwind. There was a segment of headwind right before lunch.
The long road sliced through the distant plain. There were several areas of too-deep sand which we had to walk through, lest we get stuck in it and topple over.
For about 55 km, we rode along the edge of the Fish River Canyon, brightly bathed in the morning sunshine.
Once we turned away from the Canyon, we followed the winding road through the rock formations.
Further along, more desert to cross.
After lunch, we could see more pink sand in the distance, and the mountains were tinged slightly mauve.
The gravel road ended at 124 km, and we were back on tarmac for the last 45 km. As we approached the Orange River, a long stretch of vineyards appeared, because the parched land now had access to irrigation. These are table grapes, and not for making wine. The Orange River is one of two rivers with water flowing year round in Namibia, and it constitutes the border between Namibia and South Africa.
There was a Spar grocery store in the small town of Aussenkehr, and we were encouraged to stop there to pick up snacks and any hydration needs for our rest day. Aussenkehr was mostly a giant shantytown that housed the vineyard workers.
Our destination was Felix Unite Cabanas and Campground. I had reserved an upgrade almost 4 weeks ago. The cottage was spacious and comfortable, with a beautiful view of the Orange River and surrounding mountains.
Tomorrow is our final rest day. We cross into South Africa the day after. We have 6 riding days left, with 719 km remaining before we reach Cape Town.
A curious factoid as we leave Namibia: I don’t believe I’ve ever been in a country where there is a $30 bank note. They don’t have $20 bank notes.
Day 106 Friday April 26 Cañon Farm Yard to Canyon Resthouse
by Henry
47 km, 247 m total ascent, 20°C maximum (cooler temperature because we finished the short distance in the morning).
Chatting on the morning ride.
Three graves of German soldiers from 1906-1907 during the era of colonization.
The gravel was good quality today with only limited areas of thicker sand.
Destination was Cañon Roadhouse campgrounds, a property that could also easily be transplanted to Route 66 in the southwest United States.
Bar and restaurant with lots of old automobile memorabilia.
E-bike precursor.
Kitsch in the men’s and women’s restrooms, respectively. If you could not resist and had to peek into Pandora’s or Tjongololo’s box, a bell would ring loudly at the bar, akin to the bell that is rung at Trader Joe’s. During the lunch hour, there was much giggling from the German women and guffaws from the men who dared to look.
All of us had arrived at camp by 11 AM. We set up our tents, had lunch, and then enjoyed the time off. Tom led a yoga session at 2 PM for those interested. A refreshing pool awaited those willing to take the cold plunge.
We all got ready for the long riding day tomorrow.
Friday, April 26, 2024
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Day 105 Thursday April 25 Alte Kalkoefen to Canyon Farm Yard
by Henry
117 km, 614 m total ascent, 28°C maximum.
Mildly overcast. Minimal crosswind for most of the day.
The old lime kiln, despite being neglected, maintaining its pride for another day in the morning light with the setting moon.
We headed straight east for 62 km on tarmac. Cars would speed by at very high speeds, and trucks didn’t always give us comfortable clearance. Flat top mesas are present everywhere around us. Impossible to not make comparisons to the southwest United States.
We then turned south and the road immediately transitioned to gravel. We would ride on this for another 53 km to reach camp.
The gravel was compacted and generally good, with occasional dips in the road filled with thick sand.
All the riverbeds were completely dry. Somehow, the Fish River has enough flow for the Naute Dam.
1 km after the dam, our “coke stop” for the day was at Naute Kristall distillery to sample their carrot cake and dates.
There was the opportunity to taste a flight of their liquor and liqueurs from fermented dates.
We passed a road grader, diligently doing its best to tame the desert sands that continually sweep over the road.
Our campsite at Canyon Farm Yard, again reminiscent of something we might see on Route 66 in the West.
Today was Ken’s birthday and tomorrow is Jeff’s. Our dinner chefs were kind enough to pick up 2 birthday cakes on their shopping trip today. Jeff got everyone in the mood by leading a sing-along to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”.
We ate our dinners watching another desert sand-enhanced sunset.
And finally. It was time to cut the cake!
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Day 104 Wednesday April 24 Helmeringhausen to Alte Kalkoefen
by Henry
128 km, 217 m gain, 31°C maximum. Sunny without any cloud cover.
Riding out from camp this morning, the sunrise was starkly beautiful, as usual.
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But equally majestic was the full moon setting over the horizon. |
For the first time in many days, we saw standing water holes in the desert.
This was punctuated with swaths of green, suggesting there was a significant water table or aquifer underneath.
We had a very gentle downslope basically all day, the gravel was compacted and made for very smooth riding.
Lunch was situated 1 km before we reached the town of Bethanie, site of the oldest church (1859) in Namibia.
In Bethanie’s Coffee Shop, I ordered a strawberry milkshake, and delighted in the best carrot cake on the Tour so far.
After 80 km of smooth and easy riding gravel, the road was paved from Bethanie onwards. We traversed another 45 km of tarmac before turning onto a dirt road leading to our campsite.
In the middle of the desert past Bethanie, we saw a settlement of the Nama tribe. Although they have electricity and a village water tank, they somehow eke out an existence in a very desolate and unforgiving landscape.
For most of the day, we benefited from a healthy tailwind, which turned into a slight crosswind towards the end of the day.
We camped at Alte Kalköfen (Old Lime Kiln) Lodge. Frikkie and his wife Hilde resurrected this property 15 years ago to create a beautiful oasis for travelers in the middle of the desert.
We had a relatively early 1:30 PM arrival to camp. After pitching a tent, I took a quick shower, and spent some time cooling off poolside with a beer.
At the lodge itself, we could see springbok and ostriches from the deck.
In three sizable greenhouses adjacent to the lodge, they also house the officially registered “Lithops Research and Conservation Foundation”, containing all 53 species of Namibian and South African lithops, unusual succulents that at first glance could pass for camouflaged rocks in the desert.
After dinner, we welcomed our friend the moon rising back up over the horizon from its sojourn to the other other side of the world.
As darkness fell, I remembered I had to scrub and re-lubricate my chain because it has been squeaking from all the sand glommed onto it from riding the gravel.
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By Henry Because we were sleeping at elevation, everyone woke up from a cold night. The riders clamored for their coffee immediately upon aw...
