Excelsior to Hobhouse 80km

15th Dec 2010
After such a lovely break, Mrs Nash kindly dropped us off in Excelsior. The drive was way longer than we had expected and the map that we used didn't tell us that half the road was dirt road! When we stopped off to fill up petrol along the way, the starter of the car gave up. The petrol station was in a place that was so small it wasn't even on our map. Luckily Dan, Keegs, all the petrol station staff and I pushed started the car. This meant we couldn't turn off the engine anymore.
We had all our stuff, plus our bikes and ourselves, squeezed in the back of the bakkie so when we finally arrived in Excelsior, Mrs Nash had to off load us and quickly turn around and drive home again. We landed up in the Excelsior Hotel's door step. The owners (Gerhard and Hesta Fourie) and friends were confused at how we all of a sudden appeared! They asked us where on earth we came from. We asked where the nearest camp ground is and they laughed. Excelsior is so small it doesn't even have a camping ground. We asked if we could camp on their lawn and they insisted we stay in our own room. They gave us ice cold beers and our own 3 person room all from the kindness of their hearts! We felt honored. What people did for us on this trip was really amazing.
They were looking after Heta's sister's Bulgarian baby monkey. She was too cute for words and climbed all over us.That evening, Gerhard cooked us a delicious calamari and veg meal and slept like babies.

Early the next morning we set off in the mist to Hobhouse. Before we even left the tiny town, Daniel's tube valve blew (he was trying to pump it up). In the end we ended up leaving a little later than anticipated.... with bad weather approaching.

Half way to Hobhouse, the mist and rain swallowed us with surprise! The rain was seeping in under our clothes and soon enough we were soaked. The wind together with the rain was making us ride so slow it felt like we were moving backwards! W pulled over and found shelter under a split willow tree. We gathered damp twigs and used what toilet paper we had left and made a fire! it kept us warm and busy while we waited for the weather to pass. After attempting and failing to make tea on the fire, we came to the conclusion that the rain and wind would not pass that day. So off we went fighting the uncomfort all the way. When we got to Hobhouse it was not what we had expected. 2 coffee shops. One guest house. No camping areas and 3 little superretts. We had tea at the only place that was open. The people there were strange, so we moved on and left them quickly. We bought some supplies and while cycling around, wondering what to do or where we were going to sleep that night we saw a man in his garden. He kindly gave us his son's room and their coffee shop kitchen to make food and sleep for the night. Wonderful people he and his wife. Betty, his wife could only speak Afrikaans. She was delighted to see us and showed us all her husband's art work. He also did leather work which was displayed all over the coffee shop. That night the 3 of us huddled in one double bed trying to keep warm, knowing that tomorrow would be another harsh day ahead.

08/12/2010 Fiksburg to Clocolon - 44km

After the rain in Ficksburg it got pretty cold so we had a bath before the beggining of the next journey.
Dan got his first cranp allong the way - not very pleasant, but he pulled through with the help of some arnica oil. Mr Black back was still keeping watch over us. He even let us have a better look at him by keeping still a little longer than usual before flying off.
Just before Clocolon, I began needing the loo desporately. We only had 2 more km before the town, then I got a pinkture in my back tire. I had to quickly push ny bike the last 2km so that I could make it to the loo in time!
Dani went to the shops to go buy sime lunch and keegs and I found a little spot in an open field where we could relax. Street kids beggan to play all around us, maling it very uncomfortable for us to eat our lunch. We were getting annoyed with them until we figured out that we were sitting in their back garden. thechildren showed us their shelter under a little hill wich was under the 'Welcome to Clocolon' sign was. They were so proud to show us their home made cave. Wemade peanutbutter and honey sarmies for each of the 6 kiddies and moved on to leave them in peace.
Riding through Clocolon I rode into the back of Keegans bike and fell off mine! I got a big graze on me elbow and knee. That day we were supposed to rede to Excelsior, but we didn't ride the rest of the way.
Jill Nash, our friend Chantelle's mum, picked us up and took us to Veljoenskroon - a 3hour drive. There we were going to stay a while. That night Chantelle arrived all the way from Howick with a surprize - Dylan!
What a surprize, because he doesn't like to travell long disrances.
We spent a wonderful week with the Nash  family right on the river bank. And at the farm house!

07/12/2010 Clarens to Fixsburg 90kms

We awoke 5am yet we left at about 7:00am which doesnt help our skin from getting frizzled.our half way stop was fouriesburg which was a cute little town with hardly any men roming around but the women were buzzing ,buying and mingling with there friends.In all these little towns they have little cafes with forigners running them not even able to talk any english.We left to fixburg , another 45kms still seeing mr Black Back. following to were ever hiis territory is ,and to protect .We stopped cause of the heat found us a sweet spot to chill out replenish ourslfs and have a sleep.Then when leaving we all needed the toilet so we had a @#!% in the bushveld ,how invigourating.We managed to get to fixburg beautiful spot .Found ourselves at the municipal camp and caravan site ,recommended by Ernest who had seen us at Bergville ,then batteling up the oliviershoek pass and then in his home town .This man was very impressed with us . "we are very strong " are his words .We paid R145 for our accomodation which was quite reasonable.Went to the BUZZ which was the happening backpackers of the town for supper and some pool .On our way back it started raining and our bikes were in the rain so we had to sprint back to save them ,and then settled down for the eve.

06/12/2010 Sterkfontien to Clarens

After a second day at Sterkfontein dam for rest, and a sleep in a chalet organised by Keegan ( to shelter from the storm coming off the berg) we rode out deeper into the Free state on our way to Clarens. Here we met another great challenge, Golden Gate pass. The reserve itself was beautiful with grand mountains and cliff faces, sprinkled with an assortment of animals from zebra to several types of buck. It was very hilly and this proved to be slow going and on this day we were short on water and food supplies, our only option being that of pushing on, with the promise of a small shop hidden somewhere in the great expanse of mountains. Through extraordinary beauty and team encouragement( being that of Tim's voice telling us it was only over the next mountain) we reached the summit of the pass, where the small shop area was conveniently located( for those going by car) and stopped to refuel and restock. after we rode for a time through the pass and slightly easier terrain and, all being quite exhausted, eventually reached the beautiful, rich pseudo town of Clarens. Full of the arty persuasion and shops filled with quite large expenses we reached the Clarens inn backpackers and stayed there for the fair price of R80 each. After meeting several Dutch foreigners ( some of which doing similar routes to us by car) we had an early night in a bed filled Tipi.

04/12/2010 Winterton to Sterkfontein dam

We awoke to beautiful morning in Winterton and the feeling of kinship with the mike and his family was strong as they helped us further with food, the preparation of bikes and words of encouragement ( as we eventually found out were quite necessary) After our goodbyes we rode out of Winterton, crossing the little Tugela and ventured on for some while until we reached the small town of Bergville where we stopped for lunch.

Beautiful early morning Winterton



The Little Tugela River


After this we found through traversing increasingly vertical inclinations that we were nearing the berg and this was confirmed by signs and our eventual reaching of the  Amphitheatre backpackers. We refilled our water supplies here with bought water and after several warnings about the pass we rode out into the blistering heat to face one of the most gruelling challenges of our trip: OliviersHoek Pass. After a sleep to miss the midday heat we fought up our way through the pass, much of which had to be walked, and with the promise of respite seen at the Little Switzerland sign we pushed on. Somewhere near this point and high in the pass( in fact right before Little Switzerland) me and Keegan, brandishing our Pfeffer Pepper spray came into close contact with some large baboons, who being quite uninterested in us , were content to eye us from several meters away and then continue on, disappearing into the Drakensburg. We finally stopped at Little Switzerland for a break. Exhausted we rode again higher into the pass, where we were saved by a kind man with a large bakkie. we made the last stretch into Sterkfontien dam on bike and were very happy to find cheap camping, clean ablutions and friendly people.

03/12/2010 MooiRivier-Winterton

We left MR on the way to winteron. It was supposed to be bergville but we decided to stay with some of bridgets friends ,Mike and Beth .we had to leave at 9;00am because the rain momentarily came down .It was our first encounter with the rain, so it was a new experience trying to keep our important things dry.

We found shelter under a church arch way

Daniel was complaining about his bottom being annihilated by his very very hard and pointy seat .he wore two pares of riding pants his undies and shorts .Arriving at Escort second not so great town ,looking for a new seat for dani . Found a taiwanese seat its got gel in it finest from an indian shop.Now the process of a slow recovery is underway .Now off to winterton , 10kms from our original destination - bergville .Dani was tired he road into the back of timi's bike then off the road and finally into the back of Mike's bike who road out 12 kms to meet us. i road past him thinkin what an arb way to be riding cause there was not much that way.We experienced the greatest peaches in the Woooooooooooooooooooorld just after we ran out of water our first experience but its amazing how things pop up in our favour , is that luck or fate.winterton is beautifull go there if you traveling.MIke ,Beth and their son  Hilton were very hospitable ,they filled our little tum tums, that can now munnch down , with tuna steaks , warm muffins and lots of carbs .

on our way to Winterton

the senery

That night we slept on relly comfy beds ,slept well .The whole family ride bicycles and were very supportive ,with advice on food maintanance and physical well being.Mike checked our tyre pressure the next morning dani's tyres were on 2 bars ,which is basically a puncture , he's a lucky fella .

The Fandamily - Mike Beth and Hilton (left to right)

Checking the tire pressure

We left winterton at 6:00 am with peany ,honey and cheese sandwiches.the best timi's ever tasted i thought they were good, esp. for the go .Felt like we were living there for years you guys are the shiz niz . peace!

The Beginning - sorry for the delay


Left howick from Braeside Guest House at 5:30am gefaffing with goods. Getting to bed well after midnight on the night of the 1st Dec, we still successfully woke up at 4am.

Waking up easily




Excited and all ready for the first day



 We were lucky enough to be accompanied by THE Bridget Ringdahl for the first 45min of the trip. She took fotos allong the way and gave us a cheerful goodbye!  http://www.bridgetsbikeblog.wordpress.com/
We stopped off for breakfast because our stomaches were screaming, so we treated them with Muesli, banana and yoghurt we bought from Seringa Court Yard. Their toilets were like a 5 star hotel!

Seringa Court

getting breki ready

wat you want ek se

flying banana!

We made our way through Notties, stopped off at Rosetta, and into Mooi River to Desais to get their famous R3.25 toasties wich we found to be R4.25 - verry dissapointing, but were happy as hell to have left for our journey.Mooi rivier is not the most attractive town but we made the best of it . Finding a deserted camp and caravan site with big chains round the gate, this was our chosen destination to sleep for the night so we had to think carefully about what to do.We ventured up the road towards weston agriculture school having in mind what Bridget said ,schools or Churches . There we came into good hands, the head master let us stay in the pavilion .

The Pavilion



cooking lunch after settling in



our camp

THANKS MR TAIT as well as the farm manager. We missed the rain and ate, made a fire,showered, had tea, hardest ground for a bed and morning. We've been loading the carbs every meal - bread and pasta.HOWICK-MOOI RIVIER 60km