Fri 30 Nov, 2018. Day 362

Staying with Johan and Mickey de Reuck, Touwsberg
Distance 67 + 20255 = 20 322
Average 15.1
Time 4 h 22 m
Location S33.637259, E20.991228

06h30 was when I received an unusual telephone call. My nephew, Iain Lofthouse has been in contact with Cape Talk radio station and the plan was to do a 5 minute interview at 06h35. It started off well and then the line deteriorated and Kieno Kammies said we’d have to continue with the interview once we arrived in Cape Town. We’ll arrange a time some time next week. With only 65 km to ride today we took our time packing up and popped in at Muiskraal farm stall. It was well stocked and we were able to buy Powerade and Fanta for the ride as well as a few bits and pieces to take to Johan and Mickey’s where we’re staying for two days.

We left around 9 am and loved riding with the view of the mountains surrounding us and past two nature reserves. As we didn’t have much to eat for breakfast and the supply in our panniers had dwindled we were happy to see several enticing road signs for Toeties roadside stall, just a few km’s further but on arriving at the gate the notice ‘Closed, no entry’ was a huge disappointment. By now we were hungry and hot so carried on until we found a tree on the road side after only riding 22 km and had a nectarine, wafer biscuits and a few ‘fruit dainties’. No lush vegetation or pine plantations on this route as we were now riding in the ‘little Karoo’,  reknown for its extreme heat .. we were literally cooking and seeing 4 gemsbok (aka Oryx buck) on a farm took our minds off our rumbling tummies.

Got to the T junction and was now riding on Route 62, no shoulder but fewer cars than the busy N2. At 45 km a welcome sight was a sign for ‘Algerynskraal padstal’. Stopped for icy cold ginger beer, home made fudge and sitting on real chairs the lady in the shop allowed us to make tuna mayonnaise sandwiches with our stale bread as their bread hadn’t come out of the oven yet. Shortly thereafter the Touwsberg sign loomed in the distance and the few km’s on good gravel was an easy ride to Johan and Mickey’s house. They are surrounded by bush and lovely mountains and were busy filling the tiny pool. The pipes from the borehole a few km’s away all lay above ground so the water was piping hot. I shed my T shirt and baggy pants and lay in the hot therapeutic water in my cycling bra and lycra pants for a bit, the breeze cooled me off when I got out.

At sunset the barking geckos chirped away and Johan braai’d chops, sausage and toasted sandwiches that Mickey made together with a nice green salad. Peter and I did the dishes and we all fell into bed exhausted. Lala salama folks xx

– The Muiskraal farm stall

…. and their sign down the road

– Baboon poo perfectly balanced on the bridge railing

– It was stinking hot today

– Johan and Mickey’s house was a welcome sight

– As well as their dinky pool