Fri 9 Nov 2018, Day 341
Camping at Hoër Landbouskool, Marlow, Cradock
Distance 108 + 13978 = 14086
Average 15.0
Time 7 h 11 m
Total from Amsterdam 19486
Location S32.104994, E25.587093
It was definitely warmer last night but our -6°C sleeping bags were still needed. The tent was wet from dew this morning so threw it over a wooden slatted bench to dry. Peter’s had a cough for a few days and he perspired a lot last night so his sleeping bag also needed drying. We left just before 8 as the ride was only 45 km to Hofmeyr. We klapped this in 2 h 30 min even with a road that had more patched areas than tar, arriving in Hofmeyr at 11h30, another one horse town.
We were chatting to Andre, a local gentleman who owns a quaint coffee shop and a guest house and he said with a population of 90 Europeans and who knows how many other coloured and Africans, the town has five bottle stores. A few seedy looking locals were eyeing our bikes so we sat on the coffee shop’s veranda and ate our lunch. Peter had vetkoek with mince and cheese and I had the same but on a roosterkoek and a plate of hot chips. Tipped the coffee shop general worker to keep an eye on the bikes.
With full bellies we hit the road at around 12h30 heading towards Cradock and agreed we’d find a farm to pitch the tent when we were tired. Well, it just so happened that there weren’t an abundance of farms the closer we got to Cradock. Pierrie helped us out once again and we are camping at the Marlow Agricultural High School on grass and under trees. We have dropped about 400 metres in altitude so its not freezing cold but are wearing both windbreakers. Most of the children in this boarding school have gone to family and friends for the weekend. Flippie, the young caretaker unlocked the ladies ablutions and he and his wife Karien took us into town to buy provisions and a few beers for Peter. It’s a 10 km ride one way and they waited in the car while we shopped. Amazing hospitality once again. He suggested we only shower after 9 pm as the girls and boys ablutions use the same hot water cylinders. The school is an Afrikaans boys only school. Parents of pupils often camp here, hence the ladies ablution facilities.
Dishes washed and packed away so went over for piping hot showers and now in our tent relaxing and happy to have carried on to Cradock. We are camping here for two nights. Yayyy, rest day tomorrow. Not an exciting diary but every kilometre ridden takes us closer to our end destination.
Sleep well!
Roosterkoek is a bread roll normally baked over coals and vetkoek is a round ball of dough deep fried
– Karoobos (bush) Farm Stall
– Peter had a passenger hitching a lift for a few kms
– Have seen many windmills, SA variety
– The last few kms to the turnoff of the school
– Flippie and Karien kindly took us to Cradock for provisions
