Sun 11 Nov 2018, Day 343
Staying at the Locomotive B&B 14 km to Cookhouse
Distance 79 + 14086 = 14165
Average 12.8
Time 6 h 06 m
Total from Amsterdam 19486
Location S32.669928, E25.885967
It’s international ‘Poppy Day’ today and also the 100th Anniversary of the end of the First World War. Also the 37th anniversary of our father, Hansie Fehrs’ passing, still miss you Dad.
We left Marlow School at 07h05 knowing that we were going to ride with headwinds again today. The Windy app is never wrong. Waited for Spar to open to buy pies as Peter is still hungry … raw oats and milk isn’t enough for breakfast. While sorting out his panniers outside Spar Peter’s neon yellow reflective jacket tore at the back pocket, so out came the duct tape and now it looks like a few extra reflective strips have been added.
From the Spar we rounded a corner and going up our first hill came across an Audi with three guys standing next to the vehicle waiting for us. Peter recognized Wollie Burger from Kalbas Padstal where we camped on 21 October. I remembered their home made fudge and ginger beer. The guys were returning to their respective farms, having attended a farm meeting. It was great seeing Wollie, pity his wife, Petro wasn’t with.
Rode on a great smooth road, lovely farms and green crops being watered by pivot watering machines brought us to Daggaboer Padstal (Dagga farmer farm stall) where Peter ordered coffee and I had home made ginger beer. They allowed us to make our own chicken and mayo sandwiches and we chatted to Pam and Alan Kietzmann who farm in Thornhill and have invited us to stay when we pass through Thornhill in a week or so.
The last 30 odd km was heavy going straight into strong gusting winds and a few long hills. We arrived exhausted at The Locomotive Lodge and asked Katie if we could pitch our tent on her lawn. A nasty looking Boerbull, two Great Danes and a Jack Russell that was limping … his right front foot was caught in a snare, put paid to sleeping in their garden. We were given the use of a cottage instead so another friendly farmer, Katie being a lady farmer, has shown us, once again, how hospitable South African people are. Supper was a mix match .. boiled spaghetti with oil drizzled and sprinkles of spice, then water biscuits with cheese and tomato, next was tuna mayo toast and we shared a nougat for dessert. Mmm better pedal with gusto tomorrow to work off all the food esten this evening. The End. Zzzzzz
– Jacket patching outside Spar
– With Wollie Burger, Kalbas Padstal
– The Wire Works roadside stall
– Pam and Alan Kietzmann from Thornhill
– Daggaboer Padstal has an incredible selection of goodies
– Katie with three of her four dogs
