Geoff Jones

Day 3 Africa trip – Fynbos to Pletteberg Bay

I’m sorry to say that I took the easy way out of the golf course for the first 5 miles, avoiding the dust & bumps by travelling in a 4×4 doing 70kph 🙁

I managed to sleep over 8 hours which was good, the breakfast at the golf course was OK afterwards the driver dropped me off at the tarmac of the R102. I finally started riding after having a coffee at the Farmstall, more like a supermarket than a stall. The R102 soon merged into the N2 wonderfully wide and smooth! There is something like a hard shoulder to ride on but as always that’s the first thing to disappear in difficult situations.

I saw my first and only touring cyclist going the opposite way we waved but didn’t stop. The first WOW moment was crossing over the Storms River gorge on the Paul Sauer bridge constructed in 1956 with its 405 feet drop to the water. Pretty impressive gorge especially the vertical bounce when trucks passed over it!

The next challenge was the Bloukrans Pass which is officially closed 🙁 However, its easily passable on a bike and a couple of adventous motorists also made it. Its very overgrown so the views of the bridge (apparently the world’s longest bungee jump are not great) the 680 foot climb out is also a bit tough. Although I did catch a glimpse of a family of baboons.

I stopped at Creswell Crags (not the ones where I used to live) for some junk food & drink then it was a fast run on a very long descent into Plettenberg Bay.

Some of the side roads like to Storms River and Nature Valley looked interesting but I bypassed them

I easily found with the aid of booking.com the previously booked Thandar Vista b&b. It was then a 22min walk up the hill and down to the beach for dinner at The Lookout Deck

Strava makes it 59.8 miles and 3,540 feet of ascent so a good day.

All the pics are here

Day 2 Biking Africa Jeffreys Bay to Fynbos, Eesterivierstrand

Who have thought with my dislike of golf. That I would cycle the best part of 50 miles to stay on a golf course 🙂 As the saying goes when “needs must the devil drives”.

I started the day with no grand breakfast as Funky don’t do food and none of the neighbouring restaurants were open. I pedalled up the 300ft hill to the shopping centre which conveniently had a McDonalds interestingly price wise it was nearly as expensive as my fish & chips last night. Good job I did stop though as the only place I went through, Humandorf, seemed a right dump. After that not a shop or cafe for 40 miles 🙁

The R102 is very undulating with some quite big valleys to cross as well. I seemed to spend hours through pine forests with a range of mountains to the right. A bit like Scotland although sunny & red hot. In fact I think I may have caught the sun a bit so maybe I will have to succumb and buy sun cream.

The last few miles was down an horrific dirt track with a corrugated service, loose sand and rocks plus cars and trucks bombing past throwing up huge dust clouds 🙁

The golf centre is a really pleasant modern building with the proprietor doing the cooking (peppers & spinach fresh picked from his garden). The shower has the most incredible pressure you could use it as a pressure washer.

So Strava says 49.5 miles and 2,595 feet of climbing.

Africa biking Day 1 -Summerstrand to Jeffreys Bay

After yet another magnificent breakfast I tore myself away from GB’s superb B&B. How some folks make everything look easy is amazing, true professionals at work.

I managed to squeeze all my belongings into the three bags. A bar bag, single pannier laid flat on the top of the rear rack (On this trip firmly held down by a rachet strap) and my lightweight backpack bungeed on top of that. Still to much but in my defense I have a tent, sleeping mat & bag,plus a mosquito net and hat.

Moves said I finally left at 8.24 into a strong wind and a 800 foot climb with me (82kg) and my 39kg of bike and stuff.

Totally fascinating riding here seeing all the huge walls, razor & electrified fences that folks surround themselves with. I loved this picture of the row of satellite dishes peering over the wall as if to say the only contact they want is via a microwave link! Compare that with the guys who display their skills waiting for work by displaying their 3 foot spirit level or a decorator showing their extended paint rollers. A pair of security guards had a good laugh when I asked then what its like living in paradise and getting paid for it. They just had never thought about just how lucky they are living in a perfect climate the shelves groaning with food.

I eventually made it onto the Old Cape Road (R102) which is now a very quiet backwater dropping down into stunning wooded valleys and crossing an old bridge built in London by Westwoods in 1893.

The ~~car~~ chelsea tractor driving leaves something to be desired getting a bit to close for comfort but the big trucks are very courteous. A JCB driver forgot that his jib stuck out beyond the side of the vehicle. Hopefully, I’m on quiet roads from now on.

Thorougly enjoyable day. The town, beaches and Funky House hostel are also very good but alas no breakfast.

Strava says I did 57.9 miles and 2,430ft of climbing.

The pics are here

A day of safari with the animals.

A bit of a long day today visiting Addo Elephant park in the morning and the neighbouring Schotia Safaris private reserve in the afternoon. Both trips were organised by Alan Tours.

Luke the driver & guide picked me up at 7.30am and whisked me the 30 miles from GB’s to Addo National Park for my private tour. As luck would have it a huge elephant was trying to leave as we entered so a good start to the day 🙂 This was quickly followed by one of the smallest, a dung beetle 🙂

We toured around with Luke being very knowledgeable about all the fauna and creatures in the park, the 600+ elephants were in hiding so we only got to see a couple more playing by a water hole but to compensate we saw numerous other birds and animals.

At coffee break we came across Rita and Freddy Reick who have been driving around the world for 8 years in their jumbo converted truck. All I could think about after coffee was how hilly the terrain was for cycling 🙁 After an excellent lunch the second part of the day began with Luke dropping me of at Schotia Safaris,

This was certainly not a private tour! 70 of us piled into 7 special Land Rovers to go and see what turned out to be, for the big ones only semi wild animals so really a bigger version of Woburn except of cause this is their natural habitat so the giraffes are eating the trees and the lions are eating the giraffes! Pretty interesting overall with the highlight seeing the pride of lions very close up in their natural environment doing what lions do the most 😉 & it’s not eating! with no barriers.

I had to admire the young drivers handling of the vehicle – more like the Land Rover proving ground especially with 9 folks up on a raised platform. An excellent evening meal was served by the drivers.

We covered 145 miles in the 14 hours I was out. So a tough & tiring day clicking on the shutter.

Tomorrow my Garden Route bike ride starts assuming I can pack everything in the bags…..

Today’s pics are on Google here