Cederberg - 28 Nov 2022 %

Prieska – Calvinia: 398Km

When we went to bed last night it was with full tummies and a smile. Not only did we have a great dinner of cold-cut meats, salad, and, pudding but we had an entrée of skaapstertjies. This is only the second time that I’ve had this but trust me, if you’ve never tasted it you’re missing out. By the time we finished eating it was time for load shedding. Yes, they even get it in the Karoo. But unlike Gauteng, and some other provinces, you don’t tense up when the lights go out hoping that you won’t be a victim of crime. Instead, the total silence and pitch-black night make it special.

We started the morning with a late 7 am breakfast and things soon got out of hand. By the time we left it was with a bottle of pickled quince, figs, and olives, also a white angel for which I had to make a box. Day 3 and all our space storage capacity was full.

The road to Vanwyksvlei is very nice and one we know well. Oh two things before I forget – Seems like my fix on the valve gusset did not works as the wheel was flat and the distance for today’s leg was not 298 km as I mentioned yesterday, it was 400 km. No worries. Because of the good road conditions, the kilos tick by, and after a photo shoot at some ruins, we arrive in Vanwyksvlei. Seems like it was left the way we found it last time we passed through a few years ago.

No pregnant woman allowed. Sound sexist to me?

Even where there is no proper infrastructure you will find the church.

Next up will be Carnarvon, Williston, and then finally Calvinia. At Carnarvon, we do a quick fuel stop, a drive by the old hotel (not sure if it still operates), and head out to Williston. But riding with no spare tube is always at the back of my mind so when I see a tire repair shop I stop and ask if they had any. To my surprise, they have bike tubes but not the 4-inch I was looking for. The 3.25 will work but I decide to see if I can find a closer match in Calvinia which is a bigger town.

From here to Calvinia it is a tar road so not very exciting. Halfway we stop to have some lunch next to the road. I always moan and bitch about the state in which people leave these roadside stops. I just cannot understand why anybody would stop to throw their rubbish out. This time I decide to continue to moan and bitch but at least try and do something about it so I took a roll of rubbish bags with me and pick up all the rubbish when we stop. It does nothing to restore my faith in the human race but at least I feel better for not just moaning about it.

When I refuel in Williston I ask about a tube again am told to ask across the street. When I walk in I’m not so sure they will even know what I am talking about but after a bit of scratching around the guy produces a box covered in dust. When you wipe the dust away it says 4.0 x 19. Now I have one for the spare wheel, just need a spare for the spare ;). We chat to some kids before we leave. One broke his arm playing soccer and the other seems to know the exact distance to all their neighboring towns.

There is always a use for those old tires

The last stretch to Calvinia brings us closer to the mountains and you can see it in the changing weather pattern. It is still hot as hell but we saw more dust devils, and huge ones, than we’ve ever seen. They would pull the dust 100s of meter up into the air.

Our camping spot for the night at Kleinplasie Campsite is just 2 km outside town and we pitch the tent before I ride to get some meat to braai and some drinks. While I’m in town I stop at the local tire repair shot and got another tube. Now we’re sorted! I dump some ice in the hand basin to keep our drinks cold and set about fixing the spare wheel.