Karoo 2022 – Day 5

As we leave Blesfontein after a hearty breakfast it is remarkable how different the gravel road feels riding out compared to when we rode in. This reminded me that one should never judge a road at the end of a long day of riding because it is significantly easier when you are still fresh. It becomes clear early on that this is going to be one dusty day. There is no wind, not even a light breeze so any dust kicked up just hangs in the air waiting for the next victim.

We get some respite for a few kilometres as we ride towards Sutherland on tarmac before turning of onto gravel again. The only way to stay out of the dust is to make sure you wait until you cannot see the person in front of you before you get going but this does not help for vehicles heading your way. Luckily there are very few.

Our first stop for the day would be Fraserburg just as we crest Droevoetspoort Pass on the R356.

We refuel before pushing on towards Loxton. It is a beautiful but challenging gravel road with multiple crossings of the Slangfontein, Brak and Elandsfontein rivers. Riding become much better when the wind eventually picks up, blowing the dust away instead of letting it hang in the air. It is on this road that Charles’s rig starts developing issues that would prove to be almost fatal later, but not quite.

Arriving in Loxton we place our food orders at Loxton Lekker before going to the farmers co-op to refuel. Charles’s rig eventually calls it a day just outside Loxton and have to be trailered. The experts will have a look at it when we get to our overnight stop at Melton Wold just 50km down the road. But first we sit down for some fresh vetkoek and mince.

With full bellies we get going towards Melton Wold, Charles in the bakkie and his rig on the trailer. I did not hear him complain about the luxury 😉

Meltonwold is a guest farm with an old world charm. The farm itself dates back to the 1800’s but only started functioning as a guest farm in the 1930’s. It still has radios in the rooms with preset stations, coffee lounges and wooden floors. At dinner time the xylophone is played in the hall to let guest know they can proceed to the dining hall.

The stricken rig must receive attention before anybody goes to dinner. It turns out that left cylinder rocker shaft has shifted allowing the rocker to drift and with it the valve clearance. Charles is very chuffed that he can complete the trip on his rig and not in the back of a bakkie after Ryno fixed the problem.

After having some drinks in the bar we sit down for a dinner of venison pie, lamb roast, vegetables and malva pudding.

Me and Izabel say our goodbyes because we will be leaving early the next morning heading North toward home. We will cover over 500km to Hertzogville were we will overnight tomorrow. That night we lay in bed listening to a ghost story on radio.