2004 Biking North Cape

Aggeneys, Saturday, Dec 18; AMJ Nelson flats, R300 total; 75.7 km @ 15 kph; max 42 kph; cycle time 4h48

We have had a super day! Sore bums and tired legs notwithstanding. We arose betimes and were out in the cool morning air just before 05h00. Charl’s back tyre was slightly soft so before leaving town we tried both garages without finding an open air pump. We did discover that one of Charl’s spokes was defunct – this he simply folded back and off we went.

Into a cool, still-dark morning. The light soft, the breeze soft (though shifted slightly from the southeast to the southwest), the colours of the semi-desert muted and shaded and varied. With hills on the horizon to both sides, and virtually no traffic. Dark enough for me to use my new LED light.

After a shortish climb out of Pofadder we had the most divine 20-odd km drop during which we simply sat and admired the lightening view as the sun rose behind our left shoulders.

At the end of our wonderful drop our average was a stunning 22 kph. By the end of the day in interesting Aggeneys our average was 15 kph. Super cycling country. Had we been fit (especially bum fit) we would have been having an unadulterated blast!

Aggeneys is an Anglo mining town near the Black Mountain from which zinc, copper and lead – with a by-product of silver – is mined. It is situated almost 9 km off the N14. We had a super flat in which we lunched, showered, slept and dined. In between we watched the cricket (SA vs UK), took a drive through the dorp to check out the oasis of a golf course, did bicycle repairs etc.

The Aggeneys airport was interesting with a small isolated brick building and a runway beginning very soon after the telephone lines. On the telephone poles reflective warning metal squares – behind which birds have built their nests.

It had been quite a struggle finding accommodation in Aggeneys. None of the tourist offices I called could help, so I finally decided I needed someone with a different view of the world and called the owner of the Augrabies Backpackers. He too did not know of any accommodation offhand, but looked up three numbers in Aggeneys for me (the video store, café and pharmacy) and suggested I try them for info. I called the latter and spoke to a very helpful William Connick, who said he would call back. Which he did…and here we are. William had also mentioned that Aggeneys is well-known for the rare red lark, but to see this you need a 4x4 and permission from a local farmer to explore his land.

Springbok, Sunday, Dec 19; Elkoweru GH, R300 total; 123.4 km @ 16 kph; max 42 kph; cycle time 7h25

A tough long day – that started really well and ended in virtual desperation. Mainly because the day was just too long – and too damn hot – for our fitness level. Partly because, despite our best intentions not to, we did believe mom’s claim that the last 20 km into Springbok was all downhill! We do know better than to trust the perceptions of those who travel by car, but, being tired, we did hope...

We hit the road a little earlier than usual as riding the 8-odd km out of Aggeneys and back to the N14 in the dark did not bother us. Soon after the turn onto the N14 – heading west toward Springbok – we came across the first distance marker – 103 km to go.

Yesterday when we arrived in Aggeneys we had seen a green flag on a pole indicating no injuries at the mine. Soon after that an ambulance passed us by heading for the mine. Today the flag was red.

Our ride began well with several down/flat kms. By the time we hit the 95 km to go mark we were averaging 21 kph. Then began a very long but manageable climb. Maybe 20-30 km overall? Not sure.

By the 80 km mark we were really cycling the ver verlaate vlaktes – with not a tree in sight. At one point there was one of those picnic-table-under-tree signs with an arrow pointing to the right. Usually these include a legend saying how far to the said tree. This one, however, simply had an arrow pointing to the right. I literally could not see a tree all the way to the horizon! Though a little later, of course, we did come across another ‘umbrella’ in lieu of a tree.

OK – here’s the main problem. My arse feels raw. And no matter what I do, I cannot get comfortable. Although the rest of me is tired and sore too, none of that is more than I can deal with. Uphills are particularly painful as one tends to push bumwards into the saddle – exacerbating the problem. It does not help that I am so heavy! All one’s weight is essentially concentrated on a too-small triangle, with a little on the hands. Ouch!

I was somewhat distracted from my aching arse by the worst case of flies we’ve had to date. Ten or more buzzing around us (each) at a time. Persistent, insistent, irritating beyond belief. They buzz and land and burrow. Land on cheek and ear and eyelid and (yuch) lip. Crawl into nostril (double yuch) and once flew into (and luckily straight out of) my mouth. Charl too had similar close encounters.

The scenery again was very appealing, particularly in the early part of the day when the light was soft. Hills all around, vast plain plains, muted shades, outcroppings of stone, a sky of a memorably lovely blue fading to pale against the tan hills.

Not a huge amount to see, of course. An eagle followed Charl for a couple of poles; some black-headed sheep; the odd windmill or dam; a few unexpected horses; a caravan in the veld (die skaapwagter?); dry beds bearing the names of (episodic) rivers and, once, a tap on the roadside and a sign offering ‘water’.

We did pretty well all things considered. We had arranged that mom and dad would only leave Aggeneys at 11h00 – thinking that by then we should have 30 or so km to go and would decide whether we would continue or climb on board. By they time we met at about 11h40, we had just over 20 km to go. We asked them to wait for us at the 20 km mark – up a tough hill. There we replaced our lukewarm water with icy cold water, had a cold drink, got some more sarmies and some mints. And hoped we would be in Springbok just over an hour later.

But the terrain proved very tough in the burgeoning, bludgeoning heat, the road weaving through jumbled stony hills, and we only reached home at 14h00 or so. I again ‘tanned’ through my cheesecloth shirt (actually a good way to tan very white skin!) and by 13h00 I could feel the heat radiating off the tar and through the soles of my running shoes! We each confessed that had the other said to get in the car at the 20 km mark, we would have agreed (particularly in retrospect). And survived the day by regrouping every 5 km.

A little more traffic today than previously – mainly caravan traffic – but still light and polite.

By the time we hit town – on a nice downhill – I was finished. And there was dad come to see where we were. Despite a local yelling ‘Go, lady/baby/fatty (I didn’t quite catch which of these), go!’ and grinning and waving madly, I called it a day and loaded my bike on the car. Charl, brave lad, cycled the last couple of uphill kms to Elkoweru.

Simon van der Stel sank a mine shaft in Springbok in 1685 and the town remains the centre of copper and diamond mining in the area. The area now being Namaqualand…and Springbok an important centre for spring-flower viewing.