Wherever you go, you take yourself with you - Neil Gaiman

14 April 2019, Mariental to Kalkrand, 74,6km
Kalkrand Rest Camp N$600

Last night we watched a storm to the north of our camp site; rain falling beneath broiling cloud, sufficient drops reaching us for a brief period to force us to uproot and move our tent as we had slept the previous two nights sans rainsheet. We moved it under the tin roof abutting our private ablution block, and watched as the storm was blown east, lit by a setting sun so that the rain pod was initially pale yellow under blue-grey cloud, then orange. Today we saw why one should never camp in a dry river bed or culvert. The culverts we crossed, though almost dry again, had clearly had a rush of water through them; water pushing and dragging dead branches and debris to trap it against farm fences.
We had no idea what awaited us in Kalkrand, our next destination. We knew it had had a garage and accommodation at some point*, but had been unable to confirm whether these were still open or whether, like Asab’s, they had closed. Kalkrand is a biggish small town and turned out to be a major stopping point on the B1. A garage, brightly painted, with a store open 24/7, a bar, and pay-to-use public loos. The store sported an L-shaped counter behind a security fence. Behind the garage, a slightly run-down and overpriced rest camp with rooms clustered around a sewer, open and awaiting maintenance. Beside the garage another tax-funded business park, beautifully designed like Gibeon’s and leased to a woman who was running a restaurant, bar, coffee station and shop out of it and had been doing so for two years. We were grateful for a room, negotiated the price down, showered, rested, and adjourned to the business park restaurant to write and eat.
We left Mariental on a short stretch of corrugated gravel road, heading west to pick up the B1, our morning shadows cast long in front of our bikes. Then turned north onto the usual narrow B1, which travelled initially through marginally prettier terrain: low hills, less arid, tinges of green. We sighted springbok and one proud and watchful oryx, and an unknown brown buck, and had a quick and pleasant run to Kalkrand. At one of the picnic spots at which we stopped to fuel our engines with boiled eggs and biltong, a truck was parked. We assume the driver was asleep as he did not greet us. Issuing from his open window was a radio-broadcast church service.
*The garage and rest camp had been owned and run by our Mariental Rest Camp host, Louwtjie’s, son-in-law and daughter. Hi son-in-law had sadly died young of heart failure…

For today's route see below photos
For overview route, click on ROUTE tab above…