FAW 10th Anniversary Cycle Challenge
Fisantekraal Animal Welfare (FAW) is a volunteer organisation doing amazing work in the Fisantekraal township helping people to care for their dogs, giving advice and providing free animal sterilisations. Neil van Tonder, a fellow rider at our BP Kenridge cycling group & organiser of the local Durbie Dash race and his wife Belinda organised a cycling event to raise money for FAW.
Neil came up with the idea a few years ago doing the Cape Pioneer Trek. In his own words:
While repairing a puncture, in the middle of nowhere, between Vanwyksdorp and Oudshoorn, we came across a Border Collie, neglected, but eager to make contact. I logged the GPS co-ordinates and contacted Border Collie Rescue, who went out and found the dog. They traced the owner, educated him and informed him that they will do follow-up visits to check on progress.
I have never forgotten this dog. For this reason, Belinda and myself decided to trace my foot steps – or, rather, tyre tracks while raising awareness and funds for an organisation close to our hearts – Fisantekraal Animal Welfare.”
The premise - a group of 15 cyclists will cycle 480km (mostly on gravel roads) from Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo to Meerendal near Durbanville in 30 hours with the goal of raising R20K for FAW. With Neil involved it was guaranteed to be a slickly run event and although cycling 480km's in one go was far beyond my cycling ambitions I was keen not to miss out on an adventure like this & having the opportunity to contribute to a good cause. Joining us on the trip were cycling legends Hanlie Booyens & Willie Engelbrecht, I was more than a bit starstruck for the duration of the trip.
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| The Route from Oudtshoorn to Meerendal |
Between my social and working schedule I never really got the opportunity to specifically train with the group and all my focus was on the Trans Karoo 3 weeks before the FAW ride. Luckily the Trans Karoo is the perfect training ride for an event like this. With the Trans Karoo taking care of the fitness the biggest challenge leading up to our Oudtshoorn was switching on mentally for the challenge ahead. However as the time drew closer to the 21st of May, I started noticing colleagues & friends reaction when I told them about my next weekend - "480 KILOMETERS!!!?? In how MANY days?? Are you ^&& MENTAL?? " - maybe this ride is more crazy than I anticipated?
Friday 20 May, 3 (sponsored) Land Rovers and a Land Cruiser full of excited cyclists made our way to Oudtshoorn, we stayed over in the Bisibee Guesthouse (highly recommended) and had dinner as a group in a rustic little Italian restaurant (not what you expect in the middle of the Karoo). At dinner someone casually mentioned that tomorrow we will be riding half the distance of the MUNGA in half the time of the previous winner. The Munga is an event I always considered to be way beyond my abilities and with that little comment the doubt started to set in, I quietly changed my goal to be not the first rider to drop out...
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| Selfie at the Start |
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| And we are off! |
Saturday morning at 4h45 we were out of the bed, got dressed and were off to the CP Nel Museum (always thought it was the town hall) for the 6h00 start. We were kindly accompanied for the first 50km by husband & wife pairing of Fienie & Cobus Barnard, local Oudtshoorn cycling legends. Temperatures dropped till close to freezing point once we left Oudtshoorn so I was eagerly awaiting sunrise and a bit of warmth as we made our way through the Klein Karoo farmlands, once the sun rose the scenery reminded me of start to the Attakwas race.
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| Arriving at the 50km stop |
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| Van Wyksdorp |
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| Stopping somewhere between Van Wyksdorp and the R62 |
The road now turned northwards in the direction of Ladismith, we crossed the R62 onto the R323 which swung west towards the Anysberg Nature Reserve. A beautiful back road I fondly remember from varsity holidays when we used to travel this way via Laingsburg to Stilbaai.
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| Tired cyclists in the Klein Karoo |
Looking back the first 50km's were "free kilometers", everybody was chirpy & socialising and you didn't even notice the kilometers flying by, the second 50km was still easy as the scenery provided distraction from tiring legs but by the 3rd 50km we started noticing the effort that was being put in. By now we were more than 7 hours on the road and covered more than 100km but still had more 350km ahead which was more than 100km longer than the longest distance I have ever cycled. A task to mind boggling to comprehend so I stuck to not thinking further ahead than the next stop.
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| Steers Stop! |
Close to the Anysberg reserve we made our lunch stop, our angels/support crew somehow conjured up Steers Burgers in the middle of nowhere along with all the other snacks. All too soon Neil signalled that we are on our way again. We were now on the back roads to Montagu, with the scenery very much reminiscent of what you experience during the Transbaviaans, narrow rugged but green valleys with lots of irrigated fields.
By now the very small niggle you may have had earlier in the day, was growing exponentially more discomforting. I realised my cycling bib was not doing a particularly good job of keeping my rear-end comfortable, if I had known beforehand this bib is not suitable for 30 hour rides I would have picked another one but the problem is I never do 30 hour training rides! A few of my fellow riders started feeling ill, the day starting to take it's toll, but everyone soldiered on, for long parts the group became very quiet, and then suddenly people would recover and the conversation starts picking up again. In hindsight definitely one of the harder segments of the ride.
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| Tired bikes resting... |
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| Bad moon rising! |
At 200km's & after 11 hours in the saddles we made our last daylight stop. Lights were fitted, we changed into warmer clothes and got going again, The prospect of a "flatish" 30km and then a 20km downhill towards the dinner stop lifted my spirits. Darkness set upon us soon but it was a beautiful full moon night and the coldness stayed away. After a long hour and a half where Ouberg pass was always just ahead of the next climb, I finally saw the downhill signboard and I knew dinner was down ahead. Going down Ouberg pass at 50km/h on a beautiful full moon night is one of those experiences I will remember for a long time!
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| Dinner at the bottom of Ouberg |
Dinner was served at the bottom of Ouberg pass. Not sure if it was comforting or distressing that we were now just over halfway of the 460km ride (20km was cut from the 480km route when Neil discovered a short cut on the map...). At least he stretch from Montagu to the next stop Robertson would be on tar and relatively flat. By now my backside had enough of bumpy gravel! We made our way through Montagu, past the roadworks in the Cogmanskloof pass where we got some strange looks from motorists waiting at the stop-and-go's. The group of cyclists light up like a christmas tree with flashing red tail lights followed by 3 Land Rovers must have been a peculiar sight!
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| Soup in a Synagogue |
We arrived in Robertson just after 22h00 in the evening, our stop was the old Jewish Synagogue, now converted into a holiday home of a FAW supporter. Here we got warm soup & bread, soft couches(!), a chance to shower and change into new cycling clothes (replacing that bib not doing it's job!) and a quick sleep for some.
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| If the support riders are this tired can you imagine the cyclists? |
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| Riders in the dark |
After an hour's rest it was back on the road to Villiersdorp, we took the R62 until Rooiberg Wineries and there turn left onto a gravel road, at this stage I did not appreciate gravel roads anymore. At least the new bib was more comfortable but the damage was done... We steadily made our way through the back roads of the Worcester wine valley and finally got back onto the tar on the R43 to Villiersdorp. After 350km and 21 hours we made our 7th stop close to Villiersdorp.
There was "only"(!) a 100km and a bit left but at this stage the troops were spent.. I was a sore but my biggest struggle was to stay awake! Most of my team members probably did not appreciate the Rooihoogte pass just before Villiersdorp but I appreciated the lift in heart rate the climbing brings because it woke me up a little. We made another stop in Villiersdorp, here I drank 2 coffees, 2 caffeine pills and 2 glasses of coke in a futile effort to keep the drowsiness away.
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| Pitstop next to Theewaterskloof Dam |
We were off again on the R43, shortly after Villiersdorp we turned right at the Theewaterskloof dam, by now I was really struggling to keep awake, I would dose off for moments, drink a mouthful of coke to stay awake, be fine for a few seconds then the procedure would repeat again. Luckily we stopped again just before the Franschoek pass for another break. I drank 2 more coffees and finally the caffeine kicked in!
When we got going again we made our way towards and up the Franschoek pass. Each would ride the pass at his or her own pace and gather at the top for another rest. I was now on a caffeine high and never mind the 22 hours of cycling in my legs, I was motoring up there like someone just starting out on a morning ride. As I was riding up the pass in the light of the full moon I noticed the riding lights of my fellow riders way below me, but I was not risking this caffeine rush running out before I reached the top and motored on, reaching the summit before most of my team.
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| Franschoek's lights - homestretch! |
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| I see dead cyclists |
Now for the homestretch, we had just over 60km left, the light was out and we dropped down the pass to Franschoek. Just before the Stellenbosch turn-off we were met by fellow riders of the Kenridge BP Garage training group (as well as a biker or 2) who would bring us home and keep the spirits up. By now my body was sore all over and my arms & hands felt like needles everytime I touched the handlebars.
We had another stop at Simondium but by now I was done eating & drinking, I just wanted to get home. Another few kilometers and a last stop at Frankie's corner where Corlia & the kids surprised us!
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| Still Smiling |
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| Homestretch! |
The last 20km to Meerendal felt like forever, when we finally made the climb up to the farm I felt oddly emotional (first for me on a mountain bike event) and as a group we finished on the grass parking area with friends & family chearing us on. 29 hours, 460km - the FAW ride done! Every single rider finished, what an awesome group of people!
We managed to gather about R35K (at last count) of donations for FAW, for this I am truly grateful. A special thanks to Neil & Belinda van Tonder who organised the ride - there are potentially so many things that could go wrong on an event like this, but everything ticked like a well oiled machine.
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| Meerendal. We made it! |
The support crew was crucial to the success of this event, nothing lifts the spirits like an enthusiastic & efficient support team at every stop. These people were at the heart of the effort while we were just riding our bikes.
Personally, nothing like pushing your boundaries to give some new perspective on life and what is achievable. Unfortunately once I have feeling in my hands & backside back I can see myself being talked into doing something crazy stupid like this again, but not this year. For the second half of 2016 my cycling en devours will be far less demanding.
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