Day 17. Lutzville to Springbok via some coastal 2 spoor
After a lekker kuier in Lutzville we were off again. We had to an extra early start as my buddy had to leave for work. But this was a good thing in the end as some misfortune befell us, and befell us some more, and more...
The plan was to do some grade 4 route from our handy gravel guide, but we ended up on a different route but I guess the same rating. Thus far we have only done level 3 and maybe touched more difficult stretches occasionally. We stopped next to the road outside of Lutzville to look at the handbook and map when a farmer stopped to offer his assistance. After hearing our intentions he gave us some directions but I think it was simply a route to get to the coast as soon as possible. And that we did, some okay gravel but lots of traffic and thus a lot of dust on that stretch. but uneventfull nonetheless.
We got to the coast and was met with a closed gate. the phone number did not work so we stopped at some nearby offices and the people were quick to say we could enter the protected area beyond the gate. If they had authority I dont know but we were off!
The road was good, some soft sand but not an issue when I saw there is a parallel route closer to the sea. Well I went for that, ended up on the beach for a lekker picture but saw the road was washed away so we went back to the other better road.
Progress was decent until I decided again on trying a side route to see if I can get sommer close to the beach. Bad idea. We did not go far and I fell. I thought about the little training tips Ive had and what I have read and fell again. Well, turned around, fell some more and got back onto the safe road again. My wife and I had a little fight earlier so in general the atmosphere wasnt to good. You know those quiet ones... Well it was getting more and more quiet with me concentrating on the road which seemed to be getting more and more sandy, even the 'good' one.
I think I tried the closer-to-the-coast route once more, fell and got over it. From there it was only the better road which soon turned out to be a challenge on its own. We hit a sandy bit and fell. I was getting very frustrated but was not overly worried. it seemed like the bike was taking it okay and my wife was not complaining. Then of course I think I fell again. And started to realise why GS=Geen sand. It was starting to be sommer a shitty exerience. I have done difficult rocky sections and fell a lot before, hurt the bike, but in the end it was fun in hindsight. I still dont see this day as a fun day!
I know training training training to survive in sand but I have to say...if its difficult its flippen difficult. Its a narrow spoor to ride in, once your wheel touches the thick-sand middelmannetjie or the side shoulder its tickets. it either pulls you in or you over correct and the other side hits you. A nightmare. Some falls and many short sandy patches which you survive mostly without knowing how but we kept going.
We saw the mine there. First i saw a mine so close to the coast, I would like a site visit, it looked interesting. Then a bit further on after some more worrying moments we got to the salt mine or gathering site which was also interesting. the people seemed friendly enough but I wasnt much in the mood... I looked for an escape route but it looked like the road was a private mine road.
up to then it was manageable, I knew I was in trouble but it was still okay when Murphy snapped his fingers and it got worse. Previously it was small sandy stretches but now we hit a long extra sandy patch. It got bad, so much so that my wife rather walked. Enter Nightmare
Yes I tried to speach myself. Get up, look up and open up. Hell! look up helped most I think. It helped you drive straight for longest. Speed up means you fall harder and I really tried some speed, it did not work. I tried to power through it when tankslapping like crazy and it kind of kept us upright. But being thrown all over and keeping the power on only means you dont fall, it does not mean you are going in any sensible direction but rather ploughing the bushes next to the road. Example is the blurry photo with bike in distance next to the road.
And then when you almost think its over and cant get worse I had to go and break the bike....Then I wanted to go home
We took a fall but this time I hit the windscreen with my hip when flying past the bike. Not to hard but hard enough...It snapped my windscreen clean off! its a weird thing to see your whole head unit laying half on/half next to the bike. The bracket that held the speedo/lights, windscreen and my gps was off. I lost it for 1 second and then got calm. Picked up the bike and fixed it with cable ties. Only the one indicator had its wires ripped off. so except for that and everything being loose we could sort off continue.
Sorry, no pics.
From there on I thought screw the distance, I am going super slow. I think we toppled over once after that but we made it. Not in a happy mood though
