Northern Cape Crawl (1 - 8 June 2019): Slow and Slower

[Ri]

Day 8

Sleeping flat on the cold hard ground, I nevertheless have a surprisingly good night's sleep, only interrupted now and then by a complaining hip bone insisting that I turn around and give it a break. When I turn, I peek out of my sleeping bag to see what the stars are doing, then curl up into its warmth again. Keith also snores away softly, until it is time for our pre-dawn cup of tea.

The night is freezing - as witnessed by the frost on my sleeping bag and on our motorbikes - and a cold wind is blowing from the mountains behind us. I'm having a really hard time getting up. I reach for my soaked oats, but it is so cold it almost hurts my teeth.

Camping in Calvinia in winter is not for softies.

No wonder my feet were cold... no interest in getting up

Keith however insists I show my glamorous self

Finally the thought of the hot shower entices me from my thick bedding, and I drag it into the dawning sun to dry out while I try to warm my chilled feet. The sun does its thing and by the time I'm (almost) clean and (fairly) decent, the bivvy is dry and I can pack it away. You'd think I'd be a master packer by now, but somehow it still feels like it takes a long time to pack. I'm still very happy with my packing though, and will definitely keep this setup in future.

Finally I'm ready and layered up, and we head out to Williston in the cold morning, travelling at our economical 95 kph, Keith in front. In Williston we stop at the same restaurant we stopped at last time, and we treat ourselves to a delicious omelette and a cappuccinos. The proprietress is excited to see us again, and asks me about our trip.

Sufficiently bolstered, we head off towards Fraserburg again. At the main road, we stop and say our good byes. Keith is heading down to Prins Albert, and I'm heading to the old age home to greet my mom, who returned from the hospital during the week I was travelling. Then I'm staying over at my BIL's farm again, before trailering my bike back to Cape Town on Sunday.

Adios, Amigo

 

[Chrisl]

Camping in Calvinia in winter without tents is not for softies. :deal:

Fixed

Julle stop twee keer in Williston en nie een keer by die Mall nie?!!!

Lekker roete vir die winter. :thumleft:

 

[Ri]

Camping in Calvinia in winter without tents is not for softies. :deal:

Fixed

Julle stop twee keer in Williston en nie een keer by die Mall nie?!!!

Lekker roete vir die winter. :thumleft:

Ons was die eerste keer by die Mall maar dit was toe

 

[the ruffian]

ChrisL, your question invites a response:

Mid-winter travel in the drier areas of Southern Africa is one of the great potential experiences of an Adventure motorcyclist. The nights are long, but riotously starry, and as an endemic insomniac, and lifelong rock climber/alpinsist , I’ve Developed the habit of being consoled in those dark cold hours (for those of us that are overly-philosophical) of being under an open sky. Despite Ri’s reference to my snoring, garrulous and raucous as it may be, I spend more hours awake than asleep. If you’re in a decent sleeping bag covered by a breathable bivvi bag, then a frosty night holds no terrors. The celestial display is worth it, and in that respect, at this time of year, if you face southwest, then you have the best view of the constellations... the Milky Way pivoting through the night on the Southern Cross, with Scorpio riding high through the night  - is mind-blowing and soul-searing.

Of course, my enjoyment of said spectacle was possibly contingent on my inflatable mattress ( notwithstanding its thinness), whereas Ri had no such luxury, her defunct mattress simply functioning as an expensive groundsheet... :biggrin:

 

[Ri]

Expensive for sure. I was very surprised, but also gratified, to sleep so deeply on solid unyielding ground, but I'll still keep an eye out for a thinnish inflatable mattress. At least I know I can do without, if push comes to deflate :lol8:

I've disliked sleeping in a tent since waking up in a chilly condensation soaked shelter that drenched me by the time I was dressed. That soggy torture still haunts me. Now that my bivvy has proven waterproof, unless it rains, the night chills hold no fear for me.

I suspect later in the week our intermittent insomnias synchronised and overlapped. Also I said "sonorous", not "garrulous". :deal:

 

[Coxwain]

So...is this the end?...dammit I was really enjoying this trip. Great RR Ri ...as usual.

 

[Coxwain]

So...is this the end?...dammit I was really enjoying this trip. Great RR Ri ...as usual.

 

[TVB]

Very nice RR, thanks 4 sharing

 

[Bokveld]

    Dankie vir n lekker RR .Julle is avonturiers van n dieper orde!

 

[2StrokeDan]

ChrisL, your question invites a response:

Mid-winter travel in the drier areas of Southern Africa is one of the great potential experiences of an Adventure motorcyclist. The nights are long, but riotously starry, and as an endemic insomniac, and lifelong rock climber/alpinsist , I’ve Developed the habit of being consoled in those dark cold hours (for those of us that are overly-philosophical) of being under an open sky. Despite Ri’s reference to my snoring, garrulous and raucous as it may be, I spend more hours awake than asleep. If you’re in a decent sleeping bag covered by a breathable bivvi bag, then a frosty night holds no terrors. The celestial display is worth it, and in that respect, at this time of year, if you face southwest, then you have the best view of the constellations... the Milky Way pivoting through the night on the Southern Cross, with Scorpio riding high through the night is mind-blowing.

Of course, my enjoyment of said spectacle was possibly contingent on my inflatable mattress ( notwithstanding its thinness), whereas Ri had no such luxury, her defunct mattress simply functioning as an expensive groundsheet... :biggrin:

Of course, it also never crossed your mind to give the lady the better mattress? ot: Bleddie Alpinsist.

 

[the ruffian]

Of course not, 2SD. I’m a frail old man, and she is , as Loewelife described her, the “boggling bokkie”.

Besides, in philosophical terms, you must sleep in the bed you make for yourself... :biggrin:

 

[0012]

:laughing4:  :thumleft:

thoroughly enjoyed this report, dankie vir die deel

 

[wilfwalk]

Thanks Ri for a wonderful trip story, its far better than a "report" ! Your photo of the fat Kokerboom is simply lovely, the best of the bunch for me, and its flowering as well !
Watched an episode of the Safari4x4 recently of the part of their trip along the Namaqua 4x4 Route and their visuals were amazing. having said that, many were taken from a drone, so most people will never actually see those views for themselves.
Thanks again, and well done to Keith for pushing his riding limits  :thumleft:

 

[ButtSlider]

:thumleft:Thanks Ri. Very nice RR.  :ricky:

 

[Black_Hawk]

Baie dankie vir die deel Ri  :thumleft:

Soos altyd is dit baie lekker om van julle avonture te lees

 

[Dorsland]

Baie lekker gelees Ri, dis 'n deel van die wêreld waar ek baie lanklaas in was maar waarvoor ek baie lief is.  Jy (and Ruffian) is voorwaar 'n avonturier van formaat. 

 

[roxenz]

Thanks for the "lekkerlees" RR, Ri (with some guest appearances by the_ruffian Keith). You so obviously enjoyed the trip, that one cannot help enjoying the reading too. And then having heaps of "kiekies" is a brilliant bonus!

PS. I suspect what Keith may have lacked in riding skills, he more than made up in (sharp, intelligent, erudite) conversation skills...

 

[woody1]

Klink lekker maar ek spaar maar so 'n paar rand extra om elke nou en dan in 'n lekker kamer MET 'n BED in te boek.  :laughing4:

 

[Ri]

Thanks for the "lekkerlees" RR, Ri (with some guest appearances by the_ruffian Keith). You so obviously enjoyed the trip, that one cannot help enjoying the reading too. And then having heaps of "kiekies" is a brilliant bonus!

PS. I suspect what Keith may have lacked in riding skills, he more than made up in (sharp, intelligent, erudite) conversation skills...

True story. We had lekker conversations about everything and more :sip: It was a great exploratory trip, and hopefully the intro to many other trips in this area

 

[Ri]

Klink lekker maar ek spaar maar so 'n paar rand extra om elke nou en dan in 'n lekker kamer MET 'n BED in te boek.  :laughing4:

Ja maar jy het jou swaarkry onderlede, jy is nou oud en sag :imaposer: