It started before the crack of dawn with our alarm clocks waking us up at 3:30am and ‘enjoying’ a whole bowl of oats when we really didn’t feel like eating! We headed off into the dark to the V&A Waterfront to meet with a cameraman who would be interviewing us in order to make a Cancer Fighting Journey movie!! We were so happy to have some our close friends turn up to cycle with us as a send off – thank you so much to Nix and Tony, Leon, Will, Lance, Jenna, Theo, Ian and Tamlyn for sacrificing an early morning for us. Also a BIG thank you to PAG Cape Town branch for also coming to support us – Nigel, Penny, Dale and Bonnie you rock!! We really needed your infectious early morning energy. We headed off at 5:30am towards the N7 with a blustering South Easterly which was a very welcomed tailwind to blow us all the way up to Citrusdal. After a quick goodbye with all our fellow cyclists, we were on our own heading towards Malmesbury, Piketberg and Citrusdal.
All started out well and we even started singing Cliff Richard’s ‘ We’re all going on a cycling holiday…’ until the first big interlinker truck passed us and we nearly fell off due to the rush of wind as they came so close. That got me worried and I started stressing a little and had to resort to looking back over my shoulder ever 5 mins to warn Jaco of any trucks coming past so that we could prepare ourselves. There was a hard shoulder to cycle on but not that much space and we sat very nervously on the road every time a truck would pass us. In the end, I counted 69 big trucks that passed us …and that was only on our side of the road!! So by now we are used to them and they provide a welcome breeze and a push everytime they pass us.
At 70kms, I start feeling my back wheel grating on the road and look down to discover a puncture…arrggh but great timing as we are passing a cute roadstall called the Cheesemouse. A good excuse to pull in for a coke and change the tube. We discover that ‘someones’ brilliant idea of tire liners which are meant to protect the tube actually caused the puncture by pinching a hole in it. But I enjoy the sound of the chickens, goats and pigs as Jaco changes the tire ;-)
Back on the road and some time later we welcome the sight of Jaco’s parents, Pieter and Mercia waiting on the side of the road for us just past Mooreesburg with muffins and cold water!! Aaaah they seemed like angels at that point in time! The temperature was climbing and we could feel the burning sun on us. We hit Piketberg and decide that a toasted sandwich and a sit in the shade would be a good idea and debate whether we should push on to Citrusdal which is another pass and 50kms away. It is 10:30am and already the temperature is around 30 degrees! I say stay and Jaco says lets go. Well I gotta listen to the boss (hahaha) so decide to get back on our horses (I wish!!) and get going. It was a long and hard stretch of road and by this time, we are having to freewheel every now and then to give our bums a break off the saddle. Jaco points out the mountain pass we need to climb which causes me to have a sense of humour failure but I know that Citrusdal, our first stop is just over the mountain. Its at this point, I put my head down, stop talking and concentrate on getting up this pass (kinda like Franschoek Pass) and eventually we make it!
We are so happy that the chalets we’re staying at have a pool and jump in as soon as we arrive with cycling kit and all. We made it!!
A few stats (Skip this bit if you’re not a cyclist!)
Total time: 8hrs24mins (including stops)
Distance: 184kms
Average speed: 21.9kms (including stops)
Average Heart Rate: 122 (Jaco), 147 (Christie)
Average Temp: 28 degrees (max temp 44 degs recorded on the bike!). Last 2hrs ave 39C
Total climbing: 1,680m
Total Kilo Calories burned: 3193 (Jaco), 4199 (Christie)
Christie’s highlight:
Having some faithful friends come and cycle with us for about 20kms as we headed out. Thanks guys!!
Christie’s lowlight:
Sipping what tasted like hot bathwater from the camelpack on my back
Jaco’s highlight:
Finding a garage that had the right connection to pump up our pap back wheel
Jaco’s lowlight:
Not having any journalists at the send off from the V&A Waterfront
(but subsequently, that afternoon, we saw an article published in Die Burger about Lize-Mari and the Cancer Fighting Journey!)
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