A plan B day.
A chilly eight degrees enveloped us this morning as we left Franschhoek to head into the Cederberg. However, plan B snagged us in Wellington where large diversion signs claimed that our routed drive over Bainskloof was closed. Ross & Charlie went to scout to make sure and shot up the mountain route to find, road closed!
Our clever (new and shiny) little onboard Garmin computers were consulted with school-child glee to find an alternative route as large diversion signs were clearly too easy! Uber kind, Markus, had this sorted in a flash, routing the group via the R44/R46 over the equally spectacular Mitchell’s Pass near Tulbagh. This is the beauty of South Africa, we’re blessed with so many fantastic roads and routes it’s sometimes difficult to pick just one.
Dirt roads proper beckoned today and they weren’t to be cheated out of willing participants and certainly early on that was the case as we all chased to out lunch rendezvous. We al grabbed a splendid sandwich at the remote Oasis backpackers a short drive north from Op-die-Berg. Talk was easy and casual groups chatted away, however, I’d done this route recently with my pal Big Al Franck and recalled the road conditions ahead so I left early with my camera. It’s worth mentioning here that this mornings chilly eight degrees had now become a very African 31 degrees. Thermal linings were being discarded faster than you can say duck down duvet.
The road became very technical and had been carefully chosen by tour leader John Griffiths from Motoadventures tour company. The intention was to give a very real taste of what was in store for us on the rest of the trip. Soft sand, loose gravel, water obstacles, more soft sand, then a tricky and technical steep descent full of washouts and loose gravel. Lovely stuff.
Everyone had a problem somewhere, but friendships are already being forged in this sandy cauldron and a helping hand was always a short dash away. I certainly wasn’t immune and have to thank Nathan East for an additional pair of hands just when needed after an inelegant slide put me down. Did I mention I loathe sand?
Tough days, while difficult at the time, have a way of reviving themselves and morphing in to something very different. As I type, as the tales in the bar are getting taller as the glasses drain. It’s a proportional thing. A plan B thing.
