Part 3:
RV3 (Loxton) to RV4 (Sutherland):
After a huge breakfast Oren and I headed out for the stretch to Fraserburg. The clock had ticked on to 46:00 as we hit the route again. This is where the **** gets real and the road now literally is an uphill to the finish some 500 plus km away. I was waiting for this section as now my gearing should equal the playing field against the geared bikes. On the first long climb Oren said his knee was giving issues. He would soldier on through immense pain and discomfort to the end. And slowly I started to stretch the distance between us on the route. We had agreed to ride together as far as possible till the elastic snapped. I knew Oren would be fine – he was a survivor and finisher of Munga 2021 through the Tankwa storms. Fraserburg was just over 100km away and the uphills become more frequent. The temperature rose steadily and all I could think of is just keep moving forward. The wind picked up considerably and was blowing directly from the front. As anticipated the terrain gradient and single speed gearing synced and I was really giving it horns. Slowly I started passing rider after rider. After what felt like hours of toiling in the heat and headwinds, I reached WP6. The container stop. I had some small chicken pies, loads of watermelon and chocolate Super M. I did not stay long and headed out again on the last stretch to Fraserburg. I quickly passed another few riders that were up ahead and soon again was on my own against the uphills, corrugations and fierce headwind. The kms ticked over and slowly the town of Fraserburg came in sight. Even though I could see the town in the distance and it looked close,it still took forever to reach the town. By now the headwind was going full blast with no respite. Soon I felt the tarmac under my wheels and I rolled into town. From the briefing I remember there was an informal stop at the Total garage. This came into sight and I saw a few bikes parked outside. By now our bikes were literally grey/white from the dust. Walking inside I could see some very tired and dusty riders. I probably looked the same but did not care.
I ordered a cheeseburger and chips, a lemon twist and a ginger beer. I wolfed down the burger - it was delicious. The change from just drinking water and coke was also welcomed. What a friendly impromptu stop this was. My water bottles were taken away, washed and refilled with water and ice blocks. Coming into Fraserburg my mind was working overtime trying to gauge how I felt, where I was in terms of nutrition, energy etc. What I realised at this point was that any distance going forward will take much longer than expected. The uphills and headwinds combined with fatigue and lack of sleep contributed to a longer ride time. So, for example a 60km stretch is not a 3-4 hour ride anymore. It’s more like 6-7 hours.
My next stretch to WP8 was an 80 odd km stretch. By my calculations – about 8 hours. So, I ordered a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich with some slap chips to go with it. I had them wrap it up for me and that was an intended meal along the way. I felt ready to tackle the next stretch and my aim was to get to RV4 – Sutherland. Immediately out of Fraserburg, the road pointed uphill and the corrugations were bad. I passed a few riders gain and everyone was in their own world battling whatever dark forces they were experiencing. I really felt good, and my legs were great. I was 750km in and in a good space. Soon the route veered off the gravel road into the farms. What a great section and experience was to follow. The punchy terrain was to my liking and I soon put some distance between me and the riders behind. The jeep track was stimulating and I was watching the sun lowering itself to the horizon would be setting for my third night on Munga. I was so far into unknow territory now, in terms of riding and my endurance it was insane.
I soon came up to a farm gate, there were plenty on this route, and after opening it I saw a rider, coming up from the jeep track ahead pushing his bike. He said to me that he is lost and that he has gone down the trail to the river and cannot find it from there. He has been looking for 30 minutes for a way out. We introduced ourselves, and he said his name was Gert. I said to him – don’t worry just follow me, we will find it. From the briefing I remember this section been explained as going along the riverbed and a narrow ravine. This is referred to as the infamous snake alley. If you get bitten here by a snake, there is a good chance you will die out here. You are so far from any form of help. The terrain was technical – steep inclines and declines, rocky with some sandy sections. I found the lost trail and pushed on. Gert following behind me. I relished in the technical conditions and slowly the sun set and my headlights guided our progress. Soon the sand sections were coming thick and fast. So thick that even my trusty Ikon 2.6 was pushed to the limits. Gert fell once or twice through this section, but we made it through. At one of the farm gates Gert told me he was getting cold. I was so exhilarated by the terrain change and focus required I did not notice the wind had started to push again and as we headed towards Sutherland the temperature dropped. Sutherland is the coldest place in South Africa for a reason. A few kms later Gert was really getting cold. I asked him if he had something to eat and he did not. I pulled out my toasted cheese and tomato sandwich and gave it to him. I ate the slap chips at the same time. Gert put on all his available clothes to keep warm, and we headed on. Soon we hit the gravel road again after a long section of hike a bike through another riverbed section.
Gert was struggling now, and I knew I had to keep him awake and focused. WP8 was still 30 odd kms away. Up to now I had small pockets of chat with Gert. He was riding with a laminated board on his handlebars. This laminated board had photo’s on it of his daughter and a good friend. Both had passed away recently from cancer and he was cycling the Munga in their memory. Gert also had done all his training for Mung on the road with virtually no off road training.
As the km went , I tried to keep Gert awake. I knew what Gert was going through as I experienced quite severe hyperthermia at a Cullinan2Tonteldoos event in 2021. I literally was counting the km down 1 by 1 as we neared WP8. It got seriously cold, and it was magnified by the howling headwind and the fact that we had been riding for 2.5 days and quite fatigued. The constant uphills were also tiring, yet we pushed on. The red lights of the Munga flags indicating the WP turnoff was coming up, was a welcome sight. We headed into the farm next to the road. The hostess was brilliant. She had hot coffee ready. Gert could not even hold the coffee cup still he was shaking so much. He went off to find a place to sleep and covered himself in two blankets. My initial plan was to go through to Sutherland, but it was now midnight and very cold. The wind was brutal and brough the real feel temperature right down to freezing. Also, I was 4okm from Sutherland – I did mention before the coldest place in South Africa for a reason. So, I decided to sleep a bit and head out at 4am. I found a mattress in the laundry room of the farmhouse compound and tried to sleep. It was warm inside, but my body could not get warm. I tossed and turned and heard riders coming in. Oren came into the room to find a spot but there was none. I asked him how he was, and he said his knee was painful, but he was surviving. He went to look in another room for a place to sleep.
My alarm went off at 03:20 and I got up. I asked Gert if he was coming, and he said he was going to sleep some more. We would meet up later the next night in the Tankwa. I went to the kitchen of the farmhouse and it was still freezing outside. The wind was still blowing hard and I was figuring out my next steps. I put on the extra pair of socks I had, took my space blanket and stuffed it under between my base layer and cycling jersey hoping the space blanket would trap the warm air between my base layer and itself. Over that went my windproof jacket. The hostess gave me a large cup of boere koffie and that warmed me up proper. I had a second cup with some quiche and biltong to g with it. I felt warm and not too tired. My head was in the right space to tackle this next section of 40 odd kms to Sutherland. I headed out around 4am with no other rider in sight.
The wind was freezing and stinging my face, so I pulled up my buff so that just my cycling glasses was visible. That set up only lasted till the next uphill a few minutes later when my cycling glasses misted up. So, I had to HTFU and pull my buff down and bear the brunt of the cold wind directly in my face. The plan was to ride this section in just over two hours. My upper body was warm and that’s all that mattered.
I was literally 10 minutes into my journey towards Sutherland and just like that the wind dropped. Now I was just dealing with the cool air at my level and the world as I could see it in my headlight. The kms rolled by quickly and uneventfully. I was trying to work out my progress and eta for the next stops. It was difficult as I felt well and did not really know what to expect through the Tankwa. I checked back now and again but did not see any riders coming from behind. Sunrise on the third morning was spectacular. I had the Sutherland Satellite Array Telescope site on the mountain to my right and to my left the sun was hitting the crests of the ridges surrounding me. It was a beautiful morning and I felt very much in control – I had no niggles, legs were good, head space was good. 16km to go and all tar road into Sutherland. I was looking forward to a much needed shower, 30min massage and a big breakfast. I did not plan to rest as the daunting Tankwa section lay ahead. In fact, I felt so good rolling into Sutherland I even had an inkling of a thought that a Sunday morning finish may be possible.
Km: 828
Time: 66:23
RV4 (Sutherland) to RV5 (Matroosberg):
I reached RV4 at around 06:20 that morning. It was freezing cold in Sutherland. And not many riders at the RV point. I quickly showered and went and had a 30 min massage. I felt good and had a hearty breakfast. Another rider Armin was getting ready to leave and we rolled out from Sutherland together but not together. We were both in our own world of thought and calculations. The route out of Sutherland to Ouberg Pass consists of uphills and more uphills. The Karoo terrain is beautiful and as I ascended this part the temperature started rising. We turned off the district road and headed through farmland. The top of Ouberg Pass is spectacular. I stopped at the top to take in the scenery and when I looked out over the stark valley below, I tried to picture where I was heading for the day. I saw a range of mountains in the far distance and even though this was my first time in the Tankwa, I grew up in the Cape, so I knew that was very I was heading. **** its far.
I descended the sketchy Ouberg Pass – my hardtail bouncing around and I had to focus a little extra to navigate the rutted sections. After all at this stage I had close to 900km in my legs in just under 3 days.
A few kms off Ouberg Pass WP9 loomed. Tankwa Lodge. We were three riders there. I had a boerie roll and some watermelon. Filled my bottles. The wind started picking up and the hosts advised it will blow all day as it did the day before. By now it was proper hot. Around the mid 30s and it was just after 10am in the morning. I filled my water bottles. One rider headed out and I checked if Armin was going to join me. He said he was going to rest a while then head out. So, I headed out, solo with the first rider a few minutes down the road. Immediately the uphills began. The same scenario played itself out - crest after crest was reached only to see another one in the distance. The wind picked up even more and it was very hot but not unbearable. The rider down the road was now long gone – clearly his geared bike having the advantage. When they say the Tankwa is stark they were not kidding – there is no sign of any insect or animal life. It’s very dry and you can see for days. The road is extremely rutted and finding the smoothest path was often a challenge. I resorted to riding on the ridge of the hard pack and soft sand for most of the way. When I left Tankwa Lodge the next waterpoint, WP10, was Tankwa Padstal – 80odd kms away. By now I knew it would not be like a 4 -5 ride as up in Johannesburg. This was going to be an allday slog in the heat and wind.
I just kept a steady cadence and rhythm and kept my mind occupied. This was the first time during the ride I listened to a podcast or two that I downloaded. The road turned left and onto the infamous R355 Road. The wind direction was directly from the front now and battering me constantly.
The temperature kept rising and reached the mid 40s just as I was reaching an informal waterpoint at the halfway distance to Tankwa Padstal. A Jojo tank under a hessian cover was the waterpoint. It was around 15:30 and I had not seen any rider for hours. I took a breather there for about 15min trying to sit on the edge of the pallet the Jojo tank was standing on. This was the only bit of shade from the hessian cover that there was. I had two food bars, drank about 2L of water and filled my bottles. 40km to WP 10.
As I set off on the mind numbing corrugated district road I was slowly feeling the heat. Even though I had drank enough water at the Jojo tank, my mouth went dry quickly. This next 40km was one of the hardest sections I experienced. The solitude, heat, wind and dust all was compacting my resolution and I was stretched to the limit of my will power. The mountains I saw in the distance standing on the top of Ouberg pass earlier that morning loomed closer.
The district road then turned left again towards Ceres. Of course the wind woud be head on. It had picked up more and more in the last few minutes and I would estimate it was between 40-50km/h. Not gusting – constant. I literally could only pedal at about 6-8km/h uphill and downhill, it made no difference.
It was now getting on towards dusk – and my thoughts were focused on the 60km after Tankwa Padstal to RV5 at Matroosberg. I still had the energy to go that distance. Just after 6pm that all changed. The wind picked up in intensity and it was literally blowing the sand at 90 degrees. The hosts at Tankwa Padstal estimated it to be around 70km/h. I was only about 12km from WP10 but that took me just over an hour and a half. Insane. I was pedalling at around 4km/h at times. Reaching WP10 just as the sun was setting was a relief. I had not seen another rider for the last 8-9 hours.
My plan to ride on to Matroosberg changed after speaking to the host. He said the wind usually drops a little (I was not sure what that meant – by 5km/h or 20km/h?) around 2am. I decided then – I was going to eat as much as I can and rest till midnight. Then head out to RV5. My plan was still the 96 hour target – noon on Sunday.
Three riders who were at the WP were ready to leave and tackle the 60km to Matroosberg. Into that headwind – insane. (I later looked at the sign in sheet at RV 5. They checked in at around 3am after leaving WP10 at around 8pm)
Inside I saw Oli – passed out fast asleep. He had been there for hours already. When I left at midnight he was still sleeping.
There was a laptop there and they were tracking the riders. I saw a big bunch at the Jojo tank and felt sorry for them. The 40km that had to go was going to take forever.
I had a great meal and even some custard and jelly and homemade ice cream. As I was getting ready to get some sleep 3 riders came in. Armin, Gert Pelser and Rigel. We chatted and decided to all leave together at midnight. Sleep came quickly and I slept well for about 3 hours. I got up, started to get dressed and woke the others. It was close to midnight and all forms of extra items of clothing was put on. It was cold and the wind was still howling outside. As we were about to leave a group of riders arrived. This was the group at the Jojo tank around 8pm on the tracker. 4 hours to ride the 40km. They look battered. My friend Oren was in that group. He was going well and felt strong. His knee still niggling. RESPECT MY FRIEND.
We headed out – Gert, Armin, Rigel and myself. Rigel had ridden a few Munga’s before and he advised the next 60kms to Matroosberg was going to be tough. Its all a steady uphill climb that just goes on and on and on. The bloody verocious headwind also was not going to help. The four of us headed out into the headwind and I want to say we made light work of the 60kms but would be lying. It was hard. We even stopped at times just to catch a breather. We all had 3.5 days riding in the legs coupled with lack of any decent sleep and it was catching up on us. After many hours we finally reached the base of the big climb up Matroosberg. The sun was only just starting to come up and dawn was breaking. It was freezing cold. Armin was doing sideways swerves on the bike as he fell asleep and catched the bike before going down. I was not feeling much better. I was tired and could not keep my eyes open. Here is where the four of us split. Gert and rigel headed up the hill at a brisk pace and soon their rear lights were gone. Armin and I stopped and he decided to have a 15 min sleep on the side of the road. I was to cold to even think of that and I said I was pushing on. I was pushing my bike up the steeper parts and I caught myself falling asleep doing this more than once.
To stay awake I would pedal for 20 revolutions then get off and push my bike about 100m and then pedal 20 revolutions again and so it went on. The steeper parts of Matroosberg were very steep and I could see footprints in the dust where riders ahead of me also had to push their bikes up the hill.
As I reached the top of Matroosberg the sun was now clear of the horizon and it I was looking at the stunning cape mountains around me and thought this would be my final sunrise I will witness on the Munga. I had see such contrasting scenery and sun rises over the past 4 mornings. It was quite a moment to take it all in.
The tar road beckoned now and I set of to RV5. I was checking back now and again but did not catch sight of Armin yet. The road to RV5 went quickly but the temperature was still very cold and when I reached the RV5 I was shivering. I could clearly feel the lack of sleep and when I stopped and climbed off my bike I had to take a moment to gather my thoughts – just to comprehend where I was and what I had to do. It was not easy as I was tired and cold so that process took a few minutes. One of the helpers from the bike shop supporting the RV came to me to offer assistance with my chain and bottles. I was still literally in a daze trying to gather my thoughts and my response was a bit abrupt I think. I immediately apologized to him and explained what I was feeling. I was literally feeling like a zombie. This stretch from Tankwa Padstal was 60km. It took me 6.5 hours to reach Matroosberg. Insane. We were relatively four strong riders making use of the allowed drafting rules for Munga 2022 and it still took 6.5 hours.
Km: 1044
Time: 90:14
