Here is how it all went down: I started off just after 5 and it was not too long before I got a little bit of mist in places. Nothing too hectic initially, but progressively getting worse and worse. At the time I dubbed the Malmesbury road the graveyard section as it was pitch black dark with white stuff all around, zero visibility, except for the yellow line, and I was all alone - it was spooky as hell! Whenever a car approached I got either completely blinded (I had to stop to be sure not to run into anything or leave the road!) or felt the hairs raise at the back of my neck in fear of being run over. Luckily the mist cleared 20km before Malmesbury and I saw a beautiful sunrise. It turned into a fresh and clear morning, with bright blue skies and lush green fields. I enjoyed spectacular scenery from Malmesbury to Riebeeck Kasteel, where I stopped for a big breakfast. The ride from there was fast with a nice tailwind and things were going great. That is until I hit the section between Hermon and Gouda... School holidays, month's end and a festival in Tulbagh made that one very busy road without a shoulder. I realised that this can turn into a real graveyard section if I was not careful. I lost count of how many times I had to get off the road and wait for a string of cars and trucks to pass. Cycling this 17km stretch was a stupid idea - I was really scared. After Gouda the road had a shoulder and traffic subsided. The road surface was not too smooth and the going was a bit harder than I expected, but at least there wasnt any danger of being run over. It has turned into a beautiful day with temperatures perfect for cycling. Bainskloof was as awesome as always, and I stopped to eat and to get some fresh mountain water. I had another short break in Wellington and then the last few rollers saw me home. It was a trying day, but also a rewarding one in terms of scenery and the satisfaction of having tamed that 220km of road. I will post some pictures once I locate that stupid camera cable...
