Cederberg circuit in winter

[Lynskey]

On 9/24/2024 at 11:20 AM, capediver said:

Yet more discoveries...

Algeria camping closed for 2 years! Had some correspondence about plans with Cape Nature and never mentioned this until now! So onto the next possibility

Driehoek Farm....3 days of calls, no answer, no replies on emails...anyone have any inside info, is this place still open? 

They have closed down as far as I know. If you looking for info there is a new guy working at Oasis who is full of updated knowledge on the area. Contact them.

[BuffsVintageBikes]

Jamaka Organic farm is close to Algeria and a great place to stay.

[MongooseMan]

1 hour ago, Jbr said:

Anyone been Algeria area recently ? Last time I rode there the roads were super corrugated and it was a rough ride on the crux. Wonder how it's going to be now for Ceder

above uitkyk or below?

Above was fine about a month ago.

[Jbr]

4 minutes ago, MongooseMan said:

above uitkyk or below?

Above was fine about a month ago.

ahah both, last year below uitkyk was really bad, both sides of the valley, didn't ride above the pass

[capediver]

NO turning back now, I'm in at Driehoek as first stop Monday, will let you all know as I go along...network depending...

[BuffsVintageBikes]

That's a seriously loaded bike, good luck on those climbs 😄👍

[capediver]

😜👍💪...no comfy cabins or restuarant meals planned, one man bivvy tent, lots of droewors!

[capediver]

3 hours ago, Lynskey said:

They have closed down as far as I know. If you looking for info there is a new guy working at Oasis who is full of updated knowledge on the area. Contact them.

Yes, that's Gabriel...roads are all good for now, some rain expected Saturday but nothing too bad hopefully!

The 2 crossings over the Matjies River just N of Oasis can get a bit dodgy if there's more rain so I'm going south via Krom Rivier just to be safe...

[Shebeen]

On 9/24/2024 at 11:20 AM, capediver said:

Yet more discoveries...

Algeria camping closed for 2 years! Had some correspondence about plans with Cape Nature and never mentioned this until now! So onto the next possibility

Driehoek Farm....3 days of calls, no answer, no replies on emails...anyone have any inside info, is this place still open? 

Yes still open, going there for new years! 

 

Probably busy planting ceders

[capediver]

So an epic adventure is done and dusted, up there with France anti-Everesting and ridge riding!!!! 

One of the worst days on a bike climbing Niewoudts Pass in a storm and freezing gales and some of the best downhill runs, snow capped ridges, Mars-like landscapes, clear streams, flooded crossings and spectacular camp sites!!!

Recommended bucket-list stuff!!!

[capediver]

[capediver]

Bullet point list of wins and fails...fails first:

Too much gear...first timer on long gravel trip, didn't have any idea of my daily capacity/endurance but knew I had to get from one spot to another and I really wanted to camp it...but weather was so bad and cold on the first 2 nights, I was lucky to get a cabin...after the temps climbed, the rest of the time in a tent was awesome! Definitely will tent it again.

Too much food..I wasn't sure where to get food, turns out limited stock available at Algeria (they would make a killing if they ran a burger joint), nice supply at Sanddrif and awesome restaurant Oasis (best bacon and egg toastie ever, thanks Gabriel!) and at Mount Cedar, nothing at Houdenbek, so next time, less food.

Those 2 things weighed me down on ascents so quite a bit of walking and pushing!

The First Ascent Aero 5.5 Lightweight mattress! It did the job of insulating me from the ground BUT it was too narrow, I kept rolling off the damn thing...so it packs down small, is easy to inflate but damn, it was, for me just no good!

Wolfberg Arch overnight...I was ready for this and took a compact backpack with...permit was denied cause you need a minimum of 3 people to go up and the weather that night was horrendous so...back pack used to carry Cederberg wine and Mount Cedar olive oil home so win there!!!

Wins:

No 1 was definitely the Garmin InReach Mini 2! Most of the route from Algeria is out of cell phone range and there is only wifi near receptions of camps...Sanddrif reception is a distance away from the camp! Being able to have comms with the InReach was a huge plus and comfort factor for concerned partner back home

No 2: if you going to camp, find space for a lightweight camping chair...the Natural Instinct Ultralight was an absolute win! Compact and light and tucks under bar, no problem

No 3: Colemans Biker sleeping bag, only goes to -2 but a great very compact unit and opens up down to feet (I'm not a mummy bag person at all so opened it was...no problems with good sleep gear)

No 4: Bridgedale mohair socks...I think I washed them once and they never smelled!

No 5: Rapha Explore shoes...was contemplating taking a spare set to walk around after riding but didn't....these were all round wins on and off the bike

No 6: The bike...Pardus Uragano, bought new in Dubai, been riding it for a while, 11-speed mechanical GRX groupset...could have done with a bigger dinner plate on the rear! Zero issues, shod with Panaracer SK 50mm which never lost a single millibar!

No 7: Redshift Shockstop system, a stem with elastomers and the Pro Endurance Suspension seatpost which has 2 coils and elastomers in the post that can be tuned for sag...both did a great job of taking the edge of the worst of the gravel

No 7: The entire area...what a dramatic scenic place, surreal geology, awesome vistas and the snow on the valleys peaks from Uitkyk Pass to Sanddrif was UNREAL! Really stunning.

N0 8. Timing..although the weather on the first day was HORRIFIC and I nearly gave up about 20 times climbing Niewoudt's Pass, the rest of the 4 days were fantastic, crisp evenings and mornings and comfortable midday temps with a light breeze, the earlier rain in the area had compacted the roads and there was plenty of hero dirt to revel on! They are gravel though so the usual bumps, rocks, pebbles and potholes but all in all fantastic..except for Ceres side of Middleberg pass which was seriously trashed in places and the other side running down towards Citrusdal is covered in a layer of marbles!

No 9: The people..it was midweek so not much traffic, but everyone either hooted or waved as they went past (probably laughing at the fool on his bike), some even stopped and chatted!

No 10...I forgot to add...I fashioned a collapsible aluminium pole from spare tent poles with a bracket on the end as a bike stand that hooked under the stem! Such a bonus not having to lay your bike down when stopped

All in all, a fantastic experience and well recommended to anyone capable of pedalling a bicycle!

First video is up....

 

Edited October 8 by capediver
Added No 10!

[Lynskey]

Cool write up. I have been bike packing for 3 years. I still add and drop stuff here and there. I personally think it is very much a personal experience. Also the more you do it the more you learn. My first trip I ever did I took a pair of takkies with. Hilarious. Heavy and an absolute waste. Slops and riding shoes is all I do now. I hope for you this is just the beginning. A trip through the Tankwa is definitely worth it. Go when the moon is small. Your nights will be rewarded no end.