A route to rival the garden route: “The Sand Route by tandem”?
What happened
before:
Me: Gosh!
What are our plans for December? Think about it … no kids, just us.
She: West
Coast maybe?!
Me: Bicycle
maybe?
She: Tandem?
Me: That’s
crazy enough for me! Let’s do it!
This was the birth of a 600 km desert route, including
Namaqualand, Richtersveld and the most southern part of Namibia.
Equipment:
·
Avalanche Envi 29er MTB Tandem
·
Bike trailer: Camel – the now souped-up
desert work horse (her first appearance was in the Feb 2013 Bicycling SA issue)
Stuff:
·
“… a lot of it …”
On the pedal:
·
Me
– Cobus Steenkamp, and …
·
She
– Anina Schoeman
Weather:
·
Highest summer temperatures, in
excess of 40 degrees, and the most severe drought in recent history.
Mental Condition:
·
Confidential!
Why:
·
Our aim was
to try something new, something that would be crazy enough to tell our
grandchildren someday … and perhaps also something that would be a relationship
tester.
The trip:
Our tandem arrived from Cape
Town two days before our departure by car from Potchefstroom, which did not
leave us much time to synchronize our cycling regime for this excursion. Our
rendezvous was Jakkalsdraai Guest Lodge just outside Nababeeb – leaving
Nababeeb early on the 9th of December gave us our first taste of
being on the tandem that would be our transport for the next 600 km.
Nababeeb: Founded
in 1860 by the Cape Copper Company, as this was a copper mining town. Today,
however, the community struggles to keep a local economy running. Only during
the blooming season (August, September) of the Namaqua flowers, visitors stream
into the area.
Our first-day adrenaline rush
was a fast descent from Spektakel Pass before entering the coastal floor and
starting our first stage of the 320 km dirt road on this route – we were riding
a mountain bike, after all!
The solitude, the conversation,
the laughter and the free spirit invoked by the spectacular “nothing” of the
desert just cleansed the soul from a year’s drama and mishaps.
Our entry into Kleinzee was
just in time. The previous 30 km (of the 108 km that day) was against a
south-westerly wind that bullied us severely into the late afternoon. Day 1 was
completed – a worthy initiation into tandem touring.
Kleinzee: Founded
in 1927 and previously mainly owned by De Beers Diamond Company, this little
diamond mining town is on the west coast of the Northern Cape. This little town
is in the process of transforming due to the selling of mining properties into
private ownership.
The next day we were off to
Port Nolloth and 80 km to the north thereof – Alexander Bay, the last west
coast town before entering into Namibia at the Oranjemund border post.
Port Nolloth: The seat of the Richtersveld local
municipality, this town also serves as a domestic sea port of the Namaqualand
region. Established in 1854 this town was the gateway of copper transships as
well as diamonds from the Namaqua coast.
The previous day’s singing
lessons from Anina had me pondering about a possible career change. I discarded
that idea after my lack of memory of notes and words the very next day – apparently
men can focus only on one thing at a time!
Some locals in Port Nolloth
had never seen two people of one bicycle before, never mind one pulling a trailer
– for us it felt like receiving temporary godly status – all eyes on us!? (Taylor
Swift would be proud.) “Look, that bicycle has two seats, it can take a
passenger,” one onlooker said. Then another remarked, “No, man! The passenger
needs to pedal too!”
Our first night under the
stars was on the banks of the Holgat River, 40 km before Alexander Bay.
Sleeping under the stars is one of those experiences that tinkle the ancient
spirit in all of us – amazement, wondering, dreaming, feelings that one can
never get enough of. We never felt unsafe on the roadside in the Northern Cape
and Namibia – this is perhaps the last province where you may dare to sleep
alongside the road safely.
Alexander Bay: Named after Sir James Alexander who
mapped this region whilst a member of the Royal Geographical Society expedition
into Namibia during 1836. This town mainly serves the diamond mining community
today. The Harry Oppenheimer Bridge links it with its sister town across the
Orange River on the Namibian side.
22:00 on the 12th of
December – day 4: “That must be the Rosh
Pinah Gate ahead of us,” I said, but secretly I prayed that it would be it! Earlier
we’ve decided to leave Oranjemund, so as not to be “raisonized” by the Namib
heat. We had until 22:00 to cross the Sperrgebiet before the gates close –
otherwise we would have been in the area illegally.
Oranjemund: Established in 1936 by Hans Merensky after
the discovery of alluvial diamond deposits on the northern bank of the Orange
River. It’s a highly secured town owned by NAMDEP, and a permit is required to
enter the town. Until 2012 the town was accessible only to mining employees.
“What is this?” the security
guard asked in disbelief when he saw us. “I saw your light but it didn’t seem
to come closer. I wondered what was going on!”
“Well, this is a tandem,” I explained.
“I’ve never seen one of these
coming through our gates!” he replied.
Day 5:
Cycling through the vineyards of Aussenkehr was refreshing. Norotshama River
Resort was our destination. We have made the Orange River our own the previous
two days. The refreshing water and shade we found, notwithstanding the roadside
geology of the Richtersveld, were refreshing and inspirational. We decided to
prolong our visit in Aussenkehr to recoup some of our energy – after all, this
wasn’t a race.
Auzenkehr: Established in 1910 as an irrigation
farm by the imperial government of Germany. Several irrigation projects were
tried over the years. However, in 1988 the farm was established as a grape farm
and today more than 1000 hectares of grapes are under irrigation.
Day 9 was extremely hot. We were
confronted with a 40 km climb from Vioolsdrift towards Steinkopf that really
gave us a beating. The heat and mental struggle to keep on going were factors
that challenged us for the whole 40 km climb. Anina slept
for about 2 hours on a roadside picnic table ... she was obviously dead tired.
I was lying under the table soaking up any available shade. The 40+ degrees had
a nasty effect on the body, and we still had a long way to go towards
Steinkopf.
Steinkopf: Located on the N7 in the far Northern Cape,
also turnoff to Port Nolloth by tar road, was established as a mission station
by the London Missionary Society and named after Dr Steinkopf of the Rhenish
Mission. The town is currently trying to position itself as a tourist
attraction, offering various community-based tourist initiatives.
Getting back into the saddle after our midday nap on top and underneath
the table respectively brought us back to the road, and back to reality. This
time we were heading home: Nababeeb was waiting.
On our way back, we asked ourselves: “Was this worth
it?” And without having to ponder on the question, we will say YES, it was!
South Africa has so many beautiful places, just waiting to be explored.
Some notes on
tandem riding:
The closeness, the fun, the laughter, the falls (Yup,
three of those, but at zero speed – miscommunication J) will keep me returning to tandem riding. It is
not rocket science to select the appropriate partner – there is just one selection
criterion: willingness. Before our departure a few friends made some skeptical
remarks about tandem riding, but my own view is that their bad experiences can
be ascribed to nothing but plain laziness to commit to communication!
It takes a day or two to find your rhythm – mounting
and dismounting the bike is probably most the most crucial aspect. Then all you
need to do is find your average power and gearing – and off you go to new
horizons!
Tour stats
|
|
|
|
Water
per day combined
|
8 l
|
|
Baggage
|
30 kg
|
|
Trailer
|
10 kg
|
|
Total
hours
|
52
|
|
Calories
burned
|
47
840
|
General
How do you put something like this together?
I would not suggest this for the novice. I had
experienced desert conditions a few times before, so I knew what to expect. The
main focus is to manage your risks, of which the following are the most crucial:
·
Heat and sun
·
Water supply
·
Possible breakdowns
·
Physical fatigue
Cost:
·
Tandem. Approximately R14 000.
It is an investment – you will continue riding it long after the trip.
·
Traveling expenses by motor vehicle to
the starting point. In our case it was Nababeeb, 1000 km from Potchefstroom.
·
Accommodation. Depending on your need
for luxury, it will range from 350 per night to 850 per night. My personal favourite,
though, is sleeping under the stars – and it is free!
Hours per day
in the saddle:
·
5 to 10 hours per day, depending on
the distance and time available.
Money:
·
South African rand is acceptable in
Namibia. There is no need to exchange rands. However, Namibian dollars are not
accepted in SA, so make sure to exchange them before crossing the border.
Entering the
border:
No duties and insurance for bicycles – yippee! Present you
passport, show off your skills by traveling with a tandem and whallah – enter
Namibia. A word of caution, though: entering Oranjemund requires a permit and you
need to apply 3 weeks in advance. If you stay in a guesthouse, permits are normally
arranged by the hosts. Otherwise, Google “Permit Oranjemund” for more
information.
Roads:
The roads we travelled were fine to good to excellent.
We were advised in Alexander Bay by the locals to rather travel the dirt road
on the Namibian side due to the ill maintenance of the South African road to
Sendelingsdrift in the Richtersveld.
Cell phones:
Close to towns the cell phone signals are good, but in
remote areas in the mountains there is no signal, especially on the Namibian
side. A Namibian sim card will not have any signal in the most southern parts
alongside the Orange River either.
Where to dine:
Preferably along the road: breakfast at daybreak,
lunch in the open field and dinner under the stars.
Where to stay:
Really …? In your sleeping bag, for goodness’ sake.
Know before
you go:
Before taking on any extreme environment you have to know
the terrain, know the route, and know the logistics involved.
·
Study the route
·
Be informed about the weather, such
as extreme heat, and make provision for water and shade
·
Take appropriate clothing, suitable
for what you will most probably have to endure
·
Know your bike
Best times of
the year:
For the daredevils any time of the year will be good. For
the rest we recommend autumn or spring.
To take
along:
For a tough excursion like this, the most important
equipment is a lot of endurance, goodwill, enthusiasm and daring tenacity. Be sure to pack these first, and then
you can pack the rest.
·
Camera
·
The best bib you can afford
·
A shirt or two
·
Ski pants that can double for
swimwear and underwear and all-round wear
·
Solar charger for you camera and
cellphone
What works well?
·
A lot of sunscreen
·
A buff to protect your neck from the
sun, and keeping your ears warm at night.
·
Food for morale – nuts and cholates
worked well for us.
·
Patience – take the environment as it
presents itself
·
Stop when tired – falling with a
tandem is not worth it – and it’s really not fun.
Navigation:
No more than an ordinary map that indicates main roads
and secondary roads. This rout followed existing roads, and although roads were
sometimes isolated and desolate, we always felt safe. You may impress with a
GPS on the handle bars, though.
Profiles:
·
Cobus
Lecturer/Researcher
in Police Practice at the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus. Multi-sportsperson
that enjoys self-thought-out adventures.
·
Anina
Physiotherapist
in Potchefstroom specialising in Orto manual therapy by day and also a Pilates
instructor. Multi-sportsperson who cannot get enough of a swimming pool, which
makes her endurance of the dry desert even more extraordinary.
