Day Twenty Two: Vanrynsdorp to Clanwilliam (81 kms)

This morning the guys got up at 04h15 to set off in the van back to Vanrynsdorp. Zane took major strain today because he swore that he had been woken up at 03h00. Leigh, Nic and I left Calvinia at 07h00 to catch up with the guys later on. We had breakfast and yes, filled up with petrol. It was a really cold and windy day and the guys struggled in the wind. At one time, the wind picked Pieter and his bike up and deposited them on the opposite side of the road. We were all very thankful that there was no oncoming traffic at the time.

Before we caught up with the guys, we stopped and bought everyone toasted sandwiches, slap chips and coffee. Soon after we left the garage shop we caught up with them and dished out warm snacks. The wind was bad!

We then stayed with the guys for a while and could almost not bear to watch them struggling in the wind and on the hills that were now more numerous than ever. The sea air was making itself apparent.

Leigh, Nic and I then left to go ahead to Lambert’s Bay (our sponsored accommodation for the night) where I dropped them off in a flat 23 metres from the sea. I then returned on my own to find the guys near Clanwilliam. Pieter then took the Honda to Cape Town to fetch his fiancé Rene. Zane, Shaun and I drove back to Lambert’s Bay where we spent some hours on the beach. Shaun and I had a very quick swim in the freezing surf while waiting for Pieter and Rene. They had not returned by the time we set off for Muisbosskerm where we had a 10 course meal of mealies and bokkoms, snoek, angel fish, yellow tail, hake, galjoen, paella, bredie, tripe (not me!), freshly made bread and jams and moer coffee. Half way through the meal the engaged couple arrived and enjoyed the meal with us.

We all went to bed with extremely full tummies!

Thank you today to Theresa de Jong who arranged our accommodation with her friend Elize at Malkopbaai Flats for the evening. It was stunning being next to the sea.