Dennis, Scott and I left together – we had to back track out of camp for about 8 km along a very wet and sandy track – it was difficult to find a line and I was hurting a little bit. I didn’t feel great and Dennis was powering along. I was wondering how it would all play out today! Supposedly there was a climb and then a really steep descent. As soon as we made the turn we got more of a tail wind and started speeding up. I was pushing quite hard up the hills and also trying to wear him out by having him ride at the front. Things were going quite well – then we caught Jorg , who seemed to want to do all the pulling – nice but a shame as we were trying to get Dennis to do that! We sped up and then dropped Scott which was not the idea. So I slowed everything down and Scott rejoined. His chain had fallen off. But then I think Scott got bored and so dropped back – I rode with him for a while but Dennis and Jorg were getting further and further ahead so eventually I sped off to catch up with them. We starting to do lots of river crossings as the road zig zagged the river. Some were ridable but others were really muddy and messy and you had to get off and run through them! So we got stuck in a few of these. Then there were lots of climbs and steep downs – but all the downs ended in a muddy puddle so you couldn’t take them too fast! It was still pretty cool though and we could see the mountains off in the distance – that’s obviously where we are headed!! We are slowly climbing the whole time – but still rolling up and down. Great scenery! Mountainous with great flat plains between.
We found the lunch truck stuck in a ditch at about 70 km – we ha to walk through the ditch ourselves and lunch was kind of half set up on the other side. Kendra gave me a cheese sandwich, I filled my water bottle and grabbed a couple of apples and then got back on my bike! Didn’t really want the bread so rolled the cheese into a ball and ate that and carried on going. I haven’t really eaten much today – breakfast was mashed potatoes – well not really but that’s what the mealie stuff looks like – and I just don’t like it!! So instead I’d had 2 bananas and 2 protein shakes along with a protein bar while riding! But I feel pretty good and am riding well! After lunch we are back to the river crossings which seem to be getting worse and worse! We lose Dennis in one of them and then my pedal seized up and came off – I don’t know what is wrong with it but it I sall seized up! I take it off and play with it, put it back on, ride a bit more and it comes off again! Oh no! The pedal is not rotating on itself and I don’t know what to do. Maybe go back 5 km to the lunch stop – but nobody there will have any pedals to help me – so I decide I will have to carry on – and just have to screw it back in every time it comes out! But – fortunately – a couple of km later it fixes itself back into place. Now Jorg is ahead – so I set off to chase him down and lose Dennis as we go splashing through the water. We are still climbing. Beautiful, beautiful views. The road is mainly smooth gravel with some corrugation and some really bad potholes. I catch Jorg and we do the rest of the climb together. Incredible views as we reach the top of the climb. I took some video of Jorg and the view and then we set off down the hill – only about 4km but very steep! I was absolutely flying – going way too fast – I slammed into a couple of rocks so hard my tyres didnt like it – I was afraid I had popped my front wheel, bent my rim or broken a spoke!! I was trying to slow down but to be honest it was really way too much fun!! The sharper corners were paved with small brick pavers – they felt a bit slippery and it was more difficult to control your bike on them. But that was all cool! I had lost Jorg by now and really started riding hard expecting to catch up with Paul and Adam which I did after about 10km. Adam immediately went out front – we were doing about 45kmph on the dirt – absolutely flying – then Paul did the same! It is pretty scary following at that speed on the dirt – doesn’t give you much room to maneuver. If you are not in that car wheel track its normally sandy on either side so if somebody crashes in front of you you will likely pull out onto the soft sand and fall yourself!! Anyway we got through that and then Adam dropped off and it was just me and Paul again. We were now riding through the most amazing valley – not sure where we are going exactly – but no turns in sight. It was quite a wide road and we did see a couple of 4 wheel drives at this point on the road. We knew there was a turn coming up and didn’t want to miss it – then the staff truck passed us which was reassuring. Not long later we arrived at a T- junction and there was a sign so it was fairly obvious in the end – the staff are there flagging it and Brian takes a photo as I come round the corner (could be a good one).
Just before that Paul had eased up a little and I was out on my own which was fun but I was really feeling the fact I hadn’t eaten enough today. There was 11 km left. But we had now lost our tailwind when we turned and there was more of a crosswind – which made it harder to go as fast – although we were still going at 40 kmph – so I was thinking “We’ll be there in 20 minutes” p then we slowed to 30 kmph ”OK – I’ll be there in 30 minutes!” But I am pressing as hard as I can – but really feeling my legs. Then about 5km out and Paul turns up behind me – its amazing how he does that – he seems to take a little break, recover quickly and gets back up again!! I was then kind of hoping he would take the front and do the last pull – but no such luck – he sat behind!! So I did struggle a little bit on that last section – but we took a right turn and the truck was there flagging again and another 100 yards down the road we saw a petrol station – which we’d been told was where camp would be. We weren’t too sure as we seemed a couple of km short – but we knew there wouldn’t be another station so close and so we pulled in thinking this must be it. Then the truck came and confirmed we were there! The end of the day and I had won it!! A hard day but great fun!!
We had arrived at 11.30 – so a 4 hour ride. I put my tent up straight away – and seem to have quite a lot of energy for some reason today. There was a really good bakery nearby so went off to have some apple pie, followed by noodles, followed by a nap and then back for a game burger (no idea what the meat was!), followed by cake and more apple pie!! We are at Solitaire camp – the one with the excellent bakery!! I am just doing my blogs, then off for dinner and an early night!! Tomorrow should be a good day – there is to be a 30 km time trial – the rest is non race – about 83km in total to Sesriem.
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