One of the things I'll miss after South Africa is "Mega Ice Cream Bars" especially the mint ones. These are like Dove Bars except they cost just $1.00. I've eaten a couple DOZEN of them since I discovered them in Joeburg (Johannesburg). I'll also miss the wildlife.
Thirty kilometers out of one camp, a point in the day when I'm still getting warmed up thus riding slowly, I cycled upon a bunch of vervet monkeys in a bush aside the road. The black-faced monkeys ran to a wood pile before I could take a picture. Later, I got one of a monkey in a tree above my tent.
215 meters constitutes the "highest bungee jump by far." I think it's the highest "by enough." I watched and photographed others jumping. Some got an adrenaline rush that stayed for days. Others were never so scared. Racer Bob never opened his eyes until he was back on the platform.
Sunday, was the Cape Argus/Pick 'n Pay Bike Ride in Cape Town. It's the largest timed bicycle event in the world with 30,000 participants. So Friday, about 20% of the cars heading west carried bicycles. Many had up to five bikes on top of small white trailers half the height of cars. Those who hadn't gone to Cape Town early got lots of honks and waves.
The ride Saturday from Albertinia to Swellendam was 122km long with 4100ft of elevation gain (we've climbed over 100,000ft in South Africa). The terrain started out rather flat, but the slight headwind meant I had to constantly pedal. Soon the terrain began to roll over steeper hills so I could coast on the downhills and rest my legs. After 37km I stopped for a Mint Mega Ice Cream Bar.
The farmland vistas which started out being fairly scenic gradually got better and better until I realized that the views were fantastic. I started taking gorgeous photo after gorgeous photo. With just the right zoom on my 75-300mm telephoto lens I composed one of a "herd" of ostrich on a hill (some silhouetted against the sky) with a lone tree at the top of the ridge and just enough small white clouds to show off the blue sky. Teton sharp mountains formed a backdrop to sheep grazing on a pasture so green it was almost neon bright. I lost track of all the photos I took. When I develop them next January, I hope many are pleasant surprises.
Did I mention that after the midday checkpoint (where I got another mint ice cream bar) my legs were warmed up to where I could easily speed up every climb to another breathtaking vista? That night we ate on the verandah of a restaurant with a view of the mountains at sunset. Each table of six was served family style. For dessert, we got cheesecake. Saturday, March 11, 2000 stands out as the best CYCLING day of the trip. The strange thing is knowing, even sans Mint Mega Ice Cream Bars, other days will be even better.
Happy Trails,
Bruce