African Bikers Mountain Bike Tour – Day 10

Day 10 of our African Bikers mountain bike tour across South Africa began with breakfast and a drive. Leaving the Rooiberg Lodge behind, we were dropped off in a beautifully green and hilly mountain region and picked up again later in the day by Kim, our driver.

The ride was a constant up and down with medium-sized hills, fire roads and several gate crossings.

We cycled through one region that had recently been set on fire. Evidence of a massive burn was everywhere you looked… and you could still smell the smoke in the air.

At the end of our ride was a steep rocky downhill, which I was able to navigate without getting off my bike (which I was very proud of having done).

By the time we reached Kim in the waiting vehicle, I was hot and tired. Myself and a few others in our group dunked our feet in a nearby swimming pool and then drove 20+ kilometers out to the main road in the van, while Harry and Kirsten chose to cycle the long dirt road on their mountain bikes.

We ate lunch where that long dirt road that Harry and Kirsten were cycling and the main highway met – at a small roadside restaurant/gas station (owned by Mark – our tour guide from the day before).

As a vegetarian, I was served a “veggie pie,” and while I was skeptical at first, I really enjoyed it! I drank two sodas and ate two ice creams while we were stopped at this small outdoor/indoor cafe.

Then we loaded ourselves back into the van and drove for quite some time to yet another guesthouse (this one in Mossel Bay, South Africa), where we were each assigned a room, took a shower, and then met later in the evening for dinner at a local seafood restaurant.