Day 09: Oyster Bay Resort to Turksvygrivier Camp

Van Stadens Pass

Draaikrans

I crossed the R338 and continued for about 8km before turning East along a farm road.  This road is seldom used as there were no tyre tracks.  The road followed the dry Palmiet river. I saw Kudu and Springbuck along the road.  The road got narrower as I travelled and deteriorated to the point I was using the lower gears more than the high gears.  At one stage I hit a 100m patch of really thick sand, where the wheels did not get grip on any firm ground.  The road was a twin track and narrow which made navigation even more difficult. I really thought I would not make it through, however I kept the momentum and got through it.  It felt like I had done hundreds of meters of thick sand.

I got to Jansenville and stopped to get some water as it was hot and the road navigation required some effort.  By now the thunder clouds had got closer and every now and again I could feel a couple raindrops on my face.  The last thing I wanted was wet gravel roads.  I continued along the gravel road in an easterly direction that followed the Sundays River, which had patches of water pools.  Eventually I reach a T junction and turned North and followed the Riet river that wound its way through the ravine.  I must have crossed the dry river bed at least 20 times.