Friday, July 3, 2009

'n Lang Dag

Ja, vandag was 'n lang dag.
It started yesterday with the Namibian contingent trying to sneak in via the Gang, trust them to miss the route with the only Cuca shop south of Oshakati.

Just as the dust settled on that, I received a message that Greg needed to be fetched from Rondawel, arrived at Rondawel as the sun set to find one sick man.


As an indication of how the Freedom Challenge network really works: My phone rang within one minute of leaving Rondawel, Mrs Marincowitz to warn us that her husband was coming home and "jy weet mos hoe ry die boere in die middel van die pad" Five minutes later and it's Greg's concerned sister on the phone. A few minutes after that his father. Picture that, there Greg and I were, just south of Rondawel (you don't know where that is?) and his family were able to track us through the Race Office (Theresa the Impeccable), get the doctor lined up for him (Pam the Unflappable) and his bed warmed at Dennehof (Heaven on Earth)

Oh yes, that was yesterday.

Early this morning I cleaned Louis and Pierre's bikes, fitted new brake pads and then to Dennehof to face the beast in the form of Siseko Marareni's bike:
  • Bent derailleur hanger (why, why, why must they all be different?)
  • Broken rear derailleur cable
  • Broken seat post clamp
  • Broken seat clamp
  • Wheel bearings knackered
  • Brake blocks shot
  • Loose headset
  • Computer not working
  • Front tyre ripped
Fortunately for us, the network kicked in again. Essie of Oudtshoorn Fietse pulled out all the stops and found all we needed. Lindsay flew over the mountain on his GS and within no time I was fitting the new gubbins to Siseko's bike. I'm confident that the bike left Prince Albert in better condition than it left Pietermaritzburg.

And just as I was wiping my hands clean, in rode Esti, Andre and Derek Baard. Full wash, five sets of new brake pads, two new cassettes, two new chains. (I must admit that I let Andre fit his own computer.
Then the by now standard Dennehof dinner in the company of interesting people.

.....and yes, Ria, I did finally drink the coffee, about three hours after you brought it to me!

I wouldn't want it any other way.

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