To Yzerfontein: Tablemountain on the horizon, one more day to Capetown!

December 14, 2015

"How many years have you been cycling?" the guard at the West Coast National Park asks. "We've been 9 months from Holland" Patrick answers. "There was a Swiss couple cycling 5 years last week."

One more day and we will be in Capetown. This marks the end of stage 2 of this trip and a pause for reflection. A goal achieved and now we are set to begin the next stage to India. Beginnings and endings.

When we cycled Capetown to Nairobi 21 years ago, we each had been cycling independently for a year. Then in Malawi, we met a Belgium couple who had been cycling for 5 years. So far on this trip we've met Javier, Spanish, cycling 5 years; a Swiss couple for 11 years; Nigel, a kiwi cycling 5 years. We will be staying in Capetown with the sister of a friend, Leanna, who has been cycling for over 8 years.

With the advent of the internet and social media, now we know more and more people are cycle touring long term. There's a parallel universe of travelers. Just looking at CGOAB and the number of journals shows how many people are traveling by bike!

Jimmy Buffet says " Go fast enough to get there, but slow enough to see" and is the perfect description of what is good about traveling by bike.

Nick and Vicky in Langebaan. Thank you for your hospitality.

Rachel rescued one of these yesterday from the centerline of a busy road. She whipped a U-turn and scooped it up.

Table mountain becomes visible on the horizon.

Rene, the Dutch chef at the restaurant presents us with a nice bottle of wine.

Fancy dinner on our last night out: Sole fish and mussels.

One more bottle of wine at the campsite.....

Today's ride: 47 km (29 miles)
Total: 10,635 km (6,604 miles)

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