Day 8. Slaapkranz to Kranzkop

We decided to take the VIA BONTHOEK PORTAGES (technical route with bike carrying involved) route for it is MOS a challenge not so. HaHaHa. Sommer early we were kind of lost until it became a bit lighter, then we were of on the spoorsny. cattle tracks. So we were looking for the crossing of the four fences but for some reason we missed it and ended up far behind the fences, not a problem at all for we were still heading west as supposed to. So we picked up the jeep track and were on our way up the valley to the right of the spur. Parts of the Wildgespruit River were still frozen by the time we got there.

Koos on the Wildgespruit River

From ROSSOUW to MOORDENAARSPOORT was a long ride, just plain gravel road up and down, one would have thought that this was the ideal riding comfort for such a Challenge......or not. At Moordenaarspoort we stopped for some soup and then quickly take off for the last 36km to Kranzkop.

This was by far the hardest day of my life, the last 60km of the 108km was the cherry. My knees and back were hurting like hell and my painkillers were finished (drank them all plus borrowed from others during the past week) Dave even arranged some "Cataflam" on Rhodes for the inflammation, they were almost finished as well. This is where mental and physical collides and all that one could think about is the pain and focus on the race is far gone. Each pedal became an obstacle of its own. The thought of bailing run endlessly thru my head accompanied by the thoughts of.......what about all the people that believed in you. Am I then a Cyborg that is not allowed to have pain and feelings, will this make me a quitter in the eyes of my followers?
Hopefully not. It was one of those difficult decisions to make, do I carry on regardless of the consequences (permanent damage to my knees) or am I a big enough man with the sense to know when to stop. Still the question......does this make me a quitter??

Well, I made the decision and will keep you updated.
Have a great one and remember, people are unique in every way they are meant to be.

Finominaal!!.