Pet the Cheetah

One of the things I really wanted to see in Africa was a cheetah. These amazing creatures are almost a signature for the continent. When I think of Africa, I immediately thing of cheetahs and I was really hoping we could see some on our trip.

Not far from where we were staying in Cape Town was a wine farm and game preserve called Spier. This estate is also home of the Cheetah Outreach, a program intended to educate and inform the public about the big cats. There was no way I was missing a chance to see cheetahs so we headed for Spier.

In addition to cheetahs, Spier is also home to some amazing birds of prey. They have all kinds of falcons, eagles, owls, and any other bird you can think of that feeds on smaller animals. From the size of some of these birds, small animals are not the only things that should be worried by their presence.

One of the rangers worked with his eagle while we were there and he gave us an idea of just how big and powerful these animals can be. His eagle was at least 3 feet tall and I think he said it weighed 18 kilos. It was amazing to see him hold this bird on his arm while he walked it to the flying area. There he attached a 100m leash to his foot and set him on a perch the size of a telephone pole.

His first instructions to us, “please stay seated.” He didn’t have to say the rest of it, as we all figured out that the eagle might mistake you for some prey if you flapped around too much. The bird took off and soared to the far end of the field to land on another phone pole. The ranger then placed 2 chicken heads (yes chicken heads) on the first perch and called the eagle back. The giant bird swooped down on the original post and gulped down the heads. It was awesome to see the eagle grasp the post with those huge claws. Each one had to be 2 inches long and they all came to a very sharp point. He repeated this routine several times until he ran out of chicken heads.

I walked through the bird area marveling at their beauty. Many of the birds were not behind wire fences, but instead tethered to each perch allowing for great unobstructed photos. There was even an area where you could pet some owls. I thought it was really cool to scratch an owl behind the head and stroke its back. They seemed to actually enjoy the interaction as much as I did.

We continued on to the Cheetah Outreach area to see some of the most amazing of the African big cats. The pens holding the cheetahs were huge and they seemed to have plenty of room to roam around inside. The cats were alone or in pairs inside their areas. There was an elevated deck area that allowed us to get better views without looking through the fences. Most of them were doing what they do best during the hot summer days…lounging in the shade.

We headed for a small shed for a short video presentation. After the video one of the rangers talked us through some facts and figures about the animals. These cats really are built for speed. The have light skeletons, small, aerodynamic heads and huge muscles that power out an impressive 8m stride at full speed. That’s over 24 feet between each stride! They had that distance marked on the floor of the shed, and I was most impressed.

After the presentation, the ranger took us on a tour of the facility. We walked through the pens viewing the animals and seeing all sorts of other creatures they are raising along side the cheetahs. Some animals were strays being rehabilitated while others were companions to the cheetahs.

One of the programs they are working on is the Anatolian Shepherd Guard Dog project. These huge shepherds are raised to guard flocks of sheep from the cheetahs. Turns out one of the biggest risks to the cheetah population is farmers killing cheetahs because they eat some of their sheep. It’s easier to kill the big cats rather than risk loosing sheep. The project raises special dogs that can guard the sheep and keep the cheetahs away. This protects cheetahs and the farmers at the same time. They raise the dogs and give them away to the farmers that are willing to use this system of protection. So far, it’s working quite well to protect cheetah numbers from declining in some areas.

After the tour, they told me I could actually pet a cheetah. There was no way I was passing this up, so I got my ticket and entered the fenced in cube. After disinfecting my hands and listening to a quick lecture about “don’t touch the head, don’t run, don’t get eaten,” etc. etc. we headed into one of the fenced areas. They took us in pairs to pet Pedro, an adult male cheetah. I have to say I was a little disappointed that the cheetahs name was Pedro. I was hoping for something a little more…well, more African.

Wayne and I watched as Melinda and Emily went first with their Cheetah Encounter (that’s what they call it). Then it was our turn. Our guide gave us some additional instructions. “Always let me stay between you and the cheetah when we approach.” Check, not a problem. “We will approach from behind, never from the front.” Check, I’m still down with the plan. “Kneel down on one knee and keep your back foot on the ground in case you have to get up very quickly.” Ahhhh, ok, I see what you mean. Let’s hope that’s not necessary. (This was probably one of the things they made up so it is more exciting for the encounter.) Always more exciting when you say you might have to get the heck out of here in a hurry! “They are ticklish, so don’t touch the belly or the head.” What?!?! Cheetahs are ticklish?!?! That one surprised me, but I abided by all the rules.

We approached slowly and knelt down for the petting. There really wasn’t much danger involved as there was another ranger holding a leash to control the cheetahs head. I actually was pretty relaxed petting the beast. I thought it would be softer than it was, but Pedro was a raspy feeling guy. The hair was thick and course. Our guide then went around in front of the cheetah and took a couple pictures with my camera. It was a real thrill to pet one of the big cats I had come to Africa to see. I was really pleased with my cheetah encounter and I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to do that again.

Game Drive Fun

Exploring the bush with Victor and Andre was loads of fun. Every morning we did the game walk and every evening we did the game drive. After my Bokdrolspoegkompetisie, I was thinking that it would be hard to make our bush explorations more interesting. Boy was I wrong.

The weather had been fantastic for our entire time in South Africa. Then on the second night at Thula Thula, the tropical rain moved in. We headed out on our game drive on day 2 with threatening clouds overhead. I think we all sort of ignored the potential for rain because we were very excited to have some more bush adventures.

Every time you left the tented camp, there was this overhanging air of danger present. It wasn’t that you saw dangerous things everywhere or you heard creepy sounds. It was more of a mood really. Victor and Andre did their best to build the suspense and give you a sense that you could be trampled or eaten at any moment…but you weren’t supposed to be scared. One minute they were assuring us that we were completely safe and they wouldn’t let anything happen and the next minute they were building the excitement by giving you a feeling that danger was lurking just around the next bush.

This feeling of suspense is enhanced as you drive through a gate out of the tented camp with an electric wire strung about 12 feet off the ground. When you see a fence wire 12 feet high, you can’t help but ponder the size of the beast it’s meant to keep out. In this case, they were repelling elephants and giraffe with the high wire. Every time we went under that wire, I got the feeling we were entering a wild frontier where I went from being the hunter to the hunted. Never mind the fact that there were no animals on the reservation that were less scared of me than I was of them.

As we headed out under the threatening skies, we headed north to see if we could catch a glimpse of the Rhinos. One of the 2 rhinos at Thula was sick and the woman that introduced them to the park was spending significant time around them. She was not that keen on us spending time around them, but we were hoping for a drive by anyway.

Suddenly we came to a creek crossing. The water was not that deep, but the banks were eroded away quite a bit from the previous storms. It was obvious to me that they don’t do a lot of road maintenance on the dirt trails had been using. As we approached the stream, Andre stopped and engaged 4-wheel drive low on the transaxle. He lined up the Land Cruiser, revved the engine and launched us into the water. The truck lurched one way and back to the other before coming to rest with the front bumper firmly lodged on the far bank as the truck leaned heavily to the left. He tried to reverse, but the truck was not going anywhere. We were stuck in the middle of the stream, unable to go forward or back.

At this point, everyone was thinking the same thing. It was a mix between “I hope we don’t get eaten on the long walk back to camp” and “If we all have to run from a savage beast, which one of you is the slowest?” I was immediately reminded of the movies where the group gets out of the vehicle in some strange situation and not everyone gets back in. I was hoping that the imagined danger was far worse than the real danger.

We all jumped from the truck to the shore and assessed the situation. There was some chin scratching and some discussion, and it was determined that several of us would hang off one side of the truck (to keep it from turning over) while others would push from the front. Several guys jumped on the right side, while Wayne and I pushed from the front. Andre worked the throttle and we rocked the truck in unison. Slowly the truck started to reverse its course. Suddenly the front broke free and headed back up the far bank as Wayne and I avoided taking a bath in the creek.

Andre took aim again and surged across the stream again. This time the truck climbed out of the water and up the trail just as planned. We cheered as he climbed the hill to pick up those that had abandoned ship. I know for a fact that we were all hoping there was another way home.

Not long after our creek adventure, we came across the jeep of Alison, the rhino attendant. She waved and asked us to move along so we wouldn’t disturb her giants. We obliged and headed over the top of the hill. Just as we crested the top, we came face to face with a herd of Zebra. (By the way, you have to pronounce Zebra with a “eh” instead of an “ee”. No African says Z-ee-bra. It’s always Z-eh-bra.) Seeing them up close was a real treat, because they didn’t scatter like the times before. They were standing their ground feeding on the grass on the edge of the road.

Andre stopped the truck and shut off the engine, and we sat there snapping photos and discussing zebra facts with our experts. Then some Kudu ran through the scene between us and the zebras. It was really great to see the animals wandering around through the bush. Suddenly, Andre stood up and looked behind us. We all immediately followed suit. Much to our surprise, the rhinos had come out on the road and were bringing up the rear. Alison was signaling for us to go away, and Andre was taking her seriously. He announced that we had 15 seconds to take our photos and we’d be underway.

We continued along the road towards the pond that contained some crocodiles. We had been told that one of the crocs had killed a zebra and they were feeding on it. As we approached the pond, it started to rain. Not a heavy rain, but a slight drizzle. Andre stopped the truck next to some huge bones. They explained that this was the resting place of the famous elephant that was shot in the “Elephant Whisperer”. He also said that they had scattered Lawrence Anthony’s ashes on the sight as well. It was a somber moment as we sat there in the rain reflecting on the beauty of what we were seeing.

Eventually, we worked out way around the pond to the floating zebra. There was a croc lurking in the water right near the corpse. Believe me, I can understand why the zebra met its end at the watering hole. When a croc wants to be invisible, you can’t see him. It was a little spooky seeing the eyes floating on the surface near a rotting, half eaten zebra. I was thrilled as this was the sort of “wild life” I had hoped to see in Africa.

The guys did indeed find a new way home, and we avoided the difficult water crossing on our return trip. It started getting dark and I was amazed at how much more exposed I felt when the sun went down. It was hard to see anything outside the truck’s headlights, and I was pleased that the guys new the way home. We rolled into camp drenched but invigorated by the adventure. A little rain couldn’t dampen our enthusiasm for what we had experienced at Thula Thula. It truly was amazing to see the animals in their own neighborhood.

Bokdrolspoegkompetisie

Today I became a man! Well, at least I proved my manhood in the Zulu tradition. Randall also became a man. I wish I could leave it at that, but I feel compelled to share the story of our Bokdrolspoegkompetisie.

I told you previously that we are getting some information about the Zulu culture from Victor and Andre. On our walk this morning, Victor asked if any of us were real men. Of course we were tentative to speak up because we all knew his question would have very little to do with anatomy. He prodded us again. “Who is a real man? Are any of you real men,” he asked. Still no response from us.

You see, we figured out quickly that this guy has a good sense of humor. I think he is genuinely enjoying our group. We are laughing a lot with him and he is giving us the full experience. I get the feeling that he is going the extra mile with some things because he is actually enjoying his job this week. This is exactly why we were timid with raising our hands to the manhood question. We were waiting to see what test would be. What the trick would be.

Victor had just finished telling us about Impalas. We had come across some dung on the trail and he picked up some of the small black pellets in his hands. He began to roll the half inch pellets in his hands as he described the small antelope with great detail. Basically they are small, plant eating deer. The males have horns while the smaller females do not. I realized that there must be a connection between fondling the dung and proving you’re a man, so I wasn’t going to step forward yet.

Sensing our hesitance, Victor continued with the story. As it turns out, there is a common right of passage competition with the Zulu people called a Bokdrolspoegkompetisie. This term is Afrikaans for Buck Poop Spitting Competition. Now you’re probably one step ahead of me in this story. As the name describes, they spit the dung out of their mouth to see who can spit it the farthest. I thought it had to be a joke, but Victor was insistent. I volunteered to participate. Randall stepped forward as well, but there were no other takers. It would be Victor, Andre, Randall and me.

Victor drew a line in the dirt with his boot about 2 meters from where we were standing. I watched Victor’s hands very closely to see if this was some sort of practical joke. Surely he was going to trick us by spitting a rock while we mouthed the dung. But, he said there was no trick. He kept rolling the dung in his hands like you would to make a ball out of dough. He wasn’t pressing them together, but just rolling them around. Then he placed one of the pellets in his mouth. He opened his mouth for each of us to see it resting on his tongue. He turned to the line and launched his pellet. It flew from his lips like a cherry pit across the line. Then he opened his hand to us so we could choose our pellet.

They all seemed the same so I selected one of medium size. Randall did the same. As I examined my pellet, Randall looked Victor straight in the eye and quietly asked, “Is this some sort of slight of hand trick or something?” Victor shook his head no and explained that it is a very common practice in the bush. We believed him. We trusted him.

I examined the dense pellet very carefully. It was dry and firm with no odor at all. It looked and felt like a large chocolate covered peanut, but I was not expecting this to be a treat. There was no turning back now, so decided to go first. I popped the pellet into my mouth and aimed for the line. I was in quite a hurry to send the tiny ball on its way, so I think I started blowing as soon as it hit my tongue. I spit it out with a weak attempt that barely made it halfway to the line.

Randall on the other hand, launched a beautiful shot that probably doubled my distance and easily cleared the line Victor had drawn. We were both pleased to be showing our manhood, but it was very clear that the competition was real. The others were cheering and egging us on as Randall heckled Andre and Victor, challenging them to beat his distance. Andre came close, but it didn’t quite reach Randall’s mark. Then it was Victor’s turn. Surely the only Zulu in the group could best our attempts. Sure enough, Victor’s pellet cleared the line and came to rest at least a foot past our longest attempt. We all gave a cheer of celebration at our successful ceremony ended.

Since I know you are all wondering the same thing I was right before I popped that piece of crap into my mouth, I can report that the pellet didn’t have any taste at all. But that didn’t keep me from spitting a few times afterwards just to be sure. The whole idea of this competition is much more disgusting than the actual practice.

Now that it’s over, I have to admit that I am very pleased with myself for participating. I’m proud to have proved my manhood in front of my tribe. I’m also thrilled to have experienced something so traditionally African. This was just one more fantastic experience on our amazing African adventure.

African Nature Walk

Today we took our first game walk at Thula Thula. These are excursions on foot, often on single track trails to see flowers, birds and insects. I am totally amazed at the depth of knowledge possessed by our guides, Winston and Andre. They seem to know every single plant and animal in the bush.

Victor and Andre are both from this local area. They make a good team and they seem to get along very well with everyone. Both speak English and Zulu, and I’m told Andre speaks Afrikaans. Andre is a skinny white man with a college degree from university. He’s a game ranger, so he has all the licenses necessary to drive people through the bush. Victor is a shorter black man with a barrel chest and broad shoulders. Victor is a tracker so he has taken lots of the same wildlife courses, but he doesn’t have the licenses Andre does.

Victor’s Zulu name is actually Mqobi. It is even more confusing to pronounce than it looks. He has a “click” in his name. We all had fun trying to pronounce it just like he does. I was fairly successful, but it might not come out right in these words. You start with the “m” sounds like something tastes good. Right after the “M” you do the click with your tongue inside your mouth. As you’re doing the click you start with an “N” sound and say the word “no-bay”. So it is “m-[click]-no-bay”. Yeah, stick with Victor.

The guys guided us through the bush pointing out as much wild life as they could. They know all the plants. Andre is a very passionate birder so he can identify anything that flies in a flash. He can even hear and repeat some of the calls they make. It’s awesome to have such educated men teaching us.

We learned a lot from the tracks and feces of the animals. Apparently, you only use the term scat for carnivores. You use the term dung for omnivores. Not only can they tell you what animal is headed in which direction, but they can often explain whether they were running or walking at the time.

Since they are both from the local area, they are good at giving us a mix of zoology science and Zulu legend. These tales are always entertaining and often have a great lesson to teach. The trick is sorting out how much fact there really is in the legend.

One of the first things you realize when you walk in the bush is the number and size of the spiders. I’m no fan of the 8-legged creeps, so this is one of the things that makes the hair on my body stand up. The spiders here are the size of tea saucers and they spin these amazing webs between the trees. Sometimes these webs can span a gap across a 2-lane road. I have no idea how they do it and I’m not sure I want to know how. Luckily for us, they seem to spin them up high on the main trails and roads. But, if you venture off the main path, it is highly likely that you will get a web in the face. And there is no comfort in staring down a giant arachnid while you’re trying to extricate yourself from one of these amazing structures. They say the silk some of these spiders use can feel like dental floss. That’s a serious spider house.

I can’t begin to describe all the creatures and plants we saw on this walk. It’s overwhelming to try to recall all the information we collected from Victor and Andre. It is really a thrill to be here and learning about these people, places and things. This really is an amazing trip.

Thula Thula

I’ve done a fair bit of traveling in my life, but it really is rare when you can take a trip that checks off some things on your bucket list. I’m very pleased to report that this trip to South Africa is helping me tick off some things that I’ve always wanted to do. Thula Thula is one of the boxes I’ve checked off of things I want to do before I die.

Thula Thula is a private game reserve that is about 2 hours north of Durban. It was made famous by its creator Lawrence Anthony when he wrote his best selling book The Elephant Whisperer. The book chronicles his struggle to reintroduce elephants into this region of Africa. They are indigenous to this area, but they had been missing for over a century.

Before leaving the states, I knew that my Thula Thula experience was going to be the highlight of my trip to this continent. As I’ve written before, this is what I think of when I think of Africa. I think of wild animals roaming free through the bush. Animals you can’t see in the states. Sure you can go to a zoo, but there is something very different about visiting these creatures in their home. You get the full hospitality of the wild, and it is amazing!

After landing at the brand new Durban airport, we loaded a van for the 2 hour trip north. Northern South Africa is much more tropical than Cape Town, so the scenery was green with lush fields of sugar cane and forests of tall trees. After about an hour and a half we turned off the main highway, and the real country experience began. The first sign I saw for Thula Thula was at an intersection where we left the pavement for the last 10kms of our journey. The road was maintained, but I wouldn’t call it smooth. There were sections that had washed away from the rain storms they get in this region.

Like every game reserve, there is a fence surrounding the entire 4,500 hectares to keep the animals from wondering of the reservation. This is for their own protection, because people will hunt them outside the designated zone. The fence also keeps the unwanted poachers from harming the animals.

We were let through the main gate by a uniformed guard and we proceeded to the visitor drop off point. Here we met Tinus, Andre, Victor and some other staff that are assigned to making our stay enjoyable. This is a 5 star game reserve, so they take pride in doing their jobs quite well.

They loaded our baggage on one topless Toyota Land Cruiser and we climbed aboard another. Andre drove us down a primitive dirt road in the direction of the tented camp. Along the way, he answered our questions and gave us some information about what to expect while we were on the premises. The scenery was beautiful and we were all excited to see some African wildlife. We didn’t have to wait long. It wasn’t 5 minutes into our trip to camp, when we rounded a corner and came face to face with our first wild African animals.

Standing just off the road were 3 huge giraffes. They were casually eating the leaves on the trees as we approached. Andre turned off the truck and we all sat there wide eyed, appreciating the experience we were living. We had all come to Africa to see these incredible beasts and now we had.

We continued to the tented camp to get acquainted with our accommodations and we found them to be quite comfortable. Each of us is staying in a luxury tent. These “tents” are to my North Face camping tent as the giraffe is to a horse. Some parts of the whole are slightly out of touch with the norm. They have canvas walls, mesh screen doors and windows, but they are built on a cement floor, have a flush toilet and some rather nice wooden furniture. We’re sleeping on beds under white mesh mosquito nets and every tent has hot and cold running water and electricity.  The outdoor shower is located on the back porch, so the experience can be pretty primal.

We met at 4:30pm for our first game drive. We loaded up into the topless trucks and set off into the bush. We drove along the rough dirt roads looking for the Big 5. The Big 5 in South Africa are Giraffe, Elephants, Leopard, Rhinoceros and South African Buffalo. We had already ticked off the Giraffe, so we were all very confident we would see some more animals.

Victor is a tracker that sits on a jump seat on the front bumper of the truck, while Andre pilots the Land Cruiser through the bush. The 2 of them filled us in on some of the birds, plants and trees we encountered on our search. These guys know more about this area than you would ever believe. We rounded one bend and saw impala bounding down the road. Around another were some wildebeest. Things were looking good as we tried to capture photos of the fleeing animals.

Then we saw what we’d been looking for. Off in the distance on one of the hillsides, we saw several elephants making their way through the brush. They were too far away to get a good concept of the size of these enormous creatures. Then the radio cracked with news of more elephants farther along the same road. We headed east and saw them up ahead. Seven elephants popped into view as the truck came to a stop on a ridge. It was awesome to see them feeding on the trees around us. They are extremely quiet giants until they break off a branch to feed. Victor tells us that an elephant could sneak up on you and you wouldn’t even know it until he taps you on the shoulder. With that I think I stole a look behind me.

At one point one of the elephant bulls came out into the road and started walking towards our car. Andre was quick with the engine and we backed up as the beast continued to advance towards us. It really wasn’t a dangerous situation, but after all the crazy stories Victor had told us about these big guys it was quite exciting. We left the scene and continued around the corner to see if we couldn’t cut off the heard as they marched (and ate) their way through the thick brush.

We stopped on a straight road to make a pit stop and have some drinks. At this point the men walked forward a little to let the ladies use the “facilities” right behind the truck. Victor made me laugh by saying, “Watch out for anything you see bigger than the truck. If you see anything, yell but walk slowly away.” I told Victor you can have yell and run OR talk and walk, but you can’t have yell and walk. Those two just don’t go together.

It started to get dark and we headed home. We startled a few wildebeest on the way back to camp, but we didn’t see anything else for the night. We pulled into the compound with big smiles and appetites. We headed to our tents to freshen up and put on some warmer clothing. Even with the very hot daytime temperatures, it gets quite cool at night.

They served us dinner in the open air main tent, and we sat around reminiscing about the great time we were having. They lit a huge fire in the Boma, which is a common area around a fire pit designed for socializing. Van and I visited with Victor and Andre while watching the “bush television”. I had never heard that term used before, but I will use it from now on when I talk about the fire. There is something mesmerizing about staring into an open fire, regardless of your culture or language. I enjoyed the entire evening very much.

Walking back to our tent, we saw some of the most amazing stars we’ve ever seen. There is no light pollution this far out in the bush, so the sky is alive with stars. They twinkled and flashed with an energy that is appropriate for this enormous place. Sam and I fell asleep under our mosquito net listening to the bush radio (that’s my term). The sounds were amazing and it was fun to try to pick out as many different sounds as I could. I heard lots, but of course, I couldn’t identify many of them.

I have to say that this is a real thrill being here. It was on my bucket list and now I’ve checked it off. I wonder what will be next. It sure will be hard to top this.

Giant with 1000 Eyes

Sunday we rode the 2012 Cape Argus Cycle Tour. This 110km bicycle race is the largest timed cycling event in the whole world. This year, over 34,500 people participated and we were all treated to one of the best weather years in a decade.

The event is so big, that they assign you groups at the start and you have to line up inside your “chute” to start at a designated time. As foreigners, we were all assigned group “Y” to start at 7:34am. The pros go off at 6:15am or something and there are many other groups in front of us. We estimated that there were about 1,000 starters in our group, so you get the idea of the scale of this event.

We arrived downtown Cape Town with the assistance of Superstar Tony and his van and trailer. That’s not actually his name, but he’s a superstar to us. He picked us up early at  Hampshire House and transported us and our bikes all the way to the start in the center of Cape Town. This saved us from riding an extra 20km in the dark to get there on time.

When we got to the start, I was amazed at the number of people I saw riding around. It was a sea of people everywhere you looked once you got to the start area. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised as they said they cut off entries at 40,000 people. It’s just that I’ve never seen so many riders in one place at one time.

We loaded up in the pen to stage with our group and everyone was very excited. I found that I was really looking forward to the ride. Sam and I had decided that we were not there to race, so we were just going to stick together and enjoy the day. That turned out to be an awesome plan. Teenie and Randall agreed to the same plan, so the 4 of us rode together for the entire day.

One of the best features of the Cape Argus is the scenery. We were treated to some amazing views of Table Mountain right out of the start gates. The city totally embraces the ride and they allow the organizers to shut down the roads for the entire course. This was fantastic as we rarely get a chance to ride an event where you get the whole road. It made things much easier and safer as well. It was quite interesting riding our bikes down the middle of the south bound lanes of the same highway we’ve been driving on since we got here.

Emily showed her climbing prowess early and left Sam, Randall, Teenie and me on the first substantial climb of the day. She was feeling great and wanted to put in a fast effort. We never saw her again. Wayne, Duane and Van took their time on the first hills and settled in to their own pace for the day.

The number of riders was truly amazing. I thought it would thin out a lot and there would be stretches of open road later in the day. Not so. There was never a time when you couldn’t observe cyclists for as far as you could see. We spent a lot of time passing people and getting passed by hammerheads from the groups that started behind us.

Roughly 20km into the ride we came across our cheering section on one of the bigger climbs. Sam’s parents Dave and Sandy, her brother Richard and his girlfriend Tammy, Valerie, Melinda and several others were all sitting on the sidewalk just out behind her parent’s house. They saw us coming and gave us a great welcoming. We stopped and had a chat before getting back underway with the task at hand.

The number of spectators on the side of the road was amazing. There were people all along the route cheering and partying and having a grand time. Some were dressed in costumes, several had signs and a few were wearing less than we were. It was really awesome to see all the people cheering us on. That is one of the best parts of the entire ride. Awesome fan support all day.

Speaking of support, the aid stations were probably the most amazing I’ve ever seen. From a logistics standpoint, these guys have this ride dialed. There were lots of water stations along the route. Every one of them offered water, coke or powerade. They also had portajohns, medical stations and physiotherapists that would massage tired legs. The support was first class. I was super disappointed that they didn’t have cookies at the rest stops, because I always like to eat the cookies on cookie rides. They call this thing a race, but let’s be honest…its one huge cookie ride…but without the cookies.

After narrowly escaping a collision with some crazy, out of control Malawian riders, we made it to the east coast of the peninsula and headed for the Cape of Good Hope. The ride goes by the park entrance but not out to the actual point. Not to worry, as we had toured that on our first day in Cape Town.

We continued on past the half way point to what I consider to be the most beautiful part of the ride. The highway along the western coast up to Chapman’s Peak has to be one of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever ridden on…anywhere. It is a steady climb along a twisty road carved right out of the cliff-side up to an amazing lookout. Since we had been stopping all day to take photos and enjoy the scenery, Teenie, Randal, Sam and I stopped at Chapman’s Peak to look out over Hout Bay. It was beautiful and well worth the time and effort.

By the time we got to Chappies, (as Chapman’s Peak is affectionately called by the locals) it was getting very hot. So hot in fact that I would find out later that the organizers stopped the ride when the temperature reached 45 degrees celcius, that’s about 104 degrees F. I feel terrible for anyone that was not allowed to complete the ride, because it was absolutely beautiful the entire way back to downtown Cape Town.

One of the last beach areas we rode through is rumored to be one of the most expensive places to live in Cape Town. The houses are built right on the cliff-side and they extend vertically up the faces like a wall of windows and balconies. There is a local ordinance that prevents anyone from building anything that obstructs the view from the coastal road, so the view is fantastic along the entire stretch. This zone is also known to be one of the least windy places in the area, but you wouldn’t know that from the saddle of a bicycle. The trees give up the truth when you see them growing inland at a 45 degree angle. Even in the richest areas, there were hundreds of fans and supporters lining the ride route.

When we saw the 5km to go sign we started to think about the end, and Sam picked it up a little just like she always does when she can see the barn. We rolled under a Powerade archway and we both thought we were finished. I started to compliment Sam on a great ride when I noticed that there was another banner up the road about 500m. That would turn out to be the real finish line. Amazingly, my right leg cramped up terribly right there at 500m to go. We had ridden all day very strongly and had a fantastic time, and my leg decided that it was finished before I was. I had to coast and soft pedal through the Cape Argus Archway, only to stop and stretch 100m past the finish line.

Overall it was an amazing ride and we all had a great time. After lots of discussion I realize that everyone is just as impressed with the experience as I am. We found out later that Argus is a Greek giant with 1,000 eyes. I think that’s an awesome name for something. I also know that it could have stood for a giant with 1,000 smiles. We’re still smiling about the whole thing.

2 Wheel Fun

We’ve been spending a lot of time in downtown Cape Town and I’ve noticed a lot of motorcycles and scooters. People use them a lot here to get around and it really makes sense. Gas is expensive and people can’t afford to drive cars everywhere. I would feel right at home here on my motorcycle. The roads are pretty smooth and they have some that are all twisted up with curves. Kind of sorry I can’t sample the local moto riding.

Another great reason (maybe the best reason) to own a 2-wheeled machine here is that you can split lanes. That makes a ton of sense to me. I know California allows lane splitting and I’m really hoping more US states will make it legal to do. If you’re not familiar with the term, it basically means that you can ride your motorcycles between 2 lanes of traffic. It is especially nice when the traffic is stopped. As you sit in traffic in your car, you are constantly being passed by scooters and motos down the middle of the road.

At first this practice seems daring to some, but I know I would totally get into it. I’m a very impatient driver in traffic. I get so frustrated being in a car sitting still or going very slowly. I would be thrilled to be able to zip up the middle of the road between the rows of cars. I haven’t seen any incidents and it makes a ton of sense to allow it.

Stop lights are also fair game. 2-wheelers are always coming up through the stopped traffic right to the front of the line at the stop lights. This is also smart, as most motorcycles, even the smallest displacement ones can outrun most of the cars on the road. As soon as the light turns green they are off and out of your way. The first place I saw this in practice was Rome, Italy. I was amazed at the way the little scooters would weave there way to the front of the line at the traffic lights. As soon as they turned green, there would be this huge roar (ok, more like a buzz) of scooter engines as they sped away from the light. Same thing happens here in Cape Town, but there are not as many people taking advantage of the special privileges.

So, next time I come back, I’m riding a scooter around town. It’s a smart way to get around quickly and easily, and it’s probably quite a thrill.

Stay Left

South Africa is one of the few countries in the world where you drive on the left side of the road. If you live in the US (or any right drive country) you might be thinking that it can’t be that hard to drive on the left. You’re wrong. It’s harder than you think.

I’m a very confident driver. I like doing it and I think I do it quite well. That got me the keys to one of the Toyota Corollas that we’re renting in SA. Van was voted driver of the other car. We’ve both done a good job ferrying everyone around so far, but we’ve had to work pretty hard at it sometimes.

One thing you first notice when you drive on the wrong (sorry, left) side of the road is that you have to think about it all the time. And I do mean ALL the time. I’m constantly telling myself “stay left”. Your automatic reaction is to drive on the right and if you let your guard down for just a second, you will find yourself over in the on-coming traffic.

It’s worst when there are not other cars around to follow. It’s much easier if you can see what others are doing. If the street is empty, and you fail to repeat the mantra “stay left,” you will find yourself heading the wrong way. It’s even worse at night. Somehow you go with what you know when you can’t see well. Not a good thing when the traffic doesn’t know you’re a silly yankee.

Luckily the cars are set up the same with foot pedals and transmissions. The clutch and first gear are all on the left. It can be a little tough to calibrate your left arm to find the right “H” pattern for third and fourth gears, but I’ve adapted well now. I’m getting quite comfortable with my driving now. I’m able to employ my aggressive city driving skills to help us get around well in Cape Town. This is all irrelevant though when we are trying to get 2 cars to the same spot at the same time. You know, it’s always hard to keep 2 cars together, especially in a city…that you don’t know…driving on the wrong side of the road.

One thing I didn’t realize when we first got in the cars is the fact that the turn signal is not on the left side of the wheel like it is in the US. They don’t switch most of the controls (pedals, shifter, key, air conditioning controls) but they do switch the turn signal. What genius decided that this was one thing that should flip sides of the wheel? When we first got in the cars, Van and I were turning on the windshield wipers every time we had to signal a turn. I have stopped grapping the wipers every time I want to turn, but I still put my hand on the stalk when I am surprised or hurried. I have learned to delay my signaling long enough for my brain to take over and say “use your right hand Steve.” It is entertaining for those in the car when you keep cleaning the window on a bright sunny day.

Another thing that entertains me is that I can’t make myself look to the center of the car to use the rear view mirror. I think today was the first time I actually looked up to the center mirror when I wanted to check the rear scene. It’s just not wired into me to look up and left. I use the side mirrors all the time, just like every good driver should, but I can’t look up and left for that center mounted mirror. Even when I do that my brain is a little confused as to what I’m really looking at. It just doesn’t register well. I’m much better now after almost a week of driving around Cape Town, but it was impossible for a while.

The Toyotas are anemic little cars, but they are fun to drive with nice handling and a smooth 6 speed gearbox. The cars are nice and small, which is very convenient when you see how small everything is here. Everyone drives little cars. I think I’ve only seen a couple SUV’s and I think my Subaru Outback would be considered a big car here in SA. I actually forgot how much fun a standard transmission can be. Everything here is standard. From what I’ve seen, they don’t even make an automatic transmission for these cars. At least there are no Cape Tonians lazy enough to actually pay for an automatic transmission upgrade.

Overall, I’ve been having a blast driving on the left. I like driving and I’ve really enjoyed the challenge this week. Van and I have been performing our duties well. But, if you see a Toyota Corolla heading towards you the wrong way with its windshield wipers going on a sunny day, give us a little extra room. We don’t mean to be a nuisance. We’re just trying to get to Green Market so we can buy some African trinkets from the locals.

Robben Island

Today we visited Robben Island in the middle of Table Bay, and it was one of the most memorable and moving days I’ve ever had. The 4 prisons on Robben Island were used for over 100 years for detaining criminals and political prisoners from all over South Africa. It is most notorious for being the long-time home of Nelson Mandela for the majority of his incarceration. The entire island is now a national museum and we were all looking forward to our visit.

We caught the boat out of the harbor along the V&A waterfront. We were thrilled to depart because the stormy seas of the west coast have caused more than one tour to be cancelled. The boat ride takes about 15 minutes or so. On the way, we watched some video on the incredible history of the island and its famous inhabitants. As we got closer it became more obvious that the island is not as flat as it looks from 15km away on top of Table Mountain. I also took note of all the other facilities that are on the island. Turns out, there are about 200 permanent residents that live on the island, just like others did when the prisons were in operation.

After coming ashore at the prison site, we were loaded onto tour busses for a guided trip around the grounds. The first thing you notice is that the place looks like a prison. Stone walls and barbed wire everywhere, with the occasional guard tower strewn here and there. The soil is very sandy, but there are trees and vegetation growing on many parts of the land.

Our tour guide was excellent and she provided some great information on every structure we saw. She explained many details about the more famous prisoners, describing how they got there and how they were treated while in jail. I’ll spare you all the details, because you can read about some of this history in some excellent books that are available now. I will say that the entire experience turned very real for me when I was able to hear the history while looking at the facilities that housed these people.

I have never had much sympathy for people that commit what I would call “real” crimes. Stealing is wrong. Murder is unacceptable. These are some common morals shared among many cultures. But many of the residents of Robben Island were political prisoners locked up for opposing the incredibly brutal and archaic ideas of South Africa’s Apartheid policy. I actually found myself empathizing with the prisoners she was describing. These people stood up for what they believed in and in many cases they paid dearly for their actions.

At one point, the tour stops at a small store where you can use the “loo” (that’s the bathroom for you Yanks) and purchase some drinks and snacks. Our guide had told us to look for Christo Brandt at the snack bar. Brandt is famously known for being Mandela’s guard for many years and he is known to help out at the snack shop from time to time. I saw him inside, but didn’t want to take him away from his counter duties.

After we loaded the bus to continue our tour, our guide climbed on board with Brandt himself! She briefly introduced him and handed him the microphone. Brandt proceeded to tell us an amazing story about Mandela and his wife during one of her visits to the island with their son. I was sitting in the front row with Sam, so it felt like we actually met this great man. It was amazing to hear him talk about the man he guarded with such high regard. You can read all about the remarkable relationship between Mandela and Brandt, and there is even a popular movie about the experience. This was truly one of the highlights of the tour and it was something that was only provided to our bus. Our tour guide made this special meeting happen and he didn’t enter any other busses before returning to his duties inside.

The tour continued to the maximum security cell block where Mandela and many other political prisoners were held. Amazingly, this part of the tour is guided by an actual former inmate of Robben Island. We were handed off to Sipho Msumi (pronounced Seepo M-sumi) for the trip inside the buildings. Sipho is a Zulu man that spent 5 years at Robben Island for protesting Apartheid in Lesotho (pronounced La Sue Two). He now spends his time helping people understand what life was like on the inside of this terrible place.

I was thoroughly affected by my experience listening to Sipho while sitting in the same cells that he and his fellow inmates lived in for many years. I can’t begin to tell you how impactful it is to listen to a man describe how he slept on a cement floor and ate 2 pieces of bread for lunch every day for years while you’re standing inside the actual cell. I was amazed at his extraordinary stories about the life the prisoners created inside the walls. These men accepted the horror that was thrust upon them and thrived in a sort of alternate universe they created for themselves. They educated each other. The entertained each other. They created their own system of government. They did this all within the tiny cracks that existed in the reality that the Apartheid government was trying to crush them with. I was incredibly moved by this man and his stories. He does not hate everyone for the terrible things that have been done to him and his friends. Instead he is helping to educate the world about the tragedies that have made his country famous.

Sipho took us to the famous Mandela cell that caged the civil rights leader for over 20 years. Seeing the concrete and steel box that Mandela called home really made me ponder whether or not I would have the strength and courage to last 2 weeks on the wrong side of the bars. Mandela and some others spent more than 2 decades in these cells. Emotions ran high as I reflected on how great Mandela must be to lead his nation so fairly after experiencing such despicable conditions for so long.

It became obvious to me that not only did the inmates create an alternate reality to what the oppressors intended, but each and every man imprisoned there bettered himself in some way during his time on the island. I found it very special to be able to hear these stories directly from the lips of a participant. It was a very emotional reminder of just how cruel we can be to each other in our darkest times.

If you visit Cape Town, you have to visit Robben Island. Right now, for a limited time, we all have the opportunity to hear these stories from actual inmates. This chance will vanish once these unique men are gone. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and I will remember it for a long time to come.

Ok, they let me in, so watch out

So, this is my first opportunity to comment here. What great bunch of folks! I knew that this trip was going to be filled with excitement the moment we left the ground in Greenville and the wind almost blew the wings off the plane. I proceeded to explain to everyone the origin of the word, turbulence. It's French. Pronounced tur-bu-Lons. Meaning: soiled underware. It's Saturday and we now have our bikes and are eagerly anticipating our ride tomorrow. Duane is looking forward to outrunning a baboon! That's only if it doesn't take his bike first! last night we had a fabulous meal at Sam's parents home...a more traditional South African meal. Steve refrained from eatinng with his hands and found other ways to entertain us. We've been to the top of Table Mountain. . . what a beautiful sight! I really do have the urge to parasail off the edge. Hey kids now that you are married, are you still considered orphans if my chute doesn't open? Well, it's time for breakfast. More later...

Table Mountain Rocks

One of the biggest attractions to this area is the cable car ride up Table Mountain. I heard today that it was Africa’s 2^nd most popular tourist attraction. They didn’t tell me what made number one, but I can tell you that it must be one heck of an attraction to top Table Mountain.

It is not uncommon for the top of the mountain to be shrouded in clouds this time of year, so we were absolutely thrilled when we saw bright blue skies everywhere. We headed downtown right into the heart of Cape Town as soon as we finished our morning feast. I’m getting the hang of this “driving on the left” thing, so I was very comfortable with the trip into the city. Van is also doing a wonderful job piloting the second vehicle.

We parked at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront to catch a Red Line Bus to tour the city. The Red Line is an open-top, double-decker bus system that tours you through the city with prerecorded messages about interesting and historical places. It was really great to have someone describing the buildings and statues while we weaved our way through downtown. You can get on and off the bus as you wish to tour different areas and we stayed on until the cable car stop.

The Table Mountain Cable Car goes straight up the Cape Town side of the mountain. The 2000 foot vertical climb only takes about a minute or two. On the way up, the entire cable car rotates in a circle so there is no fighting for the best spot inside the car. At the summit there is a gift shop and restaurant and several miles of hiking trails that meander through the volcanic rock. And the views are spectacular!

Unfortunately, the internet connection I’m using is not allowing me to upload some pictures to back up my statement, because I really can’t stress the word “spectacular” enough. The pictures probably wouldn’t succeed in communicating how amazing the experience was either, so I shouldn’t be wining about technology. The recording on the bus mentioned that Table Mountain is one of 25 finalists in some new “World’s Most Amazing Natural Features” organization or something like that, and I can tell you that they deserve that recognition. I would have to put today’s experience on par with seeing the Grand Canyon. The views really are that magnificent.

The weather was so perfect today that we could see all the way south to the Cape of Good Hope. I can’t tell you how far we could see, but from that altitude it must have been over 100 miles in any direction. This really is a beautiful place.

To the North we had a very nice view of Robben Island perched in the middle of Table Bay. Robben Island is the prison that caged Nelson Mandela for over 27 years. We’re touring this facility tomorrow and I’m really looking forward to it. If tomorrow is anything like the first few days, I'll have plenty to share with you again.

We capped off our evening with a very nice dinner with Sam's parents at an Italian restaurant near Hampshire House. It's absolutely fantastic to be able to spend some time with them while we're here and they are being very gracious hosts. They've always been proud of where they live and I am starting to understand why. We're really enjoying their city and their company.

Cape of Good Hope

We've had a fantastic first day in Cape Town. We are staying at an awesome bed and breakfast called Hampshire House. Ricky and Carole are taking great care of us and the breakfast they laid out this morning was fit for royalty. Best of all, I think they are coping with our craziness quite nicely.

After feasting, we hit the road to drive the Cape Argus race route. We wanted to give the non-cycling members of our team a look at the beautiful scenery we will witness during our event on Sunday. We were all very impressed with the views from the road. This really is a beautiful place.

We made a stop at the penguin reserve at Boulder Beach. That’s right! They have penguins in South Africa. Amazingly, they make a sound like a donkey, earning them the nickname jackass penguins. I have to admit that it’s the first wild penguin I’ve seen, so I was pretty pleased with the experience.

From there we headed to the Cape of Good Hope. On the way we ran across a random pack of baboons terrorizing a neighborhood. Ok, so they were just crossing the road, but those suckers look menacing. Some of them are fairly sizable creatures and they seem to be unaffected by the presence of cars. Since we were on the Argus cycle route, some of us were a little worried that they might chase you like dogs. Secretly I’m hoping that happens on Sunday just to have the story in my repertoire.

The Cape of Good Hope is in the Table Mountain Nature Reserve. We hiked up to the Cape Point lighthouse on top of the cliffs and had a fantastic view of False Bay. The scenery was beautiful on a bright, sunny day with temps in the 80’s. False Bay is probably the biggest great white shark breeding ground in the world, but we didn’t see any of the beasts swimming in the waters below.

We rejoined the Argus route and proceeded to Chapman’s Peak Drive. This twisty treat is carved out of the rock cliffs that plunge into the Atlantic Ocean. It reminded me of Hwy 1 that winds its way along the coast of California near Big Sur. It would have made an awesome television commercial, but I resisted the urge to squeal the tires on the Toyota.

We returned to Hampshire House for some drinks and snacks before heading just down the road to Peddlars. Here we sat out on the patio under a nearly full moon enjoying some good food, wine and company. Overall, it was a great first day in the country. Jetlag is catching up to me a little as I type, so I’m really looking forward to shutting my eyes tonight. Tomorrow we get our bikes delivered and we have more fun adventures to enjoy. So far, we’re all very impressed with the experience.

From the Peanut Gallery

Steve is always telling me I should write more.  "Just write", he says.  "People are interested in personal stories.  Just say it like it is."  That's easier said than done, though it does amaze me sometimes how finding the right words in the right order is like chewing glass for me.  Anyway, the point is, that this stuff comes much easier to Steve, who was most definitely given the gift of the gab, and so I'm hoping that he will write the majority of our posts.  I also think this journey will be much more interesting (well, to me, anyway) through the eyes of a first-time visitor.


I left South Africa 12 years ago at the ripe old age of 27, with the intention of traveling for 2 years and then going home.  Well, I'm still in the USA, and have a pretty good existence, so going back to SA is probably unlikely.  I have been back 3 times in 12 years, which doesn't sound like a lot, but I was here in the US for 5 years before I went back for the first time, and it's been 5 years again since I went there last, so the 3 visits were jammed somewhere in the middle.  That's a long time not to see family and friends.  Luckily my parents are in great shape and love to travel, otherwise it would be longer between visits.


This trip over is a little different, and I'm particularly excited, and ever so slightly stressed about it! This time Steve is coming with me, and also another 8 of our close friends.  There's the stressful part - I feel very responsible for everyone's fun and well-being.  Africa seems like a dangerous and scary place to a lot of folks, and I have no doubt that some of our group have those thoughts too.  Of course I can't control events, but I can make sure that on our list of things to do and places to go are the best of everything.  As it turns out, I think we have that pretty much covered.  Being a type A, organizational freak that I am, our "itinerary" looks like a military operation, and friends of my parents have expressed sympathy for my friends, because we're going to hit the ground running.  I'm not sure that they understand that I'm not the only one in the group who can't sit still for any length of time.  We might need a week to relax when we get back!


For anyone interested in doing a little surfing ahead of time, here's we're going, and what we're going to do:
We're staying here in Cape Town (the folks have a full house!) :
http://www.capestay.co.za/hampshirehouse/index.html
These are friends of my parents, and my mom says Carol serves a breakfast to die for.  Yum!!
We're headed to a private game reserve for a few days.  The only shooting we will be doing will be by camera, thankfully.
http://www.thulathula.com/
The owner wrote a fabulous book called "The elephant whisperer" and that sparked an interest in staying at this particular game reserve 
We are doing this cycle race in Cape Town : http://www.cycletour.co.za/
It's reported to the the biggest organized cycle race in the world; they cap the entries at 47,000.  Unbelievable.  I did this event in 2007, and it was a blast!
We're almost packed, the cat is upset, and I feel a snack attack coming on.
Til next time!  Goeie naand, dames en here.