Expedition Africa 2012

Expedition Africa Day 3 – Eastern Cape Experiences

Louise Foulkes (ARWS) / 10.05.2012

Day 3 of the race for most teams has been defined by riding, riding and a little more riding - and by Merrell Adventure Addicts racing towards the finish line. 

Last night went fairly smoothly for all teams with only a few dramas. The Paraguayan team, Walhalla had to back track at one point for 20km to obtain a CP they forgot. They were in good spirits at the Midway Camp but told organisers they were now going to “be on tour” rather than “race” to the end.

From the midway camp teams set out on an epic Mountain Bike through the Ciskei. The Ciskei is one of the old Xhosa home lands and is now a rural area where people still live in a local way. The difference between the land that they have been travelling through and the Ciskei is enormous and immediate as soon as you cross it’s southern border, the Fish River. 

The area is alive with villages of colourful square and circular Xhosa huts and kraal. The huts are perched up high on the top of hills and silhouetted starkly on the skyline. There are very few fences and herds of cattle, goat, pigs and donkey roam freely. It is quintessential Eastern Cape South Africa. 

Teams reported at the end of it that it was a “stunningly awesome” route.  Riders needed to regularly stop to avoid flocks of livestock and children.  It was an extremely hot day which forced teams to interact with local villagers in order to obtain water. There is no running water in this area and water could only be obtained via a tap next to each village’s communal hall. 

The riding itself was along a myriad of minor roads and jeep tracks. There were a lot of rolling hills and the navigation was OK. It is taking teams between 9 and 13 hours to complete the ride. No doubt as darkness descends these times will get longer.

The next leg of the race was a 20km out and back kayak up the Fish River. Strategy came into play in this leg as only 2 of the team members were required to complete this leg. The reaction to this has been mixed. Tatum from team Merrell was decidedly edgy about being left behind to rest with Graham and hoped she would never have to do it again as she preferred her team “together at all times”. At the time of writing Castle Lite were waiting for their paddlers to return. They had decided to rest their navigators and were starting to feel a little nervous that it had been a bad idea.