Kenhardt to Verneukpan

Friday 27 July 2007

Verneukpan. From the time I saw it sploshed on the map like a wet bird dropping, I was fascinated by it. Maybe because it's the only real feature that stands out on a map between Askham and Fraserburg, or that in 1922 Sir Malcolm Campbell broke the land speed record in Bluebird on the same blotch. Either way, I was looking forward to riding over it, and today would be the day.

After 'clip-clopping' down the hollow passages of the hotel at 05h00 in the morning, I stepped outside into a strong, cold wind, and headed off into the darkness. The weather was clearly changing for the worse, and there would be no sunrise for me that morning. The early morning gloom revealed ominous low, dark, brooding clouds in the direction I was heading, and the strong tailwind pushed me towards the storm.

I stopped and propped my bike up against a small rocky outcrop as I rearranged my pack and clothing in preparation for what was to come. It proved none too soon, and I soon had freezing rain hitting me in the back. The turn-off to the pan took me onto a road of loose soil and
corrugations, intersected by numerous farm gates.

Because of the following wind, I had made excellent progress, and was approaching the pan itself. With only about 8km to go, I thought to myself that at least the road over the pan would be flat and easy. Big mistake!

The road was straight and very smooth, but as I rode onto the pan, I was greeted by a shower of thick, porridgy clay coming off the wheels. I swerved off the road and tried to follow some

tracks running on the white pan itself, noting in alarm that both front and back wheels were sliding out to the side! The clay felt nice and cool on my shoulder as I squirmed around in the mud trying to unclip my feet from the pedals.

Standing up was a delicate process, but I was soon slip-sliding away on the pan in the very general direction of the road. I must have fallen at least 4 or 5 times till I came to the sign marking the original place that Campbell had broken the speed record. I risked taking a few photos in the rain, and then moved off for Act Two of the Biker Ballet on the Pan.

I really couldn't see much of the pan due to the weather, but now the main aim was to get off this ice rink and onto the brown road I could see in the distance. Having more or less mastered 'Verneuk dance', I was feeling quite positive and only had a few kilometers to go to my overnight stop at the farm Nuwerus.

Up ahead I saw someone crouching next to a bike, and for a moment I felt my spirits lift as I thought it might be a fellow bike traveller. It turned out to be a local farm worker on his way to… who knows where? We exchanged pleasantries, and he happened to mention that there was a rather loose section of clay up ahead. Well, I could see the road quite clearly now, and it was obvious that the surface was fine, and couldn't possibly pose any problems for me and my bike. I gave him a wave and sped ahead in an excellent display of cycling mastery … straight into a clogmire (new word) of thick, sticky clay.

It was so bad, that it packed around the wheels and within a few revolutions the bike jammed solid. I got off and tried to push, but it was no use, so I tried to carry the bike, but it was too heavy with clay to budge. By now, my shoes had packed with clay to such an extent, that I was about 20 cm taller and 20kg heavier! Using my gloves, I scraped as much clay off the bike as possible and then carried it as far as I could (about 20 steps at a time) before either dropping it due to the weight, or slipping and falling over in the mud. It was still raining, and the pan already looked like a very large lake.

It was so frustrating! I could see the farmhouse about 3km ahead of me, and the road looked perfectly normal. Progress went: 20 steps, stop/fall, 20 steps, stop/fall, for what seemed like hours. All things, even bad things, come to an end, and it was with relief that I finally placed my bike down and found that it was on firm ground. After scraping the worst of the clay off, I was finally able to ride. I couldn't use the cleats, the gears or even the brakes, but I could ride, and ride I did, in the rain to the farmhouse.

What a haven. One look at me, and Louie lit the 'donkey' for a hot bath while Annic placed a mug of hot coffee in my hand and took my clothes away to be cleaned. My bike was sent to be de-clayed, and I was soon relaxing in a hot bath. After my bath and a huge lunch I settled down to enjoy the hospitality of my hosts, the Salzmanns.




I rode around the farm with Louis in his bakkie and heard stories of the pan. I heard how a few years ago Johan Jacobs had died during an attempt on a new speed record, and I saw the remains of his car with the text 'If you think this is scary, read the Bible, it will scare the hell out
of you!' painted on the cockpit side. I heard that the area is a
favourite among the kite










sailing/skating/riding/jumping community, because of the
consistent strong winds and absolutely level ground on the pan. I heard about how one of the kite riders lost the plot and went flying away completely out of control, to be found 18km away, alive, but unconscious. I heard how people battle to perceive distance and size on the pan, and how people can get lost. I realised then that many people have been verneuked by this pan, and I started to feel quite privileged to have been at least a little verneuked by the pan myself!

It was still raining and blowing a gale when I finally went to sleep, safe, warm and feeling very spoiled by such generosity shown by my hosts.

I would strongly recommend that visiting the Salzmanns at Verneukpan be placed high on the 'have-to-do' list of any serious traveller/adventurer. They have a nest of caravans and lapas which they rent out on the pan itself, and a website http://www.verneukpan.co.za/ for bookings and information.

Oh, and of course it just never, ever rains there, especially in winter … unless of course like me (and others), you too get 'Verneuked on Verneukpan'!

Day four: Kenhardt to Verneukpan
Distance: 91km
Hours: 5hrs 55mins (05:05 – 11:00)
Ave riding speed: 21km/h