If getting into our camping spot was a little tricky, getting out was doubly so. We both dropped our bikes in thick sand and it took a combined effort to get them upright again. This was supposed to be the easy bit!
Temperatures were beginning to climb the further north we drove, by the time we reached the border at Noordoewer it was 39.?C. We were blessing our CamelBaks and cursing the persistence of the flies.
The plan was to head up the B1 to the turn off to Ai-Ais hot springs at the D316. This was the only confirmed part of this trip as the Fish River Canyon was on our itinerary and I had communicated with the officials at Ai-Ais that we would overnight and emailed the same. Their lack of response was confusing initially, but now obvious as a large sign stood at this junction advising us that the facilities were closed. Marvellous.
A chance meeting at the border with fellow motorcyclist Jaco Steencamp now bore fruit in the form of an alternative overnight stop. Instead of a 72 kilometre drive to Ai-Ais, we were now faced with 183 kilometres via Grunau, left on the C12 and left again down the C37 to the Canon Roadhouse at the top of the Fish River Canyon.
Unusually heavy rains had caused fields to be flushed with tall grass now turning silver in the late afternoon light as we made good time. The C12 was initially easy going but runoff had left treacherous sand traps for the unwary and in the fading light I was the victim of one of them. Look up, stand up and open up is the mantra for off-road riders. All well and good, but this had completely caught me out and as the back end tried to overtake the front in a manic weave I lost control and hit the ground hard. No damage done to bike or rider, but a valuable lesson learned.
Something I had discovered from previous trips of this nature is to arrive at your destination before 4.00pm. We were now picking our way down the C37 in darkness save a crescent moon, which in my mind was chuckling indulgently at us. Ironically this was one of the best game drives I have ever done with Gemsbok, Zebra, Springbok and Haartebest picked out by the spotlights on the lead GS, but dangerous for this very reason. We arrived at the Canon Roadhouse at 8.30pm, promptly got lost again looking for the campsite and ending up in a small back road where staff finally pointed out my navigation error. Another reminder to leave early and arrive early.
Confronted by one of the biggest, hairiest and palest spiders I have ever seen with a turn of speed that has to be seen to be believed put the lid on the day’s adventures.
A sleeping bag never looked so good.
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