Albertina to Riverdale

November 12, 2025

Today’s route and profile. I had a little WAA time in town so I had a few more km.

The day started with a visit to the local museum named after the first explorer to discover Mossel Bay. In the museum there is a replica of the ship that sailed here and it was built using techniques of that era. It is am amazingly small ship given fro where it sailed. As for the history the description below is from Wikipedia.

Although it is today best known as the place at which the first Europeans landed on South African soil (Bartolomeu Dias and his crew arrived on 3 February 1488), Mossel Bay's human history can – as local archaeological deposits have revealed – be traced back more than 164,000 years.

The modern history of Mossel Bay began in February 1488, when the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias landed with his men at a point close to the site of the modern-day Dias Museum Complex. Here they found a spring from which to replenish their drinking water supplies. Dias had been appointed to search for a trading route to India by King John II of Portugal, and, without realising it, actually rounded the Cape of Good Hope. The expedition then landed at Mossel Bay – which he named Angra dos Vaqueiros (The Bay of Cowherds).Dias is also credited with having given the Cape the name Cabo das Tormentas (the 'Cape of Storms'), although King John II later changed this to Cabo da Boa Esperança(the Cape of Good Hope).

Dias' excursion ashore ended hastily when the local people chased him off in a hail of stones.

By the time the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gamareached the area in 1497, the Bay had been marked on the maps as Aguada de São Brás, the Watering Place of St Blaize - whose feast is celebrated on 3 February. Da Gama bartered successfully for cattle with the local Khoi people in what is generally regarded as the first commercial transaction between Europeans and the indigenous people of South Africa.

I had been at that museum the last time so I took the opportunity to wander and find a bank. Once everyone was done we drove to Albertina to start cycling. Today’s route was 60% gravel with lots of ups and downs. There was one major hill (fortunately paved) that hit 18%, it was hard even on my e-bike because I can’t go above eco. It was another hot day reading 40C on the Garmin. There was also a head wind to fight but at least it helped cool you down.

Arriving in Riversdale I was desperate for a cold beer so I stopped at the first bar I found. I was clearly not a regular customer, if you catch the nuance, but the beer was cold and everyone was friendly.

Proof I at least stuck my feet in the Indian Ocean.

Our hotel for last night was right on the beach.

Our bus and trailer parked outside of the museum.

I found this local church in my wandering

I also found a butcher that has lots of wild game. There were several antelope (bok) or deer like heads on the wall. This is a Gembok.

Multiple other varieties and there are even more.

I wandered into what we would call a dollar store only to hear Christmas music and see decorations. This blow up snow globe has the only snow in SA.

I thought we were out of ostrich farming territory but clearly not. They are funny creatures. BTW the common understanding that ostrich put their heads in the sand because they are scared is false. They do it because the egg is buried and they have to turn it periodically

We rode along this beautiful mountain range

I saw one of these today but by the time I got my phone out it was gone. This photo is clearly from the internet but it is the South African Blue Heron their national bird.

I shared this amazing bottle of wine with our guide Mark. He had lamb shank and I had steak. It is the wine of our current accommodations. BTW it is a 2019 and I bought a bottle in the AM for $11.

Today's ride: 55 km (34 miles)
Total: 399 km (248 miles)

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