De Rust and Meiringspoort

November 8, 2025

Today was an amazing day riding through the Klein Karoo desert. The route was not that tough except for the heat but not about that in the photos. We rode 57km to the village of De Rust where we stopped for lunch. Then all but 3 of us rode to the Meiringspoort waterfall through the spectacular Meiringspoort pass to the Meiringspoort waterfall and pools. I chose not to ride but rather stayed in the van due to the heat and that I have been battling a bad cold for 5 days. I sound like I am coughing up a lung half the time. I also volunteered to be the photographer while everyone else took a plunge in the pools. It was my way of avoiding the cold water since I am really a wimp. We didn’t see many animals on the ride because they were smarter than us and sought shade. The phrase mad dogs and Englishmen in the midday sun was appropriate for today.

We have seen two herds of Springbok from the van early in the morning and later in the afternoon as you would expect.

This is called a fever tree because people contracted fever when near it. The reality is that is malaria from mosquitoes who lived around the trees.

This sign is the only Springbok we saw today.

What Robert’s Garmin said with the heat from the tarmac, 114F.

My new beer drinking buddy George from Germany.

Ostrich goulash on brown rice with sweetened squash and roasted potatoes. There was also curry flavoured lentils and fried cabbage but I passed. Sticky toffee pudding and ice cream for dessert.

Today's ride: 58 km (36 miles)
Total: 615 km (382 miles)

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