December 20, 2025
To Capetown
When I stayed in Bredasdorp 3 days ago, Janet, my genetous host, made a phone call on my behalf. She called a friend who is a police officer in the Capetown police force. His name is Inspector Dirks, and Janet asked him for a recommended safe route for me to ride into the city. Inspector Dirks recommended I use the R102 from Somerset West, so basically veering off my planned N2 route and heading around the danger areas on a Northerly loop and entering the city from the North East. This route would be longer, but safer. Inspector Dirks' recommendation stuck firmly in my mind as I set off this morning from Grabouw under another clear blue sky.
I started the steep climb up Sir Lowry's Pass immediately after turning onto the busy N2 towards Capetown. Again, magnificent scenery and hairpin bends. My legs felt good this morning and I maintained a steady cadence as I followed the road up to the pass. The wind picked up condiderably as I ascended, at at the pass itself, was incredibly strong. At one point, in an appropriately directed hairpin, the wind actually pushed me up the hill while my legs stopped pedalling! I have never experienced this before, and to be frank, it was quite scary. Because hairpins change direction, that same wind became a side wind arpt the next bend, catching my panniers and forcing the bike towards the barrier on the side of the road. My arms ached with effort required to stay withing the hard shoulder. At the pass, there was a stunning view point from which I could see Table Mountain in the distance, and Capetown sprawled around it. I didn't stay longer than it took to take a photo because of the insanely windy conditions. On the long super windy 13km descent, the wind had me braking hard to keep the bike under control. Lactic acid built up in my hands from the strain of constant clutching at the brake levers. I was actually grateful for the weight of my bike and panniers which helped keep my tyres firmly stuck to the road. I have never not enjoyed a tail wind, till today, when the tail wind was pushing so hard that I felt I would lose control of the bike if I succumbed to its dominance, especially on the steep descent. I must say, my bike handling skills were thoroughly tested on Sir Lowry's Pass this morning. I had had another new experience today, and survived to tell the tale!
I got to the bottom of that harrowing descent onto the Cape Flats which form the outskirts of Capetown. As I approached the suburb of Somerset West, I followed signs for the R102. The R102 was quieter than the N2, and was used mainly by local motorists, so no lorries. There were people walking along the side of the road, women and children carrying packs of firewood on their heads, and street vendors selling their wares, all making me feel safe enough to carry on safely. On separate occasions, I spotted a total of 5 local cyclists, riding solo, on Saturday morning rides, and this encouraged me to continue. The R102 passes along the edge of, not through, a suburb called Kuils River, which is labelled a red area, but as I pedalled along this edge, it was actually quite a pleasant neighbourhood with children playing in gardens, people out jogging and walking dogs on leashes. I imagined that most of the unsavoury incidents, if any, happen after dark, and not at 9:30 am on a Saturday morning. In my head, I thanked Inspector Dirks for the R102 recommendation because it enabled me to ride continuously into the centre of Capetown without having to fuss with a transfer.
As I got closer to the centre of town, it got busier and more developed. Minibuses packed with passengers (Matatus in Kenya) were plentiful, and drove considerably, unlike their East Aftican cousins. There was the usual buzz of entering a big city, which I was well accustomed to. I kept my wits about me at all times, pedalling a low gear ratio to maintain decent control through the traffic. I headed to the Victoria & Albert Waterfront, and the famous photo frame that everyone takes a photo within, with Table Mountain in the background. There was a large group of African school girls on a trip taking lots of photos in the frame, so I waited my turn, amused by their excitement. Capetown was a bonus destination for me, the main one being Aghulas, the latter contributing most to my latitude riding, but nevertheless, it felt good to be here safely.
I will spend the next 4 days resting, doing a bit of sight seeing, eating in restaurants instead of out of supermarket delis (which wasn't bad at all!), walking by the seaside and carefully packing my beloved bike away in a box for flying.
The end of another long tour, and as usual, mixed emotions. Sad to have no more kilometers to ride, knowing that riding my bike on long tours is a significant part of the person I am, which I reaffirm with every pedal stroke I make. Happy to be at the end of another adventure which means seeing my dearest family, Alks, Anokhi and Jahnavi again, very soon.
Today's ride: 81 km (50 miles)
Total: 2,909 km (1,806 miles)
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