Race2Rhodes. With the tart (aka Sarah v Heerden)

Two tarts on a bike. Racing to Rhodes. Freedom Dot-Watchers

https://www.facebook.com/FreedomChallengeSA?mibextid=ZbWKwL

As any woman would know:"2 inches to the right makes all the difference"

It was a fantastic adventure with Sarah van Heerden. We rode hard. We had a goal. It was to finish in 2 .5 days.

It was all going well until.....the flood plains of Queens Mercy, near Matatiele. This is a a tricky navigational section, especially at night. And I was navigating! But, I was prepared. I used my compass. I looked at the stars. I even sniffed the air. My attention to detail was immaculate. Prince Henry the navigator would have been proud. I know I was. I took a bearing to get to a village called Klein Jonas. WSWSS with a bit of WSEW. That is how precise I was with my navigation. We trail blazed on this bearing until we hit the swamp. A navigational miscalculation. WE were soon knee deep mud, more mud, cow dung. Hours of mud, It was not pretty, although Shrek was really turned on.

Many, many hours later at 2AM we literally stumbled on the elusive village, Klein Jonas, where we were warmly welcomed into a strangers home. OK, we banged on a door. Two tarts on our bicycles. That night we spooned in a bed staring at the pee bucket.

Despite our navigational mishap we had such fun. We laughed and laughed. Especially when Sarah realised that the lip ice that she had  liberally been smearing on her lips was actually not clear, but bright red. What a tart! But, a tart who can ride her bicycle flippen fast. A tart with a huge heart who gave most of our food to the stray dogs and along the route.

In the end we reached Rhodes. 3 days, 9 hrs. 50 min. Lehanas Pass was well, interesting. Especially as I made Sarah do the tigers line to the fence near the blue container. We had dreamed and planned for 10 hours faster. But hey, we arrived in Rhodes in a blaze of red. Two tarts: one with bright red lipstick and the other with blood dripping out of her nostrils. Beauty personified. Truly happy in our skins.

Thanks Sarah for this adventure. Thanks for all your words of wisdom. You are a splendid woman.

Ps. They were not lying when they said that true North is actually right of magnetic North. By at least 2 inches on the map. That Portuguese fellow navigator was correct. As a woman I can tell you that a few mm to the right can make all the difference between a favourable outcome and sheer disappointment.

All going well. Our seffie even worked.

Our food in the dog.

Sarah lost her shoe in the mud. We had to dig around to find it. Not fun as midnight.