On a quest to find meaning in the modern world, Jon Minster entered a crazy vintage cycle race through the Karoo.
It’s late afternoon somewhere near Middelpos, which is near nowhere, and I’ve just ridden over a snake. A big snake. I didn’t do it on purpose; it slithered out in front of me as I was trying to pedal through a section of loose sand. It got a fright, I got a fright and now it’s gone and I’m standing in the road with my heart hammering.
If it managed to escape, maybe I didn’t ride over it. Or maybe I imagined the whole incident. I’m in a fairly hallucinogenic state after already having ridden 170 km, with 30 km of rocky, sandy gravel still to go.
The worst part is that this 200 km ordeal is just the first stage of the 2016 Tour of Ara. There are five more stages to follow, each potentially as difficult.
I get off my bike and stand there in the silence, suddenly quite afraid. Why did I enter this race?
I entered because I had a notion that modern, middle-class life is too easy. In the physical sense, that is. Our ancestors were tired at the end of each day. Not brain-weary from thinking too much about global warming or school fees or what to buy from Pick n Pay for dinner; they were physically exhausted from carrying heavy things, building stuff and walking far.
Travel has also become far too cushy. Getting to the wilderness is a simple matter of ubering to the airport, flying to a dusty country, maybe catching another connecting flight, jumping into a Land Cruiser and sipping Johnny Black at the waterhole.
And driving long distance? Please. Joburg to Durban is something people do before brunch, coasting over the Drakensberg in an air-conditioned Audi as if the mountain range doesn’t exist.
Denne historien er fra 1 March 2017-utgaven av go! - South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra 1 March 2017-utgaven av go! - South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Rolling out the big guns
If you're still scanning the horizon for a Chinese automotive invasion you're looking the wrong way. It's already happening, and the new GWM Tank is the off-road spearhead into the highly lucrative and hotly contested lifestyle market.
TAKE A HIKE
The beautiful agony of Tienuurkop
Time out in Dullies
A long weekend in Dullstroom is just long enough to make you realise you need to spend several more weekends here! There's food, drink, art and action in abundance. Here's your guide.
Gallivanting in the Galápagos!
The Galápagos Islands are on many a traveller's wish list. They were on Hanlie and Vivian Gericke's too, even though the price of visiting made their eyes water. Was it worth it? Read on...
BURCHELL AND THE COUNTRY OF THE BUSHMEN
How many times have you driven through a landscape and wished you could have seen it centuries ago? In 1811, the English artist and explorer, William John Burchell, travelled through South Africa. Join us as we follow in his footsteps.
Long live the Hibiscus Coast
The KZN South Coast is a national treasure. It's still the place to go if you want a classic seaside holiday complete with warm waves, cold beer, soft serve and good vibes. Here's your guide.
The island at the end of the earth
Imagine adlace-with the cleanest air arid:the clearest seawater, where_no human.oranimabwants to:harm you: A placewhere the climates balmy. year-round:-with a sekrhistory ahd wwild scenery. A place like this:exist8” and it’s called St Helena.
A day on the road
You never know what the road will bring. Toast Coetzer heads south on the N1 and discovers South Africa.
The wilder shore
The final leg of a 30-day trek across East Africa sees lan Tyrer and the Africa - Wild & Untamed crew explore both shores of Lake Malawi. Get ready for an overloaded ferry, a croc attack and being surrounded by elephants...
A river runs through it
Sabie is onthe Drakensberg escaromentialongMpumalanga’s famous Panorama Route. Want a weekend away surrounded by forests and waterfalls? Here's wnat you need to know.
