Friday 18th March 2016
Arrive Alive After a leisurely – just getting into the swing of “slow” - 135km drive from Johannesburg we arrived at Sunwa Lodge – situated just 8km outside Parys on the banks of the Vaal River. What an amazing place – wonderful Hansel and Gretel log houses hiding on little lakes under willow and poplar trees. We spent the rest of our sunny afternoon exploring the gardens. Tea on the outside deck overlooking the foaming Vaal River rapids was a great idea! |
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Later we unpacked our luggage and had a last good look at our mountain bikes. As the sun was setting we caught a ride on the various SlowRide support vehicles to the Kopjeskraal Bush Lapa – to get to know some of our fellow SlowRiders and our SlowRiding support crew. We filled in the paperwork, enjoyed sundowner drinks and had good fun exploring the gifts in our goody bags.
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After a most tasty potjiekos dinner – slow cooked meat and veggies over an open fire served with home made pot brood, peach jam and mielie pap - a real traditional South African meal the way my grandmother used to make it on the farm so many years ago - our Geology Tour Guide and Stones expert - Christo Meyer - explained that we were sitting in the foothills of the Vredefort Crater rim structure - site of the oldest and largest meteorite impact structure on earth. Only a small portion of this impact structure was listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO some 10 years ago.
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It is said that the STONES here are of Universal Outstanding Value and are most worthy of international recognition and protection. And how interesting is it to understand that these valuable stones were created by the impact of a broken bit of a star.
It is also said that the STARS here are very bright – just perfect for stargazing opportunities.
We enjoyed a short documentary on the Vredefort Dome, and then had the opportunity to inspect and touch some of these special stones. Over the next two days we will be seeing these stones in their natural habitat on our SlowRide route.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_crater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorite
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolide
http://world_heritage.jaxa.jp/en/search/detail.php?froml=list&from=&id=282
It is also said that the STARS here are very bright – just perfect for stargazing opportunities.
We enjoyed a short documentary on the Vredefort Dome, and then had the opportunity to inspect and touch some of these special stones. Over the next two days we will be seeing these stones in their natural habitat on our SlowRide route.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vredefort_crater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorite
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolide
http://world_heritage.jaxa.jp/en/search/detail.php?froml=list&from=&id=282
Saturday - 19th March 2016
SlowRide Day 1
Ready… Steady… Go!
A light pre ride nibble of fresh fruit, coffee and rusks, and we were all ready to set off on our SlowRide to observe the Stones of the Dome first hand.
We left our vehicles safely parked at the lodge - and for the next one and half days our trusty mountain bikes (MTB‘s), some more fancy and others just sommer ordinary, would be our transport. Our luggage was loaded onto the support vehicles that stay with us on our SlowRide (now I understood why we were asked to pin a coloured ribbon to our bags!).
SlowRide Day 1
Ready… Steady… Go!
A light pre ride nibble of fresh fruit, coffee and rusks, and we were all ready to set off on our SlowRide to observe the Stones of the Dome first hand.
We left our vehicles safely parked at the lodge - and for the next one and half days our trusty mountain bikes (MTB‘s), some more fancy and others just sommer ordinary, would be our transport. Our luggage was loaded onto the support vehicles that stay with us on our SlowRide (now I understood why we were asked to pin a coloured ribbon to our bags!).
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Our first stop was at the Granite Quarry of the
Italian stonemason - Salvamento - who in the 1950’s mined the huge granite blocks, which were then exported to Italy where they were cut, polished and sold in the European market. The Pink Parys Granite was very popular at the time. 
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Our next stop was at the largest natural
Wild Olive Tree Forest in the Southern Hemisphere. This forest was declared a National Heritage Site long before the Dome was listed. We left our MTB’s at the farmhouse and walked a short distance (+/- 800m) through the forest to a wooden deck were we enjoyed a breakfast with some spectacular views over the Vaal River Valley below us. 
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Then we were off, winding our way down the gravel road in the morning sun and fresh air. We stopped at Commando Nek (this part of our country certainly has a colourful history) - on the banks of the Vaal River and had a look at the overturned quartzite formations in the river bed. Here we could also view the evidence of ice glaziers that some 15 million years ago sculpted and shaped the valley where we will be SlowRiding for the day. And then it was back on our bikes!
“Trap maar lekker” – we have places to go and things to see.
We stopped at the Schurwedraai Lookout Point, and stood on the Free State and North West Provincial boarder line some 100m away from the Vaal River. Here the Alcaline Granite outcrop with it’s stunning views of the Vaal River Valley below made for a real photo opportunity with my new SlowRiding friends.
“Trap maar lekker” – we have places to go and things to see.
We stopped at the Schurwedraai Lookout Point, and stood on the Free State and North West Provincial boarder line some 100m away from the Vaal River. Here the Alcaline Granite outcrop with it’s stunning views of the Vaal River Valley below made for a real photo opportunity with my new SlowRiding friends.
At the T-junction, we turned left towards the historical mining town of Venterskroon - on our way riding over the White Bridge - and no – it’s not a white structure – but rather was named after a pioneer settler lady – a Mrs. White, who lived on the adjacent farm. We also visited the grave of a Voortrekker hero who fought in the battle against the Zulus at Blood River in 1838. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blood_River
After a short stop at the beautiful Thabella Thabeng lodge meaning ‘To be Happy in the Mountains’ - to look at the artifacts and relics, we pedalled on to our lunch time stop at the Old Imperial Inn in Venterskroon.
After a short stop at the beautiful Thabella Thabeng lodge meaning ‘To be Happy in the Mountains’ - to look at the artifacts and relics, we pedalled on to our lunch time stop at the Old Imperial Inn in Venterskroon.
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When gold was first discovered here in 1880 a host of people arrived in the area seeking their share of the fortune. The times were rough and the peole were tough. Very soon - in 1888 - the formal establishment of a prospecting town was declared - Venterskroon - with a magistrate’s office, an inn, a police station and a jail – all very necessary to deal with the hurly burly of the gold rush.
Leon our host had prepared a super meal lunch for us out in the back garden under the trees. But first - to deal with the dust of the road in our throats - something cold in the historical bar. We have covered 60% of the distance of our Day 1 SlowRide. |
After lunch it was back on our bikes to ride on to visit the unique shatter cones in a shale formation alongside the road. These stone formations are proof that the visible ring structure of the Vredefort Dome was formed by a meteorite that blasted into the ground of the area and was not created by a volcanic extrusion from a collapsed volcano that was active many years ago (as had been theorised until fairly recently).
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With the wind at our backs, the sun shining warm across our shoulders we continued on our way to visit one of the noteworthy primitive hand excavated shafts of the early gold mines in the area.
We stopped alongside the road, and left our trusty MTB’s in the watchful care of the SlowRider support crew. We followed our knowledgeable guide, climbed over a crossing in the fence and scrambled up a slope in the veld to go and visit one of the shafts, dating back to the 1880‘s, of the Rooderand Gold Mining Company. With our torches switched “on” we walked into the mine and followed a tunnel for nearly half a kilometer through the mountain and came out at the same level further along the slope of the Rooderand Mountain. What an experience to visit a historical mine where gold was mined even before the Witwatersrand gold deposits were discovered. |
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After this excitement some of our fellow SlowRiders decided to speed it up to the end of the trail, and caught a lift on the transport - but we decided to carry on by bike.
About an hour of time well spent in the saddle – the scenery is just worth the riding - we arrived at the Elgro River Lodge situated on the banks of the Vaal River.
How pleasant to sit – showered and refreshed - and to relax with something cool to drink on the deck, where the national annual fly fishing championships are held, overlooking the Vaal River.
A delicious meal was enjoyed by all, and then it was time to concentrate on the Stars of the Dome.
Prof. Johan Van Der Walt of the North West University’s and Potchefstroom Campus an astronomer, and the team leader of the Dome’s Nooitgedacht Observatory, introduced us to the Stars of the Dome. It was a most informative, interesting and fascinatinating presentation given by an expert.
About an hour of time well spent in the saddle – the scenery is just worth the riding - we arrived at the Elgro River Lodge situated on the banks of the Vaal River.
How pleasant to sit – showered and refreshed - and to relax with something cool to drink on the deck, where the national annual fly fishing championships are held, overlooking the Vaal River.
A delicious meal was enjoyed by all, and then it was time to concentrate on the Stars of the Dome.
Prof. Johan Van Der Walt of the North West University’s and Potchefstroom Campus an astronomer, and the team leader of the Dome’s Nooitgedacht Observatory, introduced us to the Stars of the Dome. It was a most informative, interesting and fascinatinating presentation given by an expert.
After the presentation on the Stars we were introduced to an age old tradition in the Schoemans Drift area – a Witblits and Mampoer tasting.
In the 1840’s Great Grandfather “Heuning Handjies” Schoeman came with his copper kettle from Outshoorn with the Ossewa Trek and settled on the farm Schoemans Drift.
“Mampoerstoking” as it is known, is a traditional distilling method that uses fire and heat to separate the component substances from a liquid mixture by selective evaporation and condensation. Stoking may result in essentially complete separation (nearly pure components), or it may be a partial separation that increases the concentration of selected components of the mixture. It is an art and a science - and the fireman or stoker as he/she is known - fuels the still with a skill born from years of practice.
The same copper kettle is still used today by Boet Schoeman and his wife Marie, fourth generation stokers, to make the prizewinning “Wittietjies” as it is known. This is a real local South African traditional drink not readily available in the open market. To drink – its wooff and fhwew!
Sunday – 20th March 2016
SlowRide Day 2
Gently Does It
SlowRide Day 2
Gently Does It
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After a yummy buffet breakfast we were on our way again to explore the Free State side of the Dome area.
Our first stop - the beautiful low level Schoemansdrift Bridge over the Vaal River, named after the Schoemans that introduced the “Wittietjies” in the Dome area - that which we had so enjoyed last night.
The low level bridge replaced the original pont at the drift crossing, and changed the business landscape of the time.
A pont is a South African term for a punt - otherwise known as a cable ferry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_ferry
What a beautiful spot – the water reflecting the blue sky, a family of wild duck quacking their way around the rocks, and over there we spotted an egret standing poised to spear an unsuspecting passing fish. We took many photos.
On the Free State side we stopped at the farm, Baskop for tea and a story - the history of the farm dating back to the time it was a military airport base for the fighter aircraft used in the northern boarder wars.
We continued our SlowRide along the “Hoenderland” route next to the Vaal River for +/- 10 km to a place called Hadeda Creek. This was the end of our SlowRide - we sat on the banks of the Vaal River and enjoyed the natural beauty of the dome for the last time We couldn’t resist and along with a few other brave souls we stripped off our cycling shoes, and hopped into the water for a swim around the rocks while we waited for the bike trailer to be loaded.
We continued our SlowRide along the “Hoenderland” route next to the Vaal River for +/- 10 km to a place called Hadeda Creek. This was the end of our SlowRide - we sat on the banks of the Vaal River and enjoyed the natural beauty of the dome for the last time We couldn’t resist and along with a few other brave souls we stripped off our cycling shoes, and hopped into the water for a swim around the rocks while we waited for the bike trailer to be loaded.
I thought that I would at least see the Dome on my SlowRiding tour through the area. But no – that was not so.
The Dome of the impact crater has long gone - eroded away to such extent that there is no “Dome” any more. What is left after 2000 million years of erosion is an area of unspoiled natural beauty in a rural landscape with lots of stones on the ground and many bright stars in the nightsky - all waiting for those willing to take the time out and sit in the saddle.
What fun it was meet such a nice bunch of SlowRider people.
What an interesting weekend!
I am coming back to do this SlowRide again with some of my friends.
I want to show them why UNESCO decided, together with the South African Government and the local landowners, to list a portion of this unique impact structure as a World Heritage Site.
The unspoiled natural beauty deserves our support - to protect it and to preserve it for the enjoyment of many generations to come.
The Dome of the impact crater has long gone - eroded away to such extent that there is no “Dome” any more. What is left after 2000 million years of erosion is an area of unspoiled natural beauty in a rural landscape with lots of stones on the ground and many bright stars in the nightsky - all waiting for those willing to take the time out and sit in the saddle.
What fun it was meet such a nice bunch of SlowRider people.
What an interesting weekend!
I am coming back to do this SlowRide again with some of my friends.
I want to show them why UNESCO decided, together with the South African Government and the local landowners, to list a portion of this unique impact structure as a World Heritage Site.
The unspoiled natural beauty deserves our support - to protect it and to preserve it for the enjoyment of many generations to come.
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