Saturday, April 30, 2011

Day 10 Blues

Yet another eventful day. The 'recce' team (Hoffie and Steve, now joined by Hoffie's friend Jacques) set out at 9am in an attempt to follow a new and probably impossible route.

Meanwhile, team B was taking turns to drive and ride, the previous drivers having returned home. Some fifty kilometers and two hours on they sat to await the arrival of their fitter teammates. Three hours later, still no 'recce' group. A close-as-we-could-make-it grid search commenced.

Eventually a call come through, once the A team had reached a cell phone signal. Their prowess had been over estimated. Six hours after setting out, they still had another 6 hours of riding and with only three hours before nightfall. In the last stretch they would have to traverse the old Witzenberg Pass.

So the B team 'road-lifted' the A team some forty kilometers, to a point where they had a chance of traversing the pass in safety.

.. that ends well: They arrived at our overnight stop at 18:30, nearly 11 hours after starting out.

Two more days of cycling left...

Steve's log, Day 7, 8 and 9


Day 7: When we woke the next morning there was snow on the mountaintops, and the temperature had dropped even further, with a strong cold westerly wind. We said goodbye to Stephanus and Elize who drove out of the valley (it is a cul de sac for cars) and we headed in the other direction for an exit from the valley via a steep donkey track. Here we had to carry our bikes up a steep rocky path for over an hour, before we could start riding again. We eventually joined the Bosluyskloof road and waited for our rendezvous with the vehicle at the entrance to the Seweweekspoort. Alas they were not there due to a miscommunication with our new team of drivers, Brett and Arno from Worcester. So after an hour’s wait by the roadside we then rode the last 40km of undulating district road alongside the Klein Swartberg, including a wonderful long downhill run of 5km with the cold wind screaming at our ears. We arrived at a beautiful farm called Rouxpos, where we were warmly welcomed by Ronelle and Gerard Roux, who were friends of Hoffie from their varsity days. We were treated to the most delicious dinner of braaied lamb chops and boerewors, together with roosterbrood, salads and waffles for pudding. Gerard farms apricots and makes the famous apricot rolls, which consist of dried apricots rolled out into flat sheets.
Quote of the day: “Al mag ons nie kan klipgooi nie, kan ons maar fietsry” (Steve to Hoffie after throwing stones and never hitting the target while waiting for Paul)

The eighth day: Started very cold again with the threat of rain and a strong wind, but it soon warmed up as we travelled by district road further westwards between the Klein Swartberge and the Elandberge. There were typical Karoo scenes of vast flat empty valleys, and only the occasional windmill or small dwelling as points of interest. Hoffie and Steve again took the road less travelled and headed off into the Anysberg wilderness for a , while Paul and Debbie stuck to the district roads. The Anysberg Nature Reserve is run by Cape Nature, and encompasses a vast area of semi-arid mountains and plains. They offer a wide range of accommodation which is quite basic but nicely done. We were put up at Tapfontein which was 6km up a bad road, but charmingly rustic, with each of us having a little hut and the whole place to ourselves. Our evening meal of an enormous amount of chicken stew was made by Meisie at the Anysberg office, who was clearly aware of the appetites of cyclists.
Quote of the day: “Hou net aan links draai so ver as God land gegee het” (Mrs Fourie who lives on her own in a house in the middle of nowhere, giving directions to Hoffie and Steve)

Day 9: By now we should have known, but the ninth day totaled 120km according to David Waddilove’s route across the Klein Karoo to Touws Rivier. Hoffie and Steve again took the long way around while Paul and Debbie stuck to the district roads. In the first 4 hours of riding the first two saw no-one or any vehicle at all. Having crossed the Touws Rivier (it was dry) lower down than the town on the N1, the surrounding countryside consisted of sand, stones and succulents. And sometimes there were no succulents, no vegetation at all. A tail wind from the south west helped a lot when the road or track went in the right direction. There was still snow on the Matroosberg as we cycled by, so it was a chilly day by Karoo standards. Finally, after some dodgy directions from farmhands, Hoffie and Steve arrived at the destination at 5.30pm having been cycling for 9 hours. The overnight stop was Karoo One, next to the N1 just near Touws River town, and it was luxurious compared to anything we had stayed in before.
Quote of the day: “A proper tailwind is one that can get you up a gradient without pedaling”

Friday, April 29, 2011

Steve's log, Day 1 to Day 6


Day 1
Our first day of riding started on the coast at Hamburg, which is a village at the mouth of the Keiskamma river. Here the Keiskamma Trust, a sister organization of Kidzpositive, supports a number of arts and other local development projects, many of which are coordinated by Dr Carol Baker-Hofmeyr. We visited a few of these projects, and were impressed by the initiatives and beautiful artwork that is being produced. The next morning we were given a raucous send-off by the village, complete with singing, dancing, sweeping the road clear ahead of us (symbolically with brooms!), and photos. A number of local boys joined us on their bicycles as we wound our way out of the village next to the Keiskamma river lagoon and up the hill away from the sea past the village of Bodiam. 17km later we got back into the vehicle and drove back through Port Elizabeth to pick up the Freedom Challenge route near Middelwater farm in the Elands River valley.
Quote of the day: Klim oor my f****** draad, dan k** jy! (sign by the side of the road)
We set off in the early afternoon near a farm called Middelwater and climbed up a steep pass to find magnificent views over the Patensie area all the way down to the sea. Here the party split, with Debbie and Paul going down the road towards Patensie while Hoffie and Steve took the Osseberg jeep track down the mountain. The latter two had numerous adventures down this steep little used track, including fording the Groot Rivier 11 times as daylight faded and night fell, getting lost in the forest and running out of battery for the (single) headlight. They eventually arrived elated but exhausted at the overnight accommodation (Kudu Kaya) in the dark at 8pm, only an hour after the former two. We all ate heartily and slept soundly.
Hoffie won the Zog for dropping his cellphone down the toilet, but taking his cycling gloves off before retrieving it. Such priorities.
Dave Waddilove’s mother was there organizing the team of local women to cater for the groups of cyclists who come through, and it was good to meet her in the morning. After waiting for our back-up team of Stephanus (Hoffie’s son) and Elize to arrive from Port Elizabeth, we set off later than we had expected on a long day through the Baviaanskloof. This was an extreme day of mountain passes, one after the other, through steep-sided gorges over a total of 1320m of climbing up the most amazing roads leading to spectacular views. The Baviaanskloof is a large protected area of indigenous bush, a so-called “mega-reserve”, and there were plenty of holiday makers in their 4-wheel drives, as this was the first day of the Easter weekend. After emerging from the mountain passes we cycled the last flat 15km to Studtis in the dark, arriving at around 7pm by headlight after an exhausting 83km for the day. Here we were warmly greeted by Hestelle van Rensberg of the farm Damsedrif, who fed us a delicious meal, washed our clothes and told us stories of other cyclists that made us laugh.
Quote of the day: “Hulle vreet soos honde” (Hestelle talking about the Freedom Challenge riders)
After a full breakfast we got going relatively early along the valley in a westerly direction, climbing slowly but steadily, and threaded our way eventually through the narrow Nuwe Kloof. After lunch in the kloof we climbed up onto the plateau of the real Karoo. A flat straight stretch against the wind took us to the N8 and into Willowmore, where we were stayed over at the Willows Historical Hotel having done 85km in total for the day. The history largely seemed to relate to the glorious days of apartheid, but we ate and rested well.
Quote of the day: Die man wat ‘n harde fiets ry is yster! (referring to Paul, without shocks)
Day 4 was our first experience of the real Karoo off the tar road, complete with corrugations, loose sand and a challenging headwind. It was also our longest day in terms of distance, covering almost 100km from Willowmore to just north of Klaarstroom. We arrived at the farm Rondavel in the afternoon and were greeted by Chris Marincowitz, who turned out to the cousin of a medical colleague of Hoffie and Steve’s by the name of Gert Marincowitz. Chris is about 6 foot 6 inches tall, wonderfully hospitable and friendly, and his son Gerrit is even taller but more reticent. They were somewhat challenged in hosting us as Chris’ wife was away in the Cape, but rose to the occasion magnificently with an enormous braai and koeksisters for desert. Rondavel is a typical old Karoo farm, seemingly isolated in the middle of a vast plain of low scrub, and still using a single cylinder Lister engine generator for electricity (lights out at 10pm then candles).
Quote of the day: “Stay away from me!” (Paul to Debbie after the second crash)
After leaving Rondavel, we found Chris Marincowitz out along the road waiting for us to say good bye. What a nice man (apparently all the ladies of the Karoo think so too!).
The fifth day consisted of three main factors that made it more challenging than we had anticipated:
1.     A constant significant headwind
2.     Soft sandy roads, like beachsand
3.     Corrugations in the sand
When to these three was added the slightest gradient, it became difficult to maintain a forward momentum at all at times, leading to sudden radical lateral movements in the sand. Debbie’s knee pain from the previous fall got worse, and she had to stop 10km from Prince Albert. We arrived in the afternoon in this pretty town, and put up at Dennehof guest house, where we were very graciously hosted by Ria. She cooked us the most delicious meal of the trip, and we felt truly pampered that night.
Quote of the day: “Aan die eensamheid is ek al gewoond” (Gerrit, as we left Rondavel)
Day six was entirely different, starting with an enormously strenuous climb up the spectacular Prince Albert pass, 1000 vertical metres on a dirt road designed by Thomas Baines. The weather had changed and it was freezing cold and windy on top. Paul had the first puncture of the trip and by the time we got going again we were all very cold. Then followed another 32km of steep ascents and descents across the top of the mountain complete with headwind and some rain, to the top of a major descent, from which we got a beautiful view of the Gamkaskloof valley. The 5km descent into the valley was exhilarating, down an incredible zigzag pass. Until 1962 this valley was only accessible by donkey path, having been settled originally in 1830 by a small number of reclusive families. Apparently it was named Hell by a cattle inspector in the 1940’s who visited monthly, and said when he returned that he had “gone to hell and back”. A small community of mainly Marais’ lived here, including a small school which was closed as recently as 1980. Being in the valley is like stepping back in time to a previous era. We stayed in Sankie Marais’ house, a very simple abode which has been nicely restored, as have all the other historic houses in the valley. They are now run by Cape Nature and can be rented by holiday makers, of which there were many who passed us on the road in 4 wheel drives and some motor bikes.
Quote of the day: “It would have been better with shocks” (Paul, immediately after descending the 1000m pass into the Gamkaskloof, where this admission was shaken out of him).

Back in the Blogosphere...

We disappeared into Gamkaskloof on Tuesday 26th and have only just re-emerged into the cell phone and internet world today, Friday 29th at Karoo One, a resort lying between Touwsrivier and the Hex River Valley.

Gamkaskloof - also known as Die Hel - was an experience never to be equalled (or to be repeated, by some of us - ever, at all, at all). Everything there was higher (the passes) deeper (the descents) and colder, it turns out than anything we had previously experienced.

Some observations:

1. Hell did freeze over while we were in it - we can all attest to that. Beware you teachers, professors, parents and girlfriends who made less than charitable predictions regarding the fulfillment of our aspirations, hopes and desires. What you are hearing is not the roar of aircraft engines. No, it is the beating of a thousand wings, as your many, many chickens come home to roost.

2. Getting out of Hell is hellish difficult. Riding a bicycle should not entail carrying it 600 vertical meters on your back up something called a 'ladder' with rungs consisting of boulders, scree and shale.

3. Cyclists, everyone agrees, 'eat like dogs'... Photos to follow.

4. The best downhill section on the Freedom Trail lies between Seweweekspoort and Rouxpos. Hoffie's attempt at the World downhill record was foiled by a headwind. He achieved a mere 58 kilometers per hour.

6. Gerhard Roux of Rouxpos cooks a men braai. Ronelle his wife is the waffle queen.

5. The Anysberg Reserve has extremely fat Gemsbok. 'Meisie' the cook to cyclists visiting Anysberg  office is clearly a 'big picture' and large portion person. Perhaps she is feeding the Gemsbok as  well.

6. Karoo One is a very good place for R and R, Debbie thinks perhaps we should just stay here.

7. Fund raising is going well. According to reports, we have so far received pledges North of R 100 000.

More later, from Tulbagh....

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

New photos from The Road ...

The back road to Prince Albert

The team taking a break at Sleutelfontein!

Typical countryside views

The Looooooong Swartbeg Pass that the team are facing today!

Over the Swartberg Pass and Far Away

We ride 25 kilometers up the Swartberg Pass this morning (Tuesday 26th April). At the top of the pass, we turn West and ride into Gamkaskloof (Die Hel) for another 50 kilometers over more mountains and hills before reaching our overnight B+B - called Hell's Kitchen. It sounds as though they would not have much of an electricity bill, even if Eskom power were ever to reach them.

Next morning (27th April) we celebrate Freedom Day by carrying our bikes up a donkey trail, out of the Western end of the Kloof.

For once, Zog the Indomitable will be unable to join us, because the support vehicle must drive back to the Swartberg Pass, down its Southern leg and West via Calitzdorp and the Huis River Pass. We will eventually meet up with the Condor and new drivers at the junction of Seweweekspoort and the Bosluiskloof Pass. Thank you Stef and Elise for all your support over the last hundreds of kilometers.

There is no cell phone or internet access in 'Die Hel' so our next post on the blog will be on Wednesday night. Happy Freedom Day everyone...

Monday, April 25, 2011

Zog, the Frog that Blogs

Every frog must have his day, so the saying goes.

Zog nearly had his, and might have floated to freedom this morning, when a 25 litre water container burst and flooded the Condor. Sadly it was not to be. Zoggy remains with us, the frog that blogs where no other has blogged before, pioneer of the species Xenopus Norris

Update from Prince Albert: Bike for a Bakkie Senior Tour rides on

We arrived in Willowmore on Saturday the 23rd after a lot of kilometers (one stops counting after a while) and the Nuwekloof Pass, out of the dreaded Baviaanskloof.  For a change we arrived in daylight. Wonderful accommodation at 'The Willows' great food, especially the 'plaasbotter' for which one would happily die - and would quite soon, if one were to eat as much as one would like.

The next day, Easter Sunday, we covered 96 flattish kilometers to the farm Rondawel, via a hamlet called Vondeling. This was another long day, mainly because of a fresh headwind as the cold front currently bringing rain to Cape Town moves East. We enjoyed excellent hospitality from the Marincowitz family, with father Chris and son Gerhard standing in for Elna.

We have just arrived in Prince Albert, where we are staying in a splendid Guest House called Dennehof. If you want to be spoilt, this is the place to come.  Play your cards right and you don't even have to ride your bike  410 kilometers - our total so far -  to get here. If you come from Cape Town via the N1 and Prince Albert road, it is about 410 km by car... And about five days quicker.

Tomorrow, 26th April, we enter Gamkaskloof - a.k.a. Die Hel. Internet and cell phone silence descend again and we next surface at a place called Rouxpos, near Vleiland on Freedom Day, the 27th.

Wish us good knees...

Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Baviaanskloof is tough territory

We have been out of  cell-phone and internet range in the Baviaanskloof for two days. Now in Willowmore, 245 km into our journey. Yesterday we crossed 2 boggling mountain passes and ended up doing the last 15 km in the dark. Our hostess Hestelle at 'Dam se Drif' was wondering what had happened to us. So were we. On day 1, Steve and Hoffie took a road less travelled and also arrived 2 hours after dark. We climbed many meters each day - Hoffie's computer said more than 1000 meters on each. My knees say double that. Tomorrow's stage is ninety-something kilometers, but mostly on the flat

Friday, April 22, 2011

Overnight stop 1 has been reached!

The team reached Cambria last night with 75 km under the belt after an epic route through the Elandskloof wilderness area via the Osseberg jeep track! They won't have reception until Saturday morning so we'll have to wait for updates until then!
 

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Last but certainly not least ... Introducing Prof. Hoffie Conradie!

Associate Professor Hoffie Conradie is a short but very fit 60-year old family physician who works at the provincial hospital in Worcester. He is busy developing a very innovative teaching platform for medical and allied health students of the University of Stellenbosch called the Rural Clinical School, based not only in Worcester but also in all the surrounding small towns. 



He is passionate about mountain biking and is by far the fittest of all four of us, having taken part in many MTB races. He used to work as a GP in the Peddie district, so he knows many of the areas that we will cycle through.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Word from the Peddie team from the road to Hamburg!

The bush telegraph (a.k.a an e-mail from Dr. Roux) tells us that our intrepid team arrived in Klaarstroom safely last night and will depart for Hamburg early this morning.  They had a chance for a photo op with the Worcester Standard while on their travels yesterday - featured were our beautiful branded Condor and Prof. Hoffie's legs!



Safe travels to the team and thank you to the Worcester Standard for their support!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The airwaves are abuzz with news of a Pedal for Peddie team appearing in a town near you!

Tune in to Radio KC Paarl (107.7fm) on Tursday morning at 8:10 for the 'low down' on the Bike for a Bakie, Pedal for a Pickup ride and find out how you and your friends can continue to support the project!






Thank you Radio Tygerberg (Mon) and The Voice of the Cape (today) who helped us spread the word on air !  Remeber to 'like' our Facebook page www.facebook.com/kidzpositive and an anonymous donor will increase her contribution by 10% for every 100 'likes'!


Monday, April 18, 2011

Why we love Sportsmans Warehouse ...

A big thank you to Lindie Meyer and the team at Sportsmans Warehouse for their very generous donation of a variety of cycling accessories including bike cleaning, puncture and repair materials (which we're sure will come in VERY handy along the way!)


Be sure to invite your friends and family to follow our blog from the 21st April to the 2nd May ... in the words of the (very-excited-be-leaving-for-Peddie-tomorrow  Dr. Paul Roux) - 'We will do our best to make it entertaining: Hopefully more of a comedy-thriller than a horror story.'

Stay tuned ....

Sunday, April 17, 2011

The real Debbie Nash

This is Debbie Nash, the junior member of our Senior Tour. She is an Occupational Therapist with more than twenty years in practice. On calm April mornings she helps the Claremont Rotary Club to manage the start of the Argus Cycle Tour. When there is a gale blowing, she rides, preferably when wind speeds exceed 70 kilometers an hour.

Is the Bike for a Bakkie team fit and ready?

Hoffie: The Cape Fold Mountains hold no mystery for him. He lives in Worcester and has those hills for breakfast. Steve: Lean, mean, prefers off-off-off road, would rather use his compass than a track. Paul: Follow the Comrades recipe, aim to arrive slightly undertrained and overweight, start slow and taper. Debbie: Chuck who? She will go where no Norris has gone before...

Our Toyota Condor - preening in preparation for the mountains

The mighty Toyota Condor, our back-up vehicle for the 2011 'Bike for a Bakkie' Tour. Resplendent in its new livery and ready for the Cape Fold Mountains. We thank the Rotary Club of Claremont for its generous support, from individual members and from the Community Service Committee.

The Tour de France and Pedal for Peddie

What's the difference between the Tour de France and Pedal for Peddie, Bike for a Bakkie?

No rest days on Bike for a Bakkie

Celebrity Oops

What would a PR exercise be without the odd slip-up? The photo previously posted over the Debbie Nash bio was of Glenda Dollar, veteran of the 2010 inaugural Pedal for Peddie ride. Glenda is not riding this year - not enough hills for her on the Freedom Trail

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Debbie Nash ... rose among the thorns ...

Debbie Nash graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a degree in Occupational Therapy. She has been a practicing Occupational Therapist for over 20 years. 

Her career highlights include running her own hospital-based Occupational Therapy practice and providing specialised programmes to one of Cape Town’s top psychological and behavioural treatment facilities. 

Her recent year as President of the Rotary Club of Claremont has equipped her to deal with grumpy old men. She is a natural sportswoman, a squash player and veteran of two Argus Pick and Pay Cycle Tours - both in gale force winds!

A weather eye

In the Autumn an old man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of the weather forecast. For 21 April, the day our Bike for a Bakkie Senior team leaves Hamburg, a 54 kilometer per hour headwind is predicted for Port Elizabeth. This is no challenge for Debbie Nash. She did her first Argus Cycle Tour in a 70 kilometer an hour gale. That was the year Chuck Norris bailed.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Hamburg youth prepare send-off for Bakkie Bikers

A fleet of bicycles is being assembled in Hamburg to see the Bike for a Bakkie team on its way next Thursday (21st April).  A number of local cyclists have been spotted repairing their equipment, sprucing up their bikes, warming up for the event. How many will turn out for the start? How far will they ride along with us? Will they make it up Bodiam Hill? Will we? All these questions will be answered on the day - pictures to follow.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Another R41 90.00 raised from Rotary Claremont!


Thank you to the following individuals for their support :
  • James Robertson
  • John Jacobs
  • Denver Meyer
  • James Louw

Introducing . . . Dr. Paul Roux - the Argus expert !



Dr. Paul Roux, definitely the tallest of our team, is the Director and Senior Pediatrician at Groote Schuur Hospital pediatric HIV/AIDS services. He is also a co-founder of Pediatric AIDS Treatment for Africa (PATA) and the co-founder and Chairman of Kidzpositive Family Fund.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

And some more donors to thank ...

Another HUGE thank you to the following individual donors, most of whom work in the Department of Health and the Provincial Government Western Cape!

  • N.Penton
  • T.Mbatana
  • Yasmina Johnson
  • A. Jooste
  • W.Kampher
  • C.Mouton
  • P.Peidt
  • E.David

Monday, April 11, 2011

Introducing ... Prof. Steve Reid - Downhill Cyclist Extraordinaire!

 
Prof Steve Reid is tall, fifty something family physician and a keen mountain biker. He rides a 29-niner, mountain bike jargon for a bike with big wheels. Downhill we will definitely not be able to keep up with him! 

He is Director of Primary Health Care at the University of Cape Town since 2010. Before that he worked in KwaZulu-Natal, first in a district hospital and then as head of the Centre For Rural Health. Steve is a real visionary of primary health care and is passionate about rural health. 

He is the chairperson of the Collaboration for Health Equity through Education and Research (CHEER), an interuniversity collaboration to improve selection and training of health professionals for rural and underserved communities.

Good luck with those mountains Prof. Steve!

Fuel for Peddie Peddlers

For consumption by four cyclists during 11 days in the saddle: Bar Ones - 120; Chocolate brownies - 200; Baked 'crunchies'  - 200; Litres of Energade - 75; Sundry items of 'padkos' from overnight hosts... And we are worried about what the bikes weigh?

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Thank you to our donors so far ...

A BIG thank you to Cathy and David Ackerman Robins who have donated R5 000.00 from The Ackerman Family Foundation and The Rotary Club Claremont who have pledged R10 000.00 from their Community Service Committee.  Your support is greatly appreciated!









Tune in tomorrow for the first of four profiles on the cyclists for Team Peddie 2011!

Friday, April 8, 2011

Sponsors and donors support 'Bike for a Bakkie'

We are happy and grateful that more than R 25 000 has so far been pledged toward our fund-raising goal. The Peddie health district is home to some 250 000 people living in 119 remote hill-top villages. It is not easy for the rural sick to get to clinics or hospital . The Keiskamma Trust 'bakkie' which is used for patient transport has clocked up 240 000 km, is on its last legs and needs to be replaced as soon as possible.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Place your bets please

Four intrepid cyclists set off on the 2011 Pedal for Peddie Ride (a.k.a 'Senior Tour') on 21 April. For as little as one cent per kilometer you can now become our sleeping (or gently resting on your couch) partner while we pedal and perspire on the Freedom Trail. As we report on our progress, you will have many opportunities to reflect on how wise you were to resist the temptation to join us. However, should your resolve weaken, bookings are now open for the 2012 Ride.

Epic 'Prologue' sets the tone

Marc and Ben Mendelson, riding for Kidzpositive as one of only five parent-child teams, completed the Cape Epic in 52 hours, 24 minutes and some seconds. This is a tremendous achievement, considering that 160 of the 600 teams that entered the Epic failed to finish. The 'Senior Tour' -  sets off from Hamburg in the Peddie district on 21 April from Hamburg, heading for Cape Town via the Baviaanskloof, Willowmore, Prince Albert. the Swartberg Pass, Gamkaskloof, Vleiland, Anysberg and Tulbagh. We hope to do as well as Marc and Ben.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Bike for a Bakkie Senior Tour

A note from the Team: The Prologue (otherwise known as the Cape Epic) is now over and we serious cyclists can get into detailed planning for the Bike for a Bakkie Tour (AKA 'The Senior Tour'). One discovery made this week is that our route includes a 10km (?) portage out of the Gamkaskloof along what's known as the Donkey Trail. (I think this name means that anyone sensible will take another option - by car for example, in the opposite direction). The thought of carting a bicycle up a mountain reminds one of carrying tarred telephone poles up and down the Suikerbosrant outside Heidelberg in the old Transvaal. 

Monday, April 4, 2011

Learn about KAT - The Keiskamma Aids Treatment Program

The Keiskamma Health Programme works in the Peddie district of the Eastern Cape to provide comprehensive and compassionate care for people affected by HIV/AIDS. We do this in several ways: through a network of dedicated village health workers at the Umtha Welanga Treatment centre, through prevention and education programmes and in conjunction with the work of Dr. Carol Baker, the only primary health care doctor for 10 villages in our area.

There are currently 5. 7 million South Africans infected with HIV.
280 000 of them are children.
Over 1.4 million children have been orphaned by AIDS.
1000 South Africans die every single day because of AIDS related illnesses.
In our district of Peddie 35% of pregnant women are HIV positive.

The Keiskamma Health Programme Overview

The Peddie district of Eastern Cape has approximately 200,000 people living mostly in rural villages in an area of approximately 3600 square miles. The unemployment in this area is as high as 90% and the majority of people live off government grants or old age pensions of grandparents. Access to medical treatment is severely restricted by poverty and inability to travel to sites offering care.

The Keiskamma Health Programme began in 2005 when AIDS counsellor Eunice Mangwane and Dr. Carol Baker began to provide ARVs (Anti-retroviral) and palliative care to AIDS patients in their own homes and with their own funds, with help from a handful of supporters. It soon grew to become the Umtha Welanga Treatment Centre which has to this date initiated over 700 patients and boasts an adherence success rate of over 90%. The programme also employs 43 village health workers who have home-based care training, and are often ex-patients themselves, with first hand and expert knowledge of HIV/AIDS.

Building capacity in local structures is one of our major priorities. We are already integrated to a high degree with the local primary care clinics, and have built a solid relationship with our local hospital. We are proud of the fact that our involvement is one of the factors that has led to the hospital receiving accreditation as an ARV rollout site.

Learn more about The Keiskamma Aids Treatment Program at http://www.keiskamma.org/health.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Our Justgiving.com donors!

Thank you to our first two donors at Justgiving.com who have contributed £150.00 to our cause!  That's R1 600.00!

If you would like to donate, visist : www.justgiving.com/Bike-for-a-bakkie-Pedal-for-a-Pickup