Johannesburg: Climbing and Driving Adventures

I flew into Joberg and was met at the Airport by Bertrand, a friend I met in Waterval Boven. I stayed at Bertrand's flat for my four day stay in Joberg.

Saturday, July 5th we went climbing with Michelle and I coached them a little. I didn't do anything really hard to give me ankle some more time to heal. That night we went to Michelle's Uncle and Aunt's place for dinner. We ate some "Fat Cakes" which were like pan cakes that you stuff with cheese and syrup or veggies stuff or minced meat (which I didn't have). Their family
was wonderful and we were all laughing and trading stories.

Picture: Bertrand leading.

Picture: Michelle leading the same route.

Sunday Michelle had to work; however, Tara was there and we went climbing at the Choss Pile a local Joberg crag just outside the city. We had TONS of FUN and Bertrand pushed himself a bit and learned a few new tricks to help his climbing. I was so happy for him because I can see how fast he's getting better. Tara pulled down a few 5.9 and 5.10a's to make a day of it.

That night we went out to dinner with Tara's family who are so wonderful and well travelled. They are all so warm, have the best stories, and are just super fun to be with.

The following day was Monday and Bertrand was super generous to lend me is Buckie (Truck) to drive to the Apartheid Museum. Frightening as this is I drove it downtown since that is where the museum is.

Unfortunately, the museum wasn't open on Monday so instead I went to Gold Reaf City where you can get a tour of a real gold mine. We descended 226m underground into the mine where they showed us how the storied the explosives, how they cart out the ore and how they keep the electricity going and the air breathable (now dust). Bertrand is a mechanical engineer and works on products for the mines and he said they haven't changed the mining technology too much since then. They look and feel pretty much the same today with the exception of the roof being a little higher.

Picture: Me next to the explosives lockout in the mine at Gold Reef City.

It was funny because before I took the tour I met up with this woman name Laurie from Seattle. She was very friendly and had been intending on going to the Apartheid Museum as well but found it closed. She had also joined our tour of the mine. We chatted a lot and she told me of her daughters who where my age and just a little younger.

Once the mine tour was done we headed off to the amusement park to enjoy the rides. For our first ride I picked the biggest roller coasters. It was hilarious, she held my hand as we went through the first few loops. Once we were done we took a picture of the coaster then headed onto something a little smaller as we both were a little dizzy from the last one. We did the bumper boat and the log ride before we both called it a day because her ride was there to take her back to the hotel and the sun was starting to get low.

Picture: Laurie from Seattle on the Log ride.

That night Michelle cooked a wonderful fish burger dinner and Bertrand and I watched King Lines on his laptop.

Tuesday was my flight date so I woke up and packed my bags. I headed to the Apartheid Museum and arrived in the early afternoon and spent the whole day there till 5 PM. That place is very moving, the courage that many had to resist oppression. So many lives lost and how ruthless it was living under that regime. I felt humbled. I really enjoyed the exhibite on Steven Biko which detailed his life and his moment for Black Consciousness and non-violence. This was a story I had long wanted to hear and see since hearing the Peter Gabriel song about him in my youth.

Picture: Apartheid Museum, "To Be Free is not merely to caste off ones chains, but to live in such a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." Nelson Mandela.

That night Bertrand and Michelle drove me to the airport we where we had one last dinner together and I jumped on my plane to London. I've now been here the past few days staying at Audrey's house with Adrian.

We got out for a day of bouldering on Thursday night and I'm still sore two days later. My ankle seem to be looking much better now that the swelling from the plane has gone down. Tonight the three of us are driving up to Sheffield for a climbing competition that Adrian and Audrey are competing in.

Now only a week away to the Vispassina in Hereford. I'm starting to get excited.

I hope you are all well at home and the sun is shining.

A week to heal and hang with D

My last post I had just dropped Karina of at the Capetown Airport and was no on my own so it was time for another adventure. Once of the things I hadn't yet seen and always wanted to was Penguins. I had my chance in Australia but never made the effort.

So off I went in search of penguins, which I could find at Boulder's Beach in Simon's Town. I had a brochure that showed some of the roads of Capetown and the surrounds. Having a slightly shoddy memory for the name of the town and figuring since this was a tourist destination that there would be a name on the map "Boulders Beach" and that perhaps it was just off the map since most people said it was 30 minute drive.

I started off by heading in the completely wrong direction up the coast and ended up at driving to table view beach where I took a picture. Eventually, I asked a man at a beach pullout how much farther it was and he set me straight. In total I spent 2.5 hours driving in the wrong direction and back.

Picture: Devil's Peak (left side), Table Mountain (center), Lion's Head (right side)

I finally arrived in Simon's Town at 3.5 hours later and made my way down to the beach. Penguins everywhere! Those guys are hilarious. I love how they walk! One trundled right past me on the beach, only 3 feet away. I soaked my ankle in the Ocean to help with the swelling then rested it up on a rock meditated for about an hour.

Picture: Penguin on Boulder Beach, Simon's Town.

I grabbed lunch, phoned Dion (friend from Wilderness), and started making my way to the highway. It was around 2:45 PM when I set out. After a series of bad calls on which route to take to get to the N2 I really started my journey at around 4:00 PM.

I picked up a hitch hiker on the way through Somerset West. The guy it turns out live about 1 km from Dion and was turning his life around. He had just resolved a dope possession case after 2 years and had broken his Meth addiction which is why he had moved away from Capetown. Really encouraging story and I was glad to give him a ride.

I made it to D's at 8:30 PM in time to have dinner and watch the Euro cup soccer match with him. My ankle was not happy with all the driving but we got the tensor off and it raised nice and high. I was totally exhausted so we both went to bed early.

The next few days was relatively uneventful since I was incapacitated with the ankle so I spent most of it focusing on writing update in the blog. Yes, it does take a fair amount of time to write down the experience of the trip. The entries from Boven to this point took a few days of solid writing to cover so that game my ankle time to heal.

That weekend was Dion's Birthday so we set about celebrating. Saturday, June 28th was the date so we got up and went to see Kung Fu Panda with his friends who had children. The movie was hilarious, it was both beautiful and irreverent, it pointed out how some people mistaken Zen for being seriousness and self discipline. Quite funny and a wonderful message.

That night there was a gathering where a potluck ensued with dancing and talking till just after midnight.

My ankle had been improving and after a week I was walking on it with only a minor limp and no tensor. Much of the swelling had gone out of it.

So on Wednesday July 2nd I went out to do some very easy climbing with a friend of Dion's named Brad. We went to the Tauw river to a park and climbing location called Ebb and Flow. Since this was my first time back after a little over 9 days since I injured it I was definitely going to be cautious as a fall on it at this point could put me out for quite a while.

Neither of us had any topos for the area so I stuck to some easy 5.7ish climb on trad then did a second one that was maybe 5.8. Both climbs were lots of fun and it

Picture: Brad at the top of the 5.7ish climb at Ebb and Flow.

We only did these few climb then retired to Brad's house to spend some time relaxing and catching up with him and his beautiful wife Elaine. Brad is an artist and I also got to see a lot of his work. I was amazing, if I wasn't on this trip and had the ability to carry it with my I would have looked at getting one.

Since my ankle was doing better I decided to do a hike on the beach and take a picture of myself there to send to Karina since she was home and I know misses this place dearly. After breakfast I headed down there to find that there were a pair of Humpback whales just off shore. They were swimming in circles and I could see their tails fins sticking up and there heads. I watch and photographed them and then went down to test the waters to see if I could swim out to them. They were really close to shore.

Picture: Humpback whales slightly left of center at the beach 100 meters from where I was staying.

By the time I had reach the water they had decided it was more fun to move on and had started swimming down the beach. I followed along the shore with my ankle in the water hoping the cold would help it. It didn't take long to lose the whales as they were finish their business and I just enjoyed walking down the beach in the cool water for several hours. In the afternoon I went up to see a 800 year hold Yellow Wood tree and do a hike in the forest that surrounded it.

That night I went out with Dion and friends for a goodbye dinner at Knysa Heads. We all enjoyed some very tasty pizza's and then had a few beer at the local pub before calling it a night.

The next day I took my time packing up and took one last walk on the beach before heading up to George. On the way I stopped to take one last picture of Wilderness to say goodbye.

Picture: Wilderness, on the road from George. Saying goodbye to this beautiful place.

In now time I was on the play flying out of George on my way to Johannesburg to meet up with Bertrand and Michelle friends I had made in Waterval Boven. To see the related photo album for this segment click any of the pictures or here.

Cedarberg

Just a quick comment. All the pictures are now liked to the album on crackbook so if you click on them you can see more pictures.

The next leg of the trip was to drive up to Cedarberg with Karina. Julie had flown home and Dion was not able to join us as work and the real world we impressing themselves on him.

To get the trip started I rented a nice new (yes they still make them new here) Volkswagon Golf 1 - AKA Rabbit. We then jumped in and started driving. Dion drew us a map to follow for our travels up to the Oasis Backpackers in Cedarberg. Now for the non-climbers out there Cedarberg is a wild region very close to the world famous bouldering location Rocklands. There are amazing hikes and mountains up there.

The drive was beautiful, we traveled through Oudtshoorn, Montague (both climbing areas), Ceres (the juice making place), Rocklands and through the wilderness of Cedarberg. The drive was a little over 600 KM and took us all day including 50 KM down a dirt road. This place was really remote.

We arrived tired and worn out to this tiny backpacker as the it got dark and clouds overhead. After warming up by the fire and a quick vegetarian dinner owner Gerrit drew us a map for going up the Wolfberg Cracks and to go to the Wolfberg Arch.

I have to say, one of the most fun things about the Oasis backpackers was having Gerrit draw the maps. He knew I was a climber and so draw the map with explicit instructions on where to go and which route to take. He told me that I could climb over some of the cave-ins going through the hard route in the Wolfberg cracks but I should rather follow the route everyone else does by crawling under the boulders. He was such a character.

We knocked off shortly after the map was done in hopes of getting an early start. Shortly after sleep took us I was awakened by the sound of rain rattling against the tin roof. The rain continued through the night and into the next day. No hiking and a day of rest indoors was the order of the day. It was Friday and by night fall the entire hostel was filled.

Saturday was looking much better but we still didn't have a mind to do the Wolfberg. Instead Karina and I opted for a trip to the Stadsaal caves which were a shorter hike and nearby. We figured, cave = cover so they would be nicer given all the rain. The International Medical Students from Capetown decided to do the same hike but were quick off the blocks and headed out.

Gerrit drew us a map as was his way. He told us that with all the rain we would not be able to pass any of the rivers around our valley and the the only chance we had to make the caves or anywhere for that matter was to pass over the high road to Kromrivier. So our map was draw to go to Kromrivier which was good for me because I got to pass by Truitjieskraal, the best sport climbing area in Cedarberg. Unforetunatley for me the area was closed because of a fire last year so I wasn't able to get too close but there was fine boulder on the road opposite to the location.

When we arrived at the Kromrivier bridge we found the cars belonging to the Internation Medical students and the river flowing a good 8 inches over the top of the bridge. Clearly this river was too high for our little Golf One. We instead turned back to Truitjieskraal for some bouldering and exploring.

Karina did most of the exploring while I jumped on some of the craziest boulder formations I have seen. The sandstone here really is amazing. Much of the climbing in this location was quite easy or just a little to exposed to try the harder stuff. I did pop on a few really cool problems. I even crawled under a boulder that was the size of a small bus that was supported by a finger of rock only 4ft by 2ft. Really cool.

After bouldering and treking around for a few hours we jumped back into the car to check on the flooded river. The sun was shining and the rain had stopped so we were able hopeful that the water level had dropped. Sure enough, the water was now a couple inches below the bridge surface and we were able to cross.

Picture: Karina showing the amazing Stadsaal Cave formations.

We headed to the caves, covering the 10km in short order. We skipped the Bushman paintings and went straight to the caves. The formations were really unique; pillars carved from winds creating domes and what looked like hallways. Truly amazing. We also saw Bushman paintings that were about 1000 years old.

We headed back to Oasis as the night came, had dinner and went to bed as we were keen to do the Wolfberg Cracks and Arch the following day.

We were up earlier for the cracks but the a little slow off the blocks. We arrived at the base of the cracks to start our hike at 10:30AM. The woman who sold us the permit was a little wary that we were starting so late and told us that we would just make it back before dark.

Off we set up the steap hike to the base of the cracks. There were switch backs so the hiking wasn't all that hard. For though at home you would make quick work of it if you can do the grouse grind.

After 45min of slogging up hill (would have been faster if I hadn't been drooling over the beautiful multipitch trad climbs that were 4-7 pitches long) we reach the branch point to where you can go to the hard crack or turn left to take the easy road. We moved out onto some easy 4th class climbing to get to the start of the hard crack.

The hard crack was great, you start up hopping over a few boulders then squeezing through a dark crack tunnel into a sandy openning. It feels like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. once through the crack you are in this sandy clearing where you find that you two giant arches, maybe 25m high, that join to a parallel crack. The rock towers over you going up a 150m hiding most of the sunlight.

Gerrit told me in particular I must climb through the second cave in as you have to slide on your back then get up through a gap in the rock pulling yourself the whole way. He said it is fun and rediculous like you are going through a birthing canal. He said I could climb over is I wanted to but it would better to experience the hike as other non-climbers do. After climbing over the first cave in we came upon a single boulder with a gap underneath. Karina and I figured it was the birthing canal but since it was only one boulder was a touch easy to climb over.

Since Gerrit was so adamant about us passing through this cave in instead of over we did it. I have video footage that isn't included here but I'll show you guys. it was hilarious, but was we were to find out not the birthing canal.

Another 30m up the crack we found the real birthing canal and had to crawl through. Since this place is so dark and deep water tends to build up here. I had my jacket but was still very much in a puddle when I passed through the canal. I left my jacket down so that Karina could go through without soaking her butt as I did. The whole this was quite fun and good for a laugh.

We negotiated the next cave in as the crack got more and more slim. As we neared the end of the crack we found that my feet almost wouldn't fit at the bottom. Word to the larger people out there, be careful about taking the hard crack, it might not allow you to pass.

Having finished the cracks and reaching the top we now had a good 1.5 hour hike through the most beautiful terrain to reach the arch. There was amazing featured boulder of all kinds and overhangs along the way. I stopped to play on one but we were eager to make the arch in good time to climb it.


Picture: Me bouldering on some of the amazing formation at the top of the Wolfberg Cracks.

Karina is quite the champ hiker and we made good time. Me lagging at times because I would day dream about climbing some of the boulder but we arrived in good time. I go my shoes on and scaled the right side of the arch while I was still warm from the hike. We then state down and ate a good lunch.

Picture: Me after climbing the right side of the Wolfberg Arch.

After a good hour of repose we started back. The Int Med Students could be heard approaching the arch in the distance. They had left at the same time as us but were a little slowering making their way through the climbing and cave in sections. When we met them on the hike out they were eager to get there and head back. The one from Trinidad in particular looked a bit finished with the hike.

We took the hard version of the easy Crack on the way down. Gerrit assured us there was a cave in that would require us to jump a couple meters to get down but we never found it. The return trip was quick and easy. We had completed the entire journey in just a little over 6 hours including a 1 hour break (so if you are in shape you don't have to adhere to the 8 hours they estimate for the hike).

For our last day in Cedarberg we decided to do the Maltese Cross hike. This one was quite a bit shorter than the Wolfberg Arch which was good because we were a little more run down. The 30 minutes of stretching we had done after completing that hike saved us from being sore but there wasn't much reserved left in the tank.

Gerrit wrote us up another map. This time he added some treats for us; a hike up Sneeuberg (Snow mountain) to see the snow protea; a rare and endangered species of the protea flower. We set out, got our permit and started hiking having a good laugh at the sign say we shouldn't even THINK of the hike without a permit (see picture album for this one).

The hike was mostly uphill following a stream bed which was partly filled given the rain of previous days. After a couple hours we had reach the Maltese Cross and stopped for lunch. The route up was pretty but not as exciting as our trek the previous day but there were more attractive boulders along the way. One next to the trail with a stream running next to it had been climbed as evidenced by the chalk on it but we pressed ahead hoping to see the rare fauna at the top of Sneeuberg.

After our lunch we hiked on to find the trail up Sneeuberg. Gerrit had been given clear instructions that we were to talk exactly 1090 meters past the Maltese Cross then turn left up and unmarked trail towards the summer. He also indicated there was a trail at 1000 meters that we "must not take". After crossing a high plains that was very marshy from the rains we made over shot the trail because it turned out that it was in fact marked quite well with cairns.

Guessing that we had the right path we headed almost straight up the step path and found our way to a beautiful high mountain river. ALong the hike up we saw a mountain deer of some kind which had been grazing on the path we were hiking. It ran up higher looked back and then continue to run away. We continued on to find what we believe are snow protea. It was getting late in the day and we didn't want to push onwards up the mountain as walking in the dark down the team terrain was not a good option.

Picture: Karina and I up at the snow protea's. You can see the Maltese Cross directly left of my should in the background.

We turned back and hiked down slightly off trail the ridge line and keeping the river on our right. We reach the plains below and stuck to the left side where a trail carried us around the marsh that we had walked through to get there.

About 500 meters past the Maltese Cross on the way down to the car we stopped for a bit near one of the boulders I was interested in. We hadn't brought our climbing shoes up since we didn't want to carry the weight on the hike. So I took my shoes off and began climbing in bare feet. The problem was beautiful, maybe a V2 up this nice overhanging sandstone boulder. The feet are not great but he hand holds are quite nice.

You pull up on a two hand juge before you cross left over to a small jug then bump the right up to a crimp. Then a big left hang move to a jug. Your feet track to the starting hold then the righ hand crosses over top again to a medocre open hand jug. I then made a big left hand move out left and up to bring my hands almost even. The is where my feet cut off and I'm hanging mid air about 12 feet in the air. I get my left foot onto the only hold which is far left, hooking my big to on a teardrop shapped hold. The next move was a left hand to a big jug about 2 ft higher on the boulder.

I looked at it and allow a split second of fear of whether the hold was strong enough to hold me. I was high up. That would prove to be the distraction that would make sure I didn't make it. I attemped the move and my hand hit the hold but didn't latch it. I have a nice blood blister where the side of the jug ran down my finger. I was off and free fallling. I remember seeing a flash of the ground before I landed with an explosion of water.


Pictures: Boulder near Maltese cross that I fell off the top and sprained my ankle. The stream is just in the shade on the left side.

I had landed with my right foot on the bank of the stream below had torqued my foot back so that I took the entire weight of the fall on my heal and ankle. My left foot had landed on a boulder which was in the river but I was able to soak up some of the fall by collapsing onto it. I knew I was 'ok' as in not seriously hurt but that both heals were bruised and my left ankle which had landed heal first was sprained.

Karina had done a good job to orient me as best she could for the fall but did the right thing in not getting underneath me which would have just injured us both. I soaked my ankle in the cold stream water for 10 minutes till it began to swell despite the cold. Karina bandaged up my ankle with a tensor she carries on her hikes and gave me her shirt to keep me warm since I was all wet.

The hike down was funny actually, since I was the hop along kid and the sprain wasn't so bad that I couldn't weight it. The hike in that had taken us only an hour now took two and the sun had set when we reach the car. Karina drove us back and along the way we saw a big bushy tailed Jackel on the road. It bounced its way down the road tail huge and fuzzy.

That night I spent with my ankle in the air and on vitamin I. The next day Karina and I were to go back to Capetown so she could make her flight to Joburg the following morning. She drove like a champion (sure glad I had her on the rental agreement) and we made our way back using a map Gerrit drew for us. We got to go through this crazy pass on the way to Capetown with shere cliffs on the one side and steep mountain face on the other.

We arrived in Capetown with time to spare but decided to take it easy and organize so that Karina's flight the next morning would be painless. I was a little concerned that my ankle would still be too swollen and painful to drive but the next morning I was doing much much better.

We had breakfast at the Airport and kissed and parted ways. Not too sad a parting giving the joy we had together and knowing that October isn't too far off. Distance isn't too much for connected hearts.