Sometime I am amazed how pretty some of the dirt roads are around Bloemfontein, this is on the way back fro Krugersdrift dam today, I went out to see if it had started overflowing from the recent rains we have been having. I don't know what it is about trees falling in the roads I travel... but this time it seems this branch broke off a day or two ago, it had been cut up and dragged out of the road where it had come crashing down. Glad it did not happen as someone drove past in the dark... it fell from quite high up on the tree. One of the reasons I also think we should do away with eucalyptus trees, after a few years they shed branches like leaves. A little further down the road I turned off a trail and ended up at this abandoned ruin, sad to see what was once a home so shattered and broken. As you can see the recent rains are starting to add up, more and more standing water after each shower we have... The countryside is greener than I can ever remember for this time of year as well. A bit further on I saw the house mentioned in the paper a few days ago that had lost a roof in one of our storms, the folks seem to be re-organizing their lives as they have the place rebuilt. Although camping in a caravan in one's own back yard is probably not what they would have wanted to start 2011 with. "A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease."John Muir
Photo - By Marco Fulle on April 16th, 2010. Sounds bad I know but looking at the grounding of flights in the EU due to Eyjafjallajokullvolcano on Iceland makes one realize that humanity has become dependent on technology for survival. Imagine what would happen if another few volcanoes decide to go active? This serves to remind us how powerless we are against nature. It also serves to remind me that no matter what, God is always in control and that no powers or principalities can come against him. Maybe we need to re-evaluate both our techno-dependency and our relationship with God, the creator of the splendors of nature we are now witnessing in Iceland? While getting some of the links for this I came across this funny poem about the recent travails at BoingBoing... By Jeff Skoll... E-Bay's first president... Sums it up thus...
This is an ode to the volcano That sent our travel plans into the draino I'm not really one to complaino But this all hurts my little braino Madrid, Casablanca, Amsterdam, Rejkavik on cruiseships The trains will fail All the escape routes that we planned Are blocked by nature or by man We heard the French trains may soon be striking At this rate we'll all be biking With our luck we'll all be struck by lightning! This is all rather frightening So better we all meet at TED That is what I should have said So thank you June and thank you all Damn the volcano, let's have a ball "[Poetry] is the lava of the imagination whose eruption prevents an earthquake." Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
Last time we rode this road MD and me had some "Boulder" trouble, well since then Mitchell's pass has been fixed and the ride home was more like a highway trip down the mountain... but not boring at all, it still took concentration around the curves. This time it was a solo ride back to Bloem and apart from the wind quite uneventful, fortunately the trick of sticking a knee into the gale does help. Will do some backposts with pics we took, hopefully my blogging will pick up again in 2010.
Back in the Saddle - Aerosmith I'm back I'm back in the saddle again I'm back I'm back in the saddle again
Ridin' into town alone By the light of the moon I'm looking for ol Sukie Jones She crazy horse saloon Barkeep gimme a drink That's when she caught my eye She turned to give me a wink That make a grown man cry
Come easy, go easy All right until the rising sun I'm calling all the shots tonight I'm like a loaded gun Peelin' off my boots and chaps I'm saddle sore Four bits gets you time in the racks I scream for more Fools' gold out of their mines The girls are soaking wet Not tounge's drier than mine I'll come when I get back
I'm back in the saddle again I'm back I'm back in the saddle again I'm riding, I'm loading up my pistol I'm riding, I really got a fistful I'm riding, I'm shining up my saddle I'm riding, this snake is gonna rattle
Ridin' high Ridin' high Ridin' high already
"Life is just a chance to grow a soul." A. Powell Davies:
Boxing day at Hoggies we went sightseeing, showing the new visitors some of the sights of this enchanting village... as we left the Chapel on the Hill this greeted us!
What is amazing to me is the way the sun fell on the tree.. which has a resemblance to a Cross. Coincidence? I do not believe that for one instance. God is always with us and has given us the greatest gift of all.
Plaque at the Chapel... The words say it all...
I believe this is the message we should take with us in the coming year... Here the rest are amazed by the sight of sun on trees... Inside the chapel... each one with their own thoughts... G&A in a stolen moment...
Before the Chapel we took a walk around the Labyrinth and then took a peek over the Edge... The Labrynth The Edge A looking very pensive as she sits on the Edge. On the Edge... More edgy stuff... G&A on the edge... MD and M on the edge... G&MD admiring the vista
Of course I could not resit taking some pictures of the flowers that crossed our paths... Pelargoniums... all at the Chapel, these are new to me. Another pelargonium. Pelargonium in pink Budding Aloe at the Labrynth. Fittingly this came to mind as we drove back to the house in Hoggies. "Genesis Chapter 2 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. 4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,"
28 Hours... is how long it took to get to BA and our hotel... Will fill in details as we get time, this is just to say we are safe and enjoying every minute of this adventure! "If I have to apply five turns to the screw each day for the happiness of Argentina, I will do it." Evita Peron
Wow... our reservations have been made... My passport application has been done... Missing ones have been found... We are on our way to Argentina! What was an idea a few months ago is now gaining momentum. Now we just have to figure out what to do in the week at our disposal... Patagonia is a tad far and we are thinking of the Iguassu falls... so we can also say we saw what Indiana Jones saw! Moon Dancer is booked to deliver a talk on tick resistance when she attends the TTP6 conference... then we have a week to explore, hoping to get a bike trip into the planning as well. I will be scouting Buenos Aires while she is kept busy with ticks... We should also remember these wise words, but I think as bikers we should be able to travel light... Will keep everyone posted as the planning etc. progresses. "He who would travel happily must travel light." Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900 - 1944)
Once again we did over 2000 kilos in a week... to say our bums are numb is an understatement... that being said we had an amazing seven days break and had a good time getting in touch with family again. Rain gear in Smithfield... and all the way to Sheppie. The bridge over the Orange River at night... Umdlodi... at last a decent Java. Full Moon... Waning Moon the next evening... Cormorant drying it's wings on the rocks... Ballito and more coffee... Argyle Arms... do not let the cover of a book fool you... a warm bed and good food for the weary travelers. The Berg... The Tree... reminds me of two other trees... One being the Easter Tree... the other was one I wrote a poem about. Putting it up down below... Lichens pass from the other end... Red mountains... and mountainous clouds... Moondancer taking in the view from the edge... Almost home... Here is the poem, not meant to be pretty but fitting with what we as Christians believe; The Tattered Tree
The smell of Semtex frightens even the vultures. The horror of shreds of bone and sinew hang in the tattered trees. Inglorious, unjust, incomprehensible inhumanity. How can one justify gaining freedom by making victims out of the very people you claim to be standing for?
Time is supposed to fade the memory, but today it seared my mind again just like that day! Today another tribe is claiming to be a savior, more evil than before they slaughter kith and kin. They claim to be of divine ordination.
When will those blinded by worldly rights become aware... that the condescending stance is but a weakness in the eyes of those that contemplate the downfall of the very freedom that these rights ensconce? That these rights are used as weapons to tear themselves asunder.
How many more of these tattered trees must humanity endure? What must be done for peace to endure? Then I remember another tattered Tree with it's unbearable load. That's when I sink to my knees and pray... This Easter once more I realized how much we have to strive to live up to the example that was show to us on that Tree... Love one another as I love you... Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
We arrived at Hogsback! I never knew places like this existed in South Africa... more to follow. The Amatolas are greener than green! I got wetter than wet getting here though... as the weather caught me out I was not able to take pictures on this leg of the trip, however here are some from yesterday. Had a surprise in Pick&Pay while waiting for Moondancer to hook up with me for the drive to Ilifu in Hogsback where we were to stay in Camerons Cabin. KatieB was down visiting her parents for Xmas. This is where I spent the previous evening in Queenstown, The nearby NG Church... And a looming storm making a glorious sunset, a perfect end to the day as I prepared to rest for the final leg to Hogsback. "Mountains are earth's undecaying monuments." Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 - 1864)
Packing to go... Chicks and Shrek... the chicks at Smithfield were not even frightened when I parked right next to them. Steers and Shrek... Getting a bite to eat in Aliwal North... The Pass... awesome, I plan to do the "up run" on the way back from Hogsback. The decent from the Drakensberg. The pass winds down the mountainside in the middle of the picture. The ride itself was most enjoyable. Left Bloemfontein at around 10 am heading for Reddersburg, Smithfield, Rouxville, Aliwal North, Lady Grey, Barkly East, Elliot, Dortrecht and arrived at Queenstown at around 6 pm. A leisurely day's riding. "Little by little, one travels far." J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973)
“Our Father Which Art in Heaven,” “Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power,and the Glory, For Ever. Amen.” Matthew 6:9,13, KJV When I saw this picture on The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth I just had to put it up and use it as the theme for today, I am today putting in electronic format the thanks I have been expressing to God for my recent holiday and all that went before and after it. The wonderful people I met that helped me in one way or another, the people that let me into their lives in some way or another and the wonders He let me experience, it was a life changing experience in so many ways. His gift to me has been that I will never again doubt that anything cannot be done and that we should always face a challenge, with Him on our side who can be against us. Since getting back quite a few challenges have been put in my path but I believe that they will be overcome in a miraculous way, not that the physical means have not been provided either, that already has been amazing.
My ideas for an Adventuring Company will become reality, that I am sure of as well, the books I have come across since I started thinking of this have been both inspirational and an affirmation that I am not crazy.
I have also had this thought that whatever form the Adventure idea takes will have to include a way of uplifting the people we come across in the process, whether it be just being a witness to their lives or influencing them to aspire to achieve their dreams as we are. That would be the real reward.
Pray - Tina Cousins
What a miracle is life the fields are high and fruit is ripe so hold out your hands yeah, hold out your hands
And you're the same as me you breathe the air I breathe and we don't understand yeah, we don't understand
And if you don't ask questions you won't know why so say a prayer for the dying while there's still time. So
Pray for good and pray for love Pray for peace and pray it's enough pray for salvation, pray that we're right pray for one day we open our eyes And pray for them and pray for us pray one day we can live as one pray for the children whose time is to come And pray they forgive us for the stupid things we've done
We all see the same sun each day a golden praise is sung to the wonder of man yeah, the wonder of man And when we look why can't we see all the riches that are free oh we don't understand yeah, we don't understand
And if you don't ask questions you won't know why so say a prayer for the dying while there's still time. So
Pray for good and pray for love Pray for peace and pray it's enough pray for salvation, pray that we're right pray for one day we open our eyes And pray for them and pray for us pray one day we can live as one pray for the children whose time is to come And pray they forgive us for the stupid things we've done
The song sums up my feelings remarkably, I may have put the lyrics up before but they just fit with the theme... Video insertion thanks to my newest toy on Firefox called FoxyTunes a "remote" for your browser that controls your media player, Winamp in my case... it is absolutely awesome. While listening to a song you can search for everything related to the song, I mean everything! It is also available for IE... if you have to that is... Isn't Technology wonderful? Another gift we should be grateful for. "Happiness isn't something you experience; it's something you remember." Oscar Levant (1906 - 1972)
