Pedal Africa 2017 Leopard Tour

October 2017

A short but fine adventure by Pedal Read more

16footprints
5days
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South Africa

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587kilometers traveled

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Pedal Africa Pedal Africa 2017 Leopard Tour
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- Oct 18, 2017, 5:30 AM
- 🌙 7 °C
- Altitude: 1,626 m
- South Africa Gauteng Ekurhuleni Bedfordview -26.166288, 28.14813226°9’59” S 28°8’53” E
Day 1
Day 1 - Start of tour Bedfordview
October 18, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 7 °C
20 cyclists and 2 support crew

Marcello Pompa
Ian Michie
Julian Bryant
Allan Lewthwaite
Patricia Barradas
Adam Connor
Clint Hefer
Kishoor Pithamber
Donovan Smith
Durbina Smith
Lynn Jackson
Julio Sanfona
David De Melim
Glen Winter
Ian Michie
Maurice Connor
Paul Pelser
Ric Tonini
Richard Wright
Sean Wheeler

Collin Jacobs
Amen TshabalalaRead more
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Pedal Africa Pedal Africa 2017 Leopard Tour
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- Oct 18, 2017, 8:00 AM
- ☀️ 32 °C
- Altitude: 1,556 m
- South Africa Orange Free State Ngwathe Heilbron -27.284859, 27.97159827°17’5” S 27°58’18” E
Day 1
Day 1 - Heilbron - The official start
October 18, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
We had a quick transition out of the bus and were on the road before 08h00.

In 1836, the Voortrekkers fought off the local people of Ndebele Chief Mzilikazi at the Battle of Vegkop near the present town of Heilbron. This historical site boasts a monument and a contemporary museum which are both popular stops for battle field tourists.

Heilbron was officially established in 1873. The town was founded at the site of a perennial natural fountain, thus the name 'Heilbron' (Afrikaans for 'Spring of Bliss'). The fountain is the source of a small stream which runs through the town. Various small groups of people have lived on the banks of the stream for centuries.Read more
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Pedal Africa Pedal Africa 2017 Leopard Tour
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- Oct 18, 2017, 9:45 AM
- ⛅ 11 °C
- Altitude: 1,596 m
- South Africa Orange Free State Nketoana -27.757582, 28.31374927°45’27” S 28°18’49” E
Day 1
Day 1 - Drinks stop
October 18, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Mid morning comfort break and drinks before we turn left towards Bethlehem.
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Pedal Africa Pedal Africa 2017 Leopard Tour
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- Oct 18, 2017, 1:00 PM
- ☀️ 35 °C
- Altitude: 1,672 m
- South Africa Orange Free State Dihlabeng Kommandant Bethlehem -28.24173, 28.32886328°14’30” S 28°19’44” E
Day 1
Day 1 - Lunch in Bethlehem
October 18, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C
After a 135km stretch a great spread was put on by the Frontier Casino.

Bethlehem is a large town in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs river (also called Liebenbergs Vlei) along a fertile valley just north of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 road.It is the fastest growing town in the Free state province, with its target of being the Fourth largest city after Kroonstad in balance. It is a wheat growing area and named after the biblical Bethlehem (from "Beit Lechem", Hebrew for "house of bread")Read more
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- Oct 18, 2017, 3:30 PM
- ⛅ 18 °C
- Altitude: 1,783 m
- South Africa Orange Free State Dihlabeng Clarens -28.511164, 28.42467128°30’40” S 28°25’29” E
Day 1
Day -1 Quick stop in Clarens
October 18, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Almost there, a quick stop before finishing off the day in Golden Gate National Park.
Clarens, a small town situated in the Eastern Free State is today a tourist attraction and capital of everything from adventure to art.

The town is over 100 years old, there’s a lot of history that adds to making the town into what it is today. A great variety of fossils from teeth, claws and limb bones indicate that there were prehistoric giants of dinosaurs that roamed in the town before the bush men who were the first people to dwell in the town came into the scene, as evident of Khoisan Hunter gatherers shown on the town’s rock art.Read more
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- Oct 18, 2017, 6:00 PM
- ☀️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 1,904 m
- South Africa Orange Free State Dihlabeng Glen Reenen -28.505295, 28.6095528°30’19” S 28°36’34” E
Day 1
Day 1 - Golden Gate Hotel
October 18, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
After 190km everyone was really glad to roll into the Golden Gate National Park Hotel.

Golden Gate Highlands National Park is located in Free State, South Africa, near the Lesotho border. It covers an area of 340 km2 (130 sq mi).[1] The park's most notable features are its golden, ochre, and orange-hued deeply eroded sandstone cliffs and outcrops, especially the Brandwag rock. Another feature of the area is the numerous caves and shelters displaying San rock paintings. Wildlife featured at the park includes mongooses, eland, zebras, and over 100 bird species. It is the Free State's only national park, and is more famous for the beauty of its landscape than for its wildlife. Numerous paleontology finds have been made in the park including dinosaur eggs and skeletons.Read more
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- Oct 19, 2017, 8:00 AM
- ⛅ 14 °C
- Altitude: 1,887 m
- South Africa Orange Free State Dihlabeng Glen Reenen -28.504063, 28.61107328°30’15” S 28°36’40” E
Day 2
Day 2 Golden Gate to Bergville
October 19, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
A nice ride through the Golden Gate National Park. A few cyclists left earlier to do an extra loop and a few hundred meters extra climbing.

"Golden Gate" refers to the sandstone cliffs that are found on either side of the valley at the Golden Gate dam. In 1875, a farmer called J.N.R. van Reenen and his wife stopped here as they travelled to their new farm in Vuurland. He named the location "Golden Gate" when he saw the last rays of the setting sun fall on the cliffs.Read more
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- Oct 19, 2017
- ☀️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 1,752 m
- South Africa Orange Free State Maluti a Phofung Tweefontein -28.449797, 29.05486128°26’59” S 29°3’17” E
Day 2
Day 2 - Drinks stop at Sterkfontein Dam
October 19, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
A very windy stop at 80km on the way to Bergville. Some of us decided to get into the bus for the decent down into KZN as the wind made the decent very dangerous.

A great lookout over the Sterkfontein Dam. This is the 3rd largest dam in South Africa in terms of water capacity and it is slightly larger than Vaal Dam.Read more
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- Oct 19, 2017
- ☀️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 1,134 m
- South Africa KwaZulu-Natal Okhahlamba Bergville -28.707615, 29.33506828°42’27” S 29°20’6” E
Day 2
Day 2 - stop over at Sanford Lodge
October 19, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
A challenging decent into KZN for those who braved the wind and then a magnificent tailwind into Bergville. Our next stop was Sandford Park Country Hotel.
Situated in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains, Sandford Park Country Hotel is a resort steeped in history. Established in 1852, Sandford Park incorporates the history of the region to narrate the essence of the resort. We arrived just before lunchtime and were able to enjoy the facility and probably the massages the cyclists had ever experienced.Read more
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- Oct 20, 2017, 8:00 AM
- ☀️ 12 °C
- Altitude: 1,136 m
- South Africa KwaZulu-Natal Okhahlamba Bergville -28.707991, 29.33390828°42’29” S 29°20’2” E
Day 3
Day 3 - Sandford to Hilton
October 20, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
An overcast morning and all were in great spirits before heading out towards Hilton. After a hiccup with the bus door we were on our way at 08h00

Bergville is a small town situated in the foothills of the Drakensberg mountains, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was established as Bergville Mountain Village in 1897 and is now the commercial centre for a 2,500 km² dairy and cattle ranching area. A blockhouse was built by the British soldiers in the town during the Second Boer War. Bergville is equidistant from Johannesburg and Durban and is also known as the gateway to the Northern Drakensberg.Read more
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