What happens on Bolandcycletour stays on Bolandcycletour?
Certainly not! Please do tell the world about all we did during three glorious weeks in the saddle right here in sunny South Africa. Below are some very cryptic references to what we will blog about extensively over the next 3 weeks as we reminisce about life on the road, on and off the bicycle. Some more ideas for the full version includes:
- Mountain passes of the Bolandcycletour
- Lookout points on the Bolandcycletour
- Attractions alongside the roads of the Bolandcycletour
- And the odd memory from previous tours and years gone by on our various Toursdeboland.
These below are my very own crypt notes for the Bolandcycletour and the Tourdeboland for 2025. Here we go…
0—Before the Bolandcycletour
Caption arrive as strangers and depart as family. Richard. Phone. Big red bus tour. Even before the cycling started. Icloud. Passwords. Comcast. Bank. Zip to somerset west with an uber to see if we can help. Spent many hours on INTL line to US call centers and spoke to AI. Depart. Biz class. In and out as others arrived. Jonkershoek spin jeff. Reminder bill extra day accomm.
1—Bolandcycletour around Stellenbosch
Bike check. First loop. Last night home. Carinus represent. John follow for the first time. Glorious winelands. Drone shots. Multiple coffee stops. Stellenzicht thanks to Bram from the bike rentals. Jen rented brand new. Dew luzxury accomm on the banks of the Eersterivier right here in town centre. Old helshoogte road is a hidden gem. Down the new (curious crossing, safety first).
**photo suggestion something from the drone shot after the Stellenzicht stop
2—Bolandcycletour to Val du Charron
Bank card (next day), fires and poolside platters. Great accommodation. Below that omen from the epic. On the foothills of the Bainskloof climb. And the Doolhof memories from Munga. 5050 on whether we’d be evacuated during the night. Never a dull moment. Fortunately, the wind didn’t turn. Pizzas on the desk as we got to know one another. Tomorrow starts with the first climb but a short day thereafter. And what is that tower on top of the mountain?
**photo suggestion something from the VDC venue with the mountains or elephant
3—Bolandcycletour to Goudini
Over Thomas Bains’ namesake mountain pass from my favourite side. Stunning slanghoek valley road to the finish. First braai on the deck with sundowners as the sunlight faded over the vineyards. Braaibroodjies. Completely over-catered. Check in time. Towels. Familiar stop. Right to the top. Lorenzo keys up and down. No risk, no riding clients’ bikes. Stunning views and warm pools. Afternoon massages. Start times and African times.
**photo suggestion something along Bainskloof or down Slanghoek valley rd
4—Bolandcycletour up Klondyke
Proper climbing day. This promised to be the most spartan accommodation on tour yet it was one of my absolute favourite with the massive rooms and brand new wooden floors. House on a lake (well, dam), just like where some of our riders stay back home and abroad. Alsations. Wooden floors. Chris joined in. Long day. First heat and proper climbing. Tremor breakfast. Feeling the heat. Gnocchi and braai and beers. Looking forward to the big five.
**photo suggestion something on the climb to show the harsh African sun
5—Bolandcycletour at Aquila
Valerida and Carika joined. Top rated but was this going to be the spur of the airport for various reasons. Great buffet, great setting, great animals, but up to 1k day visitors and gets touristy. To stargaze or not to stargaze. Room upgrade. Family room note for next time. And circa 1k staff package reminder. Start the next day with another game drive. Laundry reminder.
**photo suggestion one of the many stunning animal photos from the game drive
6—Bolandcycletour and Mimosa
Can you believe that this is the end of week 1 already? But no rest for the wicked as we continue cycling for 3 weeks without a rest day. Easy relaxed riding on Sunday roads up to 1234m and seeing Jan’s sticker blasphemy on the iconic road sign. Beer tasting across the road with the team before Chris and Carika departed, poolside, impromptu loadshedding from 6-8pm.
**photo suggestion has to be something around the 1234m road sign
7—Bolandcycletour to Swellendam
Forgotten card by Spanspek se plek. John returned just before closing. Oh my, the admin is getting more intense, but the tour is getting more fun by the day. The museum visit was a hit or miss, maybe a tad grim, but interesting, nonetheless. 3x DC hills towards the end of the cycling. Five 8ths of an imperial double century. Stunning venue at the top of town, below the national park. Republiek. and loadshedding free.
**photo suggestion maybe on the DC route where we posed ifo the hay bales
8—Bolandcycletour optional Barrydale
Optional day turned out to be the best day. John day off. And when it comes to the coffee (or rather milkshakes), you have to admit that the ‘Goddamn Jimmy, this is some gourmet shit’ line from Pulp Fiction rang true. Paarl rock tours bus on the climb. Symmetrical day up and down. Way easier going back. Full of sugar. Still fine 27kmh average for the day including all climbing. longest day so far. Everyone altogether into the pool. And pizzas.
**photo suggestion from stock or riders own pics over Tradouws as John was off
9—Bolandcycletour down to Struisbaai
Down to the coast. Windy and nothing until B’town. Crosswinds and John called back to check in with Linda. All good and proceed. Regrouped over coffee. Headwind last bit. Where oceans collide. Tour defining drone shot. Lighthouse and southernmost beers on the African continent. Pure bliss and virtual turning point. Familiar family holiday home and the best damn braaibroodjies on tour. Harbour stop on the way in. See what we do in Decembers. Or after GP departs.
**photo suggestion has to be the drone shot of us on the continent at the tip of Africa
10—Bolandcycletour up to Caledon
Early depart no breakfast just yet. Jeff’s arrows says tailwind. Stop in Napier for something to eat. Notice stops can become wide for some riders. Only 3 meters of elevation gain in the first almost 30 kms to Bredasdorp and then +1000 meters up to Caledon from there. Second consecutive 100km day. Best breakfast in Napier, Boer. Spa. Pool table. Van Brakel.
**photo suggestions something on the Canola climb or maybe in Napier
11—Bolandcycletour to Hermanus
8am late breakfast. 9am Drizzle start. Short day. Hemel en aarde. Hairpin turn miss drone shot. 80kmh. Shaw’s pass. Up and down. Multiple times. Brewery at the bottom. To each his own. No drinking on the job, or at least on the bike, or at least for staff. Village bike shop closed for stock-take. Apart hotel turned out to be great. All stayed together. Did some laundry. 4pm early dinner inside the cave. Bientang was a hit.
**photo suggestion surely from the cave dinner at Bientang
12—Bolandcycletour to Gordonsbaai
Clarence drive day. Penguins request. No stop in Arabella just yet. where Wehan and I worked at the SA Open. Smooth tar then puncture. Murphey’s law. Waited for CJVZ in Rooi-Els as he was doing another casual 230kms day to join us all the way from Paarl and back and went past while we were mucking about at the penguins. Stunning coastal road. Stop at the harbour. Mark arrived in minutes. Depart. Beers. Cycle home. Loved it. great day. Tomorrow Tourdeboland starts.
**photo suggestion either the penguins or Clarence drive
PS, this concludes the Bolandcycletour before we joined the larger pack in the Tourdeboland and you can see the notes for the final 10 days right here!
