Back Up, Peter Ridgway, wrote this account of his experience of the 75km hike. Without his assistance the walk would have been impossible.
When Binny resigned from fulltime employment after some 14 years with the same employer, I was a tad nervous. How were the animals and I going to survive the day with her at home – two self employed persons working from home could be problematic. I needn’t have worried. After an already planned month holiday in the English Lake District – 150 miles of mountain biking and 50 miles of hiking, things should have settled down. However, the Ridgway Ramblers name was conceived by a friend and Binny proceeded to get her advanced mountain guide qualification assessed and completed. It was over yet another cup of tea in July 2009 with fellow mountain hiker Kirsty Gordon, that a non-stop hike from Cape Point to the bottom of Platteklip Gorge, half on road and half on mountain, was conceived. The SPCA was identified as an appropriate charity to support and the planning started.
I gracefully excused myself from any involvement, other than being on the day backup. A pedometer was purchased and Binny’s fuel bill reduced drastically by her walking to any shop in Claremont and Kenilworth – she was averaging 10km a day for week days in August and September. This flat walking was supplemented by at least 2 longer mountain hikes a week in the mountain.
Planning with the SPCA intensified in October and a 20km test mountain hike from Kalk Bay to Constantianek was done in September. This was to form the start of the night section of the planned hike. Nobody took much notice of the 37km from Cape Point to Kalk Bay. It was the 38km from Kalk Bay to the foot of Platteklip Gorge via the mountains at night was the part that everybody was worried about. The planning was now over and Saturday 3 October 2009 arrived. The appointed day arrived and we were up at 05h30 to ensure that nothing was left to chance. The girls loaded into my bakkie to get to the start with Barend and I following to hand over the dogs at 12.00. (No dogs allowed in Cape Point. The first 14km of the walk). By the time we left, I had forgotten about the medication Kirsty had asked me to collect , and more importantly had forgotten about Dan dropping off a head torch for Kirsty to use during the night hike. While speeding along the M3, Dan phoned as asked about the torch. Luckily I had forgotten about the medication so I had to go back anyway and also fetch the torch. As we were driving towards the Cape Point Nature Reserve gate I saw an Isuzu bakkie with canopy drive off into the distance – no cellphone reception at the gate. Stop! Luckily it was someone else and they were still at the gate. Barend still wanted to go to the point and we couldn’t go in the reserve because we had Roderick and Judy with us – certain children are not allowed in the park. We eventually made a plan and I was then racing back to Claremont with the dogs and the task of collecting two different types of headlights for Kirsty. At 10h00 I fielded a call from Binny requesting that I prepare a flyer that the walkers can distribute when people ask what they are doing and where they can donate. I was now trying to work out the sequence of events to ensure I can arrive back at the Cape Point gate at 12h00. The appointed pharmacy was notorious for always taking its time processing prescriptions. Also, I didn’t have the script and looked slightly different to Kirsty except for the natural blonde hair and curvatious figure. And, what the hell should I put in this flyer and how am I going to make sufficient copies. I couldn’t go straight to the pharmacy because I couldn’t leave the dogs in the car as it was becoming very hot. In fact it was about 5 degrees warmer in Claremont compared to Cape Point. With the dogs back at home and flyer typed and in the process of being printed, I collected the medication with relative ease as blondie had phoned ahead and it was ready for collection.
I now switched to Binny’s “Ridgway Ramblers” branded car and raced to Cape Point at 11h30 after having to fill up with fuel for the day. I arrived at the Cape Point gate at 12h15 and attempted to hand over the dogs to Binny, but the leads were in the bakkie which was now racing its way back to Cape Point with Jenny and Wendy who had only walked the first 14km section in the reserve. The dogs and I now drove ahead and I felt like Mother Hubbard busying myself with cutting the 2800 flyers which were printed on 200 pages of 14 a page – it was cathartic. It wasn’t long before I was moving from shady spot to shady spot dispensing flyers, water and words of wisdom to the intrepid walkers. All were complaining about how hard the road surface was – most were used to hiking in the mountains, and the road was perceived to be a doddle, but Maggie steamed ahead like an express train with the fear that “if I stop I’ll get cold and sore”. Maggie was nursing a heel injury she sustained on the 20km warm up hike, the good doc Roland was feeling a bit footsore, and Table Mountain National Park rangers Bradley Mzwandike–Wana and Khuselo Mafuya looked easy, while their German Shepherds loped happily along after a good watering. Despite the excellent conditions along the main road through Simons Town, Glencairn, Fish Hoek and Kalk Bay, the road was hot, busy and pretty boring. The dogs were regularly watered and cared for, but were taken off the road at Simons Town due to the heat reflection off the tarred surfaces. We forget as humans that dogs on four legs are more exposed to the reflected heat than we humans are. Various groups of people with their dogs joined the hikers en route. I was fortunate enough to share the car with Harry the Boston Terrier as well as Fury the German Shepherd – Judy our Jack Russell cross Ridgeback was not as delighted. Doc Roland decided to call it a day at Glencairn after his foot which had been troubling him from the start gave in. I dropped him off at a friend in Glencairn Heights for diagnosis (my feet hurt) and treatment (gimme a beer). The traffic through Fish Hoek was busy as many people were enjoying the first really warm day in spring at the beach. Maggie was the first to reach Café Olympia in Kalk Bay followed closely by Brita. Bradley and Khuselo were in such deep conversation with each other after failing to catch the speeding Maggie, that they forgot to stop at Café Olympia. After realizing that they didn’t stop I proceeded to pursue them, but got caught in the stop go section of the road construction. Just as the queue started moving again I spotted them from behind realizing that they forgot to stop. They suddenly stopped dead in their tracks and spun around with very wide smiles on their faces and laughing. They had managed to almost walk to St James.
Café Olympia was the first official rest stop for the walkers. Most people used this as a supper stop before the start of the mountain hiking section. Most walkers did the first 37km in about 8 ½ hours. At this point Maggie decided that she would not do the mountain section as her heel was troubling her. Kirsty was also feeling uneasy, but decided to continue and reassess her position at Oukaapseweg, 6km into the mountain section. One person whose name I have failed to record decided to call it quits in Simons Town and joined Roderick and Judy in the bakkie with Hilton and Marilyn (Barend and Maggie’s children). Roderick enjoyed the never ending attention (including snacks which he stole from unsuspecting people) – we are still enjoying Roderick’s smelly farts! Judy spent the most of the time looking tortured, as is her most classic look with things out of the ordinary – she hates change. The 38km section from Kalk Bay to Platteklip Gorge was started by Binny Ridgway, Kirsty Gordon, Brita Unite, Lindy Croxford, Mary Murphy, Helen Beatham, Candi Horgan, Bradley Mzwandike-Wana and Khuselo Mafuya. Dave Foster, Abrie Swanepoel and Doc Billa Eickhoff joined the group for the 38km mountain section, while Kim Muller, her daughter Jessica and friend Jane joined for the 6km crossing to Silvermine.
Now that the road section was completed the real hiking began. Casualties to date were Maggie and Doc Roland. Other walkers at various sections en route to Kalk Bay were Jenny Stern, Wendy Gersie, Michelle Hogg, Michelle’s friend (not Pooh Bear), Sally Cox and Norma (the desert walking icons), Irene (Harry the Boston Terrier’s mom) and friends, Jan Meyer with his beautiful German Shepherd and Virginia Davids.
With the group now being off road and out of cellphone contact for a while, I retired to Felix Unite’s home for a few moments distraction of a braai with Kim Muller and Billa Eickhoff’s husbands. Peter Muller was on call to fetch Kim, Jess and Jan at 08h30, so after a litre of cooldrink and some crisps we proceeded to Oukaapseweg at 20h15. Of course they were not there at the appointed time so we walked along the road for a while until we saw their lights in the distance. At this point Mary and Helen (the Irish chicks) were taking strain and I sensed a bit of concern in the group at how the average pace had drastically dropped. Kirsty decided to call it a day and the rest topped up with water for the next 14km section which would have no water stops or flowing streams en route. We decided to transport everyone from Silvermine south to Silvermine north in the vehicles as the traffic on Oukaapseweg was just too unsafe to allow tired bodies and minds to negotiate on foot – 12 hours and 43km down 32km to go. Hilton Blumeris (head of security Table Mountain National Park) also met everyone at Oukaapseweg. Rangers Bradley and Khuselo were in radio contact with his control room at all times – everyone felt very safe and secure.
Kirsty and I returned to Felix Unite’s house where we all enjoyed a good wors and lamb chops braai. By 22h00 we had all made our excuses with the other Doc Eickhoff (Billa’s husband) taking the lead saying that he is on call at around 02h30 from Billa at Constantianek to bring coffee. It was now 23h00 before got myself home and disentangled Kirsty’s stuff from the mess in the bakkie and sent her off home. I spent the next hour cleaning out Binny’s car and reorganizing my gear. I was ordered to be at Constantianek at 01h00. I didn’t even think or trying to sleep, so I made two Thermos Flasks of fresh Ethiopian coffee and contacted Lia who was joining us with her lovely husky Sabrina. Judy and Roderick had already been sleeping at home since 20h00 as Barend and Maggie took them home from Kalk Bay and fed them for me. At 12h30 I was in the shower and left at 12h45 for Constantianek. Binny sms’ed me from the top of Vlakkenberg at 01h00 saying that they were waiting on the top for the backmarkers. In the meantime pocket rocket Tatum Prins (now Loftus and member of the McCain’s adventure addicts racing team) and Mark Loftus took a flask of tea up to the top of Vlakkenberg for Binny as a surprise. Both Lofty and Tatum have the habit of acting like magnesium on water – running around like made on the surface and then going pop – except Tatum just doesn’t ever stop popping.
As I was leaving home I noticed that mist was blowing over from the Atlantic. The very hot day with no wind now pushed in this very cold air. I immediately went back inside and collected additional balaclavas, gloves and warm tops in case of need. I also added my raincoat. There was a very icy wind blowing the mist over Constantianek. When I arrived, Lia was already there and the Wynberg police also arrived doing their rounds. I advised them that there was a group of people walking from Cape Point to Platteklip Gorge over the mountains non-stop with the blessing of Table Mountain National Park and that we were joining them for the last 15km leg of the journey and that we were leaving our bakkies in the parking area for the rest of the night. They asked us to park the vehicles under the lights at the restaurant and that they would keep an eye on them for us when they did their rounds throughout the night. Doc Roland also arrived with his dogs who were to join Lindy for the last leg of the journey. Billa’s boy also arrived with the coffee, duly summoned. Abrie and Dave arrived first at about 01h45. Followed by the rest up until 02h30. I walked back up the Vlakkenberg trail until I reached Mary and Helen who were escorted by Bradley and Khuselo. I walked down with them and everybody was eventually at Constantianek and ready to go by 03h00.
Within 1 km from the start we had climbed above the mist bank and we entered a magical world. All the mountain ranges from the Groot Winterhoek, Ceres, Paarl, Franschoek, Hottentots Holland, Kogelberg and the Pensinsula chain were islands in a sea of cloud. The only lights we saw were those of Simons Town and the full moon. We walked up the cement road towards the dams. It was the first time in nearly 20 hours that I had been able to have a meaningful conversation with my wife, Binny. Roderick and Judy were kept on their leads in the dark, as the night smells were making them very excited. Judy has the tendency to go off on circular runs when we walk, with Roderick yapping furiously behind her trying to keep up. A Jack Russell with long Fox Terrier legs is a bit too quick and agile for a Scottish Terrier of 1 year old who loves every dog and person on this earth (babe puller of note – forget the M5, adopt a puppy from the SPCA). It wasn’t long before Mary and Helen were taking strain. Binny and I walked with them for a while, but as the average group pace was significantly faster she went ahead and I stayed at the back. We reached the main group at the point where the Cecilia Forest steps join the cement road an hour after they had stopped and waited. At this point I didn’t realize that they were hinting that the rest just go ahead and I accompany the Irish chicks to the top on my own. I didn’t realize that this was the pattern for the last 25km. If everybody stopped being so polite about the progress and explain to the group that there was obviously two incompatible levels of progress and that an alternative plan should be adopted so that all could achieve their objectives without impacting negatively on the others progress, then the matter could have been settled then. However, I proceeded to stay at the back. In a moment of brilliance, I searched frantically for the head torch I borrowed from Doc Roland. I took every item out of my rucksack, searched all the pockets of the gear I had with me. I even searched the grass bank I was sitting on with my cellphone screen light. In a flash of brilliance, I felt the head torch on my forehead. An expletive was uttered loudly – which was followed by a reply from Mary in the far distance ahead. I packed my rucksack again and sped up the cement road and caught up to Helen and Mary on the last turn before the last steep uphill before the bridge. The main group was waiting for us at the houses near De Villiers dam – it was already almost 06h00. Nearly 3 hours to cover the route we normally take less than 1 hour to do – the going was slow and the group was itching to go. When they departed I realized that I had arranged to phone Jenny Stern at 06h00. As there was no reception at the houses, I ran down to the point on the last turn before the houses where I knew there was reception and called Jenny. She answered immediately and I advised her that she was missing the most awesome sunrise and moonset and to expect us at the Old wash houses at 10h30.
She was tasked to fetch my bakkie at Constantianek and fetch us at the end. By the time we reached the waiting group near Nursery Ravine. The cold was proving to a problem, for all those waiting. Especially Candi who was suffering extensively with foot blisters. It was okay while she walked- she was popping a pharmacy of pills to deal with the pain, but every time they stopped and waited she got cold and then couldn’t move her feet. The rangers radioed for backup to come and collect Candi and the shuffling Irish. At this point, I had full confidence that the shufflers would make it – it would just be a matter of a bit more time. I stated that I was more than happy to stay with them and accompany them the rest of the way. We all had cellphone contact and if matters got bad we would be able to deal with it. The sun was rising and spirits were lifting. Candi decided to continue.
From this point onwards both Helen and Mary appeared to relax a little and we stopped and ate breakfast between Nursery Ravine and Skeleton Gorge while watching the rest of the group venture forth along Smuts track at speed. It was 07h00 and Helen’s tomato, cheese and basil rolls were delicious. She is apparently competing with her husband Dave who is a chef in the making. The two flasks of coffee I made pretty much went to waste because firstly Lofty and Tatum got to Binny first with tea – no competition at all, and secondly Mary didn’t drink milk in coffee and secondly Helen took half the amount of sugar I had put in the sweetened flask of coffee. I drank the unsweetened flask of coffee and Helen politely drank a mug from the larger flask. That could have been a few kg’s I could have left behind. The remainder of crossing down to Skeleton Gorge and up to the Aquaduct and up to the Pulpit like rock were uneventful. Neither Mary nor Helen complained at all – but I am sure they were itching to swear like sailors. I think my consistent talking and jabbering may have anaesthetised them. At 10h00 we reached Macclear’s Beacon in full spirits muffled slightly by a few expletives. I asked a punter who came up via the cable car to take a picture of us three.
The cable car station beckoned to us in the distance. The mist had started to clear up over the land, but the sea and the city of Cape Town was still blocked out. We proceeded to shuffle towards the cable car. We had already run out of water, but the cable station was usually a relatively flat 30 minutes walk. The sun started to beat down a bit harder and we had all been in short sleeves since 03h30 in the morning, the sun block was left in the car. Helen had got a second wind on the top and move quite freely ahead while Mary struggled on with determination. At one point I bumped into kayaking/surfing friends Mike van der Volk (the telephone surf report) and Willie Grazier (of Steenberg Motors fame). Luckily for them I didn’t see them on their way back from Macclears Beacon, as I would have asked them to help carry Mary the rest of the way on my wooden walking stick. The uphill towards Platteklip Gorge was unkind, but the downhill into the gorge and the climb up the chains was a challenge on its own. Many punters walked carelessly past Mary almost pushing her out of the way on a few occasions. We made sure we blocked the path completely for Mary’s unhurried, careful and successful ascent. I left them on their own for the last section to the cable station while I searched for the ticket office and bought three down tickets @ R85 each. We boarded the down car as soon as Helen and Mary arrived at the cable station at 12h00 and were in front of the cooldrink machine at the lower cable car station at 12h05. I now had to get directions to the Old Wash Houses as Helen’s husband Dave picked us up. At some point in time I lost my wooden hiking stick between the Upper cable station and Tafelberg Road. I eventually located Jenny who directed us to Abrie’s house as the Old Wash House do was already over. We met up with Abrie, Binny, Candi and Jenny together with the farting Judy and Roderick. I subsequently heard that the welcoming refreshments do at the Old Wash Houses was put on by the DA who provided drinks and snacks for the people and the dogs. Roderick, Mr Greedy Guts, tucked into the dog food as if it was all his own and attempted to polish them all off one by one before anyone noticed. He subsequently left his calling card in Abrie’s house. Both he and Judy are still sleeping and having gaseous exchanges of note. Needless to say all the dogs were spoilt rotten and certificates were handed out to all those who completed the entire trip. To be technical, only Binny, Brita and Lindy completed the entire distance i.e. they didn’t take the cable car down. However, Candi with massive foot blisters was accompanied down via the cable car by Bradley and Khuselo (they don’t have to pay being law enforcement officers). Khuselo was however also experiencing cramps at the end. Mary, Helen and Candi were also duly certificated alive on arrival. Candi was subsequently advised by her doctor to keep her feet up for a week. Crawling to the loo is apparently quite a normal activity.
Helen and Mary apparently had a blister or two, but are already running up and down the stairs without any pain – but it think that statement was made by Mary after few whiskies this afternoon. Bradley, Lindy, Brita and Binny showed no outward signs of wear and tear, but I have not verified this. Dave, Abrie and Billa were also unscathed over the 38km mountain section. So in summary, 75km in 26 ½ hours and to date just under R8000 raised for the SPCA. Thank you to all who helped plan the event, participated over the 2 days, and supported the event including the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, My School/My Village, the Democratic Alliance and other donors listed on the www.doitforcharity.co.za under the Ridgway Rambler title. Special thank you to Paddy Gordon, Hilton Blumeris, Bradley Mzwandike-Wana, Khuselo Mafuya, Fabre and Fury of the Table Mountain National Park whose active support was essential for the peace of mind us on the sidelines. Thank you to the SAPS Wynberg for ensuring that our vehicles at Constantianek were safely retrieved after the event.
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