South Africa Tour- Paulpietersburg

Got up before the sun in Piet Retief and were on the road by 5:15. Rode until 8 -50K- and had breakfast in Paulpetersburg. Met a nice retired man with a pudgy nose named Hans who had a great German accent. He flagged us down as we were riding through town. He pointed us to the town "museum" (a one room devotional to the German forebearers of Afrikaaner culture) and gave Robert detailed informtion. He rediliy answered my questions about early SA/Boer history. He was very kind and had a gentle, qute helpful way about him. Robert says Hans reminded him of his dad. Also met Thomas, an Indian engineer and third generation South African. He talked a lot, and articulately, about his own thoughts, perceptions and ideas but he was interesting on the subject of white/black relations and SA today. "Just accept it," he said, and I took that to heart. My judgements stymie my enjuoymnety. He was a purist and unfortuantly the product of this is pedantism. But a very nice, well spoken and interesting guy. Anyway, rode another 7K until the heat sucked me dry and we sheltered ourselves in the shade to eat yet another peanut butter sandwich. during this rest, we say a cyclist com up the hill after us, on a training ride and he stopped and chatted. Constant stares and incomprehensible calls from passengers on passing trucks. Made another 42K to near Vryheid. The way is always too long and there's always a hot shoulder to climb and a truck belching smoke and grinding its gears just foot from the minute space we claim ont he roads. But a beautiful suprise: an early evening lightning storm in the east with the sun setting below the clouds and casting a blush on the hills. We made it to our garish lodge on the outskirts of Vryheid just a minute ahead of the storm.