Saturday had a huge mix of activities and emotions on offer.
We started early, because we had a jam-packed day ahead of us.
On the bikes, Elana at the back, to Kakamas. We got rained on again, not the last time. In Kakamas we borrowed a bakkie from a friend and picked up my dad to go to Augrabies.
Without going into details, I’m very glad that I have the opportunity to enjoy him in the twilight of his life. It was not always so. He suffered a lot of hardship in his life and the last year was not much better. All his money got stolen, he moved into an old age home and is losing his memory. With a little bit of wisdom, I was able to adjust my outlook and am very fortunate to be able to give back and also enjoy him for what he is.
Augrabies was spectacular, but did not lend itself to photo's. Apart from the fact that it was raining, she provided her own shroud of rain. Those who know her will know.
I know Augrabies so well, I grew up there. I did not join the kids and Pa in walking around. My dear friend Pieter lost his wife just a week earlier and we met at the restaurant. She took her life and it was just so flippen sad. Too see a strong guy so frail, is just not lekker.
Unfortunately I do not have good pictures of Augrabies. I'll try to post a little video later.
We went to see the bridge over the river where I went over almost every day when I was farming. It barely cleared the rampant river. I forgot to clean the camera.
We dropped off Pa in Kakamas and left for Aggeneys. We got rained on again. Riding in the rain and without having to talk was good at that time. Dad is 84 years old and every time I see him, I find it more difficult to leave him behind.
We had one last thing to do. Ghamsberg. It has a very interesting shape. It looks like a giant volcano, but it formed in the time when the quarts mountains were formed. The new boyfriend :angry4: is a geologist and explained it quite good. It was a huge “bubble of mountain that turned on it’s side and left this oval range with only one small opening to the outside. The new company is going to start mining the area soon.
This is just the background. In that mountain is a little frog that you only find there. Nowhere else. This was our quest.
Once again, it is difficult to capture everything in pictures. This picture was taken from inside the dome.
The opening to the outside world. Carved during millions of years.
We were very lucky. This little stream only flows after good rains.
WM is like a klipspringer and disappeared into the little kloof. Only to come back and report a “supertube” just above the waterfall. We had to go and inspect.
He was not sure if we should go down there. The sides are very slick and there was no obvious way back. Going forward was not an option. The fall was to high and the water at the bottom to shallow to jump.
This was just to much of a temptation. Since I'm slightly older, I got the privilege to go first.
The sides were not too slick, so we could find our way up again.
WM did it in style.
After we went down a few times, we saw it. The little frog! About 3 cm long and nothing special, but definitely the one! Unfortunately the camera was too far away and the little amphibian was too skittish to give us much change to toy around. We also saw a lot of tadpoles, but only one adult. We were very lucky. Very few people have seen it.
After our wonderful swim, we made a fire and spend the evening in the dome.
Next morning it was time to go back. WM on his bike and the rest of us per cage.
A lot can be said. I hope this is the start to a lot of fun, my little one. You are a big girl now.
Koppie op, borsies uit, boudjies in!
