Spreetshoogte Pass

Our 2nd day in the Namibian outback took us from Weissenfels Horse Farm to the gas station junction dorp and apple pie haven of Solitaire. With record rainfall the desert & berg landscapes were in stunning shades of psychedelic greens reds and browns and wildlife sightings were plentiful. The rain also provided challenges for both riders and vehicles with several mudbaths to be negotiated, one of which threatened to swallow the lunch truck. Once freed it turned around to follow the Indaba trucks in negotiating the tamer Remhootge Pass while the cyclists and bakkies headed for the more treacherous Spreetshoogte Pass. With a gradient of 1:4.5 – 1.6 (15-20%) on the descent towards Namib Naukluft Desert park this is not a route for the faint of heart, but it is another of the innumerable highlights on the Tour d’Afrique.  By mid-afternoon the entire cast and crew were gathered once again in Solitaire recounting the day’s tales and remarking how beautiful Namibia is over bottles of tasty Windhoek Draught.