Plant Species List

I am busy identifying all the pphotos I took during the walk in spring 2008.
So far the list is up to 500 species with over 35 rare plants. There are still a number of photos to identify before the plant list is complete. It has been great to revisit all the photos and relive the experience through them, I am amazed at how much I saw.

I will be giving a talk and slideshow on the walk at the Kirstenbosch Biodiversity Expo, Friday 27th March, 15h30. If you are interested in hearing more and seeing some of the most interesting photos, and hearing some of my preliminary findings, please come along.

I will be posting more info soon about the rare and interesting plants that I came accross.

News24.com

News24.com interviewed me recently and put together a slideshow with some of my images from the trip, check it out at: http://www.24.com/news/2008/soundslides/flowers_west_coast/index.html

Media

The Weekend Argus will be doing a follow up story on my walk, so check it out this weekend.
The website News24 will also be doing something like a slideshow on the walk, I will post more details about this when I know.

Thank Yous

There were many people that helped me in many ways to make this trip possible, I truly appreciate the help from everyone. I hope I have remembered everyone, but i'm sure there are many others who need thanks...

Jaapie
Sue Kramer
Guenn Nicolson
Hugh Clarke
Jenny and Joe Brink
Danna Wilson
Marc Nicolson
Bryan Nicolson
Sue and Al
Ishmail Ibrahim
Rupert Koopman
Stef Roup
John Manning
Eugene Moll
Timm Hofmann
Tielman Haumann
Dave Gwynn-Evans
National Roads Agency
Botanical Society
CASABIO
Plant Conservation Unit
Cristys Sports

Trip Statistics

For those who like solid facts, here they are:

Days walking: 24
Days of rest: 5
Hours walking: 152.4
Hours resting: 27.7
Average distance per day: 28.45km
Average walking speed: 4.3542 km/h
Overall average speed (includung rest stops): 3.617 km/h
Fastest in a day: ave 5.1 km/h
Furthest in a day: 40.2 km
Total distance: 690.1 km

Other things were recorded daily

Animals seen: baboon, wild cat, dog, snake, tortoise, mouse, skink, lizzard, bat-eared fox, meerkat, mole, mongoose, many birds, hare and many insects

Objects of interest: syringe, diaper, horse shoe, gloves, CD, wool, metal ruler, pile of broken Richleau bottles, stapler, babies sandle, a underpant, casette, Namibain government issue condoms, car bonnet, a panty, egg, much clothing and a boat.

Home at Last

Well, I made it home!


24 days of walking, around 700kms, many smelly socks and one small blister!


Die Burger came to do an interview with me on my last moring, and there is an article in the paper today. Check out http://www.dieburger.com/Stories/News/18.0.850813590.aspx

Last Day

I was joined for the day by my Dad and Danna. They both did really well and we walked nearly 30kms!! So I have only got 24kms left to go. I'll be home tomorrow. Its a weird thought. The end always felt so far away, but here it is.
Die Burger sent out a photographer to today to takes some pics of me walking, so i think there will something in the paper tomorrow.
I will continue to make posts on the blog while I go through my photos and data so check out the blog in the next few days.

Citrusdal and The Baths

Hi its Stef again…
We were unable to update the blog this weekend as we were staying at the Baths, which are situated in a valley on the side of the Pikeneerskloof Pass, which is beautiful, but does not get reception. It was a great weekend there, even though our camping table was nicked. Soaking in the hot pool while the biggest storm in the last seven years was brewing, quite something to behold! It was great to spend time with Sue and Al, and to be treated to dinners, breakfast, and a night indoors and they are great to be around and very entertaining.
Greg was pretty excited to camp on Saturday night while the storm hit- me on the other hand had to talk myself out of being scared- while lying in a tent that’s being pelted with rain and next to a raging stream, yes a raging stream. It was easy to get carried away (not literally, although it crossed my mind…) I realized I was talking myself into being scared). Thankfully there was just heavy rain (and our tents are waterproof, yay!) and lots of snow on the surrounding mountains!
Greg, Al and Sue managed to cover good ground on Saturday. Sunday Greg took off, as the weather was pretty rough and he was feeling quite tired after 6 days walking, so we spent the day relaxing in the pool and taking it easy. Monday back on the road accompanied by sue and al for the morning.
Today we have moved on to Malmesbury. Thought that Mooreesburg was going to be our next stop, but their campsite is closed till October.
Its quite something to be driving so close to Cape Town, and realizing that today Greg will have less than 100kms left and that it’ll be over on Friday! While I am really happy to be so close to home I am also sad that this amazing experience is coming to an end. It has been fantastic to see the Western part of our country, to know that I can camp for weeks on end, and survive winds and rain. And most importantly to have helped Greg with his journey!
Greg managed to walk just over 40km yesterday!
Tonight we are joined by Brian (Greg’s dad) and Dannali, for our second last night and will be walking with Greg tomorrow.

Update

Lakker nalia

Conophytum

friends along the way

Crab Spider awaiting victim

Iris family

It was cold on our last morning in Vanrhynsdorp. The car windscreen was covered in a layer of ice!! The area around Vanrhynsdorp is know as the Knersvlakte. It is characterized by quartz patches covered with dwarf plants, especially succulents. It an amazing world of miniature. Every step requires a stop to examine whats underfoot. Conophytums, Lithops and Argyroderma (babies bums) are all around. Moving towards Clanwilliam the vegetation gets higher and fynbos elements such as Restios and Proteas begin to appear. The area is full of annuals at the moment and buzzing with pollinators. Many bulbs are also flowering in this area especially Iris, Hyacinth and Orchid families.
I have walked 30kms everyday this week and have arrived at Clanwilliam.
It is great to get into the rhythm of walking far. Although today my knee began to hurt again a bit. Thankfully we managed to get the last available campsite at the Citrusdal warm baths for the weekend. So that should be great for my knee!! We will be moving on there tomorrow and will be joined for the weekend by Sue and Al. I’m looking forward to some company on the road.
I have enjoyed being alone on the walk so far but I seem to get songs stuck on repeat in my head for entire days. Toni Braxton – unbreak my heart, it was not fun that day!

Celebrations

Today Greg passed the half way mark and is going strong!
And tomorrow is his birthday!

Vanrhynsdorp

This weekend we took off and spent it in Nieuwoudtville with some friends. It was great to get out a bit and do some exploring and plant viewing. The Muncipal Caravan Park has a great variety of beautiful flowers too.

At the Nieuwoudtville Botanical gardens, we spotted the Rooikatstert Flower.

We are now staying in Vanrhynsdorp. We spent last night at the Caravan Park and this morning through Alida Van Rensberg at Radio Namaqualand, we have been put up for free at “Talk of the Town” B&B. Which is a very sweet purple B&B, Tea Garden and Gift shop. The owner Jannie is an ex-interior designer and the space has been done in a mix of old world, country style with a twist. The exterior is painted lavender and has Afrikaans quotes and sayings written on the walls such as: “Party mense kla dat rose dorings het- Ek is dankbaar dat dorings Rose het.”

Tomorrow afternoon Greg will be interviewed on Radio Namaqualand, so if you’re in Namaqualand, tune in.

new pics

whats new

Hi it’s Steffany here, I’m doing some updating today:
At Cosy Mountain Farm I was trying to spot the Bat Earred Foxes (endangered) that live on the edge of the ploughed land and the mountain, but instead got to see a Riverine Rabbit, also endangered. I had used them as inspiration for a range of jewellery for the design indaba. And had so far only seen pictures and a startled looking taxidermied specimen at the natural history museum, so I felt very fortunate to have seen one up close and by chance!
After leaving Kamieskroon we moved on to the Garies Muncipal Caravan and Camping Ground. Had an enjoyable 3 nights there, even though on the first night there was a squirmish between the caretaker and a local dronkie who thought he could make a quick buck selling wood to the campers (us). But, none the less, it was enjoyable. Also had the company of very many giant caterpillars in the Acacia tree’s providing shade over our campsite and along with the caterpillars came their droppings-very many of them, luckily they’re hard pellets that look like they have been squeezed out of a cake decorating tube.
Thursday and we have moved on to Bitterfontein, and are staying at a really sweet B&B owned by Maretha Cotzee called Blommetjie, in an old cob built cottage that she inherited from her father, but was built by her great grandfather. Its what I was expecting more of the West coast to be like, simple, charming and rustic.
Greg has had good few days of walking and has managed to cover close on 30km the last 2 days. His knee is in recovery, due to the fact that he is taking good care of it: stretching, icing/heating and massage. Which I think is part of what this adventure is about: learning how to work with your body, mind and environment.
Greg has just told me that he has covered over 300 km! Just under half way!
Tomorrow, Greg will be doing a shorter days walk and then we head to Nieuwoudtville, for Greg’s pre-birthday weekend off. Where, we will be joined by some friends from Cape Town, for some much needed social interaction.