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(of Meerlust fame) and his partner. The farmstead, not usually open to the public, is another privilege afforded by Mike Ferrars vision, persuasions and the suitability of it's location on the cycle route. The route, tracking - as it does - through so many farms, is a great testimony to the co-operative, community-mindedness of so many of these farmers.
The third day of cyding is the easiest: fast and flat across Langenhoven's 'ver ververlate vlaktes". The route took us past Springfield, designed by the ubiquitous Sir Herbert Baker, and back to the beautiful, colonial, family farmhouse at the foot of Mt Melsetter, brooding over the landscape at just over 1,600 metres.
It was on the morning of the third day that we crested a ridge and saw a field full of Blue Cranes, South Afica's national bird and on the endangered species list. On seeing us rattling along in our ridiculously bright and in retrospect, inappropriate, cycling kit, the cranes all took to the skies with a rustle of wings but not another sound. We were rather hoping the early-morning Hadedahs could take a leaf out of their book The Blue Cranes are, however only one species of the 145 that have been spotted by visitors to Mt Melsetter.
By a strange coincidence, the only book I had packed in my weekend bag was A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, one of the chapters of which deals with the sudden Cretaceous annihilation of nearly 90 percent of life on earth. Mike had an interesting local angle on this ancient cataclysm. The Karoo, according to one battered National Geographic he produced, is one of the richest sites in the world to hunt fossils from this period.
In the riverbed of the Great Brak River which runs through Mt Melsetter but is completely dry at this time of the year, we were able to see clearly the fossilized remains of Lystrosaurus Murrayi, discovered by Grahamstown's Albany museum palaeontologist, Dr Billy de Klerk. We had little time to explore this fascinating diversion since the sun was rising Even in late winter, the Karoo sun is something to be reckoned with and we had some serious cyding to do, but we were assured by Mike that there were plenty more fossils where our sample came from.
The Karoo, as was becoming apparent, is a wonderland that, we both felt, touched something deeply African in us, something at once timeless, resonantly human and savagely uncompromising, if the size of the thorns

(of Meerlust fame) and his partner. The farmstead, not usually open to the public, is another privilege afforded by Mike Ferrars vision, persuasions and the suitability of it's location on the cycle route. The route, tracking - as it does - through so many farms, is a great testimony to the co-operative, community-mindedness of so many of these farmers. The third day of cyding is the easiest: fast and flat across Langenhoven's 'ver ververlate vlaktes". The route took us past Springfield, designed by the ubiquitous Sir Herbert Baker, and back to the beautiful, colonial, family farmhouse at the foot of Mt Melsetter, brooding over the landscape at just over 1,600 metres. It was on the morning of the third day that we crested a ridge and saw a field full of Blue Cranes, South Afica's national bird and on the endangered species list. On seeing us rattling along in our ridiculously bright and in retrospect, inappropriate, cycling kit, the cranes all took to the skies with a rustle of wings but not another sound. We were rather hoping the early-morning Hadedahs could take a leaf out of their book The Blue Cranes are, however only one species of the 145 that have been spotted by visitors to Mt Melsetter. By a strange coincidence, the only book I had packed in my weekend bag was A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, one of the chapters of which deals with the sudden Cretaceous annihilation of nearly 90 percent of life on earth. Mike had an interesting local angle on this ancient cataclysm. The Karoo, according to one battered National Geographic he produced, is one of the richest sites in the world to hunt fossils from this period. In the riverbed of the Great Brak River which runs through Mt Melsetter but is completely dry at this time of the year, we were able to see clearly the fossilized remains of Lystrosaurus Murrayi, discovered by Grahamstown's Albany museum palaeontologist, Dr Billy de Klerk. We had little time to explore this fascinating diversion since the sun was rising Even in late winter, the Karoo sun is something to be reckoned with and we had some serious cyding to do, but we were assured by Mike that there were plenty more fossils where our sample came from. The Karoo, as was becoming apparent, is a wonderland that, we both felt, touched something deeply African in us, something at once timeless, resonantly human and savagely uncompromising, if the size of the thorns	we passed and the number of dead creatures we saw on the side of the roads, were any indications. Not a place for 'sissies'. This is a land to inspire vast feelings, it is too big for indifference, or apathy. One could only respond with reciprocal largeness. It is no surprise to discover how many of the local farming families have become an integral part of this environment. One of the beautiful Cape Dutch farmsteads we passed is, and has been, home to eight generations of family. This is a rootedness that is all but incomprehensible to modern city-dwellers, As a final delight, at the end of our cycle, we were treated to a couple of welcome cold ones and a wonderful sociable feast at the newly established Erin Farm's Old Barn Restaurant. It is quite possible that the locals were a little sceptical about the logic of grinding along for more than 200 kilometres to arrive at precisely the point we started from, just a little more weary and smelling slightly less fragrant, but if this did go through their minds, they were too polite to mention it. In the SirJohn's pub we heard tales of rural legend that would have been the delight of Oom Schalk Lourens, such as the true story (we were assured) of the farm labourer who, after a heavy night of Saturday-night partying, found himself too taxed to walk all the way home and collapsed in the local cemetery. On awakening to the sound of singing (from a passing church choir the next morning) he leapt up and, looking around to find that he was the only 'resurrected soul', muttered to himself in disbelief and disgust, "dis swak, dis baie swak". The Melsetter MTB cycle through the Great Karoo was an experience I will want to repeat. The quiet the awe inspiring vastness of the skies, the ironic humourof the locals and the long empty roads made our time in this wonderful part of the country all too short The tour offers a magical, healthy and unique prospect for a group of friends or families to confront themselves and each other in an environment that will allow them to celebrate what is great in this magnificent country in which we are privileged to live. This Article, first published in diversions Magazine, December 2005, and written by Marc Falconer, is published with the kind permission of diversions Publishers
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