sort of reserve , where rickety bridges met long timber walkways . There were cobbled paths and interesting animals around every corner . From their large snake area to the big cats . We saw baby cheetahs , a leopard spying us from high in a tree and even a Bengal tiger . There were lions , hippopotamus , monkeys and lemurs . When we stood over the crocodile pools and Ed explained that a 3-metre croc was less than a meter below me , I moved on quickly . I am certain that his powerful jaw could have easily crushed the wooden plank walkway between his teeth and my feet .
All the time with Ed , we were watching the clouds build overhead . When we heard thunder in the distance , we rushed to the exit . It was time to ride , and the weather was not going to beat us .
Our ride along the final stretch of Route 62 , was not without some fun .
With the tar bending its way through the Langkloof valley , we had a fantastic ride . I could feel how Mike got into his groove and played with the brakes and throttle as we leaned left and right for an hour . Mountains threw a shadow over us and only when the terrain became open farmland again , were we affected by the wind . It was a thrilling part of the ride with the road condition being a little more adventurous . Lots of bumps , some pothole dodging and a lovely selection of hair-raising hairpin bends .
We made it to Gqeberha in the late part of the afternoon . Our final stop after two days and 850 km was at the famous Blue Flag Hobie Beach .
We had made it to the end of Route 62 and as we stood and admired the views over Algoa Bay , the sky finally opened-up . The clouds dissipated and for the first time on our journey , the sun came out to greet us . We just stood there and took it all in . Long stretches of light-golden sands are lapped by the warm Indian Ocean waters of the bay , the perfect spot for a hot summer ’ s day in the Eastern Cape .
Route 62 is a buffet of wine , perfect roads , scenic mountain vistas , wild animals , and beautiful big skies . Let ’ s not forget the flavourful characters adding authenticity to the interesting stories of the area . If you are looking for a unique twoday ride that gives you a little bit of everything , put this at the top of your bucket list .
You may get those kicks on route 66 , but on route 62 , you will score so much more and even if the weather is a crappy as a newborn ’ s nappy , I cannot say this enough , the worst day out riding , is always better than the best day not . CV
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