Day 6 -Following the track to the east- 22 october 2009

It was an early rise and shine for the bikers who went to the schools to spread the word.

According to the girls the welcomes were awesome! Not only did the schools come up with loads of donations for the Journey, they also gave special gifts to the riders.

During breakfast at Bilo's on the outskirts of Upington, a resident who was enjoying a cup of coffee came to inquire about the Journey. She originally comes from Sweden and has been a biker all her life. At 74 she now owns a guest house In Upington, but no longer rides a bike ("my daughter said if she finds me on a bike, she will never come and visit me again!"). She was really impressed with the work the Journey was doing and wanted to know if she could make a donation - which she did on the spot.

A firm in Upington has the world rights to build the Gyrocopters - a flying machine somewhere between a helicopter and a plane - and Yolandi Mocke Combrink organized for one of the to fly over so that the ladies could see it. Thank you Yolandi - also for all your hard work to make the Journey's visit to Upington a memorable one. You and Fransie van Niekerk did an awesome job and are true ambassadors for Journey of Hope.

And so are all the guest house owners who not only opened their accommodations to us, but also their hearts!
It was time to leave and head north. The road was bumpy and filled with big trucks. Several perfect photo moments were captured with the most vivid one probably Janie sitting at one of those well known concrete picnic table and chairs with a bottle of water and a "windpomp" in the background.

Olifantshoek
A quick breather at Olifantshoek turned into a very pleasant get together with the ladies from the town and some survivors at Alte-fijn, a coffee shop and gift centre which had opened only two weeks ago.

Kathu
On the way to Kathu the clouds started to gather and the wind picked up. The bikes had to stop along the road at Kathu, for the local newspaper to get a sweeping shot of the riders.

Vryburg
A magical town - from the cavalry of bikes, four wheelers and trucks that escorted the bikes literally through the WHOLE of the town to the showground, to the moving lighting of candles on the pavilion for friends who had not made it.

Riding in the parade on the back of Janie's bike was a very special lady from Bloemfontein. Karen has been diagnosed with breast cancer and she had desperately wanted to go on the Journey, but was not accepted.
After a delicious dinner and entertainment that included singing and dancing the girls parted with their bikes and the whole party moved to Boerplaas outside the town for a well deserved rest.

Thanks to Hannes van Aswegen and Hennie Stolts who had orchestrated the Vryburg visit. You guys really rock!

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