Coincidence…? I think not…!

In many of the places I have over-nighted, since the “Long Distance Riding” bug took over my system, I have found myself either across the road from, or very close to, Churches of various sizes and denominations… Here in Springbok, it is no different… I am staying across the road from a beautiful Dutch Reformed Church, known as “Klipkerk”… (Stone Church). As often as I can, I try and visit these churches, and so I wandered through “Klipkerk’s” grounds yesterday afternoon, and took a few photos…

The "Klipkerk" in Springbok.... Words fail me.... You gotta see it for yourself...

Against the magnificent blue sky...

You can feel the "Power", Dudes...

I cannot help but feel a deep sense of reverence when I visit places like these…

Out in the street, cars buzz by, trucks hoot, people shout to each other in greeting… But on the grounds of this church, every sound seemed to be blocked out… It was peaceful and tranquil, and the huge stone building seemed to look down on me with eyes that see every cheap thing you’ve ever done… There’s no hiding here…

All the annexes are built from the same stone, even the little nursery school behind the main building, as well as the Pastor’s office… Hats off to the architect that designed it, and thanks to the men who built it….

From inside it's grounds, all is quiet, and the world seems like a good place to be...

Last night I finally hooked up and Skyped with Allan “Worldrider” Karl in California. We had ridden together from Windhoek in Namibia, to Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania, in 2008. I asked about the road to Klein-Aus via Rosh Pinah, and he told me that it was just about the worst road he had ridden on in the three years he had been on the road…

“That frigging road is so corrugated, Man,” he said, “All it’s gonna do is mess your bike up, like it did to the wiring on mine… It’s not dangerous, but it will be the most uncomfortable ride you’ll ever have !!”

After we had logged off, (it was 3.30 am here in Springbok, and still only 5.00 pm in California…) I went into Map-Source and with the help given to me by Rob Gush earlier, plotted a new route into Klein-Aus, which I downloaded onto the GPS… (Garmin Girl whispered a relieved, “Thank You..”) I looked out of my window at 4.00am this morning, seeing the floodlit church, and wondered at the providence that got me connected to Allan tonight / this morning… I had been trying to get hold of him for days now, and just before I was about to set off on a road that would have messed with my shoulders, for sure…we eventually did…

You have to wonder…..

© 2010 GBWT