Duo take lifelong friendship on epic road trip
A Holland benefactor, Godfather and 1, 927, 27 km's later, Gert Morerwa and Toban McMahon, fulfilled their dream.
HAENERTSBURG – The two met at Haenertsburg Primary School and a lifelong friendship emerged. They both dreamt of travelling the country and decided to turn their dream into a reality.
Toban managed to acquire funds through a few handyman jobs that he did around the village and Gert, with the help of a Holland benefactor and his Godfather, James Turner.
After acquiring the funds, the two planned their trip and cycled a total 1, 927. 27 km from Magaliesberg to Cape Town, riding an average of 93km’s a day.
The two rode with a tent, sleeping bags, a mattress, tinned food and clothing all packed onto the bicycles. They spent 19 days on the road and rested for two days in Augrabies and Kuruman.
The duo met many people along the way as they stayed in caravan parks and backpackers along the way. Gert also had the opportunity of witnessing the Great Atlantic Ocean when they arrived in Strandfontein.
They visited the Moffat Mission in Kuruman and also cycled past Lamberts Bay and Yzerfontein. This is where a relative of James, Ann du Toit, took it upon herself to fetch them as she felt it wasn’t safe for them to cycle along the N2 and also saw to their accommodation. The two stayed in Betty’s Bay and Simon’s Town.
As soon as they arrived in Cape Town, they attended the premiere of the District Six documentary and visited some of the attractions in the area. They also went rock climbing, this was a breeze for Toban but a first for Gert.
Heading back, the two loaded their bicycles onto a train which was travelling from Cape Town to Johannesburg.
Toban, who wants to pursue a career in craft making, and Gert who want to study politics in the following year, extended their gratitude to the benefactor in Holland, Ann du Toit, James Turner and Toban’s mother, Julie McMahon for affording them the opportunity to turn their dream into a reality.
