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CT to Namibia - by bike!

Cape Town - Mountain bike enthusiasts Riccardo Stermin and Trevor Seinen will embark this weekend on a 916km cycle from Cape Town to Grunau, in the southern region of Namibia.

Stermin, 49, who has been a keen cyclist for the past 12 years and has participated in two Absa Cape Epic races to date, has visited Grunau on an annual basis since 1986.

Stermin will be using the ride as preparation for another adventure later in the year: the Trans Baviaans 230km one-day mountain bike stage race.

The challenge awaiting Stermin goes beyond the near 1 000km of road that lies ahead, in that he tore the retina in his left eye in November 2010, and the retina in his right eye is "hanging on by a thread". In addition, he has been diagnosed with Glaucoma and has distorted vision in his left eye and has had two of three Avastin injections in the eye to try and solve the problem.

Stermin's wife, understandably concerned at the thought of her intrepid husband tackling the challenge alone, insisted he rope in a companion. As a result, Trevor "The Beast" Seinen will accompany Stermin as they set off on their six-day adventure on Sunday, July 22.

Seinen, 45, will be blogging on a daily basis.

The pair plan on making use of district roads up to Springbok, from where they will have no alternative but to use the N7.

Stermin and Seinen will have no back up at all and all spare clothing, tools etc will be carried while peddling. They plan on staying at B&Bs in the various towns they pass through.

Daily route and distances:

Day 1 - Sunday, July 22
Welgemoed to Piketberg via Durbanville and Malmesbury - 146km

Day 2 - Monday, July 23
Piketberg to Vredendal via the R365 - 166km

Day 3 - Tuesday, July 24
Vredendal to Garies via Kotzesrus - 169km

Day 4 - Wednesday, July 25
Garies to Springbok via Leliefontein - 136km

Day 5 - Thursday, July 26
Springbok to Vioolsdrift (SA Border to Namibia) - 123km

Day 6 - Friday, July 27
Vioolsdrift to Grunau and then onto game farm named Nakais - 176km


Riccardo Stermin in action in the Absa Cape Epic (File)
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