An 11 hr Overberg 'Ompad' and a little bit of Helshoogte exploration: Lotsopics

So I heard that Rooipoot was going to ride up to George and then ride back with Trailrider  and LetsgoFishing to show them a little about what the Overberg have to offer.

Being in the Baviaans just the weekend before, with the Robertson CHildren's home ride coming up and with the petrol price being what it is I couldn't stretch the budget all the way to George and back on this one.

The plan for them was to overnight in Witsand and then go over the pontoon at Malgas, so I thought it would be the best thing to meet up with them at Malgas

I set out at 06:30 and arrived at about 8:30 at Buffeljags to refeul, get something to eat and be on my way for the last 30 odd k's to 'Die Pont'.


Being this time of year it was still dark for most of the ride to Buffeljags, but I tried my hand at some beautiful mountain scenery close to the tunnel's entrance:


I'm still getting to grips with this shutter speed thing...

*groan*




Moving right along...


I arrived a little early (as planned) at Malgas and took the time checking out the scenery and setting up a photo or two.



I swear I'm the only one that can make a big GS look small...




Then I heard the familiar thumping sound of LGF's DRZ coming over the hills.



With TR and Rooipoot just after:




We did the usual 'greetings' and 'how was the ride up to now' banter and then we were off.
I didn't take too many photos of the pontoon - I'll leave that to Trailrider to comment on in his ride report.

We took a couple of back roads that would eventually get us to Stormsvlei and Riviersonderend:

LGF cicking some dust:



The 200's doing the same:


I tell you, dry and brown as it is at the moment, the Overberg area still have much to offer in terms of views and scenery.

We eventually made our way to Stormsvlei.
Look at this - yip - its a mall!
;D ;D ;D



Just after Stormsvlei's bridge we turned left onto a road that runs parallel to the N2 but much higher.

Beautiful scenery all over again.
We didn't go far when we saw this house on the side of the road.

We just had to stop.

Bear with me and the photos of the GS. I'm not trying to showit off.
I just love the bike.
;D



The other 800 cc's that was with:


Again Sauerkraut from another angle. Somehow I loved the (relatively) modern sleek lines of the GS compared to the rugged and totally worn textures of the old house.


Stillife: 'n Bouval, 'n Rooi Vark en 'n Varkkneukel:
;D ;D



Rooipoot inside.
This is one of the coolest '60plussers' that I know.


LGF just after putting the pipe away.
While sitting there in the shade of that tree we could also not help but wonder what it has
seen. The lifes and times when this broken and ruin of a house was still a home to someone.

It was a quick stop for lunch and petrol at Riviersonderend. While we were sitting there a familiar face came smiling towards the table where we were sitting: Non other than Sprocketbek that was on his way through. It is always lekker to bump into fellow dogs in other parts of the world.

Now this is where the journey started to get intersting (and us being priviledged). Rooipoot is a farmer from this part of the world, so (as Uiltjie also) he has 'contacts' and friends who owns farms in the most amazing places. This was one of them.
Just outside of Riviersonderent on the Capetown side, if you look towards the right, you'll see a mountain range in front of you. The farmroads took us over that one.

And the next one..

Again, I didn't take many photos - I'll leave that to Trailrider in his report.

One of the 'driffies' that goes over the river collapsed from the recent floods and we had to go through the river:




This photo tries to give you an idea of the roads and the angles that some of them rise:


There's a 'moonlandscape' surrounding the beacon that I forgot to take a photo of ( Yeah, I was too busy checking out where we were and what I could take in), but suffice to say that it is high up and the views from there are awesome.

This is on our way just before decending on the other side.


TR:


Zoomed in a little:


Our tour guide showed Greyton to us and then we took another detour that took us over another mountain (or two) and eventually down joining the tar road at Theewaterskloof dam at the golf estate.
This was LGF just before we reached the highest point before decending on the Villiersdorp side:


There was one major obstacle ahead of us - we needed to get the Pig through the gap on the side of a gate (that also is a helova steep angle) - TR will no doubt post some photos in his report - I was too busy trying to not damage the GS to think about a camera.


This day's riding started when I put my delicate little hiny into the GS seat by 6:30 and it stopped when I took it out at Rooipoot's house at 17:30...

It was such an enjoyable riding day with so many things to see/smell/feel/experience that it didn't matter. If someone there and then said - 'lets go back and do it again' I would have been there.

As usual the evening was spent with lots of laughter, a little philosophy and just enjoying the company of very cool people.

I couldn't join them for the rest of the trip - the plan was anyway to leave for home that evening still, but Rooipoot organised me a place to sleep in his house, so I only had to get up and go the next morning.

This was us just after the chain maintenance and before departure:



800cc in my rearview mirror:


Again - Sauerkraut:


The guys leaving for Van Der Stel pass and BOtrivier:


Riding in convoy with a mountainbiker - it didn't last long ;D ;D





I took Franschoek pass - one of the 'pull off and view' spots. I got chills down my spine when I saw one of the memorial crosses there.
It is 'vrek' high there... Straight down..


I decided to take Pniel and Helshoogte home.
This was before Pniel:



On hitting Helshoogte I remembered that Droffarc posted about the old pass a while ago.
I was still wondering where it was when I saw this:


I turned off into it and it turned out to be the best decision of the day:


I came 'round a corner and saw this:


Who would not have taken the little road.

Yeah - I thought so.

That little road became this:


And this to the other side:



Went down again and got to the dam:


I will go back to explore these - I didn't want to rush it and I really didn't have that much time:



The second beacon in two days. This was a good weekend...



From the beacon down again:



Looking down on the dam on the decent:


Going 'round the dam and riding past another dam wall:



By this time I was really pusing time and decided to head on down and out.

Saw this on the way down:


Looks like we are allowed to be there.
I will be back with the right people. I cannot see that the authorities are going to be thrilled by having childish people on noisy plastic bikes stirring up the environment there.

As with the rides that Rooipoot organised, to ride areas like this is and will always be a privilege and not a right. We need to use the privilege in such a way that it doesn't get taken away from us.

About 20 minutes later I pulled into my driveway - very satisfied on two days WELL spent.



Thanks again for TR, LGF and Rooipoot for the great company.

Thanks Rooipoot for organising this and for your hospitality at your home.

Thanks Eisbein, some places look familiar, some don't!  We will have to go there some time.

Now where is TR's report? >

Very nice report Eisbein :thumleft:

Some pics there, thanks for posting. You guys have some awesome places to ride in that area

Uiltjie said:

Now where is TR's report? >

Click to expand...

Ja Ja, it's coming.

Very nice report Eisbein! Great pics as usual. Thanks again for joining us ;D

Very nice Eisbein  :thumbsup:

Eisbein said:

Our tour guide showed Greyton to us and then we took another detour that took us over another mountain (or two) and eventually down joining the tar road at Theewaterskloof dam at the golf estate.
This was LGF just before we reached the highest point before decending on the Villiersdorp side:

Click to expand...

Lekker report and pics Eis...

Just some facts.
A few years ago I handled the Liquidation of the farm just to the left of LGF helmet and often rode around that mountain from the Greyton side to the Villiersdorp tar road. There are a road on that farm that leads highr in the mountain to an "illegal built" moer of a beeeg dam. Due to the water presure from that dam the farm use only balancing dams to control the irrigation and does not need pumps. A few km past the jail enroute to Greyton on your right there is a hall with 4 train cars, 2 on each side. The previous owner of the said farm loved to party and build this to accomodate his pissed quests after a night long joll.

Hey Eisbein

Lekker Report!!!

Moenie worry nie, ek neem ook gedurig fotos van my fiets. Ek dink ek is verslaaf, hahaha!!!

My girlfriend sê ek is weird??? ???

As jy daai Helshoogte paaie verder gaan verken, hou my in gedagte asb?

Sal verseker wil saam kom. :blob10:

En ek belowe ek sal mooi ry... >

Cheers
Bus

Thanks for the comments all!

Bus - I'll keep you in mind yes.

Ama - very intersting 'storie agter die storie'. Thanks!

Bus said:

En ek belowe ek sal mooi ry... >

Click to expand...

Bus........is dit moontlik ?    :

Jou voorwiel sal heeltyd op die grond moet bly, jy besef dit ?    ;D ;D ;D ;D

bmad said:

You guys have some awesome places to ride in that area

Click to expand...

Thanks!

The intersting thing was with having Trailrider and LGF there (who are used to beautiful scenery on the garden route and surrounds) - they were as much blown away with this than I was with the Garden route routes.

Living in the Western Cape is a blessing.

There is so much to see just around the corner.

Nice!

Thanks for the report Eisbein. Love the scenery.
I have not ridden the Old Hellshoogte pass yet but this pic looks like it could be the Idasvallei dam.
...is that rock the Simonsberg?

Eisbein said:

Click to expand...

Thanks, Do you feel like exploring some of those roads this coming Saturday?

Operator said:

Bus said:

En ek belowe ek sal mooi ry... >

Click to expand...

Bus........is dit moontlik ?    :

Jou voorwiel sal heeltyd op die grond moet bly, jy besef dit ?    ;D ;D ;D ;D

Click to expand...

Ek sal hom forseer om met sy motard slicks te ry!

;D ;D

Thanks, LS - I think it is the Idasvalley dam and Simonsberg.


This Saturday ? Going to Robertson for the Orphan Children's home thing...


Here's the Google link:

Google Map

Thanks Eisbein great report, I see the creative juices are flowing with the photos, very nice, also nice to see well sized photos that dont take forever to load, ask Bmad one of my pet hates, and is one of the main reasons I dont open too many ride reports.
well done, you guys have some awesome country to ride in.

Thanks, BM!

Yeah - I hate waiting forever to download fotos that scroll off the screen.

Still lots of photos, but at between 80k and 110k per photo it doesn't take that long to load.
People lose interest if they wait too long.


Yeah we are blessed in the WesternCape and Boland aren't we ?

Eisbein said:

Operator said:

Bus said:

En ek belowe ek sal mooi ry... >

Click to expand...

Bus........is dit moontlik ?     :

Jou voorwiel sal heeltyd op die grond moet bly, jy besef dit ?    ;D ;D ;D ;D

Click to expand...

Ek sal hom forseer om met sy motard slicks te ry!

;D ;D

Click to expand...

Hahaha!!! En wat van die agterwiel? >

Ja-nee manne, ek sal maar my Ritalins moet drink voor ek wegtrek.

En 'n paar gewigte aan die voorwiel hang, soos 'n trekker...

Ek sien moerse uit, kannie wag nie!!!

En ja, eerder die naweek na hierdie een, ek is van Vrydag af in Jozi vir 'n opskop...

Ama ride ride said:

Lekker report and pics Eis...

Just some facts.
A few years ago I handled the Liquidation of the farm just to the left of LGF helmet and often rode around that mountain from the Greyton side to the Villiersdorp tar road. There are a road on that farm that leads highr in the mountain to an "illegal built" moer of a beeeg dam. Due to the water presure from that dam the farm use only balancing dams to control the irrigation and does not need pumps. A few km past the jail enroute to Greyton on your right there is a hall with 4 train cars, 2 on each side. The previous owner of the said farm loved to party and build this to accomodate his pissed quests after a night long joll.

Click to expand...

We obtained permission from the present owners to use the road, but were specifically asked not to go past the cottages to the dam, as there were visitors for the weekend. Have been there myself in the past, though.

Was looking the other way coming into the turnoff, so did not notice if the rail cars were still there........ Weren't they used for labourer's accomodation at some stage?

Cottages available: Google Rusty Gate Farm

(Cottages can be seen on photo in Trailrider's report)

Uitstekende report... thanks manne