Bloody Muddy Canal Ride - 20-12-09

JaWellNoFine!!!!

This was one for the cards. Initially this ride was billed as a pillion-friendly newbie ride, but that was upset by Saturday night's rain.

We had a good turnout, with myself and CrazyKid as my pillion, Welsh, GundaGunda, Leondude, Jaymoer, Frog, BeemerMike, Grim, and a guy called Gavin, who has not yet registered, but has admitted to lurking quite a bit on the forum.

NickyO didn't get the change of time, and by 08-05 we assumed that she had decided not to ride, and the rest of us left.

Saturday night's rain put paid to any idea that we were going to be at Beestekraal for a mid-morning brunch. The dreaded mud-monster struck a few of us; some, including myself and Gunda at least twice    Gunda performed an extremely graceful dismount in the middle of a large puddle ( Jaymoer has evidence  >  )

We also have it on good authority that as long as the rider has at least one hand on the handlebars, the "off" is to be referred to as a "side-stand incident", and not an "off"!

After man-handling BeemerMike's bike out of the mud more than once, he opted out of completing the ride on dirt, and decided that he would gap it by tar to Beestekraal, where he met NickyO who had arrived at the Wimpy soon after we left and decided to continue solo to meet up with us.

Eventually the mud became very thick and sticky, and Jaymoer lost his front mudguard on the KTM as a result of mud packing up tight between the wheel and the mudguard.

This buildup of mud led to the front wheels locking up on Gunda's bike, as well as mine, causing each of us to perform a spectacular second dismount. CrazyKid ended up with a sore neck as well as a twisted ankle, and Welsh kindly offered to pillion him out to a tar road while I got my pony up and going again. Soon after this, Gunda and I decided to remove our front mudguards, and take a chance on running the bikes hot as a result of mud slinging into the radiators. We also decided to cut the last 40-odd km out of the route, and head for lunch via tar roads.  Fortunately the bikes did not overheat from too much mud buildup in the radiators, and we made it to B'Kraal without further incident.

I know this thread is useless without pics, so will edit this post soon with the edited version of my pics.

Thanks to all who made this ride a memorable one, and for all the help in getting bikes unstuck.

It was a pleasure to ride with you, and here's looking forward to the next one  :thumleft:

I know what you guys are thinking. This is no way to treat a new Tenere. You are wrong the bike had a great intro to the canal road, and from here it will only be easier. We both had lots of fun!

But manhandling a bike through that mud is hard work for an old man – gonna sleep well tonight.

Thanks to all that made it memorable – certainly won’t forget that mud quickly !

The above mentioned sidestand event !

Huh ?



Front wheel seized up from the mud – trying to wash the wheel clean.





This shot does no justice to the snottiness of the surface. Horrible grabby clayey stuff.





The Sirac is not a mud tyre. The tread blocks turned into slicks, and the gaps packed solid. Not fun. 

Stunning ride. :ricky: After clogging up the front wheel (TKC non the less) for the fifth time and having to ride puddle to puddle I decided to rather be sensible and hoof it on tar to Beestekraal instead. I stopped at a carwash to hose out under the front mudguard and I had to bribe the car wash guy with a coke before he would let me use the hosepipe.

Very interesting feeling, pulling off in mud with a charge and rear wheel spinning whilst the front wheel merely slides along without turning.

Many thanks to all that helped push and pull and free the front wheel on all those occasions, and thanks all for an awesome ride!

Nice RR but taking a pig on mud like that respect, if you loose one second concentration it lays down to wallow in the mud. 

I didn't get many pics today as my camera was at home, so only a few cell pics. BeemerMike made a good choice in backing out, the road only got worse from there. Three bikes had their front mudgaurds removed before the end of the ride, to stop clogging.
I really don't know how Welsh took the GSV through there, that stuff was really bad.
Thanks for a fantastic time, it was great riding, pushing, pulling, slipping, sliding and whatnot with you guys!  :biggrin:
And next time I say it's a newby friendly ride, check the weather.  >

Here's some pics.

So Sharky, it was like 3 or 4 years ago, EVIL, Shark you lost a title today, this was "A NEWBIE RIDE FROM HELL" phrases like pillion freindly, love them... I had 2 OFFS Grim had 2 highly amusing ones, I was right there  :biggrin: :biggrin:
There was some water (it was established that whatever side I chose, take the other it is shallower!!!)


There was a christening :biggrin:


Grim bought a farm (this was first time) he got part of a homeland later...


This stuff was the issue, front wheel stops turning, only the GSV rolled on through... I think the weight drags it down to bedrock  :biggrin:


Then we got to Beestkrall, a single beer and burger not even a quart, Grim lost his keys  ??? and we got chatted up by some girls from Maun  8)


So guys, this is where you assess the sanity, we didn,t fancy a tar troll all the way back, so after Beestkraal, we filled up a Greens just down the road, Grim says do you know where this dirt road goes to next to the garage, I stupidly said yes!!!!!!

So we cut across at speed down the NICE SAND ROADS NO KAK... ended up at the tree near the rock ands then caught the canal road again, only a few km later did I realise, we were back tracking, we re-rode that entire section in reverse, but about 4 hours later, it was drier and we were moving faster, no issues (oh yes both Grim and I had an off) and I was cramping up by the time we got to Fung brothers, so a stop was essential!!! :biggrin: Finally home by 5:30, 11 hours in the saddle 320- km,s  8)      

Classic :imaposer:

That's not an off - it's just mean lean angle.

Fugly said:

Classic :imaposer:

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He's just doing what he was told - "Look at your exit point though the bend"

What no picture can show is the directional control, you would exit water and see "hard pack" it had the stability of greasy snot, you never felt in control, the front wheel clogs up and down they go...... 

Thanks to all. I really enjoyed the day in the mud. Something different for a change plus no serious casualties.

Fugly said:

Click to expand...

It's not a off, there is no separation!

A big thanks to all ,  :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

What a lovley day we all had playing in the mud :3some:. These roads will never been the same again for me.  :biggrin:

This will be one to remeber. :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky:

(can't post pics? could someone please let me know how to do it? :lamer

O0

LeonDude said:

That's not an off - it's just mean lean angle.

Click to expand...

Yes yes. I was in total control all the time.

Actually that is me trying to adopt a "bathing beauty"pose, but in a pool of mud behind a horizontal bike it does not quite work.  ;D :biggrin: ;D 

Jaymoer said:

(can't post pics? could someone please let me know how to do it? :lamer

Click to expand...

I am not sure I want to see those pics.

We can't post pics as attachments on the forum - we have a space problem until the forum moves in a month or so. 

What I did was post the pics on PhotoBucket and put links in my post. PM me if you would like a walk-through.

Awesome guys, loks like super fun!  :thumleft:

dam( excuses the pun) but that looked like a lekker ride, wish i could make it.

hey GG, now the tenere is ready for anything!!! :thumleft:

madmike999 said:

dam( excuses the pun) but that looked like a lekker ride, wish i could make it.

hey GG, now the tenere is ready for anything!!! :thumleft:

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I think the Tenere had lots of fun and took it all in it's stride. Its in the garage sulking saying, "Hey you Gundaman. Get ofa youra bum and lets go ride and sweeem" - (The italian accent is cos it's made in Eeetalee)

There was so much mud to wash off that we don't need to top-dress the lawn. 

oooeeeee my 4x4 ride saw me staying much dryer!! 

:eek7: Goeie hel! Tot watter uiterstes gaan julle die anti-teerpad rebellie nog vat?

Ek het nou al 'n paar maal 'n geadverteerde kanaal-trippie hier op die Forum in die stilligheid oorweeg, maar nog elke keer uit ge-chicken omdat ek nie die vrede vertrou nie Daai moddermonster is genadeloos > Nogtans welgedaan almal van julle :ricky: