TVB trot 3 days in the footsteps of a true adventurer

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

For incase you having a moment, I’m talking about Xpat.

He doesn't venture here any more sadly and will most probably not read this brief Ride Report but before I start I just want to make it clear that the pictures were mostly taken by him and that we did not stop often.

We were out to explore a bit but mostly ride so this is not your typical geological and historical Ride Report but more a of a collage of cellphone pictures and a short titbit in-between.

So last year January I got this Rally 300cc and shortly after riding it off the dealers floor I was having buyers remorse like immediate buyers remorse.
I thought a 300 is closer to a 500 but nope, it felt very pap and more like my sons old 125

For days on end I was toying with the idea of taking my loss and sell it back to the dealer.
However, I thought to wait.

I then wanted to buy an aftermarket shock but Delta airways said it got to be dismantled so I decided I’ll address that issue at my fav bike shop in Pretoria aka Conrad at Offroad Cycles if I do decide to keep the bike.

Sunday night I landed at JHB and I ran into Xpat. He met my family (sister and hubby) and then ask if I will (want) to join him and Bart coming weekend on a 3 day ride in NW and Limpopo. I jumped at it!!

So Thursday night Lipstick was packed and ready for adventure

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

I was still trying to adjust and with a time difference of 8 hours and seasonal difference I managed only 3.5hrs of sleep

Still the excitement got me rolling and as I pulled in at Magaliesburg Spar from the East Xpat came down the hill from the West.
Sadly Bart could not make it.

So we left for Derby and got our meat and wors at a local butcher/meat market.

My bike looked like a pregnant cow with the Huge saddle bags and was it not for the fact that I needed room for sleeping bag and stuff I would have kept the Blizzards on which suits the bike way better

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

As we proceeded Xpat made a quick stop and got us some zamalec for the nights braai just to ‘partake’ a little around the fire.
We proceeded to Koster and I was in an instant torn in two when I looked at a corn field to the South.
If only the farmer new the potential of the new genetically modified corn, how much closer you can plant them and how he might better his yield.
I digress, so we hit the dirt just after Koster and continued all the way to Groot Marico Oog thankfully avoiding any more towns and people.
We arrived and I still have fond memories of when we were there on the 2010 NE bash which ZAR organized.

Thomas on his Fiat 640 which was awesome back in the 80’s and nice to see a well kept working example

Nothing has changed which is good and bad
For some reason it quieted down and the bottle plant - spring water - is no more

And this was memorable

we remembered bedding and most cutlery except dinner plates and salt

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

just to give you an idea of seasonal and time difference, just got sent this pic by a kid I befriended here in Brits currently in North Dakota

Needless to say neither Xpat nor me could sleep that night, and we had no melatonin to our aid. We managed a bit of sleep but we took it in our stride.
That man is as tough as they come and I pretended

to keep up….ok admittedly I was slower in the enduro, so much so that I got treated to ride the 690 with long ratio gearbox and other magic like WP suspension compared to Honda’s sorry ass ‘pap mattress suspention’
You can’t even call that a suspension but you know what? We rode it and made it work

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

So day 2 was all about spending a couple of hours at the ‘Groot Marico oog’ which is 17 meters deep and Cristal clear
If you want to lear more about it just have a look on Google or I tell you what; go there and have a time of your life. We were running around like ‘a head without it’s chicken’

The uncle’ was struggling with light and to find his mojo but Xpat was on a roll

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

Xpat went for a few laps (sho off

) and I just gooffed around since there was no life guard on duty and no inflatable swan.
All his pictures are on my phone though, I am to lazy to download them now

Xpat’s eye in phone camera is very well synchronized

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

Last couple:

Hard to tell, appeared to be tilapia

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

So we said our goodbyes, on the way out one car with a guy in a suv with a rooftop tent pulled in. It’s quit there these days over a weekend it seems.
Plan for the day:

Marico oog, Zeerust, Gopane, Mosela sela lodge.

Turned out to be my best enduro ride ever

At Gopane you literally climb a mountain with a loose rocky trail and then you start navigating all over - felt like a maze somewhat and Xpat knew the trail….without him I was lost and I had no service.
So herewith the little pictures because when you ride there is no time for hoytitoyti fannying about - just ride and smile

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

More:

Here I am on his steed

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

And some:

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

Got more:

Swabbed bikes ever so often

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

And:

Scenery changes quick
Back in the day I did armored training in Zeerust - this reminds me of Rooisloot

I was in 2SSB and later got deployed for 16 months as a signal man in Oshakati Namibia

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

The sandmonster was ever present sometimes catching you (me) asleep but I never felt intimidated although it was Way better on the 690 as in 100%

We never got pictures of the real deep sand bit trust me it’s there

These sections were fast fun on the KTM

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

Spaza shop was cool
They got that ‘smell’ of maize and parafin and sweet and sour

And then just as we passed a big lake which I wanted to photograph I got a snakebiter on the front tyre

Oh what to do, ptsd? No it’s easy when you have a tough guy handy

A nice tannie stopped and offered help from the next farm - this is fairly remote
We thanked her for her beautiful heart

Proof that tough okes sometimes plays with soft toys

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

Then:

Ok my phone is on low battery - I just need to get it on a cable to get to last ones uploaded

This was however apart from the riding the highlight - it was an amazing moment and there are more to come

TVB · Dec 1, 2024

Then we continued agains time, far and hard riding and I lost track and just hoped I could keep up bit Xpat will always breathe you and if you take too long he will somehow track you down which happened