The Badger
Race Dog
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2009
- Messages
- 2,187
- Reaction score
- 2
- Bike
- BMW R1200GS Adventure
We met at Ryder in Hillcrest at 7 for departure at 7h30.
I invited customers from Ryder as well as all wild dogs and what a turnout it was. 13 bikes in total with three bikes carrying pillions.
3 x Adv , 2 x Gs(1200), 4 x GS800’s , 1 xT660z , 1 x 990 Ktm , 1 x Ktm 690 and 1 x Ktm 640.
Mike the chief mechanic from Ryder Hillcrest was there to make sure all the bikes were ready for a days fun and topped up oil etc. Nice one Mike,Thanks. :thumleft: :thumleft:
The dogs where EssBee and Michelle, Lamo, 777, Navi, Harry and myself and Fran.
It had been raining for the last two days so I did not know what condition the tracks would be in. There were a few slippery sections so we had to be carefull. 777 had a small wash out on one of the corners but the only damage was a bent brake lever.
We rode through Hillcrest and dropped into the Valley of a Thousand hills towards Inanda Dam. The views where spectacular and the day perfect.
We turned on to the dirt at the top of Inanda dam and headed over Mtata Mountain then over the next and headed north towards the R614 between Tongaat and Wartburg wich was my first checkpoint. While we were gathering our thoughts a few guys had fun with a mini wheelie fest……only the 1200 adv that is. Strange to see the hooligans on the Bm’s and the Ktm’s watching. A lot of fun and laughs.
I got stuck in a muddy rut by taking the wrong line and had to be helped out by Lamo….. thanks china. The wet red mud sections caused a few RIGANAUGHTIS moments but all made it through. Lucky we had the small Ktm’s with who could go ahead and recce some sections before going in with the Bm’s.
Thanks 777 and Darren.
From there we headed north towards Stanger and dropped into the Mapumulo valley. This awesome valley runs from Stanger all the way to Greytown with roads next to the river on both sides. It is truly one of those hidden gems…..like the Umkomaas valley south of Durban. It is just so rural and Fran and I were shouting in our helmets from the sheer awesomeness of the area.
We stopped at a spaza shop for refreshments ( Zululand dumpies and cokes). Darren and Leeanne found that their bottle of water had burst inside the topbox……..what a mess.
We then headed west inland and wound our way up the valley and just before Greytown I headed south and climbed out to Dalton where we headed to the Hof in Wartburg for lunch. From there we headed to Nagel Dam and then Cato Ridge where we said our goodbyes.
I must say that this was one of the first semi big rides that I could set a decent pace. We were all relatively competent so some of the sections were nice and fast. All the recent rains kept the dust down as well.
288 km’s in total and four small falls and no punctures……NICE
Thanks to everyone who joined us……….Till next time.
I invited customers from Ryder as well as all wild dogs and what a turnout it was. 13 bikes in total with three bikes carrying pillions.
3 x Adv , 2 x Gs(1200), 4 x GS800’s , 1 xT660z , 1 x 990 Ktm , 1 x Ktm 690 and 1 x Ktm 640.
Mike the chief mechanic from Ryder Hillcrest was there to make sure all the bikes were ready for a days fun and topped up oil etc. Nice one Mike,Thanks. :thumleft: :thumleft:
The dogs where EssBee and Michelle, Lamo, 777, Navi, Harry and myself and Fran.
It had been raining for the last two days so I did not know what condition the tracks would be in. There were a few slippery sections so we had to be carefull. 777 had a small wash out on one of the corners but the only damage was a bent brake lever.
We rode through Hillcrest and dropped into the Valley of a Thousand hills towards Inanda Dam. The views where spectacular and the day perfect.
We turned on to the dirt at the top of Inanda dam and headed over Mtata Mountain then over the next and headed north towards the R614 between Tongaat and Wartburg wich was my first checkpoint. While we were gathering our thoughts a few guys had fun with a mini wheelie fest……only the 1200 adv that is. Strange to see the hooligans on the Bm’s and the Ktm’s watching. A lot of fun and laughs.
I got stuck in a muddy rut by taking the wrong line and had to be helped out by Lamo….. thanks china. The wet red mud sections caused a few RIGANAUGHTIS moments but all made it through. Lucky we had the small Ktm’s with who could go ahead and recce some sections before going in with the Bm’s.
Thanks 777 and Darren.
From there we headed north towards Stanger and dropped into the Mapumulo valley. This awesome valley runs from Stanger all the way to Greytown with roads next to the river on both sides. It is truly one of those hidden gems…..like the Umkomaas valley south of Durban. It is just so rural and Fran and I were shouting in our helmets from the sheer awesomeness of the area.
We stopped at a spaza shop for refreshments ( Zululand dumpies and cokes). Darren and Leeanne found that their bottle of water had burst inside the topbox……..what a mess.
We then headed west inland and wound our way up the valley and just before Greytown I headed south and climbed out to Dalton where we headed to the Hof in Wartburg for lunch. From there we headed to Nagel Dam and then Cato Ridge where we said our goodbyes.
I must say that this was one of the first semi big rides that I could set a decent pace. We were all relatively competent so some of the sections were nice and fast. All the recent rains kept the dust down as well.
288 km’s in total and four small falls and no punctures……NICE
Thanks to everyone who joined us……….Till next time.
