5 Days ON OUR OWN

[Walkaway]

Very much appreciated. Fantastic photo's.
You have caused this area to be a "must-do" on my bucket list.
Thanks. :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[Vis Arend]

Thanks to you all.

Yes, 777, the Garmin worked just fine, thx you.  It helped me out a couple of times.

 

[Vis Arend]

Here is day 4 , not so eventfull as the others, but non the less lekka.  I suppose we were spoiled by the 1st 3 days.

DAY 4

During the night it bucketed down with rain.  We woke up with the area soaked in water.  Our plan was to do Tiffendale, but with day 2’s expiernience still fresh in mind, this trip was abandoned.  We decided rather to push on to Gariep dam and to cabin there.  On route we would do the Joubert Pass and have a peep at Lady Grey dam, from there it would be Aliwal North,  Bethulie and then Gariep.

On route to Joubert Pass

Joubert Pass

Lady Grey as seen from the top of Joubert Pass

Going down Joubert Pass

Lady Grey Dam

The scenery of the surrounding area

On route from Aliwal to Bethulie

Said to be the longest bridge in ZA  -  1.2km long  -  the bridge over the Orange River.

Bethulie

We stopped in Bethule for a drink and met a guy there who is also a WD by name of Lupo and his wife Miss Piggy.  He offered us accommodation which turned out to be a “bikepackers”.  What a friendly bunch of people.  We accepted and decided to stay for the night.

This a part of the house inside.

 

[Vis Arend]

DAY 5

The rain followed us from day 1 and without fail, it again rained nonstop through the night. 
Our route for the day would be to Somerset East via Gariep dam, Colesburg, Middleburg and Graaff Reinett.

The street in front of our accommodation at Bethulie

The road between Bethulie and Gariep

Gariep dam

Another bridge over the Orange River

Gariep dam is more than 100% full

Bridge over troubled waters

Gariep dam from the view point

The road from here was pretty boring until we passed these guys on the road between Middelburg and Graaff Reinett.  Man, it looked cool.

Graaff Reinett

We had a quick visit at the Valley of Desolation

Me, myself and I

Short shit..........

The dam at Graaff Reinett

The dam almost over flowing

We slept over at Somerset East and left the next morning for King William’s Town (home) as I had other ideas brewing in my head that needed urgent attention.  That for another day.

 

[KAT-WP]

This RR just gets better & better.......

Beautiful church there, is that in Graaff Reinett?

 

[Walkaway]

Great pictures once again. Thanks. :thumleft:

 

[W1P30UT]

Looks like I really need to make a trip there... awesome roads and scenery.

 

[Vis Arend]

This RR just gets better & better.......

Beautiful church there, is that in Graaff Reinett?

Yebo

Great pictures once again. Thanks. :thumleft:

Looks like I really need to make a trip there... awesome roads and scenery.

:thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[JACOVV]

Soos oom Oubaas sou se: "'n Verslag uit die boonste gestoeltes"  :mwink:

Baie baie mooi foto's en dis 'n voorreg as jou vrou saamry.

 

[wildside]

Such a beautiful part of the country.
Thanks for sharing it with us and well done to you both.

 

[LeonDude]

Fantastic report, thanks. Five days of rain must have been hectic, especially with a pillion on those road conditions. Add to that having to put on wet gloves, a wet helmet and wet boots, I think you guys did fantastic.
Hope the next one has fairer weather!
Oh, also hope you don't wait too long to do another great one like this.  :thumleft:

 

[bowsprit]

Great job, great photos! Thanks.

 

[Vis Arend]

Dankie JMOL :thumleft:

Oh, also hope you don't wait too long to do another great one like this.  :thumleft:

If all go well, we will be doing a Namibia trip end April begin May.

Such a beautiful part of the country.
Thanks for sharing it with us and well done to you both.

Great job, great photos! Thanks.

:thumleft:

 

[Peat]

Nice Pic's and RR thanks for sharing :thumleft:

 

[Skeleton360]

Nice RR en bakgat fotos. Hoop om die trip op 'n volgende keer saam met jul te maak. (weet jy sal dit natuurlik weer wil doen) Bastervoetpad roep nog, veral met daai nuwe blou RIDE van jou.  :thumleft:

 

[Vis Arend]

Welkom by die mal honne.  :thumleft:

Thx, ons sal die trippie saam doen, verseker, ek is nog nie klaar met daai gedeelte nie.

Sterkte hier en geniet dit.  eepwall:

 

[A Badger]

We were in the Eastern Cape mid Jan this year and so many of you pix bring it all back!! What a place! I remember the snotty ruts and must have fallen in the same places...but what fun! Thanks for the memories.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Mooi Man, Mooi !!

Once again I am awed at the scenery we have in SA...

Thanks for posting.

PS: don't know why, but some of the best rides I have ever done has been in the rain...

 

[Vis Arend]

PS: don't know why, but some of the best rides I have ever done has been in the rain...

Thx  :thumleft:  Same here, like you said, don't know why..........

Thanks for the memories.

:thumleft:

 

[XXL]

Superb RR...Please tell me what that rod with a green handle on either end is. You have it in front of the handlebars on one of the pics on day 2 I think. Just curious.