A Bucketlist Trip

[Gerard]

I've waited for this a long time, and I'm so excited, I can't wait until after the ride to start the RR :lol8: And at last I have the bike to do it with, and the timing is right.

A weekend trip doing Gootrivierpoort, Baviaanskloof and the Side-entry. Yeah I know some might think its not a big deal... do it in a day and we can talk about it. But I want to enjoy it, and it still won't be a Sunday gravel ride.

As far as off-road riding with a DS bike goes, its the best of the best our part of the world can throw at you.

To be continued...

 

[Gerard]

Every now and again someone asks... "When is it time to stop riding"  Well, usually when you ask, its about time.

Many years ago, when I flew RC Planes, we had this old guy with us who still flew quite well. He said however, he envies us youngsters that still get that tingle in our stomachs when we start up to fly a round of competition. He did not get it anymore, and he misses it. He also said that was the time to stop.

I've done lots of riding, and most nowadays is routine, but the anticipation of this ride is putting a tingle in my stomach.

 

[Noneking]

[emoji41]

 

[Wolzac]

:sip:

 

[big oil]

Sounds like a nice trip, Gerrard. 

I hope you take lots of pickchas!

You riding the KLR or DR?

 

[Draadwerk]

Ek sien ook sommer uit nou....[emoji2]

 

[Heimer]

Mooi ry Jup en geniet dit.  :thumleft:

 

[NoRush]

:sip: klink na lekker trip. Geniet dit.  :thumleft:

 

[Gerard]

Sounds like a nice trip, Gerrard. 

I hope you take lots of pickchas!

You riding the KLR or DR?

The KLR. Sold the DR a while back. Its a while since I did an RR. Lazy, and so that's one of the reasons I started writing now, to put myself under pressure to take pics.

We'll have lots of time, so I want to take pics of the knarly bits as guys often ask what the road conditions are in GRP and Baviaans. On the Side-entry you don't ask... you just do it and hope to come out the other side in one piece.

 

[big oil]

Ahh, did not know you sold the DR.

Have fun on that Kawasaki.

I have not done a RR yet.  A few have asked me to do one to see what my part of the world is like.  I may have to pull the trigger and write one.

 

[Gerard]

Ahh, did not know you sold the DR.

Have fun on that Kawasaki.

I have not done a RR yet.  A few have asked me to do one to see what my part of the world is like.  I may have to pull the trigger and write one.

That would be nice. I don't ever see myself getting outside the borders of SA, except maybe Namibia. I love the stories of others of places I would not get to go to.

 

[jaybiker]

There's a question there, "When is the right time to stop riding?"

Far as I'm concerned it's when your corpse becomes so decomposed that your leg falls off when you try to mount the bike.  >  Won't be long now..... :-\

Anyway all the best with your trip. I'm not envious, much. Are you going solo?

 

[Gerard]

There's a question there, "When is the right time to stop riding?"

Far as I'm concerned it's when your corpse becomes so decomposed that your leg falls off when you try to mount the bike.  >  Won't be long now..... :-\

Anyway all the best with your trip. I'm not envious, much. Are you going solo?

There's a couple of us, but we decided to keep it small, (and selfishly to ourselves), for better mobility and to lessen the odds of things going wrong.

 

[cruizaman]

Enjoy Gerrard! I haven't done a decent trip in a while now, so I am very envious. Looking forward to the RR. When do you plan on doing this? 

 

[woody1]

En ek word nie weer genooi nie... Seker bang my ou XL 600 van 1984 is nie goed genoeg nie.  :dousing:

 

[woody1]

Ag ok... geniet dit man. :ricky: :ricky:

 

[Gerard]

Enjoy Gerrard! I haven't done a decent trip in a while now, so I am very envious. Looking forward to the RR. When do you plan on doing this?

So in die vlg twee of drie weke. Wag net vir die planete om in lyn te kom, Ek het lekker kopskoonmaak nodig voor ek jaareinde aanpak.

Jy weet mos hoe dit is. Was nie 'n lekker jaar die gewees nie.

 

[the ruffian]

Gerrard

What is the "side entry" you refer to?

I've been contemplating a similar route: from Kiirkwood to Adolphskraal, linking all those paaitjies around the North side of the Cockscomb to the west and then south into the Grootrivierpoort, over the Antoniesberg, up to Bergplaas past Rooihoek etc over the various Baviaans crossing to Rus en Vrede and then south over the Kouga via Koudnek and out at Karredouw - but over two riding days with an overnight stop at Bergplaas...

What's your experience of these legs?

 

[Gerard]

Gerrard

What is the "side entry" you refer to?

I've been contemplating a similar route: from Kiirkwood to Adolphskraal, linking all those paaitjies around the North side of the Cockscomb to the west and then south into the Grootrivierpoort, over the Antoniesberg, up to Bergplaas past Rooihoek etc over the various Baviaans crossing to Rus en Vrede and then south over the Kouga via Koudnek and out at Karredouw - but over two riding days with an overnight stop at Bergplaas...

What's your experience of these legs?

The one you referring to as Suth over the Kouga from Rus en Vrede to Kareedow is the Side-Entry. GRP and The S-E are mostly red route. Baviaans is just a rougher sort of gravel ride with a few interesting parts. It can bite you if you don't take care.

Check my RR when we done and I'll update you with pics. Not that suitable for big bikes. Best on 650 etc. I see you on a DR so you'll be fine. Just don't go alone.

 

[the ruffian]

Thanks, Gerrard

I've done it all except the link south to Karreedouw... so you're going to start that side...?

Wow, in a day! I look forward to your ride report.

Glad to hear that you're so enamoured with the KLR (look forward to seeing a pic of it at the GR crossing... :biggrin