AdvGramps Ride Reports

[AdvGramps]

Somabula Moto Camping Trip​

By nature I’m not really one for camping, we’ve tried it on multiple occasions, but we just didn’t gel, to the point that when we got back from the last attempt I phoned a friend and offered him a one off bargain to take all our camping gear off of my hands.

But then I met Joe and Irm and all that changed, well at least that I now absolutely love moto-camping, the wife and I still don’t plan a camping trip. The 1st trip that I did with them was to Qodesh and since then I’ve been on another 3 trips, details to follow below.

The 1st of these trips was to Somabula, situated between Rayton and Cullinan, one would think that what could a camp site like that possibly have going for it, we’ll I was pleasantly surprised. It’s nestled between the hills and is an absolute gem, with a couple of different camp sites, well appointed ablutions and an abundance of game that includes mostly planes game, zebra, wildebeest and then the friendly giraffe that tends to wonder into camp.

We used Somabula as the base for our planned ride to Renosterkop Dam, this is a great ride, that offers plenty sand riding – just what the doctor ordered.

This is the GPX Route that we followed, the GPX route file is attached:

What camping gear did I use?
Tent: Nature Hike Cloud Up 3 Ultralight 3 person tent, it has a decent sized vestibule and access is great, plus offers plenty of space to store all your luggage and gear.
Sleeping Mat: Sea to Summit Ether Light XT (regular), I love this mat, as it's fairly quite and close to 10cm thick and more so offers plenty of thermal protection from the cold ground.
Pillow: Therma-a-Rest Large Compressible Pillow - this is a very comfortable pillow, is close to a full size pillow and feels like a normal pillow.
Sleeping Bag: First Ascent Explorer Down Sleeping bag, this offers a lot of freedom of movement and actually packs fairly small.
Chair: Desert Fox Camping Chair, a super comfortable chair, but also replaced after this trip.
Table: Desert Fox camping table, this is a nice to have item, but it's super convenient when you need a flat surface for your cooker, it is fairly light, packs small and is quick to assemble.

Luggage:
Main luggage was 2 x Kriega OS-18 Adventure Pack bags, attached to the Kriega OS Base and then the Kriega OS-6 Adventure Pack bag for my tools, the tools are in the Kriega Tool Roll. The tool bag was attached to the Kriega US40 RackPack Drybag, all my camping gear was packed into this bag - which in total now weighs in at less than 9kg's.
I used the Giant Loop Zig Zag handlebar bag to carry some basic tools and Alpine ear plugs and the Uswe Outlander 9 hydration bag and 2l Uswe bladder, in the bag I had some snacks and a cap, for the harsh African sun.

Group Riding - on this trip we all stopped at turns and junctions, as we were a small group, this keeps everyone together and allows for a quick break to hydrate or stretch the legs.

Tyres: I used the Mitas Enduro Trail XT + on the front, for added grip and the Dakar version on the rear, for added longevity.

Tech Used:
Cardo Packtalk Edge, in-helmet comms. I primarily use the Cardo Packtalk Edge to listen to music, streamed from Spotify, and take and make the odd phone call to my wife and children, I avoid work related calls when I'm away on the bike.
Navigation: for this trip I used the Garmin Zumo XT, the route was created on Garmin Basecamp and then exported as a Track to overlay it onto the map. The Garmin Zumo XT was secured with our Garmin Zumo XT Locking Plate, ensuring that passersby can't quickly release the device from the mount.

 

[AdvGramps]

Leeupoort Farm Braai Ride​

Ride from Pretoria, via the Brits canals to near Leeupoort for a lunchtime braai and then dirt to Pienaarsriver, where we stopped for a swim and quick drinks break. It was an incredible route in a scorching 36 degrees, which is unseasonably hot for spring. Overall it’s a very scenic route, with plenty of sand and corrugations. We were lucky enough to see giraffe, eland, wildebeest, kudu and impala along the route.

Excuse the wind noise for the 1st half, the mic adapter became dislodged, as a result of the corrugations.

Luggage:
The only luggage was the Kriega OS-6 Adventure Pack bag for my cooler bag and drinks, the tools were in the Kriega Tool Roll and that, with the rain suit were in the Kriega OS-12 Adventure Pack.
I used the Giant Loop Zig Zag handlebar bag to carry some basic tools and Alpine ear plugs and the Uswe Outlander 9 hydration bag and 2l Uswe bladder, in the bag I had some snacks and a cap, for the harsh African sun.

Tyres:
I used the Mitas Enduro Trail XT + on the front, for added grip and the Dakar version on the rear, for added longevity. The Mitas Enduro Trail XT tyres now has around 4,000km on it and maybe has 1,000km left on the rear. I’ll be replacing the rear with a Motoz Tractionator Adventure tyre, which I’ve already bought. I got over 11,000km on my previous Motoz Tractionator Adventure rear tyre.

Tech Used:

Cardo Packtalk Edge, in-helmet comms. I primarily use the Cardo Packtalk Edge to listen to music, streamed from Spotify, and take and make the odd phone call to my wife and children, I avoid work related calls when I’m away on the bike.

Navigation: for this trip I used my UleFone Armor 8 Pro 4G Rugged Smartphone for my navigation needs, with the OsmAnd+ routing and mapping software – unfortunately the route was lost as the phone stopped charging and turned off. Below is a rough route of what we did, it does exclude all the farm “tweespoer” that we did, as that isn’t on the public maps for me to plot it.

One of the stops was along the Pienaars Rivier, a great spot for a braai, I'm not to sure I'd camp there, for safety reasons. There are an abundance of trees, for shelter from the scorching African sun and the river looks clean enough for a swim.

 

[AdvGramps]

Bergrivier Campsite MotoCamping Trip​

The next of these trips was to the Bergrivier Lodge and Campsite, just outside Brits.

We based ourselves here to ride the Brits Canals route. This is a gem of a campsite, stunning green lawns on the banks of the Crocodile river and a really nice bar and restaurant area, owned and run by Johan and Joleen and did I mention that their food is incredible too

Cobus had us wetting ourselves with laughter, when after pitching his tent he then realized that he had packed his little grandsons play tent.

This is the GPX route file of the Brits Canals route. GPX file attached:

No ride along the canals is complete without the mandatory stop and climb up Jericho Rock.

What camping gear did I use?​

Tent: Nature Hike Cloud Up 3 Ultralight 3 person tent, it has a decent sized vestibule and access is great, plus offers plenty of space to store all your luggage and gear.
Sleeping Mat: Sea to Summit Ether Light XT (regular), I love this mat, as it's fairly quite and close to 10cm thick and more so offers plenty of thermal protection from the cold ground.
Pillow: Therma-a-Rest Large Compressible Pillow - this is a very comfortable pillow, is close to a full size pillow and feels like a normal pillow.
Sleeping Bag: First Ascent Explorer Down Sleeping bag, this offers a lot of freedom of movement and actually packs fairly small.
Chair: Desert Fox Camping Chair, a super comfortable chair, but also replaced after this trip.
Table: Desert Fox camping table, this is a nice to have item, but it's super convenient when you need a flat surface for your cooker, it is fairly light, packs small and is quick to assemble.

Luggage:
Main luggage was 2 x Kriega OS-18 Adventure Pack bags, attached to the Kriega OS Base and then the Kriega OS-6 Adventure Pack bag for my tools, the tools are in the Kriega Tool Roll. The tool bag was attached to the Kriega US40 RackPack Drybag, all my camping gear was packed into this bag - which in total now weighs in at less than 9kg's.
I used the Giant Loop Zig Zag handlebar bag to carry some basic tools and Alpine ear plugs and the Uswe Outlander 9 hydration bag and 2l Uswe bladder, in the bag I had some snacks and a cap, for the harsh African sun.

Group Riding - on this trip we all stopped at turns and junctions, as we were a small group, this keeps everyone together and allows for a quick break to hydrate or stretch the legs.

Tyres: I used the Mitas Enduro Trail XT + on the front, for added grip and the Dakar version on the rear, for added longevity.

Tech Used:
Cardo Packtalk Edge, in-helmet comms. I primarily use the Cardo Packtalk Edge to listen to music, streamed from Spotify, and take and make the odd phone call to my wife and children, I avoid work related calls when I'm away on the bike.

 

[AdvGramps]

Overnight trip to Bezhoek Private Nature Reserve and Tented Camp​

It’s not to often that I get away for a 1 nighter, the Proudly Meerkat guys arranged a one nighter to the Bezhoek Private Nature Reserve and Tented Camp, which is roughly 1 hour east of Centurion, located in the Olifants River Gorge area, between Witbank and Middelberg.​

The route took us some along some sandy, read happiness, gravel roads between the R25 and Witbank and took under 2 hours to get there. The camp setup is really well though out, with a number of luxury safari tents and then the main complex is where the meals are served and has a pool. The bar works on an honesty system and all guests have access to a well stocked fridge.
Another highlight of the trip was the food, we started with chicken wraps for lunch, for dinner we had freshly baked bread and a healthy plate of food, with the breakfast being preceded with coffee and rusks at the BezHoek dam, followed by a full breakfast back at the lodge.

After lunch we headed out onto one of the many routes to put the sand riding skills to the test and best of all do some game viewing directly from the bikes, this is a privilege and was an incredible experience. The riding wasn’t to technical and there was literally one shortish rock garden, with a few rock steps, to conquer.

As part of the afternoon ride, we were treated to sundowners on the escarpment that overlooks the Olifants River Gorge, what an view, with another beaut of an African sunset.

Being a bunch of typical South African males, we needed to keep to tradition and have a “bokdrol spoeg” competition, always a good laugh – see if you can spot the launched kudu droppings mid air?

We were treated to a stunning African night sky and what a privilege it was to have Gian Geyser, a professional photographer in our midst.

Sunday morning started with a nice ride through the reserve, with loads of baboons, wildebeest, impala, springbok and the Eland being spotted. We headed to the Bezhoke Dam for coffee and rusks, before heading back for a full breakfast and the homeward bound.

I can highly recommend heading out to Bezhoek Private Nature Reserve and Tented Camp for a peaceful getaway that isn’t to far from Gauteng.

Navigation:
A GPX route file wasn’t created, as I was joining and organised ride and used the navigation to see where we were and find alternate routes, while out and about.

Luggage:
Main luggage was 2 x Kriega OS-18 Adventure Pack bags, attached to the Kriega OS Base and then the Kriega OS-6 Adventure Pack bag for my tools, the tools are in the Kriega Tool Roll. The tool bag is attached to the rear rack, a Perun Moto Large Billet Rack, with the Kriega OS Rack Loops. I used the Giant Loop Zig Zag handlebar bag to carry some basic tools and Alpine ear plugs and the Uswe Outlander 9 hydration bag and 2l Uswe bladder, in the bag I had some snacks and a cap, for the harsh African sun (it’s even brutal in winter).

Riding Gear:
Helmet – KTM Explorer Helmet (LS2 Explorer MX701)
Boots – Alpinestar Tech 7 (Enduro version)
Pants – Leatt Flow Tour 7.5 (Stealth Colour)
Jacket – Leatt Flow Tour 7.5 (Stealth Colour)
Gloves – Leatt X Flow Adv 7.5 (Stealth / Short)

Tyres: I used the Mitas Enduro Trail XT + on the front, for added grip and the Dakar version on the rear, for added longevity.

Tech Used:
Cardo Packtalk Edge, in-helmet comms. I primarily use the Cardo Packtalk Edge to listen to music, streamed from Spotify, and take and make the odd phone call to my wife and children, I avoid work related calls when I’m away on the bike. A lot of rides enjoy syncing their comms to chat along the way and stay in touch on the trail, I prefer not t do this as I what to enjoy the “helmet time” as much as possible, to get away from the daily grind.
Insta60 Ace Pro Action Camera – I opted for this one for my current use, I have had may GoPro’s, the Insta360 X1 and One R, but prefer the Point of View, battery life, flip up screen and stability of the Insta360Ace Pro. The camera was mounted to the front / chin of my LS2 Explorer helmet using our LS2 Explorer Helmet Action Camera Mount.

Tips and Tricks:
Headlight – I always take a headlight with on a trip, it comes in super handy when the lights go out, walking around the camp and more so around the braai. I used the Petzl Actik headlight and pair it with the Petzl Noctilight, to turn it into a lantern – which works incredibly well in the tent.
Group Riding – on this trip we used the “Buddy System”, with this the lead rider slows down at a turn or intersection and makes eye contact with the rider behind, who acknowledges the rider in front, who then carries on, this continues until the sweep has made eye contact with the rider in front of them. This is great to keep the group moving and dust to the minimum.

Here’s a quick edit video of the weekend:

 

[AdvGramps]

Memel Adventure Bike Trip​

Getting to Memel is definitely not the most scenic ride, but once you get to Vrede then the riding gets a lot better, with the start of the hills. Memel is literally on the edge of the escarpment,. between the Free State and KZN and offers an abundance of riding up and down the escarpment.

I based myself at the Memel Hotel, which had just been taken over by Rudi and his partner, both originally from Centurion. Rudi is a biker as well and rides a KTM 690, he took me on a short ride on the Saturday morning, before I headed up and down a few passes, which included Mullers Pass, Sneeuberg Pass and the infamous Normandiens Pass – this was the highlight.

Once over Normandiens Pass then I hit a right, if I remember correctly the sign said Roodepoort, this is were the fun started, with a few rocky descents, crossing some marshy areas and overall just some great “twee spoor” riding.

This was a part of the GPX route that I followed:

This is the Memel Mountain Passes GPX Route File, which was what I mainly followed. It includes these passes: Donkiespass, Normandien and the Sneeuberg passes - GPX route files attached.

Navigation: for this trip I used the Garmin Zumo XT, the route was created on Garmin Basecamp and then exported as a Track to overlay it onto the map. The Garmin Zumo XT was secured with our Garmin Zumo XT Locking Plate, ensuring that passersby can't quickly release the device from the mount.

 

[AdvGramps]

Wakkerstroom and Surrounds Routes and Trips​

Over the years I’ve done a few trips in the Wakkerstroom area, some staying in town and at other times staying at Country Trax and then doing some of the routes, including the escarpment route, which is incredibly scenic and well worth doing.

Here’s a summary of the routes, accommodation and trip info, GPX route files attached.

The 1st of the trips includes us staying at the Pot and Gitter, but there is much nicer accommodation in the town, with many bikers opting to stay at the Wakkerstroom Hotel. As you enter town you're greeted by an old steam locomotive, interestingly Wakkerstroom was never on a railway line, this was brought in as a tourist attraction.

I've visited Wakkerstroom both in winter and summer and it has it's own beauty during both seasons, the winter brings the beauty of frosty fields and the low hanging mist, while in summer you'd be forgiven for thinking that you're in the heart of Scotland.

A great place to stop for a good breakfast, is at the local bakery - the food and coffee are both really good and set the tone for a great day of riing.

It doesn't take you long to get onto some incredible dirt with mind blowing scenery, the escarpment loop starts a meer 3 km's north of town.

The route takes you past Dirkies Dorp and then back onto the dirt towards Heyshope Dam, one of the biggest dams in SA, from there it's onward to Luneberg, a German faming community and then the riding gets incredible with the route towards Zaaihoek Dam.

Staying at Country Trax is a truly special experience, the hospitality of Jan and his team allows you to experience the real "platteland" soul. His setup is incredible, with such attention to detail in the main lodge and each of the rooms - he is a true craftsman and perfectionist.

Jan takes his guests on some of the lesser known routes in the area and generally ends with the escarpment route and then onwards to Wakkerstroom for lunch and some liquid refreshments.

Then for those that are brave enough, I'm not one of them, there's the canal ride challenge.

Wakkerstroom is truly a magical place and my wife and I have spent up to 10 days there just relaxing, taking in the peace and quiet and great food at the Red Rooster, Thyme Out the Goat House and some of the other eating establishments in the town. There are a few shops, that only open from Thursday onwards and a small shop at the garage for your day to day basics and a fairly well stocked grocer.

 

[Grunder]

That canal ride is insane!!!

 

[AdvGramps]

Vredefort Dome Area Adventure Riding​

The beauty about the routes around Parys and the Vredefort dome is that you can easily make it a day trip or take your time and spend a night, we chose to stay at Eldo River Lodge. The lodge is situated right on the Vaal River and offers family sized chalets or single rooms.

We were treated to a spectacular sundowner on the top of the mountains, on the northern side of Cobus’s property, which includes some nice technical routes.

But let me not get ahead of myself, you can essentially do mostly dirt routes from just outside of Randfontein, but the riding really gets good once you get closer to Parys. You pass through the tiny settlement of Venterskroon and it’s definitely worth stopping over at the Venterskroon Inn for breakfast or their delicious burgers. From there the riding just gets better and an hour or so later, you’ll get to Skandinawie Drift Hotel, which if you didn’t stop to eat at Venterskroon is then a great option for a meal and / or some liquid refreshments. There are always a few locals in the bar and they love a good chat.

This is the GPX route that we followed, GPX route file attached:

Edit

 

[AdvGramps]

Magoebaskloof, Adventure Riding Heaven​

We’ve done a few trips up to the Magoebaskloof, Tzaneen & Haenertsburg region and it never fails to disappoint. We generally go via Dullstroom, then too Lydenburg and towards Hoedspruit, before turning off to Oppie Oewer. With this route the scenery is incredible and includes passing by the world heritage site, The BLyde River Canyon.

The last few trips we’ve joined the Proudly Meerkat crew that base themselves at Oppie Oewer, on the banks of the Klein Letaba River. Gerrit and his family have setup a stunning venue for weary travellers, with the bar on the banks of the river and very comfortable rooms and the food never disappoints.

Gerrit knows the area better than anyone and takes the groups on a couple of private access roads, he has permission from the Komati forestry guys and these tracks are absolute gems and include routes through the plantations and then some truly special sections, that cross through the indigenous forests, with waterfalls aplenty.

There are a few magical of stops enroute and a lunch stop up at the radio towers.

This is without a doubt some of the best riding that you’d do and I highly recommend getting in touch with Gerrit, from Oppie Oewer, you will come away feeling incredibly satisfied and generally have post ride depression once back at work.

and what could be better than enjoying a cold one, down at the river and unwinding.

This is the GPX route that I had created for our 1st ever trip up North, GPX route file attached:

You'll come across a lot of charcoal ovens when criss crossing the network of trails in the area.

 

[AdvGramps]

Riding around Mapungubwe​

We based ourselves at Mapesu Lodge, with 1 days riding around Mapengubwe and up to the Pontdrift border post and then a ride around the Mapesu reserve.

GPX Route file for the Mapungubwe route and file attached:

Video of the riding around Mapungubwe


Navigation: for this trip I used the Garmin Zumo XT, the route was created on Garmin Basecamp and then exported as a Track to overlay it onto the map. The Garmin Zumo XT was secured with our Garmin Zumo XT Locking Plate, ensuring that passersby can't quickly release the device from the mount.

 

[AdvGramps]

Centurion to Cullinan Scenic Dirt & Tar Loop​

This route starts in Centurion and heads East and then North towards Cullinan and then past Cullinan and back to Kakiebos Bar and Grill for brunch – I can highly recommend this restaurant, they have well priced, super tasty food and great service.

This is the GPX route file of the ride:

The route is a mix of tar and dirt, here's a highlight reel of some of the dirt sections:


Luggage:
The only luggage was the Kriega OS-6 Adventure Pack bag for my tools, the tools are in the Kriega Tool Roll.
I used the Giant Loop Zig Zag handlebar bag to carry some basic tools and Alpine ear plugs and the Uswe Outlander 9 hydration bag and 2l Uswe bladder, in the bag I had some snacks and a cap, for the harsh African sun.
Tyres:
I used the Mitas Enduro Trail XT + on the front, for added grip and the Dakar version on the rear, for added longevity. The Mitas Enduro Trail XT tyres now has around 3,500km on it and maybe has 1,000km left on the rear. I'll be replacing the rear with a Motoz Tractionator Adventure tyre, which I've already bought. I got over 11,000km on my previous Motoz rear tyre.
Tech Used:
Cardo Packtalk Edge, in-helmet comms. I primarily use the Cardo Packtalk Edge to listen to music, streamed from Spotify, and take and make the odd phone call to my wife and children, I avoid work related calls when I'm away on the bike.
Navigation: for this trip I used my UleFone Armor 8 Pro 4G Rugged Smartphone for my navigation needs, with the OsmAnd+ routing and mapping software. Main reason is the OsmAnd+ software is a lot more responsive and accurate than the Garmin Zumo XT ever was. I used the SP Connect Universal mount to attach the phone to a SP Connect GPS mount, this is attached to a Vanasche Motorsport GPS mount for the bike.

 

[AdvGramps]

Groot Marico Adventure Bike Weekend​

Another epic weekend of riding with Henri from Proudly Meerkat. The group met up at 8.30am and then headed off West towards Koste, where we stopped at a local coffee shop for a great brunch. The 1st of the dirt sections started, just outside of Koster, there’s some great riding out that way – barr the dust, but then again those roads will turn into sludge very quickly after a good downpour.

Another epic weekend of riding with Henri from Proudly Meerkat. The group met up at 8.30am and then headed off West towards Koster, where we stopped at Lekkebek Biltong & Koffie Den for a great brunch. The 1st of the dirt sections started just outside of Koster, there’s some great riding out that way – barr the dust, but then again those roads will turn into sludge very quickly after a good downpour.

We based ourselves at Mmalogaga Private Game Reserve, owned by Sandow and his wife Nettie, they are incredible hosts, we at like kings and the accommodation was incredibly comfortable. They treated us to a game drive and G & T for the bushveld sunset. The reserve covers 1,800 hectares and includes a vast variety of species, including buffalo.

Sandow joined us for the ride, on the Saturday morning, and guided us through the network of gravel roads, with a great variety of conditions.

There are a few sections that have some thick “bull dust”, with one of the riders falling victim to it – you can just imagine the dust storm that this GS kicked up – thankfully the rider and bike were all ok.

We stopped in Groot Marico for a refreshment and to fill the bikes up, there is a clear attempt to try and rejuvenate the small community, with a couple shops and restaurants that have been bought by Gautengers and are being renovated and re-opened.

This is the Saturday route, route files attached:

Video of the typical riding in the Groot Marico region:


I can highly recommend joining one of the Proudly Meerkat trips, this was number 12 for me and I've already booked the next one at end of Nov.

Luggage:
Main luggage was 1 x Kriega OS-12 Adventure Pack bag, for my clothes and the Kriega OS-6 Adventure Pack bag for toiletry bag, shoes and chargers, both bags were attached to the Kriega OS Base.
I used the Giant Loop Zig Zag handlebar bag to carry my wallet and Alpine ear plugs and the Enduristan Large Tail Pack on the back, in the bag I have my tools, the tools are in the Kriega Tool Roll and some snacks and a cap, for the harsh African sun. What I like about the Enduristan Large Tail Pack is the size, the quick zip access, easy mounting and the fact that it's waterproof.

Riding Gear:
Helmet - Arai Tour X-5 (Adventure Grey)
Boots - Leatt Adv HydraDri 7.5 Boots (Stealth). What I like about these boots is they dry within a few hours, whereas the AStar Tech 7's take 3 days, for the inside to dry after a weekend of riding.
Pants - Leatt Flow Tour 7.5 (Stealth Colour)
Jacket - Leatt Flow Tour 7.5 (Stealth Colour)
Gloves - Leatt X Flow Adv 7.5 (Stealth / Short)

Tyres: I used the Mitas Enduro Trail XT + on the front, for added grip and the Motoz Tractionator Adventure on the rear.

Tech Used:
Cardo Packtalk Edge, in-helmet comms. I primarily use the Cardo Packtalk Edge to listen to music, streamed from Spotify, and take and make the odd phone call to my wife and children, I avoid work related calls when I'm away on the bike.
Navigation: for this trip I used my UleFone Armor 8 Pro 4G Rugged Smartphone for my navigation needs, with the OsmAnd+ routing and mapping software. Main reason is the OsmAnd+ software is a lot more responsive and accurate than the Garmin Zumo XT ever was. I used the SP Connect Universal mount to attach the phone to a SP Connect GPS mount, this is attached to a Vanasche Motorsport GPS mount for the bike.
Insta60 Ace Pro Action Camera - I opted for this one for my current use, I have had may GoPro's, the Insta360 X1 and One RS, but prefer the wide angle PoV, battery life, flip up screen, filters, quick release and stability of the Insta360Ace Pro.
Garmin InReach Mini 2 Satellite Communicator - There is a lot of talk that the Garmin InReach is a waste of money and time, as rarely do the emergency services in South Africa respond, I'm well aware of this. My reason for buying and using this to for my family to be able to track my riding and when I do arrive at a camp or need assistance and there's no cellphone signal, then I have the ability to share my position and message them to let them know I'm ok or if I need assistance, it's a lot easier for them to then make the necessary arrangements.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”​

 

[AdvGramps]

Klipbokkie / Marakele Moto Camping Weekend​

The most recent motocamping trip was to Klipbokkie, across from the Marakele National Park, we had spent a fair bit of time planning this trip and the routes. Unfortunately it started with tragedy, as one of my mates lost control of his GSA, in some sand, and totalled the bike and ended up with 2 skull fractures, not a nice scene to come across. Main thing is he’s ok and now looking for his next bike, more than likely a KTM.
We did a fair bit of dirt to get to Toeka near Bela Bela, where we stopped for a hearty boere brunch.

Again another beaut of a campsite, we had arranged for them to purchase all our food for us and they had over delivered with the sheer quantity of food. We would eat like kings and queens, but things would not go according to plan and Joe and Irm would be left alone with a mountain of food.

The facilities are clean and neat and well kitted out, there’s a massive bar onsite and free wi-fi at the bar, there is no cellphone signal at the camp. We enjoyed a cold one after setting up camp and then settled down to braai. The scenery is spectacular to say the least

As far as the route goes, we changed the planned route, as we only left the Bela Bela hospital at around 3.30pm and sunset was just after 5pm. We decided to take the tar road to Rooiberg and then the dirt from there, the road conditions are very challenging, just what we like, plenty of rocks, ruts and sand. The highlight was Bakers Pass which takes you to the entrance to Klipbokkie.



The next morning we settled down to some decent coffee and breakfast, but this is where the enjoyment ended. The KTM 890 was up to it’s old cold start tricks and needed to be towed to get running. I decided to call the weekend quits and head home, as who knew if the bike would start the next day. Monday it was off to KTM and it turned out, as I had been telling KTM Centurion for a few months now, that the valve clearances needed adjustment. The bike has been starting 1st time and running better than it ever has, since the valve clearances have been adjusted to spec.

This was the planned route for day 1 of the trip, this is from Bela Bela. I ended up doing this route back home:

This was the planned route for day 2 of the trip:

This was the planned route for day 3 of the trip:

I definitely plan on doing this trip in the not to distant future. The GPX Route fiels are attached.

What camping gear did I use?
Tent: Nature Hike Cloud Up 3 Ultralight 3 person tent, it has a decent sized vestibule and access is great, plus offers plenty of space to store all your luggage and gear.
Sleeping Mat: Sea to Summit Ether Light XT (regular), I love this mat, as it's fairly quite and close to 10cm thick and more so offers plenty of thermal protection from the cold ground.
Pillow: Therma-a-Rest Large Compressible Pillow - this is a very comfortable pillow, is close to a full size pillow and feels like a normal pillow.
Sleeping Bag: First Ascent Explorer Down Sleeping bag, this offers a lot of freedom of movement and actually packs fairly small.
Chair: Desert Fox Camping Chair, a super comfortable chair, but also replaced after this trip.
Table: Desert Fox camping table, this is a nice to have item, but it's super convenient when you need a flat surface for your cooker, it is fairly light, packs small and is quick to assemble.

Luggage:
Main luggage was 2 x Kriega OS-18 Adventure Pack bags, attached to the Kriega OS Base and then the Kriega OS-6 Adventure Pack bag for my tools, the tools are in the Kriega Tool Roll. The tool bag was attached to the Kriega US40 RackPack Drybag, all my camping gear was packed into this bag - which in total now weighs in at less than 9kg's.
I used the Giant Loop Zig Zag handlebar bag to carry some basic tools and Alpine ear plugs and the Uswe Outlander 9 hydration bag and 2l Uswe bladder, in the bag I had some snacks and a cap, for the harsh African sun.

Group Riding - on this trip we all stopped at turns and junctions, as we were a small group, this keeps everyone together and allows for a quick break to hydrate or stretch the legs.

Tyres: I used the Mitas Enduro Trail XT + on the front, for added grip and the Dakar version on the rear, for added longevity.

Tech Used:
Cardo Packtalk Edge, in-helmet comms. I primarily use the Cardo Packtalk Edge to listen to music, streamed from Spotify, and take and make the odd phone call to my wife and children, I avoid work related calls when I'm away on the bike.
Navigation: for this trip I used my UleFone Armor 8 Pro 4G Rugged Smartphone for my navigation needs, with the OsmAnd+ routing and mapping software. Main reason is the OsmAnd+ software is a lot more responsive and accurate than the Garmin Zumo XT ever was. I used the SP Connect Universal mount to attach the phone to a SP Connect mount, which I 3D printed. It offers an AMPS adapter that houses the SP Connect phone mount, this is attached to a Vanasche Motorsport GPS mount for the bike.

 

[AdvGramps]

Taking on SA’s High Five Mountain Passes​

SA’s High Five is not merely a ride but rather a challenge, to take on the 5 highest passes in South Africa.
We joined Mike, from Boulders Offroad Academy in Fouriesburg for this incredible trip.

Mike shares the background as to how this trip originated. The idea originated a couple of years ago when on holiday in Tiffindell, I decided to ride to the top of Ben MacDhui 3001 metres high and the highest pass in South Africa, of course this was impossible as there was no road or even footpath to the top so I went as far as possible which was a couple of meters from the top. It was at this time the idea of the highest passes came to mind and after discussion with a good friend and owner of Tiffindell, the High Five became a reality, thus work began on completing a track to the highest point.

SA’s High Five should not be taken lightly and thus rather a challenge than a ride, to complete this, one will need a good riding ability, a sense of adventure and minimum intermediate tyres (preferably knobblies).

The 5 passes that we tackled included the following passes, in actual fact we did 7 passes in total:

• Ben MacDhui Pass – Eastern Cape – 3,001 meters above sea level – we only made it up a part of the way, due to the loss rock and steepness of the track.
• Tiffendal Tenahead Traverse – Eastern Cape – the highest contour road in South Africa, at 2,720 metres above sea level. This track was one of the highlights of the trip.
• Naudes Nek – Eastern Cape – if memory serves me correctly this is one of the longest passes in South Africa and sits at 2,590 metres above sea level.
• Volunteershoek – Eastern Cape, also known as the Warr Trail, it sits 2,581 metres above sea level.
• Carlisleshoekspruit – Eastern Cape – we went up this pass twice during the trip, nothing to hectic and it’s very scenic. The pass sits at 2,563 metres above sea level.
• Jouberts Pass – Eastern cape – the top of this pass affords you an incredible view down towards Lady Grey, another incredibly scenic pass, sitting at 2,234 metres above sea level.
• Lundins Nek – Eastern Cape – isn’t part of the High 5, but is still one of the highest passes on South Africa, this pass is traversed enroute to the sleepy town of Rhodes and sits at 2,170 metres above sea level.

The trip itinerary was as follows:

The High 5 is a subset of the Ben 10 Challenge, this map highlights all 10 the Highest Passes - GPX Route Files attached:

• Day 1 – arrive at Boulders in Fouriesburg, the accommodation there is great and Nadine’s cooking is even better.
• Day 2 – enjoy a scrumptious breakfast before heading out towards Zastron, we filled up there and then got onto the dirt at Sterkspruit, the border post to Lesotho. From there’s its a scenic ride, over Lundins neck towards Rhodes. We stayed at the Rhodes Hotel, again really comfortable rooms, delicious food, but with overpriced beer (R50 for a Castle Lite) and they can arrange for fuel, but at a premium of R35 per litre – but that’s what it’ll cost as they need to drive to Barkley East to get it.
• Day 3 – after a hearty breakfast we headed up Carlisleshoekspruit towards Tiffendal and partyly up the Ben MacDhui Pass. After a break we proceeded along the Tiffendal Tenahead Traverse, again incredible riding and views across to Lesotho and beyond. At the Tenahead Lodge we hit a left and went down Naudes Nek, with a stop at the bottom for some snacks. From there it was back up Naudes Nek back to Rhodes for a well deserved beer, albeit expensive, and another incredible 5 course dinner.
• Day 4 – included some epic passes as we made our way back towards Fouriesburg. The 1st of the passes was Carlisleshoekspruit, from there it was down Volunteershoek and then a pretty long dirt section to Jouberts Pass, mostly gravel which is always a bonus, and onwards to Lady Grey for lunch. Lunch was great, but the service was incredibly slow, we only got out of Lady Grey at 3pm and still needed to do well over 500km to Fouriesburg. We finally arrived back at Boulders after 8pm, after being hit by a massive hail storm, this was made worse by it being dark and the potholed excuse of a road – but we all got back safely to enjoy more of Nadine’s incredible cooking.
• Day 5 – after another fantastic breakfast, it was time to head back home. Be sure to stock up on some of Nadine’s orange marmalade and cherry rusks, they are both delicious.

Some Photos from the Trip:

Navigation: for this trip I used the Garmin Zumo XT, simply to follow where we were, there were no shared GPX files for this trip, as it was a guided trip. The Garmin Zumo XT was secured with our Garmin Zumo XT Locking Plate, ensuring that passersby can’t quickly release the device from the mount.

Luggage:
Main luggage was 2 x Kriega OS-18 Adventure Pack bags, attached to the Kriega OS Base and then the Kriega OS-6 Adventure Pack bag for my tools, the tools are in the Kriega Tool Roll. The tool bag is attached to the rear rack, a Perun Moto Large Billet Rack, with the Kriega OS Rack Loops. I used the Giant Loop Diablo tank bag to carry a Leatt 1.5l hydration bladder, some basic tools, snacks and the coffee brewing kit.

Riding Gear:
Helmet – KTM Explorer Helmet (LS2 Explorer MX701)
Boots – Alpinestar Tech 7 (Enduro version)
Pants – KTM Terra Adventure Pants
Jacket – KTM Terra Adventure Jacket
Gloves – Five TFX3 Airflow Adventure Gloves

Tyres – Motoz Tractionator Adventure on the rear and the Motoz Dual Venture on the front.

Tech Used:
Cardo Packtalk Edge, in-helmet comms. I primarily use the Cardo Packtalk Edge to listen to music, streamed from Spotify, and take and make the odd phone call to my wife and children, I avoid work related calls when I’m away on the bike. A lot of rides enjoy syncing their comms to chat along the way and stay in touch on the trail, I prefer not t do this as I what to enjoy the “helmet time” as much as possible, to get away from the daily grind.
Group Riding – on this trip we used the “Buddy System”, with this the lead rider slows down at a turn or intersection and makes eye contact with the rider behind, who acknowledges the rider in front, who then carries on, this continues until the sweep has made eye contact with the rider in front of them. This is great to keep the group moving and dust to the minimum.

Some more photos from the trip:

Excuse that some of the photos are blurred, my smartphones camera took a beating and wasn’t focusing correctly.

Thankfully there were no casualties on the ride, barr 2 of the GSA’s blowing all there front shock oil out, making for some interesting navigation over some of the more technical sections.

This is definitely a ride to tick off from the bucket list.

 

[AdvGramps]

Here's the 1st dump of all the GPX Route files that I have.

 

[AdvGramps]

Here's the 2nd dump of all the GPX Route files that I have.

 

[AdvGramps]

Here's the 3rd dump of all the GPX Route files that I have.