I planned to go in search of some more old SARS service roads.We have done the Kalbaskraal road to Darling many times now , but it still catches you unawares.The rain needs to come now , as the roads are getting full of sand .
It was Camelman , Myself and Wayneh.
We met at 06h30 and were on our way at 07h00.
In Darling we took the road to ysterfontein and turned RH at the Burgerplaas Turn off.
At Burgerplaas intersection
This road always has corrogation and sand on it , but wasn`t as badly corrogated as it usually is , however , it makes up for that with all the sand on it.
Just after the Ganskraal railway sign , the road makes a 90 degree to the right and takes you up tp the R45 to Hopefield .I found the SARS service road gate and entered the bush and sand road ,( I am sure was never used before ) I waved the rest past as I noticed another gate further along the road.I bombarded my way through the bush as Wayneh stood on the road waiting for me to fall !
Anyway we followed that road all the way to Hopefield.That service road was the worst one to date.
Plenty of potholes , long steches of sand and bends.
This must be from the floods we had last year.
Under the bridge for a pit stop
Wayneh and Camelman arriving
Some way down the line we came to these silo`s and had to travel a short way down the tar before we could pick up the service road again
The Hopefield station dates way back to the time of 1st , 2nd and 3rd class tickes
The station is obviosly no longer in use
Wayneh and XT waiting for the train to Velddrift
Wayneh and Camelman "Ballas Baking in die son"
We refueled here and carried on down the line , but not for long as the road had a dead end and we ended up making a detour through a farm to get back on the main road.
But not before I went alone to check out this other road , not too clever , it wasnt going to the main road and I turned back , only to loose my front end in the sand and drop my bike. Gees ! I forgot how heavy that bike is.
Camelman had a road on his GPS that would take us to the Berg River . On my map it shows a dead end.But after much sandy roads , gates and farms we got to the drift.(bridge)
By this time , it was getting hot , Camelman decided it was time for a dip while we wet our shirts and dipped our heads in the cold water of the Berg River
More pics of the drift
After we cooled down , we headed for the (399) and turned left onto the Kapteinskloof road.The road has plenty of sand and marbles on it.We went over and down a steep pass,(cant remember the name) Camelman will know.
We turned left onto the Verlorenvlei Road as per Tok-tokkies ride report Elandsbay.This road has tar in sections.It was quite dangerous riding at the rear of another bike with all the dust and traffic coming from the front , especially the cars riding in the middle of the road.
At last ! ELANDSBAY , now to the little resturant that I vissited a year ago .
Well they still have the biggest burgers anywhere.
The very hungry Camelman
It was getting late so we opted to take the railway line all the way back to Velddrift. The closer you get to Velddrift the worse the road gets. I had a scary speed wobble at 135 km/hr but got rid of it by standing VERY quickly.
We made for Doodle in Cape Town and parted our seperate ways.
450km and 8.5 hrs in the saddle.
It was Camelman , Myself and Wayneh.
We met at 06h30 and were on our way at 07h00.
In Darling we took the road to ysterfontein and turned RH at the Burgerplaas Turn off.
At Burgerplaas intersection
This road always has corrogation and sand on it , but wasn`t as badly corrogated as it usually is , however , it makes up for that with all the sand on it.
Just after the Ganskraal railway sign , the road makes a 90 degree to the right and takes you up tp the R45 to Hopefield .I found the SARS service road gate and entered the bush and sand road ,( I am sure was never used before ) I waved the rest past as I noticed another gate further along the road.I bombarded my way through the bush as Wayneh stood on the road waiting for me to fall !
Anyway we followed that road all the way to Hopefield.That service road was the worst one to date.
Plenty of potholes , long steches of sand and bends.
This must be from the floods we had last year.
Under the bridge for a pit stop
Wayneh and Camelman arriving
Some way down the line we came to these silo`s and had to travel a short way down the tar before we could pick up the service road again
The Hopefield station dates way back to the time of 1st , 2nd and 3rd class tickes
The station is obviosly no longer in use
Wayneh and XT waiting for the train to Velddrift
Wayneh and Camelman "Ballas Baking in die son"
We refueled here and carried on down the line , but not for long as the road had a dead end and we ended up making a detour through a farm to get back on the main road.
But not before I went alone to check out this other road , not too clever , it wasnt going to the main road and I turned back , only to loose my front end in the sand and drop my bike. Gees ! I forgot how heavy that bike is.
Camelman had a road on his GPS that would take us to the Berg River . On my map it shows a dead end.But after much sandy roads , gates and farms we got to the drift.(bridge)
By this time , it was getting hot , Camelman decided it was time for a dip while we wet our shirts and dipped our heads in the cold water of the Berg River
More pics of the drift
After we cooled down , we headed for the (399) and turned left onto the Kapteinskloof road.The road has plenty of sand and marbles on it.We went over and down a steep pass,(cant remember the name) Camelman will know.
We turned left onto the Verlorenvlei Road as per Tok-tokkies ride report Elandsbay.This road has tar in sections.It was quite dangerous riding at the rear of another bike with all the dust and traffic coming from the front , especially the cars riding in the middle of the road.
At last ! ELANDSBAY , now to the little resturant that I vissited a year ago .
Well they still have the biggest burgers anywhere.
The very hungry Camelman
It was getting late so we opted to take the railway line all the way back to Velddrift. The closer you get to Velddrift the worse the road gets. I had a scary speed wobble at 135 km/hr but got rid of it by standing VERY quickly.
We made for Doodle in Cape Town and parted our seperate ways.
450km and 8.5 hrs in the saddle.
