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First a short appetiser...
Baviaans, a Buffalo Bull, a Deep Mud-hole and lots of jokes...
- Thread starter XRRX
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Nice one 
When did you guys go through there? We did not have that mud hole when we passed through on the 20th Apr.
When did you guys go through there? We did not have that mud hole when we passed through on the 20th Apr.
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We went through the past weekend...Nice one
When did you guys go through there? We did not have that mud hole when we passed through on the 20th Apr.
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So Louis called me up about two weeks ago, inviting me to go with him, his son and a group of guys from Worcester and Cape Town on their maiden Baviaans run.
Off course I was in!!
I knew nobody except my "Inviter" and his son before hand, but boy did this bunch turn out to be a great crowd!!! In total we were 8.
Louis & Charl met up with the Westerns at the farm stall where you turn off towards Joubertina on R62. I had to work later, so I told them to continue without me. I'll catch-up later on R62, or meet them in Patensie.
I only left George at 12:30, and decided to give the Twin horns!! 65min later I almost raced past a group of bikers having a "Braai" next to the road - just on the PE side of Kareedouw. Damn I say to myself as I almost flew past - this must be my group! Turned around and met everybody, being welcomed with a cold beer and some "braai-wors"!!
We continued together to Patensie to stock-up on fuel and supplies - damn the place is "dark-Africa"!
The guys from the west had a long day, so without to much fanfare, we hit the road to Geelkrans campsite - about 20km outside Patensie on the way to Baviaans.
Some guys camped, some slept soft in a house...
After setting-up camp, it was Party time!!!
Off course I was in!!
I knew nobody except my "Inviter" and his son before hand, but boy did this bunch turn out to be a great crowd!!! In total we were 8.
Louis & Charl met up with the Westerns at the farm stall where you turn off towards Joubertina on R62. I had to work later, so I told them to continue without me. I'll catch-up later on R62, or meet them in Patensie.
I only left George at 12:30, and decided to give the Twin horns!! 65min later I almost raced past a group of bikers having a "Braai" next to the road - just on the PE side of Kareedouw. Damn I say to myself as I almost flew past - this must be my group! Turned around and met everybody, being welcomed with a cold beer and some "braai-wors"!!
We continued together to Patensie to stock-up on fuel and supplies - damn the place is "dark-Africa"!
The guys from the west had a long day, so without to much fanfare, we hit the road to Geelkrans campsite - about 20km outside Patensie on the way to Baviaans.
Some guys camped, some slept soft in a house...
After setting-up camp, it was Party time!!!
n Trip deur Baviaans sonder n boxer wat dors word vir water is nie n trip deur baviaans!!
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TBC
Staan by !
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It was a chilly night in the tent next to the water...
Louis boiled some water on a fancy miniature gas thingy, and we were all excited about the day ahead! We departed around 8:30 - bikes packed!!
I was nominated to lead the convoy into the Baviaans - cool, no dust!
First stop the gate for the standard sign-in procedure...
First few drifts had some water just to get the feeling, and the first Pass was actually nice in a Baviaans way.
At Bergplaas we stopped for a view of the old cable way - damn those people had balls of steel !!!
Louis boiled some water on a fancy miniature gas thingy, and we were all excited about the day ahead! We departed around 8:30 - bikes packed!!
I was nominated to lead the convoy into the Baviaans - cool, no dust!
First stop the gate for the standard sign-in procedure...
First few drifts had some water just to get the feeling, and the first Pass was actually nice in a Baviaans way.
At Bergplaas we stopped for a view of the old cable way - damn those people had balls of steel !!!
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Then it was on to that horrible damn half-washed away concrete strips as you decent from Bergplaas. The ***** that decided on that!!!
To me that is by far the worst part of Baviaans, and it is deteriorating fast, becoming really dangerous!!
Nevertheless - we all made it down unscathed, not like the gentleman the week before who severely damaged his 1250GS, and ended with a hole in a new 9k helmet!!
This section of the Baviaans is currently very dry - with Smitskraal being absolutely bone-dry!!!
At Smitskraal we had a braai and a rest...especially some guys...
To me that is by far the worst part of Baviaans, and it is deteriorating fast, becoming really dangerous!!
Nevertheless - we all made it down unscathed, not like the gentleman the week before who severely damaged his 1250GS, and ended with a hole in a new 9k helmet!!
This section of the Baviaans is currently very dry - with Smitskraal being absolutely bone-dry!!!
At Smitskraal we had a braai and a rest...especially some guys...
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From Smitskraal I was expecting a rather smooth ride...well...
The going was good, Charl following me on his XR.
The closer we got to the exit gate, the wetter it became, but nothing serious.
About the 6 last drift - it makes a turn and is overgrown on both sides - as I was entering the muddy section before the concrete starts - I came to a shocking halt!!
Less than 10m in front of me was an enormous animal - 2+m tall and with horns almost as wide standing in the middle of the drift!!!
In that few seconds (sorry getting the cellphone from my pocket for a pic wasn't an option to cross my mind)
I realized I cannot try to go past it, nor will I be able to turn around quickly enough...
I instinctively revved the bike a bit... It bought my bluff, turned around and disappeared into the lush vegetaion.
I raced through that water, then you get that 2 spoor section that is usually wet...
After that I stopped, waiting and hoping the rest gets past the danger...
Well nobody else saw it, and were reluctant to believe me!!
After a shot of Ginger brandy from Louis, I was less shaky...
The going was good, Charl following me on his XR.
The closer we got to the exit gate, the wetter it became, but nothing serious.
About the 6 last drift - it makes a turn and is overgrown on both sides - as I was entering the muddy section before the concrete starts - I came to a shocking halt!!
Less than 10m in front of me was an enormous animal - 2+m tall and with horns almost as wide standing in the middle of the drift!!!
In that few seconds (sorry getting the cellphone from my pocket for a pic wasn't an option to cross my mind)
I realized I cannot try to go past it, nor will I be able to turn around quickly enough...
I instinctively revved the bike a bit... It bought my bluff, turned around and disappeared into the lush vegetaion.
I raced through that water, then you get that 2 spoor section that is usually wet...
After that I stopped, waiting and hoping the rest gets past the danger...
Well nobody else saw it, and were reluctant to believe me!!
After a shot of Ginger brandy from Louis, I was less shaky...
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As we were standing after my Buffalo "skrik", a Prado and a short wheel base Series 2 approached from the opposite side. The one guy stopped, got out and warned us about the last waterhole before the exit. I know that one, but didn't want to stress the guys as it is sometimes dry.
We continued through a few lekker deepish cool-down drifts to reach that last "water-hole".
Without hessitation I went in...
Yes, it is deep - looking down at one stage I saw the muddy water close to my seat and the gearbox completely submerged, and it is pure mud underneath!
I made it through though without any real drama.
As I stopped to get off for pics, I saw Charl going down in the middle with the XR!
The young man got up quickly to pick-up the XR from underneath the muddy water.
I went in to help him. Off course the XR started and we man handled it out.
John on the 1200 air cooled waited for us.
I yelled at him to put his feet out and paddle - like me, but it was too late!
He also went down in the middle!
Now me and Charl rushed in to help him.
He once tried the starter button - but it was completely hydro locked, so we had to push it through.
The rest of the group took the "moffy" route to the right...or is it the clever route...
As we stood on the other side, John asked for a plug spanner, but nobody had one, except me, and it didn't fit on the GS.
A Double cab Landcruiser from Parks Board approached. He also had no plug spanner off course.
The moffy group had to move their bikes, cause the Landcruiser also took the moffy route - driver says they also gets stuck in the mud hole...
...and we were all very thirsty - supplies now running low...
We continued through a few lekker deepish cool-down drifts to reach that last "water-hole".
Without hessitation I went in...
Yes, it is deep - looking down at one stage I saw the muddy water close to my seat and the gearbox completely submerged, and it is pure mud underneath!
I made it through though without any real drama.
As I stopped to get off for pics, I saw Charl going down in the middle with the XR!
The young man got up quickly to pick-up the XR from underneath the muddy water.
I went in to help him. Off course the XR started
and we man handled it out.John on the 1200 air cooled waited for us.
I yelled at him to put his feet out and paddle - like me, but it was too late!
He also went down in the middle!
Now me and Charl rushed in to help him.
He once tried the starter button - but it was completely hydro locked, so we had to push it through.
The rest of the group took the "moffy
" route to the right...or is it the clever route...As we stood on the other side, John asked for a plug spanner, but nobody had one, except me, and it didn't fit on the GS.
A Double cab Landcruiser from Parks Board approached. He also had no plug spanner off course.
The moffy group had to move their bikes, cause the Landcruiser also took the moffy route - driver says they also gets stuck in the mud hole...
...and we were all very thirsty - supplies now running low...
Incredible! We went through there about 10 days earlier and what you see on the right of my pic was the full extent of the mud hole
Awesome adventure you guys had there!
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Ok, it was time to make a plan. We were hot, thirsty and tired, but we were also sitting with a dead bike...
We were booked at Uitspan, and everything John would need to try and fix the bike would be there.
I volunteered to ride to Uitspan and ask Nico to come and pick-up the dead bike with his Cruiser. Louis and Charl joined me, and the rest stayed behind...
I went ahead - riding the Twin as if I literally stole it. 45min later I stopped next to Nico in his farm workshop.
As always he was more than willing to help, and 15 min later the Cruiser with pilot Nico raced back to the stranded team, armed with a ramp, tie downs and 5 icy cold beers in my coolbag...
He reached them in a record time - not that much slower than me on the bike!
5:30pm he was back at Uitspan with John and his GS.... The rest of the team arrived a little later too... They already started the strip-down next to the mud hole with the available tools, arriving at Uitspan John immediately continued...the man knows
his way around a GS!!! What a muddy water mess!!!
We were booked at Uitspan, and everything John would need to try and fix the bike would be there.
I volunteered to ride to Uitspan and ask Nico to come and pick-up the dead bike with his Cruiser. Louis and Charl joined me, and the rest stayed behind...
I went ahead - riding the Twin as if I literally stole it. 45min later I stopped next to Nico in his farm workshop.
As always he was more than willing to help, and 15 min later the Cruiser with pilot Nico raced back to the stranded team, armed with a ramp, tie downs and 5 icy cold beers in my coolbag...
He reached them in a record time - not that much slower than me on the bike!
5:30pm he was back at Uitspan with John and his GS.... The rest of the team arrived a little later too... They already started the strip-down next to the mud hole with the available tools, arriving at Uitspan John immediately continued...the man knows
skydiver
Race Dog
Your buffalo sighting reminded me of this
https://www.news24.com/news24/enraged-buffalo-gores-camper-20110908
https://www.news24.com/news24/enraged-buffalo-gores-camper-20110908
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Verstaan jy hoekom ek so geskrik het!!! Dis een ma-moese dier om te face!!! Paar jaar gelede was daar mos 'n video van een wat bikers gestorm het in Baviaans...
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If you meet him from the opposite side you will even be a little worse off... You will then be in the drift already by the time you see it!We also "bumped" into said buffalo during our trip in February.... seems that has become his hang-out spot.....
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You never know with the Baviaans - it can literally change over night!Incredible! We went through there about 10 days earlier and what you see on the right of my pic was the full extent of the mud hole
Awesome adventure you guys had there!
View attachment 826927
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New oil + old Baviaans muddy water =
