Eisbein
Bachelor Dog
As one gets older, the thrill of experiencing something new gets fewer and farther between.
It is not that we get more jaded and maybe more difficult to impress (although I am not discounting that idea on the grounds of my impending and rapidly increasing own grumpiness, but I digress), but maybe that things that once were over the top awesome have either become a far away memory, or just something more 'regular'
When last do you remember that a new song you heard literally stopped you and commanded you to sit and listen ?
Do you remember when you saw the winding wilderness pass ahead of you after that big 1st climb after Smitskraal for the 1st time ?
The way the road winds down into 'The Hell' and how the Kloof extend far ahead as you come around that last bend ?
Seeing the Tankwa Karoo ahead of the snake of gravel that follows the mountain's top going down Ouberg Pass ?
The smell and coolness of the ferns and the brown water in the 7 Passes road ?
Don't get me wrong - it is not like I will ever get used to any of those and they will always stay magical, but there is only ever one '1st'
Running the risk of sounding a bit pompous and not trying to be philosophical, I think on a more practical level the daily grind and rat race as the years go on also have the tendency to suck some joy out of things that used to keep the 10 year old in all of us alive.
So it was while out at 'Lot se Vrou' one full moon night in December, accompanying my brother while he was taking photos of the Cederberg landscape that I thought to myself: 'Won't it be cool to ride through the Cederberg in the full moon ?'
The 'just about to turn 50 year old' in me wanted to brush the idea off, but the 10 year old me had his interest peaked.
So after we came back and back on the hamster wheel I pulled up a moon calendar and decided that the 20th of January might just be the right weekend (the full moon was only the coming weekend, but the timings for me didn't work out and 66% of the moon in the Cederberg is probably still way brighter than 100% here in Kraaibak)
So I asked my regular compadre's if anyone was keen and Biesie ended up raising his hand
And so the plan was hatched
(I am hoping that the let-down isn't too much after hyping this up up to now, but here we are. Sadly it has also been way too long since I wrote a ride report)
We would leave home to arrive (via Ceres) at Oasis about 30minutes to an hour before sunset, get something lekker to eat and then after sunset make our way through past Sanddrif, Uitkyk pass, Algeria and then home via the N7
Biesie also asked someone who he met through the 1150 group to go with (on a red 1100 nogals)
Ridealot wanted to go with, but his salt mine needed him for some system testing and upgrading the evening, so he was gonna ride with and then turn around at some point
So we got together at Biesie's house at about 15:30 and were promptly on our way (not that we were in a hurry, but at 37 degrees it wasn't that much fun to stand around in a Paarl driveway in riding clothes)
1st Stop was in Bainskloof for a quick 'make sure all is well' and a sip of water
After that we continued. This was the 1st time I rode it with the bike after it was resurfaced (not counting that one early morning with MelloJo on our way to meet the other guys in Laingsburg, as that morning it was raining and dark, so I didn't really pay attention to the road surface)
What a pleasure that pass is now. Whomever resurfaced it know what they are doing.
The only damper on the day was the swimmers (who I assume comes from Wolesley's side) and who literally parked 30 cars in the road at that place on the Worcester side where the pump station is.
Lucky we weren't going fast, but it is kinda sobering if you come around a blind bend in a mountain pass and there are cars parked in the lane you are traveling on.
At the end of Bainskloof Ridealot bid us adieu and we were off to Ceres to fill up the tanks and get a cold drink before heading on to Gydo, Op die Berg and on towards Oasis
I know enough about Biesie to know that behind the controls of his 1150, with a full tank and some windy (curvy, not breezy) dusty roads ahead is one of his happy places
We weren't in a hurry, but we also didn't 'dilly dally' too much, so there weren't that many photos
This is just after Mount Ceder:
Dieter decided he wanted to stretch his legs a bit, so we caught up with him at the top of the pass just at the Cederberg boundary
This is one of his photos on the way there (with the moon included):
After a bit of talking nonsense and having a quick drink we were on to Cederberg Oasis
Usually I wouldn't enjoy the shadows getting long on a trip, but this time is was the whole point
There is something very liberating about not worrying about chasing daylight on a trip
Not long after that we were welcomed by the always friendly people at Oasis (Photo by Dieter):
We ran into a group that came through Niewoudtville, Botterkloof pass and Wuppertal the previous couple of days.
Lucky for them they didn't choose the hottest days of the year to do that
They had some stories to tell
As usual it was cool people, good food and the usual banter
My goodness do we miss Gerrit though. What a place they built here
Supper ended about 30 minutes after sunset, so we were on our way.
Got some looks ranging from 'WTF' to 'shame' as people started to find out we are actually going ahead.
One of the guys of the other group even gave us his number, as he came with a bakkie and can assist if there are issues.
These soon turned into good wishes
I love the informal dusty bikers' fraternity
So we started our bikes and were off:
Just around the 1st bend at the driffie we encountered a couple of what looked like CRF 250's and a bakkie from the front. We could only assume that their day didn't turn out as expected and they were running a bit behind schedule
The next stop to see if all was well was just outside the parking spot at Lot se Vrou
From here we were going to stop again at the top of Uitkyk pass
We were taking it easy (between 40 and 60km/h) and it was very relaxing in the 25 degrees and going down of the early evening chill
It was also surprisingly easy to keep track of the traveling companions, as all had good spots and you could see their lights glow for quite a bit
There was something surreal about seeing the outer edge of the mountains against the stars on the one side and the moon on the other
This very familiar ground that was still the place we know so well and has traveled through so often, but also different due to you focusing differently and seeing the scenery in a different light, so to speak.
It didn't take long before we arrived at Uitkyk pass, so we stopped and played a little with taking photos in the light of the moon
I found out that it was waaaaay too long since I took the camera out (and my brother wasn't there to give advice), so of the photos I took only two were vaguely usable:
Dieter had more success with his iPhone:
While we were chatting and enjoying the cool night air, Biesie commented at one point 'I really like this on the 'differentness' of it'
I felt the same
Shortly after that we were on our way again.
We encountered one bakkie on the N7 side of Niewoudt pass (probably a farmer that went home after a visit with friends). We could see the glow of his headlights way further than what we would have seen dust in daytime, so that was a non issue
He was probably thinking what went wrong in these poor bikers' lives that they were going down there around 22:00
Very soon after that we arrived at the low water bridge at Olifants Rivier
From there we stopped at the Caltex outside Citrusdal for some very welcome coffee that went down like a lead balloon
We were still on a high from the trip just behind us, but also needed to start heading home
The N7 was without incident, and I also think it wasn't that busy as on a Saturday night after 23:00 people are probably already where they wanted to spend the weekend
We went through Malmesbury, being a lot more playful on the bikes than what we were up to now
Before long, as the moon was setting towards our right we reached the N1 where Biesie hung a left and Dieter and I went towards Kraaibak and Kuilsrivier respectively
Pulled in at home at about 00:30
A little bit tired, but very happy
As I was sitting in the dark sipping on an ice cold Coke I realized the one thing that I've been longing for for so long: An entire day and big part of the night where the thoughts and stresses about the day to day that have so much free board and lodging in my mind, just didn't rise into my conciousness for even a second.
I wasn't about to let that streak be over, so I just sat there in the darkness flat on my 'stêre' with my dog having its head on my thigh and the cat happily ignoring me from about 1 meter away, sipping slowly on the ice cold cool drink and for the 1st time in so long with an incredible grateful feeling of being content with it all
Happy for my life, my wife, my bike, my friends, my family and the opportunity (and blessing) we have to be able to do things like this
I am not one for new year's resolutions, but that night I decided that I owe it to myself and the people around me and whomever is important to me to take the time out. Breathe a little. Do something that I (and we) enjoy. make time for the people and experiences that enrich our lives.
On that night, still buzzing from the trip behind me, like so many times before I just realized as of new again that we don't always need an epic 7500 km 'round the country' tour, or thousands of kilometers, or the latest/newest/fastest/best bike.
We don't always need days and weeks of cross country and gnarly touring
Sometimes we just need a bit of time, a weird idea and a friend or two to say 'Lets Go'
It is not that we get more jaded and maybe more difficult to impress (although I am not discounting that idea on the grounds of my impending and rapidly increasing own grumpiness, but I digress), but maybe that things that once were over the top awesome have either become a far away memory, or just something more 'regular'
When last do you remember that a new song you heard literally stopped you and commanded you to sit and listen ?
Do you remember when you saw the winding wilderness pass ahead of you after that big 1st climb after Smitskraal for the 1st time ?
The way the road winds down into 'The Hell' and how the Kloof extend far ahead as you come around that last bend ?
Seeing the Tankwa Karoo ahead of the snake of gravel that follows the mountain's top going down Ouberg Pass ?
The smell and coolness of the ferns and the brown water in the 7 Passes road ?
Don't get me wrong - it is not like I will ever get used to any of those and they will always stay magical, but there is only ever one '1st'
Running the risk of sounding a bit pompous and not trying to be philosophical, I think on a more practical level the daily grind and rat race as the years go on also have the tendency to suck some joy out of things that used to keep the 10 year old in all of us alive.
So it was while out at 'Lot se Vrou' one full moon night in December, accompanying my brother while he was taking photos of the Cederberg landscape that I thought to myself: 'Won't it be cool to ride through the Cederberg in the full moon ?'
The 'just about to turn 50 year old' in me wanted to brush the idea off, but the 10 year old me had his interest peaked.
So after we came back and back on the hamster wheel I pulled up a moon calendar and decided that the 20th of January might just be the right weekend (the full moon was only the coming weekend, but the timings for me didn't work out and 66% of the moon in the Cederberg is probably still way brighter than 100% here in Kraaibak)
So I asked my regular compadre's if anyone was keen and Biesie ended up raising his hand
And so the plan was hatched
(I am hoping that the let-down isn't too much after hyping this up up to now, but here we are. Sadly it has also been way too long since I wrote a ride report)
We would leave home to arrive (via Ceres) at Oasis about 30minutes to an hour before sunset, get something lekker to eat and then after sunset make our way through past Sanddrif, Uitkyk pass, Algeria and then home via the N7
Biesie also asked someone who he met through the 1150 group to go with (on a red 1100 nogals)
Ridealot wanted to go with, but his salt mine needed him for some system testing and upgrading the evening, so he was gonna ride with and then turn around at some point
So we got together at Biesie's house at about 15:30 and were promptly on our way (not that we were in a hurry, but at 37 degrees it wasn't that much fun to stand around in a Paarl driveway in riding clothes)
1st Stop was in Bainskloof for a quick 'make sure all is well' and a sip of water
After that we continued. This was the 1st time I rode it with the bike after it was resurfaced (not counting that one early morning with MelloJo on our way to meet the other guys in Laingsburg, as that morning it was raining and dark, so I didn't really pay attention to the road surface)
What a pleasure that pass is now. Whomever resurfaced it know what they are doing.
The only damper on the day was the swimmers (who I assume comes from Wolesley's side) and who literally parked 30 cars in the road at that place on the Worcester side where the pump station is.
Lucky we weren't going fast, but it is kinda sobering if you come around a blind bend in a mountain pass and there are cars parked in the lane you are traveling on.
At the end of Bainskloof Ridealot bid us adieu and we were off to Ceres to fill up the tanks and get a cold drink before heading on to Gydo, Op die Berg and on towards Oasis
I know enough about Biesie to know that behind the controls of his 1150, with a full tank and some windy (curvy, not breezy) dusty roads ahead is one of his happy places
We weren't in a hurry, but we also didn't 'dilly dally' too much, so there weren't that many photos
This is just after Mount Ceder:
Dieter decided he wanted to stretch his legs a bit, so we caught up with him at the top of the pass just at the Cederberg boundary
This is one of his photos on the way there (with the moon included):
After a bit of talking nonsense and having a quick drink we were on to Cederberg Oasis
Usually I wouldn't enjoy the shadows getting long on a trip, but this time is was the whole point
There is something very liberating about not worrying about chasing daylight on a trip
Not long after that we were welcomed by the always friendly people at Oasis (Photo by Dieter):
We ran into a group that came through Niewoudtville, Botterkloof pass and Wuppertal the previous couple of days.
Lucky for them they didn't choose the hottest days of the year to do that
They had some stories to tell
As usual it was cool people, good food and the usual banter
My goodness do we miss Gerrit though. What a place they built here
Supper ended about 30 minutes after sunset, so we were on our way.
Got some looks ranging from 'WTF' to 'shame' as people started to find out we are actually going ahead.
One of the guys of the other group even gave us his number, as he came with a bakkie and can assist if there are issues.
These soon turned into good wishes
I love the informal dusty bikers' fraternity
So we started our bikes and were off:
Just around the 1st bend at the driffie we encountered a couple of what looked like CRF 250's and a bakkie from the front. We could only assume that their day didn't turn out as expected and they were running a bit behind schedule
The next stop to see if all was well was just outside the parking spot at Lot se Vrou
From here we were going to stop again at the top of Uitkyk pass
We were taking it easy (between 40 and 60km/h) and it was very relaxing in the 25 degrees and going down of the early evening chill
It was also surprisingly easy to keep track of the traveling companions, as all had good spots and you could see their lights glow for quite a bit
There was something surreal about seeing the outer edge of the mountains against the stars on the one side and the moon on the other
This very familiar ground that was still the place we know so well and has traveled through so often, but also different due to you focusing differently and seeing the scenery in a different light, so to speak.
It didn't take long before we arrived at Uitkyk pass, so we stopped and played a little with taking photos in the light of the moon
I found out that it was waaaaay too long since I took the camera out (and my brother wasn't there to give advice), so of the photos I took only two were vaguely usable:
Dieter had more success with his iPhone:
While we were chatting and enjoying the cool night air, Biesie commented at one point 'I really like this on the 'differentness' of it'
I felt the same
Shortly after that we were on our way again.
We encountered one bakkie on the N7 side of Niewoudt pass (probably a farmer that went home after a visit with friends). We could see the glow of his headlights way further than what we would have seen dust in daytime, so that was a non issue
He was probably thinking what went wrong in these poor bikers' lives that they were going down there around 22:00
Very soon after that we arrived at the low water bridge at Olifants Rivier
From there we stopped at the Caltex outside Citrusdal for some very welcome coffee that went down like a lead balloon
We were still on a high from the trip just behind us, but also needed to start heading home
The N7 was without incident, and I also think it wasn't that busy as on a Saturday night after 23:00 people are probably already where they wanted to spend the weekend
We went through Malmesbury, being a lot more playful on the bikes than what we were up to now
Before long, as the moon was setting towards our right we reached the N1 where Biesie hung a left and Dieter and I went towards Kraaibak and Kuilsrivier respectively
Pulled in at home at about 00:30
A little bit tired, but very happy
As I was sitting in the dark sipping on an ice cold Coke I realized the one thing that I've been longing for for so long: An entire day and big part of the night where the thoughts and stresses about the day to day that have so much free board and lodging in my mind, just didn't rise into my conciousness for even a second.
I wasn't about to let that streak be over, so I just sat there in the darkness flat on my 'stêre' with my dog having its head on my thigh and the cat happily ignoring me from about 1 meter away, sipping slowly on the ice cold cool drink and for the 1st time in so long with an incredible grateful feeling of being content with it all
Happy for my life, my wife, my bike, my friends, my family and the opportunity (and blessing) we have to be able to do things like this
I am not one for new year's resolutions, but that night I decided that I owe it to myself and the people around me and whomever is important to me to take the time out. Breathe a little. Do something that I (and we) enjoy. make time for the people and experiences that enrich our lives.
On that night, still buzzing from the trip behind me, like so many times before I just realized as of new again that we don't always need an epic 7500 km 'round the country' tour, or thousands of kilometers, or the latest/newest/fastest/best bike.
We don't always need days and weeks of cross country and gnarly touring
Sometimes we just need a bit of time, a weird idea and a friend or two to say 'Lets Go'
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