Uiltjie
Race Dog
Canola Run Take 3...........
When I was still an addicted Wilddog fanatic 3 years ago, I realised that there is a need to share the beauty of the Overberg and its Canola painted hills with fellow riders. I got the permission of my neighbours to use their farm roads, and the Canola Run was born. Last year, the church asked me if I would do another as a fund raiser. Now, this ride has grown into a funfilled scenic charity ride for families, lady bikers, children and the like.
Recessionary times has taken its toll and I have been bikeless for a couple of months. KTM Cape Town came to my rescue, and offered me a demo ride for the day. I could ride their demo 990 Adv or their 690 Enduro. Being an ex-owner of the best Adventure litre class bike in the world, I was very tempted to ride the beautiful white beast of a 990, but Donald of KTM CT suggested I take the little hooligan bike......
Donald arrived nice and early with both demo bikes. I fueled the two bikes, the 990 run out of juice 50m from the start, and I had to push the bike to Caltex down the road! I took the 690 around the block, and soon realised there is a very good reason why the informed calls it a Hooligan Bike, hereafter referred to HB......
A sea of bikes decended into Caledon, and started filling the church's parking lot, the sea, I might add, has weird orangy glow to it......
Registration was breeze, as Johnnie Bok's friendly wife took care of the 70 odd registrations with a smile. Our excited dominee started the ride with a prayer, after which I begged the riders to remember to watch his follower in their mirror, as to assure no-one gets lost...... Well, yes, you guessed it, a few guys did get lost!
Last year, some guys asked if we could split the group in a faster and slower group. I took the faster group, after all, I was on HB! I pointed the HB in a southerly direction, with only about 2km of Caledon tar, then onto perfect, moist and dustless gravel. Johnnie Bok and his wife led the second (but not slower) group on his newly aquired 990S.
A quick regroup after about 10km. It only took a few minutes, and all were there. I trusted (dunno how?) my wife as pillion on the rear of Joe Rocket's 990..... They were in the faster group, and safely made it. I was feeling a bit more at ease by now!
Fouriekop parking, boasting those oh-so-shiny sissy boots.......
I had by now started to feel comfortable on HB, and was quite happy to lead the faster group.
This little HB is truely a pocket rocket, begging you to pull its ear, begging the rider to shift his boundaries and skill level, leaving the opposition in a trail of dust and stones.....
We set off to the halfway point, and lo and behold, again bikes got lost, lodging themselves in the enduro track which we constructed a while ago for a WP Regional offroad race here on my farm!
Eventually, all stopped at the hangar on top of a hill for refreshments, organised by the church.
I promised a prize for the best show at the halfway mark, and no-one seemed to be interested in the 2kg fresh biltong prize. After a bit of persuasion, I got my son on his CRF450R to start proceedings.
Soon, we were entertained by my son, his friend Hume and Gideon Joubert with fearless youngster displays of what they do in the afternoons after school.....
I now know why it is not only the power of the 450's that makes us buy more rear tyres that front tyres!
Tatoo enjoying the drinks break
Mrs Uil was having a lot of fun being on bike again after a long period of being bikeless, see the smile!
The drinks break at the halfway mark
My youngest son who also rode the whole trip on his CRF230
A local CRF450X
Joe Rocket
Lots of potential bike buyers will look at the specs of a bike when choosing a new steed. In my opinion, there is only one way of choosing a bike, and that is to throw your leg over, and get your bum in the seat. HB has impressed me beyond belief, hauling my somewhat overweight ass over this terrain without effort, cushioned by the world renowned WP suspension, using most of its incredible 275mm travel.
KTM descbribes this bike as:
I disagree. It is not an all rounder, it cannot and will not replace an Adventure bike, it cannot and will not replace an enduro race bike. But, with its 138kg and 63Hp, it will not look great on paper, but ride it first, then judge it! It is an amazing piece of Austrian engineering, you will fall in love with the 690 Enduro. You will fall in love with the way you pick the front wheel up at 80km/h in fourth to wheelie through any obstacle, without the popping of a clutch, just a mere blip of the right hand, and it opens up your body's adrenaline valves!
I asked Donald's permission to set my 16yr old's life long dream of riding a 690 free. He was probably not allowed to let him ride, but being a marketer in these times, probably saw the opportunity to capture a future client for life, and Stefan set off on his dream bike. Again, it looks like not a lot of front wheel was used.....
After the break, we set off to the lunch spot.
At this spot, we had to do about 500m of tar. I stopped, as I realised that we could expect some fun, as it set the scene for some wheelies. We were entertained by the experienced guys displaying their skills. I must admit, I have never seen a 1200 GS in a long controlled balance point wheelie, mighty impressive! I have no pics of it, will post as soon as get some. He was rewarded with 1st prize for this.
A quick "some-bikes-are-lost-again" regroup.
And setting off again.
We all got the lunch spot, and lots of tales and laughter is heard amoungst the smiling faces. KTM Bigger (I think?) took a spectaculour tumble when he overcooked an s-bend, much to the delight of the following bikes! We were served a lunch of braaied chicken, fresh salad, potatoes and buns. Well done to the braaiers!
A well satisfied Mrs Uil
After the halfway stop, Donald had to put petrol in the KTM bakkie, and left for Caledon. He did not know where the lunch spot was, and could not find us. I had to part from my much loved HB, and rode back to Caledon where poor Donald waited in his bakkie for hours.
Throughout the day, The_Wes was keeping up at a good pace with the front pack, riding really well. He loved the fast pace up front. He displayed great skill and gunning it together with Andy XT660R. About 500m from the lunch spot on my way back to Caledon, I came upon a scene with a bike on its side, rear wheel spinning, still throwing mud from the centrefugal force of the wheel. About 10m further, lay a now mud covered gentleman on his back. The_Woes lost a bit of concentration, and as he looked up, hit a large mudhole at speed, lodging his front wheel in the hole, sending him over the X-Challenge's handlebars in spectaculour fashion. I had missed the fall, but by the laughter of Fouriekop, it must've been YouTube material...... The_Woes was not seriously injured, maybe the ego was totally moertoe, but was shaken and could not get up. In true Wilddog fashion, I quickly got my camera out to save the images for life!
Check the camera man's smile inside the helmet!
A spot that will be something more than a tingle in the shower......
Santam, he we go again!
So, another great Canola Run was had, with lots of laughter, beautiful scenery, new friends, new adventure riders, lady riders, family and kids following in 4x4's.
A great word of thanks to all who helped this charity, Johnnie Bok for his help and his brother for sweeping, as well as a GEAT thumbs up Donald and KTM Cape Town, for enabling me to ride a truely awesome machine, one that I would recommend to anyone that can afford a toy hooligan bike for days like these!
A huge thank you to Heinrich, on who's farms most of the riding was done! :thumleft:
See you all next year!
I will upload more images later.
