Spy
Pack Dog
:blob9: After Topbox; Powerflo and Brian pulled out at the last min, it left the brave (or stupid) me, on the TTR250; Jonathan on the YZ250 and Raz on the KTM200 to tackle the Matroosberg 4x4 route.
I left Claremont on the TTR at 7:15am, in a drizzle - N1 â?? Wellington â?? Wolseley â?? Ceres. They left in there vehicles! The only rain (heavy it was :toothy2
I got was between the N1 and Wellington, otherwise it was a clear ride to Ceres. The Bains Kloof and Michells Passes where awesome. The Brede River was pumping with water with waterfall from everywhere. I havenâ??t seen so much water since the sea! (see next post)
From the Reserve turn off, the 4km ride along the gravel road was flooded, to above a cars door line and there were a lot of 4x4 vehicles when we arrived, waiting to go up the mountain. The weather was fairly clear, so we headed on up.
The 1st (steep 25-35deg) section of road up was rock, mud, river and ice! I got stuck once and fell once. I battled to get going again as momentum is the key! Where the uphill climb levels out, we found all the 4x4â??s parked, unable to continue as the snow went from ground level to a meter deep! While we were contemplated going onâ?? Jonathan rode off the edge of the snow pile and continued alone the now, knee deep, snow filled road. We followed, battling along in 1st gear for about 1km and decided this was too much effort after getting stuck in the snow every 20 odd meters.
After literally chilling out for 15min we dragged the bikes around and set on back. Jonathan had to change a spark plug that died from the slow riding. After crossing the stream (pic) we had to give it stick to get as far up the slope as possible. I am proud to announce the TTR went the furthest! Then we had to side step (drag) the bikes up the steep snow slope. I never want to do this again! It felt like I was going to die I was so tired and sweaty!
It started to drizzle so we set off down the mountain. This was as much a challenge as coming up. After changing from right to left for some hikers I found myself in line for a half meter drop-off (donga) No way out so I clutched and ramped off it, perfect landing ;D, too much speed ???, front wheel runs a rut, grips and swings left, bike stops dead into the embankment, chest hits the crossbar and I fall on my ass! ! At least the hikers saw the wipe-out, otherwise I would have been pissed! All that pain for nothing! :happy6:
We reached the bottom safe and sound, packed up and headed home.
My boots/feet were wet, as well as my hands, so I froze all the way back to Ceres. The rest of me was warm, but it felt like Iâ??d left my feet on the mountain, as I couldnâ??t feel them! After Ceres it was clear sailing all the way back home. I stopped along Bains Kloof pass to take pics of the waterfalls (canâ??t stop in a car). Distance travelled 442km on a tank and a quarter juice!
More pics to follow, after these > Captions ontop.
Waiting for some 4x4's to make there way down. You can see more of them at the top
The gradient is very steep, I had my first fall there.
This pic gives a good perspective of the gradient.
This is one of the best Bridgestone tyres EVER, comes highly recomended for road and off road!
Looking back from where we came, asking ourselves, why did we think we could go further?"
Tracks from the Maxxis 6006 rear, not a bad tyre at all, did it's job well
Looking west down on the Matroosberg Reserve Start, with Ceres in the far back.
We could only go as far as the road goes in the picture.
Taking a break after working up a sweat
Beaking the ice!
Changing the fouled plug of the YZ.
After this river crossing, on the way back, we had to pin it to the far end.
At the end of the runup, this is the result! Then it's a drag up the slope.
I left Claremont on the TTR at 7:15am, in a drizzle - N1 â?? Wellington â?? Wolseley â?? Ceres. They left in there vehicles! The only rain (heavy it was :toothy2
I got was between the N1 and Wellington, otherwise it was a clear ride to Ceres. The Bains Kloof and Michells Passes where awesome. The Brede River was pumping with water with waterfall from everywhere. I havenâ??t seen so much water since the sea! (see next post)From the Reserve turn off, the 4km ride along the gravel road was flooded, to above a cars door line and there were a lot of 4x4 vehicles when we arrived, waiting to go up the mountain. The weather was fairly clear, so we headed on up.
The 1st (steep 25-35deg) section of road up was rock, mud, river and ice! I got stuck once and fell once. I battled to get going again as momentum is the key! Where the uphill climb levels out, we found all the 4x4â??s parked, unable to continue as the snow went from ground level to a meter deep! While we were contemplated going onâ?? Jonathan rode off the edge of the snow pile and continued alone the now, knee deep, snow filled road. We followed, battling along in 1st gear for about 1km and decided this was too much effort after getting stuck in the snow every 20 odd meters.
After literally chilling out for 15min we dragged the bikes around and set on back. Jonathan had to change a spark plug that died from the slow riding. After crossing the stream (pic) we had to give it stick to get as far up the slope as possible. I am proud to announce the TTR went the furthest! Then we had to side step (drag) the bikes up the steep snow slope. I never want to do this again! It felt like I was going to die I was so tired and sweaty!
It started to drizzle so we set off down the mountain. This was as much a challenge as coming up. After changing from right to left for some hikers I found myself in line for a half meter drop-off (donga) No way out so I clutched and ramped off it, perfect landing ;D, too much speed ???, front wheel runs a rut,
grips and swings left, bike stops dead into the embankment, chest hits the crossbar and I fall on my ass! ! At least the hikers saw the wipe-out, otherwise I would have been pissed! All that pain for nothing! :happy6:We reached the bottom safe and sound, packed up and headed home.
My boots/feet were wet, as well as my hands, so I froze all the way back to Ceres. The rest of me was warm, but it felt like Iâ??d left my feet on the mountain, as I couldnâ??t feel them! After Ceres it was clear sailing all the way back home. I stopped along Bains Kloof pass to take pics of the waterfalls (canâ??t stop in a car). Distance travelled 442km on a tank and a quarter juice!
More pics to follow, after these > Captions ontop.
Waiting for some 4x4's to make there way down. You can see more of them at the top
The gradient is very steep, I had my first fall there.
This pic gives a good perspective of the gradient.
This is one of the best Bridgestone tyres EVER, comes highly recomended for road and off road!
Looking back from where we came, asking ourselves, why did we think we could go further?"
Tracks from the Maxxis 6006 rear, not a bad tyre at all, did it's job well
Looking west down on the Matroosberg Reserve Start, with Ceres in the far back.
We could only go as far as the road goes in the picture.
Taking a break after working up a sweat
Beaking the ice!
Changing the fouled plug of the YZ.
After this river crossing, on the way back, we had to pin it to the far end.
At the end of the runup, this is the result! Then it's a drag up the slope.
