We left Eendekuil at about 3 pm, and filled up at Clanwilliam on our way to Wupperthal.
The road up through Pakhuispas is now tarred all the way to the turnoff for Wupperthal. From there it is a horribly corrugated gravel road, up and down and around. Not too scary though, the really bad sections have been cemented over... but I shudder to think what it will look like when it rains down there!
We made it down into the Biedouw valley, with me only stopping to rearrange my luggage. Dad waited for me, and I told him I thought I saw a numberplate in the road a few kilometers back, I even noted the mileage on my bike… and sure enough, his plate was no longer on his bike! LOL, if anything is not bolted down properly, that road will shake it loose for sure!!
By this time it was fairly late in the day, and we still had 19 kilometres to go to get to Wupperthal, and then find a place to camp. My dad then said, there seems to be a camping site just ahead, why don’t we try that? We can then carry on to Wupperthal early the next morning, do some sightseeing and get back on the road from there.
For those that don’t know, going to Wupperthal is an in-and-out affair.. whatever you go through going there, you have to do the same to get out again.. if not worse!! I am of course referring to the "alternative" Eselbank route…
The Mertenhof farm in the Biedouw valley has a very nice setting. Dinner can be arranged, but we decided to forego supper… luckily the beers we bought survived the trip too! We stayed in the self-catering house, why camp when you don’t really have to? It had been a long day with the tyre-fitting and the bad road…
Some pics of the Mertenhof surroundings.
Maybe now is the time to explain that my off-road (gravel) riding experience is not that much… I had been on 3 of Blaze’s Newbie rides, did an intro course at Kings Mountain, and the beginners course at the Honda Academy. Also some sand riding in Hoopstad, and a half-completed course for WD ladies and others at the Sand farm in Magalies. So let’s call it less than a 1000 kms in total, before I began the trip. No wonder I am still nervous!! Add to that my dad tipping over, and yes, I started looking very carefully where we stopped on the side of the road from that point onwards (see first day). Sigh… but I won’t quit!
Next morning we got going pretty early, and got to Wupperthal just before 9. Had to search a bit for the (it seems) only place in Wupperthal where you can have breakfast, the Lekkerbekkie tea room… had a very nice breakfast, took some pics and off we went again. We still had a long way to go, heading towards Kimberley to visit my great-aunt.
Pics of Wupperthal,
and the way back up that mountain...
We contemplated going straight to Calvinia from the Wupperthal turnoff, but decided the slower speed and unknown condition and length of the direct gravel route, given the fuel left in our tanks, did not warrant the shorter way. So we headed back to Clanwilliam, and from there followed the N7 to Calvinia over VanRhyns pass… absolutely awesome view over the plains! Didn’t stop for pics, Dad was in a hurry and had pulled away out of sight from me riding behind.
We weren’t quite sure of where we were going to stay over, so carried on until we got to Williston. A very friendly estate agent we met at the garage took us all over town to show us all the B&Bs he would recommend. Picked a place called Annie’s, nice old house with comfortable beds, an elevated swimming pool and a horse! LOL.
We also had a huge supper at the local restaurant, that was very nice! In the main road, across from the hotel, Portugese name… try it when you go through Williston again, the portions are humongous and the food is delicious! They even serve tripe…
The next morning early we left for Carnarvon, where we stopped for breakfast at the Lemon Tree.
Asked the local lady at the shop, how was the road to Britstown, as the long way round via Victoria West was a bit too long, but she said no worries, the road is in great condition and it is only about 30 kilometres that is not tarred!
Phew, what a relief... I can do 30 kays, no worries! Once we hit the gravel road… well, the condition is NOT great… and the 30 became 40, then 45, then 50, then 55 then 60… and I started praying for a smooth black surface! Some sections were not bad, and I got up to a speed of about 70 km/h at one time, but the rest…
My dad had asked me a few times why on earth I put knobblies on the bike, he thought it was a waste of money. Well, those tyres saved my bacon on the gravel, of that I am sure.
When riding on corrugations before (on the Blazes rides) my bike would develop a severe tankslap. This time round, with the knobblies on, there was no sign of headshaking! Whoo hooo!!!
And I am very impressed with the amount of rubber still left on them after 4800 kms on mostly tar! Thanks to AdventureMX for fitting the TKC in front and the Kenda on the back! Great service!
While we are talking about equipment… Groenie built the pannier racks for my soft luggage. I have to say that they did not budge one millimeter, even on those corrugations! Thanks, Groenie.
From Britstown, to Strydenburg, to Hopetown, and the closer we got to Kimberley the more the clouds started looking black and angry all around us, with flashes of lightning visible in the distance. Fortunately we seemed to be riding in the dry spot, and the rain held off until we got to Kimberley.
Had a nice kuier with the family (my great-aunt is 88, and still very sprightly! And of course my dad did not tell her beforehand that we were travelling on motorcycles!! ) on Old Years Eve, rain and all, but I didn’t manage to stay awake to see the new year in…
The last day…
From Kimberley we pushed straight for home. Not sure about traffic and roadworks, we decided to get off the N12 at Bloemhof, and headed for Hoopstad (sorry we didn’t pop in for coffee, Milkybar, we were a bit pressed for time, maybe next time?), then Bothaville, Viljoenskroon, Potch.
In hindsight, it was not a good idea. We had to keep to about 60 km/h, because of the very bad condition of the roads around there, severe potholes (almost dongas in some places) so fast riding was definitely out! Hit some hard rain just outside Carletonville, so on with the rainsuits again, and picked up the N14 just outside Randfontein.
Breakfast seemed a very long time ago by now, and when we got to the big one-stop other side of Krugersdorp, we had our last meal together for the trip.
With the rain spitting down, just like when we left 18 days ago, we got home to Pretoria about 6 that evening, New Year’s Day, 2010.
The final words
For some people it might not sound like much, very little gravel, no Baviaanskloof, no Attakwaskloof, no Eselbank…
but for my dad, aged 72, having had a quadruple heart bypass a few years ago, and who a year ago probably did not think he would ever ride a bike again, it was a wonderful experience.
And even though I was stressed badly quite a few times, this trip is something I will always remember… and I feel very privileged having been able to share the long road with my dad.
Thanks, Dad, you are a star! Where we going next?
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eepwall:
