Dam solo, losing my religion

[RobCrouch]

Well not my religion but my registration plate... aka Number Plate... more on that later.
Last night I started thinking it may be great to go and check out the water flow over either the Gariep or Van der Kloof dam...
Set my alarm for 6 but was far too sleepy when it did go off so went back to sleep until 8:30... relized I had a bundle of washing I started that while I had my usual Wheatbix and coffee... Then asked my daughter if she wanted to pillion and got a negative, so it was to be a Solo...
Eventually got away after 11 and decided to slab it all the way just in case the weather changed... Wise decision...
My first "bene rek" for some Iced Tea was at the Riet River bridge outside Koffiefontein.
Then I filled up in Luckhoff... never been there was main reason...
Then I got to the Dam... WOW!

 

[BiG DoM]

Impressive!  :thumleft:

 

[RobCrouch]

So without further ado I proceeded to snap away for a good 30 min, from several points after parking the bike. Pics are ale cellphone btw... in my haste I had left the camera on the desk when I grabbed the GPS... wich is now working fine after letting me down in KZN... seemingly it hates being connected to cages... :mwink:

 

[RobCrouch]

Then got back on the bike to head for more vantage points... some better than others and some a tad out of the way...

 

[GreenMamba1974]

thanks robc  :thumleft:

incredible sight, wish a fraction of that came to PE 

 

[RobCrouch]

Then I headed off to town proper and took some more along the way...

After that I went to the campsite but it was closed because it was already flooded! Found a shop and bought some biltong, cookies and a coke to add to the apple for lunch.
Sat on the Ribbok Eatery benches and had a feast while chatting to a very disgusted Landie owner... he had just had his diesel filled up with petrol... was waiting for his son and a flatbed to collect basically brand new vehicle... not a happy chappie.
If I were the Ribbok's owner I would have made a killing with posters at the dam saying "Flood special mixed grill and cold beer!" or someshuch... there were a lot of hungry people in town!

Please note... The bike still has it's number plate! :deal:

 

[RobCrouch]

thanks robc  :thumleft:

incredible sight, wish a fraction of that came to PE 

I am sure some is going down your way via the Orange/Fish tunnel from Gariep.
They are holding back starting up the turbines and the sluice gates to try and control the flow so that it does not coincide with what is coming down the Vaal... if Gariep and Van der Kloof were to let rip places like Douglas and downriver from there in the Orange will have severe floods.

 

[RobCrouch]

So after taking care of the thirst and the worst of the munchies I set of toward home... but by now the weather was turning ominous... with thunder over Van der Kloof!
As I left a local had mentioned that the dam was rising by about a meter every 2 hours!!! Sounds like they may have to open those turbines and sluice gates soon... pack your bags if you live downriver! :deal:
And more is coming from Lesotho! :
I headed back to Luckhoff to take the dirt to fauresmith... hoping that I would not get caught by a thunderstorm... I dislike them a lot after my near miss with Thor... :deal:
Along the way another munchie stop while eyeing the weather, from the rear and ahead...
followed by one of many of these stately creatures that were crossing the road with abandon today.
The only other veicle on this road was... you guessed it... a TAXI!
We waved at each other... hope he missed the tortoises... :

 

[RobCrouch]

When I reached Fauresmith... parking in the rail right of way btw. I took some snaps of this unusual town while eying the weather once again...
and Lo and Behold... Shrek sans number plate!! mus be somewhere back there towards Luckhoff! :imaposer:
By this time my Nokia's lens was a tad sweaty too I notice... causing some of the blurring in the pictures.

 

[RobCrouch]

So after gulping down another sluk of coke and a lemon cream off it was to Jagersfontein where I filled up again, Fauresmith was dry as far as fuel was concerned...
The thunder was getting closer and the single attendant took her time filling up but at last I was off again... stopped to take a pic of the clouds behind and the way ahead. A way down the road I noticed a turn off to Wurasoord and decided to head East for a while as the slab was sort of leading me into the chain of thunderstorms. This road had recently recieved some rain and was wet in patches... and became wetter and wetter... man I had fun!
Just a pity the only witness to my awesome water crossing was a local... I wonder who got the bigger fright when a wall of water went up! Now I was properly wet without being rained on!

 

[RobCrouch]

After this little adventure I came to this choice... turned left and headed to a place I had attended school at and bought wilsons toffies and nikkerbols as a kid... not as it was in my day... :-\
Sadly the abandonment of the platteland has some real depressing places... this is one of them. Tierpoort... without the Tiger. :

 

[RobCrouch]

So I continued on my way back to Bloem along the train tracks on what was the original N1 before they built tar roads... had some gnarly wet patches to contend with but the old maxim of look up, stand up and open up did it's work as well as the knobby on the rear... I was glad I had one!
Then one last stop for a leak in the long grass and some farewell pics of the bike and scenery for the day... and I was back home again... just in time to take down the washing before the clouds arrived!
My bike and gear are dirty... but my soul is clean after today's ride... :thumleft:

 

[rcerrie]

Lekker Ride!!!

 

[Fiellie]

Nice !!  :thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[edgy]

Impressive - thanks! :thumleft:

 

[The Badger]

Lekker solo ride there RobC.

Enjoyed the pics of all the water.....WOW.

 

[RobCrouch]

Lekker solo ride there RobC.

Enjoyed the pics of all the water.....WOW.

I was running out of time and did not stop to take pics along the Wurasoord stretch where I did the water crossing... the water was running both sides of the road for about 15k! :thumleft:

 

[Chrisl]

Julle wêreld is mooi groen!! :thumleft:

 

[RobCrouch]

Julle wêreld is mooi groen!! :thumleft:

Jip... hoop julle kry ook meer.

 

[Gee eS]

Very nice RR!