Dirty weekend alone

[Vaalseun]

Sunday morning I got going early again, starting with a short stretch of tar towards Botha's pass




The railway line between Newcastle and Volksrust




I got onto the railway reserve, trying to ride up to the tunnel entrance just below mount Majuba




Mount Majuba in the background, looking from the south




The last bit of the railway reserve road became quite technical. It's clear that it's not really used that often.




Dunno why, but standing on a railway track with earplugs in your ears and a helmet on your head makes one feel a little bit uncomfortable. So, just a quick piccie and then get out of there

 

[Vaalseun]

O'Nei's Cottage is a historical monument where the peace negotiations between Sir Evelyn Wood on the British side and on the Boer side the triumvirate of Paul Kruger, Piet Joubert and M W Pretorius, with President Brand of the Free State as mediator, were signed.




This is the old railway tunnel, now on private land.

 

[corcorlia]

Lekker Vaalseun!!!  Very nice trip! Thanks for sharing!  :thumleft:

 

[JERINOMO]

Nice trip Vaalseun.  :thumleft:

I see you also missing the back mudguard. On purpose or by accident.

 

[Vaalseun]

I actually bought the bike that way. The dealer said I should bring it back to get one fitted, but then I read that it's more of a nuisance in any case. Must say, I don't miss it.

 

[madmike999]

baie mooi, solo rules  :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[JERINOMO]

I actually bought the bike that way. The dealer said I should bring it back to get one fitted, but then I read that it's more of a nuisance in any case. Must say, I don't miss it.

I'm definitely not going to buy a new one. A bit more mud flying around is not going to hurt anybody, accept maybe for the bike behind you. :thumleft:

 

[Vaalseun]

Turning the bike's nose homeward.




I think the most deserted place on earth has to be the grondpad between Memel and Vrede at two o'clock on a Sunday afternoon. There was just not a soul in sight.




I wonder what these two did to deserve this.




I had some time on my hands and enough juice in the tank, and decided at the spur of the moment to take a turn-off to the right, just to see where it comes out at. I eventually ended up on the Volksrust-Vrede road, which brought some new scenery. That's always a thrill to me to just take a road, not knowing where it's leading to.

 

[Vaalseun]

The shadows were getting longer, and a good ride of some 900km's, mostly on dirt, has come to and end




The home run is past the Suikerbosrand nature reserve, where one always find something interesting

 

[antondp]

Nice pics.

 

[DD650]

Very nice report Vaalseun and beautiful pictures. Do you perhaps have a route map for this trip? We have never done any of these roads and it looks like a really nice and scenic trip.

I think the most deserted place on earth has to be the grondpad between Memel and Vrede at two o'clock on a Sunday afternoon. There was just not a soul in sight.

Have you ever been on the Brandvlei - Van Wyksvlei road in Northern Cape on a Sunday morning. The only thing you see is a couple of trees here and there where there is a farmhouse. 

 

[Tenrider]

Very nice report Vaalseun and beautiful pictures. Do you perhaps have a route map for this trip? We have never done any of these roads and it looks like a really nice and scenic trip.

[quote "Tenrider"] And coordinates of intersections/ markers/ prominent geographical features please, for those like me (read lazy) who are not familiar with that area at all. Nice report and pictures.  :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[LRFan]

Baie lekker man en uitstekende fotos!

 

[Vaalseun]

Some of the route is not on T4A, so I cannot give you the T4A route. However I have all the placemarks for upload into Google Earth if that would be of any help. Unfortunately the forum does not accept the file format of Google Earth placemarks, so you will have to PM me and I can e-mail them to you. It's quite simple after that, you just open the file from within Google Earth This is what the more scenic part of the route looked like.

 

[Just Blip It!]

Great ride you had, thanks for sharing! I love that Memel area!

 

[Harry the Buffalo]

Thanks Vaalseun!! Great ride man!