DS like the good days

[Michiel]

Over the last two years DS riding has slowly slipped from my interest. Today though I experienced
a little of the glory of what I knew it to be. The essence of man, bike and nature meeting.

It is now mid-winter in the Southern Free State and with the first severe cold-front past lie in its
wake a landscape frosted to the ground. Yellow grass stretching over the horizon flanked by randjies
of black rock the only green Olienhout and Karee trees along the dried-up streams.

From Bloemfontein some friends made their way traveling only on gravel by the old road of last century.
On the farm I waited in excitement hearing in the cold crisp air of a mid-June morning the distinct sound
of BMW and KTM engines working along the dirt road on the far side if the farm.

I will show them today what I think to be the best gravel roads, farm access roads and tweespoor roads
there are in the Freestate.

 

[Draadwerk]

Is the sun still up in the Free State? Or are you going to gooi a nice RR???

 

[Garfield]

There is awesome riding in the Free State, any photos?

 

[Michiel]

It was a chilly ride here so first I gave coffee and tea with some of Ouma Kosie's rusks. After good conversation
over steaming cups we geared up and set off.

 

[Michiel]

The dirt road from the farm makes up the last part of the old Bloemfontein - Jagersfontein road
and to our joy it has recently been graded. Unfortunately no cameras came out while we were
at speed so you'll just have to imagine the most scenic road with a smooth yet slightly loose
tennis court like surface winding through a landscape of rantjies, koppies two rivers and a little
pass called Amandel Hoogte with a couple of steep and sharp turns making even an 'ol KLR slide
a bit.

We went off route for a couple of k's to get petrol in Jagersfontein for the guys with big engines
and small fuel tanks.

Here is Twister with two pumpkins up for a prize at the church bazaar next week. Twister is a big guy.
Shows the size of these pumpkins.

 

[Michiel]

Back on the route again things were going like clockwork. I wasn't much about it but looking in my
mirrors the boys on the fast bikes were using the whole road. The day has turned into the best one
this week and already the sun has heated the crisp air to a bearable degree.

More of those winding roads followed over hills and around farms till we turned off onto some smaller
farm access roads. Now this used to be a public road but poor maintenance and livestock theft made the
land owners lock the gate and today nobody besides the two residents travel here anymore.



A couple of little streams, gates and a river later we were now in the swing of things enjoying some
airtime with every bump in the road. The one good thing about this little traffic is that there is no-one
around to spoil the mood and the road, which is now maintained by the farmers is in a good state.
This is a kind of road which can almost be called a tweespoor yet still drivable by car.

Here we turned off and played a bit in the sand of a dried stream.

 

[Michiel]

After another river and chatting to the farmer on the other side, who turned out to have
a healthy interest in DS himself, we hit the big dirt roads again. That kind which is not so wide
but the nature of it entices you to twist grip until the bike become very lively indeed.

The second part of the day turned out a little different than expected. We entered yet another
farm, this time completely private, and headed back to the very same river we just crossed.
Now the roads turned into real tweespoor and at times even single spoor. I've been here before
but only on the plastic. Years ago the owner's dad bulldozed a road right across the river and up
the mountain to give access to the grazing up on the top. The road has since weathered a bit
but still in fair condition.

I made a quick stop before we descended into the river to show the guys where one can explore
if you intended to make such a ride a bit more technical. At this point Losper said: "well, lets go
have a look".

Nox followed but not without apprehension. His rear tire was just about a complete slick and I said
we won't ride technical.

 

[Michiel]

By now we were working as a team and breaking into a sweat under all the layers of warm clothing.
The day has indeed turned into a fantastic one. There we stood in one of the desolate places one can
find along this river chatting and admiring the beauty of the Koppies around us.

This is when Losper pointed further into the bushes and said: "lets see where that goes".

 

[Michiel]

What goes into the river must come out again.

SGB lining the LC up for a charge through die biesies and up a sandy embankment.



Nox





Up and out the other side we got to a dead-end with a fence. A little scouting revealed yet more fun.





Nox



Losper.





SGB



Losper

 

[2StrokeDan]

Losper klink na die regte man vir die tipe van ding. Waar gaan daai pad heen?......is al wat nodig is.

Mooi verslag Michiel !!

 

[twister]

Michiel

Thanks for showing us the interesting roads around your home it was nice riding with you again.

I am amazed at the amount of nice photos you managed to take  :thumleft:

 

[Michiel]

Losper klink na die regte man vir die tipe van ding. Waar gaan daai pad heen?......is al wat nodig is.

Amen. Vandag sou glad nie so interessant gewees het as die man nie die initiatief geneem het nie.
Die groepie was perfek. Hierdie manne skrik nie vir die onbekende nie. Lekker om met sulke entosiastiese
ryers te doen te kry.

 

[Michiel]

Michiel

Thanks for showing us the interesting roads around your home it was nice riding with you again.

I am amazed at the amount of nice photos you managed to take  :thumleft:

Pleasure was mine. Those pictures come from a cellphone. Next time I should take a proper camera, like the good days.
I'm sure the others have something to post too. Lets see.

 

[gwild]

Awesome :thumleft: thx for sharine

 

[Crossed-up]

Great stuff, Michiel.  Thanks!

 

[SGB]

Great day out, dankie Michiel en die ander Bloem lidmate.  Our favourite threat: "We'll be back!"  Waardeer jou moeite met die roetes en bure.  Ouma Kosie ae biskuit was ook 'n hoogtepunt.  Hoop julle grom nie meer vir mekaar nie.

 

[skydiver]

Interessante ry-wereld wat julle het.  :thumleft:
Ek het die RR geniet.

 

[Heimer]

Lekker om jou weer hier te sien Michiel

Dankie vir die RR

 

[DirtRebell]

Lekker rr Michiel.

 

[0012]

:ricky:
lekker lekker!