Dullstroom Weekend

[Lightie]

So last week I decided that it is time for a weekend bike trip. It was my fiancé’s bachelorettes on Saturday so timing was perfect as I had to get away from home in any case. I wasn’t sure on where I would go but with some help from the forum a nice route suggestion from iamgiggzl it ended up being Dullstroom. I followed quite allot of the routes from iamgiggzl but some of them I explored from the map as I had some time to make up because I decided to do the trip over 3 days from Pta to Dullstroom and back.

This was my first solo trip and I must say it was quite awesome, although the camping alone bit is a bit boring and you have absolutely no one to share the days experiences with the riding solo part is something else and in some way enjoyable. I would however prefer to do more technical and remote routes with at least one other bike.

Like I said my trip was over three days and went like this.

1) Friday to Loskop Dam
2) Saturday to Dullstroom
3) Sunday to Pta

So here is my Virgin Ride Report!



Day 1 (Pta to Loskop Dam)

So after a restless night , I suppose due to the excitement, I started packing my stuff on Friday morning. I planned on leaving at around 12h00 as that should give me enough time to fill up and go on a leisurely pace towards Loskop and not arrive to early at my destination.

I followed my usual route on the back roads towards Bronkhorstspruit and the gravel roads got me quite excited on what was still to come.


At the end of the gravel sections towards Bronkhorspruit.

I then followed the R25 past Bronkhorstspruit up to the gravel road you take to your right. What amazed me about this section was how the landscape suddenly changed from  the open fields to riding in between the “koppies”. I loved it here and at one stage I found about 30 baboons sitting in the road.

Awesome gravel highways!!!

I suppose there is some sort of school camp terrain or something similar in that area as I passed about 20 schoolboys each carrying a car tire and a bakkie following them.

After a short tar section on the R544 and got of to the right again on a dirt section, this road would eventually take me to the N11 at Loskop Dam. But there were still a few km’s of awesome gravel travel to follow with some amazing views.

Here I felt like I was really riding in the platteland.

As the route progressed the scenery and the views just got better. I was reaching the top point of the route when down  at the bottom I saw my destination lying between the hills. What an awesome sight.

I reached the N11 and followed it towards Loskop Dam. I had to stop at the Dam wall for some pics. For me this is one of the prettiest dams in our country.

This is the first time that I have seen this monument, not sure what the reason behind it is but I suppose it has something to do about the people that built the dam. Al the graffiti on it is a bit of a bummer but I suppose not all people have respect for monuments. Such a pity!

I decided to camp at the Aventura Resort. I don’t know any other places in that area I wasn’t in the mood to start searching for one. It ended up being quite an expensive camp, it cost me R225-00 to camp there for the night but I thought what the hell at least I know the facilities will be nice, and it certainly was! I got myself a nice spot in between all the other campers not to far away from the water. I off loaded the bike and pitched my tent. I then left to the shop the buy some refreshments and wood. Even though I was alone I decided that I will have campfire.

My camping spot

A night shot of my tent

 

[Lightie]

Day 2 (Loskop to Dullstroom)
I have forgotten how bloody hard those blue little mattresses are and again didn’t sleep that well. But I must say the camping part felt a bit like a nuisance and kept waking up through the night, hoping that it was time to get up and pack the bike.

I filled up at the garage before you get to the dam, before I was on my merry way again.

It wasn’t long before I was on dirt again and got to this very early in the ride.

I followed route and missed a turn off and ended up turning around to go and look for the road. I ended up finding it but at the gate there was a sign that stated that this was a private road and no entry and I decided not to take a chance and rather take a longer route around the bottom.

This was the tuning point

My alternative route ended up being quite enjoyable.  There were a lot of quad bikers and guys on plastics on this road as well.

I eventually got to my “biggest” water crossing for the trip

I came across this abandoned petrol station, old forgotten beauty.

Just before I reached the R555 I was welcomed by this awesome view.

I ended up taking the R555 al the way north towards Steelpoort where I had some lunch at the KFC. There was a small shopping centre with a Big Boy Scooters and they had some sort of a day thing going on there. One question I have is

Why on earth do people with superbikes find the need to rev their bikes into the limiter and somehow think that other people will listen to this and then think they are the sh!!!  ???

That aside, that KFC went down very well. After lunch I filled my bike up again and carried along looking for a route I saw on the map. This was suppose to be about 50km of dirt roads going through the mountains eventually ending up on the R540.

I found it a few km’s outside Steelpoort and to my horror, my best friend was awaiting me for the first few hundred meters of the road. SAND!!!!! It managed to get through there without coming off, what a relief. The road was extremely bumpy onwards, to such an extent that I managed to break my bracket on one of my spots.

Some lekker gravel travel!

A nice picture of my bike before I noticed the broken off spotlight.

And here is the damage. I took the spot of and threw it in my backpack.

Not very far from there the road made a split, according to the map I had to keep left, but left didn’t look like it gets travelled along allot but  I decided to go with it. Not even a hundred meters later I dropped the bike for the first time, in guess what….SAND.

I looked at the situation and thought that even though this route looks awesome I am going to turn around rather. I would rather do this route when I have at least another bike with me. With my technical abilities I didn’t want to take a chance and end up getting stuck on my own.

But I knew that that sand section was coming up before I would reach the tar again. I got through that just fine in the beginning but I wasn’t so lucky the second time around and I dropped the bike again in the sand. Ai…

I then followed the tar all the way to Dullstroom going through Lydenburg. Still a lekker ride though but I definitely have some unfinished business with that route!

I ended up camping at the Dullstroom Nature Reserve. I was to be the only one camping there that night so it was nice an quiet. Funny thing was that I came from 30’C at Steelpoort and ended in 12’C at Dullstroom. I did take my winter stuff with luckily so I was sorted.

Here are some pics of the camp site.

This happened to be a very cold night and I was up getting ready quite early. Nothing as refreshing as a nice hot shower in the morning, especially when it is a bit chilly out there.

 

[Lightie]

Day 3 (Dullstroom to Pta)

I filled up at the BP. I took a dirt road just outside of Dullstroom to the right. It was fun riding through the plantations.

I came across this quarry, not really sure what type of rock they used the mine there. The amazing thing was the clarity of the water.

I somehow managed to take a right where I was supposed to take a left and after an hours ride and managed to get to Belfast. This was in any case where I decided that I will follow the N4 all the way back home. I wanted to be back in Pta at 12h00 and enjoyed the highway as well. I stopped for breakfast at the ALZU Petroport. I must say that there are allot of bikes ion the N4 on a Sunday morning. Not sure whether it was only this weekend or a general thing.

I did take my little dirt roads back home just passed Bronkhorstspruit.

I enjoyed my first solo trip tremendously and will do it again any day. But I must admit that riding with a buddy, is just as much fun!!!

Cheers

 

[weskusklong]

This was now a lekker bedtime story!!!

Awesome RR  :thumleft:

 

[iamgigglz]

Awesome RR! You really have a knack for it and the photography is top notch  :thumleft:
You found some awesome spots that we clearly missed on my run...guess I'll just have to do it again <sigh>
Pity about the two falls, but I guess that comes with the territory. We didn't have any real sand when we went  ???

Hope to have you along on my next ride Lightie!

Cheers

 

[Lightie]

That will be awesome!

Thanx!!!

 

[iamgigglz]

Just spotted the SA flag sticker you clearly bought half way through - sense of adventure really taking over there ey? 

 

[Lightie]

Hehe, no I had it in my tank bag and have forgotten about it, but when I got got to Loskop I found it again and just had to put it on!!!

 

[Swift]

Nice RR, Looking at a report like this can only make one envious.Thanks.

 

[WP]

Dit lyk soos pret Pierre... ek Moët se ek deel jou sentiment met die alleen ry.

Jou foto's is ook bake nice! :thumleft:

 

[Carrots]

Bleddie naais vir 'n "virgin" RR......en ek laaik jou peekchas ook!!

Well done!!  :thumleft:

 

[punisher]

very very  lekker  ,  man i need to go away again ..................  thanx for sharing

 

[Xplode]

What a weekend! Sounds and looks like you had lekker fun!

 

[XXL]

Very nice RR.

 

[Pappa-B3r]

Ek reken ek was saam met jou op skool so paar jaar terug ...
Lyk na n awsome tripie. Baie geluk met die troue wat voorle !!

Laat weet as jy weer so iets beplan dan maak ons dit n trip..

 

[Lightie]

Jip jy was CP! Ons moet so maak ja!!!

Thanx for all the positive feedback people!!! Glad I could share my trip with you!!

 

[Justin]

Nice report.

Do you think he trip can be done over 2 days?

 

[Justin]

Nice RR.

Kan die trip gedoen word oor 2 dae?

 

[laurika]

ek het daai pragtige paadjie verby daardie quarry ook gery op een van my solos....die kleur van die water was ongelooflik op daai dag...en die pad het sulke swart gruis gehad? ek het gevoel asof net ek daai paadjie al gesien het....so lekker.....n stukkie verder is daar a treinspoor kruising...as jy daar draai, ry jy al langs die treinspoor na groblerdal toe....altans , amper...

 

[Lightie]

Jip Laurika, die water was iets anders. Daai wereld het ongelooflike padjies wat mens kan ry!

Justin ek dink die trip sal verseker gedoen kan word oor 2 dae. Ek het redelik baie gestop en nogals ompaaie gevat om tyd te maak, as ek nie die wye draaie gery het nie sou ek in een dag tot by Dullstroom gegaan het!