newguy
Grey Hound
This may very well be my first ride report, maybe second, cant remember 
. Here it is,
So recently I had returned from a trip to Namibia. I started writing this ride report and naturally started at day one of our trip. I then realized that this trip was perhaps planned a week before, but had conceptualized some time before.
On this trip was myself and my buddy Dirk (Beer on the Forum, he actually work through the day and is not so active on the forum â?? how weird). Beer and myself had been buddies for the past 12 years or so, drinking ourselves through schools and varsity. About 6 or 7 years ago we were standing on his driveway and watched a Funduro pass in the road, all kitted up for a trip. We vowed that one day we will do this as well. Many dream of this, but it is amazing how few execute this. Obviously I donâ??t have to tell you guys, because we share that dream; in fact, weâ??re living it.
Fastforward a few years >> I earn my first solid job salary. 3rd month of work I buy my R80G/s. Ever since I saw this bike for the first time I loved it. I was on my way to the KKNK and saw one on the way back at that BP garage with the goats (you know the one and I bet you may have even named one of them, hehe) anyway, Iâ??m rambling.
On my R80 I did my first roadtrip, it was to Baviaans and some of you may remember one of the longest planning a ride threads ever on this forum, what a build up to a great trip. The R80 did however not make the trip and thanks to Justin, I still had a good bike trip in spite of it. Recently I had to part with my R80. It was a sad day and there will be no further discussion of it, sheâ??s at a good home. :'(
Then came the Yellow Wheelie Machine, Suzuki DRZ400E, >
She wanted to go places the moment I touched her. Her thirst did however not match the size of her belly. Some upgrading was necessary. So along come Luckystricker sporting a Aqualine Safari tank. mmm, this seems practical, I mean, when do you not need 30 liters of petrol. Not long after I also got one as the only options are 15,16,17 and 28liter tanksizes, available from various suppliers (Acerbis, Clarke etc) 20 would have been great, but I would settle for 28. Wind protection; Marlene joined the forum and I was instantly impressed with the look of the 650 dakar screen on the DR. So of course I had to get one. So, after selling my BMW, I bought a Suzuki and turned it into a BMW. ;D That was the bike prepped and ready for the road. I the meanwhile, Beer had bought himself a KLR 650, a story he will have to tell himself.
Not sure how we selected the destination, but it was always gonna be Nam or Moz. Namibia it is then!
Time had caught up with us, because we were actually in the process of moving the week prior to leaving. We hardly prepped and basically hit the road with all the stuff we bought the day before. Friday the 21st of December 2007 came and we hit the road on a 2 week trip.
Day 1
As these trips go you plan to leave early, but you donâ??t. I think we managed to leave Durbanville at about 9:30.
The day was just perfect for riding, some cloud cover to keep you cool and no wind at all. We head off on the N1 to the Du Toit Kloof pass and as we climbed out of the cloud cover the day just got better.
From the N1 we made a left onto the R43 and head up to Ceres.
Through Ceres and onto the R355 towards Calvinia. The DR and KLR were running great. The road is fairly flat as long as you stay within the tracks. As the cars had run on the road they had pushed all the loose top sand in between the tracks. You can cross it or even ride it, but the wobble from the front is just annoying when doing so.
One of my favorite pics of the trip, DR ready to go
Beer ready to go
We stop for a drinks break just before Calvinia and Beer suddenly realizes that he as lost half of his luggage. :
On the lost list
1 x tent
2 x mattress
1 x hydropack
1 x waterbottle
2 x chairs
We backtrack 25 km and find only 1 mattress and the waterbottle. Looks like I have a bunk buddy for a couple of days. :-\
This was the most gravel Beer had done and was all to happy when we hit the calvinia main rd. ;D
We have lunch at the Calvinia hotel and buy some meat at the buther. Not cheap, but real good meat, my favorite cut: Saddle chops. (No pics taken in Calvinia for some reason)
We hit the road again to Loriesfontein. Itâ??s really hot, but adventure fuels us. We clock in at Loeries and stop at the police station to hear where accommodation is. As we get off Beer says he smells plastic burning. I lift up my saddle bag and see a huge hole burn burnt into it and the plastic it was leaning on. In the saddle bag was a melted 21â? heavy duty tube and as I took my pant out and it got some fresh air it basically caught fire. Sprayed my hydropack on it and cooled it down. Repairs will be dealt with in the morning
Fire pants, ;D
We head to the hotel bar and ask about accommodation and one of the locals refer us to a place up the road behind the stadium. Free accommodation is welcome accommodation, there was even a gas geezer.
Camp night 1:
One of the locals
The Calvinia meat was gooood,
First night sleeping on the ground took some adjusting, but one soon finds the optimum position.
I cant promise anything, but the rest of the trip (EDIT will) might be posted soon.
. Here it is,So recently I had returned from a trip to Namibia. I started writing this ride report and naturally started at day one of our trip. I then realized that this trip was perhaps planned a week before, but had conceptualized some time before.
On this trip was myself and my buddy Dirk (Beer on the Forum, he actually work through the day and is not so active on the forum â?? how weird). Beer and myself had been buddies for the past 12 years or so, drinking ourselves through schools and varsity. About 6 or 7 years ago we were standing on his driveway and watched a Funduro pass in the road, all kitted up for a trip. We vowed that one day we will do this as well. Many dream of this, but it is amazing how few execute this. Obviously I donâ??t have to tell you guys, because we share that dream; in fact, weâ??re living it.
Fastforward a few years >> I earn my first solid job salary. 3rd month of work I buy my R80G/s. Ever since I saw this bike for the first time I loved it. I was on my way to the KKNK and saw one on the way back at that BP garage with the goats (you know the one and I bet you may have even named one of them, hehe) anyway, Iâ??m rambling.
On my R80 I did my first roadtrip, it was to Baviaans and some of you may remember one of the longest planning a ride threads ever on this forum, what a build up to a great trip. The R80 did however not make the trip and thanks to Justin, I still had a good bike trip in spite of it. Recently I had to part with my R80. It was a sad day and there will be no further discussion of it, sheâ??s at a good home. :'(
Then came the Yellow Wheelie Machine, Suzuki DRZ400E, >
She wanted to go places the moment I touched her. Her thirst did however not match the size of her belly. Some upgrading was necessary. So along come Luckystricker sporting a Aqualine Safari tank. mmm, this seems practical, I mean, when do you not need 30 liters of petrol. Not long after I also got one as the only options are 15,16,17 and 28liter tanksizes, available from various suppliers (Acerbis, Clarke etc) 20 would have been great, but I would settle for 28. Wind protection; Marlene joined the forum and I was instantly impressed with the look of the 650 dakar screen on the DR. So of course I had to get one. So, after selling my BMW, I bought a Suzuki and turned it into a BMW. ;D That was the bike prepped and ready for the road. I the meanwhile, Beer had bought himself a KLR 650, a story he will have to tell himself.
Not sure how we selected the destination, but it was always gonna be Nam or Moz. Namibia it is then!
Time had caught up with us, because we were actually in the process of moving the week prior to leaving. We hardly prepped and basically hit the road with all the stuff we bought the day before. Friday the 21st of December 2007 came and we hit the road on a 2 week trip.
Day 1
As these trips go you plan to leave early, but you donâ??t. I think we managed to leave Durbanville at about 9:30.
The day was just perfect for riding, some cloud cover to keep you cool and no wind at all. We head off on the N1 to the Du Toit Kloof pass and as we climbed out of the cloud cover the day just got better.
From the N1 we made a left onto the R43 and head up to Ceres.
Through Ceres and onto the R355 towards Calvinia. The DR and KLR were running great. The road is fairly flat as long as you stay within the tracks. As the cars had run on the road they had pushed all the loose top sand in between the tracks. You can cross it or even ride it, but the wobble from the front is just annoying when doing so.
One of my favorite pics of the trip, DR ready to go
Beer ready to go
We stop for a drinks break just before Calvinia and Beer suddenly realizes that he as lost half of his luggage. :
On the lost list
1 x tent
2 x mattress
1 x hydropack
1 x waterbottle
2 x chairs
We backtrack 25 km and find only 1 mattress and the waterbottle. Looks like I have a bunk buddy for a couple of days. :-\
This was the most gravel Beer had done and was all to happy when we hit the calvinia main rd. ;D
We have lunch at the Calvinia hotel and buy some meat at the buther. Not cheap, but real good meat, my favorite cut: Saddle chops. (No pics taken in Calvinia for some reason)
We hit the road again to Loriesfontein. Itâ??s really hot, but adventure fuels us. We clock in at Loeries and stop at the police station to hear where accommodation is. As we get off Beer says he smells plastic burning. I lift up my saddle bag and see a huge hole burn burnt into it and the plastic it was leaning on. In the saddle bag was a melted 21â? heavy duty tube and as I took my pant out and it got some fresh air it basically caught fire. Sprayed my hydropack on it and cooled it down. Repairs will be dealt with in the morning
Fire pants, ;D
We head to the hotel bar and ask about accommodation and one of the locals refer us to a place up the road behind the stadium. Free accommodation is welcome accommodation, there was even a gas geezer.
Camp night 1:
One of the locals
The Calvinia meat was gooood,
First night sleeping on the ground took some adjusting, but one soon finds the optimum position.
I cant promise anything, but the rest of the trip (EDIT will) might be posted soon.
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