Fishing trip to Rhodes. Two sides of the same story

[Nightwind]

OK. Just for shits and giggles, I will give you the story in two formats: 1. The ride report to the High Commands in our lives and 2. The real story (with a bit of fiction added to make it better reading - for you to decide what is fiction and what is truth). The real story starts only AFTER the High Command version.

I ride a 1200 GSA (Rooimier) and my friend, lets call him Braam, rides the 1200 GS Tripple black (called Swartmier). So we often go to one of the local dams here in Gauteng and fish for trout. Sometimes with success, other times not. Both have a fishing rod holder tied to the side of the bikes (Braam's a nicely purchased tube and mine is made from 50mm PVC pipe, sprayed black). The discussions around the fishing water took us to the streams running past remote dorpies like Rhodes and so we decided to make a trip to Rhodes; to try the real river trout!

High Command Version:

So we decided on a date (end April to early May - long weekend plus a day or 3 leave), planned the trip and very early the morning of Friday the 25th I met Braam, who came all the way from Pretoria, at our normal meeting place on the West Rand. All set and we were off. First stop was Parys where we had breakfast, stretch the legs a little and warmed up a little with two cups of coffee. It was a chilly morning.

Next stop was Marquard, a small town in the eastern Free State where I actually grew up. My parents left Marquard when I finished Grade 2 (Sub B) at the age of 7. I am 54 this year, which makes it 47 years since I was in the town, but I remembered the 2 houses that we stayed in. At the entrance of the town we took a few pictures and sent it to my 3 brothers via Whatsapp. There were all green with envy! Then I set the GPS with the street name and address and told Braam what the house looked like, based on my vague memory.

I was almost blown off the Rooimier when I saw the place and immediately recognized it! Very little has changed. Only the stoep area was enclosed now. We parked the bikes on the side walk and I took pictures. Just then the owner came out and I explained the reason for me been there. He invited me in while Braam stood guard at the Miere. It was amazing to experience the memories falling in place like files in my brain!

 

[Nightwind]

The house

 

[Nightwind]

After the nostalgia we hopped on the Miere and traveled further. Chlocolan was beautiful, but we did not stop there. Thought of my friend Lord Knormoer, who's parents stays there. Riding all around Lesotho, going through small places like Ladybrand, Hobhouse, Wepener, Zastron and eventually stopped in Lady Grey, where we camped at the only camping grounds for the night. That night we had supper at "Soon se Plek", the only restaurant/pub open in the town. Had a bottle of wine with the steak and went to bed.

 

[Nightwind]

Soon and Braam at Soon se Plek, sharing a joke

 

[ButtSlider]

Ok, this could turn out to be a good one.  :sip:

 

[Nightwind]

Early the next morning we departed again and stopped for breakfast in Barkly East. From here it will be gravel road. The road was good; a normal gravel road. Luckily there was no rain as it becomes very slippery (ala the locals). The 68 odd km to Rhodes was beautiful and if that is what was to come, we were in for an epic trip.
In Rhodes we decided NOT to camp and booked into Groendakkies, a 4 bedroomed house just for the 2 of us. Old pressed ceilings and Oregon Pine floors.
Directly after checking in, we grabbed the fishing rods and went out to the river. But no luck. We moved again to another spot and there we met one of the locals that came around on this 4-wheeler. He indicated that the flies we use are for dams (correct) and much too large for the smaller river trout. He then offered to give us a few. So we followed him home and he kindly gave us a selection. But by now it was getting late and Braam managed to hook up on two trouts, much smaller than the dam trouts, but still. At last light we went back to Groendakkies for a shower.
Had supper in the local (and only pub), met a few other bikers that came from Maclear that same morning.

 

[Nightwind]

Our time was running out. Braam decided to go check out HIS childhood town and hit the road back to Barkly East and later on home.
I on the other hand, wanted to do the Naude's Neck pass and go all the way down to my holiday home in Ramsgate.
The morning was cloudy and cool when we parted. I cannot tell Braam's story from here, but eventually he made it home in one piece with a happy smile on his face!

I took the road to Naude's Neck Pass...

 

[Nightwind]

Although the gravel road was in good condition, the turns became shorter and shorter as I went up the mountain. Nothing challenging, but I realized that, if I miss the road, the fall will be long and hard...

 

[Nightwind]

As I went further up the mountain it became colder. The clouds were low and eventually I was IN the clouds. But it was like riding through frozen mist. Small particles of ice hitting my visor. And the road became wetter as well. So; I ended up riding with the visor open, stopping every now and then to clean my glasses. Time for contact lenses...

 

[Nightwind]

Into the clouds

 

[Nightwind]

Eventually made it to the top

 

[Nightwind]

On the picture above you can see the first snow on the mountain. It was nice and cold...very fresh. I was very thankful for my riding gear!
From here the road started going downhill and I kept the Rooimier in a lower gear, feathering the throttle just when needed. I was also glad that the tyres I had on was in good condition, as the shale gravel they added to the top surface was quite sharp.

 

[Nightwind]

Right at the bottom of the Pass the road is beautiful. Wide and even. And the scenes are magic. This picture made me almost fall off the Rooimier and I had to take it. But I was very disappointed afterwards, as it does not portray the beauty in the slightest!

 

[Nightwind]

For me to ride on gravel at 90 km/h is an achievement, but the last stretch to Maclear was good enough for me to feel safe enough to do it. I entered Maclear, filled up at a garage and bought some hot coffee. Actually 3 coffees. Two for me and one for the pump attendant.

 

[Nightwind]

Tar road all the way from there through the beautiful world of Mount Fletcher, Matatiele (very impressive little town - blew me away), Kokstad and eventually Ramsgate. Slept over at my holiday house and went home to Johannesburg after that.
An exiting trip...

 

[Nightwind]

Now...for the other side to the story:

Me and Braam had 5x sessions to plan for this trip. Over a few cold ones. We discussed every detail of the trip as if we are tackling a road through Africa. Must be the "Long Way Round's" influence. 2 Weeks before the departure time, the Miere were packed. Re-packed and re-packed again. Eventually we did it in real Adventurer style...left 80% at home and took a credit card with!

On due date Braam met me at the meeting point in Roodepoort. I was waiting there with 2x cups of hot coffee for him. He gulped it down, then look at me wild eyed and said (ala Charlie Boorman...) "Take me out of F%$#ing Joburg!"
So we left... using only the rear wheel for the first 200 meters. Thereafter we scraped the Panniers as we made our way to the highway! Rooimier has a healthy grunt and in no time we had dogs barking all over, with people throwing us with Poodles, cups, plates, stones, alarm clocks and evern  the odd wife! First thing close enough to fling at the noise! We just laughed and swerved, once almost hitting a fridge that rolled down the road.

Once on the highway we high-tailed it to Parys where we stopped. The poor girl was accused of bringing us coffee in leaking cups, as we hardly tasted it before the cup was empty. She smiled and stood next to the table with the coffee pot, making comments like people behaving like wild animals, Wild Dogs etc. At the end I think she was happy about 2 things: the tip and to see us leave. Houdini (Braam) produced a handful of cable ties and each of us tied a beer to each of the crash bars (so 2 each) - in the cold wind! We considered a contraption, made up from fuel piping that will fit into the beer bottles so that we can have a sip now and then, but decided against it. Not good drinking and driving!

In Ventersdorp Houdini and Swartmier ran out of petrol and had to fill up. One beer bottle disappeared from the crashbars.

In Marquard the second bottle disappeared and naked, without nothing strapped to the crashbars, we slowly entered the town. At "The House" the dog put up a histeric barking display and the owner came running out with the shotgun. One eye on us and one on the dog! Later on I noticed that he had one glass eye! Poor man! But I must admit; it was intimidating! I steeled myself against a long, sticky tongue that might shoot out at us, but the man turned out to be real and not a cameleonhumanalien. Jokes aside; he was VERY kind hearted and showed me all over the place.

But he insisted to have a drink with us and pulled a bottle of Dimple towards 3 glases. On my comment that he is sharing a very expensive whiskey with us he just laughed and admitted...its Three Ships in a Dimple bottle. Just to impress his friends!

After quick single (actually less than) we parted our ways again. I swear my 3 brothers were sitting at their homes, cell phones in hand, not blinking, waiting for the Whatsapps to come through! After I sent out the pictures they all replied at once! I had to put the phone on the Rooimier and set the dampers to "Hard" as all the messages were coming in, thick and fast. Some were just swearing, others laughing, and other wishing they could share it with me. And obviously, everyone remembered something else!

 

[Nightwind]

Leaving Marquard slowly ( to keep the noise level down as we had to go past two suspicious looking traffic cops, staring at us with eyes like the glass one from the oompie at The House) we made our way to Clocolan. What a beautiful town and the setting between the mountains is undescribable! In Wepener we tried to have a quick stop for a cold drink, but a few coloureds prevented it. The first one came to me and said: " Muhh hiwytl hgowhl; dfhoibni hioe ho h''uye hgui'gea gse;;esged!!!" Yes; I could not understand either so I said "Wat se jy???". He frowned at me and repeated: "qeoyv ghe;y  sgh;e sggugio l;hj;ght;leh; ghagudguiv egeguegugu !! g;eiooge !!!"

So his friend came to the rescue:" Man djy kani praat nie! Vir Vark Steaks! Gaan doen iets met Djouse self! My Lanie...hy vra geld vir drank. Maar eke...ek vra geld vir kos. Ek vrek van die honger. Ek het laas jaar laaste geeet!" So, I gave him R5 and advised him to "force himself to eat!" Its no good not eating! He might even die. In about 3 seconds there were about 20 other coloureds around me, accusing me for giving HIM money and not for them! "Nou waars onse geld Lanie??? Hoe kan djy soe ongeregverdig wies? Djy wiet, ini NIEWE Syd Afirka word sulle goete nie toegelate nie! Die Lanie moet nou regmaak!"

So; we stuffed the cold drinks into the top boxes and high tailed out fo the town, again using only the rear wheel for traction. About 20 km outside the town we stoped next to the road and had a preper drink.

 

[Nightwind]

After the break and a good laugh we continued to Lady Grey. The GPS indicated only one campsite and we made our way there. At the campsite we noticed a few vehicles with kayaks on and a few people setting up tents. There we met Soon, the owner. An he is about to close up but we can camp. We made it in time. He even had time to sell us 2 beers each, as we were VERY thirsty, and setting up camp is hard work. We also asked advise on weh. Soon se Plek" without a blink. Stroes nuts, there were only one place open. Soon se Plek! And what a nice setting and atmosphere.

So we set up camp, had our beers and a quick shower, then made our way to Soon se Plek. Entering the venue we heard a man roar "O DAAAAAR is julle!!". It was soon, with a whiskey in hand, waiting for us to arrive. He sat down with us, gave us a run down of the drinks and wine available in the house, as well as the best meals for the day. The waitress/barlady was an oldish lady (guess about 65?? - pardon me for being wrong) and she helped us swiftly.

Next to us were a nice family and although we chatted in a friendly manner, the two boys looked at us wide eyed. They saw the two Miere standing outside, and I must say, with the panniers etc on, it look intimidating but NICE! Later on the local Handyman and his wife came in and later joined our table. Then Soon's daughter Pye entered and also ended up at our table. Around 03:00 even the bar lady was having a party with us. 04:00 saw us at the Handyman's house next to a mokerse bon fire and the laughter just never stopped. 05:00 the 2 Miere tried to crawl their way into the camping grounds, only to see that everyone is up and busy! Apparently they had a huge Adventure race on the day. So; me and Braam crawled into our tents and slept for 2 hours until 07:00

 

[Nightwind]

My sensitive stomach is not used to so much liquor and at 07:00 it was very nervous. But we made it to Barkly East, where I had to decline breakfast. The gravel road to Rhodes shook the poison down to my knees and later to my feet and when we reached Groendakkies, it was a matter of shaking out my boots and I was ready to go again!
The first spot we tried fishing did not deliver. At one stage an old black man came along, chasing me away from the water in no uncertain terms. I followed here and there but in clear Sotho he indicated that THIS is his horse's watering point and his horse is thirsty! Now! So...I kept my flying hook away from the horse and let them be in peace. Later on he advised me to go to another spot, as THIS spot NEVER produces any fish. So, we followed his advice and rode out of town to a low level bridge where we tried again.

Two vehicles came past us, drivers greeting friendly. But 10 minutes later the local Fly Fishing overseer stopped next to us with his 4 wheeler. Not very friendly at first, but once he realized that we did not know any better, he was very friendly. "You are actually on private property, but I am sure they will not mind". And I am sure that the 2 vehicles that passed us called upon his intervention.

So we followed him home where he actually gave us a handful of flies which Braam took to the first spot (the legal spot) and caught 2. I got stuck with the local guy, sharing my passion for woodworking with him and assisted him with the principles of building a kitchen. A shout from the river brought us back to reality and noticed Bramm running towards us with the first of 2 trouts that he caught...a little larger than a South Coast sardine!

But all in all it was all worth it and tired but satisfied we went back to the local pub for supper (and my first meal for the day). Babbelaas is 'n bliksem!

There we met up with a group of 4 Adventure bikers who came from Maclear that morning. I asked them about the road over Naude's neck and their leader, a groot ou with a KTM 1190 looked me straight in the eye and without blinking indicated that the road was easy. Windgat!! Their bikes that were parked outside told a different story....

 

[Lem]

:sip: