From Ashes to ashes.....and then some bliss!!!!!

[WP]

Dit lees soos... NOG! ;D

 

[madmike999]

:thumleft:

 

[wooly bugger]

:thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[Carrots]

OK I have to confess....there was a time during the night that I just couldn't sleep anymore because of my roommate's snoring. So I went to the loo....and on the way back I glanced in the sitting room and contemplated if I should maybe try one of the couches rather.

It was pretty dark in the room but I thought hey....let's give it a try. So I picked one and walked over and just before I sort of jumped on it....I saw someone lying there under a blankie.

Ek het my hentie afgeskrik......as ek nie eers loo toe gegaan het nie was daar defnitief.....wel noem dit maar net....erm....ietwat van 'n probleem.

I didn't bother to check who it was but I was so surprised and sort of soos ‘n poephol gevoel that when I walked back into "my......or our room".....I sommer kicked IDR's bed and tuned him to stop snoring. I had to take it on out on someone…I mean it was his fault afterall.  :mwink:

He just apologised......turned around and slept further......luckily I could too.

I would later in the morning find out it was Brian's sus.

Note to self: Remember earplugs or a MP3 player for next time.  :biggrin:

Die weer was maar mistroosterig...en 'n koue wind het gewaai.....dit het nie baie optmisties gelyk nie.

Brian is walking up and down in the house.....restless like hell.....one could see he wanted to get this show on the road now.

Ons het bikes gepak en skielik was daar baie hartseer in die huis.

Dit is met 'n groot knop in die keel wat ons vir Glen se Ma en sus gegroet het. Ek weet die Tannie sou baie graag wou saam gaan maar sy het net nie die krag gehad vir dit nie. Dit was die oomblik......wat toe ek en sy gesels het in Maart en sy het gevra waar dink ek kan die as gestrooi word en ek het natuurlik sonder twyfel gese Bastervoet.

Maar ja...dit was maar erg....haar finale vaarwel van Glen se oorskot. In dieselfde asem....het ek ietwat van trots gevoel....en besef dit is 'n groot eer en vooreg om saam met Bettie en Brian vir Glen te kon vat na sy gunsteling plek.

Bettie het vir Glen voor saam met haar in die kar gelaai.....ons het koebaai gese....gaan petrol ingooi en die pad gevat.

Ek maak grappies by die vulstasie en donner amper van RatKas af.  :biggrin:

We are cruising slowly out of Dortrecht......it is the first time that we ride with Brian....but it feels like old connections with many miles together. I cannot help but to think of Glen and our trip a year ago to Vioolsdrift.

We turn of and hit the gravel quickly.............

It normally takes me a little while to get into the groove so I'm a bit uncomfortable on the first stretch but after the first stop it is back to business........as Brian quite rightly said...."into the zone"

We meet up with 2 other dogs as well on the bridge and the bash excitement are rising very rapidly.

Then we gooi mielies again.....

Now don't get me wrong.....I love animals....maar moenie my jaag of my wil byt as ek jou niks gemaak het nie. Ons kom om 'n draai net voor Roussouw....ek en Brian en 3 brakke storm tussen die geboue uit en sak op hom toe. Ek hang bietjie terug....glad nie lus vir eiendom koop nie.

Hulle jaag hom vir 'n ruk met 'n moerse remoer en toe hy deur is besluit hulle wel dit is nou my beurt. 2 van hulle kies soort van die hasepad toe ek vir RatKas bietjie rev om hulle weg te jaag......maar die brawe...of is dit nou stupid brak kom reguit vir my.

Hy gaan van nou af net sagte honnepille of sop kan vreet....want hy hardloop hom trompop in 'n Gaerne nr 11 boot in wat hom op die punt van sy kakebeen vang. My jare lange se koerant aflewering ondervinding as 'n laatjie is toe nie so geroes as wat ek gedink het nie. Sorry brak.

Petrol op Barkley Oos......paaie is nat en dit lyk soos reen enige tyd.

Ons stop by FK's vir 'n brekka en koffie maar die plek is toe.

Bettie maak plan in 'n japtrap  en kort voor lank sit en teug ons aan 'n heerlike koppie koffie terwyl ons vir ontbyt wag.

IDR moan oor die feit dat daar net marmelade is en amper vertel ons ‘n vuil grappie voor Bettie……..

Dis hier waar Bettie se naam begin verander het.....in Saarkie van der Merwe.........

Ons ry ongelooflike mooi paaie.....en ek herken die brug waar ek, Jup, Lynn en Glen laas gestop het om 'n geocache te soek. Ons stop en sit lekker rustig vir 'n hele rukkie langs die pad en geniet die oorweldigende natuurskoon en vars lug. Maak grappies.....gesels twak en geniet net die lewe....

[flash=800,600]https://www.youtube.com/v/wRC5D1B7Lwc[/flash]

Dan vat ons die split Snow Valley toe en kort voor lank is ons daar. Brian had a small...."who's your daddy moment" just to make sure he was awake for when we reach the bash site......he he...I had a good chuckle in the helmet.

Oupa Dookie (vleis wa) en Jo het solank 'n lekker pozzie gekies en kamp opgeslaan.

 

 

[dookie]

Daar is hard geparty, gedrink en gebraai onder daai afdakkie.

 

[bud500 (R.I.P)]

Lekker!

 

[Geotraveller]

Gooi!

 

[Dusty Rusty]

Carrots, die tribute is heartwarming!  Dankie!

Nou ja toe, gooi mielies en wys vir ons die res!  :thumleft:

 

[Carrots]

Carrots, die tribute is heartwarming!  Dankie!

Nou ja toe, gooi mielies en wys vir ons die res!   :thumleft:

Ek kon sweer Dwerg en IDR is saam met my uit Lesotho uit........of dalk nie......... eepwall: ot:

 

[Dwerg]

Carrots, die tribute is heartwarming!  Dankie!

Nou ja toe, gooi mielies en wys vir ons die res!   :thumleft:

Ek kon sweer Dwerg en IDR is saam met my uit Lesotho uit........of dalk nie......... eepwall: ot:

Sal vanaand my trippie tot by die bash gooi. Het bietjie vergeet om drive saam te bring met al my fotos op  :-[

 

[Circlip]

opcorn:

 

[Carrots]

Julle moet ook net oplet na Brian se T-Shirt........hy en Gryshond het 'n dubbelbed gedeel die Donderdag aand...... eepwall: ot:

PS: Ek sal julle help vir die wat dit nie kan lees nie.......dit se...."Beste pomp...in die dorp"

 

[Eisbein]

Well maybe I do know.......I would like to put it in one of those 911 ampules....seal it....and let him travel with me wherever I go.

Corny.......crazy..... superstitious.....call it what you want.....but it was important to me

Not crazy at all.

Just a wonderful gesture from a friend who is still sore from a sudden and unexpected loss.


Jislaaik you can see Brian is family.

Thanks so far - looking forward to the rest!

 

[WP]

:ricky:

 

[Justin]

Justin's Log - Thursday - Down to Ficksburg

So, Theonette and I also left on the Thursday. However, we weren't doing the long haul with Carrots, IDR and gang. We would meet up with them at the bash and then through to Lesotho.

I went on my 660z Tenere, with the wife, 2x(sleeping bags, mattresses, clothes etc) and some droewors...heavily loaded!

We traveled past Jhb, through to Petrusteyn, Bethlehem, Clarens, Fouriesburg and then overnight at Ficksburg.

On the way to Petrusteyn we had some roadworks. Fortunately not too bad seeing as the first guy let us through. However, this was quite tricky with the narrow single lane and no where to park for the oncoming traffic!
The second guy made us wait and we were more than happy to do so!

In Petrusteyn we had a burger at Mollies. The burgers were good, but they clapped about a whole bottle of aromat onto the chips. Salty! The owner also offered us all (wildogs) accommodation if we want to do a bash there. I said I'd think about it....not!

We stopped at the Northern outlet for Katse dam, just before Clarens. Not as spectacular as I thought it would be, but there you go.

The road from Petrusteyn to Clarens and through to Ficksburg was amazing. Lovely piece of tar that. Just before sundown is amazing, with the red rocks on the hills glowing!

Here's us having something to drink at Clarens. I would have loved to spend more time there, but we had kilo's to complete to make the Friday drive to Snow Valley a bit easier. Can you believe I'm having a coke and the wife something stronger!?!? Grow a pair dammit!

At Ficksburg we could only get accommodation at Bellevue Bed and Breakfast. What a nice place. R200 per person sharing and you stay in a room fit for the palace!

We were looking for a waterhole and asked some old toppie in town where to go. He directed us to this dodgy pub called Y-Not Pub. The bar lady (Simone) was very friendly though and before we knew it we were drinking quarts in a white shabeen (really, they sell mainly quarts, have no furniture and no carpets)!
We met the local inspector who finished over 20 castles that night. A bit scary considering he was packing!
A weird night all together, but one we won't really forget.

Next morning, through to Snow Valley.

 

[IDR]

Day 1: Pretoria to Dordrecht (793 km)

Today was going to be a tough day for me on the KLR.  As Carrots said, we were supposed to leave on the Wednesday evening after work, but that was not to be, as I was doing this instead....

rather be riding

Nevertheless, 5am came around and Gryshond, Carrots and I were on the road.  Riding a fully loaded bike through (albeit light) JHB traffic is great, but checking out Carrots' GoPro footage afterwards, I thought this was pretty cool ;D

KTM bringing up the rear

We weren't doing too badly, an awesome sunrise and a bit of cold just before we got into the Free State with its soul destroying open stretches.  A KLR really just isn't made for the long open road.  

You can have some fun along the way though...

I picked up a bit of a tweetie on the bike just before Bloem, emanating from the frontal wheel area.  It wasn't the brakes, as that didn't make it stop, so I was pretty sure it must have been a bearing or something, so after lunch I left Gryshond and Carrots behind to quickly shoot through to Powersports Bloem, the Kawasaki dealer.  They had the front wheel off in a minute and pointed out the culprit - a dry speedo pick-up.  However, on reassembly they noticed the RHS bearing's inner diameter is about 1mm too large  Quickly ran next door, got a new, tight-fitting one, and I was on my way back to the other two, R 220 later.  Thanks for helping out Bloem Powersport :thumright:

Day one and... :

So, a hop, skip and a jump after Bloem with a nice fast dirt section to get rid of the cobwebs and we were in Dordrecht at Glen's mom.

Now, I had never met GlenInk in person, but from Carrots I understood the type of guy he was - certainly not "kak".  It was an honour to have met everyone, your generosity was overwhelming.  

We had a lekker kuier, and a HUGE braai!

Smuggy doing the honours

Day 2: Dordrecht to Snow Valley (158 km)

The next morning it was off to an early start.  Started off with a bit of rough dirt, but then eventually opened up to some nice fast sections, with Gryshond on my tail and Saartjie Van der Merwe chasing us all the way in her Terios.

Smuggy and Carrots

Barkly East for a bite to eat, fuel and some other vital supplies and the last stretch to the Bash lay ahead. 

I had been to this part of the country before with Vida on the back of the KLR in A little ride around the country-side, but it was certainly worth a visit again!  I don't have any photos of this part, but it is absolutely spectacular!

You don't need any more excuse for a beer stop

 

[Gerard]

Kry ek nou so aardige, lekker gevoel toe ek daai foto van julle sien by Mosheshe's Ford

 

[Dwerg]

My ride down to the bash, Thursday and Friday

My first big trip. I was quite nervous about this whole thing. Up until now I’d only done weekend trips and one solo trip which was four days long. I’d be riding with people that have done plenty of traveling and was worried that I would be a burden to the others. In preparation I bought everything from camping gear to a gps to my luggage.  In the end I went with almost everything I own, and a fraction of what I actually needed.

Fitted the pannier frames and GPS and tried out the luggage for the first time the night before the trip

I left straight from work on the Thursday at about 1 and had to get to Tumbling mongoose to meet up with Dodo, Swifty, Bender and bud500 so it was pretty much tar all the way via Vereeninging, Heilbron Petrus Stein and Bethlehem. I did hit a little bit of dirt somewhere between Petrus Stein and Ficksburg though.

Dodging thunder storms


I eventually made it to the goose to find the others already there. Opinions of the place were divided but I quite liked it. In fact I was the only one that liked it so I guess I was dividing the opinion. I did end up sleeping on the couch though.

Why I slept on the couch

Dodo showing off his man candy

Bikes in the courtyard

We left for the bash the next morning with the intention of all riding together. I stopped for a photo and nature called. I told the rest that I would catch up and made a mad dash for the bushes. After a lengthy boskak and getting lost after that, I eventually only caught up to the group on Lundeans Nek. Did dirt from Ficksburg to Hobhouse and from there tar to Lundeans.

One of my favorite pics of the trip, taken seconds before my boskak

Coming round a corner on the way to Lundeans, I saw someone at the side of the road mending his bike. It turned out to be bushmand2 who had a little mishap. I stopped and had a chat and we rode most of Lundeans together.

Bushman and his bent pannier

Arriving at the camp site and not having a clue what to do, dookie and his wife Jolene kindly helped me pitch my tent and get settled. Apparently I thanked them later that evening by urinating in their kitchen area  atch:

After that it was time for supplies. The rest is kind of foggy because of some alcohol induced time traveling.

Gryshond’s top box

 

[Noneking]

:thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[Dwerg]

Oops..