I was informed that this year, the family - the entire family - will be gathering for Christmas. My brother found a nice big house on a nice big plot near Plettenberg Bay and rented it for almost two weeks, and sommer invited his in-laws along. We are going to have fun if it kills us.
The house, although huge, isn't big enough for 4 families plus grandmas and grandpas and the odd auntie, and a friendly WD loans me a tent and stretchers.
Our subtle family dynamic, along with my introverted and ever-so-slightly volatile nature (“unhinged” is such an ugly word), makes 2 weeks of harmonious unity a bit unlikely and I decide to trailer my bike along for escape.
Another WD also wants his bike trailered to Plett, and I agree on condition that he loads his own bike and helps me load mine. He readily agrees, and even arranges a safe place to park the loaded trailer overnight.
I hook the trailer with some trepidation. It is one thing to trailer a slender Suzuki DR650, but a huge BMW 1200 GS weighing almost double is another matter altogether. Images of the trailer overturning or dragging the car off the road, swirl across my mind’s eye. I pray fervently my little Ecosport will manage the load over the East Coast’s hilly terrain. I need not have worried - it does fine, and keeping to a maximum of 100 kph it even manages to do so on one tank. I settle in and get ready for all the fun.
Comfort break at Buffelsjagsrivier (it ain't heavy...thanks to a well-balanced trailer)
Idyllic camping spot
The house, although huge, isn't big enough for 4 families plus grandmas and grandpas and the odd auntie, and a friendly WD loans me a tent and stretchers.
Our subtle family dynamic, along with my introverted and ever-so-slightly volatile nature (“unhinged” is such an ugly word), makes 2 weeks of harmonious unity a bit unlikely and I decide to trailer my bike along for escape.
Another WD also wants his bike trailered to Plett, and I agree on condition that he loads his own bike and helps me load mine. He readily agrees, and even arranges a safe place to park the loaded trailer overnight.
I hook the trailer with some trepidation. It is one thing to trailer a slender Suzuki DR650, but a huge BMW 1200 GS weighing almost double is another matter altogether. Images of the trailer overturning or dragging the car off the road, swirl across my mind’s eye. I pray fervently my little Ecosport will manage the load over the East Coast’s hilly terrain. I need not have worried - it does fine, and keeping to a maximum of 100 kph it even manages to do so on one tank. I settle in and get ready for all the fun.
Comfort break at Buffelsjagsrivier (it ain't heavy...thanks to a well-balanced trailer)
Idyllic camping spot