Gauteng Bash - 01/09/2007

[JourneyMan]

Despite the two unfortunately falls, the much anticipated Gauteng bash came to a coclusion earlier today. And  what a great weekend of riding and being with like-minded individuals.

The day started early. I think Chrisb was first at the meet. Just after six. As the WD's arrived, introductions was made. Strange how one seems to remember the forum nick after the first introduction but the real name has to be asked a few times over the weekend. :mrgreen: Even so, please forgive any errors here.

At the meet place. The coffee was good!

After coffee, quick instructions from Plothond.

Then Welsh also decided to finally pitch up! :lol:

And finally way they go! Amazingly, the group got away wihtin the suggested time frame. More-or-less.

A small group decided to depart a bit later. JM, Welsh, Funacide, Popipants, Zonkelnut

Maybe Zonk will be so kind to explain to you what he is describing here. :twisted:

PS: Zonk was on his best Saturday. For the sentive souls out there, I will have to refrain from posting some of his antics. My apologies.

We started about half an hour after the main group. From the beginning, there was division on which route is the correct one. A printed out copy or the loaded GPS one on Popipant's GPS. This trend was continued throughout the day. :mrgreen:

First pitstop after the first round of "Route Consultations". Echoings of a Shebeen Run.

From there a shortcut to the main route.

Zonk & Funacide

Popipants

Welsh

Popipants deflating tyres after  him and me realised Funacide/Zonk in on a wrong heading.

Some "on-the-run" discussions between Welsh and Popipants also did not have the desired effect. Popipants said to Welsh: "This is the wrong way". Welsh: "I'll go get them" (Apparently this was not said by Welsh. Total denial from him. :mrgreen

We wait and wait. Finally all three came back. After a bit of friendly arguing about the route, it was decided to trust Popipants GPS.

We arrived at a the local Spring Day Feast and parchy throats were treated. We have travelled 60km. Good going. :mrgreen:

From there double quick time to Pienaarsrivier, fuel up and onto dirt again.

Unfortunately we came upon Supergirl's accident.

The road was level 1-2. Hard packed but also dusty. Out of nowehere comes this 50m stretch of soft sand which will take you unawares. Dust didn't help SG in this case. Glad she is OK apart from a hurt arm.

Also there were Ratel (of course) and Crazy Porra. What a great guy! Met him the first time and over the rest of the weekend, first impressions was firmly cemented. Later Tonteldoos also arrived and decided to wait with us.

We searched some shade while waiting for the recovery vehicle. It was hot!

Talking shite mostly. With Zonkel at the forfront.  :kermit: Flatjack and Apple Sours helped while the time away.

After recovery, a small disagreement (again) about the route to follow for us five, we eventually arrived at another place to sooth the parchy throats.

Then onwards. Popipant'GPS showed anothe lekker shortcut to the main route.

On the main route to the tar, Level 1 hardpack.

Let's just say that Zonkel misjuded the gradient. :mrgreen:

Tar and then the stretch into Rooibarg. Plothond was correct. Nice road and must be even better in the summer.

At Rooiberg, all had lunch. We were running about 2 1/2 hours behind schedule by that time.

And fill-up. Much appreciated oom en tannie! :thumright:

We then took tar all the way to the turnoff to the farm.

Waiting for the last to arrive at the farm entrance.

What keeping them? Ama Ride Ride. hehe  :twisted:

Someone invited a clown as well. :mrgreen:

I decide to turn back ang go look for the missing peeps.

Groenie and Mina Moo.

Stephan, Red and Daughter

Waiting for the last three. Funacide, Zonk & Popipants.

After a while, I go back. Popipants arrived and said Fun's KTM is dead. Does not want to start. They have to TOW it in! hehe

Everyoine run for camera's!  :twisted:

Here they come!

I'm sure their will be separate thread on the KTM issue.  :mrgreen:

More to follow.

 

[Trailrider]

Lot's of the first pics don't show. ???

Stephen - did you buy a kwat?  ;D

 

[Red]

JM,
Lots of the pics do not show.

TR,
Yip, we went to the dark side..... (It is mine and for sale at the moment)

 

[JourneyMan]

Anyone else? I see them fine.  :scratch:

What Message gets displayed?

 

[shark_za]

I see all the pics, thanks JM.
Guess I would have fitted in with the trailing group, my kinda ride

ps, I was so hungover after meeting Kilroy on friday followed by action cricket I even skipped DW on saturday.

 

[Trailrider]

All the pics from the start to here don't show:

(The rest are fine)

 

[CrazyPorra]

Many thanks to all involved, WHAT A GREAT RIDE.

And what a venue, and  organizing, top class.

 

[shark_za]

Reload a few times (F5), just timeouts over slow connections.

Top class, like the KTM950?

 

[JourneyMan]

We then proceeded on a two-track for the last 5-7 km's to the bash place.

Miena Moo looking good!

Just a pic.

Pic on-the-go

It was getting darker by the minute. Zonk and Fun did absulutely fabulous with the towing in that conditions. It was not easy going. Well done guys!

Resting.

Red seeing the lighter side of things.

Zonk & Fun saw a "short-cut to the camp site only to discover thick sand. The TA made it through before we could assist.

We arrived at the campsite in darkness. Most people were already settled and enjoying the fire and refrshments.

We had to pitch tent in the dark. I did not have a flash light. I also struggled with a borrowed tent. In the end decided to leave it as is. I'll survive the night.

My attempt.   :redface:

From there the real business started. There was a lot of camara flashes. Goods time had by all.

AdventureMX & Extreme sposored a lucky draw. About 10 prizes in all. All biek related things which will help you on the road. Well done guys! :hello2:

Cherry was part of the prize draw "staff". Somehow Peaches AND Adventurer both won a prize. "Conspiracy!" was shouted left, right and centre! :evil5: :mrgreen:


A few pics of the evening.

Funacide & Extreme

Popipant, Zonkelnut, Extreme

ChrisB, The Clown and Flying Dutchman

Taking pics of each other.

Zerc, Groenie, Plothond

Tonteldoos, Crazy Porra. He is a real porra.  :mrgreen:

Ratel & Supergirl

Miena Moo & Red's Daugther

Welsh & Amarideride

Please help. I think Bmad, 1X, Usurper

Pistol ?, Adventurer, Peaches

The Host. Ryno (Jagshond. I think. :mrgreen

The Kitchen. That Sheep and bykosse was scrumptious!

Groot Kark Praat Tyd! :mrgreen:

Around the fire.

Adventurer. What a guy. Staying up till late to listen to us moegoe's talking shite.

Laaaate at night! That light is Popi & Fun searching for Welsh's tent. What for, I can't remember.

Bitter Einders.

Keeping the fire going.

Finally the last 4 decided is was time to sleep as well.

First the experienced adventurers help and in-experienced moegoe to rectify the tent situation. They would not listen to my protestation that it is not nescesary. Thanks guys!

And then Funacide said it will not be complete if there is not coffee on his stofie.

The perfect end to a great day.

I got up at 04H30 on Saturday morning. Got to sleep at about 01H15 Sunday morning. It was a long, hot day but a very memorable one!

Sunday to follow.

 

[Supergirl]

Well as everybody knows by now "I can fly". I just need to practice the landings.  :BangHead:

A big thank you to everybody who came to my assistance - especially Crazyporra, Zerk, Groenie, Mina Moo and those other crazies:  Zonkelnut, Popipants, Funacide, Welsh, Journeyman and Tonteldoos.  (Forgive me if I forgot someone - It was a bit of a blurr) :confused2:

Thank you very much Plothond. Your backup is much appreciated.  Thanks to Chris and Maryna that delivered  me and my bits and pieces to my house.

Lessons learned:  When riding in a big group with lots of dust around, slow down or even stop if you cannot see the road ahead!!!  A sandpit appearing out of nowhere can really send you flying.

Apart from being stiff and a few bruises, I am fine.

The bike is going in for a quote tomorrow morning to be fixed up for our trip to Mozambique in three weeks. :thumbsup:

 

[Plothond]

I  must admit - the anticipation over the last 4 months just built and built

Rushed around on Friday getting the last things and my most sincere thanks and appreciation goes to my staff who sacrificed a weekend at home with their families to make sure we were fed, watered and rescued

By name - Sipho (chef supreme), Wilhemina and Theresa in the kitchen, washing dishes and making a great dinner and wonderful breakfast. Rudi for coming from Vanderbijlpark to make sure our sheep was cooked to perfection and Chris who carried our kit all over the Limpopo province, got the drinks and played the rescue service. He and my wife collectively drove close on 1200km on Saturday

Thanks to Stephan and Red for joining us and Stephan for a delicious Vinegar pudding

And then to my wife - thanks for the help on saturday and today

I did not take too many pic's -


Meeting at the BP - check out the fresh faces and excitment
Ratel, Supergirl & Zerc

The bikes and the dawgs - waiting

Leaving Pretoria, after going through Mamelodi
Metro Police were lying in wait and pulled a few over to "check"
Redrider and friends were severely castigated - "Do yoooo knoe. Eeet ish eeee-legall toooo ride only on wuuun weeel" When the friendly "peeeece offfiser" could not find this roool in his book - he let them go


Here Plathond and Wyfie coming around the corner

Some more riders arriving to our first dirt for the day

Now I must apologise for no more pics for the rest of the morning. When Our plans went slightly astray, so did my camera

Here we are just leaving after lunch

HEY SUPERGIRL !!!! - watcha doing in da cage  >

...an watcha bike dooin on dat bakkie

Now we skip till eeeeeerly this morning. The early sleepers are still sleeping and "die bittereinders SNORK"  >


Breakfast being prepared

Usurper se hoekie

The first to surface

Usurper, Stephan, Red and daughter

Eish, eish eish.....
Sleeping beauties

HHHusky and 1X up and about

Flying Dutchmen and the flying wife

Bike parking

Kya Poppipants

The Zonkmobile has numerous uses

How do you wake up Funacide and the Zonk. Set up a Clay pigeon trap next to their tent -
Here 1X showing how it is done

Sorry, somehow my camera was not on the priority list this weekend - apologies  :'(

I'm sure there will still be tons of pic's

Plothond signing out

TILL WE RIDE AGAIN  ;D

 

[Welsh]

I must say setting up the clay pigeon launcher next to Zonkel,s tent was a masterful move, what a wake up call!!!!!  > > > O0


So, it did not start out well, I had to see my gardener before I left, he was late, here is the GSV All nice and clean and ready.

So I was late and could not find the meeting point garage, so yes I was the last to arrive  :-[ :-[

But I was arranged to ride with the tail gunner group, we were â??concernedâ? about the dust, so we had a little group running slightly behind the main crowd. And we made the odd stop or two to wash the dust out of our throats.  : :

First stop you may remember this place from the Shabeen run, they ran out of beer that day, the same happened on Saturday? ???

So later (not much) we stopped at the Boer Spring Festival, smoke / beer break.

Then, we found Supa Girl with Ratel & Crazy Porra, it was getting seriously hot by this time, the group waiting, slangbyte in evidence.

These guys managed the sand better.

Once Supa Girl was recovered we pushed on, thirsty and hungry, so to sort out the first issue, a quick stop off.

I did not take many pics from here in, man was I relieved to finally get to the farm just before dark.

ADV, Cherry and Peaches moving out in the morning.

The Damaged GS,s on the Trailer.

A classic moment, Funacide bike running everbody packed loaded and ready to go, so Poppipants loses his bike keys, eventually found in his baggage!!!

Again great event, you have set the bar very high Plot for future events.

Welsh  8) 8)

 

[JourneyMan]

A good nights sleep did wonders.

Woke up feeling OKish. hehe

The first order of business was trying to get some coffee. Accomplished.

Then Funacide starts getting the Katoom stripped to see if the problem can be found.

The next thing is this moerse bangs suddenly going off. Not good for the slight headache.

Clay Pigeon Shooting. Was fun.

See the white tent behind the red one? It was Zonkel's and I believe he was still asleep when the shooting started.

The morning also was the first time for a few of us to see the surroundings in daylight.

Then the KTM Workshop. Lot's of interest around. Not much help though.  :mrgreen: But who cares. The quirks coming from the circle was hillarious at times.  :twisted: :lol:

Funacide was understandably less impressed.

Crazy Porra forgo the hearty breakfast and jumped in to assist. Those that could, assisted. Tools, advice, encouragement, jumper cables etc. Great group of people.

Crazy Porra keeping the light side up!

Sensored. A "L" is missing in the pic.  :biggrin:

HHHusky's Bike. :razz:

Finally after toiling in the dirt for the better part of an hour, the Katoom sprang to life! Funacide's grin was the biggest of them all. Glad the bike was sorted and celebratory beers (some'3rd or fourth of the morning ) was passed around.

Thereafter the pack started dispersing on their way home. We decided to take the quickest way back.

The route throught the game farms was two-track with the odd sandy patches and regular speedbumps.


Funacide. The Katoom is growling again!

Popipants

Gideon

Zonk

Crazy Porra

Welsh & GSV

We then went through Thababzimbi for re-fuel and back through Brits to Pretoria

Re-fueling and some Icecream! It was hot these two days!

Now Fun's KTM escapades and resultant KTM bashing etc  :mrgreen:, took centre stage but I did get the opportunity of a KTM rider with BMW gear!  :mrgreen:

Ratel and his new steed.

An lekker weekend.  All good people.

Thank to all.

(Those that got more pics of the KTM-towing episode and especially the quirks, feel free to start a seperate thread. :twisted Fun did threaten banning the mebers etc, but I feel he will be outvoted by the rest og the site admin/mods. :lol

 

[JourneyMan]

Eish! Now I'm also not seeing certain pics. Too many on one page maybe? Must be 125+ pics on this page alone.

Split it up?

 

[JourneyMan]

Reloading the pics now. Seems to be working again.

 

[Kev]

Fantastic! :thumleft:

 

[Groenie]

Na 'n lang stowwerige naweek moet ek net eers sê baie dankie aan Plothond vir 'n moerse effort. First class.

It was good seeing a few old faces that I haven't ridden with in a long time and to eventually put faces to the other dogs.

I somehow didn't take many pics, so the normal first one with all the dogs waiting to set off is not here. My first pic of the second last group (NOT the shabeen runners) stopping to let air out as we hit the dirt. Red Devil's rear tyre wasn't on the rim properly, but a few squirts of WD40 (appropriate?) soon fixed that.

It was the first time I led a group and it's quite difficult not running away from the slower dogs. So I stopped in a nice shady spot for a few action shots.

MM starting to get into the 'standing like a BM rider should' mode. She would eventually get LOTS more practice at this.

Ama and his girl with Red Devil still going strong in the background.

Die Renoster met sy Vrystaat GS

en hier kom die Nar

I think this is Supergirl and hubby, Ratel behind her

A sign of things to come? Crazy Porra is just in the pic for context purposes.

And then we came upon this scene. The last thing you want on a great day out. SG had a slight misunderstanding with a sand monster that jumped out of the dust at her.

She was quite shaken and hurt her arm in the fall.

We decided the Porra would stay with them, we (MM, Zerc and me) went on. Plothond was waiting at the next turnoff with more bad news. Red Devil had done the same. Dumped her GS as well. She suffered a tank-slapper which eventually ended with her off the bike. The GS suffered some damage and was also waiting for a recovery vehicle, but the rider was still in high spirits.

This really affected MM quite badly and she was VERY careful from then on. Here I must thank Zerc for sticking with us, most people would have fled, but he stuck with us and really helped Miena to get through the difficult road ahead. At times I paddled in the thick sand we encountered, so you can just imagine how a girl on only her 3rd ride on dirt was struggling. No pics from here till we got to the Oppikoppie road. Just slow going and plenty of  smoke breaks to calm the nerves (didn't really help though)

We were very glad to get to the last turn off before the farm, and Stephan was on hand with cold beers to sooth our dry throats while we waited for KTM-on-call aka. Zonk to bring the last straggler in. It was like the arrival of a superstar, flashes going off all the time as they pulled in. Everybody was intent on rubbing it in. I actaully felt sorry for Fun, but it's too good to resist.

Here they come, with two Beemers escorting them - strange that the TA with the smallest engine was doing the towing?

When they pulled in, Zonk, in the true style of a celebrity was shouting: NO PICTURES!!!

Then it was on to the camp site. By this time MM had enough! I tried to talk to her, but she didn't want to know anything. Even Red in the car hundred meters behind us could hear her reluctance to listen.  :

Guess who's got a new camera? No beers for this one

2 dogs that seemed to have found a mutual bond (tow rope?)

Twee torchkoppe!

At this stage, half of the ladies on the trip had dropped their bikes, only Peaches and MM was left. But Peaches would join the fallers the next morning with me doing the same in sympathy

It seems nobody, except the clown was taking piccies around the camp fire, not me or MM at least.
We had a lucky draw and our group was the winner's circle. Ratel, Supergirl, Crazy Porra, MM and me won prizes. Only Tonteldoos didn't get anything... MM's prize was promptly used the next morning to fix Fun's KTM. Very cool tool.
As we left the camp site, Peaches did the unthinkable and dropped The Beast in a nasty patch of sand. We stopped to try and help, but I dropped Groenie and had to be helped. My first for the day. The other one happened when we stopped for fuel at Harties and I forgot to put the side stand out. Just remember, I was very tired then...

My Devine Bovine under a Maroela tree in the hot Thabazimbi sun.

We stopped for sous in Thabazimbi before hitting the tar all they way back home. MM was gatvol of dirt  ;D That's my story and I will stick to it.

A few piccies of the dogs preparing for the long way home.

Zonk, Crazy Porra (what you taking my pic for?) and Adventurer.

Ratel and Peaches sharing stories

Me and the snoring Welshman

All and all, we had FUN. Some painkillers and bit of Voltaren gel, but nothing serious.

A good one.....

 

[droffarc]

Magnificent! ;D

Glad those who came off did not get too hurt!

 

[Eisbein]

Excellent !

Looks like all had huge fun.

Sorry about those who damaged their bikes (and almost damaged theirselves)

Plothond - are you available to organise other get togethers ?

 

[Plothond]

Plothond - are you available to organise other get togethers ?

;D  - I'm sure the next event down south will be even better   


BTW - Gauteng doggers (and 1 Vrystater) have beeeg appetites. Two sheep - enough for 70 were polished by 55 people

And ordentlik too. We broke only 1 plate and one glass - thanks for that. I had visions of buying the hire place.

HHHusky & JM - I still got your drinks change - PM me your address and I'll drop it off. AMA - I'll drop yours off with the bike