GAUTENG - DE WILDT RIDE 10 MAY
- Thread starter Usurper
- Start date
Nice pics there !
On my side this was a ride I needed desperately and huge thanks to lightning1 for organizing. It was great !
I came back from the Newcastle weekend a little despondent, partly with my bike’s new tyres, but mainly with my inability to steer it around the route, but a bit of a tweak here, an adjustment to the bike here, and to my mind there, and things are looking up a bit.
Certainly on this type of ride, being slower and without many fast gravelly and stony corners, the tyres and bike behaved themselves perfectly – or at least I found them a bit easier to handle.
And to Dakota: “D”, I know you put the bike down a few times, and were a little down yourself, but from where I was watching you looked pretty comfortable and competent, and don’t let this put you off at all. I can’t speak for the others, but certainly don’t go thinking that I was getting at all impatient. Picking up a Dakkie is good exercise that I can use, and besides, it makes me feel useful.
The other guys also had quite a few turns to pick up their bikes as well !
A couple of pics:-
First encounter with a drying and cow-trodden mudmonster – I just rode through the grass around it with no heroics.
Nice twee-spoor.
Dakota going too fast for my shutter-finger :ricky:
Mudmonster Strike
Our fearless leader waiting for all to make it through a muddy and tricky bit.
A gourmet and highly nutritious lunch at the shabeen – Jamie Oliver eat your heart out.
[actually the REALLY nutritious part is in the bottom left of the pic. ;D ]
On my side this was a ride I needed desperately and huge thanks to lightning1 for organizing. It was great !
I came back from the Newcastle weekend a little despondent, partly with my bike’s new tyres, but mainly with my inability to steer it around the route, but a bit of a tweak here, an adjustment to the bike here, and to my mind there, and things are looking up a bit.
Certainly on this type of ride, being slower and without many fast gravelly and stony corners, the tyres and bike behaved themselves perfectly – or at least I found them a bit easier to handle.
And to Dakota: “D”, I know you put the bike down a few times, and were a little down yourself, but from where I was watching you looked pretty comfortable and competent, and don’t let this put you off at all. I can’t speak for the others, but certainly don’t go thinking that I was getting at all impatient. Picking up a Dakkie is good exercise that I can use, and besides, it makes me feel useful.
The other guys also had quite a few turns to pick up their bikes as well !
A couple of pics:-
First encounter with a drying and cow-trodden mudmonster – I just rode through the grass around it with no heroics.
Nice twee-spoor.
Dakota going too fast for my shutter-finger :ricky:
Mudmonster Strike
Our fearless leader waiting for all to make it through a muddy and tricky bit.
A gourmet and highly nutritious lunch at the shabeen – Jamie Oliver eat your heart out.
[actually the REALLY nutritious part is in the bottom left of the pic. ;D ]
A question for lightning1.
That was a really great route.
I have seen on the forum quite a bit of "de Wild politics" - people saying it is not safe, and stories of bikes being impounded.
Was yesterday's route on any private ground, and did you have to make special arrangements in advance to ride it?
I saw you deep in discussion with the priesty man at the start.
I would like to share the GPS route with the forum, but I don't want to get any other dogs into a dangerous situation, or have future rides compromised.
Maybe the area is a bit sensitive to too many bikes, but I felt no animosity at all from the locals - maybe it is just my friendly face and body-language.
That was a really great route.
I have seen on the forum quite a bit of "de Wild politics" - people saying it is not safe, and stories of bikes being impounded.
Was yesterday's route on any private ground, and did you have to make special arrangements in advance to ride it?
I saw you deep in discussion with the priesty man at the start.
I would like to share the GPS route with the forum, but I don't want to get any other dogs into a dangerous situation, or have future rides compromised.
Maybe the area is a bit sensitive to too many bikes, but I felt no animosity at all from the locals - maybe it is just my friendly face and body-language.
blazes
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Nice one. Glad Dee that you are all in one piece. Sent Malibu a tel no. of someone i know who makes aftermarket screens at good prices. Nice ride all.
LeonDude
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Nice ride guys. Sorry I couldn't make it, too much prior commitments this time.
Malibu
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:thumleft: Awesome guys! Looks like fun was had by all!
P.S. Thanks for all the work I now have to do on the D'kar.
P.S. Thanks for all the work I now have to do on the D'kar.
Dakota
Race Dog
Well my De Wildt Ride… the terrain was a bit to de wildt for my experience…
Thanks to the guys for helping me up a lot.. :thumleft:
Thinking about it on Sunday night after I got home and after a very long hot bath… I feel I learned a lot.. one of them not being how to pick up my bike…
And despite all my laying down I had a good time thanks guys. ;D
Thanks to the guys for helping me up a lot.. :thumleft:
Thinking about it on Sunday night after I got home and after a very long hot bath… I feel I learned a lot.. one of them not being how to pick up my bike…
And despite all my laying down I had a good time thanks guys. ;D
Malibu said:
You mean our "running repairs" weren't up to your standard o fussy one ?
Malibu
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GundaGunda said:
They are called "running repairs", not permanent repairs, after all! :biggrin:
lightning1
Race Dog
Lots of thanks:
Firstly, to Usurper, Dakota, Sherman, and Gundagunda for the ride - it was great and I enjoyed the route and the company. We missed Roux, Allanubs and Leondude though! In my humble opinion everybody rode very well, and although Dakota fell once or twice, in her defence I would just have to say that riding second, she encountered most of the obstacles first, and ended up being the group's "crash-test-dummy". If she fell we found another way through, and if she made it, we tried as well. No chauvinism on our rides!
Secondly to Usurper and Gundagunda, thanks for those great pics.
Gundagunda, no permission was required for where we rode, but the "Reverend" (Pastor) owns that parking area, and is in touch with how the community feels about the riders. He was telling me about 2 bikers who disobeyed his request to them that morning to avoid a specific route, because of a funeral, and they simply rode right through it. Whilst it is an isolated incident, unfortunately it impacts negatively on all of us. He was also telling me about a young child's medical bills of R 7000-00, which were caused by her being knocked down by a quad rider, who simply sped off. The bike riders will have to pay that, in order to protect our riding area, as the locals do not distinguish between quads and bikes, and I will speak to all the "plastic" organisers soon.
There is all sorts of little "rules", and whilst I have no problem with you making your route available, I strongly recommend that first-timers go with somebody who knows the area and some of the "customs", such as the gates . It is a great spot, and one of the few places to still ride all day, and never cross your tracks once.
Malibu, sorry about the bike, but Dakota really rode well, and just had some bad luck, coupled with fatigue. It was her second long day of riding.
Again, thanks to all who rode for a great day. I will organise another similar ride very soon, either this Sunday, or the Saturday/Sunday thereafter, and will post it on here, and will send you all pm's.
Have a fantastic week.
Firstly, to Usurper, Dakota, Sherman, and Gundagunda for the ride - it was great and I enjoyed the route and the company. We missed Roux, Allanubs and Leondude though! In my humble opinion everybody rode very well, and although Dakota fell once or twice, in her defence I would just have to say that riding second, she encountered most of the obstacles first, and ended up being the group's "crash-test-dummy". If she fell we found another way through, and if she made it, we tried as well. No chauvinism on our rides!
Secondly to Usurper and Gundagunda, thanks for those great pics.
Gundagunda, no permission was required for where we rode, but the "Reverend" (Pastor) owns that parking area, and is in touch with how the community feels about the riders. He was telling me about 2 bikers who disobeyed his request to them that morning to avoid a specific route, because of a funeral, and they simply rode right through it. Whilst it is an isolated incident, unfortunately it impacts negatively on all of us. He was also telling me about a young child's medical bills of R 7000-00, which were caused by her being knocked down by a quad rider, who simply sped off. The bike riders will have to pay that, in order to protect our riding area, as the locals do not distinguish between quads and bikes, and I will speak to all the "plastic" organisers soon.
There is all sorts of little "rules", and whilst I have no problem with you making your route available, I strongly recommend that first-timers go with somebody who knows the area and some of the "customs", such as the gates . It is a great spot, and one of the few places to still ride all day, and never cross your tracks once.
Malibu, sorry about the bike, but Dakota really rode well, and just had some bad luck, coupled with fatigue. It was her second long day of riding.
Again, thanks to all who rode for a great day. I will organise another similar ride very soon, either this Sunday, or the Saturday/Sunday thereafter, and will post it on here, and will send you all pm's.
Have a fantastic week.
Malibu
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Lightning, she sure seemed to have really enjoyed herself. And she says she learnt a lot! Which is great!
Thanks for taking her along and looking after her so well! Much appreciated! :thumleft:
And the fixing stuff, sheez, it's only 2 bolts, a lever and two lens covers... a few minutes of non-running repairs! :biggrin:
Thanks for taking her along and looking after her so well! Much appreciated! :thumleft:
And the fixing stuff, sheez, it's only 2 bolts, a lever and two lens covers... a few minutes of non-running repairs! :biggrin:
lightning1 said:
I take my hat off to you for your attitude. I really get annoyed when people ride through communal land like they own it and with no regard toward the locals, nor any care for their safety.
In my experience, mainly in the Valley of 1000 Hills in KZN, a bit of friendliness goes a long way.
I won't publish the track here - too scared - but I have it and if anyone wants it they can get it from me, but via you if you don't mind.
Misty
Race Dog
Nice nice
Dee looks to me like you did really well :thumleft:
Dee looks to me like you did really well :thumleft:
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