Into heaven and back

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For the last hour and a half that I rode back to Barkley East, it was in the pouring rain.  
I don’t mind the rain, but it was now freezing cold and the XT was
at stages snaking dangerously on the muddy roads.

That and the lightning – very very frightening!   :-[  :peepwall:  ;D

Luckily I had the contact number of a BB in Barkley East, as that night I was NOT planning to sleep in a tent!
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This is a great RR ! I really need to do this trip as well ... it looks farking awsome !!  :thumleft:
 
Being in the luxury of the BB - I had the opportunity to see the weather forecast for the next couple of days
– and it didn’t look good!  

Heavy rains predicted over the whole area, for the next 3 days!  
Even the “Top Management” phoned demanding that I come home EMMEDIATLY.  
So I was contemplating the next step, weighing up the options and routes.

What to Do? What to do?

Even contacted Glenink (from Elliot) for some advice (as I still wanted to go around his place for some KTSSSK ! ).

In the end, sanity prevailed.  
I made the sensible choice of heading home the next day,
thus cutting the planned 6 day trip into 4 days.  

Riding solo into the mountains is not a good idea, and also what’s the point?  
With all the rain and clouds you cannot appreciate the scenery.  

And more importantly I needed a reason to come back soon to explore more of this awesome area!
So once the decision was made, I fell asleep and slept like a rock.
 
STATS & TRACK
Day3:

Lady Grey – Barkley East
via: Sterkspruit, Orange River, Tele bridge, Legene, Lundean’s Nek, Hilton, Lady Grey, Joubert Pass, Clanville, Greylings Pass , Killian’s Pass, Modderfontein.

Distance:                Planned - 418km      Actual – 441km
Travel Time:            Planned - 9h            Actual – 10h45min
Fuel Used: 24.12 Liters
Fuel Cost: R 194.16

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Day4 (Tuesday) – “Gods Artwork”  
   
Although this day was homeward bound, the fun was far from over!
So after 2 nice oily Egg, bacon and cheese toasted sarmie’s I was back on the road. . .

Barkley pass was still en-route to Elliot from Barkley East and luckily for now the rain has not started yet.

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At this stage I was suffering of sensory overload. 
You just cannot believe that such beautiful scenery just keeps on appearing behind every corner.

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The rock formations formed in the Barkley Pass Mountains are incredible. 
And I was fortunate to ride through there without any rain.

Another mornings perfect riding! 

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Too soon I was on top of Barkley pass and then started descending towards Elliot.

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I stopped off at GlenInk just outside Elliot for the best locally brewed coffee in the country!   :thumleft:

However time was pressing and the rain was approaching,  ::)
So from there is was a bee-line back to Port Elizabeth
via Queenstown, Fort Beauford and Grahamstown.  

The rain started from Queenstown and from there all the way back I was riding in the rain.
Doing helmet time (as Bakkies will put it), thinking back at 4 days of really really awesome riding.  :biggrin:

So no more photos!    



STATS & TRACK
Day4:

Barkley East – PE.
via:  Barkley Pass,Elliot, Cala, Lady Frere,Nonesis Nek Pass, Queenstown, Nico Malan Pass, Ford Beauford, Ecca Pass, Grahamstown.
Distance:                Planned - 0km        Actual – 538km
Travel Time:            Planned - 0h          Actual – 7h15min
Fuel Used: 34.22 Liters
Fuel Cost: R 290.65

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awesome stuff sakkie!!  another part of the world i HAVE to explore now!  :thumleft:
 
Hel Sakkie n paar stunning fotos!! Ek moet daai wêreld kom kyk.
Hoe kry jy gery met daai woonstelblok agterop die fiets?
 
Very lekka Sakkie! Next time you come this way give me some notice and I can tag along, then you will not be riding solo!

Awesome pictures !  :wav: :notworthy:
 
Amazing RR Sakkiie. Those pics gets the Actevo flowing in my veins. I've never ridden this part of the Eastern Cape, so am considering doing a weekender there soon. Thanks for the inspiring report.  :ricky:
 
chrisL said:
Hel Sakkie n paar stunning fotos!! Ek moet daai wêreld kom kyk.
Hoe kry jy gery met daai woonstelblok agterop die fiets?

Hie-hie - Ek is besig om te prepare vir die  nuwe XT1200Z Tenere. . .   >:D  O0  
 
I r ophishilly jealous.

Nice one Sakkie.  :thumleft: Thanks for thanking the time to put this RR together. Is great reading it
Now you have experienced solo riding it will always be a toss up whether or not to take a mate with.
I road some of those NE cape passes in September and expected green scenery but got drought and fires.
Looks like you chose the right time
 
Great Sakkie man! Jy neem darem naaise foto's jong. Nou is ek eers meer gemotiveer om te begin om aan my bike te werk.  Ek gaan daar verby op my honeymoon een van die dae, miskien moet ek so paar grondpaaitjies slaan.  Dankie vir die moeite vir die nice ride report.
 
I have a small file of links to ride reports that have inspired me to want to follow the route.  This is now one of them.

You say you are no writer but you convey the pleasures you had very well.  I also notice how extra beautiful the countryside is when green after the rainy season.
 
Amazing RR Sakkie! Laat my verlang na die oos kaap
 

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