jupiter's travels - the story of a journey ( Index Post 1)

[Gerard]

                                                                                    Day 2

Brekfis, whenever the opportunity presents, is a Wimpy affair and that's how we start the day.

I've never been over Swaershoekpas and that's where we head for over to Pearston. No pics, so all I can say is ride it when you get the chance.

From Pearston gravel to Jansenville and to my chargin we don't stop at Bie for coffee  :eek7: But I think this time my excuse is good  :deal: I only joined WD's in 2010 and met Bie in 2011  :imaposer: But had I known him I would have stopped there  :biggrin:

We take the gravel road over Kendrew   to Graaffe Reinette. Now here I need to pause. At the time the EC was in the grip of a severe drought and when you saw and spoke to farmers they had this helpless, empty look in their eyes.

Lyn does not enjoy this scenery at all, but I can still appreciate the stark beauty of the Karoo.

 

[Gerard]

Very little colour to be seen

 

[Gerard]

There is slight relief from the painfulness when we see some mountains towards GR.

 

[DirtyTeNeReLess]

Up and over Rooiberg pass. This is the first time we do somewhat technical. Its a bit tense but goes well. The experience and knowhow is not quite there yet. When it gets tight Lyn remains seated and I stand and ride. We do OK. Its only later, when we do our pillion cousre, that we would realise how easy it can be when you do it right.

At Calitzdorp we book in at The Dorpshuis, and as its still early afternoon, we decide to take a ride to Seweweekspoort for coffee and cookies. There's a particlar spot that we like, and some may recall this is also where I did my stealth camp on the way back from Cape Town, after fetching the 600 Tenere on Bungycools Trip

There's something special about stopping at a nice place in the mountains and having a picnic.

shoot Jupiter those pannier have done you well.

 

[Gerard]

Up and over Rooiberg pass. This is the first time we do somewhat technical. Its a bit tense but goes well. The experience and knowhow is not quite there yet. When it gets tight Lyn remains seated and I stand and ride. We do OK. Its only later, when we do our pillion cousre, that we would realise how easy it can be when you do it right.

At Calitzdorp we book in at The Dorpshuis, and as its still early afternoon, we decide to take a ride to Seweweekspoort for coffee and cookies. There's a particlar spot that we like, and some may recall this is also where I did my stealth camp on the way back from Cape Town, after fetching the 600 Tenere on Bungycools Trip

There's something special about stopping at a nice place in the mountains and having a picnic.

shoot Jupiter those pannier have done you well.

Indeed and they've survived a few offs, including a 30m slide. Had to replce the bottoms though which chaffed through on the cradles.

So after all my effort, that is what you pick-up from the RR  :imaposer:

 

[DirtyTeNeReLess]

same ones in Lesotho I assume. nice. haha I know how you and lyn ride boet

 

[DirtyTeNeReLess]

same ones in Lesotho I assume. nice. haha I know how you and lyn ride boet

steady and thoughtful.  never forget you helping me

 

[Gerard]

same ones in Lesotho I assume. nice. haha I know how you and lyn ride boet

steady and thoughtful.  never forget you helping me

We'll get to that later again. :biggrin:

 

[Gerard]

In Graaffe Reinette we stock up for our braai the evening and head for the national park to the view point over the Valley of Desolation.

Now only once, OK twice, before have I been awed with a view like this... from the top of Oubergpas west over the Tankwa Karoo and looking East over Sentraal Karoo from Rammelkoppas.

 

[Gerard]

Some tourist take a pic of us as well and then we head for the Nothern lookout for a view over the Sundays valley that is Graaffe Reinette and the dam to the west

 

[Gerard]

We're staying on a friend's farm in his boshut. Great place where you are totally secluided in the hills on a river. The road in is tricky and he gives me no warning. As I gp over cross a little hill it drops away to this gnarly rocky test your skill to the limit drop. I'll show you the pics when we ride out tomorrow.

 

[Gerard]

                                                                                  Day 3

We are quite pleased with ourselves after a good night's rest  :ricky: And then I need to collect myself for that climb up the little hill

 

[Gerard]

We visit New Bethesta. The wind is blowing and all I get from it is dust up every orifice. Breakfast is good, but the best part is the road out around Kompasberg to Bethesta Road.

 

[Gerard]

We take the gravel along the railway line towards Erasmuskloof. As you get to the kloof there are these rock formations and then when we come around a corner on a riverbend there is this old abandoned house in an idyllic setting. How I would love to live there. Its the only place I've ever come across that could rival Hooggeveldt.

 

[Gerard]

Somewhere along the road we stop and take this pic. The weather had started getting up and we don our rainsuits.

On the way back to Graaffe Reinette the bike goes on reserve and I fill up, but inadvertantly forget to switch the tap to main tank.

We take a ride through the Kamdeboo reserve, which is most enjoyable and recommended. By now the weather was getting real nasty and we still had to make it to Uniondale.

I hoink it down the N9 against a monster Westerly. What I don't realise is the AT is sucking juice at 12km/l. Past Willowmore and it still has not gone on reserve(of course it wont) and I reckon There is more than enough fuel to get us to Uniondale. Its dusk already and about 25km from Uniondale we run out of fuel. I'm totally flabbergasted. I just do not make mistakes like that.

Anyhow, Lyn fones a friend and he brings us fuel. It stared raining and its dark when we get to town. No ways I was going to pitch camp in that weather, so we book in a B&B.

A good days riding even though it did not end as planned.

 

[Carrots]

Hmmmmm....daai huis lyk bekend Jup!  :3some:

 

[Gerard]

                                                                               Day 4

We wake up the next morning and its pissing with rain. There was still some gravel to do and I want to finish the ride. Sense should have prevailed and we should just have just turned home via the Langkloof, but...

Lyn does not argue. She's by now totally content on the back of the bike and protected against the weather behind me. Where I ride she's happy to go with.

We head up the Kammanasie road towards Deyselsdorp and De Rust. (I do not take the Buffelsdrif turn-off  :biggrin: ) This was the road I was supposed to have taken on the Solo Trip and I want to finish it. I've got an Anachee on the back of the bike, the road is snotty and all I can say is it was an interesting ride. Not much to see or photograph, because of the murkyness.

There's a nice fire going and over breakfast we thaw ourselves. We don't really feel like getting back on the bike but eventually have to head out.

At Willowmore I fill up the bike and, since I never know when enough is enough, we take the Winterhoek road through the mountains to Steitlerville.

And now I make the mistake you should never make... my pillion is getting angry and upset. I've overcooked it, given the weather and its bloody cold and raining. She's uncomfortable and wants to get home, so we go home.

I enjoyed the trip as I got to ride, and that makes me happy. Lyn not so much, as she does not like the dry Karoo and the last day was a bit rough on her. Caution for the future.

Last pics taken in the poort just outside Steitlerville.

 

[Oom Foe-rie]

Ai jai jai Jupiter ........... dit was weer n lekker hoofstuk om te lees saam met die oggendkoffie ..........  :sip: :thumleft:

 

[Gerard]

Ai jai jai Jupiter ........... dit was weer n lekker hoofstuk om te lees saam met die oggendkoffie ..........  :sip: :thumleft:

:thumleft: Moet nou ongelukkig bietjie werk vandag  ??? Maar vannand doen ons die eerste toer. Lekker baie foties  :biggrin:

 

[Lem]

hierdie is n mooi storie, Jup

so 'n vuil en gelaaide Afrika Tweeling is darem maar blerrie fotogenies  ot: