droffarc
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2006
- Messages
- 1,371
- Reaction score
- 121
- Location
- Cape Toon - TransAlp XL650V 2004
- Bike
- Honda NC750X
I received an URGENT communiqué. A friend of Johan had purchased a GS and please would I guide them to some gravel.
We met at the parking lot in front of the Active Virgins Jim in Durban(ville). Johan informed me upon arrival on a familiar looking bike that the friend had called at the last minute to cancel. But we could ride anyway, so we did. I indicated that we would proceed to the Phisantekraal village and from there take the Kraaifontein Road.
First thing I did, and I am embarrassed to tell you this, was to lose Johan in the traffic. He was apparently caught by a red eyed robot. Not being used to riding with others I forgot to look for him and when I did I could not find him. ‘Sgone! I doubled back but saw naught and assumed that he had gone on ahead so I hightailed it to the village. Needless to say, Johan was not to be seen. I made myself visible from the road (De-cloaked! – not de-frocked). And took a phonecall – actually I was about to phone him. He sounded agitated wanting to know where I was. Anyway I explained that he should head out to Wellington along (I wonder who thinks up the streetnames?) Wellington Road till he sees the tall radio masts on his left. There is a turnoff to the right, which goes over a railway bridge. That was where I was waiting, right beside the bridge.
I waited and he appeared but, Oh No, he went right past! Again I put on my janne and hotfooted after and again saw no sight of a rider on a BM in black and returned to the Phisantekraal turnoff, by the minibus taxi rank and phoned him. First time he did not answer but the second call produced his (adjective omitted) voice. He was almost in Cairo and still could not find me. I bade him return to the bridge and at last we found each other.
At the beginning of the gravel road he stopped to de-select his bike’s ABS. Mine automatically switches off when I climb on, so I have no trouble in that department. Man was the road potholed! The surface was quite damp from the rains, only dry in spots, but it looked like some obscure Deity had taken a dubble walk hailgun (dubbel loop haalgeweer) (double barreled shotgun) (Klingon Distuptor) (phaser set on kill) (select whichever applicable) and filled the road surface with craters.
When we joined with the N1 to Paarl Johan was grinning for some reason that may or may not have had something to do with the fact that he wore an open faced helmet.
At the Tygerberg Zoo turnoff we again took to the gravel passing Eenzaamheid and joining the R44 towards Wellingtin. Then the first gravel road on the left (I forget the name of the road) where we stopped beside some chicken farm for a fume.
After a long chat we proceeded to the R312 turning right and re-joining the R44 left for 4.7 clicks and a short left onto gravel again and joining the road to Agterperdeberg. At the crossroads, we turned left and another rather badly potholed road. There was one section where it looked like muddy doo doo. A car approaching was on the wrong side of the road at that section and I thought “Oh, Oh!” but fortunately, it returned to the correct side as we passed without mishap. Eventually we stopped at the Eskom wind farm for more fume and a long chat.
We decided that instead of heading home we would, as a bonus, re-negotiate the Phisantekraal - Kraaifontein road again. As we passed Melish I indicated that we should turn left there (mainly because on an earlier ride I had noted that there was quite a muddy section there) and yes! The road looked as though it was washed away. Johan hesitated at the intersection while I gamely negotiated the mud and fast running water, which was washing over the concrete low water bridge. I waved Johan on but still he hesitated till I was on the other side of the waterfeature. He eventually must have thought he was mad to follow me and successfully crossed the calf-deep stream. (This for me was the highlight and I was tempted to do it again! Can’t resist a wet spot!)
We then returned to where we started at Phisantekraal and took the right hand over the rail road ending in Kraaifontein, onto the N1 and splitting up at the Bellville offramp after an enjoyable afternoon in the saddle.
Two weeks later…
At the Midnight hour of 08:30, while I was lying in bed being bewitched by the face of my bride emitting soft snores beside me I was removed from my reverie by the urgent strains of Emmanuel Chabrier’s Espania on my cellphone.
Johan wanted to know if I was up/awake – well I was now – awake that is. Also wanted to know if I could come out to play. Well I had some chores, maybe late afternoon, would call back later.
Managed to reschedule my chores and at 11:18 phoned him back – to meet at the Kraaifontein Phisantekraal gravel road. Upon arrival met Deon with his new 650GS and looked at the condition of the road – damp, muddy in places with many nice juicy potholes – and Deon had never been off road before. We set off and I tried to go slowly but the damn road surface was so bad that I kept having to slow down and stopped for them to catch up at the end of the gravel road at Phisantekraal.
“Still alive” said Deon, who was more used to cruiser bikes. Johan just grinned from ‘ere to ear – having recently done the BMW course.
Turned right onto the Wellington road and again left at the Brahms gravel road heading for Mellish station. Just before the station, the road made a rather muddy left turn/bend where today there was a large Telkom truck parked while the Telkom folks were working on the lines.
Johan later remarked that he enjoyed the muddy little bend but that Deon and duckfooted it through. Just after the Mellish station is a right turn that joins to the main Malmesbury tarred road. This is where we had taken the dip two weeks ago, Johan and I. Well, if two weeks ago the road was awash with water, it was now quite solidly drownded, to quote a favorite Hobbit friend.
The stretch of water was long but I reckoned that it would not present a problem because last time it was fun going through the ankle deep water, besides there is a concrete low water bridge so it should be child’s play and the noob should be able to do it too. So, ahead I went, but as I progressed the water became deeper and deeper! Suddenly the quite fast flowing water stream was no longer flat bottomed – there were now deep holes! I was only aware of the sloshing sound as I pressed on through the water and my entire being was concentrated on keeping the throttle constant – did not want to slack off or suddenly blip.
Then, as they say, oil of a sardine my front wheel hit something big obliquely under the water and I was knocked from my steady standing on the pegs stance and I thought – “Aarg! I’m gonna lose it! I’m gonna drown my bike!”
According to Johan the bow wave was up to the middle of my indicator lights and my exhaust lower pipe was under the water. That would put the depth at about 80cm!
Fortunately, I was able to remain upright and the trusty TA took me to the other side without the ghost of a splutter or hesitation, smooth as, well very smooth.
We met at the parking lot in front of the Active Virgins Jim in Durban(ville). Johan informed me upon arrival on a familiar looking bike that the friend had called at the last minute to cancel. But we could ride anyway, so we did. I indicated that we would proceed to the Phisantekraal village and from there take the Kraaifontein Road.
First thing I did, and I am embarrassed to tell you this, was to lose Johan in the traffic. He was apparently caught by a red eyed robot. Not being used to riding with others I forgot to look for him and when I did I could not find him. ‘Sgone! I doubled back but saw naught and assumed that he had gone on ahead so I hightailed it to the village. Needless to say, Johan was not to be seen. I made myself visible from the road (De-cloaked! – not de-frocked). And took a phonecall – actually I was about to phone him. He sounded agitated wanting to know where I was. Anyway I explained that he should head out to Wellington along (I wonder who thinks up the streetnames?) Wellington Road till he sees the tall radio masts on his left. There is a turnoff to the right, which goes over a railway bridge. That was where I was waiting, right beside the bridge.
I waited and he appeared but, Oh No, he went right past! Again I put on my janne and hotfooted after and again saw no sight of a rider on a BM in black and returned to the Phisantekraal turnoff, by the minibus taxi rank and phoned him. First time he did not answer but the second call produced his (adjective omitted) voice. He was almost in Cairo and still could not find me. I bade him return to the bridge and at last we found each other.
At the beginning of the gravel road he stopped to de-select his bike’s ABS. Mine automatically switches off when I climb on, so I have no trouble in that department. Man was the road potholed! The surface was quite damp from the rains, only dry in spots, but it looked like some obscure Deity had taken a dubble walk hailgun (dubbel loop haalgeweer) (double barreled shotgun) (Klingon Distuptor) (phaser set on kill) (select whichever applicable) and filled the road surface with craters.
When we joined with the N1 to Paarl Johan was grinning for some reason that may or may not have had something to do with the fact that he wore an open faced helmet.
At the Tygerberg Zoo turnoff we again took to the gravel passing Eenzaamheid and joining the R44 towards Wellingtin. Then the first gravel road on the left (I forget the name of the road) where we stopped beside some chicken farm for a fume.
After a long chat we proceeded to the R312 turning right and re-joining the R44 left for 4.7 clicks and a short left onto gravel again and joining the road to Agterperdeberg. At the crossroads, we turned left and another rather badly potholed road. There was one section where it looked like muddy doo doo. A car approaching was on the wrong side of the road at that section and I thought “Oh, Oh!” but fortunately, it returned to the correct side as we passed without mishap. Eventually we stopped at the Eskom wind farm for more fume and a long chat.
We decided that instead of heading home we would, as a bonus, re-negotiate the Phisantekraal - Kraaifontein road again. As we passed Melish I indicated that we should turn left there (mainly because on an earlier ride I had noted that there was quite a muddy section there) and yes! The road looked as though it was washed away. Johan hesitated at the intersection while I gamely negotiated the mud and fast running water, which was washing over the concrete low water bridge. I waved Johan on but still he hesitated till I was on the other side of the waterfeature. He eventually must have thought he was mad to follow me and successfully crossed the calf-deep stream. (This for me was the highlight and I was tempted to do it again! Can’t resist a wet spot!)
We then returned to where we started at Phisantekraal and took the right hand over the rail road ending in Kraaifontein, onto the N1 and splitting up at the Bellville offramp after an enjoyable afternoon in the saddle.
Two weeks later…
At the Midnight hour of 08:30, while I was lying in bed being bewitched by the face of my bride emitting soft snores beside me I was removed from my reverie by the urgent strains of Emmanuel Chabrier’s Espania on my cellphone.
Johan wanted to know if I was up/awake – well I was now – awake that is. Also wanted to know if I could come out to play. Well I had some chores, maybe late afternoon, would call back later.
Managed to reschedule my chores and at 11:18 phoned him back – to meet at the Kraaifontein Phisantekraal gravel road. Upon arrival met Deon with his new 650GS and looked at the condition of the road – damp, muddy in places with many nice juicy potholes – and Deon had never been off road before. We set off and I tried to go slowly but the damn road surface was so bad that I kept having to slow down and stopped for them to catch up at the end of the gravel road at Phisantekraal.
“Still alive” said Deon, who was more used to cruiser bikes. Johan just grinned from ‘ere to ear – having recently done the BMW course.
Turned right onto the Wellington road and again left at the Brahms gravel road heading for Mellish station. Just before the station, the road made a rather muddy left turn/bend where today there was a large Telkom truck parked while the Telkom folks were working on the lines.
Johan later remarked that he enjoyed the muddy little bend but that Deon and duckfooted it through. Just after the Mellish station is a right turn that joins to the main Malmesbury tarred road. This is where we had taken the dip two weeks ago, Johan and I. Well, if two weeks ago the road was awash with water, it was now quite solidly drownded, to quote a favorite Hobbit friend.
The stretch of water was long but I reckoned that it would not present a problem because last time it was fun going through the ankle deep water, besides there is a concrete low water bridge so it should be child’s play and the noob should be able to do it too. So, ahead I went, but as I progressed the water became deeper and deeper! Suddenly the quite fast flowing water stream was no longer flat bottomed – there were now deep holes! I was only aware of the sloshing sound as I pressed on through the water and my entire being was concentrated on keeping the throttle constant – did not want to slack off or suddenly blip.
Then, as they say, oil of a sardine my front wheel hit something big obliquely under the water and I was knocked from my steady standing on the pegs stance and I thought – “Aarg! I’m gonna lose it! I’m gonna drown my bike!”
According to Johan the bow wave was up to the middle of my indicator lights and my exhaust lower pipe was under the water. That would put the depth at about 80cm!
Fortunately, I was able to remain upright and the trusty TA took me to the other side without the ghost of a splutter or hesitation, smooth as, well very smooth.
