I confess ! I am addicted to Google Earth.
No. I don’t need rehab – I fact I am delighted with the addiction and have no intention of trying to kick the habit as it gets me out there on my bike to see what the places I see in GE look like on the ground.
A few weeks ago I noticed a flat-topped mountain between the Lovu and Mkomazi river valleys that looked inviting, and so I posted an invite, and to my delight EssBee came along with me today to explore the mountain.
As you may have read on the forum a few months ago EssBee and his 950 got up close and personal with a pole and he has been off the gravel roads while the bike and his scrapes, dings and dents were repaired. It was great to be with him on his comeback gravel ride.
It was not a long ride. We left Pinetown at 08:00 and it was before noon when we got back, but it was really enjoyable and that mountain is really worth a visit.
Some pics from the helmet cam (smaller) and the “standard” one.
On the way out . .
In planning the route I was a bit concerned about a very twisty and steep bit of road on the way. I need not have worried as it turned out to be tatty tar and easy but very twisty and steep.
The road onto the hill marked as Ngilanyoni on the map.
The road ended and we found ourselves heading across open grassland towards the edge of the mountain.
We found a set of tyre marks in the grass heading in about the direction we were heading and followed them .
The tracks lead to what seemed to be an old soccer field on the only really flat piece of ground in the area and we came across this friendly guy with his bakkie and asked him if it would be okay if we rode to the edge of the mountain to take some pics – he said no problem and showed us the way.
Edit: In this pic I am extending the hand of friendship, but he did not see it, or me, for a few seconds - he was totally fascinated by the bike and just stood there "Hau'ing" and "ay ay ay'ing" - I think Yamaha may have a new convert ;D
Amazing views from the edge.
We noticed that there was a sort of promontory sticking out in the valley and there seemed to be a rideable neck leading to it, and so I left my camera with EssBee and asked him to snap a few pics of me riding out onto it. Nice results I think !
A video from my helmet of the ride onto it. (13Mb clip)
(reminder to self to clean the lens regularly !)
From there we headed out of the Lovu valley and onto the Comrades rout vie Umlaas Road.
Great ride – thanks EssBee.
No. I don’t need rehab – I fact I am delighted with the addiction and have no intention of trying to kick the habit as it gets me out there on my bike to see what the places I see in GE look like on the ground.
A few weeks ago I noticed a flat-topped mountain between the Lovu and Mkomazi river valleys that looked inviting, and so I posted an invite, and to my delight EssBee came along with me today to explore the mountain.
As you may have read on the forum a few months ago EssBee and his 950 got up close and personal with a pole and he has been off the gravel roads while the bike and his scrapes, dings and dents were repaired. It was great to be with him on his comeback gravel ride.
It was not a long ride. We left Pinetown at 08:00 and it was before noon when we got back, but it was really enjoyable and that mountain is really worth a visit.
Some pics from the helmet cam (smaller) and the “standard” one.
On the way out . .
In planning the route I was a bit concerned about a very twisty and steep bit of road on the way. I need not have worried as it turned out to be tatty tar and easy but very twisty and steep.
The road onto the hill marked as Ngilanyoni on the map.
The road ended and we found ourselves heading across open grassland towards the edge of the mountain.
We found a set of tyre marks in the grass heading in about the direction we were heading and followed them .
The tracks lead to what seemed to be an old soccer field on the only really flat piece of ground in the area and we came across this friendly guy with his bakkie and asked him if it would be okay if we rode to the edge of the mountain to take some pics – he said no problem and showed us the way.
Edit: In this pic I am extending the hand of friendship, but he did not see it, or me, for a few seconds - he was totally fascinated by the bike and just stood there "Hau'ing" and "ay ay ay'ing" - I think Yamaha may have a new convert ;D
Amazing views from the edge.
We noticed that there was a sort of promontory sticking out in the valley and there seemed to be a rideable neck leading to it, and so I left my camera with EssBee and asked him to snap a few pics of me riding out onto it. Nice results I think !
A video from my helmet of the ride onto it. (13Mb clip)
(reminder to self to clean the lens regularly !)
From there we headed out of the Lovu valley and onto the Comrades rout vie Umlaas Road.
Great ride – thanks EssBee.
ot: 
