Limpopo River sojourn…

[Malibu]

Sometimes, you just have to feel a little sad for these guys up near the border… amazing riding areas and no-one to share them with. 
Let’s take Tagsy as a prime example!  All he wants is a couple of WD’s to join him up there for some pretty awesome riding… so, after a few days of serious pleading, I relented, knowing I had to be back in Jo’burg for Saturday night, a little planning allowed me to join him.  (Sorry Hentie buddy, I really had to be back for Saturday night, the Drakensburg event would really not have been possible.)  I took off from work on Friday, and blasted through to Ellisras… had a super ride, on tar, but what the heng, was fun anyway.  Tagsy met me en-route.  Not a happy boy, apparently he had a close brush with a Warthog rear-end… and he was still chain-smoking the tremors away.  We shot off into town and had a damn fine steak.  I believe in Protein Loading before a ride.
Next morning, bright and early, our support driver arrived to drive the Land Cruiser, what a rig!  It has everything for an Africa Overland!  We all shot off to the venue.  It’s one of those mega-farms where, I guess, oil money has bought up half the African wilderness.  I think we were the only 2 big bikes at the place.  Oh well!  This is what we were here for.  The actual route must have been about 80 k’s, but what a route.  We must have ridden a good 50 k’s along the Limpopo river.  It was exceptional!  Varying surfaces, from sand, mud, deep river courses and wash-aways, you name it… very few areas offered us the opportunity to really open up, and when you did, you had to down-gear again quite smartly for another bend…

 

[Malibu]

One thing you learn quickly, where there are spectators, expect the worst.  Tagsy blasted through a gap next to a mud hole and promptly bogged down to the axles.  I was the true lady and helped him push out, took a bit of work, so I decided to go the other way around the water… obviously, being lighter, I managed to get through! Got some serious mud roosting going there too!  :biggrin:

Guess I better relate the story of me dropping my bike, before “others” get their version in.  Riding through a deep gully, pretty steep sides and less than a meter wide flat bottom, very twisty, with sand, suddenly the course turns left up a mother of a slope.  I stopped and stared at the monstrosity before me.  Naturally, quad riders and course spectators have crowded the top.  There is just no way I can gracefully get out of this one!  Well, what the hell, just do it! I sucked up my courage and threw my bike at it… I only got part of the way up, and with no traction, my bike was not going any further.  I managed to back it down and as I got back into the sand ditch at the bottom, could not hold it any longer, down my bike gently went.  Ok, ok.  This is becoming a habit, but by now I’d spied another option, I could blast up the right side, do a U-turn and then ride down that side, gain speed and then blast up the main route.  I did it!  I’m not gonna talk for my esteemed KTM companion, he can relate his spill! 

The river is greasy green, no fever trees, but I did hear the fish eagles.  It was spectacular having this opportunity to ride this area.  Once we turned away from the river, the riding became very tight, cut-backs through the torn bush, deep sand, and dust!  We ran out of water and managed to filtch off a partially sober quad rider.  Obviously the water hole was not the place to find drinking water, and even my bike would not drink the stuff. 

What was Tagsy on about.  “You can take a bike to water, but you can’t make it drink”! 

Just as we were starting to really get frustrated with this cut-back riding, we emerged from the bush!  Both of us just wanted to re-do!  BUT, I had to be back in Joburg, so we packed-up and departed! 

“I’ll BE BACK!”  (Deep voice and all) 

Thanks Tagsy for a super ride, great company, some of the best laughs I have had in ages, actually introducing me to some of the reprobates up there, and great hospitality.  It really was a fantastic experience!  :thumleft:

 

[KiLRoy]

Nice J - where was this exactly and with who ??  Awesome area

 

[Malibu]

Tagsy will have to fill you in on the details, but I know it was organised by LA Sport, the 4x4 crowd, and it was on the Farad (?) land... between Ellisras and Grobler's bridge...

One of those rare opportunities to ride this private area...  :thumleft:

 

[Tagsy]

Not quite sure about the serious pleading more like "Good Steaks not much sand" as for the drop........ bloody difficult I dropped mine too........ very cool area to ride apart from the pissed guys on the quads, it was like Mad Max meets the Dakar on Acid, but bloody enjoyable ride, not much in the way of marking or how to start the bloody route but hey when in Rome.
The last 10k was a bit of an arse ache but the rest was really enjoyable technical riding great views good company.
Couple of the guys asked if you can caddy when your not busy HHahahah

 

[Malibu]

Not quite sure about the serious pleading more like "Good Steaks not much sand" as for the drop........ bloody difficult I dropped mine too........ very cool area to ride apart from the pissed guys on the quads, it was like Mad Max meets the Dakar on Acid, but bloody enjoyable ride, not much in the way of marking or how to start the bloody route but hey when in Rome.
The last 10k was a bit of an arse ache but the rest was really enjoyable technical riding great views good company.
Couple of the guys asked if you can caddy when your not busy HHahahah

Hey, it's my RR!  I can bend it my way! 

Caddy... when they get bikes, I'll caddy!  There's the deal for them!  8)

 

[Chrisl]

Nice pics. How come Tagsys bike has a Mosselbay plate on?(CBS)

 

[Tagsy]

Beacause Tagsey has moved up from Mossel Bay 3 months ago. ???........ not quite sure if it was a good move yet : ......... good riding this side and the added pleasure of dodging mobile braai packs...... :-\

 

[edgy]

Looks great! :thumleft:

 

[Misty]

Nice RR Mal  :thumleft: I see one or two nice shots there I want to steal for another thread...  :mwink:

 

[fat b]

Nice RR ! I also came off this weekend at the Attekwas oxwagon trail !

 

[blazes]

Nice one J and P :thumleft: See you soon up there P.

 

[fat b]

sorry that caption on the photo should not be there !

 

[Hentie bm]

Nice Mal  :thumleft:

 

[LeonDude]

Nice RR Mal.  :thumleft:
Looks like a great area for a two - nighter.

 

[Malibu]

Nice RR ! I also came off this weekend at the Attekwas oxwagon trail !

I heard it was a few offs!  :mwink:

 

[Malibu]

Nice RR Mal  :thumleft: I see one or two nice shots there I want to steal for another thread...  :mwink:

Go for it!  :thumleft:

 

[Bakkie]

nice mal  :thumleft:

 

[fat b]

Nice RR ! I also came off this weekend at the Attekwas oxwagon trail !

I heard it was a few offs!   :mwink:

Ja !! I really tasted alot of fynbos !!! Through my mouth and arse !

 

[Malibu]

Nice RR ! I also came off this weekend at the Attekwas oxwagon trail !

I heard it was a few offs!  :mwink:

Ja !! I really tasted alot of fynbos !!! Through my mouth and arse !

Haahahahaaaaaa
Were you with Trailrider? 
Great chatting to you on the phone, and Tagsy's girlfriend, she sounds super!  Can't wait to meet her!  You and your wife must have your hands full with her missing him...