Our planned weekend trip to the Cederberg was shot down in flames when the missus declared that if she is going to sleep cold in a tent, I will be on the receiving end of her cold anger for the next month. Rather than tempt fate, I decided to cancel but at least got permission to disappear for the day. Me and Smurf (not a wild dog yet) met up at 08:00 and braved the cold morning air over Sir Lowry's Pass, Houwhoek Pass and past Botriver. At Dassiesfontein we turned right onto the dirt and spirits were high as we sped down to the Swart River only to be stopped in our tracks by a flooded fast flowing mass of water. I tried to convince Smurf to cross seeing that the loss of a Varadero would not be the end of the world, but he feverishly declined with a thousand and one excuses. We retracted and stayed on the tar but got back on the dirt just other side of Caledon. The KTM was slipping and sliding through mud patches and every now and then a new stain in otherwise clean underpants appeared. The Klein Rivier was also swollen to the banks.
Mgregor daytrip
- Thread starter Straddle
- Start date
capetownvara
Pack Dog
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2010
- Messages
- 124
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- Bike
- Honda XL1000V Varadero
Straddle said:" loss of a Varadero would not be the end of the world "
atch:
At Van Brakels we crossed over the Napier tar road and here the fun really started. There was a 3 inches slippery slimey tipe of wet clay layer awaiting the unsuspecting dualpurpose biker behind every second or third hill. Just as you shake the shiver of the previous near fall, another oshit moment presented itself. There is roadworks on this section and in one section of about 200m they left in a hurry without compacting the material, which left a foot thick slush to encounter. It was at this stage that Smurf objected to my choice of roads, but then it got better and we could relax again and enjoy the acres of yellow canola that we passed through. Snowcaps on the mountains transformed the area in a breathtaking vista as we approached Riviersonderend where a breakfast was gulped down and fuel replenished.
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We braved the 10 odd km towards Swellemdam on tar and then turned left over the Riviersonderendrivier which was also flowing to the brim. I actually wonder if this river really have no end. Onto the dirt again over the Boesmansriver towards Mgregor we maintained a good pace but had to be alert for those unexpected dirt patches that appeared as soon as you look at the surrounding mountains with the peaks covered with snow. At the Groot Toren 4x4 trail a thick blanket of snow covered the aasvoelkrans area. Just before entering Mgregor a rivercrossing with smooth round pebbles nearly had me and the KTM swimming when i was thrown off line by a boulder hiding under the the pebbles. Lesson learned was that a rivercrossing always has to be surveyd before storming through. Smurf on the other hand was looking on while i was learning this lesson in practice. He then made it look easy and the Varadero survived again.
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spoedvark
Grey Hound
Lekker ride and RR, Thanks for sharing!
Mgregor was its usual rustigheid with people eating scones and drinking tea during their prelunch gatherings. Just outside the town we had another rivercrossing and this one was at least concrete but with a big 500mm hole in the concrete at the deepest part which you cant see. Again it was nearly swim time but luckily did not even wet a boot. Smurf was now content riding behind me and showing him all the hazards by my close calls. At every smokebreak his first remark would be "jy het darem amper daar en daar jou gat af geval" but i denied him the fun of actually seeing me fall. We stopped off at Villiersdorp at the garage and on the showroom was this monster Mazda RX7 with some kind of supercharged Corvette motor under the bonnet. Strange what you can find in small towns. We met the owner and he gave us the stats which was fenominal. Over 500 bhp in a car that only weighs about a thousand kilos. We then headed home trough Grabouw and said our goodbyes thas after 15:00 in the Strand. Just over 400 km with about 70% dirt roads.
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gecco 162
Pack Dog
Cool RR! :thumleft:
MissM
Race Dog
Great RR, and awesome day trip. Macgregor is one of my favourite villages. Have you ridden Groot Toren? Monkeyboy and I have 4x4'd up, but biking would be amazing!
You really missed out in the Cederberg, though. Monkeyboy and I spent the weekend there, and did the Old Postal. So amazing.
Tell the wife that if you book one of the Oasis tents, then you are toasty warm. I was too warm last night from the additional hot water bottle Gerrit gave me!
You really missed out in the Cederberg, though. Monkeyboy and I spent the weekend there, and did the Old Postal. So amazing.
Tell the wife that if you book one of the Oasis tents, then you are toasty warm. I was too warm last night from the additional hot water bottle Gerrit gave me!
I havent done the Groot Toren yet, we wanna organize a ride and sleepover up there sometime so watch the space. Wifey gets cold easily and I dont wanna put her of camping, but luckily summer is almost here.MissM said:
