MAT250
Puppy
So it is time for that longer trip that I’ve been thinking about and a few more items on the ever present “To Do List” have been ticked off, … chain break, master links, H4 bulb for the headlight, camping pillow, ... a few ciders and Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) is keeping me company with the soundtrack of “Into the Wild” as I start packing for a Minimalist Adventure Tour (MAT) on a small bike. For a while I considered taking the TTR250 but I still have not sorted out a long-range tank for it and the DR200 has got an oil-cooler that will be an advantage …. it is midsummer and I’ll be travelling through the Karoo, a place that can really get hot in summer.
It is 17 Dec 2009 and tomorrow morning I’ll depart on a trip with the DR200 that will be more than 3000km it seems, what will I find .... Mr. Vedder says “Have no fear, I’ll be better off than I was before ....”. It is Dec as I have mentioned so I’ve treated myself with a new jacket, why not - it has been a long year.
The DR is now fitted with a 42T rear sprocket, so for this trip I’m running 15/42 ... the 42 was fitted last week and to test it for touring I threw 18kg of cycling magazines in the black bag, strapped it to the DR and took it for a spin to Hartbeespoort. With the bike loaded, comfortable cruising speed is now up from 72-75km/h to around 82-85km/h, will have to downshift to 4th a bit more on the hills but that is okay. Roll-off is about the same and I’m not aware of having to use much more clutch to get going ... also took it off-road with the cycling magazines riding pillion, and it seems I have to carry a little bit more speed in first gear to stay in the power band on steep jeep tract. Also seems I have to use more throttle to sustain the higher cruising speed .... guess I’ll know soon how this will affect fuel consumption at the new cruising speed.
Mr. Vedder says “ Society you crazy breed, hope you will not be lonely without me ... ”, tomorrow morning 05:00 I plan to be out the gate and this will be the sum total of my possessions for the next two weeks. Same philosophy as always, apart from the tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat, everything else regarded as required goes into the black bag or Camelback. What does not find a place in the black bag or the Camelback is not going with.
The plan is to ride from Centurion down to the coast (Jeffrey’s Bay/Knysna/Mossel Bay via places like Fouriesburg, Lady Grey, Nieuw-Bathesda, Union Dale, ...) Although I still also do not have a GPS I planned a route using Mapsource and T4A maps to get an idea in general of the distances per day, but I suspect the actual route will take shape as each day progresses. I’ve done no accommodation bookings and will be camping ... so the route is flexible!
Day 1:
Ha, ha, ha, ... 05:00 came and went. Just before 09:00 everything is at last strapped to the bike and I’m out the gate with Fouriesburg/Ficksburg the destination for today. I avoid the highway (N1) for as long as possible using the back roads, but to get around Johannesburg and past Alberton there is no more avoiding the madness so in Midrand the little DR is introduced to the highway for the first time since I got it just over a year ago. With the new gearing highway travelling is not too bad as I’m keeping up with the slower traffic at around 80-90km/h ... still stressful as I’m not used to it and the cars are changing lanes like crazy. Past Alberton the highway has got a wide shoulder that I stick to, and at Vereeniging at last I get off the highway where I take the R57 towards Lesotho. Not very scenic but each km is taking me away from the city and closer towards Lesotho and places I’ve never been.
Around midday it has become hot, and even with all the vents on the new jacket open I’m still cooking by the time I stop in Petrus Steyn for lunch and to refuel. As I approach Bethlehem, the first route change happens without really debating it. I’ve never been to Clarence and it would be great riding from there through the mountains early the next morning as I make my way towards Lady Grey.
The Ash River fallout- this is where water from the Lesotho Highlands Water Scheme flows into the Ash River through a massive delivery tunnel. This 37km long tunnel draws water from the Muela Dam/Hydroelectric Power Station and carries it through the mountains and underneath two rivers (the Caledon River and the Little Caledon River) to here, where it discharges into the Ash River near Clarence.
This water scheme is apparently one of the largest and most intricate construction projects currently underway in the world. Once all the phases are completed it is envisaged to transfer 70 m3/second from various interconnected dams in the upper regions of the Lesotho Highlands into the Vaal River Basin, supplying water to Gauteng. The longest tunnel in the scheme is the 48km long transfer tunnel between the Katse Dam and the Muela Hydroelectric Power Station.
The road close to Clarence as you enter the mountains.
(
Clarence is a beautiful little town but has really become “Upmarket” so finding a place to camp is a mission and I head off to Golden Gate National Park where I know it is possible to camp. About 4km out of Clarence I notice a signpost indicating camping. After another 4km off-road riding I get to Bokpoort where I pitch my tent after buying some beers at their bar.
Bokpoort with the campsite in the distance at the foot of a small hill.
The road to Bokpoort the next morning, with the 15/42 gearing the loaded DR can still climb hills like this with ease.
Day 2:
From Bokpoort/Clarence I’m on the road just before 07:00 and it is a beautiful morning as I head out in the cool morning air through the mountains on the R26 in this very scenic area between Clarence and Ladybrand, the objective is to reach Lady Grey by the end of the day.
At Fouriesburg I discover this quaint curio and coffee shop.
On the road between Fouriesburg and Ficksburg I find this strange sight. In the middle of nowhere in a wheat field, there are two steam locomotives just standing there! (Would like to know the story behind this?)
The first fuel stop for the day and something to eat is in Ficksburg. Sitting outside the Spar like a vagrant enjoying a pie and Coke, I suddenly realize I didn’t pack chain lube. No problem, at the bottle store next to the Spar I buy Southern Comfort in one of those really small bottles with the idea to have it for breakfast pudding and then scavenge oil to put in it at the garage while refueling ... it is amazing how much oil you will find in these supposedly empty/used oil cans.
After Ladybrand and a short stretch on the N8 I turn off toward Hobhouse and Wepener. It is not really in the mountains any more, but I initially enjoy the wide open spaces and remoteness of the area. The temperature is also climbing and the wind has picked up but luckily it is pushing me along as I head south, still on the R26 skirting Lesotho.
The little town of Hobhouse
Past Wepener the remoteness and day has lost some of its appeal, it’s become really hot and although still from behind, the wind is pushing me all over the road. Around midday I pass an abandoned holiday resort at a dam somewhere near Van Stadensrus I think and decide to take a break there, and also to put some lube on the now shiny chain using a syringe I remembered in the toolkit and that I’ve filled up with oil at the garage in Ficksburg .... works like a charm. I hang around for about an hour hoping it will cool down a bit. No such luck and as I ride out the abandoned resort I notice the wind is now kicking up white horses over the entire dam!
In Zastron I have to refuel again and admit to myself that the fun factor has somewhat dissipated thanks to the heat and constant wind. It is rather late in the day and it is still around 90-100km to Lady Grey, so I put my “this is fun” face back on after refueling as I kick the DR back into life and head out of Zastron. Although still hot the day has cooled off a bit as 31km later I cross into the Eastern Cape over the Orange River, but still risk overheating in my riding gear as I walk a short distance up a hill to take photos.
Immediately on the Eastern Cape side the shacks and matchbox houses start and carry on in various densities for many km as the road takes you to Sterkspruit (a black settlement/town) and on till well past Madakana. At Sterkspruit the road also turns west and I’m suddenly doing battle with the strong wind head-on. Hills are now done in 4th if I’m lucky, but more than often at a crawling pace in 3rd with me doing my best impression of a Moto GP rider in an aero tuck no matter what gear I’m in.
Eventually the road turns south again and with the wind from the side cruising at 82-85km/h is possible again but I’m still getting blown all over the road. The long day and heat must have gotten to me by then because close to Lady Grey I realize I’m actually having fun doing battle with the elements as the sun is heading for a golden horizon to the west!
Around 17:30 I park the DR in front of the Mountain Inn in Lady Grey and head straight for the bar. Sitting outside on the lawn with a second beer I reflect on the day .... just over 400km and apart from stops for fuel, photos and to lube the chain I’ve spent close to 10 hours on the DR standing there in the shade patiently waiting to go off in search of a place to camp for the night!
It is 17 Dec 2009 and tomorrow morning I’ll depart on a trip with the DR200 that will be more than 3000km it seems, what will I find .... Mr. Vedder says “Have no fear, I’ll be better off than I was before ....”. It is Dec as I have mentioned so I’ve treated myself with a new jacket, why not - it has been a long year.
The DR is now fitted with a 42T rear sprocket, so for this trip I’m running 15/42 ... the 42 was fitted last week and to test it for touring I threw 18kg of cycling magazines in the black bag, strapped it to the DR and took it for a spin to Hartbeespoort. With the bike loaded, comfortable cruising speed is now up from 72-75km/h to around 82-85km/h, will have to downshift to 4th a bit more on the hills but that is okay. Roll-off is about the same and I’m not aware of having to use much more clutch to get going ... also took it off-road with the cycling magazines riding pillion, and it seems I have to carry a little bit more speed in first gear to stay in the power band on steep jeep tract. Also seems I have to use more throttle to sustain the higher cruising speed .... guess I’ll know soon how this will affect fuel consumption at the new cruising speed.
Mr. Vedder says “ Society you crazy breed, hope you will not be lonely without me ... ”, tomorrow morning 05:00 I plan to be out the gate and this will be the sum total of my possessions for the next two weeks. Same philosophy as always, apart from the tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat, everything else regarded as required goes into the black bag or Camelback. What does not find a place in the black bag or the Camelback is not going with.
The plan is to ride from Centurion down to the coast (Jeffrey’s Bay/Knysna/Mossel Bay via places like Fouriesburg, Lady Grey, Nieuw-Bathesda, Union Dale, ...) Although I still also do not have a GPS I planned a route using Mapsource and T4A maps to get an idea in general of the distances per day, but I suspect the actual route will take shape as each day progresses. I’ve done no accommodation bookings and will be camping ... so the route is flexible!
Day 1:
Ha, ha, ha, ... 05:00 came and went. Just before 09:00 everything is at last strapped to the bike and I’m out the gate with Fouriesburg/Ficksburg the destination for today. I avoid the highway (N1) for as long as possible using the back roads, but to get around Johannesburg and past Alberton there is no more avoiding the madness so in Midrand the little DR is introduced to the highway for the first time since I got it just over a year ago. With the new gearing highway travelling is not too bad as I’m keeping up with the slower traffic at around 80-90km/h ... still stressful as I’m not used to it and the cars are changing lanes like crazy. Past Alberton the highway has got a wide shoulder that I stick to, and at Vereeniging at last I get off the highway where I take the R57 towards Lesotho. Not very scenic but each km is taking me away from the city and closer towards Lesotho and places I’ve never been.
Around midday it has become hot, and even with all the vents on the new jacket open I’m still cooking by the time I stop in Petrus Steyn for lunch and to refuel. As I approach Bethlehem, the first route change happens without really debating it. I’ve never been to Clarence and it would be great riding from there through the mountains early the next morning as I make my way towards Lady Grey.
The Ash River fallout- this is where water from the Lesotho Highlands Water Scheme flows into the Ash River through a massive delivery tunnel. This 37km long tunnel draws water from the Muela Dam/Hydroelectric Power Station and carries it through the mountains and underneath two rivers (the Caledon River and the Little Caledon River) to here, where it discharges into the Ash River near Clarence.
This water scheme is apparently one of the largest and most intricate construction projects currently underway in the world. Once all the phases are completed it is envisaged to transfer 70 m3/second from various interconnected dams in the upper regions of the Lesotho Highlands into the Vaal River Basin, supplying water to Gauteng. The longest tunnel in the scheme is the 48km long transfer tunnel between the Katse Dam and the Muela Hydroelectric Power Station.
The road close to Clarence as you enter the mountains.
(
Clarence is a beautiful little town but has really become “Upmarket” so finding a place to camp is a mission and I head off to Golden Gate National Park where I know it is possible to camp. About 4km out of Clarence I notice a signpost indicating camping. After another 4km off-road riding I get to Bokpoort where I pitch my tent after buying some beers at their bar.
Bokpoort with the campsite in the distance at the foot of a small hill.
The road to Bokpoort the next morning, with the 15/42 gearing the loaded DR can still climb hills like this with ease.
Day 2:
From Bokpoort/Clarence I’m on the road just before 07:00 and it is a beautiful morning as I head out in the cool morning air through the mountains on the R26 in this very scenic area between Clarence and Ladybrand, the objective is to reach Lady Grey by the end of the day.
At Fouriesburg I discover this quaint curio and coffee shop.
On the road between Fouriesburg and Ficksburg I find this strange sight. In the middle of nowhere in a wheat field, there are two steam locomotives just standing there! (Would like to know the story behind this?)
The first fuel stop for the day and something to eat is in Ficksburg. Sitting outside the Spar like a vagrant enjoying a pie and Coke, I suddenly realize I didn’t pack chain lube. No problem, at the bottle store next to the Spar I buy Southern Comfort in one of those really small bottles with the idea to have it for breakfast pudding and then scavenge oil to put in it at the garage while refueling ... it is amazing how much oil you will find in these supposedly empty/used oil cans.
After Ladybrand and a short stretch on the N8 I turn off toward Hobhouse and Wepener. It is not really in the mountains any more, but I initially enjoy the wide open spaces and remoteness of the area. The temperature is also climbing and the wind has picked up but luckily it is pushing me along as I head south, still on the R26 skirting Lesotho.
The little town of Hobhouse
Past Wepener the remoteness and day has lost some of its appeal, it’s become really hot and although still from behind, the wind is pushing me all over the road. Around midday I pass an abandoned holiday resort at a dam somewhere near Van Stadensrus I think and decide to take a break there, and also to put some lube on the now shiny chain using a syringe I remembered in the toolkit and that I’ve filled up with oil at the garage in Ficksburg .... works like a charm. I hang around for about an hour hoping it will cool down a bit. No such luck and as I ride out the abandoned resort I notice the wind is now kicking up white horses over the entire dam!
In Zastron I have to refuel again and admit to myself that the fun factor has somewhat dissipated thanks to the heat and constant wind. It is rather late in the day and it is still around 90-100km to Lady Grey, so I put my “this is fun” face back on after refueling as I kick the DR back into life and head out of Zastron. Although still hot the day has cooled off a bit as 31km later I cross into the Eastern Cape over the Orange River, but still risk overheating in my riding gear as I walk a short distance up a hill to take photos.
Immediately on the Eastern Cape side the shacks and matchbox houses start and carry on in various densities for many km as the road takes you to Sterkspruit (a black settlement/town) and on till well past Madakana. At Sterkspruit the road also turns west and I’m suddenly doing battle with the strong wind head-on. Hills are now done in 4th if I’m lucky, but more than often at a crawling pace in 3rd with me doing my best impression of a Moto GP rider in an aero tuck no matter what gear I’m in.
Eventually the road turns south again and with the wind from the side cruising at 82-85km/h is possible again but I’m still getting blown all over the road. The long day and heat must have gotten to me by then because close to Lady Grey I realize I’m actually having fun doing battle with the elements as the sun is heading for a golden horizon to the west!
Around 17:30 I park the DR in front of the Mountain Inn in Lady Grey and head straight for the bar. Sitting outside on the lawn with a second beer I reflect on the day .... just over 400km and apart from stops for fuel, photos and to lube the chain I’ve spent close to 10 hours on the DR standing there in the shade patiently waiting to go off in search of a place to camp for the night!
