Mountain Passes for happiness

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Up and up we go, at the top I guess one has to take this picture as proof “I was there !”
View attachment 920872
Just as the decent begins I see this lookout, it time for elenvensies and I get out the old staatmaker Sardines that travels with me often
View attachment 920873
View attachment 920874
The engine braking is lekker and the descent is pretty steep but I just leave the bike in 2nd clutch out and very little braking needed
View attachment 920875
Hel dis mooi daar! Ek sal moet plan maak.
 
Hel dis mooi daar! Ek sal moet plan maak.
Dis bitter mooi, somer maande is hy nog mooier met als wat groen is so vêr soos die oog sien.

Ek hoop van harte hy het by die uitkykpunt gestop.

100_3718.JPG


DSCN1655.JPG
 
After Lundeans I see the Dangershoek turnoff and ride down the valley track which followes the river. Towering cliffs all over. Due to the time I ride till I get to a cement road with a little Church on the hill then head back
IMG_3179.jpeg

IMG_3178.jpeg

IMG_3180.jpeg
 
Heading through a couple of villages the road runs next to the Lesotho border, on the other side a Qauntum lies in the valley below. There are no barriers and the drop off is quite steap
IMG_3181.jpeg

On this side of the pass the countryside seems drier and the temperatures a couple of degrees hotter. Lots of Aloe’s in the mountain side. Eastern Cape for sure. The view back from where I came
IMG_3182.jpeg

Never underestimate the time needed to ride passes, it is now almost 12 and I have only done 160km for the day. The section from here to Lady Grey is tar so can ride a bit faster. I pass through Sterkspruit, eish not a nice place to be. It’s a sea of people and the only robot in town is broken. Luckily I filter the traffic and get back into open road heading for Lady Grey.

By small town standards Lady Grey still looks good and has a pleasant vibe to it. I still have Jouberts to do and decide to add about 2L of fuel just in case. Getting a cooldrink I head to a quite spot and under a Eucalyptus tree next to the church I take a break
IMG_3184.jpeg

IMG_3186.jpeg

Notice the original Jouberts Pass memorial stone on the museum’s stoep still in Dutch, later on top of the pass I saw a more modern one erected in the early 2000’s
IMG_3187.jpeg

Small town life
IMG_3185.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I must say Jouberts Pass was my favourite to ride. It’s more rocky, narrower and with more twists and turns than Lundeans, just perfect for the 250. Not sure how vehicles will pass each other on it. That said the vehicles that I saw on the passes was surely less than 5 and not one on Jouberts
IMG_3192.jpeg

Love the smell of pine trees
IMG_3193.jpeg

Up and up we go
IMG_3194.jpeg

Way down below the little hamlet of Lady Grey, did I mention this was a great ride ?
IMG_3196.jpeg

Perfect description indeed !
IMG_3197.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Once over the summit the road decends into farmlands with small river crossings every couple of kilometers. The locals gave every little drif an interesting name:

Kar sump drif
Kar wegspoel drif
Die hop hop sloot

To name a few

IMG_3200.jpeg

IMG_3202.jpeg

IMG_3203.jpeg

And so eventually the loop was completed right on about 300km which took most of the day. Fantastic riding and no hiccups at all so happy indeed. Then it was time for a well deserved laid back episode of Bush TV. Thanks for reading
IMG_3208.jpeg
 
Ek het nou daai valley plat gery maar kry nie vir Tweedespruit of het hy Xhosa naam?
 
Top