My annual leave...EC, WC & NC with pillion (RR DONE!!!)

[m0lt3n]

Cloudgazer: I dont think so. My topbox mounting started cracking before the trip. There was no way the plastic would have survived here. My topbox is carrying a lot of weight at the moment. I have also cut a Rock strap on ky soft luggage.

Pepe: I will be there!

Right...now I need to type the next installment! We are struggling with internet

 

[m0lt3n]

Day 5: Knysna to George via 7 passes

It is always nice to have good company with good food. Especially as we have been living of garage pies for the last few days. So we were refreshed and ready for the day!

Not much was planned for the day as my in law's stay in George and we wanted to spend some time with them. I knew 7 passes starts at Phantom pass but that was about it. Luckily the GPS could actually be used today. I basically tracked a straight route to George which started at Phantom pass. Cool name, I have been eyeing the turn off for more than just a few years now.

First we started the day of with a quick drive around the Heads and Leisure Isle. Always a nice place and extra lekker to frustrate the english snobs with my dirty bike! I did have a brilliant brilliant lekker Coffee at Easthead Caffee. The car guard even had me park against the entrance which I always enjoy (forgot pictures though).

All of the 7 passes were fun. They were basically the same thing, good flowing gravel routes interupted with small stretches of tar. The scenery was execellent with a lot of the Knysna forrest to be seen right up to the edge of the road. Inbetween the passes there was some scattered farms. I do hope these people value what they have, it really is an exceptionally beautiful area with a good infrastructure and no taxis.

After Phantom pass we took the turn off to the gold fields. We had to pay to enter which had me a bit troubled. We have seen and will see such nice routes and now I had to pay to see another. In the end it was good though, there is a nice picnic spot in the forrest and the road itself was even darker than the rest of the passes from the extra dense forrest here.

Not much to see at the old gold mine anymore though. Its closed off mostly and the restaurant is closed. I did find the old jaw crusher interesting, but then....I am a miner.

The seven passes end on the Saasveld road which really is a lekker twisty tar section. I did meet some hooligans from the front though so rather did not push it myself. If anyone is interested...the names of the 7 passes are Phantom, Homtini, Karatera, Hoogekraal, Touws river, Silver river and Saasveld pass. Unfortunately not all of them have signs.

The kiss photo at Idille on the Saasveld road is very special to us as that was our wedding venue two years ago. Unfortantely the gate was closed, there is some brilliant scenery in there.

All in all a good, short day on well kept roads with that special forest smell you would only be able to smell on a bike. I have to add that I wish some of my local municipalities at home can learn what a grader can do to bad gravel roads...

 

[m0lt3n]

Sorry, maximum 10 pics per post I see. I think the setup on Tapatalk works better where one can comment between the pictures. The story can be told better then.

 

[cloudgazer]

Cloudgazer: I dont think so. My topbox mounting started cracking before the trip. There was no way the plastic would have survived here. My topbox is carrying a lot of weight at the moment. I have also cut a Rock strap on ky soft luggage.

Pepe: I will be there!

Right...now I need to type the next installment! We are struggling with internet

Granted the top box will struggle.
but  the panniers should be okay.
I've used the vario panniers for a few years now, and they've held up surprisingly well - even after numerous falls, and getting ripped off by catching them on things.
I know they're not ideal for adventure travelling, but they're a lot stronger than people give em credit for.

 

[m0lt3n]

Day 6: Rest/Service day
So...it seems like my ride report will have a bit of everything in it.

My bike was booked for a service in George which left me with mixed feelings. They knew what they were doing, gave me a 'bike' for the day, were friendly and had good coffee. But I called 4 days before the service and told them to order a fuel level sensor, the lint type. Yap mine was broken and probably the reason why I got stranded without petrol at Kimberley. They did not order it as they were not sure its what is wrong and I did not confirm. They had my VIN and my tel nr.

Then...I painted my rims black but did not use a primer. Bad idea, BMW uses some super high pressure washing there it seems. Took the paint off! Seems the poor guy doing the washing had a major fright. My fault, I forgot to tell them to not bring high pressure near my bike.

The scooter I got for the day impressed me! That thing was fast! In future I will not dice any tannie at the robot just for fun any more, I may just lose!

I also fitted wind deflectors I ordered from Jhb. The wind was just to much at the start of the trip. (Just took photo after some riding after day 6). I do need to figure out why they are rubbing against my wind screen though. I do not see how I could have installed them wrong.

Thats it. A very long day, it was supposed to be a rest day but I was impatient to get going again. Felt like waisting time.

 

[Gerard]

Not being a smart-ass but one must get it right  :thumleft: its Phantom, Homtini, Karatera, Hooggekraal(The okes who make the boards can't spell), Silverrivier, Touwrivier(not Touws- like the town) and Kaaimans passes.

 

[m0lt3n]

Not being a smart-ass but one must get it right  :thumleft: its Phantom, Homtini, Karatera, Hooggekraal(The okes who make the boards can't spell), Silverrivier, Touwrivier(not Touws- like the town) and Kaaimans passes.

Cool, then Kaaimans just didnt show on the GPS. We did cross Kaaimans river though

 

[m0lt3n]

Day 7: George to Prins Albert via Die Hel
This was one of our best days to date. Swartberg and Gamkaskloof is really one of a kind. It was not a hard days ride with roads also not overly technical.

In George we started of with a clean bike with my in laws carying our clothes to Prins Albert where we will meet them again. We drove via Outeniqua pass which is always a pleasure with it open and fast twisties. After that we stopped at a padstall with some of the best pizza to be found. They call it a slice when you rder but you get two. Well priced as well it was a lekker early stop.

On the way to Oudsthoorn we met some nice police which wanted to chat a bit about the weather, the bike and the small matter of a learners licence... Its actually a frustrating topic as I did try to book licence but in my home town at the moment they are fully booked up to 4 months in advance. Ah well, excuses excus3s which did not save me R300 today...

On Swartberg pass there werent to many other cars making it a good day for a ride. We did get some mist going up which had us a bit worried that we could miss out on scenery. But fortunately it cleared up in minutes while we were taking pics.

 

[m0lt3n]

Swartberg pass really was somehing to see and we werent expecting to much from Gamkaskloof. But it actually got better. We even had a super blue sky with clouds making for some nice photos.

Before the big descent there was a big straight which almost caught me out as I was opening up a bit, but crisis averted (LOOK UP!) We did the only almost technical section without much issues amd at the bottom continued even after the restaurant there to the end of the twee spoor which was also nice. It had some water crossings where we ate a bit and then stopped at the restaurant.

They will only prepare lunch on prior arrangement but the freshly baked bread with ample amounts of jam and cheese were very good. Coffee was also good. Those owls with their round eyes at the restrooms were a bit disturbing though!

We rode back refreshed and content. It wasnt hot or cold and the scenery did not let up all the way back.

 

[m0lt3n]

Sjoe I am really flooding you guys with photos. Its a bit difficult to filter the best ones, we take about 350 pics per day.

What I noticed in the pass was the well kept houses. Just shows you where there is a will there is a way. These people really do have a hard drive to get paint or such in town.

Going down there was some good water crossings. I even fitted the snorkle again as I did not want to tkae chances. But it was unnecessary. The water crossings are great fun though and make for some super photos.

There was dry waterfall named as such...irony haha.
Swartberg was good up to the end, scenery was a lot like Seweweekspoort (I know now) and we ended early enough to still have time to relax in Prins Albert. They could just as well call the whole town a Guesthouse and number them. Nice architecture though

 

[BradleyT]

Man, what an enjoyable ride report!!!  :ricky:  And there can never be to many photo's  :deal:

(..owls...  :spitcoffee: )

 

[m0lt3n]

Thanks Drogue. And thanks to all comments, people showing appreciation or acknowledging the effort really keeps one motivated to actually put the effort in and write the report.
Thanks guys, and please, all critisism good and bad is welcome

 

[m0lt3n]

Day 8: Prins Albert to George via Uniondale part 1
We awoke lazily to a chillish day and ate breakfast at the Lazy Lizzard. I wouldnt mention a specific place or restaurant if it wasnt good and this place was good. If I remember correctly we were all happy with our meals plus they had an excellent Americana coffee. I sometimes wish good coffee was as readily available up country as it is here.

For this day we tried to not ride any roads that we have already ridden and it ended up not half bad. We started of with Meirings poort. I always enjoy this pass in my car while my wife detests it. So it was almost the same this time. At least I dont pish the limits as far on tje bike as I do my car, lucky for her hehe. Meirings poort is always a pass I enjoy and this time was no exception on the bike.

We drove to Uniondale where we rode some backroads until we could connect to Montagu pass. These backroads we got from our handbook we have been carrying with on the trip. It did end up as some very good roads.

We rode to Dysselsdorp on some open roads. It wasnt mountain passes or flowers or super scenic but it was still thoroughly enjoyable. The gravel was good with some slow and also some pretty fast sections. We even saw some ostrich farms but these stupid birds were always attempting to run with the bike. Once, on a trip to Namibie a few years back we have seen ostriches run ahead of the bakkie for hours without stopping.

On the backroads we folllwed the Kamanassie but modified the route from the book a bit to see the most in the littlest time possible. I think this is actually the motto for the whole trip. Lunch next to the road at some brilliant scenery will always be relaxing and it was the same for this day.The cloudy sky were also helping in making sure that the photos always looks good

I will write rest tomorrow need to sleep now...

 

[n0b0dy]

Nice. :sip:

 

[m0lt3n]

Day 8 part 2
After the open roads it was Montagu pass. This pass is almost parallel to Outeniqua pass, but gravel. It had some plantation sections where the road cuts through the trees. Very good scenery again with a good road surface. The road was narrowish in some sections but it wasnt a problem on the bike to pass cars. Yeah there were some moments, The road is full of blind corners (As is most of these passes) but it did carry more traffic when compared to the other gravel passes.

So it wasnt a long day on the road, but it was another good day. I almost did not want it to end.

 

[HB 9]

What a holiday!!  :thumleft:  :thumleft:

 

[XTJoe]

Nice trip- looking forward this coming week (planning some of them in the next 2 weeks)

Enjoy :thumleft:

 

[m0lt3n]

Right, we are in Springbok so I will be able to update the report soon. Sorry for being so slow.
First though...new thread on Mitas tearing (before I take on the long road home)
We did some sand today...and it was a super bad idea. There will be some limping to get home...

 

[Chrisl]

Right, we are in Springbok so I will be able to update the report soon. Sorry for being so slow.
First though...new thread on Mitas tearing (before I take on the long road home)
We did some sand today...and it was a super bad idea. There will be some limping to get home...

Gaan eet in Oom Jopie se restuarant en kyk bietjie dear al die boeke van
die kontrei wat hy daar verkoop.

 

[m0lt3n]

Right, we are in Springbok so I will be able to update the report soon. Sorry for being so slow.
First though...new thread on Mitas tearing (before I take on the long road home)
We did some sand today...and it was a super bad idea. There will be some limping to get home...

Gaan eet in Oom Jopie se restuarant en kyk bietjie dear al die boeke van
die kontrei wat hy daar verkoop.

Awesome, ons wou juis nou hier rond vra vir lekker eet plek! Dankie
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