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

[m0lt3n]

Some appetizers before my story starts...

I have been dreaming for a while of a good and proper trip so finally decided my wife and I are going to do it! I am fortunate in that she loves nature as much as I do and also that she grew up at the coast (route master!)

So we decided not to aim too high as we were (meaning me!) considering Namibia so we decided on a RSA trip and then do Namibia next year. Planning started and I soon found out its not so easy!

First of all I had to sort my bike out. GPS, 50/50 tyres and bluetooth communication were only some of the things that needed attention. I started purchasing a lot of these crap and soon got frustrated. It never stops! What troubled me most is that I had the bmw vario box set which wont last on gravel... I already had these perfectly good boxes but will still have to buy others...

So thanks to the trade and buy section and dustriders (great service) and some other vendors and soon the tracking numbers were coming and the money leaving.

Well, i learned how to not sum and also that fitting anything on a bike is a mission! Helse frustrerend! Nothing is ever right the first time!
I guess I must mention that I bought a lot of secondhand stuff as well...

Pic of when myself and stepdad fitted spotlights and stuff...(poor Oom should be learning soon how to say no when asked to help me)

Then the trip itself...who knew it can be such a pain! You read these nice ride reports and the people mention their route, and while it sounds awesome, a lot of the time I did not even know if a pass is gravel or tar!
Then I struck it lucky...I am currently working away from home and my wife who bought me Deon Meyer's book, Dirt busters as a gift. She paged through it and then started planning! Score! we had a route!

Right...lets get going...
The route summarised:

So sunday: Thabazimbi to Kimberley
Monday: via Gariep, Steynsburg to Craddock
Tuesday: Tarkastad,Humansdorp, Patensie
Wednesday: Baviaans to Uniondale
Thursday: Knysna, seven passes to George
Friday: Service bike
Saterday: Oudtshoorn, Die Hel, Prins Albert
Sunday: montagu pass to George
Monday: Cloetespass Barrydale, Swellendam, R62 to Koedoeskloof
Tuesday: Seweweekspoort, Laingsburg to Sutherland
Wednesday: Sutherland area
Thursday and Friday: Cape Town. Want to do Chapmans peak and relax
Saturday: Langebaan area to Ceres
Sunday: to Lutzville
Monday: Kamieskroon to Springbok
Tuesday: to Augrabies

I am always so proud of my vehicles clean and shiny. Bike also. But then I am always proud of the bike dirty as well indicating that it worked hard at doing what it was meant to do! So here is the big clean before the big dirty.


The final goodbye. I was really looking forward to this trip and finally it was here!

Day 1
The first of many long days with the wind klapping us simpel! We just wanted to get it done with so no dirt roads. Normally I can do 320km on a tank but found out The hard way that it changes when heavily loaded with a wind from the front! 30km from Kimberley the bike spluttered and nothing! Dead! I tilted it on its side as far as I can and managed another 6km. Out with the phone and calling the ever helpful stepdad again. Luckily we were aiming to stay over with them in Kimberley in anyhow.

Lesson 1: The irony is that my wife asked me in Warrenton if we shouldnt fill petrol and I said no....so if wife says do it...u do it!

Pic of me next to dead bike.

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[Chrisl]

Sub :thumleft:

 

[Heimer]

Nog 8)

 

[Shangali]

:drif:  :drif: ... I like the way you Travel, Light & Compact ..  :thumleft:

  SUB:  :deal:


Have Fun & Keep it Rubber Down ...

  :ricky: :ricky: :ricky:

 

[chicco]

Sub

 

[m0lt3n]

My stepdad used to be big on Harleys but he has been converted to the dirtier side now...
He recently did a rebuild on his 1200 sporty. Fitted a 2013 motors internals with gearbox into his 2005 succesfully. Impressive I think and thought I would share some of the kimberley pics.

His rebuild

And it did its first 10km with the new engine the day we got there.
The garage in Kimberley worked for me! (I am working at justifying a second bike )

Day 2: Kimberley to Cradock
Again we did mostly tar and again ate a lot of wind. We did do a slight detour to Bloemfontein so that I can fit some Mitas. I have been pushing my previous set of anakees to the limit as to not waste the Mitas, when I do fit them, on tar riding. Safari 4x4 helped me and we also got some other stuff there as well. Good prices, good service and good coffee.

We stopped 70km or so after Bloem to cure tyres. (Heat and cool down again...wasting my time or not I dont know but it cant hurt I guess.) This highway must have had a good budget to have these rest stops.

At Gariep we had an average lunch at what seemed to be the only open Restaurant. The views at the dam were awesome, just a pity the veld is not green at the moment.

Then we did some gravel from Gariep to Steynsburg. A nice opening to our gravel chapter.

Then we identified the sign from the book and took a photo there as well

We rushed through the town of Hofmeyer as I did not want to lose my wife and then spent a quiet nite at Cradock.

From day 3 it got more exciting



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[Sharingroads]

Sub with interest.

 

[Gerard]

Looking good. Remember to update the BAVIAANS CONDITIONS for us once you're through.  :thumleft:

 

[troos]

Lekker man, lekker  :drif:

 

[Aubrey]

Stepdads are there to be used. Was great helping to get everything together to make your trip a success. Keep the shinny stuff up and the black stuff down. Have a great trip. Remember.... caution before bravery.  :thumleft:

 

[Mr Zog]

Looks good! I'm riding along  :ricky:

 

[stan1975]

Sub. I cannot wait for my trip to start  :ricky:

 

[GIDEON]

:thumleft: nice thanks

 

[Ernst Jr]

Looking forward to the rest. Done most of the routes. Your planned route, is one I would like to do as we'll. :thumleft:

 

[Casting from Turd]

Bring on more

 

[0012]

super sub! gooi gooi gooi  :ricky:

 

[m0lt3n]

:drif:  :drif: ... I like the way you Travel, Light & Compact ..  :thumleft:

  SUB:  :deal:


Have Fun & Keep it Rubber Down ...

  :ricky: :ricky: :ricky:

Haha, I did not think so. Its going to be difficult to get more stuff on the bike, we are pretty much on the limit. The bike is very heavy at the moment, I bottom out way to often.

Thanks for the comments all. I will try to write up on two more days today if Tapatalk allows me. I see it says something about picture upload limit. Ai

 

[m0lt3n]

Day 3: Cradock to Humansdorp
Okay, I know it was stupid to choose Cradock above Graaf Reinett. Hindsight is always 20/20 right. We have to end up in George and planned therefore to ride Baviaans from east to west. To do that Cradock is the better stop. But since the decission I have learned that doing a circle between Baviaans and George/Uniondale would have been the better option. Lets call that lesson 2 then... rather loose another day there and gain a lot more in what you will see.

In Cradock we saw these pink linen on the trees. And we have see a lot in the other coastal towns as well since then, any one know what its for?

Feom Cradock we rode a route (from the book) to Tarkastad. It was fun, good gravel and good open scenery. Dont know much else I can say about it...

Well, we were planning to get Coffee in Tarkastad which did not happen, frustratingly so as I skipped Coffee in Cradock. At 09:15 the Coffee shop in Tarkastad was closed which officially declared the day as a looong day for me.

From Tarkastad we went in the direction of Bedford. We missed a right turn which is marked as a straight road in the book, but luckily a farmer stopped us from ending up in Durban. Some real good scenery on that road.

Later on we started following the Baviaans river. This got me excited for the next day!


Okay...adjurned....I need to figure out a different way of uploading pictures. Still coming for day 3 was mostly tar...very enjoyable except for the heat!

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[Pepe]

The pink linen on the trees are 'Pink Trees for Pauline'. It is a breast cancer support initiative.
If you haven't seen the post on your topic in Planning a ride, you guys are welcome to come stay over with us in Upington on your way back. 082 551 2574.

 

[m0lt3n]

Thanks Pepe

It will be our wedding anneversary when we are at Augrabies, but I will be contacting you maybe for coffee, always nice to meet a fellow wilddog. Thanks for the invite!