My WARR2022/23 - Richtersveld trips, prep and execution.

[TheBear]

 

[RobCrouch]

Friday 28/10 and I decided to be a wuss and do the Tar scenic route to Port Nolloth aka "Port" as the locals and those in the know call it.
5 Myl Poort was fun with no luggage this time. Then Shrek had a Birthday! 85000 Kilometers done so far.
The road to "Port" is very good tar road and an unexpected Anenous Pass later it was obvious that it was getting nippier as I got closer to "Port", then I saw the fog rolling in across the coast!
As I came into town I saw the sign for McDougalls bay so turned south... A pretty place and lots of fog. Took some pics then headed back to "Port" to find something for brunch.
Stoping outside Sunsets at Fredricks I found @Excalibur arriving and shortly afterward the rest of @Leo's troop... as they wanted something with a bit of kick with brunch they headed off to the Scotia Inn... I settled for good old fish and chips and it was delicious.
After brunch it was a fuel top up with a bit of excitement as one of the town mutts took a dislike to the kriek op die briek Shrek was busy developing, the dog chased after for almost 800m.
Then it was back to Growcery, with a few stops for pics and to admire the magnificent vistas and look down to see the amazing plant life that grows in this very arid part of the country. Of course the photos do not do justice to what the eye sees.
Two passes later I was back at Growcery and spent the rest of the day lounging with the rest of the lazy dogs before we had supper, a very filling chicken pot and sides. Then off to bed...
By the way the moths are big here... and the mineral Mica is to be found all over the show.

 

[RobCrouch]

Saturday 29/10, woke up and it was already hot... decided to take a ride up the eastern side of Vioolsdrif along the Orange... after a few kilos it became obvious that uninvited tourists were not very welcome, so I turned back and did 5 Mylpoort again and then returned to Growcery for a Boerie lunch and a lazy afternoon in the shade. Took some pics of the road that had become a daily commute.
Supper was once again a delicious spread, spit lamb and sides and many chats till around 10 pm... Tomorrow would be up early to get as much daylight as possible. My aim was to reach Loeriesfontein and camp for the night.

 

[RobCrouch]

Sunday 30/10 dawned and everyone was tearing down camp and packing for the trip home, for some it was a long day but I still had a few days to spare.
After packing it was back down the commute, right hand on the N7 and south to Springbok.
In Springbok it seemed that the whole Bash was there for breakfast and after final farewells it was southward as far as I could go as the weather forecasts were starting to look a tad ominous with rain expected on my route by Wednesday.
Decided to turn off to Kamieskroon and possible refuel when alas the place was closed for Sunday, my spare 5l petrol now came in handy as I would not have reached Gharies without it. Next stop would be Van Rhynsdorp where I turned up the R27 heading for Loeriesfontein, as I had made up some time not doing dirt I hoped to reach Calvinia before sunset.
Vanryhnspas was awesome, with the scenery changing from dry Karoo to the Highland Karoo where a lot of grain fields were along the road to Neuwodville, here I turned up toward the town of Loeriesfontein.
Loeriesfontein did not seem to be camper friendly so after visiting the Fred Turner Meuseum and it's collection of windmills, which had been a bucket list item for me I headed back to Calvina.
Arriving in Calvinia I headed for Klipwerf guest house and campsite. As sole guest I could pick my campsite and set up for the night, had a fun eating out of cans army style then had a wonderful shower and was in dreamland very soon... Tomorrow would be it's own adventure.

 

[TheBear]

Fake post! It didn't end with

 

[RobCrouch]

Monday 30/10 and the Church bell and birds chirping woke me up early, time to break camp, load up and go and see an old on line buddy before I head out on the dog leg route I had planned for the day, Williston, Fraserburg, Loxton and hopefully Carnavon. 373 kilometers for the day so the pace would be much slower than my dash from Growcery to Calvinia, was hoping to take more pictures along the way.
So after loading up I headed out to find Manny and Theresa's little clinic they run in Calvinia. Both have a long military and medic background and the visit was very interesting and I will be back with MD as time permits for a proper visit, after 2 cuops of coffee it was time for the selfies and goodbye before I topped up Shrek's tank for the first leg to Williston.
Getting to Williston I found a wonderful place to have brunch. Manna restaurant is the place to stop, they even have Karoo Lamb and other goodies should you wish to braai along the road.
Then it was a right turn and some dirt to Fraserburg, two stop and go's where the dirt road is being tarred, although typical Africa there will still be a dirt section as the project had not taken into account all the storm water drainage required. Fraserburg Co-op was where I bought another set of bungees as two were starting to fray... also topped up the tank and then it was onward to Loxton, with some trepidation as one local had said "Nee daai pad is te sanderig..." but I think the manager of the Co-op was correct, she and her hubby rode it of ten on his GS1250. Turned out the sand was a stretch of around 1.5 k. Fully loaded Shrek was able to get through with no serious wobbles... the rest was typical Karoo Dirt Highway.

Then the trees of Loxton appeared.
Another bucket list item to tick off as I rode into Loxton church square and found Loxton Lekker for an afternoon carrot cake and coffee. The place has a very special charm as it abounds with tree lined streets and is an oasis compared to the Karoo veld I had come through. Then the last stretch for the day was the last 60k to Carnavon...
Arriving in Carnavon I found the place Manny had mentioned during our conversations... the magnificent Lord Carnavon small hotel and the Lords Kitchen where fine dining would be done after unpacking what was needed. Shrek had comparative luxurious parking compared to what we had experienced so far.
The hotel is quite a historical place and worth the stay over, way better than camping!
Supper was a two course meal of Springbok Carpacio and then Springbok pie... then load shedding started at 8 pm... so an early night and hopefully early start for the final leg the next day. Plan was Vosburg, Britstown, Strydenburg then Orania via Kraankuil.

 

[RobCrouch]

So the final day broke 01/11 and looking at the weather it seemed I may have to cancel my planned visit to @Dorsland, after packing I filled up once more and headed north east to Vosburg where I stopped to take pictures of the church and where the Co-op once again come to the rescue with 15w40 for an oil top up.
Then it was onward to Brtitstown where I found the Old Mill to have breakfast, in the company of two other GS riders on their way back from the Buff to Nelspruit. Fortified with breakfast but eyeing the weather I let Dors know that I would be heading home via tar from Orania to try and avoid the pending thunderstorms that had started brewing over the Karoo west of Orania.
After a pitstop for P&P I reached the Kraankuil turn off and headed to Orania, this road is part dirt from the N12 then tar form Kraankuil, reached Orania in time for a lunch break and the first thunderstorm, after lunch I headed out to pop in at another mate of mine Dr Louis Bothma aka Botties, ex 32 Battalion, historian and writer. As he had a D day to get some books to Hopetown it was a quick visit but another friend we will be seeing again for a proper kuier and braai.
Just after Luckhoff the clouds gathered again and some fierce lightning was ahead of my route... I decided to avoid this by taking a break under a shed roof on a farm on the way... after about 45 minutes the weather made a gap and I headed to Koffiefontein where I did another P&P to kill some more time as I was now basically stormchasing the one storm that was heading east.
Arriving at Petrusburg it had become very chilly so once again I stopped to put on a warm top for the final 82k to home.
Got in at around 7:45 pm after getting a bit damp on the last 20k but fortunately by then the lightning had abated.
And that was my RR for the WARR2022 Bash.
One last thought about my trip summed up thus in my adopted mother tongue...

VOOR DIE BOME VAL - Robert LeNoury

Jy word wakker een oggend, jy hoor iets wat soos byle op hout klink
Dit is die bome wat afgekap word in die woud
Die uurglas loop uit
Die emmerskop lys moet gedoen word
Voordat dit my beurt is.
Daai vriend wat jy nog net per e-pos ken
Daai een wat so mooi stories vertel
Daai een met die intresante Avatar
Daai een wat jy jare laas gesien het
Dit was tyd om die bome te sien voor hulle ook val
Daai plek in die verte wat jou so lank bekoor
Daai plek waar dinge nog werk
Daai plek wat jou uithouvermoe toets
Daai plek wat dinge uit die verlede laat herrys
Dit is plekke waar jou siel vrede vind.
Doen wat jy moet voor die bome in die woud val...

So I am blessed to have taken this trip, met so many people and experienced so much in the short space of a week, once again @JustBendIt and @Kamanya and everyone else involved I thank you for a wonderful opportunity to attend what to me was a Bash of note!

 

[Ri]

Mooi gedaan! Dankie vir die deel

 

[Kamanya]

Yoh, now that's how to ride a report!

 

[ROAD HOG]

Great ride report Robc, thanks for sharing.

I think I should start planning to attend next year

 

[firecoast]

Preeettttty

 

[Chrisl]

and I will be back with MD as time permits for a proper visit,

Die MD waarvan jy so gereeld skrywe is sy jou managing director?!!

Lekker RR Rob kon sien dit het jou goed gedoen.

 

[RobCrouch]

and I will be back with MD as time permits for a proper visit,

Die MD waarvan jy so gereeld skrywe is sy jou managing director?!!

Lekker RR Rob kon sien dit het jou goed gedoen.

Umm ja nou dat jy dit so stell... ek is haar butler...

 

[Chrisl]

Umm ja nou dat jy dit so stell... ek is haar butler...

As ek aan n butler dink dink ek altyd aan die stuk!!!

 

[RobCrouch]

As ek aan n butler dink dink ek altyd aan die stuk!!!

Ons geniet hom ook...

 

[Sheepman]

Great report and pics Rob

 

[edgy]

Awesome Rob!

 

[SabreF86]

Rob, ek is baie beindruk met hoe jy jou KLR ingerig het. Is daar iets wat jy anders sal doen na jou toer ?
Goeie verslag; ek het lekker saam gery

 

[uyster]

Rob that was a proper report ! Well done, lekker to meet you.
Only way to meet and greet and experience the vibe with fellow Adv bikers is to attend these events.

 

[RobCrouch]

Rob, ek is baie beindruk met hoe jy jou KLR ingerig het. Is daar iets wat jy anders sal doen na jou toer ?
Goeie verslag; ek het lekker saam gery

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