n Lekker "rustige" 3 dag Amageza deur die Karoo...

[BullSmit]

MW... Enige nuus op Laumé se toestand?

Ek sien geen updates nie, of ek het dit misgelees.

 

[MildlyWild]

What an excellent trip report - en in albei tale nogal ook! Your writing skills are so good you can pack in your redecorating job and work online for ChatGPT writing so-called AI copy for them. You know that all that AI stuff is written by humans don't you?

Bruce, sorry to say, but I just gave ChatGPT a few pics and facts and asked it to write this whole thing for me

Thanks - when I am in the mood I enjoy writing these - partly for my own memories down the line, and partly to hopefully inspire someone to get on their bike, break through some comfort zones and really enjoy what we have access to

 

[MildlyWild]

MW... Enige nuus op Laumé se toestand?

Ek sien geen updates nie, of ek het dit misgelees.

Thank you for asking Jeremy
As of yesterday she has been in hospital for 67 days - in Stellenbosch now
I only got onto the whatsapp update group yesterday, but as I understand she is not fully conscious/aware yet, but does open her eyes and follow movement. She gets really bad spasms, most likely due to the brain injury.
There is progress though
Her mom and 2 brothers (being home schooled now) are staying in Stellenbosch permanently for now

Just reading the daily reports Maia (her mom) writes leaves me in tears, and in awe of her faith and how they are dealing with this

 

[BullSmit]

I pray for her everyday.

 

[McSack]

I check Google Maps on my phone (downloaded maps), and it says Bike X is 9kms away, so I turn around, take the turnoff and ride, weight forward, keeping to 40-50km/h

The weekend warrior crowd either has not reached the tented camp/pub yet, or is only coming through on Saturday, and only 2 or 3 other riders/campers lounge around.
I quickly down to small Cokes and explain my dilemma, and luckily they have spare tubes available Just not an 18" it seems, so I choose a 19". But no, they must have 18" they reckon, and after a bit of scratching they find one. I'm in a heck of hurry so I just grab it, fit it, pump the wheel, and... notice that there is a very soft hissing sound coming from the rear tyre NOT changing that thing again! So I pump it to 2.8bar, down 2 more Cokes, pay, try again unsuccessfully to get a whatsapp through (no internet service on their wifi - the wind was pumping) and check the pressure again (still around 2.75 bar) and set off - 1st destination Tankwa Padstal and then the wide gravel to Karoo Poort.

I gun it down the narrow road at around 120, stop at Padstal and check the pressure - 2,7bar
Swing onto the gravel highway and keep the speed around 120-130 until I get to Karoo Poort 38km further on, where the gravel stops. Check the pressure - 2,5 bar, so I reckon I can do the last 50km no problem. It is dusk already, and I take the tar, keeping north of 130 everywhere except around the sharp bends - Badger does not feel that lekker loaded up around sharp turns at speed with D606's front and rear, but very happily keeps 140 everywhere else.
Coming down the last pass before Ceres I take a last pic of the sunset next to the road, and roar off again, and only slow down when I hit the 80km/h sign outside town - where the rear wheel suddenly starts fishtailing on me, again
The song "Angels above me" from Stick Figure comes to mind at this stage. By now nothing gets to me, so I stand up and slowly roll into town like that, to the Shell garage, my go to stop there.

I quickly make sure that everyone knows I'm safe, but very very late at the very least, and go inside to order a cappucino while I weigh up my options. It is 8:10pm, and at this stage I really do not even feel like looking for a tube, trying to patch the existing one, or much of anything else.
Ulandi very kindly and very quickly offers to come and pick me up in Ceres - bless her forever (she might be a keeper )
So I arrange with the garage to store my bike for the night, remove the rear wheel to take with me, change into cleaner, more comfortable clothes and settle down to wait for her. She pulls up around 9:45pm, we get more coffee, load everything and head home, finally arriving around 11:15pm.

The next day, Saturday, I quickly chatted to Marie at Just Bike Tyre, but they were waiting for stock of the 140/80/18 Mitas E07+'s, so I just get a new tube, new patch and solution and a few other bits, and grabbed the Kenda K60 scout lying in the garage (actually a 150 to fit Bliksem). One of my workers drove with me back to Ceres, where I quickly fitted the tyre and tube (it was actually a 16" they gave me at Bike X, and I was too fed up to confirm and care when I initially said it looked a bit smaller - they were very eager to assist though, so kudos to them)(the K60 actually went on quite easily with the help of a bit of WD40 on the bead), pumped it and confirmed that it was NOT leaking air in ANY way.
Soon after I stopped at home safely. And the rear tyre is still hard

@Psycho Porra you see... just like I was saying ....puncture days are just part of the adventure

Great RR MW. Makes me Sommer want to jump on my boney and bugger-off for a few days of solo head-clearing time

 

[Chrisl]

Rooihoogte

Ken daai naam glad nie ken dit net as Rammelkoppas.

Net n tip as jy weer n pad wiel kry pomp die tube so half op voor jy begin tyre lever stoei. As jy hom bietjie wind gee is die tube effe rond in die tyre en lê nie plat en gevou en dan knyp jy hom nie so maklik met die tyre lever.

Gawe trip met mooi fotos dankie vir die post.

 

[MildlyWild]

@Psycho Porra you see... just like I was saying ....puncture days are just part of the adventure

Great RR MW. Makes me Sommer want to jump on my boney and bugger-off for a few days of solo head-clearing time

Well then, don't delay, pack your stuff and bugger off
These things should not be contemplated too much...

 

[Psycho Porra]

@Psycho Porra you see... just like I was saying ....puncture days are just part of the adventure

I am taking alot of liquor for next time, just make sure you get a puncture in the shade

 

[MildlyWild]

Rooihoogte

Ken daai naam glad nie ken dit net as Rammelkoppas.

Net n tip as jy weer n pad wiel kry pomp die tube so half op voor jy begin tyre lever stoei. As jy hom bietjie wind gee is die tube effe rond in die tyre en lê nie plat en gevou en dan knyp jy hom nie so maklik met die tyre lever.

Gawe trip met mooi fotos dankie vir die post.

Ja, dit smaak my die locals roep die paaie en passe op hul eie name - as ek met my Oom wat in daai wereld groot geword het praat kyk hy my met sulke vae oë as ek Allemanshoek of Rammelkop noem

Ek het hoeka die band due 2de keer so saggies opgeblaas vir daai rede - en nogsteeds nie reg gekry nie Dis nou nog voor die patches los getrek het

 

[Chrisl]

Ja, dit smaak my die locals roep die paaie en passe op hul eie name - as ek met my Oom wat in daai wereld groot geword het praat kyk hy my met sulke vae oë as ek Allemanshoek of Rammelkop noem

Ek het hoeka die band due 2de keer so saggies opgeblaas vir daai rede - en nogsteeds nie reg gekry nie Dis nou nog voor die patches los getrek het

Ja n oorlede klient wat n plaas net onderkant die pas gehad het het altyd gesê die naam Rammelkop was vir hulle n vreemde naam.
Ja kyk daai tjoep effe opblaas voor n tyre lever se punt hom vang van geweld en frustrasie het n ou oom my geleer in Swakopmund na ek begin praat het in tale!!!
Iemand het iewers gepost as jy begin sweet terwyl jy tjoep omruil dan doen jy dit verkeerd. Ek dink die ou was elke keer in n instap koelkamer toe hy tjoeps geruil het,want wragtag ek sweet gou of dit nou van hitte of my revcounter se hitte is!!

 

[Amos]

@MildlyWild hierdie toer is so in my kraal - ver van die grootpaaie af in die Groot Karoo, alleen of saam met een ander. Lekker man. Dankie vir die foto's en storie.