TVB
Grumpy Mutt
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Captain Zef said:
Ditto :3some:
No Spills: Jubilee Tour (2 - 10 May 2021)
- Thread starter Ri
- Start date
Ditto :3some:
sidetrack said:
They are both beautiful. They both provide magnificent views over the Karoo. I just love Ouberg Pass more, I don't know why. Gannaga Pass has Gannaga Lodge at the top, and it is a great place to stay over. Very hospitable, great food.
Gannaga Pass goes up into a kloof, whereas I think Ouberg Pass follows a tongue of land up to the plateau ridge.
Check out mountainpasses.co.za videos of both passes, and decide for yourself
Pity you can't incorporate both. Maybe provide it as an alternative?
Will have a look, I went over Gannaga mainly to link up with the Cederberge routeRi said:sidetrack said:
They are both beautiful. They both provide magnificent views over the Karoo. I just love Ouberg Pass more, I don't know why. Gannaga Pass has Gannaga Lodge at the top, and it is a great place to stay over. Very hospitable, great food.
Gannaga Pass goes up into a kloof, whereas I think Ouberg Pass follows a tongue of land up to the plateau ridge.
Check out mountainpasses.co.za videos of both passes, and decide for yourself
Pity you can't incorporate both. Maybe provide it as an alternative?
Attachments
Gaan daardie track deur Wupperthal en Botterkloof na Calvinia se kant toe, voor dit op die Niewoudtville pad afdraai na die Karoo Nasionale Park?
Plaas van op te draai Gannaga Pas toe, kan mens ook deur die Karoo Nasionale Park ry en anderkant uitkom op die R356 so paar km voor mens opdraai na Ouberg Pas
Bo kom altwee by Sutherland uit. Ek praat onder korreksie, maar ek dink waar die Ouberg pad weer by die groter grondpad aansluit, kan mens links draai Middelpos toe ook.
Maar dit lyk of jou roete deur Calvinia gaan. Dan gaan Ouberg om 'n laaaaang pad wees.
Eintlik moet jy maar net jou TSAT kom toets en altwee passe ry om te sien wat werk :ricky:
Plaas van op te draai Gannaga Pas toe, kan mens ook deur die Karoo Nasionale Park ry en anderkant uitkom op die R356 so paar km voor mens opdraai na Ouberg Pas
Bo kom altwee by Sutherland uit. Ek praat onder korreksie, maar ek dink waar die Ouberg pad weer by die groter grondpad aansluit, kan mens links draai Middelpos toe ook.
Maar dit lyk of jou roete deur Calvinia gaan. Dan gaan Ouberg om 'n laaaaang pad wees.
Eintlik moet jy maar net jou TSAT kom toets en altwee passe ry om te sien wat werk :ricky:
Our plan is to get away early-ish, but it is really cold. I force myself from under the warm covers and dress and pack up as quickly as possible. Ultraflight does the math and we settle our bills.
The guys discuss jobs and career changes into IT, and when they hear I'm a programmer, I get drawn into conversation (or being a nosey person, I may have inserted myself). My career path has been jazzy at best, and I'm probably not the person to advise anyone on jobs in IT, but I offer some options they can look at.
The morning is spitting with rain and I don my radioactive-yellow rain suit. Not only is it waterproof to retain any water that inevitably seeps in, it effectively channels it into my boots for long term storage and discomfort. As a secondary perk, it acts as a wind breaker while still allowing for exchange of hot and cold air around the neck. This secondary perk only becomes apparent when the air exchange causes exquisitely effective heat shedding at speed, nullifying all other heat retaining measures such as extra thick gloves and undergarments. Guaranteed is that any attempt to rectify the heat loss will exacerbate it. Also guaranteed is that I'll forget to rewrap at the next comfort stop.
The guys discuss jobs and career changes into IT, and when they hear I'm a programmer, I get drawn into conversation (or being a nosey person, I may have inserted myself). My career path has been jazzy at best, and I'm probably not the person to advise anyone on jobs in IT, but I offer some options they can look at.
The morning is spitting with rain and I don my radioactive-yellow rain suit. Not only is it waterproof to retain any water that inevitably seeps in, it effectively channels it into my boots for long term storage and discomfort. As a secondary perk, it acts as a wind breaker while still allowing for exchange of hot and cold air around the neck. This secondary perk only becomes apparent when the air exchange causes exquisitely effective heat shedding at speed, nullifying all other heat retaining measures such as extra thick gloves and undergarments. Guaranteed is that any attempt to rectify the heat loss will exacerbate it. Also guaranteed is that I'll forget to rewrap at the next comfort stop.
The sunrise is frosty and magnificent. The road out of here is marbly and muddy, just the thing to wake one up and get the adrenaline pumping. Oh to be alive and riding a dualsport motorbike on a clear winters morning in South Africa...
Someone snaps Radiactive Ri, Queen ofSeSlow.
The other Suzuki in the group, also a grey DR650 with the rider, Henry, also wearing a white helmet. My DR650 is of course way better looking.
We head to Mosselbay to fill up, then hit the gravel again at Klein Brak into George where Albie joins us, and from there up the magnificent Montagu Pass. After Montague Pass we turn onto the Paardepoort Rd, then follow the Kamanassie Rd to Uniondale, our last fuel stop before Baviaanskloof.
Mandatory stop and stream at the train bridge. Albie endears himself to the group by sharing out the delicious 'padkos' packed for him by concerned and caring females in his family.
Rest stop where we join the road along the Kamanassie River.
Then we join the tar road to Uniondale....slow poke sweeping up the rear guard.
Someone snaps Radiactive Ri, Queen of
The other Suzuki in the group, also a grey DR650 with the rider, Henry, also wearing a white helmet. My DR650 is of course way better looking.
We head to Mosselbay to fill up, then hit the gravel again at Klein Brak into George where Albie joins us, and from there up the magnificent Montagu Pass. After Montague Pass we turn onto the Paardepoort Rd, then follow the Kamanassie Rd to Uniondale, our last fuel stop before Baviaanskloof.
Mandatory stop and stream at the train bridge. Albie endears himself to the group by sharing out the delicious 'padkos' packed for him by concerned and caring females in his family.
Rest stop where we join the road along the Kamanassie River.
Then we join the tar road to Uniondale....slow poke sweeping up the rear guard.
Duster
Race Dog
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Ek sien nou eers die report en geniet dit baie. Dankie vir die deel en ek haal my hoed af vir jou.....Awesome!
There is a mix-up on where to fill up in Uniondale, which has me racing to and fro between fuel stations to find the group. It was a short night followed by a long day and I'm gatvol. When I find everyone taking a break outside a fast food joint, I ask permission to carry on, Capt'n. Ultraflight nods and I wobble off like a shooting arrow in slow motion. Challa, who just joined the group, decides to follow along.
Challa's watercrossing.
Soon we reach Doringkloof and can rest, relax and join in the festivities. But first! Grab your printed and laminated EC Bash ID courtesy of Dorsland :deal:
Rudimentary Roadmap to the Riding of yourNightmares Dreams
Albie and Dominic aka Big Dom in their matching outfits
We camp right next to this big hole - beginnings of a pool, maybe? - and immediately a pool starts for bets on who'll be the first person to either ride or fall into it. Most bets are on Cocky, with a Ball&Chain and Riaan as strong co-contenders. [Spoiler alert: no one fell into the hole :xxbah:]
Saturday sees most guys hanging out at the Boskamp, chilling and visiting, while a few go riding around. It's a bit drizzly but not too bad. I don't know whether it's due to attendance being capped at 60 people and the usual troublemakers missing the deadline, or Dorsland's calm and gentlemanly influence, but it is a most congenial and mostly polite Bash. There is only one incidence of early morning bike revving, and it doesn't last very long. The next morning, everyone (suddenly a master mechanic) has an opinion on what is wrong with said bike based on the way sounds when it started, revved, and died down again.
Although I saw them briefly at a long ago Bash, I meet Firecoast and Throttle Jockey for the first time, and Firecoast and I have a lovely chat about being slowish riders who stop for photo's, the challenges facing KGB, and finding people to ride with. Firecoast of course now has Throttle Jockey, and I of course have given up. I also meet Kaboef for the first time, although I've seen him before. To my delighted surprise he is gracious and complimentary about my ride reports. Who, me? :biggrin:
Probably the greatest reason for the EC Bash' popularity: the incredible spit braais. This year they again outbraai themselves.
I'm still sitting with Firecoast, TJ, Operator and Kaboef when dinner is served, and we somehow end up at the front of the queue. The food is absolutely delicious, and the next morning there is still some left for breakfast. We eat like kings and queens.
Then early to bed so we're hopefully early to rise. I spend a cozy, snoozy night listening to the chorus of snorers scattered about, not sleeping deeply but not fully sleepless either.
Challa's watercrossing.
Soon we reach Doringkloof and can rest, relax and join in the festivities. But first! Grab your printed and laminated EC Bash ID courtesy of Dorsland :deal:
Rudimentary Roadmap to the Riding of your
Albie and Dominic aka Big Dom in their matching outfits
We camp right next to this big hole - beginnings of a pool, maybe? - and immediately a pool starts for bets on who'll be the first person to either ride or fall into it. Most bets are on Cocky, with a Ball&Chain and Riaan as strong co-contenders. [Spoiler alert: no one fell into the hole :xxbah:]
Saturday sees most guys hanging out at the Boskamp, chilling and visiting, while a few go riding around. It's a bit drizzly but not too bad. I don't know whether it's due to attendance being capped at 60 people and the usual troublemakers missing the deadline, or Dorsland's calm and gentlemanly influence, but it is a most congenial and mostly polite Bash. There is only one incidence of early morning bike revving, and it doesn't last very long. The next morning, everyone (suddenly a master mechanic) has an opinion on what is wrong with said bike based on the way sounds when it started, revved, and died down again.
Although I saw them briefly at a long ago Bash, I meet Firecoast and Throttle Jockey for the first time, and Firecoast and I have a lovely chat about being slowish riders who stop for photo's, the challenges facing KGB, and finding people to ride with. Firecoast of course now has Throttle Jockey, and I of course have given up. I also meet Kaboef for the first time, although I've seen him before. To my delighted surprise he is gracious and complimentary about my ride reports. Who, me? :biggrin:
Probably the greatest reason for the EC Bash' popularity: the incredible spit braais. This year they again outbraai themselves.
I'm still sitting with Firecoast, TJ, Operator and Kaboef when dinner is served, and we somehow end up at the front of the queue. The food is absolutely delicious, and the next morning there is still some left for breakfast. We eat like kings and queens.
Then early to bed so we're hopefully early to rise. I spend a cozy, snoozy night listening to the chorus of snorers scattered about, not sleeping deeply but not fully sleepless either.
Duster said:
Baie dankie en groot plesier :biggrin:
We rise early and pack up quickly so we can still swallow a few cups of coffee and grab some of last night's leftovers warming on the fire. I again don my sexy glowing rainpant in the vain hope it will stop water streaming into my boots in the event of any deep river crossing.
As the slow poke in the group, I again ask Ultraflight to let me go ahead, and soon I'm at the Nature Reserve gate, signing in and waiting for my group to show up. Albie is not joining us as he has to head straight home.
Today we ride through Baviaanskloof and then turn towards Humansdorp. I haven't ridden the Humansdorp road before and didn't even know one could miss Patensie. Maybe I'll pay more attention to the map next time I plan a trip.
Baviaanskloof is as always a joy to ride through. The area is greener and has a bit more water than the last time I passed through here and the unexpected long muddy tracks cause a bit of traction loss havoc now and then, but no one comes to any grief.
Smitskraal is an old friend by now, respected but not feared, especially since its "teeth" were pulled by the recent thorough grading that saw the cracked cement track filled in with loads of gravel.
Kenneth enjoys Smitskraal so much he turns around his AT and rides back to the other side, then comes roaring through again.
<a href="https://insolita.co.za/images/2021-05/IMG_0832.mp4">My river crossing... stylin' it.</a>
Later on some mention is made of my apparent fearlessness when crossing small or even larger bodies of water. My rationale goes something like this: if I'm first, streams are clear and I'll hopefully be able to see the bottom. If I'm not first, I should look where the person ahead of me rides and either follow or avoid their course. Also, momentum is my friend - don't slow down! Rather fall on the other side of the body of water than in it. And so forth. So far my logic serves me well. May or may not apply to muddy patches in the road.
I'm storming after the group when I come across the F800GS parked in the middle of the road. Is has developed intermittent firing issues and its rider is a very sad man, talking rashly of riding it over a cliff and going back to the AT750. Challa and Kenneth offer tools and technical support while I offer sympathetic noises and gather photographic evidence of the BMW's apparent demise.
Rumours of her demise are exaggerated, though. Soon a faulty wire is found and fixed, and the 800GS splutters to life triumphantly. When Mr Loquacious next comes to a stop, he is grinning from ear to ear. His 800GS is once again the bike he fell in love with.
At the end of the long downhill near the end of Baviaanskloof is a short river crossing sitting in a bend in the road. I forget my momentum rule as I'm a little nervous of navigating the bend, and in the middle of the crossing HooliGent chokes, dies, and tips. I scream in frustration and grab the handlebars at an alarming angle. My arms immediately start to shiver and burn; GentLigan is a comparatively light bike but he still weighs 100kg more than I do. I don't have the strength to lift him up so I hang on for dear life, trying to keep him from going under. Ultraflight stops behind me and wades into the water to grab NotGent's luggage rack and help me tip him upright. Disaster averted!
With various spills and thrills we take too long to get to Humansdorp and have to slab it to Wilderness, where we are sleeping tonight. But we still make time for Bloukrans Gorge and the 7 Passes Road. We treat ourselves to a dinner at a tiny joint next to a petrol station, and get to bed early again. It's been a long day!
The next morning Ultraflight still has a long and lekker gravel route home, but a few of us decide to cut our ride short and head straight home. Challa wants to hang out with Vulcan, and Kenneth and Mr Loquacious are missing their partners. I've had a long trip already and want to relax before I have to hit the computer again tomorrow. And so a wonderful ride comes to an end.
Not quite the spill-free holiday of my hopes, but considering my history, 1 minor tip-over on an almost 10 days tour is still a win :biggrin:
Thank you for riding along :ricky:
As the slow poke in the group, I again ask Ultraflight to let me go ahead, and soon I'm at the Nature Reserve gate, signing in and waiting for my group to show up. Albie is not joining us as he has to head straight home.
Today we ride through Baviaanskloof and then turn towards Humansdorp. I haven't ridden the Humansdorp road before and didn't even know one could miss Patensie. Maybe I'll pay more attention to the map next time I plan a trip.
Baviaanskloof is as always a joy to ride through. The area is greener and has a bit more water than the last time I passed through here and the unexpected long muddy tracks cause a bit of traction loss havoc now and then, but no one comes to any grief.
Smitskraal is an old friend by now, respected but not feared, especially since its "teeth" were pulled by the recent thorough grading that saw the cracked cement track filled in with loads of gravel.
Kenneth enjoys Smitskraal so much he turns around his AT and rides back to the other side, then comes roaring through again.
<a href="https://insolita.co.za/images/2021-05/IMG_0832.mp4">My river crossing... stylin' it.</a>
Later on some mention is made of my apparent fearlessness when crossing small or even larger bodies of water. My rationale goes something like this: if I'm first, streams are clear and I'll hopefully be able to see the bottom. If I'm not first, I should look where the person ahead of me rides and either follow or avoid their course. Also, momentum is my friend - don't slow down! Rather fall on the other side of the body of water than in it. And so forth. So far my logic serves me well. May or may not apply to muddy patches in the road.
I'm storming after the group when I come across the F800GS parked in the middle of the road. Is has developed intermittent firing issues and its rider is a very sad man, talking rashly of riding it over a cliff and going back to the AT750. Challa and Kenneth offer tools and technical support while I offer sympathetic noises and gather photographic evidence of the BMW's apparent demise.
Rumours of her demise are exaggerated, though. Soon a faulty wire is found and fixed, and the 800GS splutters to life triumphantly. When Mr Loquacious next comes to a stop, he is grinning from ear to ear. His 800GS is once again the bike he fell in love with.
At the end of the long downhill near the end of Baviaanskloof is a short river crossing sitting in a bend in the road. I forget my momentum rule as I'm a little nervous of navigating the bend, and in the middle of the crossing HooliGent chokes, dies, and tips. I scream in frustration and grab the handlebars at an alarming angle. My arms immediately start to shiver and burn; GentLigan is a comparatively light bike but he still weighs 100kg more than I do. I don't have the strength to lift him up so I hang on for dear life, trying to keep him from going under. Ultraflight stops behind me and wades into the water to grab NotGent's luggage rack and help me tip him upright. Disaster averted!
With various spills and thrills we take too long to get to Humansdorp and have to slab it to Wilderness, where we are sleeping tonight. But we still make time for Bloukrans Gorge and the 7 Passes Road. We treat ourselves to a dinner at a tiny joint next to a petrol station, and get to bed early again. It's been a long day!
The next morning Ultraflight still has a long and lekker gravel route home, but a few of us decide to cut our ride short and head straight home. Challa wants to hang out with Vulcan, and Kenneth and Mr Loquacious are missing their partners. I've had a long trip already and want to relax before I have to hit the computer again tomorrow. And so a wonderful ride comes to an end.
Not quite the spill-free holiday of my hopes, but considering my history, 1 minor tip-over on an almost 10 days tour is still a win :biggrin:
Thank you for riding along :ricky:
Slim Jim
Race Dog
awsome
jaybiker said:An engrossing report Ri. And the pics illustrate clearly why your bike is better looking. More elegant you might say.
It's the luggage!
:imaposer: :thumleft:
