Northern Cape Jolyt!

[LuckyStriker]

On our Nam Bam trip we visited a place called Bushwacked Camp on the shore of the Orange River. We had such great fun that we decided to go back there again for Easter Weekend. This is that trip plus a little extra:

Day one ? Friday 6 April 2007:
Route: Kriges to Bushwacked
687km
Road conditions: 677km tarred highway. 10km average condition dirt road.

We met at Kriges Pub early on Friday morning. At least two of us suffered from bleary vision and puffy, red eyes caused by going to bed way to late the previous night.
Nothing than brushing your teeth with Red Bull couldn?t sort out though.

The travellers were: Butch on the 990Adventure, Kaboef + Marli on the 1150Adventure, LuckyStriker + Zanie on the 1200Adventure.

Riding north along the N7 was a tortured affair with me constantly struggling to find the perfect line around bends. Fortunately there weren?t that many kinks in the road and when we reached Piketberg, I was getting back in the zone.

The KTM has a sweet sound with stock pipes. Not a loud roar, just the ripping buzz of a competent sounding machine.
That damn KTM also got the most attention from passers by whenever we stopped for a break.

The road to the border was a long one. It took us almost 10hours to ride the almost-700 kilometres. Our average freeway speed was between 120 and 140km/h but we relaxed a lot at various towns. Why rush? We were on holiday after all.

We arrived at Bushwacked on the banks of the Orange River just before 5 and immediately proceeded to the bar for a cold one. ccasion5:

S28 41 24.5 E17 35 00.1 ? Bushwacked Camp

The bar is adorned with horns, skulls and number plates from all around South Africa, as well as a bizarre collection of stolen artefacts such as Spur menus and salt shakers.

That night we were doused with beer spray and emptied the bars entire supply of Gin. Memories started to fade after we tried releasing the mooring ropes of a floating jetty and attempted to sail the roughly 300km to the Atlantic Ocean.
But I?ll stop right there, what happens on the river stays on the river?

 

[LuckyStriker]

Day two ? Saturday 7 April 2007:

 

[LuckyStriker]

Day three ? Sunday 8 April 2007:
Route: Bushwacked to Pofadder
348km
Road conditions: 90km sandy and rocky tracks, 258km tarred highway

We broke down our camp early and prepared for the trip to Augrabies where we planned to stay over.

Rooiwal Missionary Church

We traced a shortcut through the desert that would enable us to avoid going back down to Springbok again. Balsak, our bartender at Bushwacked camp, assured us that the road would take us to Pella but that it was not for the feint of heart.
He was right on one account but completely wrong on another.

The turnoff to the promised 4x4 route is at co-ordinates S28 54 14.9 E17 43 32.1 just to the left of a run down shop selling semiprecious stones and crystals.

At first the roads seemed lovely. Twin tracks snaking across fantastic open landscapes. Fairly hard dirt with a thin layer of sand, nothing technical.

We had discovered DS heaven, beautiful landscapes accessible via a 4x4 route that even novices could ride.
That was all about to change?

Things would get a little tricky later on. Butch accurately predicts the amount of times he would fall his ass off.

Cute little plants?one of those buggers poked a hole in Butch?s tire.

Incredible landscapes. I hope you can get some idea of the awesome views we were graciously given.

On reviewing my pictures after the trip, I discovered that certain areas had orange-red coloured sand whilst other areas; tones of brown or even yellow. I wish I could give you an informative comment regarding this.

It was immensely hot. My onboard computer claimed it was only 40�°C but it sure felt a lot hotter. As Pvt. Hudson said in ?Aliens?: ?It must be the dry heat?

The nightmarish sand eventually let off as we entered a rocky area.

The heat in this particular cauldron was the stuff of legend. I didn?t even bother to check the computer, it was obviously a liar.
As soon as we stripped of our ATGATT we made for the pitch black shade cast by strangely cool rocks.

Gone were the sandy plains and we found ourselves on tracks with razor sharp stones. We rode slowly and took great care not to cut the sidewalls of our tires.
That wonderful feeling of adventure started to settle over us. A feeling most of you, dear readers, know so well.

A beautiful kloof opened up before us and we prepared for a very steep descent down an eroded trail. The trail was impassable for vehicles other than bikes and 4wheel drive vehicles.

The women were told to walk and fend for themselves while we continued with the manly work of looking after our bikes and creeping them down the rocky trail. One slip here and our pride and joys could sustain unfortunate damage.

Lo and behold, one of us lost his footing and the bike came smashing down. Butch was unceremoniously flung over the handlebars only to get his hand stuck in the throttle. The bike roared with fury and the spinning rear wheel spat out a cloud of shrapnel.

When we got to him, he was already on his feet with the bike pacified. Lifting it was no easy task. Who would have thought KTMs were such heavy buggers?
On close inspection we found deep gashes in the crash bars, some minor scratches on the Tupperware and one limp indicator stem.

Goats roamed the rocky hills unattended and huddled in the few pools of shade available to them. They reminded me of boxed silk worms congregating and feasting on leaves.

Then came the sand again. The rocky valleys had dry riverbeds where the bikes swam in loose sand as if piloted by drunken captains on stormy seas. Each of us dropped our bikes or came very close to it.
The 1200GSA had a spotlight shorn clean off and broken windscreen pins whilst the 1150GSA lost only a sticker off a pannier?lucky bastard!

My GPS ran out of usable info quite some time ago and we were basically riding blind along a myriad of tracks that either went nowhere or circled back in on themselves. Butch had Tracks4Africa on his GPS but the device would no longer work on batteries. We plugged it into the 1200GSAs power supply and could finally see where the hell we were. Navigation suddenly became a lot easier in that confusing landscape. It appeared we were on some Toyota 4x4 Challenge route?whatever.

The GPS led us to a road in the distance that seemed to be a nice main artery.
Great was out disappointment when we discovered a wide but tired road, sickly with more twisted, rutted sand.
After a few minutes on it, we decided to ride the cattle tracks alongside the road instead. I wish I could say it was a lot easier but I can?t. The KTM dug a shallow grave for itself and had to be pushed out while the BMWs shuddered and bounced over the uneven ground. At least it was better than constantly fearing for your life on the insanely crappy road just a few meters to our right.

When we finally hit tar we just had to demonstrate to each other how we dealt with the roads behind us.

The shortcut we hoped to take did not exist (thanks for nothing Balsak!) and after spending 4hours on 80km of track, we ended up in Springbok anyway?something we were hoping to avoid?but, we did see the most awesome landscape few people will bother to go look for.

The KTM had developed a slow puncture caused by a mesquite thorn and we had to spend 45minutes repairing it.

The scorpions were a bitch to get back on the rims. This is something you would want to avoid doing on your own.

The original plan was to stay over at Augrabies but at 300+ kilometres away it was too far to reach before nightfall. The sun was already setting so we made a sprint for Pofadder instead.

We got to Pofadder during the last minutes of twilight. The campsite looked dreadful and its office already closed. So we went over to the world famous (okay, maybe not that famous) Pofadder Hotel to make enquiries. We were welcomed by incredibly friendly staff that made us feel right at home.

We booked a chalet just outside town for R495.00 and after one or two beers each, made our way there. I wish I could tell you the lengths the staff went to make our stay as agreeable as possible but I can?t. We promised to be discreet.
All I can say is that you should give them a try if you pass through the area and perhaps you too will get such sterling service.

 

[LuckyStriker]

Day four ? Monday 9 April 2007:
Route: Pofadder to Verneukpan
357km
Road conditions: 154km dirt roads and gravel tracks, 203 tarred highway

We didn?t stay up too late the previous night and the addition of crispy clean beds in air conditioned rooms supplied a spring in our step the next morning.

The chalets. There are six of them circling a bougainvillea filled garden. They even had TV, though we didn?t bother to see what was on.

Pofadder Hotel. We dropped in again to hand over the keys and eat a delicious breakfast.

Then it was off again to Augrabies and its thunderous falls. The water levels were a bit low during our visit but it was still an awesome sight to behold.

Slippery rocks! :lol:

It was my turn to get a puncture. Just outside Kakemas (read it backwards for extra appreciation) the front suddenly went flat. Fortunately the hole was easy to find and 5minutes later it was plugged and we were back on the road.

The road from Kakemas to Kenhardt is fairly decent. Now and then a sandy rut will cause your heart to skip a beat if you weren?t paying attention to the road but for the most part it?s all just one big smooth highway through rocky landscapes and Camelthorn trees.

When we arrived at Kenhardt we stopped by the hotel for a quick beer each. It was becoming an institution to visit every hotel on our route! Please excuse my posterior, some photographers have no discretion.

The proprietor is a friendly chap who assisted Zanie in getting in contact with the landowners of Verneukpan. The pan actually belongs to a number of farmers but the flat section we were aiming to camp on was the more popular part and thus permission was apparently required.

We were given the OK by the landowners via telephone and finished our shopping across the street. We would have to carry our own wood and water as the pan has no facilities or amenities.

After signing our names on the wall, Zanie got a call from the Verneukpan landowners. They had a change of heart and now required R100 payment from each of us. That would be R500 to camp on their property! We were appalled. We didn?t mind paying for the privilege but this was extortion! Not only were they clearly trying to rip us off but they were asking more than the local hotel tariffs, even the Pofadder chalet! And yet they supplied no ablutions, no running water, no shade, no secure parking, bugger all but clean air and flat ground! ?Fcuk them?; we all thought.

So we rode to Verneukpan anyway with the intent to camp on the section of the pan just outside their fence and thus off their particular piece of land.

The pan had signs of recent rain but mercifully little to no mud remained.

We turned off the track and headed inland as far from the through fare as we liked. The pan was covered in islands of plant life that we weaved through in search of that perfect spot.
We found a clearing large enough to drive around on and pitched our camp.

Marli took Kaboef?s GSA for a spin and toppled over right in front of us. As is usual behaviour for Wilddogs, we got the cameras out before helping her and the bike up. :twisted:

The sunset was breathtaking. I?m sure I don?t have to tell you that no picture can capture the magnificence of a Turkish Delight sunset.

The fire crackled away late into the night, the only sound in an utterly silent landscape. We put some music on eventually and shared stories from our pasts and joked about people we knew.
On the horizon behind us we could see lightning flashes of a distant thunderstorm. Silent.
When the familiar constellations twisted upside down and dropped below the horizon, Zanie and I crept into our sleeping bags and fell asleep under the stars, our tent still stowed in its bag.

 

[IDR]

Day two – Saturday 7 April 2007:

:lol:

Awesome report so far LS, as per usual.  You guys have this adventure thing down pat. :thumleft:

 

[LuckyStriker]

Day five ? Tuesday 10 April 2007:
Route: Verneukpan to Kriges pub
644km
Road conditions: 325km dirt roads, 319 tarred highway

What a glorious morning! All packed and ready to go.
Not even a recurring flat tire could dampen my spirit. It seemed the plug was failing and leaking air at a very slow rate. I pulled it and jammed in two ribbons instead of one. That seemed to do the trick.

Sunlight glistening off the damp pan.

Racing across the utterly flat landscape.

The turnoff to the airfield and racetrack were whatshisname broke a land speed record.

We left the pan behind and took yet another two-spoor track to the nearest road that would get us to Brandvlei. We had a long day ahead of us. We didn?t yet realise how long. Opening and closing a never ending number of gates did nothing to increase our speed but it did allow time to stretch the girls? legs.

Branvlei. A slow town where we served as the highlight of the week. Locals gathered round the bikes while Butch and Kaboef slurped on tinned spaghetti, purchased from a store with impossibly long aisles with limited choice in foodstuffs, watched over by whirring blades spinning the air high above.

From Brandvlei, it was on to Calvinia on a deadly boring, tarred road. Our backsides were stinging from days in the saddle and we stopped for a smoke whenever we saw a bit of shade alongside the road. The trees were graffitied by ages of travellers, bored by the same mind numbing road. The carvings proclaimed love and friendship in the most basic use of the alphabet, which poets have struggled to perfect to no apparent avail?

The 150km from Brandvlei to Calvinia seemed like 1500km. It just wouldn?t end! The landscapes, perhaps if done earlier on in the trip, would have been beautiful. We were just so tired that we lacked the necessary appreciation.
Had Ama ride ride been with us, we could perhaps have salvaged some humour but those sneaky Gautengers stole him away with more money and promise of a better future...

Calvinia ? got mail?
Perhaps a coffee table book of all the largest manmade regular objects visited by motorcycle. Would you buy such a book? I?m ready to go look for them if you say yes.

We stayed in Calvinia long enough to sample the excellent sheep pies (no, not mutton pies) and toasted sandwiches at the 250mile caf�©. According to them there were four destinations exactly 250miles away from Calvinia: Springbok, Ceres, Upington and, and, I forgot the other one?
Who can name the 5 bastions of the castle?

After filling up we tackled the great Ceres Karoo road. 208km of uninterrupted dirt road. Apparently the longest of its kind in the country.

It?s a wonderful road and I don?t understand why more people don?t ride it. But that?s okay, we liked it nice and quiet.

Below the pass, for the first 20km, there was slight flood damage that caused the GSs to bottom out occasionally. One riverbed stank of rotten flesh, the sure sign of a dead beast that met its end either from natural causes or drought. It?s a tough landscape for livestock to survive in.

Desolate landscape. Gotta love ?em! The roads were covered in shale and powdery sand. Either our noses were clogged up or the surrounds were completely devoid of scent. Either way, motorcycling is the only way to truly experience the land in its truest form. Except maybe if you rode a bicycle or drove a cart?

From Ceres we went via Tulbach to Durbanville. We thought it would be quicker than Bainskloof Pass but forgot about the many road works. We had to wait about ten minutes at each waiting point, which was excruciating. There were glasses of warm sherry in Kriges Pub, calling our names, and we couldn?t get to them soon enough!

We got back to Kriges pub at around 19:00 and reminisced and reflected, hunkered over those long sought after glasses of Sedgwick?s Old Brown. From there we headed to our respective homes for a warm shower and a comfy bed.

Some GPS info:
Trip Moving time: 23hrs 51mins
Trip Stopped time: 17hrs 42mins
Trip Total time: 41hrs 33mins
Trip Odometer: 2035km
Max speed: 159km/h
Moving Average speed: 85.3km/h
Overall Average speed: 49.0km/h

For those that are interested; I will attach the track log once this post appears on the new forum. Unfortunately I can?t do it now.

Hereunder follows some close-ups of the riders. The girls don?t get their pics posted until they get bikes of their own. :twisted: :wink:
But seriously, I?d like to thank my riding partners for an excellent trip and for being such great companions. I could travel around the world with them. And a special thank you for the ladies. I know they did not feature much in this report, but know that they were the glue that held it all together. Without them we would perhaps not even have gone on the trip, much less enjoyed it as much as we did.

Kaboef ? Stealthy dwarf

Butch ? Scheming warmonger

LuckyStriker ? Oiled Adonis

Thank you, I am LuckyStriker and the last three photo comments are absolutely true. NOT!

 

[JourneyMan]

That it. This report and the others from the past week has confirmed my believe that it is not nescesary to go outside our borders for excellent DS riding opportunities.


Well done people!

Great report LS. 8)

 

[Oppad]

Uiteindelik! Absolutely great stuff as always!

 

[Grootseun]

As usual a truely inspiring trip report.
I really enjoy looking at the amazing landscapes to be seen around our country..

Thanx for letting us share in your awesome experience..

 

[bobnob]

aaah thats the life!!!!

one of these days, one of these days....

 

[KiLRoy]

Lekkkkkaaaa LS, or should I say Adonis

H

 

[D7]

another good report

the standard is still high!!!

keep 'em coming

 

[Mark Hardy]

Thank you Thank you for that report. The North Cape, Richterveld area is my favorite. Your pics and discription of the area brought back so many wonderfull memories of years gone by. Great report.. :thumbleft:

 

[the_wes]

well done LS. like I always say: grow a beard and be somebody

 

[sidetrack]

Well done, awesome pictures !

 

[LostDOG]

Excellent! - I see a truely great magazine article in this one.

 

[X Banana Boy]

Eggcellent

 

[growweblaar]

Great stuff, LS!

BTW: do you use a polarizer, or are there some Photoshop filters in there...?

 

[Lootch67]

Once again .. :tongue9: :thumbup:

 

[Adventurer]

Brilliant report as usual, what a way to spend Easter. 8) 8)