Ongeluks Nek

[De Chew]

With all the bike repairs etc it took us around 5 hours to get up the pass.
We were going to be short of daylight so we got onto the tar road to Quachers Nek.
We arrived back in Matat at around 6pm. Dillon was there with a big grin on his face having towed the KLR back.

A big THANK YOU  from me Stuart & Evert to the locals guys, with out your help we would still have this one on the bucket list.

 

[De Chew]

When we ride this area we always stay at Cedarburg Guest Farm in Cedarville.
On the farm there is a koppie you can ride up and the views from the top are really awsome.

 

[De Chew]

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[De Chew]

We were in the area for 3 day here are some pics from some of the other rides we did.

 

[De Chew]

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[Dwerg]

According to the local guys the pass was fixed up really well about 4 years ago and could be driven by a 2x4.
Since then it has not had any maintenance  done to it and it is really bad now.
I rate it to be about the same as Buzhadenhouts pass but 4 time longer.

Yeah I remember there was a ride report on it circa 2009 or so (JonW IIRC). It was in such good condition that it could probably be driven by car. We were there in Oct 2012 and it was by no means a walk in the park. Rutted, rocky and muddy with loaded bikes. All but one of the riders dropped their bikes

 

[De Chew]

Both nights were cloud free so we were treated to some great night skies.
Here is the best I could do with my Canon GX1 with it's max of 8 second exposure.

 

[De Chew]

Early morning leaving the farm heading to Ongeluks Nek.

And that is all he wrote.
I am off to start fixing my bent DR650.

 

[COLES]

beautiful just beautiful but to rugged for the Toppies from P E 

 

[Kaboef]

Beautiful pics, thanks.

I went down Ongeluksnek in Dec 2009 and the road did not look anything like in your pics.


Must have been really hard work. Well done!

 

[ALLEN I]

Nice one thanks for sharing    :ricky:

 

[KTM990ZN]

Great achievement Stuart & Evert and the boys from Kokstad!  Great pics and an interesting report.

 

[DikZol]

Now that looks adventurous!  Well done for going back and getting it done!

 

[Jack Nel]

And this is as far as one rider got. He had a big off very luck to not get hurt.
Sorry I can't remember the guys name a local minister from Kokstad.
If any of you locals are reading this please give us his name.
Anyhow the KLR would not start, swung over okay but no spark.
Dillon and Evert are both mechanics and after much dismantle and testing they concluded the CDI was shot.
3 Switchback from the top. Dillon towed the KLR back to Matat and the rest of us continued.

The local guys had ridden this pass a week before and it was wet. I take my hat off to them It was a challenge for us Durban okes when it is dry.

Thanks for the report Stuart, and well done with the pics.
They guy on the KLR is Kokstad Baptist Church pastor Rowan Gill. In spite of the falls and problems Rowan told me that he enjoyed every minute of the riding we did this past week. We also did gravel to Sani Pass and down and Dagga route behind Matatiele last week.

I own the Mount Currie Inn Hotel in Kokstad (www.mtcurrieinn.co.za) and allways have rooms available over weekends which I can sell cheap to fellow adventure bikers, let me know if anyone wants to come down for rides in Kokstad area.

See also trip report here https://ysterperd.co.za/index.php/topic,1197.15.html
www.mtcurrieinn.co.za

 

[ZooDog]

Ya you were lucky to catch dylan with his bike on its side very rare pic, theres a video of thur ride ill try get it posted full of laughs

 

[plaasjaap]

I think only Gerrie on his Tenere' was the only rider to get a clean run up the first hill.
You can see the deep ruts and they were many of them and hidden around the corner.
Most of us ended up in one or more of them.
Yes I hear you,  walk the route first but this was early days we were still very confident ;D

Great write-up and pics thanks Stuart!

HAHA - I am very tempted to keep quiet after your flattery, but I am afraid I fell even further down than everybody else on that first slope! The trick is - you must just know where to fall.... There where no one sees you or your bike! I took an early 'off-ramp' to the right thinking its the one we spotted two weeks earlier that kinda skip the worst ruts... But it wasn't, it was too early and a proper off-RAMP - landed softly in very tall Tamboekiegras.

 

[plaasjaap]

It was very lekker sharing our 'back-yard' with you guys. Nice meeting and hoping this might be the first of many more rides. Thanks Jack and Dylan for showing us that there are BMW riders who can really ride and not just pose  ot: En Evert op daardie Sertao!

 

[BLK]

Sounds like you had a fantastic ride in a beautiful part of our country.Flip I wish I was 20 yrs younger.

thks

 

[pietas]

Wow! This is a proper road. Thanks for sharing

 

[dylan]

Thanks to all the riders this past week was a adventure always nice to meet new  riders. Thanks for all the good pics.