Rain in the Richtersveld and refloating the SAS Wildehond

[51Mobile]

Things are looking a little less promissing.

The Tweespoorpad is no longer, there seems to be lots of sand, and judging by all the footprints - as much walking as riding. ?

 

[ADV Rider]

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Some

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This the best riding I have done, the Holgat river through everything in its way, this made for interesting ride, you had to keep your Wits about you.....I only had to pick up the very light Husky710 once

 

[ADV Rider]

Holgat river done, it took us 2 hours and 6 minutes from dropping into the river bed to this point.

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I can't remember ever having been so pleased to see tar.

The quest Gollum had set for us was complete. Despite being a few steps from requiring medical resuscitation, I would have done it again the next day.

I have never seen Boris this tired, but to handle a 890 and all that the holgat river through at us takes some skill and balls on a big bike....we now know Boris has some big ones

 

[ADV Rider]

Thanks for awesome RR Boris, looking forward to the next part

 

[Xpat]

Nice report

Who send the easy riding group on that track? I have ridden both - that one and Holgat couple of times and in my estimation the Holgat is significantly easier.

 

[Kamanya]

After an hour and a bit at 16h54 we get this

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Our stalwart Henry sent a WhatsApp of his GPS with two waypoints on it. They did not make for comforting reading...

The guys are now around 5 hours late versus their expected time of arrival, a waypoint labelled "Help" is not particularly encouraging, and another "Pikkie Hut", surely our technopeasant had made a spelling mistake, and it should have read "Pikkie Hurt".


S*&t!

Ooohhh, that's not a great place to have a problem. Very thick sand. They tried to turn back?

Crash site is west of their then next position.

If they did, then wise choice, it gets significantly more sandy and twisty westwards.

 

[JustBendIt]

Most excellent RR and great pics ... keep it coming

 

[51Mobile]

Nice report

Who send the easy riding group on that track? I have ridden both - that one and Holgat couple of times and in my estimation the Holgat is significantly easier.

Why am I not in the slightest surprised that you have ridden this area flat.

Your comments echo those of our guys on this route "Holgat se m...., you should have seen what we had to ride!"

 

[51Mobile]

Ooohhh, that's not a great place to have a problem. Very thick sand. They tried to turn back?

Crash site is west of their then next position.

If they did, then wise choice, it gets significantly more sandy and twisty westwards.

Sheeez It's hard to surprise you guys. Gus, next time no Gollum, we just put out our feelers here.

 

[Xpat]

It is actually probably the most beautiful track in SA - on the right bike and with right expectations that is. Here are some pictures:

https://wilddog.net.za/threads/we-a...l-bash-26-29-october-2023.274690/post-5086620

But Holgat is not bad either:

https://wilddog.net.za/threads/we-a...l-bash-26-29-october-2023.274690/post-5086559

That area between Vioolsdrift, Steinkopf, PN and Alexanderbaai is by far the best desert riding in SA. I advice anybody who will listen (very few ppl). Next time I would recommend to stay in that area rather than spreading yourself thin over much bigger - and quite frankly not as good - area for a week, you will have week of absolutely fantastic riding. If you need tracks let me know.

 

[51Mobile]

It is actually probably the most beautiful track in SA - on the right bike and with right expectations that is. Here are some pictures:

https://wilddog.net.za/threads/we-a...l-bash-26-29-october-2023.274690/post-5086620

But Holgat is not bad either:

https://wilddog.net.za/threads/we-a...l-bash-26-29-october-2023.274690/post-5086559

That area between Vioolsdrift, Steinkopf, PN and Alexanderbaai is by far the best desert riding in SA. I advice anybody who will listen (very few ppl). Next time I would recommend to stay in that area rather than spreading yourself thin over much bigger - and quite frankly not as good - area for a week, you will have week of absolutely fantastic riding. If you need tracks let me know.

Those are spectacular photos. It looks like it must have been on the wrong side of warm.

Your point is absolutely spot on. We concluded that the area deserves an extended stay and much riding. We rode a fraction of the tracks that Gus had.

I would be very grateful for any tracks in this area. It is a very special place to be able to ride through.

 

[51Mobile]

Our valiant colleagues were now at the end of their tether. Too much sand, too many falls, too much picking up each others bikes.

 

[51Mobile]

Man and machine were starting to show signs of fatigue.

Henry, I feel your pain, having been in a similar state around about the same time.

 

[51Mobile]

It subsequently transpired that these intrepid fine fellows decided to follow a track that had a label "Join main route". Despite this taking them off a gravel road into dune fields from hell, as Expat and Kamanya have already pointed out.

The two waypoints sent are in an area one does not want to venture should something go wrong.

 

[51Mobile]

In a valiant attempt to navigate this sea of sand, Pikkies clutch gave up the unequal struggle.

Now our man Pikkie is a remarkable fellow. He is someone you want around when things do go wrong. Pikkie is a little like a lighthouse, in calm seas - there he stands firm, in a storm - stands firm, sun- stands firm, rain, wind or shine Pikkie is unflappable, rock steady, pragmatic and calm.

The waypoint "Help" was Henry marking where Pikkie's bike was. The waypoint "Pikkie hut" - was, believe it or not, actually a hut Pikkie had found in this desolate landscape and chosen to hide from the wind to wait out the hoped for rescue.

 

[51Mobile]

Those who are for more knowledgeable of the events of the day, please correct me where I have strayed from the course (pun unintended), or have omitted bits.

Around 17h30 Henry and Mike wash up at the hotel. Mike is barely able to hold himself up. Henry - well Henry is just as stoic as ever, yet another Pikkie (I choose my riding mates well).

Mike came up to the room, and dropped onto the bed, he was recounting his adventures of the day and making sure I REALLY understood what an upstanding man Henry is, when the chips were down you needed Henry at your side,.......mid-sentence he starts snoring.

 

[51Mobile]

I have ridden with Mike for many years. In fact, it was Mike who convinced/pushed me into adventure bike riding. Over all these years, Mike never ceases to amaze me with his tolerance/resilience to pain. He will continue pushing himself long after his body had said emphatically, "NO MORE!". Mike will keep going.

Probably a more tangible example, on one of our rides, Mike was ambushed by a cow. He came off his bike and incurred a spiral fracture in his leg.

When I get to him, he has dragged himself out from under his bike and whilst he is lying on his back, his foot is pointing homeward. He instructs me to grab his foot, pull it and twist it back to the present.

I flinched far more than Mike did. In fact, he did not even wince.

It turned out the chopper pilot was a friend of Mike's.

So when Mike was alternating in and out of consciousness, I knew he had really been through the wringer!

Henry too was uncharacteristically subdued.

 

[51Mobile]

It was now that we discovered what the waypoints really were, and that Pikkie, whilst bleak with events, was very much unhurt. Or rather, was when they left him.

When they realised Pikkie's clutch was done, they had a summit conference to decide on the best course of action. It was sensibly decided that it would be best for Pikkie to stay in his hut, whilst Henry and Mike rode for help.

The rescue party set off in a manner probably best described by the name of a once famous runner, "Loopenval". With Mike doing a lot of the "val" component and Henry the "Loop" back to help lift the bike. However, where the dynamic duo differed was the direction to take. Mike wanted to track back, Henry was convinced he could see a road on his GPS. So onward they ploughed through the sea of dunes.

Now what to do. We were not going to leave Pikkie alone in the desert for the night. Ok, we all agree on that. Do we try and tow him out, Henry said this was not possible. Could we pillion him out, again Henry was the party pooper and said unlikely.

A 4x4 was decided to be the best option. Gus did some phoning around, including making contact with several guys on this forum. He did find someone prepared to help with a most unlikely looking 4x4- an old Colt twin cab affair. Gus says in low 4x4 the chains in the transfer box could be heard. I cannot remember the name of our rescuer, but he said the noise helped him to know that the bakkie was in 4x4 and it was working.

Henry's waypoints were spot on. On arriving at the hut, a very deurmekaar Pikkie stumbled from the hut,resembling the Michelin man,complete with full face helmet on!

As mentioned before, Pikkie is a very pragmatic, calm guy. He figured there was little chance anyone would get to him that night, so he put on ALL his clothes, jammed his helmet on his head, so that a Jakkals could not nibble on his ear, and taken a sleeping tablet.

 

[Kamanya]

It was now that we discovered what the waypoints really were, and that Pikkie, whilst bleak with events, was very much unhurt. Or rather, was when they left him.

When they realised Pikkie's clutch was done, they had a summit conference to decide on the best course of action. It was sensibly decided that it would be best for Pikkie to stay in his hut, whilst Henry and Mike rode for help.

The rescue party set off in a manner probably best described by the name of a once famous runner, "Loopenval". With Mike doing a lot of the "val" component and Henry the "Loop" back to help lift the bike. However, where the dynamic duo differed was the direction to take. Mike wanted to track back, Henry was convinced he could see a road on his GPS. So onward they ploughed through the sea of dunes.

Now what to do. We were not going to leave Pikkie alone in the desert for the night. Ok, we all agree on that. Do we try and tow him out, Henry said this was not possible. Could we pillion him out, again Henry was the party pooper and said unlikely.

A 4x4 was decided to be the best option. Gus did some phoning around, including making contact with several guys on this forum. He did find someone prepared to help with a most unlikely looking 4x4- an old Colt twin cab affair. Gus says in low 4x4 the chains in the transfer box could be heard. I cannot remember the name of our rescuer, but he said the noise helped him to know that the bakkie was in 4x4 and it was working.

Henry's waypoints were spot on. On arriving at the hut, a very deurmekaar Pikkie stumbled from the hut,resembling the Michelin man,complete with full face helmet on!

As mentioned before, Pikkie is a very pragmatic, calm guy. He figured there was little chance anyone would get to him that night, so he put on ALL his clothes, jammed his helmet on his head, so that a Jakkals could not nibble on his ear, and taken a sleeping tablet.

Outstanding!

 

[Beserker]

I cannot recall the name of the guy from the lodge

Leon, DesmoDirt on the forum, or his son, BlackWidow, also on the forum