LMG
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2008
- Messages
- 3,039
- Reaction score
- 2,506
- Bike
- BMW R1200GS Adventure
My wife is on maternity leave at present after the birth of the twins. We decided on a win-win approach in order for me to attend the bash. Thus, I took a week of leave from work and we stayed over in Hartenbos for the week. I left Hartenbos on Thursday morning for Snow Valley.
I took the N2 to Knysna. It was perfect biking weather.
From Knysna I followed the road through the Knysna Bush to Uniondale.
It was hot when I arrived in Uniondale and I had to refill – body and soul!
From there it was tar to Willomore
From Willomore to Steytlerville you have a choice between sement and gravel.
Steytlerville is most probably the cleanest Karoo town I have ever seen.
Cold one in a very nice little hotel.
From Steytlerville it was gravel via Jansenville to Pearston. Very nice roads. Someone clearly came off just before Pearston.
I met the first dogs going to the Bash in Pearston – Wouter, Rynet, Bessie and Engelsman.
Slept over in the pastorie in Somerset East on Thursday night. I haven’t seen Chris and Lizl (my cousin) since the early 90s – before the arrival of kids! In terms of size – they’re my opposite!
Then it was tar via Cookhouse to Cradock on Friday morning. Cradock must have one of the most beautiful churches in the country.
From Cradock it was gravel all the way to Barkly East. But f@rk, I thought I am used to riding in the wind on the West Coast. I am riding bikes since my early teens and I have never experienced wind like that. My eyes were bloedbelope the whole weekend because of the wind. I just realised that I am very anxious and uneasy if I am sitting on my bike on gravel road and with my visor closed it was even worse. Thus, I was standing with my visor open the whole time in that wind. My eyes really got screwed by the sand monster!
I jump on to Michnus’ tail for the ride from Barkley East to Snow Valley.
A couple of the phodies I took at Snow Valley over the weekend.
Respect Jo!
Chris – a true boerefilosoof!
Some people playing around in the highlands . . .
. . . and some people play around in the lowlands. Important not to confuse the lay of the land with the consumption levels of the riders!
And the crowd watching those who are playing around.
Some do it in style . . .
I assume one can call this a group photo
And I call this home for the weekend.
With neighbours Andre and Bennie who housed me when my tent was under water on Friday night. Guess its time for a new tent!
It was freaking cold when I started packing up my tent and stuff on Sunday morning. I had to do about 900kms for the day to ensure that I am back at work on Tuesday. I was the first to leave at around 7h. I mentioned that it was cold . . .
The road via Lundin’s neck made up for it. It was really the best views I have seen in a long time. I really enjoyed myself on the road from Snow Valley.
And into the Free State . . .
Lake Gariep
. . . and out of the Free State.
I came across a couple of these riding through the Karoo. En die boere glo die reën is op pad as hul begin rondloop.
I did 848kms for the day – about 50% on gravel. I slept over at my brother’s place between between Williston and Calvinia on Sunday night. On Monday morning I had a quick stop on my farm before leaving for Saldanha.
I nearly ran out of petrol before reaching home – 26kms to go! This was the most fuel I ever put into my bike.
Did 3148kms to Snow Valley and back to Saldanha on some of the best gravel roads in the country. Thanks to the organisers of the Bash. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and even had enough to eat! The hot showers were an unexpected bonus! Well done.
I took the N2 to Knysna. It was perfect biking weather.
From Knysna I followed the road through the Knysna Bush to Uniondale.
It was hot when I arrived in Uniondale and I had to refill – body and soul!
From there it was tar to Willomore
From Willomore to Steytlerville you have a choice between sement and gravel.
Steytlerville is most probably the cleanest Karoo town I have ever seen.
Cold one in a very nice little hotel.
From Steytlerville it was gravel via Jansenville to Pearston. Very nice roads. Someone clearly came off just before Pearston.
I met the first dogs going to the Bash in Pearston – Wouter, Rynet, Bessie and Engelsman.
Slept over in the pastorie in Somerset East on Thursday night. I haven’t seen Chris and Lizl (my cousin) since the early 90s – before the arrival of kids! In terms of size – they’re my opposite!
Then it was tar via Cookhouse to Cradock on Friday morning. Cradock must have one of the most beautiful churches in the country.
From Cradock it was gravel all the way to Barkly East. But f@rk, I thought I am used to riding in the wind on the West Coast. I am riding bikes since my early teens and I have never experienced wind like that. My eyes were bloedbelope the whole weekend because of the wind. I just realised that I am very anxious and uneasy if I am sitting on my bike on gravel road and with my visor closed it was even worse. Thus, I was standing with my visor open the whole time in that wind. My eyes really got screwed by the sand monster!
I jump on to Michnus’ tail for the ride from Barkley East to Snow Valley.
A couple of the phodies I took at Snow Valley over the weekend.
Respect Jo!
Chris – a true boerefilosoof!
Some people playing around in the highlands . . .
. . . and some people play around in the lowlands. Important not to confuse the lay of the land with the consumption levels of the riders!
And the crowd watching those who are playing around.
Some do it in style . . .
I assume one can call this a group photo
And I call this home for the weekend.
With neighbours Andre and Bennie who housed me when my tent was under water on Friday night. Guess its time for a new tent!
It was freaking cold when I started packing up my tent and stuff on Sunday morning. I had to do about 900kms for the day to ensure that I am back at work on Tuesday. I was the first to leave at around 7h. I mentioned that it was cold . . .
The road via Lundin’s neck made up for it. It was really the best views I have seen in a long time. I really enjoyed myself on the road from Snow Valley.
And into the Free State . . .
Lake Gariep
. . . and out of the Free State.
I came across a couple of these riding through the Karoo. En die boere glo die reën is op pad as hul begin rondloop.
I did 848kms for the day – about 50% on gravel. I slept over at my brother’s place between between Williston and Calvinia on Sunday night. On Monday morning I had a quick stop on my farm before leaving for Saldanha.
I nearly ran out of petrol before reaching home – 26kms to go! This was the most fuel I ever put into my bike.
Did 3148kms to Snow Valley and back to Saldanha on some of the best gravel roads in the country. Thanks to the organisers of the Bash. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and even had enough to eat! The hot showers were an unexpected bonus! Well done.
eepwall: 
