Ride Report for PE to Rhodes and surrounds

[Mac.]

This is our first ride report and will hopefully give some insight into our Xmas trip 2012.

We were doing a recce for a ride that my brother has planned at the end of January 2013. He’ll fly into CT and hire a bike for two weeks, using Lesotho’s Sani pass as a mid point before flying back to UK from CT.

Our trip started from PE at around 7h00 on Sun 16th Dec on our way to Rhodes via Burgersdorp (Yes – the long way round!)

1st break at a picnic spot just past Oliphant’s kop pass and a nice cuppa!

3rd stop just outside Cradock

Next stops on the “Red road”  (R391 from Hofmeyer). The water crossing at the end was a little deeper than 1st judged – Maybe I should have got Michele to walk it 1st!

Back on the R 391 to Burgersdorp after detour onto R56

Day 2 to follow………

 

[Mac.]

Day 2 – 17th Dec 2012

We over nighted at ‘The Hut’ in Burgersdorp. The next morning we left for Molteno, Dortrecht, Barkly East via Rooiberg to Rhodes. We rode on dirt as much as possible.

Rest Break

Lunch at ‘Happy Valley’.

Bridge just before Rhodes

Day 3 to follow...............

 

[Manic]

NIce!!!

 

[BMWPE]

Looks good  :thumleft:

 

[Mac.]

Day 3 – 18th Dec 2012

Spent the night at Walkerbouts before leaving for a circuit that included Carlisle’s Hoek Pass, Volunteers Pass and Joubert’s Pass.

Because we where staying at Walkerbouts again we were able to unload the panniers to lighten the load. Carlisle’s Hoek up to Tiffendell and Volunteer’s Pass down to Wartrail was interesting to say the least. This was only the second dirt road trip that I had done with a pillion and apart from 10 metres on the way up Carlisles Hoek, Michele stayed on the whole way. She was a star!

The route

Carlisle’s Hoek Pass

Area around Tiffendell

Volunteer’s Pass (Bidstone pass?) and Wartrail

Not much chance of photo’s, too busy trying to stay on the bike!
(ABS is wonderful thing until you really, really, really need to stop.)

Waterfall on Pass

https://imageshack.us/a/img831/3851/sam0053v.jpg

Wartrail exit

https://imageshack.us/a/img259/3636/sam0054kv.jpg

Wartrail exit

https://imageshack.us/a/img145/6075/sam0056e.jpg

Had to try the new fangled self portrait thingy on the camera.

https://imageshack.us/a/img96/2619/sam0057l.jpg

Joubert’s Pass – Just outside Lady Grey (Home of the legendary Ray Fincham?)

Day 4 – 19th Dec 2012

Over Naude’s Nek and out to McClear and the end of the trip.

The end.

PS – Katberg Pass is impassable for 750 Metres with fallen trees and over growing black Wattle and is effectively closed, found that out the hard way.

 

[Mac.]

Oops!  Forgot the img goedtjies again!

Help!  :-[

 

[Mac.]

Volunteer’s Pass (Bidstone pass?) and Wartrail

Not much chance of photo’s, too busy trying to stay on the bike!
(ABS is wonderful thing until you really, really, really need to stop.)

Waterfall on Pass

Wartrail exit

Wartrail exit

Had to try the new fangled self portrait thingy on the camera.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

:thumleft:!

 

[Mac.]

Video of Naude's Nek

[flash=200,200]https://www.youtube.com/editor[/flash]

 

[Mac.]

[flash=200,200]https://i2.ytimg.com/vi/AbpumsDdBIs/mqdefault.jpg[/flash]

 

[Vaalseun]

Hi Mac, what a wonderful part of the world for a ride. Thanks for sharing, and great photos by the way. Your brother is going to enjoy this as well.

 

[Mac.]

Finally - Unfortunately only the link -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbpumsDdBIs&feature=player_detailpage

 

[Mac.]

Finally, finally.........

[flash=600,400]https://www.youtube.com/v/AbpumsDdBIs[/flash]

 

[RobCrouch]

Lekker RR! :thumleft:

 

[Vis Arend]

Nice one Mac.    :thumleft:  Where in the EC are you? 

 

[Difflock]

Baie netjies. :thumleft:

 

[Mac.]

Dortrecht to Barkly East via Rooiberg

[flash=600,400]https://www.youtube.com/v/EPYxsu5rcnI[/flash]

Aerial Google Earth photo's of the areas in the video.

MapSource detail of the areas in the video with Waypoints of specific locations

Hi Vis Arend, Thanks for the feedback, I'm from Port Elizabeth.

 

[DirtyTeNeReLess]

PS – Katberg Pass is impassable for 750 Metres with fallen trees and over growing black Wattle and is effectively closed, found that out the hard way.

I went through there in the 28th? no issue or trees? then and again i am a bit confused, where does the katberg pass start and end? i got up to the katberg hotel and when things started to look like a pass my GPS said it was Devils bellows?

 

[RobCrouch]

PS – Katberg Pass is impassable for 750 Metres with fallen trees and over growing black Wattle and is effectively closed, found that out the hard way.

I went through there in the 28th? no issue or trees? then and again i am a bit confused, where does the katberg pass start and end? i got up to the katberg hotel and when things started to look like a pass my GPS said it was Devils bellows?

Ditto... parts near the top are badly rutted. Devils Bellows is on the road to SADA and branches off just after you get on top afaik.

 

[Mac.]

I may be referring to a section that is outside of the "Katberg Pass".

We rode in from the northern section on the 19th Dec and could ride no further than the "Northern blockage".

We drove through from the southern section on the 26th Dec and could drive no further than the "Southern blockage".

The 750 metres between the two points are badly overgrown and covered with fallen trees.

The images below are of the Oak tree grove adjacent to the blocked section and the sign post at the T junction prior to Devil's bellows travelling from the south.