Rietfontein Cave Recce Ride

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Trailrider

Bachelor Dog
Joined
Dec 10, 2006
Messages
11,238
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Location
George
Bike
Honda TransAlp XL700V
My friend WaveRider knows about a cave in the Klein Karoo that's perfect for a quick getaway. He's taken some riders there before but I missed it, being on our Burchell Ride at the time.

He wants to do a second sleepover at the cave inviting more riders (I'll be helping with the organizing) so we decided to do a recce ride to the cave so that I can see what the venue is like (and what a venue it is!
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). Joining WaveRider and I on today's trip would be Cassie and his friend Dirk on a KLX and NXR respectively.

The route we planned to follow would be approximately 280km without fuel so the ride started at the petrol station near Montagu Pass.

Asterix was also going with (riding pillion with me) taking the photographs.

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(Photo by Cassie)

We chose an awesome day for this outride. Some pics on Montgu Pass:

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Looking back towards George:

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Some more pics of the ride - Cassie and Dirk, just outside Paardepoort:

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Heimersrivier:

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Just past the Zebra turn-off:

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Klein Karoo scenery:

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Quick rest stop:

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View along the Paardebond road:

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(Photo by Cassie)

Finally we reached the farm and the smaller rougher roads to the cave. Not often that one gets the chance to ride on private land.
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The cave in the distance:

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Zoomed in a bit:

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The trails leading to the cave has some interesting sections to say the least.
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As per usual you can't see the real incline on photo or video, but we took pictures non the less. A short steep descent:

WaveRider:

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Cassie:

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Dirk:

[flash=640,480]https://media.z2.zoopy.com/video-onsite.swf?id=221910[/flash]

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And then the ride up the mountain started. Steep inclines, very little traction.

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I was warned by several people beforehand that there's one particular section where the big bikes would have to be parked and we'd have to walk up the last bit. It's simply to steep and slippery to ride up.

This is a picture of that section from a previous ride:

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Cassie and Dirk:

[flash=640,480]https://media.z2.zoopy.com/video-onsite.swf?id=221493[/flash]

The TransAlp:

[flash=640,480]https://media.z2.zoopy.com/video-onsite.swf?id=221491[/flash]

On top of the world. Honda gives you wings!
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The bike is standing on the cave's roof in the picture above.

And the cave itself - this thing is HUGE! Perfect spot for a mini bash.

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Lot's of Bushmen paintings around:

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The view from the cave:

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After a cold one we hit the road back as it was getting late. The road down:

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And riding home chasing our shadows.

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A nice day's riding, perfect weather, great venue!

We're planning a gathering at the cave at the end of August. Numbers will be limited to around 20 people (maybe 30 at the most) so keep your eyes peeled for the details of that ride to be posted early August.

See you there!
 
Bliksem............hierdie CassieBotha ou ry darem lekker  :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:


[flash=640,480]https://media.z2.zoopy.com/video-onsite.swf?id=221493[/flash]
 
Love that cave TR...is it a roughing trip or will there be wood & ice :)
 
Pistonpete said:
Love that cave TR...is it a roughing trip or will there be wood & ice :)

There will always be wood & ice! ;D
 
Nice photos TR did you get the video of me going through the kloof.
Will contact David over the weekend and arrange fire wood, he also needs
to set up the water tanks for that weekend.
 
wave rider said:
Nice photos TR did you get the video of me going through the kloof.
Will contact David over the weekend and arrange fire wood, he also needs
to set up the water tanks for that weekend.
So there's toilets & showers by that hut then?
 
Beautiful photos, and I really like the short to-the-point videos.  They give you a good idea of conditions without blatting your month's cap.
 
This is the kind of s*$t that makes us Guatengelengs jealous, and I see Cassie even dressed up for the occasion with long pants?!  :imaposer:
 
What was the most tricky , going up that hill , or coming back down ??
PS... nice RR !
 
wave rider said:
Nice photos TR did you get the video of me going through the kloof.
Will contact David over the weekend and arrange fire wood, he also needs
to set up the water tanks for that weekend.

Sheez WR I clean forgot about the helmet cam footage! here you go:

[flash=640,480]https://media.z2.zoopy.com/video-onsite.swf?id=222366[/flash]

Once again it seems tame on video. :biggrin:
 
fat b said:
What was the most tricky , going up that hill , or coming back down ??
PS... nice RR !

Definitely going up, because it was still an "unknown" then.

I didn't even think about the coming down till now that you mentioned it.
 
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