NEON DEON
Race Dog
As my ride plan post said it was 40 days since our last ride we had to make a plan to get some seat time in ! Saturday two weeks ago having lunch at one of our favorite restaurants we chatted about going for a ride , two destinations came up
Clarence or Sabie , ride to Clarence is just boring , so the first half to Sabie but them there is some nice twistiest and mountain passes to be had, So the decision was made , Sabie. kept tabs on the weather and it looked like rain , but so did the local forecast look like rain that did not come , so Saturday morning we packed the top-box with a change of clothing , donned our riding kit and was off . nice early morning ride , chill in the air but no need foe a winter inner as yet .
We decided to stick to the N4 and make out breakfast stop a Starstop Millies . Pulled in just after 8am ,couple of people in the restaurant , ordered 2 hot-chocolates , was nice , ordered breakfast , disappointing , Luke warm and unappetizing, paid and filled my tank to the brim , feul distance 470ks , and set off again , ( ps roadworks on the N4 , its being widened from the Belfast turnoff to Machado dorp) paid the huge toll and then on to boven , the rain has made everything nice and green , We blast along and my partner is enjoying the ride, ( has a big fear of corners and speed) she not panicking, good sign !
We turn off at Ngodwana and drive up to Kaapsehoop , In the village we stop for a drink , nice to see the place is crawling with activity , last time we visited the place was dead . could not have a drink as everything was closed . this time we were in luck .
After the refreshments we took the road down the mountain to Nelspruit , In the distance we could see dark clouds forming in the Direction of Sabie , but we were close to Nelspruit hot and humid . Road took us to White river , lots of new development , but then I have to admit I have not been in the area for years . We pass town center heading out to Casterbridge and as we reach the new traffic circle it starts raining , in 5 min we a wet , we park the bike and head into the shopping center , its bucketing down , place is empty , normally lots of visiters but its mid January and the schools has just opened a couple of days ago , so it explains . My partner buys a nice necklace and pendant , silver at a bargan price , I get some paper towel to dry my visor , the rain stops a quick as it started and we get on the bike , head out on a dry road to Hazyview , nice ride and we enjoy the corners , In Hazyview we stop at Perrys bridge and have a milkshake , Back on the bike towards Sabie 42 ks to go , and we have the notorious 22 to contend with , My partner says take it easy as she does not like the road ( had our big get off on this road 10 years ago ) I ride easy , 10 ks in and the rain comes down , as we ge to the start of the 22 it buckets down , we get wet , I have a clown in a cage behind me , wanting to race but I wont take the bait , adventure tires in the rain on a road used by logging trucks is a sure resape for disaster , in the straits I power away , but as I slow down for the corners he catches up again, in some places the the rain has caused rivers to flow across the road , keep the pace steady and we cross them with no aquaplaning . we pull into the woodsman , damp but smiling , my partners says she enjoyed the ride .
take the wet jacket off and go book in . Order a drought , sorry sir its not working , get a coke , We take the top box to the room , hang our wet clothes to dry, dress in the dry jeans and T shirt , Go for a late lunch at the Sabie brewery , quality again poor . Back at our room we relax , Later decide to go for dinner around 8pm , I am not hungry just ordered a desert , and my partner some soup . order arrives and its crap . tasteless . And its raining ,
back in our room we have a shower and the hot water is Luke warm , beds fortunaly is comfortable and we have a good sleep . Wake up to heavy rain , raining all nite and we have to ride home , We shower and go down for breakfast , needles to say again its crap ( was our last stay at the WOODSMAN ) NEVER AGAIN !
After breakfast I deceded to take a walk down to PEP stores to go buy a cheapy rain-suit, hoping it will keep us somewhat dry , PeP was still closed but the Ghandi shop was open and he had rainsuits , XXXXL , :imaposer: , I buy two sets as they have to go over the Armour in the jackets , fits my partner but I can only just get the pants on , jacket to small , China size .
We head out over LONGTOM pass , rain and lots of mist , but we make it into Lydenburg and its dry , but not for long , on the road to Dullstroom it start to rain again , we push on , I stop for fuel , full tank and in the rain we head home , it rains all the way to Witbank and the we get the odd drops .
3 hours after leaving Sabie we are home , yes I di push the pace a bit , bike ran awesome and even at 170 indicated on the clock the trip computer still gave a average consumption of 19.3 Ks per liter . good going .
The woodsman has been a bikers home from home for years , met the owners some 25 years ago , they have built a nice business , but I think the downturn in the economy is taking its toll on them as well , Many friends have the same feeling about the place , rooms are good , but the food is horrible and they wont go back , I have for now had my last weekend there , will be looking for new accommodation even if this means I have to book a the FLOREAT HOTEL I will at least know its a Protea resort and should be nice , better option.
Sabie as a destination is always great , have awesome roads to ride , great scenery , but the down turn in the economy is taking its toll big time , that is evident everywhere . Lets hope that it does not turn into a ghost town and we cant go ride the awesome ET roads anymore because the money is no longer available to maintain the place .
Clarence or Sabie , ride to Clarence is just boring , so the first half to Sabie but them there is some nice twistiest and mountain passes to be had, So the decision was made , Sabie. kept tabs on the weather and it looked like rain , but so did the local forecast look like rain that did not come , so Saturday morning we packed the top-box with a change of clothing , donned our riding kit and was off . nice early morning ride , chill in the air but no need foe a winter inner as yet .
We decided to stick to the N4 and make out breakfast stop a Starstop Millies . Pulled in just after 8am ,couple of people in the restaurant , ordered 2 hot-chocolates , was nice , ordered breakfast , disappointing , Luke warm and unappetizing, paid and filled my tank to the brim , feul distance 470ks , and set off again , ( ps roadworks on the N4 , its being widened from the Belfast turnoff to Machado dorp) paid the huge toll and then on to boven , the rain has made everything nice and green , We blast along and my partner is enjoying the ride, ( has a big fear of corners and speed) she not panicking, good sign !
We turn off at Ngodwana and drive up to Kaapsehoop , In the village we stop for a drink , nice to see the place is crawling with activity , last time we visited the place was dead . could not have a drink as everything was closed . this time we were in luck .
After the refreshments we took the road down the mountain to Nelspruit , In the distance we could see dark clouds forming in the Direction of Sabie , but we were close to Nelspruit hot and humid . Road took us to White river , lots of new development , but then I have to admit I have not been in the area for years . We pass town center heading out to Casterbridge and as we reach the new traffic circle it starts raining , in 5 min we a wet , we park the bike and head into the shopping center , its bucketing down , place is empty , normally lots of visiters but its mid January and the schools has just opened a couple of days ago , so it explains . My partner buys a nice necklace and pendant , silver at a bargan price , I get some paper towel to dry my visor , the rain stops a quick as it started and we get on the bike , head out on a dry road to Hazyview , nice ride and we enjoy the corners , In Hazyview we stop at Perrys bridge and have a milkshake , Back on the bike towards Sabie 42 ks to go , and we have the notorious 22 to contend with , My partner says take it easy as she does not like the road ( had our big get off on this road 10 years ago ) I ride easy , 10 ks in and the rain comes down , as we ge to the start of the 22 it buckets down , we get wet , I have a clown in a cage behind me , wanting to race but I wont take the bait , adventure tires in the rain on a road used by logging trucks is a sure resape for disaster , in the straits I power away , but as I slow down for the corners he catches up again, in some places the the rain has caused rivers to flow across the road , keep the pace steady and we cross them with no aquaplaning . we pull into the woodsman , damp but smiling , my partners says she enjoyed the ride .
take the wet jacket off and go book in . Order a drought , sorry sir its not working , get a coke , We take the top box to the room , hang our wet clothes to dry, dress in the dry jeans and T shirt , Go for a late lunch at the Sabie brewery , quality again poor . Back at our room we relax , Later decide to go for dinner around 8pm , I am not hungry just ordered a desert , and my partner some soup . order arrives and its crap . tasteless . And its raining ,
back in our room we have a shower and the hot water is Luke warm , beds fortunaly is comfortable and we have a good sleep . Wake up to heavy rain , raining all nite and we have to ride home , We shower and go down for breakfast , needles to say again its crap ( was our last stay at the WOODSMAN ) NEVER AGAIN !
After breakfast I deceded to take a walk down to PEP stores to go buy a cheapy rain-suit, hoping it will keep us somewhat dry , PeP was still closed but the Ghandi shop was open and he had rainsuits , XXXXL , :imaposer: , I buy two sets as they have to go over the Armour in the jackets , fits my partner but I can only just get the pants on , jacket to small , China size .
We head out over LONGTOM pass , rain and lots of mist , but we make it into Lydenburg and its dry , but not for long , on the road to Dullstroom it start to rain again , we push on , I stop for fuel , full tank and in the rain we head home , it rains all the way to Witbank and the we get the odd drops .
3 hours after leaving Sabie we are home , yes I di push the pace a bit , bike ran awesome and even at 170 indicated on the clock the trip computer still gave a average consumption of 19.3 Ks per liter . good going .
The woodsman has been a bikers home from home for years , met the owners some 25 years ago , they have built a nice business , but I think the downturn in the economy is taking its toll on them as well , Many friends have the same feeling about the place , rooms are good , but the food is horrible and they wont go back , I have for now had my last weekend there , will be looking for new accommodation even if this means I have to book a the FLOREAT HOTEL I will at least know its a Protea resort and should be nice , better option.
Sabie as a destination is always great , have awesome roads to ride , great scenery , but the down turn in the economy is taking its toll big time , that is evident everywhere . Lets hope that it does not turn into a ghost town and we cant go ride the awesome ET roads anymore because the money is no longer available to maintain the place .
