Mungo Park 2
Puppy
When the going gets itchy and b*tchy at work, it's time to pack up and head out - even if it's only for an overnight experience far, far away from your desk, your diary and your dog (not that I have a dog, but if I did...I would have left it behind too...) The keyword: SOLO.
The past few weeks of relentless Cape Town downpours did not only darkened the skies, but also clouded my judgment when i started looking at weather forecasts, trying to find ONE place within reach where there were two little suns showing for two consecutive days.
And there it was. Sutherland - a place where the sun was going to shine for the next two days. Well, that was what the forecast predicted. In the rush of leaving the city and all it's smog behind, I didn't bother to look at day- and nighttime temperatures. Until a friend smilingly warned me about the previous night's temperature shown on TV...a blissful -6 degrees! Thank goodness some memory got stirred about the benefits of wearing silk stockings under your pants to help keep you warm. So I grabbed a pair in desperation to compensate for the fact that I haven't yet invested in the kind of gear necessary to fight off the cold. And trust me, guys and girls, it worked like a charm!
So i grabbed my ancient GPS â?? the manual fold-and-find-it type â?? and some clean bits of clothing, a good book or two whilst feeling the world lifting off my shoulders.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
On seeing the snow-covered peaks near Paarl, the excitement melted the frosty fingers away. How beautiful it was to be greeted by this sight.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
By Mungo_Park2 at 2008-10-06
I know for some people a bike adventure depends on how rough the road (or non-road for that matter) is, the challenges faced in 'making it to the other side', the battle scars and the beers. while i don't dispute the major contribution beer can be as far as any journey is concerned as i'm also particularly fond of the frothy liquid, you can have an adventure any place any time - as long as it's special and different, whether you're travelling from Cape to Cairo or Bellville to Brooklyn. When you reach for the foot pegs, your adventure starts.
The Hex River Valley is the one place that always leaves me in awe - kind of like an immediate battery recharge nestled between the mountains.
The snow was glistening, the sun was shining, my hands were freezing - I was happy.
By Mungo_Park2 at 2008-10-06
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
I decided to stick to the main road, partly because I was riding solo and wanted to take as little as possible with me.
Matjiesfontein was a must. And what a blissful sight greeted me: the Blue Train, the last of the G4 challengers and a warming sherry in the pub. From what i was told, it seems as if these 4x4's arrived with zero on the clock and left with 280km on the clock. Not a great cage fan, but wouldn't have minded calling one of these my own.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
The road to Sutherland from here offers it's own challenges. Somehow road signage warning of hazards to come, are sparse. But do take it easy as some of these turns in the road can really give you an unpleasant wake-up call. If you're not too much of an adrenalin junkie it's a good idea to stick to 80km/h if so recommended.
Jet trails filled the sky and it was fascinating to see how 'congested' our airways really are.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
Beauty in the eye of the BMW key holder...
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
There was quite a lot of extensive road works when I passed the very famous Verlatenkloof Pass winding 1000 metres up ... from Matjiesfontein and that resulted in the good old "stop/go" delay.
What astounded me, was the carpeting of flowers. The Karoo was showing off in great style.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
By mungo_park2, shot with EOS Kiss_N REBEL_XT 350D PTP at 2008-10-06
Sutherland - with a main road wide enough to accommodate the Milky Way and more - made me feel strangely at ease. The kind of knowing that you're welcome, your bike will still have both wheels and mirrors tomorrow morning and the locals really like visitors.
I booked in at The Cottage, a quaint stone building that was painted white many moons and galaxies ago. With blue doors that reminds you of a Greek island.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
The owner, Rudy. is a unique character. I got the feeling he'd much rather shake hands with my 'bike than with me. Well, he interacted more with the bike - going around and around it, filling my head with technical terms i still want to google. then he showed me his pride and joy and i understood - this man is a bike fanatic, well a fanatic fanatic.
covered under duvets and sheets and a bike cover the gleaming yellow suzuki R1 000 (or something more beastly than that) boasted some serious style, accessories and shine. the secret of the shine? nothing less than Mr Min (no water required!). I tried it at home and believe me - the results were impressive. By the way, he has a bike shop the size of a dresser with useful basics - tyres, tubes, tyre kits, etc.
Sunset at Sutherland is a mega-shot a minute.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
And what is a town without a windmill?
By Mungo_Park2 at 2008-10-06
He recommended supper at Pearlman House Restaurant, owned by two former Capetonians, Steven and Annie. And that the kitchen opens at 6, so i must make sure i don't get there too late. I was amused.
Steven and Annie provided for a most delightful evening. And I was the only guest. The food was really, really good - lamb chops, of course!
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
Steven knows of some off-road routes that will make many a serious off-roader drool. Check with him next time you get there. They kept me entertained with many delightful stories. . . to revisit when i go back.
I'd love to have been the author of this piece of wisdom!
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
The -6 degrees were diluted by a snug electric blanket (thanks eskom for no loadshedding during this time!).
Spent some bucks in town (bought very yummy droëwors from the butcher - just make sure you ask for VERY dry, otherwise you might as well have slaughtered the sheep/cow yourself that morning). This is no place for vegetarians, be warned!
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
The magnificent and bustling main road.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
and some more air traffic...
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
Remnants of great times.
By Mungo_Park2 at 2008-10-06
I did the compulsory drive out to SALT (made it to the gate...). And then it was time to make a decision - long road back or stick to what i know.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
I noticed a severe change in the weather. Dear Mr Derek van Dam - you lied. so did the weatherpage on news24. dark clouds started moving in, sending messages of great rains to come. and i knew it would have been a good idea to start my return journey.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
the wind was incredibly strong and i had quite a battle staying on my side of the road and not to visit the sheep next to the road. I actually had to stay on my bike while shooting for fear of it being blown over! Isn't it a funny thing - in the karoo the wind always get you from the side, no matter which direction you go?
At Touwsriver I knew I did the right thing. buckets and more poured down, combined with heavy wind. I grudgingly put on rain gear. Was I glad. As a daily bike commuter I've brazened and braved Cape Town's weather for the past five years. It's one thing to drive in stormy conditions for an hour, but this was not fun. I had to battle wind, rain, trucks and limited vision from Touwsrivier to Paarl. I will not deny a prayer or two in between changing gears and battling forward at max 80km/h.
View back to Touwsrivier direction. The first sun I saw after 150 km and the last sun I saw until a few days later.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
It was wonderful to see Cape Town again. But Sutherland is calling. Again. Next time - for a longer time and on the back roads. (so I guess I have to practice the itchy b*tchy bit better to get longer leave...) All of 360km each way with fuel consumption averaging 27 km/l I'm ready for the next fuel hike too.
To reflect on my short, albeit very rewarding trip - allow me my simple summary:
I sat,
I sighed,
I travelled,
I smiled...
catch you on the roads, WD's
The past few weeks of relentless Cape Town downpours did not only darkened the skies, but also clouded my judgment when i started looking at weather forecasts, trying to find ONE place within reach where there were two little suns showing for two consecutive days.
And there it was. Sutherland - a place where the sun was going to shine for the next two days. Well, that was what the forecast predicted. In the rush of leaving the city and all it's smog behind, I didn't bother to look at day- and nighttime temperatures. Until a friend smilingly warned me about the previous night's temperature shown on TV...a blissful -6 degrees! Thank goodness some memory got stirred about the benefits of wearing silk stockings under your pants to help keep you warm. So I grabbed a pair in desperation to compensate for the fact that I haven't yet invested in the kind of gear necessary to fight off the cold. And trust me, guys and girls, it worked like a charm!
So i grabbed my ancient GPS â?? the manual fold-and-find-it type â?? and some clean bits of clothing, a good book or two whilst feeling the world lifting off my shoulders.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
On seeing the snow-covered peaks near Paarl, the excitement melted the frosty fingers away. How beautiful it was to be greeted by this sight.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
By Mungo_Park2 at 2008-10-06
I know for some people a bike adventure depends on how rough the road (or non-road for that matter) is, the challenges faced in 'making it to the other side', the battle scars and the beers. while i don't dispute the major contribution beer can be as far as any journey is concerned as i'm also particularly fond of the frothy liquid, you can have an adventure any place any time - as long as it's special and different, whether you're travelling from Cape to Cairo or Bellville to Brooklyn. When you reach for the foot pegs, your adventure starts.
The Hex River Valley is the one place that always leaves me in awe - kind of like an immediate battery recharge nestled between the mountains.
The snow was glistening, the sun was shining, my hands were freezing - I was happy.
By Mungo_Park2 at 2008-10-06
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
I decided to stick to the main road, partly because I was riding solo and wanted to take as little as possible with me.
Matjiesfontein was a must. And what a blissful sight greeted me: the Blue Train, the last of the G4 challengers and a warming sherry in the pub. From what i was told, it seems as if these 4x4's arrived with zero on the clock and left with 280km on the clock. Not a great cage fan, but wouldn't have minded calling one of these my own.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
The road to Sutherland from here offers it's own challenges. Somehow road signage warning of hazards to come, are sparse. But do take it easy as some of these turns in the road can really give you an unpleasant wake-up call. If you're not too much of an adrenalin junkie it's a good idea to stick to 80km/h if so recommended.
Jet trails filled the sky and it was fascinating to see how 'congested' our airways really are.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
Beauty in the eye of the BMW key holder...
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
There was quite a lot of extensive road works when I passed the very famous Verlatenkloof Pass winding 1000 metres up ... from Matjiesfontein and that resulted in the good old "stop/go" delay.
What astounded me, was the carpeting of flowers. The Karoo was showing off in great style.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
By mungo_park2, shot with EOS Kiss_N REBEL_XT 350D PTP at 2008-10-06
Sutherland - with a main road wide enough to accommodate the Milky Way and more - made me feel strangely at ease. The kind of knowing that you're welcome, your bike will still have both wheels and mirrors tomorrow morning and the locals really like visitors.
I booked in at The Cottage, a quaint stone building that was painted white many moons and galaxies ago. With blue doors that reminds you of a Greek island.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
The owner, Rudy. is a unique character. I got the feeling he'd much rather shake hands with my 'bike than with me. Well, he interacted more with the bike - going around and around it, filling my head with technical terms i still want to google. then he showed me his pride and joy and i understood - this man is a bike fanatic, well a fanatic fanatic.
covered under duvets and sheets and a bike cover the gleaming yellow suzuki R1 000 (or something more beastly than that) boasted some serious style, accessories and shine. the secret of the shine? nothing less than Mr Min (no water required!). I tried it at home and believe me - the results were impressive. By the way, he has a bike shop the size of a dresser with useful basics - tyres, tubes, tyre kits, etc.
Sunset at Sutherland is a mega-shot a minute.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
And what is a town without a windmill?
By Mungo_Park2 at 2008-10-06
He recommended supper at Pearlman House Restaurant, owned by two former Capetonians, Steven and Annie. And that the kitchen opens at 6, so i must make sure i don't get there too late. I was amused.
Steven and Annie provided for a most delightful evening. And I was the only guest. The food was really, really good - lamb chops, of course!
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
Steven knows of some off-road routes that will make many a serious off-roader drool. Check with him next time you get there. They kept me entertained with many delightful stories. . . to revisit when i go back.
I'd love to have been the author of this piece of wisdom!
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
The -6 degrees were diluted by a snug electric blanket (thanks eskom for no loadshedding during this time!).
Spent some bucks in town (bought very yummy droëwors from the butcher - just make sure you ask for VERY dry, otherwise you might as well have slaughtered the sheep/cow yourself that morning). This is no place for vegetarians, be warned!
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
The magnificent and bustling main road.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
and some more air traffic...
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
Remnants of great times.
By Mungo_Park2 at 2008-10-06
I did the compulsory drive out to SALT (made it to the gate...). And then it was time to make a decision - long road back or stick to what i know.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
I noticed a severe change in the weather. Dear Mr Derek van Dam - you lied. so did the weatherpage on news24. dark clouds started moving in, sending messages of great rains to come. and i knew it would have been a good idea to start my return journey.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
the wind was incredibly strong and i had quite a battle staying on my side of the road and not to visit the sheep next to the road. I actually had to stay on my bike while shooting for fear of it being blown over! Isn't it a funny thing - in the karoo the wind always get you from the side, no matter which direction you go?
At Touwsriver I knew I did the right thing. buckets and more poured down, combined with heavy wind. I grudgingly put on rain gear. Was I glad. As a daily bike commuter I've brazened and braved Cape Town's weather for the past five years. It's one thing to drive in stormy conditions for an hour, but this was not fun. I had to battle wind, rain, trucks and limited vision from Touwsrivier to Paarl. I will not deny a prayer or two in between changing gears and battling forward at max 80km/h.
View back to Touwsrivier direction. The first sun I saw after 150 km and the last sun I saw until a few days later.
By mungo_park2 at 2008-10-06
It was wonderful to see Cape Town again. But Sutherland is calling. Again. Next time - for a longer time and on the back roads. (so I guess I have to practice the itchy b*tchy bit better to get longer leave...) All of 360km each way with fuel consumption averaging 27 km/l I'm ready for the next fuel hike too.
To reflect on my short, albeit very rewarding trip - allow me my simple summary:
I sat,
I sighed,
I travelled,
I smiled...
catch you on the roads, WD's
