Malibu
Bachelor Dog
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2007
- Messages
- 11,170
- Reaction score
- 64
- Bike
- NER-A-CAR
Fantastic RR! Thanks for sharing!
Solo across South Africa: Completed. All 11 days.
- Thread starter cloudgazer
- Start date
luke
Race Dog
:thumleft:
Nice one Cloud.
Next time your back goes out(and it will again)
go to the neaest doc and ask for a shot of Voltaren and Cortizone mixed.
You will be ready to ride the next day.
Next time your back goes out(and it will again)
go to the neaest doc and ask for a shot of Voltaren and Cortizone mixed.
You will be ready to ride the next day.
ZAR
Pack Dog
Nice one Cloud! :drif: :thumleft:
Ama ride ride
Grey Hound
Lekker RR :thumleft:
MrBig
Grey Hound
You had jam and butter in your panniers 
cloudgazer
Grey Hound
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2007
- Messages
- 5,135
- Reaction score
- 6
- Bike
- BMW F650GS / Dakar
MrBig said:You had jam and butter in your panniers
yup
;D
got them at a restaurant a couple of days before the ride.
somehow I just knew they'd come in handy.
tok-tokkie
Race Dog
Lekker. Thanks for the effort.
I am also interested in your father's house. Your step-mother; is she Japanese (or other Oriental)? The gable in the roof is exquisite.
I am also interested in your father's house. Your step-mother; is she Japanese (or other Oriental)? The gable in the roof is exquisite.
Very Lekker Ride Report, yes Lesotho is very special :thumleft: :thumleft:
cloudgazer
Grey Hound
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2007
- Messages
- 5,135
- Reaction score
- 6
- Bike
- BMW F650GS / Dakar
tok-tokkie said:
Nope.
She is Tzaneen born and bred.
However she is the most incredible artist - everything from oil painting and graphic design to furniture making and even sculpture.
For the house: she made the molds for door frames and windows and alcoves. Certain sliding doors are made of aluminium, and she perfected a paint technique to paint on them making them look like wood. She learnt to weld, and even made those gables herself.
Little touches like having the gutter pipes inside the columns are sheer genius. The water is fed to a reservoir.
will post more pics of the house tomorrow.
Even rocks on the path she made, cause she couldn't find ones the right size or flat enough for her tastes.
spoedvark
Grey Hound
lekker RR! well done cloudgaEr!
cloudgazer
Grey Hound
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2007
- Messages
- 5,135
- Reaction score
- 6
- Bike
- BMW F650GS / Dakar
SOME ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:
First, my Bike.
It performed faultlessly. I was worried about acid leaking from the battery the first night when I left it on it's side for a few hours. But nope. Nothing.
When I finally got the bike up it started immediately.
The thing that impressed me the most though were the panniers. Everybody has said they're kak for off-roading.
I'm not so sure. The biggest problem with them is that they weigh a ton (probably much more than the aluminium kind)
But I think the fact that they are collapsible is a good thing, it seemed to cushion the blows when the bike fell over. I would need to fix and readjust the clips inside. But the panniers themselves coped pretty well.
The mounting system however is total rubbish, and got a bit bent - which resulted in my pannier resting against my exhaust for a bit and getting a little melted.
I'd always been shit scared of dropping my bike when I had the panniers on - but now half a dozen times later, that fear has been laid to rest.
Barkbusters! An absolute must have - no broken leavers, unlike with the standard soft plastic rubbish the Dakkie comes fitted with. Surprisingly none of my indicators got damaged with all the falling.
Second, traveling solo.
I took me a little while to get out of the 'must get there as soon as possible' mindset. I found i didn't stop for pics as often as i should have. And I never really felt unsafe (even without cell phone reception), except for a time when riding on a dirt road close to a township near lydenburg, and knew I wouldn't be able to pick up my bike if I dropped it.
The rest of the time I have no doubt the locals would have been very helpful and friendly.
Third, Packing.
I think I packed too many pairs of socks... other than that i used pretty much everything I had (except my tools) - so I don't really know how to pack lighter than I did. I don't think my gear actually weighs that much, but its the combination of the heavy panniers that make it seem a lot.
First, my Bike.
It performed faultlessly. I was worried about acid leaking from the battery the first night when I left it on it's side for a few hours. But nope. Nothing.
When I finally got the bike up it started immediately.
The thing that impressed me the most though were the panniers. Everybody has said they're kak for off-roading.
I'm not so sure. The biggest problem with them is that they weigh a ton (probably much more than the aluminium kind)
But I think the fact that they are collapsible is a good thing, it seemed to cushion the blows when the bike fell over. I would need to fix and readjust the clips inside. But the panniers themselves coped pretty well.
The mounting system however is total rubbish, and got a bit bent - which resulted in my pannier resting against my exhaust for a bit and getting a little melted.
I'd always been shit scared of dropping my bike when I had the panniers on - but now half a dozen times later, that fear has been laid to rest.
Barkbusters! An absolute must have - no broken leavers, unlike with the standard soft plastic rubbish the Dakkie comes fitted with. Surprisingly none of my indicators got damaged with all the falling.
Second, traveling solo.
I took me a little while to get out of the 'must get there as soon as possible' mindset. I found i didn't stop for pics as often as i should have. And I never really felt unsafe (even without cell phone reception), except for a time when riding on a dirt road close to a township near lydenburg, and knew I wouldn't be able to pick up my bike if I dropped it.
The rest of the time I have no doubt the locals would have been very helpful and friendly.
Third, Packing.
I think I packed too many pairs of socks... other than that i used pretty much everything I had (except my tools) - so I don't really know how to pack lighter than I did. I don't think my gear actually weighs that much, but its the combination of the heavy panniers that make it seem a lot.
LuckyStriker
Bachelor Dog
Awesome trip. Thanks for the great pics and fantastic story
Envious envy enviouso
Envious envy enviouso
oubaasbaard
Pack Dog
I know Greg and Mark they do a lot of work for our company (MDM Architects), nice people! Great RR! :thumleft:
fat b
Race Dog
very nice RR ! Thanx for sharing !
Andre.Bike
Race Dog
Nice RR and fodies. Hope to do the same someday.
G
GreenMamba1974
Guest
thanks for sharing, a great read :thumleft:
Buzzlightyear
Grey Hound
Nice report, thanks Cloudgazer!
The guy on the right looks like eikeboom
The guy on the right looks like eikeboom
