Berty77
Race Dog
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2010
- Messages
- 2,849
- Reaction score
- 148
- Location
- Kuilsrivier
- Bike
- Honda CRF-1000L Africa Twin
:ricky:
Swazi Weekend Boner
- Thread starter Xpat
- Start date
Osadabwa
Race Dog
"Again, not yet fully attuned to the group etiquette, I wanted to go help. But Lee quickly set me right explaining that in these parts physical help is really beneath us and instead we offer sarcasm and ridicule as the way of encouragement."
Yes, that's the proper procedure alright!
I was sitting here getting ready to smugly suggest that you bozos should pick up XR650Rs... those Huskies are so softy-softy... but then that little path came along and I imagined myself trying to kickstart the ******* on a side-hill with the wheels skidding backwards toward a 4 meter drop!
Looks properly entertaining.
Subscribed.
:snorting:
Yes, that's the proper procedure alright!
I was sitting here getting ready to smugly suggest that you bozos should pick up XR650Rs... those Huskies are so softy-softy... but then that little path came along and I imagined myself trying to kickstart the ******* on a side-hill with the wheels skidding backwards toward a 4 meter drop!
Looks properly entertaining.
Subscribed.
:snorting:
Kykdaar
Grey Hound
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2007
- Messages
- 7,610
- Reaction score
- 3
- Location
- Wingate Park - Pretoria
- Bike
- Zundapp (all models)
You okes are nuts - but in an entertaining way :biggrin:
ButtSlider
Race Dog
Very lekker pics . . . .oh, and i agree. . . . . you guys are entertainingly nutty.
Martin (Xpat)
I have to commend you on your writing style, and your sense of humor! :biggrin:
Riding there is awesome, but a ride report with pics ensures memories for the "old ballies"!
Regarding helping each other...a minute or so before my "auto rotation", at the exact same spot where Bertie acquired some more property, I had just helped Lee in picking his bike up, and holding it upright in order for him to traverse the difficult slope! He therefore had no choice than to repay the favour! ;D
So we do assist each other, especially the Husky Clan! (Of which 3 of the 4 are "orange" owners too!. 990R, 950SE, 690R)
I have to commend you on your writing style, and your sense of humor! :biggrin:
Riding there is awesome, but a ride report with pics ensures memories for the "old ballies"!
Regarding helping each other...a minute or so before my "auto rotation", at the exact same spot where Bertie acquired some more property, I had just helped Lee in picking his bike up, and holding it upright in order for him to traverse the difficult slope! He therefore had no choice than to repay the favour! ;D
So we do assist each other, especially the Husky Clan! (Of which 3 of the 4 are "orange" owners too!
. 990R, 950SE, 690R)
This and the two previous 'hardcore rides' were absolutely awesome and its not just the riding. Good company and a lot of laughs. The only down side is sharing a room with Straatkat...........f%#k he can snore. ot:
Most of the time the 'offs' were due to short leg syndrome so nothing really hectic except with Chopper doing the Houdini trick down the gully.
Once it was established that Chopper was OK, a good laugh and a rag or two was due. Interestingly enough the far side of that gully turned out to be a well groomed plantation of mountain cabbage.
Mark really out did himself again and I will certainly be back.
ot:Most of the time the 'offs' were due to short leg syndrome so nothing really hectic except with Chopper doing the Houdini trick down the gully.
Once it was established that Chopper was OK, a good laugh and a rag or two was due. Interestingly enough the far side of that gully turned out to be a well groomed plantation of mountain cabbage.
Mark really out did himself again and I will certainly be back.
Day 2 - part 2
After the photoshoot we followed the high ground gradually descending into the next valley taking in the vistas on both sides. All was good and we were making steady progress. There was no more drama and gymnastics (though I’m sure each of us claimed some land for WD here and there) and - unlike the day before - we didn’t encounter any technical issues (even my subframe was still in place - forgot to mention that my subframe bolt snapped on day 1 and the subframe was now fastened to the frame by a cable tie).
Down in the valley we hit the footpaths again intersped with occasional river bed.
Not sure what happened here, but clearly we prevailed:
Eventually Mark decided that things were going too well and it was time for another test and turned onto the steepest and most eroded path up the hill on the other side of valley. Initially we made a good progress with only few little mishaps here and there.
That is until Mark stopped, gathered us around and explained that the next bit is a bit iffy and will require unfading commitment and momentum. We could see the initial part of the path which was pretty steep, but couldn’t see the worst upper part hidden behind little curve and trees, so we remained pretty relaxed.
Mark headed up first and made it up without a glitch. He positioned himself strategically to document expected carnage and then shouted (we couldn’t see him from below because of the trees) for the next one to come up. Lee jumped off with his usual flamboyance and made it up also no problem.
Tony then lined up and gunned it up. He made it about halfway through where he hit a step in the middle of the track and went down. The correct - but the riskiest as closest to the off camber slope to the left - line was to stick to the left outside of the path as it missed the step. None of us could see the step from below so Tony naturally stuck to the middle of the path.
The path was steep and it took Tony a while to turn the bike down and ride back to the start. Henk and Bertie seeing Tony’s failed attempt decided to give it a miss and instead followed much more eroded but less steep pathway to the right:
Tony on the right, Henk smarting up on the left:
Being the youngest of the Husky section (actually probably youngest of the whole group - with possible exception of Lee), I felt a pressure to defend Italian pride. So I took a deep breath, and gunned it up the main path on exactly the same line as Tony, and hit and face planted at exactly the same spot as him. So much for the Husky pride:
Tony seeing my failure decided to follow Bertie and Henk on the alternative path, and so did I once I disentangled myself from the step and got back down. The alternative patch was less steep and didn't require as much committment, but much more gnarly:
There were still some tricky bits beyond that section, but none of them so steep or tricky, and we all made it to the high ground unscathed.
Once up on the high ground we took a break, munching on whatever we brought with (mostly bully beef):
After the break we continued down to the next valley
Until we came upon another cute washout uphill section. At this one Mark even resorted to asking us if we think we can make it. We wouldn’t know of course unless we try so we all lined up at the bottom and Lee set-off first, cleverly managing to get off the washout section and onto the grassy slope to the right and making it up without glitch. Tony didn’t feel too good about the washed out section so did his usual trick and tried to scout out alternative route to the left. He got stuck half way up and had to come back down and follow everybody else.
Tony on the left looking for alternative, while Mark at the bottom lines up to attack the ditch:
Mark stuck few meters from the inviting grass:
Henk and Mark then followed Lee’s line, but this time Mark’s road tyres (OK one of those you call 50/50) caught up with him and he got stuck in the erosion ditch just few meters from the grass. Henk and Lee (who came back down) helped him to get unstuck.
Henk coming to help Mark
Followed by Bertie:
Afterwards the rest of us one by one made it up. I missed the best point to get on grass so was the only one who made it all the way up the erosion ditch - not without a face plant though and only thanks to the new C02 on the back:
This was the last dramatic bit for the day, but we still continued for many km on beautiful foot paths, dry river beds and even riding at the bottom of almost dry dam, with zebras and bok running away in every direction.
At one point Mark true to his form decided to do a river crossing - next to perfectly good bridge of course (that is where the pictures are taken from). We all made it without glitch, except for Bertie who managed to find tne only boulder and its attendant ditch in the river and got stuck. We had to go back and help to push him out, by which stage whole village gathered on the bridge to watch the show. I can just imagine what they were thinking seing 6 mzungu 50 somthing (or thereabout) pillars of society riding through mud next to perfectly good tar bridge:
Tony and I after pushing Bertie out of the ditch:
Somewhere on the way to the lodge:
Last 20 - 30 km we did on a dirt road crossing animal reserves. Mark warned us about possible animal encounter so we kept our distance between each other to stay out of the dust and kept our speed reasonable. I have seen kudu gun it in front of Henk, but not too close and as far as I know there was no more drama.
Eventually we arrived in the late afternoon at the Mhlume Country Club, where we were booked for the night. It is a nice relaxed golf estate associated with the nearby sugar cane plantations (I think).
Once settled in, we headed to the restaurant for dinner and alcohol. For dinner we were seated on a verandah on the upper floor next to a group of about 20 - 30 young ladies (local and international) with some kind of American preacher making speeches throughout their dinner. They seemed little alarmed by our close proximity, but as far as I know we didn’t end up doing any damage apart from a little comedic commentary spicing up the fatso’s speech here and there. Clearly, we were too tired.
After the photoshoot we followed the high ground gradually descending into the next valley taking in the vistas on both sides. All was good and we were making steady progress. There was no more drama and gymnastics (though I’m sure each of us claimed some land for WD here and there) and - unlike the day before - we didn’t encounter any technical issues (even my subframe was still in place - forgot to mention that my subframe bolt snapped on day 1 and the subframe was now fastened to the frame by a cable tie).
Down in the valley we hit the footpaths again intersped with occasional river bed.
Not sure what happened here, but clearly we prevailed:
Eventually Mark decided that things were going too well and it was time for another test and turned onto the steepest and most eroded path up the hill on the other side of valley. Initially we made a good progress with only few little mishaps here and there.
That is until Mark stopped, gathered us around and explained that the next bit is a bit iffy and will require unfading commitment and momentum. We could see the initial part of the path which was pretty steep, but couldn’t see the worst upper part hidden behind little curve and trees, so we remained pretty relaxed.
Mark headed up first and made it up without a glitch. He positioned himself strategically to document expected carnage and then shouted (we couldn’t see him from below because of the trees) for the next one to come up. Lee jumped off with his usual flamboyance and made it up also no problem.
Tony then lined up and gunned it up. He made it about halfway through where he hit a step in the middle of the track and went down. The correct - but the riskiest as closest to the off camber slope to the left - line was to stick to the left outside of the path as it missed the step. None of us could see the step from below so Tony naturally stuck to the middle of the path.
The path was steep and it took Tony a while to turn the bike down and ride back to the start. Henk and Bertie seeing Tony’s failed attempt decided to give it a miss and instead followed much more eroded but less steep pathway to the right:
Tony on the right, Henk smarting up on the left:
Being the youngest of the Husky section (actually probably youngest of the whole group - with possible exception of Lee), I felt a pressure to defend Italian pride. So I took a deep breath, and gunned it up the main path on exactly the same line as Tony, and hit and face planted at exactly the same spot as him. So much for the Husky pride:
Tony seeing my failure decided to follow Bertie and Henk on the alternative path, and so did I once I disentangled myself from the step and got back down. The alternative patch was less steep and didn't require as much committment, but much more gnarly:
There were still some tricky bits beyond that section, but none of them so steep or tricky, and we all made it to the high ground unscathed.
Once up on the high ground we took a break, munching on whatever we brought with (mostly bully beef):
After the break we continued down to the next valley
Until we came upon another cute washout uphill section. At this one Mark even resorted to asking us if we think we can make it. We wouldn’t know of course unless we try so we all lined up at the bottom and Lee set-off first, cleverly managing to get off the washout section and onto the grassy slope to the right and making it up without glitch. Tony didn’t feel too good about the washed out section so did his usual trick and tried to scout out alternative route to the left. He got stuck half way up and had to come back down and follow everybody else.
Tony on the left looking for alternative, while Mark at the bottom lines up to attack the ditch:
Mark stuck few meters from the inviting grass:
Henk and Mark then followed Lee’s line, but this time Mark’s road tyres (OK one of those you call 50/50) caught up with him and he got stuck in the erosion ditch just few meters from the grass. Henk and Lee (who came back down) helped him to get unstuck.
Henk coming to help Mark
Followed by Bertie:
Afterwards the rest of us one by one made it up. I missed the best point to get on grass so was the only one who made it all the way up the erosion ditch - not without a face plant though and only thanks to the new C02 on the back:
This was the last dramatic bit for the day, but we still continued for many km on beautiful foot paths, dry river beds and even riding at the bottom of almost dry dam, with zebras and bok running away in every direction.
At one point Mark true to his form decided to do a river crossing - next to perfectly good bridge of course (that is where the pictures are taken from). We all made it without glitch, except for Bertie who managed to find tne only boulder and its attendant ditch in the river and got stuck. We had to go back and help to push him out, by which stage whole village gathered on the bridge to watch the show. I can just imagine what they were thinking seing 6 mzungu 50 somthing (or thereabout) pillars of society riding through mud next to perfectly good tar bridge:
Tony and I after pushing Bertie out of the ditch:
Somewhere on the way to the lodge:
Last 20 - 30 km we did on a dirt road crossing animal reserves. Mark warned us about possible animal encounter so we kept our distance between each other to stay out of the dust and kept our speed reasonable. I have seen kudu gun it in front of Henk, but not too close and as far as I know there was no more drama.
Eventually we arrived in the late afternoon at the Mhlume Country Club, where we were booked for the night. It is a nice relaxed golf estate associated with the nearby sugar cane plantations (I think).
Once settled in, we headed to the restaurant for dinner and alcohol. For dinner we were seated on a verandah on the upper floor next to a group of about 20 - 30 young ladies (local and international) with some kind of American preacher making speeches throughout their dinner. They seemed little alarmed by our close proximity, but as far as I know we didn’t end up doing any damage apart from a little comedic commentary spicing up the fatso’s speech here and there. Clearly, we were too tired.
chopperpilot said:Regarding helping each other...a minute or so before my "auto rotation", at the exact same spot where Bertie acquired some more property, I had just helped Lee in picking his bike up, and holding it upright in order for him to traverse the difficult slope! He therefore had no choice than to repay the favour! ;D
So we do assist each other, especially the Husky Clan! (Of which 3 of the 4 are "orange" owners too!
Oh, I didn't know that Lee also failed. So I was the only one who made it up on my own! Ok, except Mark, but he was cheating as his bike is much heavier giving him better traction and his street tires create much less drag going up hill
eepwall: ot:
Clockwork Orange
Race Dog
- Joined
- May 22, 2006
- Messages
- 2,775
- Reaction score
- 106
- Location
- United Kingdom
- Bike
- KTM 990 Adventure
Loving this RR. Spectacular riding conditions :thumleft:
alanB
Grey Hound
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2010
- Messages
- 6,776
- Reaction score
- 10
- Location
- Johannesburg
- Bike
- Husqvarna (all models)
Gorgeous riding!
So sorry I missed this!
Hope your leg is mending well Martin!
So sorry I missed this!
Hope your leg is mending well Martin!
ROOI said:
Kobus, I would say that 650 like we had was the ideal bike for this. I believe your XRR would be perfect. Mark does it on 990, because he can, but I wouldn't recommend bigger bikes (though they do occassionally take part).
