The Dispatch Rider and the Valiant go and see Verneukpan - en kak lekker af!

[Rynet]

Or maybe when I say "The smelly one." it will help?

:laughing4: :laughing4:

We were all smelly . And I have a feeling that you are much better looking than your avatar.  :imaposer:  Van Rhynsdorp ? yes I think I know which of the smelly men you were , nice meeting .  :imaposer:

Ps Sat nite coming back from Kenhardt it was so late , and I was so exhausted , I just took my boots off , crept into the sleeping bag and slept with all my riding great on . Next morning just got up and put my boots on and I was ready to ride.  :ricky: It was so easy , cant imagine why I used to bother to shower and change into clean clothes at previous bashes .  :lol8: :lol8:

 

[woody1]

An I thought that EVERYBODY does this.    :imaposer:
I will have to watch myself at some bashes where the okes stand in line to shower.....or is that just to OOGLE each other....  eepwall:

 

[Alducor]

Or maybe when I say "The smelly one." it will help?

:laughing4: :laughing4:

We were all smelly . And I have a feeling that you are much better looking than your avatar.  :imaposer:  Van Rhynsdorp ? yes I think I know which of the smelly men you were , nice meeting .  :imaposer:

Ps Sat nite coming back from Kenhardt it was so late , and I was so exhausted , I just took my boots off , crept into the sleeping bag and slept with all my riding great on . Next morning just got up and put my boots on and I was ready to ride.   :ricky: It was so easy , cant imagine why I used to bother to shower and change into clean clothes at previous bashes .  :lol8: :lol8:

:imaposer:
I remember you coming to me the next morning like you had a massive epiphany... I think thats the way to go...

 

[hando]

Thank you for taking the trouble of posting this RR.

I am enjoying it immensely.

 

[Bliknêrs]

I shall finish this over the weekend - promise.
Not much left and almost there!

 

[Jondu]

Ek wag Chris

 

[Laban]

Shot!! :thumleft:

 

[Jondu]

Chris kom in! Ek wonder wat het van Walter geword. Hy het ook foto's

 

[Bliknêrs]

EK onthou nog van die RR, is darem al n entjie weg maar het nou eers n bakkie wat moet regkom sy 1'e en 2'e ratte het sommer net verdwyn op Vrydag (!?!?) en hy moet more loop!

Ek het Walter verlede Sondag laas by Gouda gesien toe ek moes gaan petrol soek, hy was haastig, toe se ek hy kan maar gooi.
My bike het slegs 230 km kon doen toe begin die petrol liggie flikker!
Gouda se pompe was toe - ek kon darem in Tulbagh petrol kry. Die liggie was toe al amper histeries.

Seker die wind en die pakkaas ek kry gewoonlik oor die 300 ek het gemik om Worcester te kon haal.

EK dog iewers moes petrol uitgelek het of iemand het my bevark met die ingooislag.

My ketting is nou ook behoorlik geskiedenis - was dodgy om mee te begin.

 

[Jondu]

EK onthou nog van die RR, is darem al n entjie weg maar het nou eers n bakkie wat moet regkom sy 1'e en 2'e ratte het sommer net verdwyn op Vrydag (!?!?) en hy moet more loop!

Ek het Walter verlede Sondag laas by Gouda gesien toe ek moes gaan petrol soek, hy was haastig, toe se ek hy kan maar gooi.
My bike het slegs 230 km kon doen toe begin die petrol liggie flikker!
Gouda se pompe was toe - ek kon darem in Tulbagh petrol kry. Die liggie was toe al amper histeries.

Seker die wind en die pakkaas ek kry gewoonlik oor die 300 ek het gemik om Worcester te kon haal.

EK dog iewers moes petrol uitgelek het of iemand het my bevark met die ingooislag.

My ketting is nou ook behoorlik geskiedenis - was dodgy om mee te begin.

Ons moes Werich se fiets in Niwoudtville los met sy voor "sproket"

 

[Bliknêrs]

Ek sal ook eers die ketting en sprockets moet vervang die agter een lyk soos n Kaapse haai se tande (paar missing)!
Ek probeer nou besluit op ratios voor ek bestel.

 

[stan1975]

Sleeping bags... Who needs them!

 

[Bliknêrs]

OK now need to finish this RR - most of this trip is forever burned into my cerebral cortex - however it's been a week and the other memories are fading.

Back at camp, people were still coming in in drips and drabs. Jondu tensed up every time a vehicle's double lights appeared at the entrance about a km away.

He was worried about Alducor, whom off-course was riding ambulance and carrying so many casualties he was would have had to unload the bikes he had on the trailer and strap the next casualty to the trailer. Maybe this was a deterrent and the madness seemed to stop.

Motorcycling is an inherently selfish past time.
Whenever we get on our bikes your loved ones stay behind, waiting for your safe return.

If Jonru's bakkie didn't pitch in time, and we knew it was having it's hands full with sweeping duties, we had a bit of a problem. Their tents and sleeping gear were on the bakkie. I had my tent with me and 2 x sleeping bags. The tent is big enough for us 3 if we squeeze so we decided that would be the way to go then.

So we pitched the tent and sat around. Mambat sat with us and he was in obvious agony. Rynet got hold of Toelies satellite phone and tried to arrange something for Mambat. She was worried. I understood from her later that the telephone calls were largely a waste of time. As time marched on, she got more and more worried about Mambat (now coughing blood) and made the call that he had to get to a doctor.

Some of us took a ride out to the bell to take some photos. It was a magic time of the day and the lighting was very dramatic. The photos hardly do it justice - mine at least! 

Then as the sun was setting, the bakkie came in. Aldo had time for a quick hallo, unhooked the trailer and unloaded the stuff people were waiting for. Then left again with Mambat.

Jondi and WKC were happy as it meant they now had their kit and we didn't have to share a tent.

The camping site had ablutions of sorts. It consisted of a wood and shade cloth structure with a couple of bogs, a washbasin and apparently a shower or two, but that's based on hearsay and unconfirmed as it was never used the weekend.

The next morning I also noticed a hot water donkie which was also unmolested the entire weekend. Vuilgatte.

So with the tents pitched, the stricken taken care of, or at least out of sight of the unwashed the party changed gears and as always happens when a fire is lit, festivities ensued.

The drinks was there and all was well again. Braai packs and side dishes appeared and soon almost everyone sat around the fire, chatting. The usual banter was enjoyed next to the camp fire. I found Subie fascinating and spend some time talking to him. We sat around a table eating with other dogs and I enjoyed the evening.

Back at the tents I said to Jondu maybe coffee wasn't such a bad idea and he immediately agreed. So we sat next to the tent drinking coffee and talking. Although it was still early, people were already sleeping. After coffee I went to bed.

As mentioned the caravans are for the VIP's. We pitched out tents under the shelters next to it. I was looking forward to a lekker sleep. It wasn't cold. However the tents were close to each other and the usual snoring seemed amplified by the metal roofs. At first it was funny.

I also struggle with dust. Mostly in my mind I know because if I even think I smell dust I imagine I can't breathe. Just because it's mostly in my head it doesn't make it less annoying. And with my one sleeping bag rolling down the dusty road as it popped out of my pannier, and both of them then spending the rest of the trip lashed to the top of my luggage - there was enough dust right there under my nose to cause me serious discomfort.

But even that couldn't stop me from sleeping!

 

[Bliknêrs]

We decided the previous evening to get going early - first light if possible.

It wasn't long before we were a group that had a similar mission - get to the tar with the least amount of fuss and make a bee line for home. I have already decided to avoid the road I came in with at all costs. From their talk I realised most people in this group came in with a different road - they spoke about the "hekke-pad". I would go with them.

When morning came there were about 6 or 7 of us with the same idea.

Jondu, WKS, Rynet, Katana, Walther and Phillip (Harry Potter/Phil the tril) are the ones I recall seeing most often as they were holding open gates for me. For some reason they always open the gates as wide as possible as they spotted me wobbling down the road with the Valiant in full flight (i.e. mostly out of control) before diving into the bushes to avoid being sideswiped - I'm convinced I did at least two 360's that weekend!

During this part I also saw the much publicized hole in the road the ither guys rode into and I could certainly see how that could cause some damage.

The tar came soon enough. I've had enough of gravel for a while - so made a dash for Brandvlei - there was a road sign saying it was not far so petrol was longer an issue and I took the opportunity to see if i still had 6 gears.

When we got to Brandvlei the garage had two intrances. One concrete and one gravel (a 5 m stretch). I didn't even consider the gravel entrance!

We fulled up and made our plans. Most of us wanted to goto Vanrhynsdorp via tar. I was going via Porterville from there. Walther and I was going to Riviersonderend and Swellendam respectively. Phillip was going to Piketberg.

So we took off. There were some road works along this route but otherwise it was a great way of covering serious distance. It wasn't too cold and the day was still young.

We split up further in Loeriesfontein I thin it was and then ate something in Vanrhynesdorp. Here Jondu and WKC came to say bye and later Rynet and Katana stopped by for lunch.

We had a quick chat and then rode to the Porterville turn off where Phillip split off.

I don;t know what happened but I worked out I would need to fill upo again in Worcester, but just after we rode through Porterville my fuel warning came on. I have barely done 230 km's and I didn;t know what was going on - I kept on thinking the dash will come to it's senses and show 1/4 tank as it shoulf but it didn;t and before long the fill up NOW light came on. I stopped at Gouda and told Walther about this. He was in no mood to hang around so I told him it's OK I'll be fine and off he went.

As luck would have it, Goudas petrol station was closed. I took it easy through the pass and made it to tulbagh where I filled up for the last time.

I could also feel the bike vibrating badly and knew my chain - shot when I started the weekend was now seriously knackered.

I stopped in Worcester for a quick call home and again in Ashton to stretch my legs.

I got home around 6 Sunday evening.

All was very happy to see my - even my 13 year old daughter made me a cup of coffee so she must have missed me just a little bit to!

It was 1830 unforgettable kilos aver the weekend.

Thanks to all that made it possible and enjoyable!

 

[subie]

We decided the previous evening to get going early - first light if possible.

It wasn't long before we were a group that had a similar mission - get to the tar with the least amount of fuss and make a bee line for home. I have already decided to avoid the road I came in with at all costs. From their talk I realised most people in this group came in with a different road - they spoke about the "hekke-pad". I would go with them.

When morning came there were about 6 or 7 of us with the same idea.

Jondu, WKS, Rynet, Katana, Walther and Phillip (Harry Potter/Phil the tril) are the ones I recall seeing most often as they were holding open gates for me. For some reason they always open the gates as wide as possible as they spotted me wobbling down the road with the Valiant in full flight (i.e. mostly out of control) before diving into the bushes to avoid being sideswiped - I'm convinced I did at least two 360's that weekend!
During this part I also saw the much publicized hole in the road the ither guys rode into and I could certainly see how that could cause some damage.

The tar came soon enough. I've had enough of gravel for a while - so made a dash for Brandvlei - there was a road sign saying it was not far so petrol was longer an issue and I took the opportunity to see if i still had 6 gears.

When we got to Brandvlei the garage had two intrances. One concrete and one gravel (a 5 m stretch). I didn't even consider the gravel entrance!

We fulled up and made our plans. Most of us wanted to goto Vanrhynsdorp via tar. I was going via Porterville from there. Walther and I was going to Riviersonderend and Swellendam respectively. Phillip was going to Piketberg.

So we took off. There were some road works along this route but otherwise it was a great way of covering serious distance. It wasn't too cold and the day was still young.

We split up further in Loeriesfontein I thin it was and then ate something in Vanrhynesdorp. Here Jondu and WKC came to say bye and later Rynet and Katana stopped by for lunch.

We had a quick chat and then rode to the Porterville turn off where Phillip split off.

I don;t know what happened but I worked out I would need to fill upo again in Worcester, but just after we rode through Porterville my fuel warning came on. I have barely done 230 km's and I didn;t know what was going on - I kept on thinking the dash will come to it's senses and show 1/4 tank as it shoulf but it didn;t and before long the fill up NOW light came on. I stopped at Gouda and told Walther about this. He was in no mood to hang around so I told him it's OK I'll be fine and off he went.

As luck would have it, Goudas petrol station was closed. I took it easy through the pass and made it to tulbagh where I filled up for the last time.

I could also feel the bike vibrating badly and knew my chain - shot when I started the weekend was now seriously knackered.

I stopped in Worcester for a quick call home and again in Ashton to stretch my legs.

I got home around 6 Sunday evening.

All was very happy to see my - even my 13 year old daughter made me a cup of coffee so she must have missed me just a little bit to!

It was 1830 unforgettable kilos aver the weekend.

Thanks to all that made it possible and enjoyable!

:lol8:
I can just see that gate crossing. Somehow those 10year old leather pants feature in the pic  :imaposer:

 

[Jondu]

Dankie vir n lekker RR

 

[Alducor]

:thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

Baie dankie vir die RR!
Nou wanneer is die volgende trip...???  :drif:

 

[subie]

:thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

Baie dankie vir die RR!
Nou wanneer is die volgende trip...???  :drif:

Besig al klaar om aan my volgende trip te werk. Net eers die week bike maintenance doen, My hart staan terug Kalahari se rigting toe :ricky:
Sal seker net n naweek oorslaap tipe run wees.

 

[BlueBull2007]

That was a lekker ride report, you write very well - I could ride along with you on your words - thanks! :thumleft:

 

[Bliknêrs]

:thumleft: ouens.

Dankie vir die lees en die aanmoediging!

Subie ek dink daai leerbroek moet nou eers weer n bietjie rus. Ek wil nie he dit moet my trademark word nie!