The Incidental Trip, GRIZZ and DOZER... and the XT RECOVERY - 20/21 April

[Gerard]

Come what may, I was going to have a lekker ride on the weekend of the 21st March... WC or KZN Bash ? It was a hel of a way to hoink it there and back and it did not excite me. I just wanted a rustige cruise.

In the end I decided to just ride around where I've been before in my favourite Karoo and stop and visit places we always drive past. Was a good plan and I was excited about the ride... 5 days of solo bliss. Had not done that for a while.

And then I bought another bike  :eek7: :imaposer: Sort of part of a long term plan, but did not quite expect it now. But timing is everything, and everything just fell in place at the right time.

So, the new plan... I collect my brand new second XT600e from Rough Rider in Cape Town on Thursday, ride around and visit some Dogs, sleep over at Heimer and go to the WC Bash. Don't you love it when a plan comes together  :ricky:

Some say I live a very charmed life as a married bachelor.... you have no idea.  :ricky: With my good Wify's blessing the deed gets done and arrangements made.

 

[woody1]

Nou ja klink lekker, maar ons moet seker wag vir die res.

 

[Knucklhead/knuckey]

:useless:

u coulda guessed

 

[Gerard]

:sip: Thursday morning Wify drops me at the airport. You can just tell, I'm so excited I wanna shit myself  :imaposer:

 

[Knucklhead/knuckey]

oh yeah we remember the happy face  :deal:

 

[Gerard]

I love flying, the smaller the plane the better. Especially take-off, because its the most dangerous part of the flight, those exilerating few minutes from rotation to safe cruising hight.

I sit next to a pleasant young man and coversation is easy. Of course I tell him about my riding and he is quite astounded that someone could do that, instead of sitting in front of a computer all day. I think another biker is born.

A pic of our beautiful town

 

[Gerard]

Rough Rider would meet me at the airport in CT from whence we would go to his house to sort the formalities. A very pleasant person. There's bit more behind the bike buying story than just an accidental purchase.

He put the bike up for sale about two months ago and I wanted it. Been waiting a while for this bike, but the timing was wrong. I asked him to hold it 'till end of March, but he was reluctand to go on a promice and had some interest in the bike. What he did undertake was not to bump the thread and give me first refusal if he gets a firm offer. Things went my way and one morning everything fell in place. I checked, and the bike was still available, and that evening the deal was done. Thanks David  :thumleft:

Arriving in CT. Alaways a beautiful place to visit.

 

[Gerard]

Those that have met me on trips will know that two things are paramount ( besides gatskuur from dusk 'till dawn... that's a given)... coffee and beakfast. When the plan was made I needed a lift from the airport to David's place. Buzzlightyear and a few other Dogs kindly responded, but in the meantime David had offered to collect me.

I don't miss a chance to kuier though, and arranged with Buzz for a brekkie at Ons Huisie in Blouberg. Inbetween I chatted to Goose and he and Jenny would be there. Later Dusty Rusty and Hando turned up. I sometimes wonder if Nadia's batteries ever go flat  >  :imaposer: Her excitement about her new bike, the 250 Djebel, was contagious. The irony was that she was at one point of a mind to buy the XT that was now mine  :biggrin: But, I think the Djebel is the better bike for her. Enjoy it safely  :thumleft:

A pleasant hour or so was spent in good company. Thanks guys for the effort.

 

[DirtyTeNeReLess]

nice one Jupiter, keep it coming always nice to see some faces and follow the story wishing it was me!  :thumleft:

 

[JACOVV]

:sip:

Kan nie wag vd res

 

[Gerard]

:sip:

Kan nie wag vd res

Daar's ongelukkig nie veel nie  atch: Op 'n stadium het dit my net heel begin ontgaan om foto's te neem  :eek7:

 

[Gerard]

I ride the bike and note that it is crabbing. Wheel allignment is out. Oversteers to the right and understeers to the left. Very uncomfortable. After brunch we go to Buzz's place to make an adjustment. I loosen the wheelnut but can't move the axle. Don't want to waste too much time as I have a few visits to fit in for the afternoon, so we leave it and I ride the bike like that the rest of the way, all the time worrying why I could not reset the allignment.( This afternoon at home I discovered you have to loosen the nut that holds the brake caliper.  :imaposer: Sorted  :thumleft: )

Next I'm off to Stellenbosch to visit Dan, who just happens to have the same bike as me  :biggrin: No guesses what we talked about, as I had lots of questions. After copious amounts of coffee, I pop around to Brackenfell to say hello to Wes to see how his Airhead project is coming on. Not much happening, but what I'm really looking forward too is the day we do a ZEN trip.

Its late and I don't like riding in the dark, so I make my way to Heimers where I will spend the night.

Sorry, no pics this time.

 

[Gerard]

Sommige van julle mag al gehoor het van Carrots  :eek7: Nou sy Toppie is Arno, en ons het al heelwat gechat en 'n paar keer met my rondwandelinge gemis om mekaar te ontmoet. Toe ek nou weet ek ruk Kaap se kant toe op, laat weet ek die keer maak ons 'n plan.

Arno was doenig met die Cape Epic , waar sy seun en skoondogter deelgeneem het, maar vroegaand laat weet hy ons moet om kom. Na lekker Hammie aandete by een of ander joint sak ek en Heimer soontoe. Dit was nou heel lekker om Arno te ontmoet en te kuier, maar hy weet ek kyk so tussenin rond vir dalk 'n 1150 en beluit om syne vir my te wys, wat toe die kuier heel oorskadu.  :biggrin: Magtig, dis 'n mooi fiets !

So gaan die aand verby, en na ons so paar episodes van die Epic gekyk het is dit slaaptyd. More is dit lekker skuur Bash toe en kan ek die bike vir die eerste keer rerig begin ry.

Sorry, weer nie foto's nie.  ???

 

[Gerard]

Die volgende oggend ontmoet ons vir Freak en Motman en vat die pad. Ons ry in digte mis en ek benat my so bietjie-bietjie. Ry amper deur 'n besige stopstraat. Moet hard ankers gooi en Freek jaag amper in my gat vas.

Bainskloof is mooi, maar ek kan dit nie rerig geniet om die kort draatjies nie oor die bike so skeef trek. By Calabash hang ons so bietjie rond vir brekfis, wat die moeite werd was, en toe is dit Padstal toe. Toe die XT eers grondpad vat kom hy tot sy reg en begin ek hom geniet.

Hier kuier 'n heel paar Honde terwyl ons daar rondsit, en heel sonderlinge gesig, die drie AT's wat bymekaar beland. My hart trek maar steeds met 'n punt.

 

[Gerard]

En op so 'n manier gaan kuier ons by die Bash... so lekker en besig, dat ek nou sien ek het nie 'n enkele foto geneem nie. Die een wat ek die meeste spyt oor is en wat ek gemis het, was toe Taboo die Saterdagoggend haar bloukol, wat sy geval het, vir ons flash  :eek7:

Sedert my Social Tour laas jaar doen ek moeite, en maak 'n punt daarvan, om soveel Honne as ek kan raak te loop en te ontmoet op my swerwinge. So het ek 6 bashes gedoen in 2012 en klomp ontmoet. Dis lekker kuier, want ons almal se harte sit op dieselfde plek.  :3some:

Die Bash was geen uitsondering nie... hello gesê vir ou vriende en klomp nuwes ontmoet. Thanks aan almal wat dit 'n lekker kuier gemaak het ( ... en natuurlik Taboo wat dit 'n onvergeetlike een gemaak het  >  :biggrin: ) So dan was die seker 'n rally  :imaposer:

SIEN JULLE BY DIE EC BASH  :thumleft:

 

[Carrots]

Lekker Jup!! Maar my moer...het jy nie eens 'n fotie van die nuwe bike nie?

Bly jy kon my Toppie ook ontmoet!  :thumleft:

 

[Gerard]

Lekker Jup!! Maar my moer...het jy nie eens 'n fotie van die nuwe bike nie?

Bly jy kon my Toppie ook ontmoet!  :thumleft:

Dit was 'n lekker kuier, uitendelik.

Ek weet nie wat met my aangegaan het nie. Ek het die mooi totaal van sestien fotos geneem. Die bike kom, dis nie 'n rumour nie  :biggrin:

 

[Carrots]

Lekker Jup!! Maar my moer...het jy nie eens 'n fotie van die nuwe bike nie?

Bly jy kon my Toppie ook ontmoet!  :thumleft:

Dit was 'n lekker kuier, uitendelik.

Ek weet nie wat met my aangegaan het nie. Ek het die mooi totaal van sestien fotos geneem. Die bike kom, dis nie 'n rumour nie  :biggrin:

Ouderdom is 'n bliksem ne!  ot:

Hou op dreig oor daai helmet cam en skaf een aan....dan kan jy net lekker ry en dit geniet en nie worry oor peekchas nie!!  :deal:

 

[Gerard]

Ek het myself twee dae gegee om huistoe te ry. Daar was 'n paar paaie wat ek wou gaan soek. Geweet waar hulle is, maar nie hoe om daar uit te kom nie. So wie anders om pad aante gee as ChrisL. Einde van die dag het ek elke blommetjie, klip en skewe hekpaal gekry wat hy my gesê het, en al die draaie gemaak  :imaposer:

Ek mik Sondag vir Ladismith, om by Veltie oor te slaap, so daar is baie tyd. Na paar koppies koffie en groet is ek oppad. Oor die berg en grondpad langs Citrusdal toe, brekkie, en toe weer terug oor die berg na Oppie Berg. Ent verder Oos met 'n grondpad in Touws Rivier se rigting en vandaar weer met 'n mooiste grondpad na die Montague/Ou Berg/Ladismith pad.

Na die links draai oppad Ladismith toe kry ek 'n grondpad regs wat sê Barrydale. Het hom al voorheen gesien, nou vat ek hom. Net 'n ent af met die pad kom ek by 'n wildsplaas met dik heinings, groot hekke en 'n wag wat my stop.

 

[Dutchman81]

:sip: baie mooi...