The Klein Karoo Meander

[Leonie]

Great stuff. Please do keep them coming. Glad you guys are home safe. One of these days we will have all the Intruders doing one.

 

[ALLEN I]

Great stuff. Please do keep them coming. Glad you guys are home safe. One of these days we will have all the Intruders doing one.

hi you glad to see you eventually decided to join in and start talking to us guys. yip agree one of thees days

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

At the top of the pass some fantastic rock formation .. but I see the outline of a certain Mal man.

The road turns to gravel and we have fun in the driffies.

Little do we know ...

It's hot, see the sheep?  ... about 30 of them in fact.

It's really a lekker road.

Due North of the KNP we find a narrow track that leads up to a Vodacom cell tower, cool photo op we figure.

It's here that a Vodacom worker in a bakkie stops to ask us if we've seen any Lions. "Lions ... where? Out here? Ja man, two escaped yesterday and we are all looking for them" he says. Shit! ... we waste no time getting out of there.

We don't stop for 30k's but when we do it's alongside a nice spot with trees in a pond.

We meander along ... at times doing just 70kph ... it's classic cruising this.

I can't help thinking about the contrasts, the millions of revolutions that old mill must have done to sustain life out here and then today we see vast amounts of water in many places.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

For the STen owners note the 212km done with 3 bars remaining ... at 219 it went to half tank ... I love this damn bike more and more!

We must never forget that others have toiled to make a living out here, this was where they wanted to be, it was their future at the time ... tough people indeed. We look and say "Ooh, and Aah" but what it must have really been like we have no clue ... I certainly don't.

We're headed for Sutherland ... I like the place a lot. Maybe we'll see Jupiter again.

The Fraserburg - Sutherland road is a pleasure to be on.

First time up there for me.

SALT SALT! everyone's going on about SALT ...  we see no salt lying around here ... nowhere, at all.

Too smart for it's own good ... it's all of 60m lower than indicated.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Well, we were not to see Jupiter this time, apparently it was only visible from midnight onwards ... too bad, but we did meet Jurg's daughter Juanita, who now runs Kambrokind Guest House where we always stay.

The 3rd Mrs. Isaacs if it's up to him ... luckily for Juanita she already taken.

Today was not too much of a distance day as we take on the Ouberg Pass ... it starts off well.

We pass a grader, well that's a good sign, right?

But at the top ... it suddenly does not look so lekker anymore, the wind is blowing like hell up the pass, with rain chasing it from far away.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

We stop at the top ... but not for long as it does not get any easier thinking about it ... that damn yellow sign does not help either!

It's our first time down this Ouberg, may as well rock 'n roll then.

It starts well enough, but it's just a matter of time as the rains approach.

It would be excellent fun if it was not so bloody dangerous as more and more rain pushes in ... we have no choice but to continue downwards as there's no way we will be going up again soon enough.

Allen takes it nice 'n slow ... but the weather worries me big time.

Aah shit, this is really slippery now and the worst section so far ... something makes me look back ...

I see the AT on it's ear ... damnit! This might not be good news at all. I have to put a rock in front of the rear wheel to stop the heavy STen from slipping - the angle is steep enough for that to happen before I start walking up to Al.

It was fortunate that I looked back or it might have been a hell of a walk.

I have visions of fuel pissing out a moerse hole in the tank as the rocks here are vicious bastards ... he's taking it pretty well I think as I approach.

I can see that he was just off the line to the left and TG nothing broken.

Nothing is funny about this at all but it breaks the tension and the realization of how close we have come to a serious fcuk-up as there has been few other vehicles down the pass ...

We right the AT and take stock ... no damage other than some scratches .. we are both stunned at our good fortune.

From here on it's easy going in comparison.  

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Lots of greenery due to lots of water.

All too soon we are out of the Eastern edge of the Tankwa ... we plan to return to do the rest but not today.

 

[Bill p]

Yerra cousin Allan. Have I not tought you how to stay up on a bike yet. Only kidding. That looks like such a jaul you guys had and next time you invite me I,m in.

 

[LRFan]

Mooi fotos en daai paaie lyk darem maar lekker om te ry. :thumleft:

 

[Carrots]

Lekker trip en goeie foties.  :thumleft:

 

[ClimbingTurtle]

What am awesome ride!

Thanks for posting - inspiring me to get there asap!

:thumleft:

 

[punisher]

:thumleft:

 

[GIDEON]

BEVANGE  :thumleft:

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Thanks Guys, comments appreciated.

We turn right for Lainsburg and through the Rooiberg towards our overnight, Matjiesvlei just outside Calitzdorp.

A lekker gravel road leads towards the Seweweekspoort Pass and the Gamkapoort Dam.

We have plenty time so head for the dam through Boschluyskloof.

Neither of us has been down here before so were not prepared for what a great ride it is ... or how far it is to the dam.

The Gamkapoort Dam initially looked like a great spot to camp but the (private) facilities leave much to be desired.

To be honest for all of 3 minutes we contemplated camping here for the night we quickly decided to move on. This rock had come down whilst we were in the poort ... constant reminder of the dangers that lurk in steep terrain.

The livestock looked happy to be here too.

We turn left into Seweweeks.

The turn off to Matjiesvlei is about 5km's from Calitzdorp.

Excellent access road to it.

We stay in what must have been a fantastic farm as the place dates from the 1820's and is still in the same family hands. It's neat and tidy, rustic with no electricity and a donkey that provides hot water 45mins after fire-up. The owners wife has provided last minute home made braai packs with more than we can eat ... and one of us can certainly eat so even I was impressed when there was padkos for tomorrow.

The farm house is set on the edge of a koppie overlooking the farm with the Gamkas River to the West, amazingly one can walk to Die Hel from here through the poort ... it's only 7km! As kids they used to do so regularly we are told.

Unlike in Kokstad in our May trip to St. Lucia, the Honda joined the Yam under cover for the night.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

We leave the tranquil Matjiesvlei early, we only have 140km odd to do to Die Hel. It rained a little last night but not enough to convince us that it would continue ...

We find a gem of a road that leads through Groenfontein to Kruisrivier.

We pass the Donkey Pub ... looks good but it's just 9.30am so we keep going.

It's a perfect road for a meander.

The next two shots are my favourites for this section.

We stop at a T- junction, I'm ahead so wait for Al to catch up ...

... but it's a strange sounding AT that can be heard coming along. Turns out it's a group of riders from various places near CT on a ride.

I chat to Senior HP2 a WD member whilst the others catch up.

Soon they head off and we continue on towards the Swartberg Pass but not before spending quite awhile driving alongside the perimeter fence of The Swartberg Private Wildlife Estate.

 

[Stofdonkie]

Keep it comming!

:happy1:

 

[ALLEN I]

and so the trip continues well done so far bud keep it up

 

[oldmannorman]

:sip: Keep it coming.

 

[Karoo Rider]

Gooi nog!  Lekker om foto's van jou eie "back yard" deur 'n ander se lens te sien - laat my soms wonder hoekom almal wat DS bikes ry nie in die Klein-Karoo bly nie... eepwall:

 

[punisher]

O0