Welsh
Grumpy Mutt
So, the R1150GS/R1100GS group had arranged an annual gathering in the Kamsberg Valley in the Natal Midlands, for the R11*0GS’s. 
eepwall:
Da Peeg wanted to do Sani Pass while we were down there, but needed a riding buddy for the Sunday, as he could only get there on Saturday, so I agreed to stay a day longer and go with up Sani on the GSV. :
Ross, Jay and Jay’s brother went up Sani on Saturday, so we knew conditions were “OK”. :thumleft:
Just a frozen waterfall. :
And a little permanent ice flows. :
But the boys had done it, so let the story begin. 8)
Da Peeg and I left most of our gear at the camp and set off for Sani, we took the Lower Loteni road, passed the spot where Timmy had binned his GS on the Friday, rider OK, bike cosmetic damage only.
It was a nice 90km run of dirt, to get us to Himeville, where we filled up (stupid but we did not know how much juice we would need). Then we set off up the pass, weather conditions were good and we were making good time. :biggrin:
Da Peeg.
What I hadn’t picked up from Ross and Jay’s pictures, was this one, yes a piece of wire through the tyre.
So somewhere about 2 or 3km’s after the RSA border post, as da Peeg sets off again, I notice his rear wheel looks a bit pap, and next corner it goes for a low speed lie down.
And yes the culprit is found, a piece of wire, just like the earlier one from Ross?
At this stage, it was just bad luck. >
But you will have noticed, the Heidenau has come “off the bead” so we spent the next hour or two with help from the 4 x 4 guys trying to get it to seat, unsuccessfully. Da Peeg looked like this for most of the early afternoon. >
So the GSV was called into action, back through the border to Himeville to try to get the Heidi reseated on the bead. :snorting: :snorting:
No pictures, but about halfway from da Peeg to the border, the GSV Gets “you guessed it” a puncture, yes another piece of wire. But the Annakee Wild stayed on the bead, so a snotty and a tin of tyre weld from a generous 4 x 4 driver and we were on our way again. On the way to Himeville I noticed this in a couple of places. The concrete has spalled off exposing reinforcing mesh, now we know where the wire was coming from anyway. :'(
So after a dash down to Himeville, a lot of soapy water from the windscreen washing tub a forecourt compressor and help from the petrol jockeys it seated. I rode back with the wheel to da Peeg and we were off again shortly.
It was a tired Welsh that arrived at Sani Top, I had just ridden 80% of Sani twice and then all of it and collected 5 passport stamps in the process. :eek7:
At this time late in the afternoon, the final steep climb up to the top has the sun sitting right on the crest of the pass blinding you completely, pick the line, hope nothing was coming and go for it. In between me and da Peeg going up, a Fortuner had slowed, lost traction and slid off the road. Whoops. :sip:
So eventually da Peeg joined me at the bar and with a collective fark this, we are not going to get caught on the pass in the dark, lets book in. We managed to get a Rondavel, with fire and big thick duvets and went back to the bar for more Gluewine.
We started chatting in the bar to a couple, only to find out Gordon and Vanessa know one of the dogs well Gordon is one of Shark-ZA’s plastic riding buddies…. :ricky:
So after a pleasant dinner of Trout and a bottle of Red (no gear with us so we looked a treat in the dining room, with our riding shirts and off road boots flapping around), we settled in for the night and had some more gluewine, it gets cold up there.
In the morning the weather was still clear. :biggrin:
So a good breakfast, waiting for it to warm up a bit and suit up for the ride down, I think da Peegs bike was cuddling up to the GSV for warmth. :
Gordon was on his KTM Freeride on the pass with his wife Vanessa, here demonstrating how slippery the permanent ice is and showing us the right line for the pigs to get through, I was first past the ice, carried on and stopped to take a pic of da Peeg. :
But no Peeg, then Vanessa arrives, you had better come back, da Peeg has FALLEN OFF THE MOUNTAIN! :eek7: :eek7:
There was no ways this was going to be ridden up that loose shale incline, you couldn't walk up it! :eek7:
And then the cavalry arrived, the Testosterone loaded Toyota Land Cruiser 4 x 4 club, complete with winches etc that they could now play with. :biggrin: :biggrin:
Round she comes..
And up she comes, the recovered Peeg. :snorting: :snorting:
A cracked screen needed some Duct Tape. :
So, a cracked screen, a little paint damage on one side of the tank, bent aux light brackets from the winch ropes, a lost numberplate and one broken indicator stem, not bad and she started first punch of the button. How many new generation bikes would get off so lightly. 8) :thumleft:
No more pics, we were running late as you can imagine, went back on the Lower Loteni, collected our gear, across to Mooi River and a brain numbing 4 hour haul up the N3 got us home just after 19:00 in the dark. :
Not a bad couple of days out for the old ballies. :biggrin: :biggrin:
eepwall:
Da Peeg wanted to do Sani Pass while we were down there, but needed a riding buddy for the Sunday, as he could only get there on Saturday, so I agreed to stay a day longer and go with up Sani on the GSV. :
Ross, Jay and Jay’s brother went up Sani on Saturday, so we knew conditions were “OK”. :thumleft:
Just a frozen waterfall. :
And a little permanent ice flows. :
But the boys had done it, so let the story begin. 8)
Da Peeg and I left most of our gear at the camp and set off for Sani, we took the Lower Loteni road, passed the spot where Timmy had binned his GS on the Friday, rider OK, bike cosmetic damage only.
It was a nice 90km run of dirt, to get us to Himeville, where we filled up (stupid but we did not know how much juice we would need). Then we set off up the pass, weather conditions were good and we were making good time. :biggrin:
Da Peeg.
What I hadn’t picked up from Ross and Jay’s pictures, was this one, yes a piece of wire through the tyre.
So somewhere about 2 or 3km’s after the RSA border post, as da Peeg sets off again, I notice his rear wheel looks a bit pap, and next corner it goes for a low speed lie down.
And yes the culprit is found, a piece of wire, just like the earlier one from Ross?
At this stage, it was just bad luck. >
But you will have noticed, the Heidenau has come “off the bead” so we spent the next hour or two with help from the 4 x 4 guys trying to get it to seat, unsuccessfully. Da Peeg looked like this for most of the early afternoon. >
So the GSV was called into action, back through the border to Himeville to try to get the Heidi reseated on the bead. :snorting: :snorting:
No pictures, but about halfway from da Peeg to the border, the GSV Gets “you guessed it” a puncture, yes another piece of wire. But the Annakee Wild stayed on the bead, so a snotty and a tin of tyre weld from a generous 4 x 4 driver and we were on our way again. On the way to Himeville I noticed this in a couple of places. The concrete has spalled off exposing reinforcing mesh, now we know where the wire was coming from anyway. :'(
So after a dash down to Himeville, a lot of soapy water from the windscreen washing tub a forecourt compressor and help from the petrol jockeys it seated. I rode back with the wheel to da Peeg and we were off again shortly.
It was a tired Welsh that arrived at Sani Top, I had just ridden 80% of Sani twice and then all of it and collected 5 passport stamps in the process. :eek7:
At this time late in the afternoon, the final steep climb up to the top has the sun sitting right on the crest of the pass blinding you completely, pick the line, hope nothing was coming and go for it. In between me and da Peeg going up, a Fortuner had slowed, lost traction and slid off the road. Whoops. :sip:
So eventually da Peeg joined me at the bar and with a collective fark this, we are not going to get caught on the pass in the dark, lets book in. We managed to get a Rondavel, with fire and big thick duvets and went back to the bar for more Gluewine.
We started chatting in the bar to a couple, only to find out Gordon and Vanessa know one of the dogs well Gordon is one of Shark-ZA’s plastic riding buddies…. :ricky:
So after a pleasant dinner of Trout and a bottle of Red (no gear with us so we looked a treat in the dining room, with our riding shirts and off road boots flapping around), we settled in for the night and had some more gluewine, it gets cold up there.
In the morning the weather was still clear. :biggrin:
So a good breakfast, waiting for it to warm up a bit and suit up for the ride down, I think da Peegs bike was cuddling up to the GSV for warmth. :
Gordon was on his KTM Freeride on the pass with his wife Vanessa, here demonstrating how slippery the permanent ice is and showing us the right line for the pigs to get through, I was first past the ice, carried on and stopped to take a pic of da Peeg. :
But no Peeg, then Vanessa arrives, you had better come back, da Peeg has FALLEN OFF THE MOUNTAIN! :eek7: :eek7:
There was no ways this was going to be ridden up that loose shale incline, you couldn't walk up it! :eek7:
And then the cavalry arrived, the Testosterone loaded Toyota Land Cruiser 4 x 4 club, complete with winches etc that they could now play with. :biggrin: :biggrin:
Round she comes..
And up she comes, the recovered Peeg. :snorting: :snorting:
A cracked screen needed some Duct Tape. :
So, a cracked screen, a little paint damage on one side of the tank, bent aux light brackets from the winch ropes, a lost numberplate and one broken indicator stem, not bad and she started first punch of the button. How many new generation bikes would get off so lightly. 8) :thumleft:
No more pics, we were running late as you can imagine, went back on the Lower Loteni, collected our gear, across to Mooi River and a brain numbing 4 hour haul up the N3 got us home just after 19:00 in the dark. :
Not a bad couple of days out for the old ballies. :biggrin: :biggrin:
Scared the crap out of me initially though. 
