The Riemvasmaak Run - Reloaded

[Piston Pete]

...and so it came to pass that Newguy, Doerengone, Riaanw, Generaal & myself set off for Riemvasmaak...my old special forces army training ground.
I needed to visit it again to deal with the demons. Next maybe will be the border & a little into Angola. Verstaan jy.

Generaals Vara kakked in Ceres so he was out Bad luck buddy So we cruised onward toward Loeriesfontein on the longest most amazing Karoo highways i have ever ridden! :drif:
Please keep in mind that this was my first 'holiday tour' with buddies. All other trips have been one or two overnighters or outrides + the two KTM RR. So it was nice to keep the speed down unlike getting to & from the RR's which is very pacy! :mwink:

We arrived frikken ampted, hot, dusty & dehydrated in Loeries & naturally gravitated toward the Loeriefontein Hotel for a few well deserved tubes :drif:
Doerengone almost had a nasty on the way but we could still discuss evidence of rare & hardy succulent flora still stuck to his 640 :biggrin:

We were destined to camp at the local sport/agricultural grounds courtesy of our ride Captain, Newguy, however being so hot I had a quick chat to the Hotel owner which put us into his winter braai & kuir area...with bikes :thumleft: Thanks boet! Its hard to stay away from refrigiration under these conditions...verstaan jy :
Some of the local charaters drifted in over time & i understood once again what makes our country great.....brandy & coke Joke....these guys are the genuine article...hard men in a hard part of the country! Me...the only soutie within a radius of 300km's... We got famousy on & a moerse lil party ensued....rehydration you understand..
Guys standing at braai...Doerengone, Newguy & Riaanw
Some pics...

 

[LeonDude]

Ja well no fine. Ek verstaan!  :thumleft:

 

[Piston Pete]

Riaanw recieved a call from HO that his presence was required in India before Christmas on the rig. G'bye Riaanw :3some:

Can't remember but i got my PB dirt speed record the previous or next day of 192 gps. Nice.
Another strong ride ahead...destination Onseepkans on the Orange River but not before we passed through the arsehole of RSA...Pofadder...i'm being unkind i know but struggle to find a reason why this place exists....PING!!! I know...my first puncture...right in front of an exhaust & tyre pozzie!! ;D How convenient. So They helped fixed the rear & off we rode into more spectacular countryside & arrived at the border post tired, sweaty after a ride well done ;D

I must mention that i had a front blowout at about 100-110kms. We hit a section of road baked for a thousand years under an unrelenting sun with rock sticking out of all shapes. I hit a section & felt & heard my front suspention workng hard & then...all over the frikken road....dont know how i kept it together but if i had come off i would be in hospital & my kids & girlfriends holiday after over!
I will never allow that again...only ride once family stuff over! It put me on the jitters for the rest of the trip & only coming out of Riemvasmaak got my Mojo back!

We changed tubes & off we went...pssst....pinch....fix.....patch ...pssst....another tube 2 hours later. Three changes & it was HOT....with a blast furnace wind sweeping across the countryside. Water levels had dropped but the vasbyt & comraderie were thankfully evident. Thanks guys! :thumleft:

Onseepkans thankfully arrived....its a border post, river rafting camp & wet bar :ricky: >
Met eish ja!!!!
Oh yes....after some talk of Pufadders Newguy elected to erect his tent than rather to spead out under the boma.... >

 

[Mark Hardy]

Nice PP and crowd, looking forward to the rest.

ps...how were the mossies in Loriesfountain    >

 

[Piston Pete]

Doerengone had said that he needed a solo with his new bike...he is an ex-roadie so we forgave him ;D I think he wanted to do the me & my machine thing :thumleft: You go boy!
So he left & it was just Captain Newguy & myself & off to Riemvasmaak! Another incredible piece of WIDE OPEN countryside & little or NO CARS on the dirt. This was a theme to occur throughout our trip :ricky:
My/our re-visit to the army training grounds was good. It brought back many memories good & bad. The kind of stuff that either kills or cures. Character building stuff what! :
Pufadders, Roman Spiders & Scorpions are the critters of choice.
The land has been given back to the original settlers & what a mess. Scandanavian funding has allowed a rugby field to be built...no grass/no water...& a vibracrete wall partly around 'cos they(the frikken "mayor" wants to charge entry fees)....with a population of about 500. Go figure.
A big "tourism" gateway & office...unattended....to what...?
The old farm is now a mission type church & school.

Magic riding area that Newguy will agee on...that DRZ is a weapon of choice!
Moving on.

 

[Piston Pete]

We had to make a turn into Upington to get me a new front tyre & tube as the blowout had caused some damage & the kit was unreliable.
We pulled into the Dros & had lekker hamburgers & a few tubes :thumleft: Aaaah...the bright lights!
HKGK...Kenhardt.
A semi-tough ride in with the usual extreme heat. Its a very quiet town on a given day. We banged down the doors & had our way with a few tubes whilst being shown to our aircon suite.
Freshened up & hit the pub starving. A few locals trickled in & a good time was had by all. They soon left & it was just us & the owner. So he reckons its a idea to go down to the river with a cooler of ice & drinkies & make a fire. Ok...this sounds different. Not much unlike sitting at the circle in Welcom on a Sunday afternoon & watching the traffic go by.
Clearly we know theres no water!
Off we go on the Nissan HB 4x4 packed & racked. He needs a gunrack...s'tru.

The fires going in the crisp warm evening wind. Lekker nou.
We talk about all sorts of stuff but especially...
He's a motorcyclist of note. Did recently an under 3000km's charity run in the N & W Cape....on a Chinese scooter in 6 days.
A KLR now stands in the garage & the R1 out. ;D

...and whats on the pub walls....writing on the walls of motorcyclists greetings all over! We saw a good few Wilddogs there > Aaaaah We planted our paw.

So now the hotel owner reckons its time to play in the river bed wiv the 4x4. Not untill of course, in our slops, dodged scorpions & koringkrieks in the sand...

This gets boring ...& the story is very unclear from here on....so we take the 4x4 back & come with the Nissan DC 2x4...but from a Steves Auto upgrade.   Fark....i had a go....difflock is all.
Surpising what you can do with it!
Who got the 2x4 stuck will remain a mystery.
Now we are pissed. But we still hold larege resevoirs of balace, willpower & adreneline. Off we WALK back (newguy left behind...security he was not) & get the 4x4.
It ended up with him helping himself etc & us off back at the hotel. Long stories
It's now about 4.30 - 5.00 in the morning. Verneukpan looms.

I've hit a problem with further pics....Hylton help! ;D

 

[Scrat]

lekke man - wens ek kon saamkom..... lyk darm ma net lekke!!!

kom kom - wa is di anner pics!!!

 

[letsgofishing]

Sounds like an epic RR is on the go PP!
Looking forward to the rest ;D

 

[Disselboom]

Sounds like an epic joll. :thumleft:

 

[Andy 950]

Lekker, waiting anxiously for the rest

 

[Riaanrw]

Hier is in paar foto's wat ek die eerste dag geneem het.

Sorry het nie nou tyd om oor die foto's te skryf nie jule sal maar moet raai.

 

[Riaanrw]

Lees biekie die sign in die foto. Dis nou waar die main manne sit!!!!!!!!!    :imaposer:

 

[Snafu]

Bullshit Corner with Newguy in charge, make sense!!

Lekker man!

 

[aardtvark]

Jeez Pete that looks like such a jol, wish I was there!

 

[Gee eS]

Lekker trip man!

 

[newguy]

Hey Pete, just got back from holiday. Will post my part in this week, watch this space.

 

[Cane Rat]

Hey, this brings back memories.  We often did training there while I was doing my basics in Upington. Hated the place. Brak water gave everybody gippo-guts. Riemvasmaak kop was everyone's worst nightmare. Used to have a lonely tree right on top and I can still hear the Corp saying: "Boompie Gaan!!! > >. Old RC Mission building normally served as HQ while we were there. Looking forward to some more pics.

 

[Piston Pete]

Hey Pete, just got back from holiday. Will post my part in this week, watch this space.

Glad to hear you back safe & sound.....post your pics & comments china...i seem to 'av lost a whole bunch!!!

 

[Piston Pete]

Hey, this brings back memories.  We often did training there while I was doing my basics in Upington. Hated the place. Brak water gave everybody gippo-guts. Riemvasmaak kop was everyone's worst nightmare. Used to have a lonely tree right on top and I can still hear the Corp saying: "Boompie Gaan!!! > >. Old RC Mission building normally served as HQ while we were there. Looking forward to some more pics.

No pics from the top of Riemvasmaak or Buccaneer...trust me! Been there done that. Stationed there for 7 months! Its a tough piece of country!

 

[newguy]

So Pumkin/Puncture/Pimpin/Piston Pete had this crazy idea to go to his old training grounds in Riemvasmaak. So after 2 or 3 braais at his place to plan the trip we still didnt have a clue :biggrin:

Dogs at the start of the trip
Doerengone
Riaanrw
Newguy
Puncturepete
Generaal

Day 1
We meet up at Ceres and at the first stop Generaal has a problem with a slipping clutch on the Vara.
Numerous calls and it doesnt seem like a new clutch would be fitted anytime soon. Give mr LeCap a call and he says "No problem, have the bike here by 13:00"

We were all hoping Generaal could go and get it fixed and join us. Unfortunately he never did.
So we stop for coffee at Oom Generaals place.

Riaan and Doerengone
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Puncturepete stuffing his face
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Generaal organising a clutch
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Finally on the road out of Ceres towards Calvinia
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Pete riding out ahead to take photos, but the Z kept up too well
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The guys coming up da road
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First puncture of the trip in Calvinia, luckily it was right at the tyre shop, no worries.
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Made it to Loeries on day 1. Of course in the current company, everyone seemed as comfortable in a bar as on a bike.
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Unfortunately for the trip we would lose our second member. Riaan got a call from work and would leave us early the next morning.

Lekker people that hang at the Loeries Hotel. You can contact Piet and Melanie for more info @ o83 236 6276