Day 6 - which consisted of
TWO day's riding of last year, half in reverse direction so
double the effort required... and I remembered both days, however for different reasons! And Van Zyl's Pass was part of this day, the most technical part of the entire trip, and keep in mind that the runup to this bit is just technical rocks also!
Distance-wise only ~180km's so not too bad, and I probably could do this on my 12L tank - but did not want to risk that, hate stranding with an empty tank, so planned on filling up from Hardy's cruiser somewhere.
Oh, on the 3rd day (mix of dirtroad, Klein Van Zyls, Klein Serengeti and the Schlucht's riverbeds) I found out my 300 2T returns around 17 km per liter - surprisingly frugal for a smoker, viva TPI!!!!
It also used VERY little 2stroke oil, just under a liter for the entire trip, which had me worried a little in the beginning because it took so little to fill up... but more on this later!
Us leaving at first light was also an indication of here-comes-shite, and the possibility of us arriving back in the dark was hardly confidence inspiring.... my candle up front I've never actually used in the dark, and you want me to ride that rocky pass/section close to Marble Camp (not Van Zyl's, that's way earlier) with that????
Nie ekke nie dankie, fok dit! Ek sal seker maak ek's daai tyd al by die kamp, en ek's klaar jammer vir die ouens wat dan nog daar gaan sukkel, shame, nie lekker nie....
I was looking
really forward though to the Marienfluss, that
wiiiiiide open, only sparsely populated with trees reddish sand plain which stretches to the mountains on all horizons, where I remembered (from 2 years ago, wasn't there last year) you ride wherever you want, as fast as you want easily veering between the few trees, and with hardly a lurker present, just hammer it..... BLISS!!!
Anyway, I had planned to stock up on a few cold beers in Hardy's coolerbox - of course, a cold or at least cool Tafel along the hot route will go down a treat, so I stopped at the silver shed along the route just a kilometer away from camp and bought a sixpack.
Parked next to the road and just waited for Hardy's trok.... which took quite long because he had to wait for the 2 idjits to be reeled back in by Gerry (a rather quick bliksem when he wants to, let that be said!). Anyway, plenty of time to take a few pics (below), so when the cruiser finally arrived I dumped the beers in the box and set off, determined to catch a few riders en route!
I did too - the beginning was fast and flowing, then later the veering inbetween trees following the track was also quick, and in no time I caught up with the lot parked in whatever shade was available. This was after some 40km or so, as per agreed beforehand, we'd stop every 40km to wait for the rest and the bakkie.
Good idea..... except when shit happens!!!
You see, we all had a really long day ahead, and if we all can go&ride this would not be a problem - but that only happens in dreams, and we all know these do not come true....
Due to a couple of spills from various riders (or a puncture, can't remember anymore) sweeper Jaco and Hardy arrived only after a while - no problem....
.... yet!
But after we left and rode the next 40 km's we had to wait,
really wait, in some shade yes but long - actually: LONG!
Can't remember the waiting time anymore but it was "too" long, especially considering the day lying ahead... this was not going to work, and note this was the general consensus of the group lazing under those trees!
Someone (I forgot who it was, sorry, chip in here please....) decided to ride back and check, and he came back with the news that Jean's bike was fubar due to a fall on rocks, oil verywhere.... and Hardy et al arrived not too long after that, indeed with poor Jean 'riding' on his seat of his bike strapped on the back of the bakkie in the blazing sun!
Shame yes - but also shame on
all of us, as with this agreement (waiting for the bakkie every time we stop at certain intervals) we'd
not finish by daylight!
This was discussed with Hardy, and to his credit he relented to 'stop regularly, take pictures, stop at the viewpoint at Van Zyl's, but you do not have to wait for the bakkie anymore, and please take is easy and stay safe' ... a necessary practical decision dictated by the time remaining & distance remaining both rather than his preferred safe approach, to keep in close proximity of those needing help in case of a problem.
Look, he's the one who ultimately takes responsibility for the riders of his tour, so I (we
all did!) respect this and accept this, but this plan can be modded to 'ride safely on your own' when the need for such exist, and today was that day.
Anyway, some got water from the truck but I had a Tafel, plus filled up my tank -
the opportunity for doing this now, I would have plenty to reach Marble Camp.
Off we went, only to regroup at Van Zyl's Restcamp, before the real technical rocks start.
Now this camp deserves some description, and I'm sure most (all?) of the first-time riders do not know this!
Van Zyl's Rest camp has it all, well, a lot: space aplenty, nicely raked campsites (all sand of course), plenty of large shade trees, sinks with decent dishwashing space, toilets, showers, thermal solar geysers for the showers and a PVsolar powered borehole pump to supply the required water, hell, in the past they even sold bundles of firewood there!
"In the past" yes, because since a few years there is no water anymore due to an absolute ZERO maintenance done by those who run this community camp - so no water, no showers, no hot water either, no toilets (they're kakked full, disgusting!), no firewood for sale, NOTHING is there anymore.... but yeah, of course you're expected to pay the full campfees whenever you rock up, and your argument like 'but what for, there's nothing here???' is brushed off as not-important!
Really?
They turn the received fees into quarts of beer, which after consumption are broken into an atrociously big heap behind some rocks there, this glass hill is impressive in size, and proof of 'civilization' having arrived here. A darn pity, as the camp itself, when properly maintained, is a nice one!
They did not sell anything here for the past two years (a small village along the route nearby sells beers!) but now they do: warm beers & cooldrinks! No fridge you see, too much effort I reckon....
We did buy a few of these during our regrouping-wait, and even Johan, of course seeing nothing as per his habit, turned back and found us there.... you didn't see any tracks anymore Johan?
Anyway, from here on I didn't see the bakkie anymore, and this probably is valid for most of our group.
The runup to Van Zyl was surprisingly rocky, way more than I remembered from 2 years ago, and this is probably due to the big rains they had here a year ago - this must have washed away most of the soil inbetween the rocks, to such an extent even that 4x4's visibly have stacked rocks there where they need a 'ramp' of some sort, otherwise it simply cannot be driven over anymore.... it is bad now!
But with my 'cheater-bike' this was almost a non-event, Andrew even remarked there that I seemed to
idle past them lol - maybe true too, the going was very easy here on a light bike! I quickly reached the Viewpoint before the actual Van Zyl's Pass. Took a few pics and went down Van Zyl's proper, but again this was quick and uneventful, contrary from what I remembered from 2 years ago... I'm a lot fitter now then what I was then, sure it makes a difference.
I reached the tree at the level plain at the bottom without even realizing it, and joined some others there for a lunch.
Then when some of us decided to leave I was on my bike too, eager for the Marienfluss bit that lied ahead!
Unfortunately, due to the grass present there, apparently so for quite a while already, a single jeeptrack was present instead of the wiiiide open 'ride wherever you want' plains I remembered.... but fug zis, I had an awesome trip anyway!
Glorious loose sand, two tracks to choose from, no obstacles near the track, and on a screaming twostoke which you simply steer with oodles of power on command.... what's
not to like hmm?
Yes, I'm addicted, and
this was what I had brought it for .... man it was awesome!!!
Then the reddish sand gives way to the normal yellowish stuff, and here also more jeeptracks exist - and I saw some had taken another route, and later heard that some even had taken the
wrong route lol!
Anyway, this ended just too quick for my liking, and the famous Red Drum was coming up... and here I found myself in company of Fred, the fast old fox
We took some pics there and set off again, Marble Camp wasn't too far anymore.
The sand gives way to some rocky stuff which just gets more rocky, and somewhere there's a narrow pass-like loose rocky incline which I also remembered - quite strange to see actually, as this is a wide landscape, which must have many other possibilities for a track? Not so it seems, this route is taken by all & sundry who pass here...
Anyway, Marble Camp is close now, and I reached it riding alone by this time, as Fred had fogged off ahead already.
It was around 3 o'clock, lekker early, surprisingly so in fact - great, beats riding in the dark any day I'd say!
So I went off to see the Marble Mine close by - which I had not visited the previous times funnily enough, so was earger to see for myself this time! There I found a few others also curious, including Greg with his Unimog.
Worth having a look, and it will give you an idea how, with fairly primitive means, you can mine rock in a remote desolate area, impressive really!
Back at camp I took a pic of smiling Martin working on his bike, he wanted to fix a rattling brake disk - which he did too!
As for him smiling though...... time will tell
This was the BESTESTEST DAY by far sofar, and me not being tired was another thing I was happy about!
Thanks Hardy & team for a super day, and for a next trip keep this loopy route in please!
Ah yeah, on condition we can ride 'free' of course, and this group has proven that they can
He was told not to spoil the ending...
