To Gaansbaai with a heap of sand and a Brakenjan

[Brakenjan]

What a ride?!?!?

Where do I start......??

Since my early lurking days on this forum you get to "know" the regulars and you develop sort of an affinity for some of the characters in the soap opera that is this great forum. One of my favourite characters has always been one “Kamanya” whose Namibia RR was part inspiration for an epic Kaokoland trip that 007, Lootch, Maverick and I did in 2007. But (for me at least) Kamanya resided in a virtual world with no real expectation on my side to ever change that status.

Fast forward a couple of years and I recently stumbled upon Kamanya’s inspirational sand riding thread that prompted a PM from my side as I was planning to holiday it that area with the XR and wanted to see whether I could tame the sand monster. As luck would have it, Andrew also holidayed in this part of the world and we agreed tentatively to hook up.

It was great meeting the two legends in person: Andrew and his by now famous and awesome sounding Katoom 950 Adv. I followed him trough Hermanus and when he popped a wheelie and power slid the Katoom round the busiest intersection in Hermanus I knew I was in for a master class of note!!

It ended up being one of the greatest rides I have ever had – the (new to me) XR650R is an awesome bike and thoroughly deserves its legend status. There is no better way to up skill on sand riding than to ride a bike that was built for this kind of stuff (my XR) and following a master rider on a bike that was SO not built for this kind of stuff (Andrew’s Katoom). There were many times when I thought I was going to see my arse only to realise that Andrew had already done that stretch on a bike 70kg’s heavier than mine without blinking!! Respect Mr Johnstone, respect!!!

Thanks again for a great ride Andrew – it was an absolute privilege to ride with you in DS heaven!  :thumleft:

D.

Glad to see you are using my old Xr for what it was made for  :thumleft: And enjoying it. Glad to see it riding and not standing in my garage--Great stuff. BJ

Blazes, I thought about you during our ride and how you would have liked it as well.  :ricky:  I know you have now moved on to things more modern (read "happy button"  :biggrin:  ) but its good to see every now and then that you still have a soft spot for the BRP....

 

[Brakenjan]

Ek sien jy gaan afk@k op die Weskus trippie...

Jou hol ou perd!!

:biggrin:  ;D

 

[Brakenjan]

And, the 950 IS the machine for this kind of work... it won the Dakar.

Ja, ja, ready to race and all and all......   

 

[Lootch67]

Ek sien jy gaan afk@k op die Weskus trippie...

Jou hol ou perd!!

:biggrin:   ;D

:bootyshake:

 

[oo7]

Nice piccies Mr Kamanya and even nicer place where you took the Joburger riding  :biggrin:.

Glad you took Brakenjan around our side of the world - hopefully he will now follow suit and come and join us in DS heaven.
On a permanent basis

ot:

 

[Beserker]

What a ride?!?!?

Where do I start......??

Glad to see you are using my old Xr for what it was made for  :thumleft: And enjoying it. Glad to see it riding and not standing in my garage--Great stuff. BJ

Now I owe no one and no one owes me  :thumleft:

 

[GO GIRL]

Kamanya and Brakkenjan you made things look so easy riding out there... :thumleft:

lekka riding...

 

[ROOI]

Nice one u guys ,BJ now u can come and share some off your new learnt talents here in Gauteng when u get back I am sure u are now ready for the west coast trip .

 

[Stormer]

Good one guys. You have obviously done this before the big fires towards Pearly Beach. We have been going to PB since about '85. Never took any bikes along (seeing that I only have mine for about a year now) but will do some sometime soon.

... rather than having the snack and beer in Gansbaai (a place for some reason that I detest, for me it has a bad vibe) we headed back at the Honda’s top hand numbing speed to Hermanus for a burger and a chat.

That is the way that I feel about Hermanus. I actually quite like Gansbaai. Ok we only go there once a week to stock up on food but only pass through Hermanus going there and coming back.

 

[Sprocketbek]

Many years ago we camped at Gansbaai. For entertainment we went to the local "disco". We put our helmets on some plastic chairs against the far wall. After a couple of drinks one of the local dudes INSISTED on using those chairs. Not any of the 20 other empty chairs, he wanted THOSE.

They love to pick a fight.

BTW, I've been in Onrus on & off for the last 2 weeks and didn't see any of you? :

 

[wooly bugger]

Stunning photographs............ :drif:
What camera did you use?

 

[Kamanya]

Stunning photographs............ :drif:
What camera did you use?

A Nikon coolpix L19.

I broke my Nikon S4 and have been mourning it's loss, there is no replacement for it. The camera is my wifes one. It does alright, is pretty small, just a bit slow.