zetman
Race Dog
hel ma julle het n lekr trip gehad ek geniet dit vreeslik om jou trips te lees hou so aan en skryf ng asb
Trailriderâ??s tour to Hogsback â?? The 2007 WD Bash!!! Complete report
- Thread starter Trailrider
- Start date
Trailrider
Bachelor Dog
Ratel said:Dit lyk na 'n lekker trip wat julle twee daar gery het
Meer fotos van Katberg pas??
Ons het nie baie gestop nie en die lig was moeilik, maar ek het nog 'n paar bygesit
Trailrider
Bachelor Dog
Day 3: Tall tales of the Wee folk.
We slept like logs but got up early to set up camp. We wanted to make sure that we vacated the Lapa before our hosts wanted to start preparing it for the bash. After a nice shower we were as fresh as the morning breeze and around 6am we were pitching our tents. I also decided to wash my bike as it was very dusty (yeah yeah, I know, but I believe that if you want her to look after you, you have to look after her).
Al this work makes one thirsty and we decided to have the beer from the night before. The first beers were opened at 7amâ?¦ :
After breakfast (more beer and Oatso Easy) we decided to ride into town for sightseeing and supplies. Hogsback is a cute little town. No tar, no traffic lights - I would move here within a heartbeat!
As it turns out sightseeing also is thirsty workâ?¦ We headed back to the campsite to wait for the first Wilddogs. For the wait we broke out the good stuff and started knocking back a few. ;D Quite a few actually, because the first Wilddogs only showed up that afternoon and we were â??waitingâ? since before 10. : By now we were â??waitingâ? specialists. 8)
Whatâ??s next for Michnus? ;D
The guys needed no invitation to try and catch up to us though.
SCP did not have the staying power and he retired early.
Friday evening turned out to be a hell of a party! ;D
Groenie LOVED my jersey and after some debate he concurred that WP is the best rugby team in the world! ;D
I don't recall much more than that, other than me and Lihan talking about how buying a Triumph and buying a Ferrari is more or less the same thing. I also heard it rained that night. Apparently a lot of â??waitingâ? affects your memory.
We slept like logs but got up early to set up camp. We wanted to make sure that we vacated the Lapa before our hosts wanted to start preparing it for the bash. After a nice shower we were as fresh as the morning breeze and around 6am we were pitching our tents. I also decided to wash my bike as it was very dusty (yeah yeah, I know, but I believe that if you want her to look after you, you have to look after her
).
Al this work makes one thirsty and we decided to have the beer from the night before. The first beers were opened at 7amâ?¦ :
After breakfast (more beer and Oatso Easy) we decided to ride into town for sightseeing and supplies. Hogsback is a cute little town. No tar, no traffic lights - I would move here within a heartbeat!
As it turns out sightseeing also is thirsty workâ?¦ We headed back to the campsite to wait for the first Wilddogs. For the wait we broke out the good stuff and started knocking back a few. ;D Quite a few actually, because the first Wilddogs only showed up that afternoon and we were â??waitingâ? since before 10. :
By now we were â??waitingâ? specialists. 8)
Whatâ??s next for Michnus? ;D
The guys needed no invitation to try and catch up to us though.
SCP did not have the staying power and he retired early.
Friday evening turned out to be a hell of a party! ;D
Groenie LOVED my jersey and after some debate he concurred that WP is the best rugby team in the world! ;D
I don't recall much more than that, other than me and Lihan talking about how buying a Triumph and buying a Ferrari is more or less the same thing. I also heard it rained that night. Apparently a lot of â??waitingâ? affects your memory.
Trailrider
Bachelor Dog
Day 4: To Bash or not to Bash. What was the question?
Despite the rain during the night Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day. LGF, Eisbein, SCP, Dieterj (now Major Tom) and I set out to explore the sights and sounds of Hogsback.
The Eco Shrine turned out to be a profound place.
The artist herself gave us some insight with regard to her works.
Next up we decided to have breakfast â?? we werenâ??t the only ones that had that idea.
After breakfast we left for a 4x4 route that Michnus told us about. First stop was the Madonna and Child waterfall. Only LGF walked down and he was rewarded with some pics of water nymphs in bikinis. ;D If only we had knownâ?¦ :-\ At least there were some nice looking bikes around. 8)
Shortly after this disaster struck. I had a flat rear wheel.
This story warrants its own thread. > Suffice it to say that tyre fix again did not work (8 out of 8 times now) and it took 3 gas bombs, 6 people, 3 hours, removing the tyre 4 times, using a whole patch kit and 3 tubes and still we had a flat tyre.
Eventually KTMJedi came to the rescue. He made it look so easy and fixed the wheel in what seemed 5 minutes flat. We all felt like idiots. Well, I know I did. :
Saturday night we once again had a great party. I for one took it a lot easier than the previous night. The food was great and the organization superb! A big thumbs up to all the organizers! :thumleft:
Also a thanks to the sponsors from my side. The tailbag I won will be put to good use. ;D
Groenie once again was a treat. I think the moment of the bash was when the dog once again took his seat.
:laughing4: :laughing4: :laughing4:
Every dog has his day.
To all the dogs I met and spent time with it was great to meet you. Dieterj, Lihan, Piksteel, Fullyautomatix, Ratel, LM, Oetie, Groenie, Miena Moo, Ektoknbike, Tok Tokkie, Eisbein, LGF, Adventurer, Mr & Mrs Yellowfewer, Mountainboy, Paulsky, Boertjie, Bojangles, Somewhere Els, Michnus, Wino, Kilroy, Mr & Mrs MJ, Bobnob, Geoff, Watty, BMWPE, CTD, Pad, Dusty, Shark, the whole group, ag there are to many to mention. Thanks I had a great time. With some of you I only spoke briefly, next time weâ??ll chat properly. It was over all too soon.
Next year Stephen, Red, McDuff, Paramed, Tobbox, Gravelmad, Operator, Marlene, Rooipoot and others better make sure they don't mis it again!
Despite the rain during the night Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day. LGF, Eisbein, SCP, Dieterj (now Major Tom) and I set out to explore the sights and sounds of Hogsback.
The Eco Shrine turned out to be a profound place.
The artist herself gave us some insight with regard to her works.
Next up we decided to have breakfast â?? we werenâ??t the only ones that had that idea.
After breakfast we left for a 4x4 route that Michnus told us about. First stop was the Madonna and Child waterfall. Only LGF walked down and he was rewarded with some pics of water nymphs in bikinis. ;D If only we had knownâ?¦ :-\ At least there were some nice looking bikes around. 8)
Shortly after this disaster struck. I had a flat rear wheel.
This story warrants its own thread. >
Suffice it to say that tyre fix again did not work (8 out of 8 times now) and it took 3 gas bombs, 6 people, 3 hours, removing the tyre 4 times, using a whole patch kit and 3 tubes and still we had a flat tyre. Eventually KTMJedi came to the rescue. He made it look so easy and fixed the wheel in what seemed 5 minutes flat. We all felt like idiots. Well, I know I did. :
Saturday night we once again had a great party. I for one took it a lot easier than the previous night. The food was great and the organization superb! A big thumbs up to all the organizers! :thumleft:
Also a thanks to the sponsors from my side. The tailbag I won will be put to good use. ;D
Groenie once again was a treat. I think the moment of the bash was when the dog once again took his seat.
:laughing4: :laughing4: :laughing4:
Every dog has his day.
To all the dogs I met and spent time with it was great to meet you. Dieterj, Lihan, Piksteel, Fullyautomatix, Ratel, LM, Oetie, Groenie, Miena Moo, Ektoknbike, Tok Tokkie, Eisbein, LGF, Adventurer, Mr & Mrs Yellowfewer, Mountainboy, Paulsky, Boertjie, Bojangles, Somewhere Els, Michnus, Wino, Kilroy, Mr & Mrs MJ, Bobnob, Geoff, Watty, BMWPE, CTD, Pad, Dusty, Shark, the whole group, ag there are to many to mention. Thanks I had a great time. With some of you I only spoke briefly, next time weâ??ll chat properly. It was over all too soon.
Next year Stephen, Red, McDuff, Paramed, Tobbox, Gravelmad, Operator, Marlene, Rooipoot and others better make sure they don't mis it again!
Watty
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2006
- Messages
- 3,954
- Reaction score
- 3
- Location
- Port Elizabeth
- Bike
- Suzuki Djebel 250XC
Trailrider
Bachelor Dog
Dankie Watty - ek het dit nodig (soos jy sal sien in dag 5 en 6 :)
)
Trailrider
Bachelor Dog
Day 5
Eisbein, LGF, Tok Tokkie, SCP and I hatched a plan to ride together from Hogsback. Eisbein and LGF would split off at the N2 and the rest of us would head for Port Alfred and eventually Colchester.
When I started packing I decided to pack the GPS in the luggage as well. I did not feel like getting lost again.
As agreed, we left the campsite at 8am. The 2 days in Hogsback were great, but I must admit I was happy to be traveling again. Barely 5km from the camp I had to stop. SCP had set my chain so tight the previous day that it actually made a grinding sound. After some quick adjustments we were on our way again. We took the dirt to the Dubbel Drift Game reserve.
This could potentially be an exciting rideâ?¦
â?¦but we never did see Lion or Rhino.
It was not long before we did not know where we were again. This time I could not blame a GPS. We took this road and that and ended up in Peddie. :-\ Not quite Grahamstown where LGF and Eisbein was headed.
After we said our goodbyes Eisbein and LGF sped off and we took the gravel roads towards the coast. At least I knew where we were on the map again. ;D
We rode and rode and the roads got smaller and rougher.
Yep, you guessed itâ?¦ Before long we were lost â?? AGAIN! :-[
Where did the road go? OK. You have to admit when you have been beaten. We asked Tok Tokkie to ask "Tannie Karin van Garmin" where we were.
According to her there was no road here. No shit Sherlock.
After asking some directions we were of again. Dodging goats, sheep, cows, mules, donkeys, horses, chickens and some weird crossbred dogs we happened on a road that took us straight to the Fish River Sun. Surely from here we can find Port Alfred? : We had to take the coastal road. For some reason I thought the road we Tâ??d into ran North/South so surely we had to turn left to the coast? Turns out that road was running East/West and we were blissfully unaware that we were on our way to East Londonâ?¦
We even waved at some dogs passing us from the front (2 x GSâ??s and the Yellow Triumph). This and the fact that the ocean was on our right made me suspicious. What the hell is going on? ??? We were crossing rivers we were not supposed to.
Tok Tokkie â?? what does the Zumo say? â??It says youâ??re traveling in the wrong directionâ?. Geez. Thanks for telling us! â??I thought you were taking us somewhere for a quick biteâ?.
We turned around and rode (with the wind this time) all the way to Port Alfred. We never did catch the GSâ??s though. What â??n beautiful town! We went to the restaurant at the beach LM told us about. Excellent a spot! 8)
We settled in and ordered some beer, pizza and more beer. There were lots of eye candy around and we had a great lunch. At one stage the two girls (could have been mother and daughter) at the table next to ours started flirting heavily. It was funny at first, but geez, some woman really abuse taking the initiative. (Sorry, no pics. We certainly did not want to encourage them!) Time to go.
When we got on the bikes and rode off they even waved from the balcony. Geez, a CTX sure is a babe magnet. ;D
We refueled and hit the road to Colchester. As it turns out you cannot follow the coastal gravel road there, so we ended up taking tar. :BangHead: Gut wrenching, excruciating, soul torturing tar. I HATE TAR! :BangHead: :BangHead: :BangHead: If it werenâ??t for the knobblies I would have fallen asleep. The rattling must be like riding a KLR? We were going as fast as we could go. My speedo ran off clock and broke. Great. I hate TAR! :BangHead:
Most big bikes are tourers with off road ability. I have an off road bike that was not built for touring. I am not supposed to be on tar. :angry4: The TransAlp that Mrs. TR wants me to buy so badly looked very good right about now. :-\
Eventually we reached Colchester. The Caravan park did not look like much from the road, but I am not riding any further on tar today.
We booked in and paid â?? and then we rode up to this! ;D ;D ;D
This is where the Sundays river flows into the ocean. It is mostly undeveloped and unspoilt. Best of all, we were the only people there! ;D
We pitched camp and got some tjops, steaks and wors for the evening braai.
What a way to end a day. We and Tok Tokkie got along like a house on fire. Always cool to meet a fellow Wild dog that shares a love for biking and nature.
Stats Day 5:
Total kms traveled: 374km
Fuel consumption: 22,7km/L
Eisbein, LGF, Tok Tokkie, SCP and I hatched a plan to ride together from Hogsback. Eisbein and LGF would split off at the N2 and the rest of us would head for Port Alfred and eventually Colchester.
When I started packing I decided to pack the GPS in the luggage as well. I did not feel like getting lost again.
As agreed, we left the campsite at 8am. The 2 days in Hogsback were great, but I must admit I was happy to be traveling again. Barely 5km from the camp I had to stop. SCP had set my chain so tight the previous day that it actually made a grinding sound. After some quick adjustments we were on our way again. We took the dirt to the Dubbel Drift Game reserve.
This could potentially be an exciting rideâ?¦
â?¦but we never did see Lion or Rhino.
It was not long before we did not know where we were again. This time I could not blame a GPS. We took this road and that and ended up in Peddie. :-\ Not quite Grahamstown where LGF and Eisbein was headed.
After we said our goodbyes Eisbein and LGF sped off and we took the gravel roads towards the coast. At least I knew where we were on the map again. ;D
We rode and rode and the roads got smaller and rougher.
Yep, you guessed itâ?¦ Before long we were lost â?? AGAIN! :-[
Where did the road go? OK. You have to admit when you have been beaten. We asked Tok Tokkie to ask "Tannie Karin van Garmin" where we were.
According to her there was no road here. No shit Sherlock.
After asking some directions we were of again. Dodging goats, sheep, cows, mules, donkeys, horses, chickens and some weird crossbred dogs we happened on a road that took us straight to the Fish River Sun. Surely from here we can find Port Alfred? :
We had to take the coastal road. For some reason I thought the road we Tâ??d into ran North/South so surely we had to turn left to the coast? Turns out that road was running East/West and we were blissfully unaware that we were on our way to East Londonâ?¦We even waved at some dogs passing us from the front (2 x GSâ??s and the Yellow Triumph). This and the fact that the ocean was on our right made me suspicious. What the hell is going on? ??? We were crossing rivers we were not supposed to.
Tok Tokkie â?? what does the Zumo say? â??It says youâ??re traveling in the wrong directionâ?. Geez. Thanks for telling us! â??I thought you were taking us somewhere for a quick biteâ?.
We turned around and rode (with the wind this time) all the way to Port Alfred. We never did catch the GSâ??s though.
What â??n beautiful town! We went to the restaurant at the beach LM told us about. Excellent a spot! 8)
We settled in and ordered some beer, pizza and more beer. There were lots of eye candy around and we had a great lunch. At one stage the two girls (could have been mother and daughter) at the table next to ours started flirting heavily.
It was funny at first, but geez, some woman really abuse taking the initiative. (Sorry, no pics. We certainly did not want to encourage them!) Time to go.When we got on the bikes and rode off they even waved from the balcony. Geez, a CTX sure is a babe magnet. ;D
We refueled and hit the road to Colchester. As it turns out you cannot follow the coastal gravel road there, so we ended up taking tar. :BangHead: Gut wrenching, excruciating, soul torturing tar. I HATE TAR! :BangHead: :BangHead: :BangHead: If it werenâ??t for the knobblies I would have fallen asleep. The rattling must be like riding a KLR?
We were going as fast as we could go. My speedo ran off clock and broke. Great. I hate TAR! :BangHead:Most big bikes are tourers with off road ability. I have an off road bike that was not built for touring. I am not supposed to be on tar. :angry4: The TransAlp that Mrs. TR wants me to buy so badly looked very good right about now. :-\
Eventually we reached Colchester. The Caravan park did not look like much from the road, but I am not riding any further on tar today.
We booked in and paid â?? and then we rode up to this! ;D ;D ;D
This is where the Sundays river flows into the ocean. It is mostly undeveloped and unspoilt. Best of all, we were the only people there! ;D
We pitched camp and got some tjops, steaks and wors for the evening braai.
What a way to end a day. We and Tok Tokkie got along like a house on fire. Always cool to meet a fellow Wild dog that shares a love for biking and nature.
Stats Day 5:
Total kms traveled: 374km
Fuel consumption: 22,7km/L
Oetie
Race Dog
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2006
- Messages
- 1,247
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Rooihuiskraal, Centurion
- Bike
- BMW R1200GS Adventure
Hey TR, excellent report and lovely pic's!!
Was nice meeting you, one day I will ride in your lovely valley
Was nice meeting you, one day I will ride in your lovely valley
Ratel
Race Dog
How the hell can we believe you... >
JourneyMan
Bachelor Dog
Sounds like quite an adventure, despite the tar sections.
Ja-nee. Agree with Ratel. What happened on the mountain stays on the mountain. :mrgreen:
Lekker een TR!
Good report!
Ja-nee. Agree with Ratel. What happened on the mountain stays on the mountain.
:mrgreen:Lekker een TR!
Good report!
dieterj
Pack Dog
Great Report, as always, TR. :thumleft:
Was good meeting you at the bash.
Was good meeting you at the bash.
Trailrider
Bachelor Dog
Day 6 â?? Playday!
Itâ??s Monday morning. People are going to work, getting back into the rat race, back into the daily grind.
We woke up to this:
We were close to PE and it showed. Cheap tents aren't always the best... ;D
Tok Tokkie was going to ride to Steytlerville today, but we got along so well he decided to join us through Baviaans (this turned out to be a helluva good decision).
We hit the N2 with SCP leading. He took a wrong turnoff and we ended up in the PE morning traffic. If my bike was not built for tar, it definitely wasnâ??t built for rush hour city traffic! Iâ??m waaaay down on the pecking order. Tok Tokkie asked â??Tannie Karen van Garminâ? and she led us out of this hell hole. GPSâ??s have a purpose after allâ?¦
On our way a strange thing happened. I came across another CTX â?? twice. Friendly folk too - both waved. Soon we were riding through the green hills of Patensie.
We made a quick stop at the Spar, liquor store and petrol station. While filling up a bloke on a Yamaha AG200 rolled up. We had a long chat about my bike as he wants one too. I can really get used to all the attention. How often does it happen that people would walk up to 3 bikes, ignore the Dakar and admire the "plaasbike". It was obvious that the CTX and I were in our natural habitat. ;D
We hit the road to Baviaans.
We stopped for lunch at this stream where we saw a small water Leguan swim by. I was full of anticipation. Today thereâ??ll be water crossings and lots of them!
On the way up the pass I stopped for a photo. After a while SCP rolled up and then Tok Tokkie slid up. Another one for the â??I ate dustâ? thread. ;D ;D 8)
Itâ??s a good thing he didnâ??t go over the edge!
We were cruising and taking photoâ??s when suddenly one of my bungee cords came loose, ended up in my chain and promptly popped it off. Luckily by now I was an expert with regard to anything concerning my back wheel. :-\
I got it back on and even though it was rather loose decided to continue. 200m further it was off again. Flat tyres, speedoâ??s breaking, chains falling off â?? I wish the 13000km mark can roll over to 14000km. These nuisances arenâ??t major mechanical problems (itâ??s a Honda after all) but Iâ??m used to trouble free riding.
Baviaans is a wondrous place. Katberg Pass is great, especially if you see it for the first time, but Baviaans is nothing to scoff at.
Itâ??s the terrian my bike was built for. I can ride up and down whatever I want, stop when and where I want and pull off easily. The bike is like a tractor â?? it hardly notices the extra luggage. On the steep passes you donâ??t have to worry about momentum or such. You can stop where / if you want too â?? simply put your foot down. The bike is light and low. Not an adrenalin machine, but great if youâ??re there for the scenery / taking photographs.
The scenery varies and so do the road conditions. Wildlife abound. I love Baviaans.
All the traitorous thoughts I had of changing to a TA disappeared (sorry Mrs. TR). Fact is that my bike was better in the parts I loved (Katberg, Baviaans Wilderness area) and the TA would be better on the parts I hated (Tar). I donâ??t intend on going back to those places, so the CTX it will be. I ride this bike by choice. 8)
Then the real fun started!!! ;D ;D ;D
Close call: : 8)
I did some of the water crossings several times. Tok Tokkie and SCP must have thought Iâ??m off my rocker. :dontknow: Some Iâ??d ride in, ride around in circles and exit on the other side. The deeper ones Iâ??d do again (and again). ;D This one I did 5 times:
This is the type of riding I love. Favorite road condition: Under water. Most feared road condition: Tar.
The obligatory Baviaans Paw x Paw pic:
More Wildlife:
And finally we reached our destination for the night â?? Bakkrans. This venue exceeded our wildest expectations! A perfect end to a wonderful day. Why canâ??t all Mondays be like this?
The road (trail? ;D) to the cave:
Home sweet home for tonight:
It has everything, plates and cutlery, every possible thing you could need for a braai including wood, cups & mugs, glasses, running water, tables, chairs, everything â?? and I mean everything you could possible need. If, by some chance, there is something else you need, the owners also own the shop, liquor store and petrol pump. ;D
Itâ??s in a kloof and a smaller cave opposite has a flush toilet and hot shower. When you come here you need to bring your clothes only (and you could even wash them if you wanted). It's got clear fountain water on tap and there is even a small "pool" you can fill and sit in on the hot summer days.
The cave can sleep 10 people.
I have stayed in different venues in Baviaans. Believe me, nothing beats this. This will be where I stay in future. (Just book early as they are booked for months in advance).
We ordered braai packs and at R80 a head I thought it a bit steep at first. When our hostess came over to deliver our crate (yes crate!) full of food I was blown away. We had tjops, wors, sosaties, roosterkoek, 2 salads, a veggie dish that only had to be heated on the coals (a potato, sweet potato and pumpkin dish that was absolutely divine) and even a date pudding! Also included were coffee, fresh milk and rusks. Does life get any better than this?
Birdlife abound and we even saw some Knysna Loeries. (In Baviaans â?? can you believe it?)
We chatted and chatted till we fell asleep under the stars. Our lives truly were perfect.
Itâ??s Monday morning. People are going to work, getting back into the rat race, back into the daily grind.
We woke up to this:
We were close to PE and it showed. Cheap tents aren't always the best... ;D
Tok Tokkie was going to ride to Steytlerville today, but we got along so well he decided to join us through Baviaans (this turned out to be a helluva good decision
).We hit the N2 with SCP leading. He took a wrong turnoff and we ended up in the PE morning traffic. If my bike was not built for tar, it definitely wasnâ??t built for rush hour city traffic! Iâ??m waaaay down on the pecking order. Tok Tokkie asked â??Tannie Karen van Garminâ? and she led us out of this hell hole. GPSâ??s have a purpose after allâ?¦
On our way a strange thing happened. I came across another CTX â?? twice. Friendly folk too - both waved. Soon we were riding through the green hills of Patensie.
We made a quick stop at the Spar, liquor store and petrol station. While filling up a bloke on a Yamaha AG200 rolled up. We had a long chat about my bike as he wants one too. I can really get used to all the attention. How often does it happen that people would walk up to 3 bikes, ignore the Dakar and admire the "plaasbike". It was obvious that the CTX and I were in our natural habitat. ;D
We hit the road to Baviaans.
We stopped for lunch at this stream where we saw a small water Leguan swim by. I was full of anticipation. Today thereâ??ll be water crossings and lots of them!
On the way up the pass I stopped for a photo. After a while SCP rolled up and then Tok Tokkie slid up. Another one for the â??I ate dustâ? thread. ;D ;D 8)
Itâ??s a good thing he didnâ??t go over the edge!
We were cruising and taking photoâ??s when suddenly one of my bungee cords came loose, ended up in my chain and promptly popped it off. Luckily by now I was an expert with regard to anything concerning my back wheel. :-\
I got it back on and even though it was rather loose decided to continue. 200m further it was off again. Flat tyres, speedoâ??s breaking, chains falling off â?? I wish the 13000km mark can roll over to 14000km. These nuisances arenâ??t major mechanical problems (itâ??s a Honda after all
) but Iâ??m used to trouble free riding.Baviaans is a wondrous place. Katberg Pass is great, especially if you see it for the first time, but Baviaans is nothing to scoff at.
Itâ??s the terrian my bike was built for. I can ride up and down whatever I want, stop when and where I want and pull off easily. The bike is like a tractor â?? it hardly notices the extra luggage. On the steep passes you donâ??t have to worry about momentum or such. You can stop where / if you want too â?? simply put your foot down. The bike is light and low. Not an adrenalin machine, but great if youâ??re there for the scenery / taking photographs.
The scenery varies and so do the road conditions. Wildlife abound. I love Baviaans.
All the traitorous thoughts I had of changing to a TA disappeared (sorry Mrs. TR). Fact is that my bike was better in the parts I loved (Katberg, Baviaans Wilderness area) and the TA would be better on the parts I hated (Tar). I donâ??t intend on going back to those places, so the CTX it will be. I ride this bike by choice. 8)
Then the real fun started!!! ;D ;D ;D
Close call:
: 8)
I did some of the water crossings several times. Tok Tokkie and SCP must have thought Iâ??m off my rocker. :dontknow: Some Iâ??d ride in, ride around in circles and exit on the other side. The deeper ones Iâ??d do again (and again). ;D This one I did 5 times:
This is the type of riding I love. Favorite road condition: Under water. Most feared road condition: Tar.
The obligatory Baviaans Paw x Paw pic:
More Wildlife:
And finally we reached our destination for the night â?? Bakkrans. This venue exceeded our wildest expectations! A perfect end to a wonderful day. Why canâ??t all Mondays be like this?
The road (trail? ;D) to the cave:
Home sweet home for tonight:
It has everything, plates and cutlery, every possible thing you could need for a braai including wood, cups & mugs, glasses, running water, tables, chairs, everything â?? and I mean everything you could possible need. If, by some chance, there is something else you need, the owners also own the shop, liquor store and petrol pump. ;D
Itâ??s in a kloof and a smaller cave opposite has a flush toilet and hot shower. When you come here you need to bring your clothes only (and you could even wash them if you wanted). It's got clear fountain water on tap and there is even a small "pool" you can fill and sit in on the hot summer days.
The cave can sleep 10 people.
I have stayed in different venues in Baviaans. Believe me, nothing beats this. This will be where I stay in future. (Just book early as they are booked for months in advance).
We ordered braai packs and at R80 a head I thought it a bit steep at first. When our hostess came over to deliver our crate (yes crate!) full of food I was blown away. We had tjops, wors, sosaties, roosterkoek, 2 salads, a veggie dish that only had to be heated on the coals (a potato, sweet potato and pumpkin dish that was absolutely divine) and even a date pudding! Also included were coffee, fresh milk and rusks. Does life get any better than this?
Birdlife abound and we even saw some Knysna Loeries. (In Baviaans â?? can you believe it?)
We chatted and chatted till we fell asleep under the stars. Our lives truly were perfect.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2006
- Messages
- 4,128
- Reaction score
- 496
- Location
- PTA ,Koedoespoort Industrial
- Bike
- KTM 890 Adventure R Rally
Lucky bliksem!
CrazyPorra
Race Dog
Have to agree, that cave and what the owners do to make you welcome is unbelievable, great place to stay overnight. Must remember the camp spot along Sunday's river.
K
Kev
Guest
Wow! :thumleft:
Great report and pics TR - I'm longing to do Baviaans again!
Trailrider
Bachelor Dog
Day 7
I was woken in fresh air by birds chirping away around us. This is the life!
After an open air shower I returned to make my mates some coffee in bed. They were still sound asleep.
This was day 7 on the road, but only day 3 since weâ??ve started riding again. Day 3 is always the best. This is the day when you get into your routine and everybody enjoys the ride and company. We certainly were in a cheerful mood. ;D
By 8am we were packed and on our way. Our hostess prepared breakfast (R40 / head) and again it exceeded my wildest expectations.
Fresh juice, cereal, muesli and Yogurt. This was followed by bacon, eggs, toast, fried tomato and Crumbed Gemsbok steaks. Absolutely divine. 8)
With big smiles and full tummies we were on the road again. We stopped at the Monument to the Campbell family.
The road through the western side of Baviaans is good and scenic.
Then itâ??s the road to Uniondaleâ?¦
â?¦and finally the road to Prins Alfreds pass.
Tok Tokkie could not believe that I rated the Katberg pass above this pass. Prince Alfred sure is scenic. Maybe itâ??s a case of â??somewhere else is always betterâ?, but to compare them is unfair. Each has its attributes. Maybe I like Katberg because there is less tourists and more technical road.
Descending on the South Cape side we rode into a magical forest. The fires near Karatara were still raging and the sunlight through the smoke was red, turning the forest into the most amazing shades of green.
Since we rode into the beach campsite at Colchester itâ??s just been one awe inspiring scene after the other. 8) This is the best ride ever! Total sensory overload.
We truly are rich men. We do not have to ride here from somewhere else, this is just the scenery on our way home! ;D
Eventually the forestâ??s embrace loses its grip and it opens up to the lovely scenery of Knysna.
Next up were Phantom pass, Homtini pass and the rest of the 7 passes road. Iâ??ve seen adders and cobraâ??s on this trip and finally I was treated to a tree snake.
At first I thought it was hit by a car, but actually it was shedding its skin. These snakes are very well camouflaged and rarely seen. To find one in the open like this and seeing this is a rare find.
An added bonus was the fact that the 13th thousand km was over.
And so the trip drew to a close. Tok Tokkie had a quick beer at my place before continuing on his ride. Thanks man. I hope to ride with you again some time. It was great!
We covered a total amount of just over 1700km. We had no problems apart from flat tyres, a chain coming off and a permanent very optimistic speedo. The new panniers system worked well and the extra petrol tank is a huge bonus. The weight in front makes the bike feel more stable and sure footed. I have learned that the only limit to where this bike can go is the rider and the end of the gravel road. It did not go down once and takes everything in it's stride. I am truly impressed. The minimalist touring bug definitely has bitten.
The bash was great and it was nice to meet all the Wild dogs and put faces to the names. ;D
Thanks again Tok Tokkie for great company. You get to know a person better on a ride than on a quick kuier. We shall ride again. :thumleft:
Final thought: We should make more time to ride and see our country. There is so much to see.
We're coming to the end of a hundred years or more of devices we invented to save time. What has become of this? Nobody has enough time anymore... We are a time-impoverished society. We have lots of material things, but we have no time left. It is the time of mechanical devices... It is the new poverty.
Needleman - 1999
I was woken in fresh air by birds chirping away around us. This is the life!
After an open air shower I returned to make my mates some coffee in bed. They were still sound asleep.
This was day 7 on the road, but only day 3 since weâ??ve started riding again. Day 3 is always the best. This is the day when you get into your routine and everybody enjoys the ride and company. We certainly were in a cheerful mood. ;D
By 8am we were packed and on our way. Our hostess prepared breakfast (R40 / head) and again it exceeded my wildest expectations.
Fresh juice, cereal, muesli and Yogurt. This was followed by bacon, eggs, toast, fried tomato and Crumbed Gemsbok steaks. Absolutely divine. 8)
With big smiles and full tummies we were on the road again. We stopped at the Monument to the Campbell family.
The road through the western side of Baviaans is good and scenic.
Then itâ??s the road to Uniondaleâ?¦
â?¦and finally the road to Prins Alfreds pass.
Tok Tokkie could not believe that I rated the Katberg pass above this pass. Prince Alfred sure is scenic. Maybe itâ??s a case of â??somewhere else is always betterâ?, but to compare them is unfair. Each has its attributes. Maybe I like Katberg because there is less tourists and more technical road.
Descending on the South Cape side we rode into a magical forest. The fires near Karatara were still raging and the sunlight through the smoke was red, turning the forest into the most amazing shades of green.
Since we rode into the beach campsite at Colchester itâ??s just been one awe inspiring scene after the other. 8) This is the best ride ever! Total sensory overload.
We truly are rich men. We do not have to ride here from somewhere else, this is just the scenery on our way home! ;D
Eventually the forestâ??s embrace loses its grip and it opens up to the lovely scenery of Knysna.
Next up were Phantom pass, Homtini pass and the rest of the 7 passes road. Iâ??ve seen adders and cobraâ??s on this trip and finally I was treated to a tree snake.
At first I thought it was hit by a car, but actually it was shedding its skin. These snakes are very well camouflaged and rarely seen. To find one in the open like this and seeing this is a rare find.
An added bonus was the fact that the 13th thousand km was over.
And so the trip drew to a close. Tok Tokkie had a quick beer at my place before continuing on his ride. Thanks man. I hope to ride with you again some time. It was great!
We covered a total amount of just over 1700km. We had no problems apart from flat tyres, a chain coming off and a permanent very optimistic speedo. The new panniers system worked well and the extra petrol tank is a huge bonus. The weight in front makes the bike feel more stable and sure footed. I have learned that the only limit to where this bike can go is the rider and the end of the gravel road. It did not go down once and takes everything in it's stride. I am truly impressed. The minimalist touring bug definitely has bitten.
The bash was great and it was nice to meet all the Wild dogs and put faces to the names. ;D
Thanks again Tok Tokkie for great company. You get to know a person better on a ride than on a quick kuier. We shall ride again. :thumleft:
Final thought: We should make more time to ride and see our country. There is so much to see.
We're coming to the end of a hundred years or more of devices we invented to save time. What has become of this? Nobody has enough time anymore... We are a time-impoverished society. We have lots of material things, but we have no time left. It is the time of mechanical devices... It is the new poverty.
Needleman - 1999
Adventurer
Gentleman Dog
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2006
- Messages
- 17,108
- Reaction score
- 4
- Location
- Kempen Germany
- Bike
- KTM 1290 Super Adventure
Fantastic report TR, and an absolute pleasure to have met you at the Bash, my 'laughing' muscles were sore for quite some time. ;D ;D
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