johang
Race Dog
I know it is not recent, but it is part of our experiences. It was our first trip as husband and wife, each on their own bike.
It started with the key question of deciding where to go? We had three options:
a) Sothern Kalahari.
b) George/Knysna.
c) Kosi Bay.
We chose Kosi Bay.
The next step was to prepare the bikes as well as to expose Puddles on the â??bigâ? bike to gravel roads before we took off. We went for a short ride on gravel roads to the back of Bapsfontein to build some confidence â?? been riding for a while but with smaller CRF230 and now got a real legal licence.
The next was packing the kit, one top box of 37 litre each and Puddles keeps on weighing hers to make sure it does not exceed 9kgs.
Puddles' top box for the five days
The bikes packed and ready to go
We left home on 26 June 2007 at about 09:00 and traveled via Bronkhorstspruit, Verena then gravel road to Loskop dam and Middelburg.
After lunch left for Badplaas, booked in and enjoyed the warm swimming pools. We woke up in Badplaas to very cold icy weather and started to wonder how we will explain that the trip to Kosi Bay ended up in Thoyandou? Luckily by nine the weather was fine. We took road from Badplaas to Lochiel. Puddles in front taking the road to Eerstehoek â?? Some nice gravel roads.
Got distracted by some nice roads and ended at the Oshoek Border Post instead of Baberton. Paid our dues in terms of road tax and took off for Piggâ??s Peak. The wind was very strong and going past Maguka dam the effect of the very strong side winds could be seen on the damâ??s water.
At Piggs peak we filled upon and found out that petrol is nearly a rand cheaper (the rand exchange 1 to 1).
From here we went to Phoponyane Nature Reserve where we had lunch. R30.00 to get in, very beautiful and food prices good.
Later we left and just made it in time to the Balembu border post. Serious amount of roadworks on road from Bulembu to Barberton. Luckily for strong shoes it makes standing on the thin TransAlp and Varedero footpegs a breeze. They are preparing the road for tarring it and by now most of it has been completed I believe. W booked in at Rassieâ??s place at Inni Krater Oppi Koppie â?? A recommended stay for a central point to do a lot of things.
Hitting the powdery stuff...
Quite scary :thumleft:
The third day saw us taking a looooooong ride from Barberton via Swaziland to Kosi Bay. Experienced some serious gravel roads that are powdery at places, very slippery little pebbles. As we re-entered Swaziland we had to pay another R50.00 road tax.
We arrived in Jozine at 17:00 and decided to push on to Kosi Bay. The amount of potholes was unbelievable. Stood most of the tar road to try and dodge cars, cattle, goats AND POTHOLES. Made it safely to Kosi Bay and started looking for accommodation. Bit of a risk to sleep anywhere according to locals. Took some jeep tracks to Kosi Bay Lodge. Puddles fell over in tracks and hurt her leg. Please do not hope to be helped by passing 4x4â??s â?? they are all in a hurry and annoyed by bikes in the way!! â?? made it back to main road and booked in at Lala lapa Lodge.
On day 4 we went riding in the Kosi Bay area, was tempted to visit Ponta dâ??oro â?? but with Puddlesâ?? sore leg it would have been the wrong buttonâ??s to press. We made the sand tracks two up (on a VARA). Only two blue toes after hitting some tree roots. Good riding boots, I love it!
Later that day we packed and left for St Lucia via Sodwana Bay.
We dropped the bike a lot and some places we had to find a brick to put ander the wheel of the TA so that it do not fall over, did some changes when we got back... See brick under rear wheel of TA...
Puddles bought a seafood platter and will not talk about the price â?? It is not what you pay in the local Spur, but she offered to payâ?¦
On day 5 we went to the beach and watched whale watching boats come in. Unfortunately fully booked till Kingdom come. Left via Mtubatuba, Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park, Nongoma, Vrede, Vryheid, Utrecht, Volksrust for Standerton. Saw rhino, elephant near road in passing through the Hluhluwe game park. Not sure what to do if animals were to be found in road when going round a corner?
The no tolerance in KZN is restricted to main roads it seems, looking at how the locals drive. Upon passing through Utrecht it became seriously cold. We put warm things on near New Castle. When we went through Volksrust we considered stopping over but pushed on for Standerton. Stopped halfway between Volksrust and Standerton to try and get hands to move.
Slept over in Standerton and left for Vereeniging the next day and then home to Pretoria.
We survived and the bikes survived as well as our marriage!! Arrived home safely â?? nearly 2300 km for the five days and since then we have build upon this experience. Rider training has also added a lot of confidence. Both of us have a motocross background but learning to ride your own BIG bike is a good investment.
The best experience to date, the less you get caught by exact planning of where to go and where to sleep, the more joyfull â?? as long as you have a general idea.
It started with the key question of deciding where to go? We had three options:
a) Sothern Kalahari.
b) George/Knysna.
c) Kosi Bay.
We chose Kosi Bay.
The next step was to prepare the bikes as well as to expose Puddles on the â??bigâ? bike to gravel roads before we took off. We went for a short ride on gravel roads to the back of Bapsfontein to build some confidence â?? been riding for a while but with smaller CRF230 and now got a real legal licence.
The next was packing the kit, one top box of 37 litre each and Puddles keeps on weighing hers to make sure it does not exceed 9kgs.
Puddles' top box for the five days
The bikes packed and ready to go
We left home on 26 June 2007 at about 09:00 and traveled via Bronkhorstspruit, Verena then gravel road to Loskop dam and Middelburg.
After lunch left for Badplaas, booked in and enjoyed the warm swimming pools. We woke up in Badplaas to very cold icy weather and started to wonder how we will explain that the trip to Kosi Bay ended up in Thoyandou? Luckily by nine the weather was fine. We took road from Badplaas to Lochiel. Puddles in front taking the road to Eerstehoek â?? Some nice gravel roads.
Got distracted by some nice roads and ended at the Oshoek Border Post instead of Baberton. Paid our dues in terms of road tax and took off for Piggâ??s Peak. The wind was very strong and going past Maguka dam the effect of the very strong side winds could be seen on the damâ??s water.
At Piggs peak we filled upon and found out that petrol is nearly a rand cheaper (the rand exchange 1 to 1).
From here we went to Phoponyane Nature Reserve where we had lunch. R30.00 to get in, very beautiful and food prices good.
Later we left and just made it in time to the Balembu border post. Serious amount of roadworks on road from Bulembu to Barberton. Luckily for strong shoes it makes standing on the thin TransAlp and Varedero footpegs a breeze. They are preparing the road for tarring it and by now most of it has been completed I believe. W booked in at Rassieâ??s place at Inni Krater Oppi Koppie â?? A recommended stay for a central point to do a lot of things.
Hitting the powdery stuff...
Quite scary :thumleft:
The third day saw us taking a looooooong ride from Barberton via Swaziland to Kosi Bay. Experienced some serious gravel roads that are powdery at places, very slippery little pebbles. As we re-entered Swaziland we had to pay another R50.00 road tax.
We arrived in Jozine at 17:00 and decided to push on to Kosi Bay. The amount of potholes was unbelievable. Stood most of the tar road to try and dodge cars, cattle, goats AND POTHOLES. Made it safely to Kosi Bay and started looking for accommodation. Bit of a risk to sleep anywhere according to locals. Took some jeep tracks to Kosi Bay Lodge. Puddles fell over in tracks and hurt her leg. Please do not hope to be helped by passing 4x4â??s â?? they are all in a hurry and annoyed by bikes in the way!! â?? made it back to main road and booked in at Lala lapa Lodge.
On day 4 we went riding in the Kosi Bay area, was tempted to visit Ponta dâ??oro â?? but with Puddlesâ?? sore leg it would have been the wrong buttonâ??s to press. We made the sand tracks two up (on a VARA). Only two blue toes after hitting some tree roots. Good riding boots, I love it!
Later that day we packed and left for St Lucia via Sodwana Bay.
We dropped the bike a lot and some places we had to find a brick to put ander the wheel of the TA so that it do not fall over, did some changes when we got back... See brick under rear wheel of TA...
Puddles bought a seafood platter and will not talk about the price â?? It is not what you pay in the local Spur, but she offered to payâ?¦
On day 5 we went to the beach and watched whale watching boats come in. Unfortunately fully booked till Kingdom come. Left via Mtubatuba, Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park, Nongoma, Vrede, Vryheid, Utrecht, Volksrust for Standerton. Saw rhino, elephant near road in passing through the Hluhluwe game park. Not sure what to do if animals were to be found in road when going round a corner?
The no tolerance in KZN is restricted to main roads it seems, looking at how the locals drive. Upon passing through Utrecht it became seriously cold. We put warm things on near New Castle. When we went through Volksrust we considered stopping over but pushed on for Standerton. Stopped halfway between Volksrust and Standerton to try and get hands to move.
Slept over in Standerton and left for Vereeniging the next day and then home to Pretoria.
We survived and the bikes survived as well as our marriage!! Arrived home safely â?? nearly 2300 km for the five days and since then we have build upon this experience. Rider training has also added a lot of confidence. Both of us have a motocross background but learning to ride your own BIG bike is a good investment.
The best experience to date, the less you get caught by exact planning of where to go and where to sleep, the more joyfull â?? as long as you have a general idea.
