Schalk
Pack Dog
Day 6
After a great breakfast we tour around the farm a bit. Great looking facilities. The biggest date plantation in the southern hemisphere second largest in the world.14000 date trees that produces 870 tons of dates per annum.
We loose 3 GS riders we met in the Guesthouse the evening before and snug towards the river again, heading east towards Pella. They were planning to ride from Cape Town to Zeerust all along the border, but decided to go back to main roads rather than the unbeaten track.
Tracks are the same as the day before.
Found this farming operation. Rose Geranium(Malva rose)
2 ton plants are distilled to produce 1 liter of scent oil. Used in perfumes, soaps etc.
Looks like a great project, funded by the government and run by the locals in conjunction with the CSIR.
Across Charlie’s rocky ass, I mean pass, towards the town of Pella. Pella started as a mission station in 1875.Worth visiting is the original church that was started in 1886 and took 7 years to complete.
As we descended into town we see the big GS's leaving the church. We were hot on their trail. About 50km tar to Pofadder.Fill up.The GS clan leave about 5 minutes ahead of us.
On to Augrabies.
We find a shortcut dirtroad.As we paid admission and walk down to the falls the Gs clan arrive via tar road.They hate to see us again.
Lunch in Augrabies in a bar with the most “Jagermeister” bottles I have ever seen.
Late afternoon on towards Uppington. Beautiful area, but tar road.The desert machines are not happy, as well as the 2 men from Luderitz.We will change it tomorrow.
We barely made it to Uppington with my rear tire.
The Yamaha dealer stay open after hours to help me. Thanks.
Total 380 km
Tar 300km
Dirt 80km
Something wrong with this picture!
Day 7
Marathon day. We do our shopping the night before. Fill the bikes.
200km tar towards Askam .
As we start to see the red dunes of the Kalahari our spirits lifted.We are very excited to ride the bikes on the red dunes. Virgin sand.
We fill at Askam.Dont know where and when we will get petrol,food again. Maybe Van Zylsrus. The plan is to follow the Molopo River. At the filling station we get some valuable information from a local farmer.
He lives along the Molopo.Yes, we can follow the Molopo.About 200 km in the river, then south towards Van Zylsrus.But first, we have to drink something cool at the Molopo Kalahari Lodge.We do…
Greatplace, great character.The bar has ac, frozen glasses, great chairs and oceans 13 on the big screen.
We are a little reluctant to leave. What lies ahead? 200km of sand and the Kalahari heat?
We left,eventually.Not saying anything.
The road is good.It runs in the Molopo.Not actually a riverbed. On the other side is Botswana. They are busy constructing a new tar road on the other side.
No red dunes this side, plenty of them that side. We were so much looking forward to the dunes.
The road turns into a 2 track later on.
Gates, plenty.
We keep on pushing,hoping to find dunes.
The road becomes a fast 2 track.Awesome riding.Fast.Good thing we don’t have the 990’s.When we stop we both laugh.What a great track.
We reach the point where we leave the riverbed.South towards Van Zyl’srus.We find closed doors at the only eatery in town.
Push on to Hotazel,and then Kuruman.
Long day, not what we expected, but still great riding. Next time it would be on the Botswana side. We traveled much further than anticipated.
We both salute our desert bikes that evening. We are tired. Concentrating the whole day on sand, lurkers, and corrugated roads. No breakdowns.
Total 570km
Tar 300km
Dirt 270km
Day 8
We were still about 850 km from home.
No plan.Too much tar between us and the destination.I guess we could swing up n-west again and stay close to the Botswana border.We were running out of time though.Started attacking the tar road, maybe to Zeerust or Mafeking. Neither of us nor the Desert bikes is happy, but we stay.
Kuruman, Vryburg, Stella, Setlagole, Mafeking. First stop. On to Zeerust, swing N-west on dirt roads along Botswana.
Had our last Bullybeef,Chakalaka and vetkoek.
Dwaalboom, Thabazimbi - the smell of home was strong now.
50 km’s before our destination we were pulled of by traffic police.
They were 600m from a t-junction sitting in their car.
Wanted to fine me for not stopping at the junction.Avontuur got fined because he has a learners licence only.We could not get an answer on how to do,because he could not carry a passenger with a learners!
We make it to town at dark!
Had a beer at the local pub where the idea got started and on to the farm, 50km further.
My hands were needles and pins for 7 days after that. My desert bike has my utmost admiration, even if it is manufactured by the Taliban!
Total 760km
Tar 600km
Dirt 160km
Total trip:
3160km
1360tar
1800dirt
Till next time
2 men from Luderitz
After a great breakfast we tour around the farm a bit. Great looking facilities. The biggest date plantation in the southern hemisphere second largest in the world.14000 date trees that produces 870 tons of dates per annum.
We loose 3 GS riders we met in the Guesthouse the evening before and snug towards the river again, heading east towards Pella. They were planning to ride from Cape Town to Zeerust all along the border, but decided to go back to main roads rather than the unbeaten track.
Tracks are the same as the day before.
Found this farming operation. Rose Geranium(Malva rose)
2 ton plants are distilled to produce 1 liter of scent oil. Used in perfumes, soaps etc.
Looks like a great project, funded by the government and run by the locals in conjunction with the CSIR.
Across Charlie’s rocky ass, I mean pass, towards the town of Pella. Pella started as a mission station in 1875.Worth visiting is the original church that was started in 1886 and took 7 years to complete.
As we descended into town we see the big GS's leaving the church. We were hot on their trail. About 50km tar to Pofadder.Fill up.The GS clan leave about 5 minutes ahead of us.
On to Augrabies.
We find a shortcut dirtroad.As we paid admission and walk down to the falls the Gs clan arrive via tar road.They hate to see us again.
Lunch in Augrabies in a bar with the most “Jagermeister” bottles I have ever seen.
Late afternoon on towards Uppington. Beautiful area, but tar road.The desert machines are not happy, as well as the 2 men from Luderitz.We will change it tomorrow.
We barely made it to Uppington with my rear tire.
The Yamaha dealer stay open after hours to help me. Thanks.
Total 380 km
Tar 300km
Dirt 80km
Something wrong with this picture!
Day 7
Marathon day. We do our shopping the night before. Fill the bikes.
200km tar towards Askam .
As we start to see the red dunes of the Kalahari our spirits lifted.We are very excited to ride the bikes on the red dunes. Virgin sand.
We fill at Askam.Dont know where and when we will get petrol,food again. Maybe Van Zylsrus. The plan is to follow the Molopo River. At the filling station we get some valuable information from a local farmer.
He lives along the Molopo.Yes, we can follow the Molopo.About 200 km in the river, then south towards Van Zylsrus.But first, we have to drink something cool at the Molopo Kalahari Lodge.We do…
Greatplace, great character.The bar has ac, frozen glasses, great chairs and oceans 13 on the big screen.
We are a little reluctant to leave. What lies ahead? 200km of sand and the Kalahari heat?
We left,eventually.Not saying anything.
The road is good.It runs in the Molopo.Not actually a riverbed. On the other side is Botswana. They are busy constructing a new tar road on the other side.
No red dunes this side, plenty of them that side. We were so much looking forward to the dunes.
The road turns into a 2 track later on.
Gates, plenty.
We keep on pushing,hoping to find dunes.
The road becomes a fast 2 track.Awesome riding.Fast.Good thing we don’t have the 990’s.When we stop we both laugh.What a great track.
We reach the point where we leave the riverbed.South towards Van Zyl’srus.We find closed doors at the only eatery in town.
Push on to Hotazel,and then Kuruman.
Long day, not what we expected, but still great riding. Next time it would be on the Botswana side. We traveled much further than anticipated.
We both salute our desert bikes that evening. We are tired. Concentrating the whole day on sand, lurkers, and corrugated roads. No breakdowns.
Total 570km
Tar 300km
Dirt 270km
Day 8
We were still about 850 km from home.
No plan.Too much tar between us and the destination.I guess we could swing up n-west again and stay close to the Botswana border.We were running out of time though.Started attacking the tar road, maybe to Zeerust or Mafeking. Neither of us nor the Desert bikes is happy, but we stay.
Kuruman, Vryburg, Stella, Setlagole, Mafeking. First stop. On to Zeerust, swing N-west on dirt roads along Botswana.
Had our last Bullybeef,Chakalaka and vetkoek.
Dwaalboom, Thabazimbi - the smell of home was strong now.
50 km’s before our destination we were pulled of by traffic police.
They were 600m from a t-junction sitting in their car.
Wanted to fine me for not stopping at the junction.Avontuur got fined because he has a learners licence only.We could not get an answer on how to do,because he could not carry a passenger with a learners!
We make it to town at dark!
Had a beer at the local pub where the idea got started and on to the farm, 50km further.
My hands were needles and pins for 7 days after that. My desert bike has my utmost admiration, even if it is manufactured by the Taliban!
Total 760km
Tar 600km
Dirt 160km
Total trip:
3160km
1360tar
1800dirt
Till next time
2 men from Luderitz
