E
Extreme Velcro
Guest
Trailrider said:
I weigh a considerable amount of pounds (well in my books anyway) - does that count?
Two-up adventure tour from WC to Rhodes and back: Complete !
- Thread starter Eisbein
- Start date
I weigh a considerable amount of pounds (well in my books anyway) - does that count?
Ratel
Race Dog
Great report Eisbein!!!
Hogsback gets my vote for the bash
Hogsback gets my vote for the bash
Lootch67
Race Dog
- Joined
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- South Ockendon, Essex, UK
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Eisbein you old thorn!! :lol: Excellent report
Trailrider
Bachelor Dog
Eisbein (Day 3)
Where exactly on the map is this
and this
You said you were on the R67 but then you end up on the R345 that runs parallel to it?
I'm following your report to help with my planning for the South Cape to Sani thing. Also, what is the contact details for the place you stayed at in Hogsback. Are there camping spots?
Thanks!
PS. There are probably more questions to follow...
Where exactly on the map is this
and this
You said you were on the R67 but then you end up on the R345 that runs parallel to it?
I'm following your report to help with my planning for the South Cape to Sani thing. Also, what is the contact details for the place you stayed at in Hogsback. Are there camping spots?
Thanks!
PS. There are probably more questions to follow...
Mark Hardy
Grey Hound
Wonderful report and pics, what a holiday
Groenie
Grey Hound
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- Honda CRF-1000L Africa Twin
Great report.
It's great to see familiar areas.The first time I took my husband(Miena posting authorized on Groenies log in) to De Vlugt was on our honeymoon.I spent every December holiday in De Vlugt (as my Gran owns property there and my grandad grew up there) it was just another visit for me.The day we took the pass to Knysna it took us over 2 hours because Groenie stopped around every corner to admire the scenery.I got irritated because I know every turn, but reports like yours makes me appreciate the time I got to spend there.
The photo of the house next to the coffee shop were you came into De Vlugt use to belong to a Doctor(Oom Schalk).He past away a good couple of years ago but lived a secluded live.The house on the other side of the coffee shop to the left that was visible in the photo on Red's mishap belongs to my uncle.If you turn left after his house and go through the river up the hill you will find my gran's farm.The house used to be the outpost on De Vlugt.
Brings back lots of memories.Thanks for an excellent report :!:
It's great to see familiar areas.The first time I took my husband(Miena posting authorized on Groenies log in) to De Vlugt was on our honeymoon.I spent every December holiday in De Vlugt (as my Gran owns property there and my grandad grew up there) it was just another visit for me.The day we took the pass to Knysna it took us over 2 hours because Groenie stopped around every corner to admire the scenery.I got irritated because I know every turn, but reports like yours makes me appreciate the time I got to spend there.
The photo of the house next to the coffee shop were you came into De Vlugt use to belong to a Doctor(Oom Schalk).He past away a good couple of years ago but lived a secluded live.The house on the other side of the coffee shop to the left that was visible in the photo on Red's mishap belongs to my uncle.If you turn left after his house and go through the river up the hill you will find my gran's farm.The house used to be the outpost on De Vlugt.
Brings back lots of memories.Thanks for an excellent report :!:
Eisbein
Bachelor Dog
Again, thanks for the kind responses !
Mark, yeah it was awesome !
Wish we had longer time to 'explore' some of the scenery and places more...
Groenie, dit is altyd lekker om te hoor van ouens wat die w�ªreld ken waar 'n ou deurgery het - bring altyd 'n dieper dimensie in.
- Trailrider - ek sal nou-nou die stukkie van die kaart sommer post. Ek het twee nuwe kaarte gekoop vir die ekskursie, en die pad was net op die een.
"Away with the fairies" is die plek in Hogsback - ek sal die nommer by 'mev. Varkkneukel' kry en aanstuur - watch this space.
Then I've had a pretty rough week - the last report with hopefully be in by tonight...
Mark, yeah it was awesome !
Wish we had longer time to 'explore' some of the scenery and places more...
Groenie, dit is altyd lekker om te hoor van ouens wat die w�ªreld ken waar 'n ou deurgery het - bring altyd 'n dieper dimensie in.
- Trailrider - ek sal nou-nou die stukkie van die kaart sommer post. Ek het twee nuwe kaarte gekoop vir die ekskursie, en die pad was net op die een.
"Away with the fairies" is die plek in Hogsback - ek sal die nommer by 'mev. Varkkneukel' kry en aanstuur - watch this space.
Then I've had a pretty rough week - the last report with hopefully be in by tonight...
Eisbein
Bachelor Dog
Photobucket is tjooning me grief
The last bit has to wait 'till tommorow.
Sorry
TR, I managed to get the map snippet in though ...
Grahamstown, Rini, on the R67 and then just before Fort Brown you go onto the gravel off towards the reserve. The picture is not that clear on my monitor, but it is the greenish "kahki' line that goes off.
The 1st fork you get to (very close still to the R67 still) is this one :
At it you 'gooi' left and then at the next fork (unmarked) right. From there its up and down a couple of times, through a couple of gates, through the river, up and out the other side onto the R345.
Dude, I would not miss this part of the world if I was on my way to Hogsback on a bike again.
Ek sal nog werk aan die details oor kampplek en telefoon nommers by Hogsback as Vicky weer wakker is...
The last bit has to wait 'till tommorow.
Sorry
TR, I managed to get the map snippet in though ...
Grahamstown, Rini, on the R67 and then just before Fort Brown you go onto the gravel off towards the reserve. The picture is not that clear on my monitor, but it is the greenish "kahki' line that goes off.
The 1st fork you get to (very close still to the R67 still) is this one :
At it you 'gooi' left and then at the next fork (unmarked) right. From there its up and down a couple of times, through a couple of gates, through the river, up and out the other side onto the R345.
Dude, I would not miss this part of the world if I was on my way to Hogsback on a bike again.
Ek sal nog werk aan die details oor kampplek en telefoon nommers by Hogsback as Vicky weer wakker is...
Eisbein
Bachelor Dog
Ok - here it finally is - the last stretch of our trip. Sorry for the long delay.
Day 11: Bottelierskop road to the R328 over Robinson's pass to Oudshoorn. From there Route62 over Huisriver to the SeweWeeks poort turnoff. Through to about 5 km's from Laingsburg, left on the 'Witteberge' road and through to 'Konstabel' station. From there onto the N1 through Touwsriver, Worcester and home.
We spent the next two days just hanging around at family on the farm in Karatara, in George and in Klein Brak.
The last morning we woke up to (again) a very nice and substantial breakfast in Kleinbrak, packed the panniers and was on our way.
We left on the Bottelierskop road that took us through a bit of amazing scenery before we joined up with the Robertson pass.
This is from that road:
Some more scenery:
The road took us a little higher to show us this:
Hoe lyk dit, Trailrider, gaan ons daardie paadjies in die verte bietjie verken op 'n stadium ?
The fog on the mountain was rather 'substantial'. The photo looks that way as it was taken over a bump and a little 'skeef', so I rotated it and this was the only way I could get it upright and cropped...
I was a little less than impressed as we went over very new tar that shot up and attached it to the gs' swingarm, shaft and collector box...
As we went over the mountain and down at the Oudshoorn side it all of a sudden cleared up. The fog literally 'falling' over the edge was all that was left:
We went on towards Oudshoorn where we had coffee and some very pleasant conversation with some friends. We headed off to Calitzdorp where we had the most amazing lunch. 'The rose of the Karoo' - it is very rare that you get 3/3 on price, good service and good food. This place comes highly recommended !
Here's some more 'al l�ª die berge nog so blou' moments:
It wasn't long after the Huisrivier pass that we got to the sign that directed us towards Sewe weeks poort.
I cannot believe that it took me so long to get here. I've always heard about it, but I've never been to it.
Funny how that works. You'll drive by a sign 'on the way' somewhere, read about it, want to do it, but you just keep on driving by. Not this time:
This must be a geologist's dream:
Turn after turn of amazing scenery:
Look at this formation and textures:
As so many times before, it is just not possible to describe what it looks like. A photo is also so limited...
Artworks that mother nature spent millions of years to make:
Time for a quick photostop:
What is really amazing is how defined the barriers between the regions are.
From George to Oudshoor you can draw a line from Garden Route to Klein Karoo. You can do the same from there through 'the poort' to get to the Karoo:
Nice gravel highway though:
Lots of highspeed straight lines:
A line slinking into the distance:
And at the end of that:
And at the end of that ?
I slacked down a little to take this:
There are roads that goes from here back into 'warmwaterberg' and eventually to Oubergpass and Montagu.
If we had time I would have gone that way.
We headed towards Laingsburg instead:
We traded gravel highway for the darker veriety:
I usually am a fast learner. The lesson about marking territory while someone else have a camera took a couple of times to try and get to grips with.
Ah well:
About 5k's from Laingsburg you can turn in here:
I don't know if this is considered marking territory or grafiti, but someone decided to leave his mark on the sign:
A little bit in the road forked and it was again time to look at the map:
We decided that the road with the most traffic signs was obviously the one that we were supposed to take.
This is the scene that waited on us at the top of that little pass:
Another:
And another:
Again a weird 'angle' photo rotated and cropped to show the scenery.
I'm not that into the karoo - I prefer green soft garden route vegatation with high cliffs, tight turns and rock walls all around. Having said that, this place have got a rugged beauty that you cannot dismiss. You have to take your time and take it in. It demands respect and awe.
This road connects a couple of farms, so it wasn't as desolated as I thaught it was gonna be.
Another higher speed road with the occasional 'slow down' for a 'driffie':
Some karoo friendliness ?
For the 1st time on this stretch of road I thought that we 'sustained an injury' on the big GS's swingarm/shaft.
The front wheel picked up a rock of some sorts and flung it into the space between the shaft and the front of the back wheel. I could feel it being pushed through with force. Felt it through the handlebars, footpegs and seat. Some closer inspection revealed that one spoke had a little cleaner mark on it. No marks on the shaft, no wobble in the back wheel. *phew* That was lucky...
At this stage we were running out of time so there wasn't many stops for photos.
We stopped at Touwsrivier for some unleaded and a quick drink before we headed off through De Doorns (two or three of those 'stop/ry/go stops on the way, through De Wet, Worcester, over the pass where there was a moerse prang just on the Paarl side of the old tunnel - it looked like a truck overcooked it on the way towards the tunnel and lost it there. With the memmory of the couple on the GS that died on the way up from the Paarl side on du Toits' not so long ago still fresh I couldn't help but wonder what could have happened if we didn't have that 2nd cup of coffee, or didn't pause to check the back wheel, or didn't stop to check the map, or ...
Shivers down my spine as we went 'round a couple of those bends.
We sometimes are so into the moments enjoying the scenery, the bikes, the company and the road that we don't always realise/remember really how fragile we can be and how short this life can be.
Funny that this was some of the last thoughts that accompanied me inside the helmet on the last 50km stretch home.
With this in mind I came to the conclusion that life is too precious and short to go past those interesting turnoffs and not go in to explore. It also is too short to contemplate the 'what ifs'.
I am here. Now. I've got my health, I've got the bike that I wanted, I've got a wonderfull wife that I not only enjoy spending time with, but who also shares this 'two wheel off the beaten track passion' that I've got.
My life, short and fragile as it might be in the greater scheme of things, is really blessed.
3300 kms and 11 days later we arrived back home again.
Some notes about the trip as a whole:
This was gonna be a two-up holiday/tour from the word go - no way I was going to go at it alone.
As such there are a couple of things that we needed to keep in mind.
- Do not be in a hurry. The fully dressed GS with us on it and luggage was over 400kg. The shocks don't like bottoming out that much and your breaking distances are quite longer. You can also not stand up more than just bracing yourselves, so for the most part short climbs and other rough patches needed to be negotiated with the power and torque of the engine and not by speed/momentum. And if you are outdoors, why would you be in a hurry anyway ?
- Stop to chat/take photos. You'll be upset you didn't afterwards.
- Know your bike, but more importantly, know you bike with a pillion.
- know your abilities with the bike and with a pillion. The only way is to do lots of rides in easier environments two up. Don't do this if you are nervous about riding with the pillion (not the nature reserves parts anyway)
- Your pillion is trusting you with her/his life. That trust needs to be earned. You cannot enjoy a trip like this with a partner that is nervous or don't trust you completely. The last thing you need is a nervous pillion that shift some weight (or try and 'help' balancing) on some unexpected time.
- Lastly, make sure your bike is in good order and well maintained. You also need to trust the bike and its reliability.
Don't buy a bike and then leave on a trip like this 26 minutes later. I cannot praise the big red GS enough. It behaved flawless through lots of circumstances. Bulletproof and predictable.
I can also not ask for a easier partner/pillion.
Varkkneukel oor en uit...
Day 11: Bottelierskop road to the R328 over Robinson's pass to Oudshoorn. From there Route62 over Huisriver to the SeweWeeks poort turnoff. Through to about 5 km's from Laingsburg, left on the 'Witteberge' road and through to 'Konstabel' station. From there onto the N1 through Touwsriver, Worcester and home.
We spent the next two days just hanging around at family on the farm in Karatara, in George and in Klein Brak.
The last morning we woke up to (again) a very nice and substantial breakfast in Kleinbrak, packed the panniers and was on our way.
We left on the Bottelierskop road that took us through a bit of amazing scenery before we joined up with the Robertson pass.
This is from that road:
Some more scenery:
The road took us a little higher to show us this:
Hoe lyk dit, Trailrider, gaan ons daardie paadjies in die verte bietjie verken op 'n stadium ?
The fog on the mountain was rather 'substantial'. The photo looks that way as it was taken over a bump and a little 'skeef', so I rotated it and this was the only way I could get it upright and cropped...
I was a little less than impressed as we went over very new tar that shot up and attached it to the gs' swingarm, shaft and collector box...
As we went over the mountain and down at the Oudshoorn side it all of a sudden cleared up. The fog literally 'falling' over the edge was all that was left:
We went on towards Oudshoorn where we had coffee and some very pleasant conversation with some friends. We headed off to Calitzdorp where we had the most amazing lunch. 'The rose of the Karoo' - it is very rare that you get 3/3 on price, good service and good food. This place comes highly recommended !
Here's some more 'al l�ª die berge nog so blou' moments:
It wasn't long after the Huisrivier pass that we got to the sign that directed us towards Sewe weeks poort.
I cannot believe that it took me so long to get here. I've always heard about it, but I've never been to it.
Funny how that works. You'll drive by a sign 'on the way' somewhere, read about it, want to do it, but you just keep on driving by. Not this time:
This must be a geologist's dream:
Turn after turn of amazing scenery:
Look at this formation and textures:
As so many times before, it is just not possible to describe what it looks like. A photo is also so limited...
Artworks that mother nature spent millions of years to make:
Time for a quick photostop:
What is really amazing is how defined the barriers between the regions are.
From George to Oudshoor you can draw a line from Garden Route to Klein Karoo. You can do the same from there through 'the poort' to get to the Karoo:
Nice gravel highway though:
Lots of highspeed straight lines:
A line slinking into the distance:
And at the end of that:
And at the end of that ?
I slacked down a little to take this:
There are roads that goes from here back into 'warmwaterberg' and eventually to Oubergpass and Montagu.
If we had time I would have gone that way.
We headed towards Laingsburg instead:
We traded gravel highway for the darker veriety:
I usually am a fast learner. The lesson about marking territory while someone else have a camera took a couple of times to try and get to grips with.
Ah well:
About 5k's from Laingsburg you can turn in here:
I don't know if this is considered marking territory or grafiti, but someone decided to leave his mark on the sign:
A little bit in the road forked and it was again time to look at the map:
We decided that the road with the most traffic signs was obviously the one that we were supposed to take.
This is the scene that waited on us at the top of that little pass:
Another:
And another:
Again a weird 'angle' photo rotated and cropped to show the scenery.
I'm not that into the karoo - I prefer green soft garden route vegatation with high cliffs, tight turns and rock walls all around. Having said that, this place have got a rugged beauty that you cannot dismiss. You have to take your time and take it in. It demands respect and awe.
This road connects a couple of farms, so it wasn't as desolated as I thaught it was gonna be.
Another higher speed road with the occasional 'slow down' for a 'driffie':
Some karoo friendliness ?
For the 1st time on this stretch of road I thought that we 'sustained an injury' on the big GS's swingarm/shaft.
The front wheel picked up a rock of some sorts and flung it into the space between the shaft and the front of the back wheel. I could feel it being pushed through with force. Felt it through the handlebars, footpegs and seat. Some closer inspection revealed that one spoke had a little cleaner mark on it. No marks on the shaft, no wobble in the back wheel. *phew* That was lucky...
At this stage we were running out of time so there wasn't many stops for photos.
We stopped at Touwsrivier for some unleaded and a quick drink before we headed off through De Doorns (two or three of those 'stop/ry/go stops on the way, through De Wet, Worcester, over the pass where there was a moerse prang just on the Paarl side of the old tunnel - it looked like a truck overcooked it on the way towards the tunnel and lost it there. With the memmory of the couple on the GS that died on the way up from the Paarl side on du Toits' not so long ago still fresh I couldn't help but wonder what could have happened if we didn't have that 2nd cup of coffee, or didn't pause to check the back wheel, or didn't stop to check the map, or ...
Shivers down my spine as we went 'round a couple of those bends.
We sometimes are so into the moments enjoying the scenery, the bikes, the company and the road that we don't always realise/remember really how fragile we can be and how short this life can be.
Funny that this was some of the last thoughts that accompanied me inside the helmet on the last 50km stretch home.
With this in mind I came to the conclusion that life is too precious and short to go past those interesting turnoffs and not go in to explore. It also is too short to contemplate the 'what ifs'.
I am here. Now. I've got my health, I've got the bike that I wanted, I've got a wonderfull wife that I not only enjoy spending time with, but who also shares this 'two wheel off the beaten track passion' that I've got.
My life, short and fragile as it might be in the greater scheme of things, is really blessed.
3300 kms and 11 days later we arrived back home again.
Some notes about the trip as a whole:
This was gonna be a two-up holiday/tour from the word go - no way I was going to go at it alone.
As such there are a couple of things that we needed to keep in mind.
- Do not be in a hurry. The fully dressed GS with us on it and luggage was over 400kg. The shocks don't like bottoming out that much and your breaking distances are quite longer. You can also not stand up more than just bracing yourselves, so for the most part short climbs and other rough patches needed to be negotiated with the power and torque of the engine and not by speed/momentum. And if you are outdoors, why would you be in a hurry anyway ?
- Stop to chat/take photos. You'll be upset you didn't afterwards.
- Know your bike, but more importantly, know you bike with a pillion.
- know your abilities with the bike and with a pillion. The only way is to do lots of rides in easier environments two up. Don't do this if you are nervous about riding with the pillion (not the nature reserves parts anyway)
- Your pillion is trusting you with her/his life. That trust needs to be earned. You cannot enjoy a trip like this with a partner that is nervous or don't trust you completely. The last thing you need is a nervous pillion that shift some weight (or try and 'help' balancing) on some unexpected time.
- Lastly, make sure your bike is in good order and well maintained. You also need to trust the bike and its reliability.
Don't buy a bike and then leave on a trip like this 26 minutes later. I cannot praise the big red GS enough. It behaved flawless through lots of circumstances. Bulletproof and predictable.
I can also not ask for a easier partner/pillion.
Varkkneukel oor en uit...
MrBig
Grey Hound
Very nice thanks Eisbein.
It was an absolute delight to read your report and share your experiences.
It was an absolute delight to read your report and share your experiences.
Watty
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2006
- Messages
- 3,954
- Reaction score
- 3
- Location
- Port Elizabeth
- Bike
- Suzuki Djebel 250XC
Wanneer is die volgende een?
Eisbein
Bachelor Dog
Thanks, everyone !
Writing about it also made me relive it again.
Special thanks also to Watty, Trailrider and Captain Slow for advice on the area and ideas of where to ride.
Watty even phoned me and we had a lekker chat about what's potting in his area. I tell you - you can spend 3 months in the area between George, P.E. , Hogsback and Uniondale and not see a quarter of what's to experience there.
Cheers !
Writing about it also made me relive it again.
Special thanks also to Watty, Trailrider and Captain Slow for advice on the area and ideas of where to ride.
Watty even phoned me and we had a lekker chat about what's potting in his area. I tell you - you can spend 3 months in the area between George, P.E. , Hogsback and Uniondale and not see a quarter of what's to experience there.
Cheers !
Trailrider
Bachelor Dog
Where is it? :shock: :roll:
Hehe.
Nice report! You better be back in this area soon. It's close enough!
Hehe.
Nice report! You better be back in this area soon. It's close enough!
Eisbein
Bachelor Dog
Trailrider said:Where is it? :shock: :roll:
Hehe.
En dit was nie eers koud nie !
Maak net seker ek mis die ATGATT ...
:roll: Trailrider said:
Jy wil nie weet hoe graag nie ...
K
Kev
Guest
Enjoyable report.... thanks! :thumbleft:
MuttsNutts
Race Dog
Wow guys awesome, I recognise a lot of the Barkly photos, having a spot there and all, thanks for sharing
Eisbein
Bachelor Dog
gsjoe said:
Make no mistake about that !
However, I'm pretty sure that the seat will give us some longer lasting pleasure than what the case of beers did for you !
Thanks for all the comments.
W
