what to say really?? It was an epic day out. I spent a heap of time getting lost and found and eventually popped back out into the civilized world. Cant wait to do it again!!
I started the day quite late. Seeing as it was Sunday, and Valentines Day. I felt duty bound to at least show my face for a few minutes in the morning while evreyone was surfacing. I eventually headed out at about 8 or so, and stopped in at Merrivale to top off my tank for the day. A kilometer down the road at the offramp from the N3 I saw a bike parked on the grassy verge right next to the bridge. So being in good cheer I decided to pull over and see what the problem was. the chap was on his phone looking for some help by the sounds of things, and as it turned out, he had run out of fuel.
atch: We didn't have a bottle of sorts to decant from my tank, so in the end I pulled the tank off my bike and sent the chap and his girlfriend on their way with about a half litre to get them to the garage.
good deed for the day...check!
I made my way up to the top of Swartkop mountain/hill for a look at the early morning view. If I still smoked I would have had one at this point. Its the perfect scene to light up a Lucky :lol8:
About Halfway up
At the top
A quick roll down the hill and a left at the bottom saw me on my way to a track which peels off down a smaller track about a kilometer down the road. I didnt take any pics in here... having to much fun :ricky: There was a log or two that needed hopping over but nothing too hectic. I was on my own so if I felt that I should rather try an obstacle with someone else there in case I go **** up, then I went looking for an alternate route. No point getting stuck out in the bush with a busted ankle or something while I am on my own. So I took it easy for the most part :thumleft:
I lost my way a bit in all the twists and turns and a miliion and one tracks that lead off to who knows where. But I eventually popped out on to a logging track and carried on till I came out on a small hill overlooking the Henley Dam area.
After a short breather and self pat on the back for having a lekker bike to ride I headed back up the hill into the trees in search of adventure
It never seems as steep in the picture ???
I ended up missing a turn and got horribly lost. Not to say that is was horrible, just that I was having a whale of a time no knowing where I was. Eventually I was in slightly wilder country than what I thought I should be riding in on my own. But there comes a point when the rational mind is overshadowed by the grin factor and there is not a damn thing you can do about it, you Just keep on going as the grin gets bigger.
I was very lost at this point. Thankfully I didnt end up down some ravine or sink hole,cause I couldnt see the ground at all. A bit nerve wracking when you're on your tod
Is there a track back there? I couldnt have turned around even if I had wanted to. The bush was too thick. Nice flowers though!
I came across this small waterfall during my wanderings. I have no idea where this is and you cant really see it from my crappy cell phone pic. but there was water flowing over the waterfall. Which is an awesome sight to see after having had so little rain last year. Things are looking up.
Often I would have to turn around and go look for another way, or ride around the tree in the road if I could. There was one spot which was turning into an awesome little track but was eventually blocked completely by a huge tree and a tonne of vines. Pity I didnt get a snap of that. But I did find a small little side track which looks to be very promising indeed. It was blocked about half way down by a small tree, but I rekon with a bit of effort and patience, I can make it down there. It is rather steep but its an easy descent on a gravel track. Will definitely be going back there for another go.
Looking back up the hill, seems quite flatatch:
Anyways, I eventually found a track I had plotted on my GPS, but that elation was short lived as I took a wrong turn again and ended up some random hill. I get so busy riding that I forget to navigate.... A work in progress!
Random hill pic
I think at this point JonW called me on my cell. I have one of those Sena headset thingymabobs,and by habit have it on when I ride. I was not expecting to hear the shrill sound of my bloody cellphone ring in my ear, so I screamed like a girl when the phone rang! just about fell off... thanks for that Jon!ot:
After much fafing about, I arrived at Elandskop BP and topped off the tank. By then it was around 1pm and I was completely knackered. I decided to take a very sedentry ride back along the Boston-Everglades road, and then back to Hilton via the dargle road, with a detour to the back of the Birnham wood road and up to the swartkops spot where I started the day from.
I was riding along a flat road with no rocks or bumps when I had an instant flat at the back. I pulled over to have a look and I couldnt see any obvious nail or thorn sticking out the tyre, So I figured it to be a pinch flat, finaly giving up the ghost. Only after I took the wheel off did I notice the huge hole in my shiny new tyre :dousing:
Heave the bike up onto a rock and pull the wheel of for roadside repairs!!
And not a stick of shade out there!! Damn it was hot!
The culprit... And I have only done about 300kms on this tyre! :dousing:
Fixed!! :lol8:
Just as well I had a patch big enough to patch the cut in the tube. Left my spare tube at home! :lamer:
Made it home at about 6: or so. Managed to get caught up in the storm, so arrived home soaked to the bone!! :ricky: :ricky:
Not a very successful day in terms of riding the plotted route, or a day of taking pics of the good stuff. But man, what a jol!
I started the day quite late. Seeing as it was Sunday, and Valentines Day. I felt duty bound to at least show my face for a few minutes in the morning while evreyone was surfacing. I eventually headed out at about 8 or so, and stopped in at Merrivale to top off my tank for the day. A kilometer down the road at the offramp from the N3 I saw a bike parked on the grassy verge right next to the bridge. So being in good cheer I decided to pull over and see what the problem was. the chap was on his phone looking for some help by the sounds of things, and as it turned out, he had run out of fuel.
atch: We didn't have a bottle of sorts to decant from my tank, so in the end I pulled the tank off my bike and sent the chap and his girlfriend on their way with about a half litre to get them to the garage.good deed for the day...check!
I made my way up to the top of Swartkop mountain/hill for a look at the early morning view. If I still smoked I would have had one at this point. Its the perfect scene to light up a Lucky :lol8:
About Halfway up
At the top
A quick roll down the hill and a left at the bottom saw me on my way to a track which peels off down a smaller track about a kilometer down the road. I didnt take any pics in here... having to much fun :ricky: There was a log or two that needed hopping over but nothing too hectic. I was on my own so if I felt that I should rather try an obstacle with someone else there in case I go **** up, then I went looking for an alternate route. No point getting stuck out in the bush with a busted ankle or something while I am on my own. So I took it easy for the most part :thumleft:
I lost my way a bit in all the twists and turns and a miliion and one tracks that lead off to who knows where. But I eventually popped out on to a logging track and carried on till I came out on a small hill overlooking the Henley Dam area.
After a short breather and self pat on the back for having a lekker bike to ride I headed back up the hill into the trees in search of adventure
It never seems as steep in the picture ???
I ended up missing a turn and got horribly lost. Not to say that is was horrible, just that I was having a whale of a time no knowing where I was. Eventually I was in slightly wilder country than what I thought I should be riding in on my own. But there comes a point when the rational mind is overshadowed by the grin factor and there is not a damn thing you can do about it, you Just keep on going as the grin gets bigger.
I was very lost at this point. Thankfully I didnt end up down some ravine or sink hole,cause I couldnt see the ground at all. A bit nerve wracking when you're on your tod
Is there a track back there? I couldnt have turned around even if I had wanted to. The bush was too thick. Nice flowers though!
I came across this small waterfall during my wanderings. I have no idea where this is and you cant really see it from my crappy cell phone pic. but there was water flowing over the waterfall. Which is an awesome sight to see after having had so little rain last year. Things are looking up.
Often I would have to turn around and go look for another way, or ride around the tree in the road if I could. There was one spot which was turning into an awesome little track but was eventually blocked completely by a huge tree and a tonne of vines. Pity I didnt get a snap of that. But I did find a small little side track which looks to be very promising indeed. It was blocked about half way down by a small tree, but I rekon with a bit of effort and patience, I can make it down there. It is rather steep but its an easy descent on a gravel track. Will definitely be going back there for another go.
Looking back up the hill, seems quite flat
atch:
Anyways, I eventually found a track I had plotted on my GPS, but that elation was short lived as I took a wrong turn again and ended up some random hill. I get so busy riding that I forget to navigate.... A work in progress!
Random hill pic
I think at this point JonW called me on my cell. I have one of those Sena headset thingymabobs,and by habit have it on when I ride. I was not expecting to hear the shrill sound of my bloody cellphone ring in my ear, so I screamed like a girl when the phone rang! just about fell off... thanks for that Jon!
ot:After much fafing about, I arrived at Elandskop BP and topped off the tank. By then it was around 1pm and I was completely knackered. I decided to take a very sedentry ride back along the Boston-Everglades road, and then back to Hilton via the dargle road, with a detour to the back of the Birnham wood road and up to the swartkops spot where I started the day from.
I was riding along a flat road with no rocks or bumps when I had an instant flat at the back. I pulled over to have a look and I couldnt see any obvious nail or thorn sticking out the tyre, So I figured it to be a pinch flat, finaly giving up the ghost. Only after I took the wheel off did I notice the huge hole in my shiny new tyre :dousing:
Heave the bike up onto a rock and pull the wheel of for roadside repairs!!
And not a stick of shade out there!! Damn it was hot!
The culprit... And I have only done about 300kms on this tyre! :dousing:
Fixed!! :lol8:
Just as well I had a patch big enough to patch the cut in the tube. Left my spare tube at home! :lamer:
Made it home at about 6: or so. Managed to get caught up in the storm, so arrived home soaked to the bone!! :ricky: :ricky:
Not a very successful day in terms of riding the plotted route, or a day of taking pics of the good stuff. But man, what a jol!
