This weekend was not supposed to be about riding bikes, but about swimming the Midmar Mile., but there is nothing wrong with planning a multi-purpose weekend is there?
In my collection of tracks and roads ridden there has always been a glaring hole in the area South of the N3 in the Geluksburg area, and I wondered if I could not use part of the weekend to ride a few roads in the area.
So the plan was to hitch the bike on trailer, sleep two nights in Swinburne to spend the Saturday riding a few bits, go down to Howick on Sunday and swim across that stupid dam again, and then go home.
But plans change.
The Cave Girl had told me that she was also swimming the mile, and was going to go down on gravel roads via Memel, so imagine my surprise when ahead of me on the N3 near Villiers I see the unmistakable rear view of Delilah the TransAlp, fitted with humungous top-box and panniers. I find out that she is horribly lost with GPS problems, and has decided to abort the Memel leg and head down the N3. I suggest she overnight in Swinburne, and then I would show her the old railway road from van Reenen to Besters, split with her in Ladysmith, and then I could head back to Swinburne via Geluksburg.
So we do, but I was not quite prepared for the state of the railway road. There had obviously been heavy rains in the are and the river monster, the mud monster and even Sarel Seemonster were lurking in the road for us, but more of that later.
Stared in van Reenen and let my artsy side loose with these flowers.
First sign of water – much more was to come.
In some places the road was like a river with a long island down the middle, but strange; water moving rapidly over rocky ballast has plenty o grip, it’s the muddy bits with stationery water where the mud monster lurked.
The mist at the top of the pass was amazing, with the sun trying to peep through.
Delilah and the Cave Girl hiding in the long grass.
The much-photographed old tunnel.
The mud monster strikes – strike two.
I follow the wilddog routine.
1. Make sure the rider is okay.
2. If so, laugh and snap a pic.
3. Help lift the bike.
The bottom was much drier, with no sign of the udmonster.
This is Li’s corner. On the Newcastle weekend last year she lost it at this curve – the KLR went flying offv horizontally, but Li managed to end up standing in the road with nary a speck of dirt on her.
Lovely roads to crank it open a bit.
From there it was into Ladysmith for a late brekkie at a place called Chatters in “The Oval” – nice spot and they did not mind our bedraggled an muddy appearance a bit.
On the way out of Ladysmith we were stopped at a stop/go roadwork section, and took the opportunity to scrape mud out of our mudgards – Delilah’s contribution to the roadworks.
I said goodbye to CG at the N3 an headed off on the Bergville road, and then onto some lovely fast gravel bits on the way to Geluksburg.
“Hello Geluksburg – Glad to know you.”
From there onto a bit of nice tar up the Middledale Pass,
This oke insised on having his pic taken.
A bit sad, but I suspect he, and the lady friend behind, both had a nasty virus common in the area. She was extremely thin, and they both had awful sores on their faces and necks. When she got up to walk a few meters she exhausted herself and had to sit down .
Err, did I say tar roads? In some places the road was 10% tar and 90% pot holes.
Was nice to get back onto gravel. The side view of Rensburg’s kop.
It was registration day. These stations were all over the place in the most remote locations.
Nice area – well worth a ride.
In my collection of tracks and roads ridden there has always been a glaring hole in the area South of the N3 in the Geluksburg area, and I wondered if I could not use part of the weekend to ride a few roads in the area.
So the plan was to hitch the bike on trailer, sleep two nights in Swinburne to spend the Saturday riding a few bits, go down to Howick on Sunday and swim across that stupid dam again, and then go home.
But plans change.
The Cave Girl had told me that she was also swimming the mile, and was going to go down on gravel roads via Memel, so imagine my surprise when ahead of me on the N3 near Villiers I see the unmistakable rear view of Delilah the TransAlp, fitted with humungous top-box and panniers. I find out that she is horribly lost with GPS problems, and has decided to abort the Memel leg and head down the N3. I suggest she overnight in Swinburne, and then I would show her the old railway road from van Reenen to Besters, split with her in Ladysmith, and then I could head back to Swinburne via Geluksburg.
So we do, but I was not quite prepared for the state of the railway road. There had obviously been heavy rains in the are and the river monster, the mud monster and even Sarel Seemonster were lurking in the road for us, but more of that later.
Stared in van Reenen and let my artsy side loose with these flowers.
First sign of water – much more was to come.
In some places the road was like a river with a long island down the middle, but strange; water moving rapidly over rocky ballast has plenty o grip, it’s the muddy bits with stationery water where the mud monster lurked.
The mist at the top of the pass was amazing, with the sun trying to peep through.
Delilah and the Cave Girl hiding in the long grass.
The much-photographed old tunnel.
The mud monster strikes – strike two.
I follow the wilddog routine.
1. Make sure the rider is okay.
2. If so, laugh and snap a pic.
3. Help lift the bike.
The bottom was much drier, with no sign of the udmonster.
This is Li’s corner. On the Newcastle weekend last year she lost it at this curve – the KLR went flying offv horizontally, but Li managed to end up standing in the road with nary a speck of dirt on her.
Lovely roads to crank it open a bit.
From there it was into Ladysmith for a late brekkie at a place called Chatters in “The Oval” – nice spot and they did not mind our bedraggled an muddy appearance a bit.
On the way out of Ladysmith we were stopped at a stop/go roadwork section, and took the opportunity to scrape mud out of our mudgards – Delilah’s contribution to the roadworks.
I said goodbye to CG at the N3 an headed off on the Bergville road, and then onto some lovely fast gravel bits on the way to Geluksburg.
“Hello Geluksburg – Glad to know you.”
From there onto a bit of nice tar up the Middledale Pass,
This oke insised on having his pic taken.
A bit sad, but I suspect he, and the lady friend behind, both had a nasty virus common in the area. She was extremely thin, and they both had awful sores on their faces and necks. When she got up to walk a few meters she exhausted herself and had to sit down .
Err, did I say tar roads? In some places the road was 10% tar and 90% pot holes.
Was nice to get back onto gravel. The side view of Rensburg’s kop.
It was registration day. These stations were all over the place in the most remote locations.
Nice area – well worth a ride.
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