tyrebraaier
Pack Dog
So the last leg to pertoooria was about to start. Wanted to pull the bike out of the garage but there was no key. Oopsie. My golden rule was broken – I immediately suspected fowl play. I have a lanyard around my neck to which I clip the key when away and not on the bike. I even sleep with it. I once learnt a very expensive lesson many moons ago. Turns out my uncle who took a spin the afternoon of the rest day took it out and hanged it with the other keys in the house. Crisis averted.
With about 2kgs of padkos (two of my favourite food groups namely aartappelslaai and vleis) I was on my way. Riding east in the morning again but I rode with BBB cycling "brille" and tinted mx goggles and it worked a treat. Bit dramatic to get everything on but works well if you must stare into the sun for the next 3 hours.
Bit of drizzle about 60km out but the veld was looking good and I was glad the 'skapies' had some food to eat. Olifantshoek, Kathu, Kuruman, Komtiekie for a bit of aartappelslaai and then Vryburg. The road between Kathu and Vryburg is a dangerous one. Especially the part between Kuruman and Vryburg. Trucks, goats, donkeys, cows, impatient poepholle in rooi karre and no shoulder. I knew this was going to be the least scenic leg of the trip. Delareyville, Sannieshof, Biesiesvlei, Colingy, Ventersdorp, Krugersdorp and finally pertoooria!
Met an interesting guy in Delareyville – Lunga with his Suzuki bicycle. Stopped and chatted a bit, even took him for a quick spin on my bike 'Kamanya style'. That was really the highlight of the day’s journey. From the Krugersdorp turnoff past Lanseria was a mess. Moerse traffic but par for the course 16:00 on a Friday. Sitting between the fast lane and the second lane I tried to do as some guys do but was not comfortable. Small mistake and you’re done. Sat in traffic and passed the odd car here and there. Even got hooted at by another bike that I was blocking between the lanes. This was not a fun hour. Eventually I arrived at the family Waverley and had an early night.
The trip was a success, solo is inherently high risk but with work and family it is sometimes the only feasible option. If you have to wait for another person to be ready to go with you you’ll probably wait another year and miss out on something good. Just go.
I did a lot of mountain passes Potjiesberg, Gwarrie Poort, Outeniqua, Cloetes, Du Plessis, Clarence Drive, Houw Hoek, Franschoek, Piekenierskloof and Vanrhyns. Some gravel sections and kept the hydration going. I have seen and done some interesting things and met some good people. Onwards… to the next adventure!!!
With about 2kgs of padkos (two of my favourite food groups namely aartappelslaai and vleis) I was on my way. Riding east in the morning again but I rode with BBB cycling "brille" and tinted mx goggles and it worked a treat. Bit dramatic to get everything on but works well if you must stare into the sun for the next 3 hours.
Bit of drizzle about 60km out but the veld was looking good and I was glad the 'skapies' had some food to eat. Olifantshoek, Kathu, Kuruman, Komtiekie for a bit of aartappelslaai and then Vryburg. The road between Kathu and Vryburg is a dangerous one. Especially the part between Kuruman and Vryburg. Trucks, goats, donkeys, cows, impatient poepholle in rooi karre and no shoulder. I knew this was going to be the least scenic leg of the trip. Delareyville, Sannieshof, Biesiesvlei, Colingy, Ventersdorp, Krugersdorp and finally pertoooria!
Met an interesting guy in Delareyville – Lunga with his Suzuki bicycle. Stopped and chatted a bit, even took him for a quick spin on my bike 'Kamanya style'. That was really the highlight of the day’s journey. From the Krugersdorp turnoff past Lanseria was a mess. Moerse traffic but par for the course 16:00 on a Friday. Sitting between the fast lane and the second lane I tried to do as some guys do but was not comfortable. Small mistake and you’re done. Sat in traffic and passed the odd car here and there. Even got hooted at by another bike that I was blocking between the lanes. This was not a fun hour. Eventually I arrived at the family Waverley and had an early night.
The trip was a success, solo is inherently high risk but with work and family it is sometimes the only feasible option. If you have to wait for another person to be ready to go with you you’ll probably wait another year and miss out on something good. Just go.
I did a lot of mountain passes Potjiesberg, Gwarrie Poort, Outeniqua, Cloetes, Du Plessis, Clarence Drive, Houw Hoek, Franschoek, Piekenierskloof and Vanrhyns. Some gravel sections and kept the hydration going. I have seen and done some interesting things and met some good people. Onwards… to the next adventure!!!
