G
Geotraveller
Guest
I had been stuck in Liberia for 9 weeks and been frustrated by reading the great RR's that you have all been posting and plotting and planning.
One of these posted by Dusty Rusty really got me thinking.
So last Saterday at a blerri cold 6:45 am, Smiley and I set out from Edenvale.
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Past Chloorkop, Kayalami and towards Pelindaba we headed, the cold bearable till I hit the dips over the Hennops and my hands became so cold I lost all feeling in them.
Now I know a few remedies for this but decided on a civilized method, so at Broederstroom I stopped for Fuel and hot chocalate. The lady behind the counter did not appreciate me sticking my frozen digits down her neck!
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But onward Smiley and I went, hanging a left towards the ADA training facility, I turned on the GPS, hoping to emulate part of the Bullet Ride Mark Hardy had plotted for the Morgan-Belle ride, but lo and behold I arrived at a locked gate at the start of the gravel.
Nothing for it, back track and then past Pecanwood, ignoring the turn-off towards Harties and heading west towards Breedt's nek. I hit the gravel at the Hartebeesthoek turn off and quickly reached the small church at Remhoogte.
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Looking towards the Magaliesberg at Remhoogte.
The sun was starting to warm up the day and I managed to peel a few layers of clothes, the gravel was fun and not really challenging as I headed back into Gauteng Province.
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Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I missed a turn somewhere along the line and slabbed it to the T-Junction of the R650 and R 24, turning right duly found the turn off to Mooinooi and headed onto gravel, nearly getting run down by Farmer Brown at this stop sign. Rude gestures and language out of the way I got this foto.
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I started passing sweating people on MTB's heading in the direction of the Neck and then a bizarre sight, a superbike on this stretch of gravel. The rider was trying to turn it but was making heavy weather of it. I did not stop but headed up the pass, passing ever more heavily perspiring cyclists.
And here comes a Katoom 640 and a Honda XR 500 bombing down the southern side of the Neck, just time for a "O Fok!" and a quick wave and they are gone.
Getting to the top, I meet Steve from Klerksdorp sitting on his KLR enjoyng a sarmie and the view. While chatting he indicated he would not be heading down the North. A yellow 650 GS made its appearance, as well as some of the cyclists.
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Uploaded with ImageShack.us640x427.jpg/]
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Dead bicycle in the background.
Break over I head down the Nek towards Mooinooi, the road challenging but not frightening I get down without a wobble and do the last stretch of gravel into Mooinooi. The last time I had been down this road, it was virtually impassable after the heavy rains of early 2010, now it was a breeze.
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Bike and body fuelled, I headed over the bridge on the N4 and onto the Lonmin access roads, where I followed the gravel to the Brits- Rustenberg Railway bridge.
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Looking east along the rail tracks, the access road on the left.
The ride along the access road is fun and has small low water crossings, dry in the winter but enjoyable nevertheless.
All to soon , I passed under the bridge on the R556, and stopped at the first sight of the canals.
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The roads along here are fun and has some great little twists, you just need to be aware of Boertjie Bruin and his 4by4 bakkie but he is only an occasional hazard.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
This area used to be know as the garden of South Africa but the "Winds of Change" have altered the look of the area, and its not uncommon to see this.
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The second to last stop was at the Driekop Butchery for some beef and Impala biltong,
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and then I tackled the last strecth of the canals, dipping under the N4 at on spot and crossing the R566, I followed the canals to the R560 and meeting the wife at Upper Deck.
After a munch of spicy chicken livers I slabbed home having enjoyed the day immensely on the little bike. In all 322 km of fun.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
One of these posted by Dusty Rusty really got me thinking.
So last Saterday at a blerri cold 6:45 am, Smiley and I set out from Edenvale.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Past Chloorkop, Kayalami and towards Pelindaba we headed, the cold bearable till I hit the dips over the Hennops and my hands became so cold I lost all feeling in them.
Now I know a few remedies for this but decided on a civilized method, so at Broederstroom I stopped for Fuel and hot chocalate. The lady behind the counter did not appreciate me sticking my frozen digits down her neck!
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
But onward Smiley and I went, hanging a left towards the ADA training facility, I turned on the GPS, hoping to emulate part of the Bullet Ride Mark Hardy had plotted for the Morgan-Belle ride, but lo and behold I arrived at a locked gate at the start of the gravel.
Nothing for it, back track and then past Pecanwood, ignoring the turn-off towards Harties and heading west towards Breedt's nek. I hit the gravel at the Hartebeesthoek turn off and quickly reached the small church at Remhoogte.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Looking towards the Magaliesberg at Remhoogte.
The sun was starting to warm up the day and I managed to peel a few layers of clothes, the gravel was fun and not really challenging as I headed back into Gauteng Province.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I missed a turn somewhere along the line and slabbed it to the T-Junction of the R650 and R 24, turning right duly found the turn off to Mooinooi and headed onto gravel, nearly getting run down by Farmer Brown at this stop sign. Rude gestures and language out of the way I got this foto.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I started passing sweating people on MTB's heading in the direction of the Neck and then a bizarre sight, a superbike on this stretch of gravel. The rider was trying to turn it but was making heavy weather of it. I did not stop but headed up the pass, passing ever more heavily perspiring cyclists.
And here comes a Katoom 640 and a Honda XR 500 bombing down the southern side of the Neck, just time for a "O Fok!" and a quick wave and they are gone.
Getting to the top, I meet Steve from Klerksdorp sitting on his KLR enjoyng a sarmie and the view. While chatting he indicated he would not be heading down the North. A yellow 650 GS made its appearance, as well as some of the cyclists.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us640x427.jpg/]
Dead bicycle in the background.
Break over I head down the Nek towards Mooinooi, the road challenging but not frightening I get down without a wobble and do the last stretch of gravel into Mooinooi. The last time I had been down this road, it was virtually impassable after the heavy rains of early 2010, now it was a breeze.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Bike and body fuelled, I headed over the bridge on the N4 and onto the Lonmin access roads, where I followed the gravel to the Brits- Rustenberg Railway bridge.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Looking east along the rail tracks, the access road on the left.
The ride along the access road is fun and has small low water crossings, dry in the winter but enjoyable nevertheless.
All to soon , I passed under the bridge on the R556, and stopped at the first sight of the canals.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
The roads along here are fun and has some great little twists, you just need to be aware of Boertjie Bruin and his 4by4 bakkie but he is only an occasional hazard.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
This area used to be know as the garden of South Africa but the "Winds of Change" have altered the look of the area, and its not uncommon to see this.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
The second to last stop was at the Driekop Butchery for some beef and Impala biltong,
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
and then I tackled the last strecth of the canals, dipping under the N4 at on spot and crossing the R566, I followed the canals to the R560 and meeting the wife at Upper Deck.
After a munch of spicy chicken livers I slabbed home having enjoyed the day immensely on the little bike. In all 322 km of fun.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
