Robert Pirsig starts his all-time masterpiece by stating that despite the title of his work, the contents does not necessarily cover to any significant depth the concepts of Zen nor Motorcycle Maintenance. To the contrary what follows is by no means a comparison to the work of Pirsig as it has all to do with its title, this report has all to do with Layers and Heated Grips.
The day leading up to National Women’s Day was most likely some of the coldest weather that the interior regions experienced for a while, my first experience was commuting (yes, bike) home on Tuesday in light snowfall through Midrand. For some time a group of us had a long week-end trip planned, Pretoria, Clarens, Afriski, Memel, Dual Sport Bikes required.
On Wednesday the group whittled down to Glocker (800GS) and me (650GS), we recalculated our options and pushed ahead, after all we were riding towards the ‘Berg, so to speak into the cold and could therefore simply turn around if the cold became unbearable. Luckily we are both well versed in cycling in the chilly Gauteng mornings and this is where the first lesson becomes important; the 3 layer system (artificial fibre base layer, fleece insulation layer and the outer protective layer). Thanks to the German engineering of our trusty steeds we had Heated Grips, lesson number 2.
Off we go. Riding via Krugersdorp, Randfontein, Carletonville (4 degrees by 11:00) we reach Parys and push on to Vredefort after which we turn left onto our first dirt section (just past the silo’s at the end of the main road) through to Heilbron. Lovely, easy flowing dirt road easily devoured by the bikes, it’s still very cold but we only notice when we open visors or take gloves off to picture the now ever pleasing countryside vistas. Heilbron’s Oase in the main road is one of those rare finds, small but bustling take-away shop with the smell of the R32.50 hake & slap chip special arresting my senses the moment after I park the bike and remove my helmet…this is magic stuff.
From here we push forward, through Petrus Steyn and Bethlehem. A bit disappointed, I only notice snow on far away mountain tops and even as we approach Clarens do I not see the masses of snow that I have been expected as remnant of snowfall 2 days prior. Just outside town my eye catch a glimpse of snow on the Southern Slopes of even small mounts, it’s still here and its glorious, the snow now evident in most shady patches and even in some of the street corners in Clarens.
We book into our digs at the Pondokkie (Clarens Inn Backpackers), comfortable and warm, bikes parked we stroll through town to settle at the pub where later that evening our inn keeper starred as guitarist and vocalist in the live music performance, lovely….Guinness and the lyrics of Dylan, Eagles, Cohen and the like.
Friday morning we were greeted with frosted bikes, -0.5 degrees by 8:00. The trusty steeds fire-up without fail and we head off towards Caledonspoort Border Post, after a quick SA experience and a slightly cumbersome Lesotho process we are on our way towards the Motseng Pass, 80km to Afriski.
The roads in Lesotho is a real experience, hardly any camber in the corners and blind rises most of which are immediately followed by either a sharp bend, a pot hole or a semi domesticated animal of some sort. Picture opportunities abound we stopped a couple of times as we began to experience was until now a hope and search of lekker dik sneeu.
Some corners were still iced and tested our skills whilst we reached the top of Mahlasela Pass (3,222m alt) without incident, overlooking all the activities / festivities at Afriski below us in the valley.
I test the snow on foot next to road and at once drop all the way to my knees, dis nou daai lekker dik sneeu. Too cold to write our names in the snow we head down to the Gondola Café, the road now becoming a very snotterige and slippery track but skipping no beat we slip ‘n slide the bikes in and retire to a welcome cup of Illy and piping hot slap chips. A strange sense fills me, it feels almost Alpine, or that’s what I think as I’ve never been ?
The return to the border was the exact reverse and still proved very scenic and exiting with the vistas now in reverse and the sun right above us, the slippery ups now downs and the downs ups. En-route we pass some children returning from school in their turquoise and white uniforms, reminding me of the kit my mates at Garsfontein Hoerskool used to wear some 20+ years ago. . . hehehehe.
Ahead of some lies some distance in our trek to Memel via Golden Gate, Harrismith and Verkykerskop. Rolling into Harrismith the remnant of the recent snow was still evident almost up to the verge of the road and covering hill and mountain tops. From Verkykerskop the road becomes dirt all the way to Memel, incredibly scenic and testing our skills as the road is very rocky in patches but comfort is found in the “G” of our GSes, this is the Gelände that the Germans must have had in mind, amazingly capable machines chewing up the road with us regularly having to resort to stand-up, look-up, speed-up to stay clear of the gulley’s and ridges.
It soon becomes apparent that our slentering in Lesotho was perhaps a bit overstayed as dusk was approaching quickly and Memel still some distance away. We pull up in front of the Memel Hotel as nigh falls, truly a World’s Most Amazing Motorcycle Ride, Henry Cole eat your heart out, our digs were superb and our host had more than enough Guinness in his fridge.
The morning son beckoned, now much warmer than the days before and us being able to go without some of the layers and switching the grips off. Our route home was via the hamlet of St’Anderton, the wind most of the way blowing like crazy diagonally into my left side, necessitating me frequently holding the throttle off of the F650 to max just to maintain 120km/h whilst fuel consumption took a turn for the worse.
What a jol, next time we’ll spend more time in Memel and do some round trips from there……as the article on the bulletin board in the Hotel said “Hemel in Memel” !!!
The day leading up to National Women’s Day was most likely some of the coldest weather that the interior regions experienced for a while, my first experience was commuting (yes, bike) home on Tuesday in light snowfall through Midrand. For some time a group of us had a long week-end trip planned, Pretoria, Clarens, Afriski, Memel, Dual Sport Bikes required.
On Wednesday the group whittled down to Glocker (800GS) and me (650GS), we recalculated our options and pushed ahead, after all we were riding towards the ‘Berg, so to speak into the cold and could therefore simply turn around if the cold became unbearable. Luckily we are both well versed in cycling in the chilly Gauteng mornings and this is where the first lesson becomes important; the 3 layer system (artificial fibre base layer, fleece insulation layer and the outer protective layer). Thanks to the German engineering of our trusty steeds we had Heated Grips, lesson number 2.
Off we go. Riding via Krugersdorp, Randfontein, Carletonville (4 degrees by 11:00) we reach Parys and push on to Vredefort after which we turn left onto our first dirt section (just past the silo’s at the end of the main road) through to Heilbron. Lovely, easy flowing dirt road easily devoured by the bikes, it’s still very cold but we only notice when we open visors or take gloves off to picture the now ever pleasing countryside vistas. Heilbron’s Oase in the main road is one of those rare finds, small but bustling take-away shop with the smell of the R32.50 hake & slap chip special arresting my senses the moment after I park the bike and remove my helmet…this is magic stuff.
From here we push forward, through Petrus Steyn and Bethlehem. A bit disappointed, I only notice snow on far away mountain tops and even as we approach Clarens do I not see the masses of snow that I have been expected as remnant of snowfall 2 days prior. Just outside town my eye catch a glimpse of snow on the Southern Slopes of even small mounts, it’s still here and its glorious, the snow now evident in most shady patches and even in some of the street corners in Clarens.
We book into our digs at the Pondokkie (Clarens Inn Backpackers), comfortable and warm, bikes parked we stroll through town to settle at the pub where later that evening our inn keeper starred as guitarist and vocalist in the live music performance, lovely….Guinness and the lyrics of Dylan, Eagles, Cohen and the like.
Friday morning we were greeted with frosted bikes, -0.5 degrees by 8:00. The trusty steeds fire-up without fail and we head off towards Caledonspoort Border Post, after a quick SA experience and a slightly cumbersome Lesotho process we are on our way towards the Motseng Pass, 80km to Afriski.
The roads in Lesotho is a real experience, hardly any camber in the corners and blind rises most of which are immediately followed by either a sharp bend, a pot hole or a semi domesticated animal of some sort. Picture opportunities abound we stopped a couple of times as we began to experience was until now a hope and search of lekker dik sneeu.
Some corners were still iced and tested our skills whilst we reached the top of Mahlasela Pass (3,222m alt) without incident, overlooking all the activities / festivities at Afriski below us in the valley.
I test the snow on foot next to road and at once drop all the way to my knees, dis nou daai lekker dik sneeu. Too cold to write our names in the snow we head down to the Gondola Café, the road now becoming a very snotterige and slippery track but skipping no beat we slip ‘n slide the bikes in and retire to a welcome cup of Illy and piping hot slap chips. A strange sense fills me, it feels almost Alpine, or that’s what I think as I’ve never been ?
The return to the border was the exact reverse and still proved very scenic and exiting with the vistas now in reverse and the sun right above us, the slippery ups now downs and the downs ups. En-route we pass some children returning from school in their turquoise and white uniforms, reminding me of the kit my mates at Garsfontein Hoerskool used to wear some 20+ years ago. . . hehehehe.
Ahead of some lies some distance in our trek to Memel via Golden Gate, Harrismith and Verkykerskop. Rolling into Harrismith the remnant of the recent snow was still evident almost up to the verge of the road and covering hill and mountain tops. From Verkykerskop the road becomes dirt all the way to Memel, incredibly scenic and testing our skills as the road is very rocky in patches but comfort is found in the “G” of our GSes, this is the Gelände that the Germans must have had in mind, amazingly capable machines chewing up the road with us regularly having to resort to stand-up, look-up, speed-up to stay clear of the gulley’s and ridges.
It soon becomes apparent that our slentering in Lesotho was perhaps a bit overstayed as dusk was approaching quickly and Memel still some distance away. We pull up in front of the Memel Hotel as nigh falls, truly a World’s Most Amazing Motorcycle Ride, Henry Cole eat your heart out, our digs were superb and our host had more than enough Guinness in his fridge.
The morning son beckoned, now much warmer than the days before and us being able to go without some of the layers and switching the grips off. Our route home was via the hamlet of St’Anderton, the wind most of the way blowing like crazy diagonally into my left side, necessitating me frequently holding the throttle off of the F650 to max just to maintain 120km/h whilst fuel consumption took a turn for the worse.
What a jol, next time we’ll spend more time in Memel and do some round trips from there……as the article on the bulletin board in the Hotel said “Hemel in Memel” !!!
