West Coast Adventure, Mike Hopkins Motorcycles,2x KLR650, KTM 990, Tiger 800xc

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TigerMan

Puppy
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Messages
29
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0
Location
Cape Town
Bike
Triumph 800 XC
Learning from our previous mistakes (arriving in Sutherland in the dark and rain) we decided to leave a bit earlier and so met at the 1stop just outside Philidelphia (Cape Town) at 07:00. We were four bikes: KTM 990 (James), 2x KLR 650 (Yves and Adrian) and Tiger 800xc (Gareth). By 07:30 we were on the road with James taking the lead. From Kalbaskraal we road along the railway service roads up to Moorreesburg. Just be aware that if you try this the service road does end abruptly so we ended up crossing the tracks and riding over fences. Anyway, after breakfast in Moorreesburg we hit the N7 to Piekenierskloof pass where at the top we peeled off left. This road is a mix of tar and gravel. A quick fuel stop in Clanwilliam and a very boring N7 to Garies but at least it got us north quickly.

We stayed at the Garies self catering accommodation which was luxury compared to our saturday night sleep over (anyway I'm getting ahead of myself). Saturday was when the real fun started. Heading out of Garies we let our tyre pressures down for the gravel road to Hondeklip Bay but as the fuel range on the KTM and Tiger could pose a problem we had to pull in to Koingnaas (a De Beers mine) for fuel which is about 15km north of Hondeklip Bay. The tough part (according to everyone we spoke to) starts at the Eagles Nest Entrance just outside Hondeklip Bay where we entered the Namaqua Coast National Park. All of us were to put it mildly, shitting ourselves just a little bit as the stories of deep twee spoor sand between Hondeklip Bay and Groenrivier kept running through our minds. In the end we worked our asses off but we got through it. Good memories. Good friends. Eventually we made it to Jurg's se Kaya for a well deserved beer or two. Our overnight stopover was here also but traveling light means carrying the bare essentials. I didn't take a tent I just use a bivvy bag or as James likes to call it and it has become know as the "SACK".  I think I have converted them as Adrian and Yves both want to get "sacks" now. James forgot to take anything with him so he slept in his bike gear in a flower power tent that Adrian brought along. Well the fun didn't stop there. None of us brought any real food with either so we ended up mixing 2 minute noodles, smash and tuna together in a small pot and eating it with out fingers. Oh yeah we can't forget the 4 bottles of 69. We do have a small clip that i'm sure will be on you tube soon.

So Sunday... early rise and on the trail again to get to Lutzville for breakfast. Not much there besides the hotel but a good breakfast it was. A quick stop in Lamberts Bay for a beer then following some tar and gravel roads we headed to Langebaan for lunch. After lunch a quick ride home on the R27. Thanks Adrian, James, Yves for an awesome weekend.
 
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