A Lephalale breakfast run...

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Welsh

Grumpy Mutt
Joined
Jan 27, 2006
Messages
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Location
Jo,burg
Bike
BMW R1150GS
Well as many of you know, I have been busy, busy fixing the house, busy supervising painters, busy at work, flying overseas etc, etc,  :( :( :(

Plus the GSV has been missing a bashplate so it has not been sorted as I was busy etc.

Anyway, the Bash was scotched for me as I was in Germany last week, but flew back a day early (Friday) anyway, yesterday I was nice, went to a Birthday Party with SWMBO, behaved etc etc�� ::) ::) ::)

So I then slimily negotiated a pass out for this morning, no return time specified!!! >:D >:D

Anyway, I posted late yesterday, no takers, not that I expected different, â??riding north +- 700km,sâ?. I donâ??t post routes as I had none planned, I do not have a GPS, I had page 29 photocopied out of a Shell Touring Atlas, its enough, but I am glad we can colour copy them these days.

So, only left at 6AM, beautiful morning, no pics as the ride up to Brits via Harties has been covered before, as usual I thought, our starting point, there destination for most breakfast runners as I passed Harties.

So off to Brits, then to Thabazimbi, as I entered Limpopo, the area is lush, the Northern dogs who remember our bash, the area is not recognizable!!!!!
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The lushness is reflected in the insects, I flew through a swarm of somethingsâ?¦
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I think just after this I turned onto the dirt to Koedoeskop and followed it up to Thabazimbi. At Thabazimbi, tough call, do I take the tar up to Lephalale or do I risk it on the dirt over the passes (remember no bash plate)â?¦.

Sanity did not prevailâ?¦ luckilyâ?¦
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The GSV in its territory, oh yes, no screen I was not planning at riding above 140, up to that the screen is worthless, plus I prefer the handling without one.
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Beautiful terrain I love the Bosveld..
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Last time I rode here I was dodging storms, no issues today.

Small areas of shaded beauty.
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Not Cape Mountains but pretty.
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Eventually, I hit another choice, Rankins Pass (done it) or off to Vaalwater,
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I picked Vaalwater, it was strange as I crossed the escarpment, the vegetation changed, perhaps farming perhaps not but very differentâ?¦
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This looks more interesting, grin time..
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The pass turned out to be called Bakkers Pass.
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So off I went to Lephalale (Ellisras),

A new sign???
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Petrol required, so as I fill up, there is a big black car in the garage, trying to compete with the GSV, plus its complete with serious large white and heavy bodyguards in a Chev van thing,
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Ok its big, OK its ugly,

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I assume itâ??s a Maybach, serious moneyâ?¦.
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So  I look the East loop out of Lephalale, as you climb the mountain you get this great view of the Bosveld, with Matimba Power Sration in the background.
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Strange insects tooâ?¦
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Then off down to Vaalwater, time to find a beer, no pics but stopped at a lovely establishment â??Big Fiveâ? corny but nice place, couple of beers and off. No pic.
About 5 km,s out of town pulled a left every road off the main here is dirt, over my beer I had worked out from my A4 photocopy map that I could do an 80km loop to Modimolle (Nylstrom) rather than the tar.

It was not technical, just lots and lots of this, some sand but nothing technical
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And its signposted like this!!!!! Perfect
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Then a refreshment in Bela Bela, saw Dale Steyn,s last wicket fall as I got my beer..
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I then hauled the tar back, 817 km,s left at 6 back at 15:30 not gassing it at any stage, you do not gas it on dirt roads alone, had one head shake under power on the whole run â?¦ a perfect nooob ride if you do not mind distancesâ?¦and the type of ride a GSV excells at ;D ;D ;D

Welsh    8) 8) 8) 8)













     
 
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