Swartberg Pass blits

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lonerider

Race Dog
Joined
Jul 15, 2007
Messages
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Location
Stellenbosch
Bike
BMW R1150GS Adventure
Rather late than never. Here's the Ride Report from my "delivery trip" a few weeks ago. Not much to it, but managed the highlight of the trip.

(BTW, my first report using links to Photobucket, so please be patient if things don't work quite as they should.)

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I collected the bike in Johannesburg, leaving me a 1500km journey to get it back to my abode in Stellenbosch - joy! I didn't get to do it all in a oner though - did a first stretch of about 400km to my parents where I spent a few days before loading up and heading south.

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Here we are, loaded and ready for the 1100km to Stellenbosch.

Although I have previously done the 1100km from Christiana to Stellenbosch in one day, I had the luxury of some spare time so split the journey in two, overnighting in Prince Albert.

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Wide open road, beckoning horizon - that's why I ride the bike! :)

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Gravel roads, remote areas - who wouldn't want to go...?

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Prince Albert in the distance.

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The Views B&B in Prince Albert  - perfect setting for sundowners, lazy evenings, and admiring beautiful things.

After a good night's rest in Prince Albert, I woke early the next day and was on the road again by 0700. Still a bit chilly for some reason, so switched on the heated handgrips to enjoy of the little luxuries my steed has to offer. Strange how warm hands can make one think the body is as warm.

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Yep, we're going through there!

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Magnificent folded mountains.

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The road coming up from the bottom...

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...with me parked to enjoy the view for a while..

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...surrounded by magnificence.

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A little further up, looking back long the switchbacks.

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The road leading to the top of the Pass (just off the left edge of the picture).

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The Top, looking back along the way I came.

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Looking down the other side of the Swartberg Pass, toward De Rust.

Winded my merry way down toward Oudtshoorn, looking forward to some gravel roads through the farming community, when I came across the following.

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Road closed...

Despite large signs at each end of the road leading to the actual Pass prohibiting the entry of heavy duty vehicles and vehicles over 6m long, this driver for some reason decided he wanted to over the Swartberg Pass. Of course he then ran into a slight spot of bother around one of the fairly sharp corners. As you can see, the truck's rear wheels are off the road, and off to the right, so are the trailer's wheels. The trailer and truck chassis were resting on the ground,

So I turned around, back from whence I came. All this made for an extra three hours of riding for the day, eventually got to Stellenbosch around 1600, tired, but content. As a result of the unintended delay I didn't make many more stops, so no more photos.
 
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