Grumpleton
Race Dog
Harry, Grant & myself have just got back from our motorcycle tour of our beautiful country. We left Langebaan on the 24th June travelling via Ceres in the rain and temps of 5 degrees Celsius - not too cold as we dressed well. We headed in the direction of Touwsriver but ran the Montague road down the Keisie Pass. Here the sun came out which was an absolute blessing. Unfortunately the wind picked up to near gale force and it blew us all over the road. Via Ladismith ,Oudtshoorn to Wilderness (650 km) where we stayed with Harrry's brother Johnny & Bee.
Next day it was on the road again to Port Elizabeth with a short day of 350km via the beautiful Tsitsikamma Forests and Natures Valley roads. We stayed in an old area of PE in a renovated youth hostel, very comfortable, and walked down to the local pub near the harbour called the Phoenix Hotel.
A very interesting place as it is the oldest pub in PE and as soon as we phoned the PE boys, Donovan, Eugene, and Ade they questioned our choice of pubs. The youth hostel owner, Brian, informed us that it would be advisable to take a taxi home to the hostel, but being real brave boys we dashed back with looks over our shoulders every few seconds. Needless to say we made it back safely as who would tackle bar fighters like Harry & Grant.
The next morning we left for East London where Jamie's folks very kindly put us up for the night. We had supper with one of Harry's mates Carl, who he had not seen for a long time - a great evening where the guys ordered bottomless pizza and they had already stuffed themselves by the time I got my grub, needless to say I was very grumpy by then and could have eaten the plate by then.
Day 4 was on the road through the Transkei's cattle, black pigs and crowds in the towns. It took us 30 minutes to get through Umtata on Friday with the town crammed full of people, trucks, cars & chaos. We made good time to Kokstad ( there was snow on the mountain above the town ) as we were there by 1pm so we decided to head on to Winklespruit ( another 200km odd ) where Coral & Greg had very kindly let us use their flat on the beach. We had 2 days rest here although we met Harry & Grants friends & family, saw uShaka Village, tried to get a brake light switch for the V-Strom, so we got around quite a bit on the bikes in nice warm weather.
Day 7 we headed via the Umlaas Road tar road up to Pietermaritzburg where we met at Coffeeberry with Con, Peter & Con's sons for a coffee and a catch-up. The next road was via Lions River. Lidgeton, Michael House, Nottingham Road, Mooi River, Estcourt ( where we met Eddie the Chemist ) Colenso and then on to Ladysmith where we spent the night with Rich Cameron & Marion who spoilt us rotten. This was a tremendous summers day all the way up the road and a great evening of much laughter with stories told of days gone by.
Day 8 was via Vryheid, Paulpietersburg, Piet Retief, Barberton, Nelspruit to Aubrey & Zelda in Hazyview. Again another warm day where the temp was 30 degrees Celsius in Nelspruit with us dressed for winter. We all bailed in to their huge farmhouse where we were looked after like film stars. The next day Aubrey took us for a ride to Graskop, Blyde River Canyon, Ohrigstad, Pilgrims Rest, Sabie and home to ‘Ons Plek'. What an incredible ride on the tarred twisty roads where I learnt a lot about riding on the tar. Aubrey is a crazy fast rider over these roads and had Harry scratching his head trying to keep up. Grant & I got ‘left in the dust' as we were trying to stay upright and on two wheels with the black side down.
Day 10 saw us heading via Sabie, Lydenburg ( up Long Tom Pass ) in the rain and 4 degrees C. Grant had decided it was a summers day so wore his summer gloves, needless to say he was swearing the whole way to Lydenburg where we stopped to warm up. I was in trouble for not stopping in Sabie for a break although it was only a few minutes outside Hazyview. He then proceeded to re- dress himself with a lot more clothing, grumbling all the time, in the main road through the town to suspicious stares from the residents. Onwards to JHB and to warmer weather. We spent the night and the next rest day with Harry's aunt Avril and uncle Omri.
Day 12 saw us travelling past Harry's aunts old house in Vereeniging, Kroonstad, Excelsior, Tweespruit to Black Mountain resort where Grant's mate Peter put us up for 2 days. What a beautiful hotel ( the old Taba nChu Sun ) set between Bloemfontein and Maseru where they are busy re-furbishing all the rooms. The food was also very sumptuous and the breakfast spread something to write home about. We stuffed ourselves soo much with this huge breakfast spread that we had no space to eat lunch. The evening meal was with Peter and his good lady Karen and crazy dogs.
Day 14 dawned as our longest day on the road with us doing 800km plus down to Laingsburg where we over-nighted trying to make our final day's distance a bit shorter. I have a hazy recollection of the road from Beaufort West to Laingsburg.
Day 15 we had a shorter day home via Ceres in the sunshine and much warmer conditions arriving safely at 1pm. There is already talk by Grant of next years trip but Harry is silent while his butt repairs itself. I am also looking forward to next winters tour where we will again ride roads that we have never ridden in the past and explore new areas of our beautiful country.
Next day it was on the road again to Port Elizabeth with a short day of 350km via the beautiful Tsitsikamma Forests and Natures Valley roads. We stayed in an old area of PE in a renovated youth hostel, very comfortable, and walked down to the local pub near the harbour called the Phoenix Hotel.
A very interesting place as it is the oldest pub in PE and as soon as we phoned the PE boys, Donovan, Eugene, and Ade they questioned our choice of pubs. The youth hostel owner, Brian, informed us that it would be advisable to take a taxi home to the hostel, but being real brave boys we dashed back with looks over our shoulders every few seconds. Needless to say we made it back safely as who would tackle bar fighters like Harry & Grant.
The next morning we left for East London where Jamie's folks very kindly put us up for the night. We had supper with one of Harry's mates Carl, who he had not seen for a long time - a great evening where the guys ordered bottomless pizza and they had already stuffed themselves by the time I got my grub, needless to say I was very grumpy by then and could have eaten the plate by then.
Day 4 was on the road through the Transkei's cattle, black pigs and crowds in the towns. It took us 30 minutes to get through Umtata on Friday with the town crammed full of people, trucks, cars & chaos. We made good time to Kokstad ( there was snow on the mountain above the town ) as we were there by 1pm so we decided to head on to Winklespruit ( another 200km odd ) where Coral & Greg had very kindly let us use their flat on the beach. We had 2 days rest here although we met Harry & Grants friends & family, saw uShaka Village, tried to get a brake light switch for the V-Strom, so we got around quite a bit on the bikes in nice warm weather.
Day 7 we headed via the Umlaas Road tar road up to Pietermaritzburg where we met at Coffeeberry with Con, Peter & Con's sons for a coffee and a catch-up. The next road was via Lions River. Lidgeton, Michael House, Nottingham Road, Mooi River, Estcourt ( where we met Eddie the Chemist ) Colenso and then on to Ladysmith where we spent the night with Rich Cameron & Marion who spoilt us rotten. This was a tremendous summers day all the way up the road and a great evening of much laughter with stories told of days gone by.
Day 8 was via Vryheid, Paulpietersburg, Piet Retief, Barberton, Nelspruit to Aubrey & Zelda in Hazyview. Again another warm day where the temp was 30 degrees Celsius in Nelspruit with us dressed for winter. We all bailed in to their huge farmhouse where we were looked after like film stars. The next day Aubrey took us for a ride to Graskop, Blyde River Canyon, Ohrigstad, Pilgrims Rest, Sabie and home to ‘Ons Plek'. What an incredible ride on the tarred twisty roads where I learnt a lot about riding on the tar. Aubrey is a crazy fast rider over these roads and had Harry scratching his head trying to keep up. Grant & I got ‘left in the dust' as we were trying to stay upright and on two wheels with the black side down.
Day 10 saw us heading via Sabie, Lydenburg ( up Long Tom Pass ) in the rain and 4 degrees C. Grant had decided it was a summers day so wore his summer gloves, needless to say he was swearing the whole way to Lydenburg where we stopped to warm up. I was in trouble for not stopping in Sabie for a break although it was only a few minutes outside Hazyview. He then proceeded to re- dress himself with a lot more clothing, grumbling all the time, in the main road through the town to suspicious stares from the residents. Onwards to JHB and to warmer weather. We spent the night and the next rest day with Harry's aunt Avril and uncle Omri.
Day 12 saw us travelling past Harry's aunts old house in Vereeniging, Kroonstad, Excelsior, Tweespruit to Black Mountain resort where Grant's mate Peter put us up for 2 days. What a beautiful hotel ( the old Taba nChu Sun ) set between Bloemfontein and Maseru where they are busy re-furbishing all the rooms. The food was also very sumptuous and the breakfast spread something to write home about. We stuffed ourselves soo much with this huge breakfast spread that we had no space to eat lunch. The evening meal was with Peter and his good lady Karen and crazy dogs.
Day 14 dawned as our longest day on the road with us doing 800km plus down to Laingsburg where we over-nighted trying to make our final day's distance a bit shorter. I have a hazy recollection of the road from Beaufort West to Laingsburg.
Day 15 we had a shorter day home via Ceres in the sunshine and much warmer conditions arriving safely at 1pm. There is already talk by Grant of next years trip but Harry is silent while his butt repairs itself. I am also looking forward to next winters tour where we will again ride roads that we have never ridden in the past and explore new areas of our beautiful country.
