The "Blue Sky" rides. Benoni/Bronkhorstspruit and Beyond..

It's winter, but for the highveld that means moderate temperatures by day and cold, clear nights. Perfect riding weather. I've recently finished making my 88 XR600R rideworthy and street legal. The altitude around Johannesburg is around 5500 feet. My bike seems to be jetted OK, as it burns a nice tan colour at the exhaust. Fuel consumption? I dunno.. about 120km to a stock tank of fuel to get to reserve. I think I need a 22l Acerbis on this baby, but I do like how light she is with the stock tank.
I took a ride around the farm roads north and east of my place. Good fun, some sand, some stony stuff, easy riding. The skies are a special kind of blue around here, as you will see further down..

I bought some cheap Chinese dualsport tyres (Kings Tire) for about US$100 for back and front, and am well impressed. They handle well on tarmac and in dirt. I needed to let some air out at first when I hit the trails because they were a bit harsh and wouldn't grip. Once the pressure came down they handled really well.






Stopped for a Coke and a snack at Bronkhorstspruit Dam, a favourite Bass fishermens's hangout in the summer..


.. and a local fruit vendor close to Sentrarand shunting yards..


Another Sunday, this was my Blue Sky Ride..  The Kliprivier (Stony River) bridge..



Abandoned farm dwelling..



There were others that turned out to be not so abandoned..
Migrant farm workers sifting maize kernels to cook for Sunday lunch.


They're also XR600R fans..


It's amazing what you can find in your own backyard, if you take the time to look. I'm keen to do dirt from Bapsfontein to Loskop soon..