My annual leave...EC, WC & NC with pillion (RR DONE!!!)

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m0lt3n

Grey Hound
WD Supporter
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
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Location
Kathu (NC)
Bike
KTM 990 Adventure
Some appetizers before my story starts...
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I have been dreaming for a while of a good and proper trip so finally decided my wife and I are going to do it! I am fortunate in that she loves nature as much as I do and also that she grew up at the coast (route master!)

So we decided not to aim too high as we were (meaning me!) considering Namibia so we decided on a RSA trip and then do Namibia next year. Planning started and I soon found out its not so easy!

First of all I had to sort my bike out. GPS, 50/50 tyres and bluetooth communication were only some of the things that needed attention. I started purchasing a lot of these crap and soon got frustrated. It never stops! What troubled me most is that I had the bmw vario box set which wont last on gravel... I already had these perfectly good boxes but will still have to buy others...

So thanks to the trade and buy section and dustriders (great service) and some other vendors and soon the tracking numbers were coming and the money leaving.

Well, i learned how to not sum and also that fitting anything on a bike is a mission! Helse frustrerend! Nothing is ever right the first time!
I guess I must mention that I bought a lot of secondhand stuff as well...

Pic of when myself and stepdad fitted spotlights and stuff...(poor Oom should be learning soon how to say no when asked to help me)
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Then the trip itself...who knew it can be such a pain! You read these nice ride reports and the people mention their route, and while it sounds awesome, a lot of the time I did not even know if a pass is gravel or tar!
Then I struck it lucky...I am currently working away from home and my wife who bought me Deon Meyer's book, Dirt busters as a gift. She paged through it and then started planning! Score! we had a route!

Right...lets get going...
The route summarised:

So sunday: Thabazimbi to Kimberley
Monday: via Gariep, Steynsburg to Craddock
Tuesday: Tarkastad,Humansdorp, Patensie
Wednesday: Baviaans to Uniondale
Thursday: Knysna, seven passes to George
Friday: Service bike
Saterday: Oudtshoorn, Die Hel, Prins Albert
Sunday: montagu pass to George
Monday: Cloetespass Barrydale, Swellendam, R62 to Koedoeskloof
Tuesday: Seweweekspoort, Laingsburg to Sutherland
Wednesday: Sutherland area
Thursday and Friday: Cape Town. Want to do Chapmans peak and relax
Saturday: Langebaan area to Ceres
Sunday: to Lutzville
Monday: Kamieskroon to Springbok
Tuesday: to Augrabies

I am always so proud of my vehicles clean and shiny. Bike also. But then I am always proud of the bike dirty as well indicating that it worked hard at doing what it was meant to do! So here is the big clean before the big dirty.


The final goodbye. I was really looking forward to this trip and finally it was here!
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Day 1
The first of many long days with the wind klapping us simpel! We just wanted to get it done with so no dirt roads. Normally I can do 320km on a tank but found out The hard way that it changes when heavily loaded with a wind from the front! 30km from Kimberley the bike spluttered and nothing! Dead! I tilted it on its side as far as I can and managed another 6km. Out with the phone and calling the ever helpful stepdad again. Luckily we were aiming to stay over with them in Kimberley in anyhow.

Lesson 1: The irony is that my wife asked me in Warrenton if we shouldnt fill petrol and I said no....so if wife says do it...u do it!

Pic of me next to dead bike.
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