ZEN, The Blues... and riding Slowhand Style - DONE

[Gerrard]

Lyk my die weer, met reën, het ander planne vir my terugry trip more 

[JMOL]

Baie dankie Jup.

Ek het nou baie lekker saam gery 

[DUSTRIDERS]

Lyk my die weer, met reën, het ander planne vir my terugry trip more 

Weer is simpel hier vandag. Vroeoggend n harde bui reen geval. Nou net wind en bewolk.

[Gerrard]

Back home after a very wet ride... and a chance meeting on the road that would turn an otherwise ordinary ride into a memorable one.

Hoop jy's veilig by die huis Oubaas.

[Kerritz]

2 legends....en etter....jou nog NOOIT so sien smile nie....

[Gerrard]

Yesterday, Sunday, in the afternoon we set off for George in the cage. Dreary weather, raining most of the way, and not much promise for my ride back today on the bike.

1. Looking at the TV screen as we pass Humansdorp.

2. We stop at Storms for lunch. As usual the place is busy. Even though overcast, it still makes for nice pics in its own way.

[Orangeswifty]

Lekker pics en storie daarby Jup
Ek is in 1991 in Jeffreys se Ng kerk getroud met my ex - nogals deur dominee Bond
Haar pa hulle het die slaghuis gehad op Patensie
Ek het al baie solo daai Hankey Golfbaan deurgedraf

Snaaks genoeg was dit 'n tydperk in my lewe wat ek motorfietsloos was nadat ek amper 10 jaar ernstige Enduro's deelgeneem het.
Ek het net nooit 'n kans gehad om die Baviaans of die Hel of van daai Ernstige uitloklike kleinkaroopaaie te ry nie
Dit is deffinitief op my bucketlist
Ek weet wie om te nader vir advies!
Doe so voort

[Gerrard]

Thanks  Moenie uistel nie. Hierdie is die laaste dertig jaar of so my speelplek en ek rak nooit moeg daarvan nie. Elke keer as jy ry is dit 'n ander seisoen en asof dit is 'n nuwe roete.

[Gerrard]

1. I think this is a pic as we come down the hill to Knysna.

2. Its still a pretty town, but to busy and for me just a place to get through quickly

3. Just before Sedgefield we stop at a picnic spot for some oxigen supplement. You know you're in the western Cape when it looks like this. I can't remember when last I've even =seen a picnic spot in the EC.

4. A view over Groenvlei

[Gerrard]

1. There's a roadworks stop and go just before Wildernis. Strange how the aftermarth of an accident always stays with you. As we approach I get the heebeegeebees.

2. As we cross the bridge at Wilderness there's a speedtrap. My wife, who knows these roads well, reminds me and I task my foot off the petrol. I'm doing below sixty and as we hit the trap this guy comes flying past me and we get flashed together. Who's going to get the ticket. The lawyer in me kicks in and I gather my evidence with this pic and some contemparaneous notes. I wont be the one paying the fine 

3 & 4. George must be the town with the most robots per kilometer.

We get to my daughters place, spend a pleasant evening anmd watch the movie "Ted" I pissed myself laughing.

[Gerrard]

1. I met Oldmannorman over the forum a while back when he was discussing some routes to ride with friends of his. We've been trying to meet up but kept on missing each other. Now I have to have breakfast and what better opprtunity this morning when I picked up my bike from George Yamaha.

He's a long time biker and resident of George. A pleasant meeting and sharing of experiences. Thanks Norman for your kindness. I'm in your debt now, so we'll have to do a ride together so I can repay you with some good riding. 

2 & 3. I have to get going and its pissing with rain. Outeniqua pass is a tester, hoping to find better weather on the other side as I have some gravel routes planned.

But that was not to happen, as it rained al the way to Kareedow, and bleddie hard some times. My Vuka suit kept me bone dry.

[Gerrard]

Nou's ek gatvol gesukkel met die internet wat so stadig upload, seker die weer. Sal later weer probeer.

[Difflock]

Weereens uitsteekend RR jup, weet hoe dit voel om solo te doen, defnitief waar jy jouself vind. Ek sekondeer die padtekens van die Wes Kaap teenoor die Oos Kaap, maak dit nogal intresant sonder n gps in die Oos Kaap. Kyk uit vir jou en Lyn by die Winterberge.

[Tiger8]

Hoe ry daai nuwe "Progressive" springs van jou?

[Gerrard]

1.  I stop at Harold to collect and re-arrange myself myself after an unenjoyable ride over the mountain.

2. My next regular stop is Nolshalte. Despite it raining hard again I'm now beginning to enjoy the ride. I'm comfortable and strangely its not cold. This is the only stop on all my riding where I don't drink coffee... I have hot choclate. I don't know why. They have a vending machine and for some reason when stopping there I had started drinkung the hot choclate.

3 & 4. There's a short break in the weather and I take some pics.

I had forgotten to check the bikes petrol and just before Nolshalte it goes on reserve. They have no petrol. One's not always sure to get petrol at Avontuur which leaves Joubertina, more than 100km's away or Uniondale.

What the hell, lets ride, I'll see when I get there.

[Gerrard]

Hoe ry daai nuwe "Progressive" springs van jou?

Baie lekker. Hulle is ,soos ek daarvan hou, en gee postiewe terugvoer van die pad af. Die R62 is mos maar stamperig, en die manier hoe jy agterkom 'n ding werk goed, is as jy nie oplet dat hy daar is nie.

[Gerrard]

When I planned the ride back the idea was that I'd take the side-entry over Jonckshoek to De Vlugt and then Prins Alberts pass back to the R62. From there it would be the Kouga Loop, with a vist to The Wilderness Area, and ten home.

1. As I approach the hairpin where the turn-off is I see what the valley looks like I have to ride. Not promicing.

2 & 3. I stop at the turn-off and ponder. I'm riding with a slick Anakee and they had told me at Nolshalte it had rained a lot. I know the road is good gravel, so it can't be to bad. Lets give it a go.

Its bad. After about 500 meters I decide discretion is the better part of valour. The bikes ass is all over the place. I'd have to ride dead slow and there's little to see with the heavy cloud and mist.

We'll live to ride another day, so I head back to the R62. And it is these small decisions that change a day and leads to a chance meeting 

[Gerrard]

1. I get petrol at Avontuur and local knowledge still confirms it had rained hard last night

2. As you get to Joubertina, through the dip at Kraaltjie, you cross this little stream which is a raging torrent. OK, it has rained hard and the Kouga Loop is also out 

[Gerrard]

1. I stop at Joubertina for some coffee. I'm not sure if its fir the coffee or to warm my hands. They're cold from riding with wet gloves.

2 & 3. I take some pics. Would love to have this lttle anglia as a run about.

Earlier I had noticed another bike in the distance behind me, but he then disappeared. As I walk back to my coffee a guy on a GSA pulls in. I walk up to say hi and chat.

"Hello Gerard. Hoe lyk dit ?"

I don't recognise him in the helmet, but that gravel voice I've heard before. I then realise its Laban... and what a pleasant surprise we should meet here.

Do you have any idea how much had happen to us in our separate paths in life, and how the cosmos had to align for us to meet here, on this day, at this time. As they say... shit happens.

We spend a very pleasant hour or so catching up. He'd been to Oudtshoorn for the Infantery School reunion and was on his way home.

4. While there some guys and girls on their way home from the Eco Challenge pull in. I meet Warren, chairman of the WC BMW club and we have a good chat about biking.

[Gerrard]

We sort of ride further on our own together. We'll meet up again at smoke breaks.

One usually does not take much note on the way home, but every now and again I see a nice pic and stop. Especially the view of the valley with the Krom flowing through it.

There's a bit of a drizzle now and again, but mostly it had stopped raining with the sun breaking through.