- Joined
- Oct 10, 2008
- Messages
- 1,149
- Reaction score
- 145
- Location
- Yzerfontein, Western Cape , RSA
- Bike
- KTM 1290 Adventure R
Hi all this is my attempt at an RR. Hope my ingils is ok.
Can only post day 1's stuff for now maybe day 2 later tonight. I have some family over at the moment.
Enjoy
Day 1
15-12-2013
Yzerfontein – Cederberg Oasis via Calvinia R355
Total distance : 732 km
Duration 7,5 hours
Had an early Saturday with the Mrs and the dogs on the couch. As per normal before leaving on a trip I was wide awake at 05:00 already and left Yzerfontein at 08:30.
As I got to the R27 a blue Super Tenere came from Darling's direction. He passed me on the R27 and I saw his top box was wide open. I was doing about 130 -140 already at this stage so I gas it and catch up pointing , dimming & brighting and waving like a mad man but as soon as I get close he just speeds up. This happened 3 times and I eventually gave up doing about 190 trying to catch up to this guy and the KTM is doing its 190 km/h wobble. Im guessing he thought Im looking for a dice or something, hope he did not loose anything precious out of the top box. Never a dull moment...
I gassed it up the R27 pretty much all the way to get on the gravel to Calvinia asap and do as much of the R355 as possible. I get on the gravel just after Pakhuis Pass and this time I do not go right to Wuppertal ,I carry on to Calvinia whoop whoop!
The route to Calvinia is typical Karoo, long fast straights with nothingness all around you. The weather was nice and cool and in fact I was getting cold until I came over Pakhuis Pass. I did not take my Rally jacket & pants this morning, I opted to go for moto-x top and shorts over all the usual atgatt because everybody I spoke to warned me that I was heading for very warm places.
In Calvinia it is pie & coke for brunch and heartburn and I can finally get on the famous R355.
There is lots and lots of nothing here, not much to say really the pictures will do the talking I hope. Every so often there are water drains that run underneath the road and this creates bumps in the road that makes for some really nice 140 km/h fun , got some really nice air with a fully loaded 990 on these...
I also bumped into 3 guys on 640's under a tree having a break and stopped to say howzit and ask a couple of directions, they were on their way home after sleeping in the Cederberg last night. “Do not attemp the Doring alone, you need help because there are two deep sections” Noted thanks guys and off I go. Sorry I can't remember any names I have the memory of a gold fish. I stop at Tankwa Padstal for a cold beer and realise that I have basically finished the R355 already, now what? When in doubt, head for Oom Gert... I saw the Swartruggens route that goes to Prince Alfred Hamlet and thought this is the one the guys were talking about earlier, because the map shows a river there and I assume it is the Doring. Fill up in Ceres and head for Op Die Berg.
One or two close calls on the last couple km to Oasis. I was a bit tired and hungry so concentration was not where it should be but I get to Oasis @ 16:30 and it is surprizingly quiet. I gulp down 2 Windhoeks ,organize a camping spot and order ribs for 19:00. I was very hungry when I sat down , but I could not even finish half of the ribs Oom Gerrit served me. The ribs is big enough to feed an army, be warned...
Magie vol ogies toe...
Where to tomorrow?
Can only post day 1's stuff for now maybe day 2 later tonight. I have some family over at the moment.
Enjoy
Day 1
15-12-2013
Yzerfontein – Cederberg Oasis via Calvinia R355
Total distance : 732 km
Duration 7,5 hours
Had an early Saturday with the Mrs and the dogs on the couch. As per normal before leaving on a trip I was wide awake at 05:00 already and left Yzerfontein at 08:30.
As I got to the R27 a blue Super Tenere came from Darling's direction. He passed me on the R27 and I saw his top box was wide open. I was doing about 130 -140 already at this stage so I gas it and catch up pointing , dimming & brighting and waving like a mad man but as soon as I get close he just speeds up. This happened 3 times and I eventually gave up doing about 190 trying to catch up to this guy and the KTM is doing its 190 km/h wobble. Im guessing he thought Im looking for a dice or something, hope he did not loose anything precious out of the top box. Never a dull moment...
I gassed it up the R27 pretty much all the way to get on the gravel to Calvinia asap and do as much of the R355 as possible. I get on the gravel just after Pakhuis Pass and this time I do not go right to Wuppertal ,I carry on to Calvinia whoop whoop!
The route to Calvinia is typical Karoo, long fast straights with nothingness all around you. The weather was nice and cool and in fact I was getting cold until I came over Pakhuis Pass. I did not take my Rally jacket & pants this morning, I opted to go for moto-x top and shorts over all the usual atgatt because everybody I spoke to warned me that I was heading for very warm places.
In Calvinia it is pie & coke for brunch and heartburn and I can finally get on the famous R355.
There is lots and lots of nothing here, not much to say really the pictures will do the talking I hope. Every so often there are water drains that run underneath the road and this creates bumps in the road that makes for some really nice 140 km/h fun , got some really nice air with a fully loaded 990 on these...
I also bumped into 3 guys on 640's under a tree having a break and stopped to say howzit and ask a couple of directions, they were on their way home after sleeping in the Cederberg last night. “Do not attemp the Doring alone, you need help because there are two deep sections” Noted thanks guys and off I go. Sorry I can't remember any names I have the memory of a gold fish. I stop at Tankwa Padstal for a cold beer and realise that I have basically finished the R355 already, now what? When in doubt, head for Oom Gert... I saw the Swartruggens route that goes to Prince Alfred Hamlet and thought this is the one the guys were talking about earlier, because the map shows a river there and I assume it is the Doring. Fill up in Ceres and head for Op Die Berg.
One or two close calls on the last couple km to Oasis. I was a bit tired and hungry so concentration was not where it should be but I get to Oasis @ 16:30 and it is surprizingly quiet. I gulp down 2 Windhoeks ,organize a camping spot and order ribs for 19:00. I was very hungry when I sat down , but I could not even finish half of the ribs Oom Gerrit served me. The ribs is big enough to feed an army, be warned...
Magie vol ogies toe...
Where to tomorrow?
