Botha's Commando, the missing Gatling Gun and 130 Adventure Riders

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Armpie

Pack Dog
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
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Location
Pretoria
Bike
Kawasaki KLR 650
Ja-nee, so my heavy starts with his stories again.  He want some action.  He phones me and says we must go to a Sunday morning ride with Country TRAX and GPS4Africa.  So I am a man with a soft heart for my heavy, so he says there is only 18 other people that registered to go on the ride.  I have not utilized the Blue El Toro (https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=150455.0 )since Botswana.  Due to my mud  injury, and my mother changing the temporary with the eternal.  So we decides to go.  

15?  No rather 130!

So, on Sunday morning 5 o’clock I was ready waiting for 7 o’clock to go to Centurion.  When I arrived, there was about 15 bikes.  But within 30 minutes the 15, grew to 50 and then to 80 and then to 130.  It veld  like Botha’s commando.  Botha’s Commando  also come from this Highveld to  do battle with the Ingilse.  I know dust when I see it.  Dust was on the horizon.
So the commando breaks in 2.  The heavy and me left with the first group.  We were about 15th to the front.  


First through Irene and then past the golf course before we take a dirt road to the R21.  We tunnel the highway and then we continue on the dirt road.

But even 15th from the front is much to much dust.  And nothing new to me.  After my Botswana trip this was like a 5 day cricket match on Valium.

So when we get to the Delmas Road, I said to the heavy we must leaf.  This is not fun.  So other one man, he hears us engaging in small talk.  He says he know this area and he will take us to other one road next to the traintrack, and that takes us all the way to Witbank.  So we said good buy to our new friends.  The Botha Commando turn left and we go right.  

We reach the train track and yes this was fun, so little 2 track paadjie through poodles of mud and sand.  On one concrete slab in the road, the heavy’s F800Adventure  took a shock and he damaged both his rims.  R10 000 damage I understand.  But he could go forth.


In the front I see dust.  Plenty, like the Botha Commando joining up with De la Rey’s kerels.  And like de la Rey’s men, I am a man of the Magalies and Waterberg myself.  I had losts of fun there with my KLR.  Nooitgedacht(https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=144188.0), Breedsnek, Rooiberg, Vaalwater, (https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=143714.0) Bakenberg (https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=146975.0) Sterkrivier (https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=148605.msg2831016#msg2831016) .  


So instead of getting to the Oosterspoorlyn first, 100 bikers got there before us.  So we go through one big poodle of mud water.  






Behind us one of the stragglers decided to see if his bike would qualify for the underwater brown-water navy.  

So we waited for a big bunch of riders to take off.  After many minutes I said to my heavy we must go.  We can follow the dust.  At places there was sand.  


Lekker heavy, nearly like Botswana.  So coming around one bend I find one of de Wet’s men, with his bike on the floor.  He tried to hide his FS numberplate but I know a freestater.  They eat a  banana like a mielie.  So he refused my help.

One other man also followed the dust.  He took the wrong turn and he was coming out of the kantvoor of a mielieland.  So we went along minding our own business looking at the poor horses they use to patrol this line.


So then an army helicopter came over us.  I thought of Allouette Gunships with 20mm canons from the bushwar, shooting at our Commando.  Luckily the only accomplishment for the pilot was to keep the ship in the air.  Going in one direction fast, and that was not down.  The gunner did not bring the 20mil either.  He said it is not his job.  He wants to do a course to do the job, and then get extra money.  His job spec says R4 and 20mil is more responsibility.

So eventually we reached the Delmas pad en then turned north on a dirt road.  So about 500 meter behind  the back of this big group we brought up the rear.  Prepared to dive if Phineas decided to bring the 20mil into play afterall.

So we chris-crossed the Highveld past places I have never been before.  As I say I am not from the Highveld, more of the Magalies and Waterberg.  But east of the R25 and north of the Delmas Road.  Then we entered Pretoria from the east past Tierpoort, Bashewa, Mooikloof till we get to one spot for jolling.  

Here Botha’s men (and a few ladies) went for the menu and the bar.  So me and the heavy took a clean Coke.  Said good buy to Les (the bugger that brought us to the back) and ride  off.

Thanks to Pauli and the blowks from GPS4Africa and Country TRAX for a nice morning, and allowing his photos.  I took off  07:00 and 12:00 I was at home.  A Nice 120km ride (OK, the other only did 116km)- remember we went with Les, also known by his adventure name  “Old Shortcut”  We will be back!  With the rest of the burgers that went awol.
 
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