- Joined
- Oct 2, 2007
- Messages
- 1,650
- Reaction score
- 478
- Bike
- Triumph 800 XC
Yesterday I picked up my new Triumph Tiger 800XC, so I was keen to rack up some saddle time and get to know the newest addition to the family.
It was cold and windy but the skies were that special Highveld winter blue.
So today I took a ride of a more serious nature. A get-to-know-you ride for me and bike to do some bonding.
My route of choice was Benoni to Deneysville via Heidelberg.
The section between Benoni and Heidelberg is unremarkable except for the PINK MINE DUMP.
I couldn't get close enough to get a decent shot so I'll go again sometime on my XR600 and get some pics..
Stopped in at Heidelberg..
I was at the Army Gymnasium Heidelberg for basics in 1983, so stopping by the military base was mandatory. Lots of memories attached to this place..
I got permission from the duty controller, a lean, mean looking staff sergeant, to take a photo of the main entrance and HQ.. It still looks impressive!
Heidelberg is a delight. The streets are clean.. Not a single paper or plastic bag to be found on her streets. Speaking of which.. The street names have been left unchanged.
See here exhibit A:- HF Verwoerd Street!! :eek7: It's like living in a time warp!!
The statue is A.G.Visser, btw..
The town hall still looks great too!!
The old N.G.Kerk.. My wife and I call it the "Heiliggeistkirche" (Holy Ghost Church) after the big Lutheran church in the REAL Heidelberg in Germany. We lived there for ten years..
Some factory on the outskirts of town had this replica of some fighter jet up on display..
I then left Heidelberg for the Vaal dam along the R549. I was looking for the farm road that cuts to the east off of the R549 and made a wrong turn.. I was later to discover the purpose of all these bales of hay. There were many many more than this photo suggests,,
The bales were to supply feed to the THOUSANDS of cattle held in pens on the west side of the R549. It's the biggest abbatoir I've ever seen.. No photo but I think you can see it on Google Earth..,
After finding said "Unnamed" road, I set off, disappointed as it was a tarred road, However things picked up after about 15km...
I left behind the tarred surface..
for something more Wilddog approved..
Dirt at last!! I stopped occasionally on this fast, dry road to take pics like this:-
I goofed around various marinas. It was not particularly interesting, but hey.. I was riding and getting to know the Tiger.. Enough said. I finally stopped for a photo at the barrage..
Then on to Deneysville.
If Heidelberg was a pleasant surprise, Deneysville was a huge anticlimax. maybe in its heyday it might have been something. Maybe.
Its one redeeming quality was the biker pub and vintage bikes museum.. Very impressive.
It cost R20 to enter but I reckon it was worth it!
Who rode one of these when he was 16? I had a white MT50..
TT500!!
Indian Scout..
MASERATI???
On the way back home I stopped for another wind pump shot. Something about these dinosaurs fascinates me..
The bike and tyres performed beautifully, and our relationship is cemented!! I'm looking forward to getting more and more acquainted with the Tiger!! I even managed to do some power sliding on the dirt roads and catch some air at high speed.. WOO HOO!!
Between Heidelberg and Benoni, to the north of the road is a PINK mine dump. It was a bit farr off the road but definitely worth a photo or 2 next time I go there. From Google Earth..
Back home with a big grin and a happy bike..
It was cold and windy but the skies were that special Highveld winter blue.
So today I took a ride of a more serious nature. A get-to-know-you ride for me and bike to do some bonding.
My route of choice was Benoni to Deneysville via Heidelberg.
The section between Benoni and Heidelberg is unremarkable except for the PINK MINE DUMP.
I couldn't get close enough to get a decent shot so I'll go again sometime on my XR600 and get some pics..
Stopped in at Heidelberg..
I was at the Army Gymnasium Heidelberg for basics in 1983, so stopping by the military base was mandatory. Lots of memories attached to this place..
I got permission from the duty controller, a lean, mean looking staff sergeant, to take a photo of the main entrance and HQ.. It still looks impressive!
Heidelberg is a delight. The streets are clean.. Not a single paper or plastic bag to be found on her streets. Speaking of which.. The street names have been left unchanged.
See here exhibit A:- HF Verwoerd Street!! :eek7: It's like living in a time warp!!
The statue is A.G.Visser, btw..
The town hall still looks great too!!
The old N.G.Kerk.. My wife and I call it the "Heiliggeistkirche" (Holy Ghost Church) after the big Lutheran church in the REAL Heidelberg in Germany. We lived there for ten years..
Some factory on the outskirts of town had this replica of some fighter jet up on display..
I then left Heidelberg for the Vaal dam along the R549. I was looking for the farm road that cuts to the east off of the R549 and made a wrong turn.. I was later to discover the purpose of all these bales of hay. There were many many more than this photo suggests,,
The bales were to supply feed to the THOUSANDS of cattle held in pens on the west side of the R549. It's the biggest abbatoir I've ever seen.. No photo but I think you can see it on Google Earth..,
After finding said "Unnamed" road, I set off, disappointed as it was a tarred road, However things picked up after about 15km...
I left behind the tarred surface..
for something more Wilddog approved..
Dirt at last!! I stopped occasionally on this fast, dry road to take pics like this:-
I goofed around various marinas. It was not particularly interesting, but hey.. I was riding and getting to know the Tiger.. Enough said. I finally stopped for a photo at the barrage..
Then on to Deneysville.
If Heidelberg was a pleasant surprise, Deneysville was a huge anticlimax. maybe in its heyday it might have been something. Maybe.
Its one redeeming quality was the biker pub and vintage bikes museum.. Very impressive.
It cost R20 to enter but I reckon it was worth it!
Who rode one of these when he was 16? I had a white MT50..
TT500!!
Indian Scout..
MASERATI???
On the way back home I stopped for another wind pump shot. Something about these dinosaurs fascinates me..
The bike and tyres performed beautifully, and our relationship is cemented!! I'm looking forward to getting more and more acquainted with the Tiger!! I even managed to do some power sliding on the dirt roads and catch some air at high speed.. WOO HOO!!
Between Heidelberg and Benoni, to the north of the road is a PINK mine dump. It was a bit farr off the road but definitely worth a photo or 2 next time I go there. From Google Earth..
Back home with a big grin and a happy bike..
