Pretoria to Coffee Bay - Biking and Backpacking

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Zaber

Pack Dog
Joined
Oct 21, 2012
Messages
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Location
Pretoria
Bike
BMW R1200GS
I had a couple of days leave during April and decided I wanted to go somewhere in SA I have never been before. I have heard a few of my friends talk about Coffee Bay. Looked for info on the interwebs for a couple of minutes.. Really did not do much planning. The best trips or holidays are the once where you stop when your tired, eat when and where I get hungry and do what ever the locals reccommend, in stead of hours of planning.

I asked a buddy or two if they wanted to join, heard some uhhms and aahhs and decided I am doing this one on my own. This would be a test to see if I could spend a couple if days on holiday having fun by exploring by myself and socialising with random people I meet along the way.

I packed my bike on the Monday night (freedom day - if I remember correctly) and I remember asking myself: "Are you really going ahead with this on your own?" Did not sleep well that night, too much exitement.

Tuesday morning started the bike at around 5:00 leaving from Pretoria East.

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Rode down Lynnwood Road, dark outside, I knew I had to turn left onto the N1 and the onto the N3 at a later stage, but that is about how much I knew about how to get to Coffee Bay. The rest I could figure out along the way..

Pretoria was about 15 degrees when started, riding with jeans..no riding pants yet. I crossed the Jukskei, and it dropped to about 11 degrees. I was cold, but still I am exited and looked in awe at the people driving to work at that time of the morning, thinking why do they do this? Why do I do that some days?

Riding out of Gauteng on the N3, sun is coming out, its COLD, stop at a filling station cant recall exacly where, it looks dodgy, I dont care, I need Coffee. Drink, look at map, ride.

Stop. (Wanted to get some breakfast in town) Villiers. Beautiful little place. I smiling..and COLD. Could only get pie at the garage, which of course is not allowed as breakfast on a bike trip. Had to get back to the N3 and ride a km or 3 back to JHB (the downside of winging it) to get breakfast. Im warming up now.

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Back on the bike, smile, sun is rising..two minutes later Im cold. My legs!

Van Rheenen Pass..beautifull! This was a new discovery for me. Also misty..mist turns into little raindrops.

I remember thinking, "you might think your tough, but now is the time to stop and get some warmer clothes." Stop. Put K-Way jacket on under my biking jacket. I look at my biking jacket, the lable reads "the ventilator". Now I know why.

Ride. Temperature 8 degrees at every dip in the road. COLD. My legs...

Next town Harrismith. Pull in, its 9:00. Clothing shop must me open. I ride, I see a Woolworths sign. Im smiling, relieved. COLD.

Stop, climb off, I see a Mr Price Sign. The jew in me takes control. I buy sweat pants to wear under my jeans. I pay, put them on right there.

Pants feels really uncomfortable at this stage. Two layers, feels too tight, dont know how I am going to swing my leg over the bike now. Walk to the bike. With effort I swing my leg over, I have to reverse the bike, one leg at a time. Left leg, push..right leg push, (thinking damn this thing is heavy) left leg push..right leg..right leg? No right leg. I do a spectacular Bruce Willis style roll (like they do in the movies right at the moment when the car explodes). Embarrased! Stand up, someone helps me instantly.

Get up, push bike, people looking, I ride off at double speed I usually do, think just to prove I can ride a bike.

Im warm now, smiling, riding, the sun is out..






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