Stofstreep
Race Dog
From Bakerville to Swartruggens
So Sidepod and myself have met here in Lichtenburg due to him having some business in the area. Thus the idea for the trip was born.
Lets go!! (Sidepods Pic)
Mmmmmm! (Sidepods Pic)
Tony filling up (Sidepods Pic)
Eisbein is this your boat??
Just one more pull on this ciggy and we ca go ;D (Sidepods Pic)
Zipp up boys, here we go! (Sidepods Pic)
Sidepod met two of his friends (John and Tony) and made their way to Lichtenburg.
As Sidepod have some contacts in Bakerville (S25 59 40.6 E26 05 40.4) we got to stay the night in an old mine boss house. Bakerville is a very interesting area with a lot of history. Sidepod knows more about this area.
Stopped to get some bread and ice for the evening.
The hose we stayed Friday night!
The inside.
Dinner and some lekker Kuier! (Sidepods Pic)
The next morning after a hearty breakfast, we set out. We made a quick stop in Bakerville proper and had a look at an old Minerâ??s hut owned by Jimmy.
Breaky!! Yumm Yumm!
This place is even more beautiful in the morning.
Miner's cottage. (Sidepods Pic)
Miss Bakerville and some rock ... erm .... I mean Tony ;D (Sidepods Pic)
Sidepod acting as door ;D (Sidepods Pic)
John almost there! ;D (Sidepods Pic)
A few kmâ??s down the road we stopped to have a gander at one particular old excavation site where mining activity took place. (Malanâ??s hole if memory serves) (S25 59 43.7 E26 03 24.5)
Whatch you're step! (Sidepods Pic)
Dug by hand
After some lekker, although flat roads we stopped at Wondergat (S25 52 07.2 E25 53 21.2). This is a very popular dive spot with a reputation to bite when you get to cocky.
Apparently 23 divers have lost their lives here.
There are nice camping facilities, tuck shop and even Cylinder refilling facilities available.
It is quite amazing to walk between the rocks and then suddenly be standing at the edge of this fantastic drop with clear blue water 46m deep.
Wondergat is one of four major natural springs (called eyes) in the area. The others being Molopo eye, Molmanyâ??s eye and Marico eye.
Beautiful!
Sidepod, Tony, Me (Sidepods Pic)
Some information, ignore the twit underneath ;D (Sidepods Pic)
The next piece of road is very nice but flat and not very spectacular.
Close to Zeerust we started to get a bit more into the hills and some more photo opportunities opened up. This road (S25 32 14.0 E25 57 56.6) is really nice with some bends and curves to keep you amused.
One for the churches thread. (S25 37 12.7 E25 42 43.5) (Sidepods Pic)
Almost at Zeerust. (Sidepods Pic)
Ciggy break. (Sidepods Pic)
Some birds of pry in the area, but just miss one sitting in this tree. :-\ (Sidepods Pic)
Straight trough Zeerust, which was packed for a Saturday!
Some tar on the N4 past the Klein-Maricopoortdam, then we turned of on some gravel again towards the Marico Bosveld dam. This road has some nasty surprises and you must keep your vigil at all times.
We then proceeded down the eastern road running along the dam towards Groot-Marico for lunch. Marico Memoirs (S25 35 39.3 E26 24 45.2) served us a very nice, although somewhat expensive lunch.
In the shade near Marico Bosveld Dam
Lunch! ;D (Sidepods Pic)
Now for the â??Cherry on topâ?:
From Marico we traveled south towards Marico eye. This is about 25km of the best scenery in the North West.
When I get myself a good camera again, I want to spend the entire day in this kloof to try and capture the beauty.
There are some places (From about here S25 45 27.3 E26 26 04.5) that you have to watch out for. Slate banks protrude at places on the road and can do some damage to a rim.
Some pics in the Kloof! (the crappy pics is mine ;D)
Almost out of the Kloof. Tony.
John
Sidepod
The change in vegetation from the kloof to the plateau is quite amazing. From bosveld to gassland in about 10kmâ??s.
The next piece of road (S25 49 04.4 E26 30 38.4) back to Swartruggens is an absolute gem! Mostly rather flat and fast paced, but as you enter the hills there are a few places that can give you the fright of your life.
Some photos nearing Swartruggens. (Mixed pics)
As we entered Swartruggens Tony indicated that we need to stop at the garage.
Those slate took their toll on the rims of the Varradero! No less than three smileys for the day , one which was just big enough to let the air escape.
Now what do we do??? In Swartruggens on a Saturday, 15h30 in the afternoon, during a long weekend. Where are we gonna get a place to repair?? All the businesses were closed long ago. After some thought we placed a gator in the gap and plastered it with Solution. We had some cool drinks and inflated the tire, but no luck. There was still some air escaping. I got some numbers of some guys and started phoning and riding around looking for a G-clamp.
Fortunately we got one and struggled to get a nice grip on the rim, but Iâ??m sure we did get some of the dent out. This time there was much less leaking and we added some more Solution to the problem. ;D
I then said farewell to the guys and shot back home like an arrow.
Spoke with Sidepod later that evening and it seems every one made it back home safely.
I have to thank Sidepod, John and Tony for all the hospitality and the great conversation. I really enjoyed myself and we must do this again.
The route we took
So Sidepod and myself have met here in Lichtenburg due to him having some business in the area. Thus the idea for the trip was born.
Lets go!! (Sidepods Pic)
Mmmmmm! (Sidepods Pic)
Tony filling up (Sidepods Pic)
Eisbein is this your boat??
Just one more pull on this ciggy and we ca go ;D (Sidepods Pic)
Zipp up boys, here we go! (Sidepods Pic)
Sidepod met two of his friends (John and Tony) and made their way to Lichtenburg.
As Sidepod have some contacts in Bakerville (S25 59 40.6 E26 05 40.4) we got to stay the night in an old mine boss house. Bakerville is a very interesting area with a lot of history. Sidepod knows more about this area.
Stopped to get some bread and ice for the evening.
The hose we stayed Friday night!
The inside.
Dinner and some lekker Kuier! (Sidepods Pic)
The next morning after a hearty breakfast, we set out. We made a quick stop in Bakerville proper and had a look at an old Minerâ??s hut owned by Jimmy.
Breaky!! Yumm Yumm!
This place is even more beautiful in the morning.
Miner's cottage. (Sidepods Pic)
Miss Bakerville and some rock ... erm .... I mean Tony ;D (Sidepods Pic)
Sidepod acting as door ;D (Sidepods Pic)
John almost there! ;D (Sidepods Pic)
A few kmâ??s down the road we stopped to have a gander at one particular old excavation site where mining activity took place. (Malanâ??s hole if memory serves) (S25 59 43.7 E26 03 24.5)
Whatch you're step! (Sidepods Pic)
Dug by hand
After some lekker, although flat roads we stopped at Wondergat (S25 52 07.2 E25 53 21.2). This is a very popular dive spot with a reputation to bite when you get to cocky.
Apparently 23 divers have lost their lives here.
There are nice camping facilities, tuck shop and even Cylinder refilling facilities available.
It is quite amazing to walk between the rocks and then suddenly be standing at the edge of this fantastic drop with clear blue water 46m deep.
Wondergat is one of four major natural springs (called eyes) in the area. The others being Molopo eye, Molmanyâ??s eye and Marico eye.
Beautiful!
Sidepod, Tony, Me (Sidepods Pic)
Some information, ignore the twit underneath ;D (Sidepods Pic)
The next piece of road is very nice but flat and not very spectacular.
Close to Zeerust we started to get a bit more into the hills and some more photo opportunities opened up. This road (S25 32 14.0 E25 57 56.6) is really nice with some bends and curves to keep you amused.
One for the churches thread. (S25 37 12.7 E25 42 43.5) (Sidepods Pic)
Almost at Zeerust. (Sidepods Pic)
Ciggy break. (Sidepods Pic)
Some birds of pry in the area, but just miss one sitting in this tree. :-\ (Sidepods Pic)
Straight trough Zeerust, which was packed for a Saturday!
Some tar on the N4 past the Klein-Maricopoortdam, then we turned of on some gravel again towards the Marico Bosveld dam. This road has some nasty surprises and you must keep your vigil at all times.
We then proceeded down the eastern road running along the dam towards Groot-Marico for lunch. Marico Memoirs (S25 35 39.3 E26 24 45.2) served us a very nice, although somewhat expensive lunch.
In the shade near Marico Bosveld Dam
Lunch! ;D (Sidepods Pic)
Now for the â??Cherry on topâ?:
From Marico we traveled south towards Marico eye. This is about 25km of the best scenery in the North West.
When I get myself a good camera again, I want to spend the entire day in this kloof to try and capture the beauty.
There are some places (From about here S25 45 27.3 E26 26 04.5) that you have to watch out for. Slate banks protrude at places on the road and can do some damage to a rim.
Some pics in the Kloof! (the crappy pics is mine ;D)
Almost out of the Kloof. Tony.
John
Sidepod
The change in vegetation from the kloof to the plateau is quite amazing. From bosveld to gassland in about 10kmâ??s.
The next piece of road (S25 49 04.4 E26 30 38.4) back to Swartruggens is an absolute gem! Mostly rather flat and fast paced, but as you enter the hills there are a few places that can give you the fright of your life.
Some photos nearing Swartruggens. (Mixed pics)
As we entered Swartruggens Tony indicated that we need to stop at the garage.
Those slate took their toll on the rims of the Varradero! No less than three smileys for the day
, one which was just big enough to let the air escape.Now what do we do??? In Swartruggens on a Saturday, 15h30 in the afternoon, during a long weekend. Where are we gonna get a place to repair?? All the businesses were closed long ago. After some thought we placed a gator in the gap and plastered it with Solution. We had some cool drinks and inflated the tire, but no luck. There was still some air escaping. I got some numbers of some guys and started phoning and riding around looking for a G-clamp.
Fortunately we got one and struggled to get a nice grip on the rim, but Iâ??m sure we did get some of the dent out. This time there was much less leaking and we added some more Solution to the problem. ;D
I then said farewell to the guys and shot back home like an arrow.
Spoke with Sidepod later that evening and it seems every one made it back home safely.
I have to thank Sidepod, John and Tony for all the hospitality and the great conversation. I really enjoyed myself and we must do this again.
The route we took
