Wakkerstroom - In search of tunnels, waterfalls and scenic roads

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Kykdaar

Grey Hound
Joined
Sep 14, 2007
Messages
7,610
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1
Location
Wingate Park - Pretoria
Bike
Zundapp (all models)
Its been years since I have been on a DS ride and I felt the need to re-discover that lost pleasure so Sidetrack and I made plans to head out to Wakkerstroom for some riding and flyfishing. Our destination - Balela Mountain Lodge or Schurvekopye Mountain Farm: https://www.balelemountainfarms.co.za/

RedRider (Rooi) on a KTM 990 and Friend (Arrie) on a KTM 690 asked to join and then we were four :thumleft: They headed out the day prior to ride the area around Van Reenen, overnight at the Green Latern and were to meet up with us the following afternoon at Balela.

The bad part about riding Wakkerstroom is the less-than-inspiring roads and Towns you got to pass through to get there from Pretoria (places like Ogies, Bethal, Amersfoort, Volksrust and roads swarming with coal trucks) so we decided to get there swiftly and in comfort by hitching our bikes to the 4.0 V6  :biggrin:

The farm is about 21km's out of Wakkerstroom and once checked in we set up camp, grabbed the fishing gear and headed for a dam. Within a few casts Sidetrack was into a fish that was successfully landed followed by another some time later. I was too lazy to switch to the floating line and dry flies that was bringing Sidetrack success with the result that I was flogging the water unsuccessfully until it was far too late and the trout had already retreated for the day.

Back at the camp we were getting peckish so a pot bread mixture was prepared and the fire lit. It was getting dark and the first tjops were already consumed and still there was no sign of Rooi (Cobus) and Arrie. When it got properly dark and we have just about given up hope we heard the distinctive rumble of the big KTM followed shortly by its spotlights cresting the hill leading to the campsite.

They have had a great ride the day before and some interesting times in getting to us, but I will leave that story to Cobus to tell.

Spent the rest of the evening around the fire consuming ice cold beers courtesy of the fridge in the 4x4 and then, once we retired for the night, an even colder evening until dawn finally broke. I was so cold that I got out of bed at around 5.am and headed for the showers where I spent the next half an hour standing under a very hot shower trying to recover from the cold night.

 
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