Prologue:
After the Minion proved herself a capable and hardy pillion, Dux's horizons opened up and he was keen to extend her range. He suggested a weekend trip to the Cederberg and Tankwa Karoo under the guise of "stress-testing" the newly tuned Hooligan. I'd mostly survived my previous attempt at the Eselbank-Wupperthal road, and hadn't ridden the Biedouws Valley road yet, and thought it might be fun to join.
The route:
In Dux's words: "Hoofed it along the N1 and took the R44 to Wellington and Hermon where the road changes into the R46 all the way into Ceres with obligatory meerkat viewing on Michells pass
, continue through Ceres after refuelling and over Theronsberg pass till we hit the dust enveloped R355 and turned off to go over Skittery and Katbakkies passes, less dust more scenic, and then right onto the rollercoaster road to Oasis, last bit in the dark till Oasis, home of the best ribs.
Saturday head north to Eselbank and the Wupperthal via the waterfalls, through Wupperthal and turn east into the Biedouw valley, follow this road until we hit the R355 again , then 40km south till we turned east again for the Tankwa tent camp which is 6km down the road.
Sunday we slabbed it back to Ceres and onto the N1 via the scenic Slanghoek road and over Du Toits kloof and final stretch on the N1 till workshop."
Brackenfell to Oasis
Around mid day on Friday 1 September, I met Dux and the Minion at his workshop, and our epic weekend trip started.
The sun was shining but the chill of winter was still in the air; the season hadn't received the memo yet that it was Spring Day. It was a fairly leisurely ride, the DR 650 being the epitome of comfort and speed. We took the "wide" way round to Ceres, passing by just short of Gouda and missing out on the opportunity to to get some of Vaalbaas' epic chili bites
On Mitchell's pass there was a bit of traffic, but on the slimlined DRs we easily passed the cars. Then I noticed a Beemer zooming up behind me, and swung inward to let him pass. Dux up ahead saw me give way, and also made way for the big bike to pass. As soon as it registered that a BMW 1200 GS had just passed him however, he was off in an instant, giving chase. He stuck close by the big bike, Minion and all, not giving an inch.
When I saw Dux take off, I accelerated as well until I remembered my Gydo Pass moment, and my throttle hand eased up. Just as well - after a few bends I caught up with them stuck behind a truck, and the Beemer rider, inexplicably, immediately assumed the default BMW stance: meerkatting. On tar. In heavy traffic. I started laughing in disbelief.
Sanity returned and when the BMW took off again, Dux reluctantly conceded and kept his pace, later citing recollection of a friend having a nasty fall on that corner over the train tracks. We filled up in Ceres, and Dux gave me the option of Gydo Pass or Katbakkies Pass. Are you kidding me? So off we went on the R46.
Dux says he usually stops to photograph this dam, and had never seen it so empty
We soon found ourselves facing glorious, dusty gravel in the form of the very dry R355
After the long and boring straits of the R355, just short of Tankwa Padstal, we took a sho't left towards Katbakkies Pass.
Neverending vista's of the Karoo
Just past the highest point of Katbakkies Pass
A car in the distance
At the T-junction, we turn right towards the Cederberg and Oasis. The sun is sinking fast now and dusk is falling.
I never get tired of this road and these views
Almost there! Not.
Amazingly, the sun still shines on the Oasis side of the mountains, and we score a few more minutes of daylight to admire the other bikes hanging around. Here's a knobbly Harley-Davidson
Two VERY sexy DRs as well...
The rib dinner is amazing, as always, and too much, as always, and we ask for doggy bags. We are Dogs, after all.
After the Minion proved herself a capable and hardy pillion, Dux's horizons opened up and he was keen to extend her range. He suggested a weekend trip to the Cederberg and Tankwa Karoo under the guise of "stress-testing" the newly tuned Hooligan. I'd mostly survived my previous attempt at the Eselbank-Wupperthal road, and hadn't ridden the Biedouws Valley road yet, and thought it might be fun to join.
The route:
In Dux's words: "Hoofed it along the N1 and took the R44 to Wellington and Hermon where the road changes into the R46 all the way into Ceres with obligatory meerkat viewing on Michells pass
, continue through Ceres after refuelling and over Theronsberg pass till we hit the dust enveloped R355 and turned off to go over Skittery and Katbakkies passes, less dust more scenic, and then right onto the rollercoaster road to Oasis, last bit in the dark till Oasis, home of the best ribs.Saturday head north to Eselbank and the Wupperthal via the waterfalls, through Wupperthal and turn east into the Biedouw valley, follow this road until we hit the R355 again , then 40km south till we turned east again for the Tankwa tent camp which is 6km down the road.
Sunday we slabbed it back to Ceres and onto the N1 via the scenic Slanghoek road and over Du Toits kloof and final stretch on the N1 till workshop."
Brackenfell to Oasis
Around mid day on Friday 1 September, I met Dux and the Minion at his workshop, and our epic weekend trip started.
The sun was shining but the chill of winter was still in the air; the season hadn't received the memo yet that it was Spring Day. It was a fairly leisurely ride, the DR 650 being the epitome of comfort and speed. We took the "wide" way round to Ceres, passing by just short of Gouda and missing out on the opportunity to to get some of Vaalbaas' epic chili bites
On Mitchell's pass there was a bit of traffic, but on the slimlined DRs we easily passed the cars. Then I noticed a Beemer zooming up behind me, and swung inward to let him pass. Dux up ahead saw me give way, and also made way for the big bike to pass. As soon as it registered that a BMW 1200 GS had just passed him however, he was off in an instant, giving chase. He stuck close by the big bike, Minion and all, not giving an inch.
When I saw Dux take off, I accelerated as well until I remembered my Gydo Pass moment, and my throttle hand eased up. Just as well - after a few bends I caught up with them stuck behind a truck, and the Beemer rider, inexplicably, immediately assumed the default BMW stance: meerkatting. On tar. In heavy traffic. I started laughing in disbelief.
Sanity returned and when the BMW took off again, Dux reluctantly conceded and kept his pace, later citing recollection of a friend having a nasty fall on that corner over the train tracks. We filled up in Ceres, and Dux gave me the option of Gydo Pass or Katbakkies Pass. Are you kidding me? So off we went on the R46.
Dux says he usually stops to photograph this dam, and had never seen it so empty
We soon found ourselves facing glorious, dusty gravel in the form of the very dry R355
After the long and boring straits of the R355, just short of Tankwa Padstal, we took a sho't left towards Katbakkies Pass.
Neverending vista's of the Karoo
Just past the highest point of Katbakkies Pass
A car in the distance
At the T-junction, we turn right towards the Cederberg and Oasis. The sun is sinking fast now and dusk is falling.
I never get tired of this road and these views
Almost there! Not.
Amazingly, the sun still shines on the Oasis side of the mountains, and we score a few more minutes of daylight to admire the other bikes hanging around. Here's a knobbly Harley-Davidson
Two VERY sexy DRs as well...
The rib dinner is amazing, as always, and too much, as always, and we ask for doggy bags. We are Dogs, after all.
