Our Kalahari Adventure (the Yellow version)

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MellowJo

Race Dog
Joined
Oct 8, 2007
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Location
Melkbos
Bike
BMW R1200GS
Our Kalahari adventure was made possible by Joyride who had to attend a family wedding in Upington. He needed some company for a trip down the dry Molopo riverbed on the border between SA and Botswana. Johnnie and I signed up immediately. Many thanks to Joyride for an experience of a lifetime!!!

(Joyride's report at https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=23560.0;topicseen)

We did not feel like attending the wedding or trailer-ing our bikes to Upington, so we took the "long way up", meeting the rest of the group at Olifantshoek on Day 3.

I have never been to this part of the country and did not know what to expect from the roads and tracks. My budget also did not allow for a set of TKCs (knobblies), so I had to do with a set of Dual Sport tyres. (More about this later)

Day 1
Cape Town, Ceres, R355, Ganagapass, Middelpos, Stofkraal, Louwâ??s Farm (150km Tar, 290km Gravel)

It was a Friday and it was great to travel against to flow of traffic going into Cape Town, we were starting our Kalahari Adventure!!. We travelled via Bainskloof pass to Ceres where we had the usual Wimpy breakfast. It was still very cold around Ceres with snow still visible on the mountains. From Ceres we travelled north on the R355 (Calvinia road) until we turned east towards Middelpos. We travelled up the Ganagapass, one of my favourites, and stopped for a beer at the Middelpos Hotel, from there we did the last 80kms to Johnnieâ??s parentâ??s farm.

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There must have been some rain during the week.
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Day 2
Louwâ??s Farm, Williston, Carnavon, Van Wyksvlei, Marydale, Boegoeberg-se-Dam (120km Tar, 350km Gravel)

Thanks to oom Japie, we refuelled at the farm and proceeded to Williston, 80kms of gravel, gates and a river crossing. From Williston to Carnavon it was 120kms tar on the R63. From Carnavon we went north on the R361 towards Van Wyksvlei and past Verneukpan and eventually east towards Marydale. From Marydale, we crossed the R383 and ended up at Boegoeberg-se-dam where we camped for the night.
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Day 3
Boegoeberg-se-dam, Groblershoop, Witsand Nature reserve, Olifantshoek, Louisrus farm (50km Tar, 200km Gravel)

After a good nightâ??s rest, we travelled north to Groblershoop. From there we went 10 km east on the R64 before turning north towards the Witsand Nature reserve.

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This road was the first time that we started to see the red Kalahari sand and the road was very corrugated and sandy in patches. From Witsand we carried on north to Olifantshoek. On this road Johnnie had his first little off in the thick sand, with no damage.

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At Olifantshoek we met up with the rest of the team and travelled the last 80 kms to Louisrus farm just west of Sutton.

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Day 4
Louisrus farm, Deben, Louisrus Farm (130km Sand & Gravel)

To visit the old Coetsee stomping grounds, we rode east to Deben along a very thick red sandy road. At Deben we stocked up on supplies and travelled back to the farm taking a south and westerly detour. This trip confirmed that the dual sport tyres were not really up to the task, but hey, we were having fun.  


Day 5
Louisrus farm, Dedeben, Sonstraal, VanZylsrus (120 km Gravel)

After a second night at Louisrus, we travelled north past Dedeben, Sonstraal (R31) until we got to Van Zylsrus. Here Donny spoiled us by taking us to a dune for sundowners. From the dune we got a 360 degree view of the Kalahari while the sun was setting, truly spectacular.

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We decided to sleep on Donnyâ??s stoep, but the wind dumped sand on us when the mozzies and scorpions did not harass us.
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Day 6
VanZylsrus, Botswana border, West onto Molopo trail, Middelputs, Molopo Lodge at Askam (250km Sand & Gravel)

This was the day that we all waited for. We travelled north from Van Zylsrus until we got to the Botswana border. We had permission form the local farmers to turn west along the Molopo river. This was a sandy track with many gates that needed to opened and closed each time.

From Wikipedia "The Molopo River is located in southern Africa. The river generally flows to the southwest from its source, and has a length of approximately 960 kilometres. River flow is intermittent. When in flood, the flow discharges into the Orange River, which it meets downstream of Augrabies Falls National Park at 28°31′02″S 20°12′46″E / -28.51722, 20.21278. It is believed that this last occurred more than 100 years ago."

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We also had to dodge the warthog holes, big enough to swallow a bike.

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Along the track we could see the border markers from time to time. Eventually the track got better and turned into a gravel road for the last 50 kms. I was really surprised by the many different colours of the sand.

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Day 7
Molopo Lodge, Noeniesput, Lutzputs, Keimoes, Kakamas, Augrabies falls (80km Tar, 300km Gravel)

After a good nightâ??s rest at the Lodge, we proceeded towards Noeniesput (close to the Namibian border). The vegetation and trees became less. We were still following close to the Molopo river.

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We crossed the N10, past Lutzputs and proceeded to Kakamas.

We then followed the Orange river to Keimoes where the Gauteng part of the group had to start their journey back to Joâ??burg.

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From Keimoes we travelled back to Kakamas and on to the Augrabies falls.

Day 8
Augrabies, Kakamas, Kenhardt, Verneukpan (30 km Tar, 200km Gravel)

Luckily the baboons left us alone at the Augrabies camp site and we could travel south via Kakamas towards Kenhardt. At Kenhardt we had to visit the Co-op to get the last fuel in town, before we could drive south towards Verneukpan.

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We set up camp and played a bit on the pan. It is incredible to see how flat this piece of land actually is.
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Day 9
Verneukpan, Brandvlei, Calvinia, R355, Ceres, Cape Town (320 km Tar, 320km Gravel)

Our last day! On our way off the pan we had to do a small 2km sandy stretch and bang, down went the Yellow camel. I suppose it was not awake yet. Anyway we travelled south-west to Brandvlei where the toys were loaded back onto the trailer. From there we rode south to Calvinia. From Calvinia we took the R355 again via Ceres back to Cape Town.

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What an experience, again thanks to Joyride !!

Total distance was 3000km (which included some playing at the various stopovers)


 
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