A Fool, Friends and Eastern Cape Passes

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JourneyMan

Bachelor Dog
Joined
Jan 26, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
3
Location
Pretoria
Bike
BMW F650GS / Dakar
I have these friends of mine who â??re-introduced me to DS riding back in 2004 with the Desert Run. I missed their Baviaans earlier this year but managed to get round work issues to fit in a few days to go down and ride some of the passes in the Eastern Cape near Lesotho.

As usual, the work interfered with the planning again and I could only go down to the Rhodes area on Thursday while the rest left Wednesday already. :rolleyes:

No problem. Iâ??ll solo down on Thursday, overnight somewhere and be with them early Friday morning to have at least two full days of mountain pass riding. At least, that was the responsible planning done at that stage.

Come Thursday morning, I got on the road at about 10H00, trying to survive the first 1 ½ hours through Gauteng towards the Freestate. Just managed. Gauteng must be the worst place anywhere in South Africa to start your trip.  :BangHead:

As I had a long haul for the day, I took my first break just after entering the Freestate. Very noble idea and I saved about 3 smokes. I then went and had those 3 + another with the coffee anyway.  :glasses12:

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On I went after trying to assist my friend over the phone. His Dakar has cut out near Aliwal-North and they couldnâ??t get it going. All the usual suspect faults were discussed and appropriate treatment prescribed but with no joy.

Bike on the trailer and Iâ??ll throw in my enormous expertise and know-how as a Sunday mechanic when I arrive early the next day.  :imaposer:


Just past Kroonstad I had another break after responding to flashing headlights and managing to evade the radar trap. Good to see road users still doing that for others and even more so, for a biker.  :cool:

The Freestate is dry. Signs to come for the rest of the trip as well.

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The road ahead. I enjoyed it thoroughly since my last trip of any kind was back in early June this year.  :razz:

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Fueled up at Ventersburg and at Winburg took the R 708 towards Marquard in search of the first dirt for the day.

Found the dirt turn off but was met by heavy overhead clouds and thunder. Decided to try and out run the storm approaching from behind.

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This I achieved very successfully but I think the fact that the wind came from in front of me, helped immensely in this regard.  :mrgreen:

The storm behind me and receding.

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Some pics of the dirt road encountered. Glad to do some dirt riding again.

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Got to a Y-junction with no indication on where either of the splits will take me. Eeny-meenie-meini-mo didnâ??t seem a good option so I took out the GPS- on- loan and tried to figure out what road to take.  :scratch:

At the Y looking back the way I came.

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Made a decision and got going again. This turned out to be a very enjoyable stretch as it went downwards with different road conditions being encountered. From rocky two track, sandy dirt, twisting corners and finally higher speed gravel. A half-circle type of route where one got to see both sides of the mountains along the way.

Going down.

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Had the urge to stop and take this one. Not sure why though.  :biggrin:

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There was rain here at some stage. Not in this year if I had to make a guess.

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Towards Clocolan.

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Erm. Iâ??ll take left.

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Atr Clocolan I had a break and saw some rain clouds in the distance of Ladybrand, my next point on the route. No option but to go on, though.

To follow: Interesting, foolish, irresponsible and hair raising.
 
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