mark250gp
Pack Dog
We took the big bikes for a spin down to Sabie at the weekend. We are mostly, converted plastics riders so this is all very very new to most of us so here's a small ride report.
Got up moer early (4:30) with a bit (big bit) of a babbelas and met up with the rest of the boys in Centurion at a planned 05:30am. They were all late, especially the GS rider so we had a coffee and after looking at everyones bikes, taking the piss out of their packing abilities and amount of luggage, kak choice of kit, etc... we set of for Bronkhorstspruit just after 6 and first light.
Jade was on his new to him blue GS 800 wanker mobile. Nolan on his quite virgin KTM 790, Johnny on a very nice KTM 1190S, Stuart, our guide and mentor on his trusty Yamaha Super Tenere, without indicators and myself on the best adventure bike ever made, the Triumph Tiger 800 XC.
I dont know the exact routes we took but we rode from Bronkhorstspruit to Loskop Dam, probably 80% off-road on long manicured gravel highways through some pretty spectacular scenery. Even if you do this trip in a 4x2 bakkie it will be a nice day out. We were managing to sit at somewhere between 80 and 110 kmph on these roads depending on how big your balls or small your babelaas is. We stopped at Loskop for a cooldrink and a grand pa and there must have been about 30 or 40 patched road bikers pulling in from all directions on all manner of bike. Quite a sight to see.
From Loskop we hit a mix of tar and sand roads to a small town which the name of escapes me at a butcher and garage. It's somewhere close to Tonteldoos / Dullstroom or thereabouts I think. Stuart was leading this ride and his knowledge of these roads and area's is quite impressive for someone with his amount of hair. This town was incredibly busy at what must of been the local mall, we filled up with juice and some of the best dry wors and cabbage I've ever had and set off into the real ET on some super cool and scenic tar roads where we stretched the legs and blew out some of the cobwebs and dust we picked up in the morning.
From here on I have no idea of the route but I think we went through Lyndenburg which has turned into a shit hole through some mountainy foresty sandy roady area to the top of a mountain with some incredible views, this was absolutely spectacular riding, much slower than the mornings route but so much more scenic and unfortunately dusty and hot as well. This is probably the 3rd worst dust I've ridden in, well actually the 4th but at the time, before the next days ride, it was the 3rd worse. It didnt take away from the good time we were having being out in the bikes in a seriously nice part of the country however. We considered having a coffee here but we could smell beer somewhere off in the distance and Jade kept moaning about thirst so after admiring the views for a bit we headed on to Sudwala caves for a bite to eat and 1 beer each (because we were on the bikes of course).
From Sudwala we went on those amazing roads with fast sweeping bends to the turn off to Sabie, which we didnt take but instead went out on the Mashishing road before dropping down on a jeep trail for about an hour to Sabie. This was proper riding, proper DS / ADV riding, trough trees, a little mud, and the most awesome views ever. Kind of like Hilton on a dirt bike ride, just such nice chilled riding to Sabie to our guest house which was aptly called fatties and moanies. The owner gave us a beer and we jumped in the pool to cool off and talk some shit. The owner of this guest house went completely out of his way to accommodate us and took us into town for some supplies (beer, wine, whisky, ice etc...). The rest of the night was spent between the Woodsman pub and roaming around town looking for someone called Briana who is apparently a local? Not sure but Jade can fill us in.
Up bright and early the next day we took some awesome tar to Pilgrims rest where you battled a bit if you had "vertigo" from jumping in the pool or a babelaas from sitting up till past midnight... We stopped in Pilgrims Rest for a kak and then went on the best dirt road I've been on, on an ADV bike in the direction of Ohrigstad over a pass called Caspers Nek. This road takes you past an abandoned mining village. This road was absolutely mind blowing, rocky, hilly climb up to a point where we stopped for a really nice coffee in our R60.00 cups that we were black mailed into buying but what a nice place for it.
From Ohrigstad we hit the tar to Lydenburg again, I think, then onto and through Dullstroom to Belfast for a wimpy breakfast before slabbing it back to JHB. Again these are really nice roads to ride, super scenic and nice and chilled riding.
All in all we did somewhere close to 950 km's of fantastic riding with a 50/50 time mix of dirt and tar and were back at home by 2PM. A great weekends riding and we already have the next trip, or two, planned, after some new rubber (these 50/50 tyres dont last long) and a rest.
This Adventure riding game is a really nice way to ride! Cant wait for the next one!
Got up moer early (4:30) with a bit (big bit) of a babbelas and met up with the rest of the boys in Centurion at a planned 05:30am. They were all late, especially the GS rider so we had a coffee and after looking at everyones bikes, taking the piss out of their packing abilities and amount of luggage, kak choice of kit, etc... we set of for Bronkhorstspruit just after 6 and first light.
Jade was on his new to him blue GS 800 wanker mobile. Nolan on his quite virgin KTM 790, Johnny on a very nice KTM 1190S, Stuart, our guide and mentor on his trusty Yamaha Super Tenere, without indicators and myself on the best adventure bike ever made, the Triumph Tiger 800 XC.
I dont know the exact routes we took but we rode from Bronkhorstspruit to Loskop Dam, probably 80% off-road on long manicured gravel highways through some pretty spectacular scenery. Even if you do this trip in a 4x2 bakkie it will be a nice day out. We were managing to sit at somewhere between 80 and 110 kmph on these roads depending on how big your balls or small your babelaas is. We stopped at Loskop for a cooldrink and a grand pa and there must have been about 30 or 40 patched road bikers pulling in from all directions on all manner of bike. Quite a sight to see.
From Loskop we hit a mix of tar and sand roads to a small town which the name of escapes me at a butcher and garage. It's somewhere close to Tonteldoos / Dullstroom or thereabouts I think. Stuart was leading this ride and his knowledge of these roads and area's is quite impressive for someone with his amount of hair. This town was incredibly busy at what must of been the local mall, we filled up with juice and some of the best dry wors and cabbage I've ever had and set off into the real ET on some super cool and scenic tar roads where we stretched the legs and blew out some of the cobwebs and dust we picked up in the morning.
From here on I have no idea of the route but I think we went through Lyndenburg which has turned into a shit hole through some mountainy foresty sandy roady area to the top of a mountain with some incredible views, this was absolutely spectacular riding, much slower than the mornings route but so much more scenic and unfortunately dusty and hot as well. This is probably the 3rd worst dust I've ridden in, well actually the 4th but at the time, before the next days ride, it was the 3rd worse. It didnt take away from the good time we were having being out in the bikes in a seriously nice part of the country however. We considered having a coffee here but we could smell beer somewhere off in the distance and Jade kept moaning about thirst so after admiring the views for a bit we headed on to Sudwala caves for a bite to eat and 1 beer each (because we were on the bikes of course).
From Sudwala we went on those amazing roads with fast sweeping bends to the turn off to Sabie, which we didnt take but instead went out on the Mashishing road before dropping down on a jeep trail for about an hour to Sabie. This was proper riding, proper DS / ADV riding, trough trees, a little mud, and the most awesome views ever. Kind of like Hilton on a dirt bike ride, just such nice chilled riding to Sabie to our guest house which was aptly called fatties and moanies. The owner gave us a beer and we jumped in the pool to cool off and talk some shit. The owner of this guest house went completely out of his way to accommodate us and took us into town for some supplies (beer, wine, whisky, ice etc...). The rest of the night was spent between the Woodsman pub and roaming around town looking for someone called Briana who is apparently a local? Not sure but Jade can fill us in.
Up bright and early the next day we took some awesome tar to Pilgrims rest where you battled a bit if you had "vertigo" from jumping in the pool or a babelaas from sitting up till past midnight... We stopped in Pilgrims Rest for a kak and then went on the best dirt road I've been on, on an ADV bike in the direction of Ohrigstad over a pass called Caspers Nek. This road takes you past an abandoned mining village. This road was absolutely mind blowing, rocky, hilly climb up to a point where we stopped for a really nice coffee in our R60.00 cups that we were black mailed into buying but what a nice place for it.
From Ohrigstad we hit the tar to Lydenburg again, I think, then onto and through Dullstroom to Belfast for a wimpy breakfast before slabbing it back to JHB. Again these are really nice roads to ride, super scenic and nice and chilled riding.
All in all we did somewhere close to 950 km's of fantastic riding with a 50/50 time mix of dirt and tar and were back at home by 2PM. A great weekends riding and we already have the next trip, or two, planned, after some new rubber (these 50/50 tyres dont last long) and a rest.
This Adventure riding game is a really nice way to ride! Cant wait for the next one!
