DS bike playground around CT?

[MildlyWild]

Is there any area up to 100km from CT with a bit of varied terrain where one can just go and play, learn some new skills, etc?
Ideally with some steep hilly bits, small jumps, dropoffs, and the like, but not rocky stuff that will damage the bike too much when my skill fails me 
I ride a 650 XChallenge

[Dux]

I heard of somewhere close to Klapmuts , not sure of location though

[Rommel]

Dirt and Dust..... just outside Durbanville. Take the Paarl turn off, and turn left about 400m past the saw mills / railway bridge. R100 for the day. Good practise track with varying terrain, including jumps, a bit of sand etc.

[MildlyWild]

Dirt and Dust..... just outside Durbanville. Take the Paarl turn off, and turn left about 400m past the saw mills / railway bridge. R100 for the day. Good practise track with varying terrain, including jumps, a bit of sand etc.

Great, I will go and have a look, thank you

[2StrokeDan]

Go and have a look at the Quarry ride thread, there is a few guys that's been riding there for a long time.

It is unfortunately not really varying much in terrain, but sand is a top medium to practise in, as it is for some the most difficult one.

[MildlyWild]

Go and have a look at the Quarry ride thread, there is a few guys that's been riding there for a long time.

It is unfortunately not really varying much in terrain, but sand is a top medium to practise in, as it is for some the most difficult one.

That also sound good - will definitely check it out
Also still need to head to Parklands for the sand there

[2StrokeDan]

Go and have a look at the Quarry ride thread, there is a few guys that's been riding there for a long time.

It is unfortunately not really varying much in terrain, but sand is a top medium to practise in, as it is for some the most difficult one.

That also sound good - will definitely check it out
Also still need to head to Parklands for the sand there

The quarry ride is around there somewhere, I think.

[MildlyWild]

Go and have a look at the Quarry ride thread, there is a few guys that's been riding there for a long time.

It is unfortunately not really varying much in terrain, but sand is a top medium to practise in, as it is for some the most difficult one.

That also sound good - will definitely check it out
Also still need to head to Parklands for the sand there

The quarry ride is around there somewhere, I think.

I had a look at that thread - looks like fun. Will get in contact with some of the guys riding there often, or grab a mate and head there in the next few weeks

[DavidMorrisXp]

X Challenge, maybe try https://www.zone7.co.za/track-status/

[2StrokeDan]

Go and have a look at the Quarry ride thread, there is a few guys that's been riding there for a long time.

It is unfortunately not really varying much in terrain, but sand is a top medium to practise in, as it is for some the most difficult one.

That also sound good - will definitely check it out
Also still need to head to Parklands for the sand there

The quarry ride is around there somewhere, I think.

I had a look at that thread - looks like fun. Will get in contact with some of the guys riding there often, or grab a mate and head there in the next few weeks

Yes, check with @Crossed-up  as there has been isolated cases of riders being robbed.

[MildlyWild]

Go and have a look at the Quarry ride thread, there is a few guys that's been riding there for a long time.

It is unfortunately not really varying much in terrain, but sand is a top medium to practise in, as it is for some the most difficult one.

That also sound good - will definitely check it out
Also still need to head to Parklands for the sand there

The quarry ride is around there somewhere, I think.

I had a look at that thread - looks like fun. Will get in contact with some of the guys riding there often, or grab a mate and head there in the next few weeks

Yes, check with @Crossed-up  as there has been isolated cases of riders being robbed.

I promise not to rob anyone
But thanks, noted - I saw something mentioned on the quarty thread

[MildlyWild]

X Challenge, maybe try https://www.zone7.co.za/track-status/

Thanks, I will check that out too - want to try and do some of that in Jan

[DavidMorrisXp]

X Challenge, maybe try https://www.zone7.co.za/track-status/

Thanks, I will check that out too - want to try and do some of that in Jan

 

[Crossed-up]

Hi there - did you manage to find some riding places? Been to Parklands yet?

www.wilddog.za.net/forum/index.php?topic=109353 will show you a bit about it.

[Ri]

Cape Dirt in Klapmuts. From the R44 direction Wellington, turn right onto the Agter-Paarl road that leads to Fairview. Cape Dirt is on the first farm on the left.

I did an off-road riding course there, and it was lovely to see whole families come to spend the day. Dad and kids zooming up and down and moms either playing along or packing out a picnic and relaxing in the shade. 

They have various kinds of terrains, small bumps and stuff, and enduro track heading into the mountain, and a restaurant that serves tasty hamburgers etc. Various courses are offered there - MX, Enduro, Adventure etc. They have accommodation if you want to stay over, too.

Speaking under correction, but annual fees are R580 and you pay R100 per day to go play. R100 only for the whole day when you go for the first time.

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

Go and have a look at the Quarry ride thread, there is a few guys that's been riding there for a long time.

It is unfortunately not really varying much in terrain, but sand is a top medium to practise in, as it is for some the most difficult one.

That also sound good - will definitely check it out
Also still need to head to Parklands for the sand there

The quarry ride is around there somewhere, I think.

I had a look at that thread - looks like fun. Will get in contact with some of the guys riding there often, or grab a mate and head there in the next few weeks

Yes, check with @Crossed-up  as there has been isolated cases of riders being robbed.

I promise not to rob anyone
But thanks, noted - I saw something mentioned on the quarty thread

There will be a few rides planned in the parklands bush for DS bikes.. maybe John (crossed up ) can plan a route that is more hard pack riding as there is plenty deep sand to be avoided if you are a novice.

[Crossed-up]

A point of clarification: the area used often to be called the Quarry because there were 2 great quarries perfect for DS bikes to play in. Us old-timers still call the area The Quarry even though the quarries were filled in about 6 or 7 years ago. Parklands Bush refers to the old quarry area as well as a large swathe of currently unused wattle bush between Parklands, Blaauwberg Nature Reserve, the M19 and the N7. Anywhere in this area is pretty much fair game except the Morning Star settlement and the land immediately north of it (where the horsey folk are). Even the dormant dumps are often rideable. One of them is famously called The Cabbage Patch for obvious reasons. Just about every block is bounded by whooped out sandy tweespoor. These roads are terrifying to an inexperienced DS rider on a big bike with tires pumped to regulation 2 bars. With a little practice (and soft tires) the terror can be beaten.

Criss-crossing the area are a bewildering number and variety of smaller tracks. Some are barely handle-bar wide, some a bit more open. These are actually much easier to ride on a bigger bike because it's much slower, easy to paddle and mostly short stretches with breaks in between.  There are a few places where more technical riding can be attempted. These are a lot of fun, and more places are being opened from time to time. I'm even planning to open a rocky stretch for something a bit different.

When you get to know the area it is also sometimes possible to ride completely off-track for considerable distances.

If you do bring your DS/Adventure bike here (and you really should) you'll find those 50/50 tires to be profoundly useless. Proper knobblies at less than 1 bar make a huge difference.

I've attached a Google Earth file of most of the current tracks. Development is encroaching at roughly 200m per year, and a new informal settlement has claimed a big area. We must ride it while it's there.