charlw
Race Dog
LanceSA, dougd and charlw left early Sat morning for Stutt from EL. Traffic was heavy in the opposite direction with busses, taxi's into EL for ANC rally. The aim was to try ride 8 passes in two days. We managed 6. Took a wrong turn and missed the other 2. Can this be done anywhere else in SA?
Here are LanceSA and dougd near Gubu Dam
A very popular dam with trout fishermen. Lots of trails in the forests behind the dam but we were more keen to ride the Hogsback area so we gave it a skip.
It was a few km from here where we rode Dontsa Pass. Very scenic but why call it a pass? Maybe when it rains it can be tricky.
Here is the bottom of Dontsa Pass.
At the Sandile Dam wall. Also rode Boma Pass - gradient of 1:10 so not too exciting.
Looking up towards the Amatola Mts and the start of Wolf Ridge Rd, which is the most scenic road in the Border area. Looks like Switzerland.
The Xhosa village of Gxulu, what a setting.
Just below the Hogsback ridge, pitstop. Nice and peaceful - totally opposite to where we were going to find ourselves 12 hours later!!
No petrol in Hogsback, we had to drop down to Alice to fill up and on the way back took a photo of my bike at the bottom of Hogsback Pass - gradient 1:5 now tarred all the way into Hogsback. The cliff at the top is The Edge - cool restaurant there. Rode the area around Happy Valley and Gaikas Kop. Was wet from rain the day before and some areas were slippery.
The Hogsback Inn - was very cold up here for January! Note the smoke from the chimney in the pub. Smashed a chicken and prawn curry washed down with a couple of frosties - the start of an awesome evening.
Stayed at the backpackers and were warned by the lovely lady that served us earlier that we would meet real characters and did we just. Met some hippies, some fairies (female luckily), some contractors, some idiots (all villages have one - this guy claimed he had the 1500 African Twin and other tripe), some travellers, some girls reading poetry/red indian literature. A liquorice allsorts - was great fun. Even the police commisioner and his men arrived for a dop only to be bitten by the dog! This is the pub the next morning as we left, with some people still passed out inside.
Second day to follow
Here are LanceSA and dougd near Gubu Dam
A very popular dam with trout fishermen. Lots of trails in the forests behind the dam but we were more keen to ride the Hogsback area so we gave it a skip.
It was a few km from here where we rode Dontsa Pass. Very scenic but why call it a pass? Maybe when it rains it can be tricky.
Here is the bottom of Dontsa Pass.
At the Sandile Dam wall. Also rode Boma Pass - gradient of 1:10 so not too exciting.
Looking up towards the Amatola Mts and the start of Wolf Ridge Rd, which is the most scenic road in the Border area. Looks like Switzerland.
The Xhosa village of Gxulu, what a setting.
Just below the Hogsback ridge, pitstop. Nice and peaceful - totally opposite to where we were going to find ourselves 12 hours later!!
No petrol in Hogsback, we had to drop down to Alice to fill up and on the way back took a photo of my bike at the bottom of Hogsback Pass - gradient 1:5 now tarred all the way into Hogsback. The cliff at the top is The Edge - cool restaurant there. Rode the area around Happy Valley and Gaikas Kop. Was wet from rain the day before and some areas were slippery.
The Hogsback Inn - was very cold up here for January! Note the smoke from the chimney in the pub. Smashed a chicken and prawn curry washed down with a couple of frosties - the start of an awesome evening.
Stayed at the backpackers and were warned by the lovely lady that served us earlier that we would meet real characters and did we just. Met some hippies, some fairies (female luckily), some contractors, some idiots (all villages have one - this guy claimed he had the 1500 African Twin and other tripe), some travellers, some girls reading poetry/red indian literature. A liquorice allsorts - was great fun. Even the police commisioner and his men arrived for a dop only to be bitten by the dog! This is the pub the next morning as we left, with some people still passed out inside.
Second day to follow
