Watty
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2006
- Messages
- 3,954
- Reaction score
- 3
- Location
- Port Elizabeth
- Bike
- Suzuki Djebel 250XC
This is not a detailed Ride Report with lots of photo's ect, but just a little account that sometimes things do not always go as planned.
Acting on the invite posted by Gromit wanting to do the Elandriver/Grootrivier/Steylerville/Uitenhage round trip
posted at
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=29707.0,
I arrived at the meeting place @ 13h20, to be greeted by ECtrax and Gromit. So we started off a small party of three.
I will endeavour, in point form, to highlight some of the encounters I experienced that made my hart miss a beat now and then. The times given are approximates, and provided as a timeline of events.
Only photo's I took, on the high track to the Grootrivier with Patensie in the background (only had cellphone). Perhaps ECTrax will post more.
Thanx to Gomit and ECTrax for a little bit of additional adventure. And who said that D/S motorcycling is boring?
Acting on the invite posted by Gromit wanting to do the Elandriver/Grootrivier/Steylerville/Uitenhage round trip
posted at
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=29707.0,
I arrived at the meeting place @ 13h20, to be greeted by ECtrax and Gromit. So we started off a small party of three.
I will endeavour, in point form, to highlight some of the encounters I experienced that made my hart miss a beat now and then. The times given are approximates, and provided as a timeline of events.
| 13h25 | Depart |
| 13h32 | Cape Road, at 80+ kph missed a pedestrian running over the road by millimetres - swerved to the right JIT. I actually visualised hitting him and going for a serious tumble! |
| 14h05 | Elandsriver road, going into a sharp detour (road works), geared down to far, locked the back-wheel. Dust and sliding all over the place, very nearly horizonal! |
| 14h38 | Track to Grootrivier poort, while navigating a steep decline with lots of loosed stuff, nearly lost it when the front wheel lost traction and decide to go where I did not want to. |
| 15h07 | After the Grootrivier water-crossing, another decline with lots of loose rocks and wash-a-ways. My fault, going over the preceding rise to fast and hitting the sh!t at to high speed. Fortunately I managed to stay up-right and bounced my way through. Really scary moment. |
| 15h47 | On the road to Steylerville, misfortune for Gomit - flat back tyre. After lots of swearing and grunting, we could just not get the tyre back on again after fitting spare tube. |
| 16h55 | Decide to take wheel and tyre into Steylerville and seek help. ECTrax and myself unload topboxes, load the wheel and rode the 27 km to town asap. |
| 16h56 | While turning, lost my footing and bike went horizontal - brushed shin. |
| 17h25 | Arrive Steylerville. Have tyre fixed. Major problem now - it is getting dark, and fast! |
| 18h37 | Returned to Gromit and his Fugly. Completely dark now. Umpteen hazzles get the wheel back on, blêrrie brake-pad keep falling out |
| 19h25 | Eventually done, ready to continue. ECTrax decided to overnight in Steylerville, while I and Gromit return to PE |
| 19h28 | Again dropped the bike while turning it around - more character scratches to the plastics |
| 20h25 | Very trying conditions riding in the dark and dust. It was slow going - we were averaging about 55 - 60 kph at best, missing some holes just in the nick of time! |
| 21h05 | Small antelope darted in front of me - a fistful of brakes and I just avoided hurting the local wildlife. They really have beautiful eyes when viewed up closely. |
| 21h10 | Charged through another washed-away drift - saw it to late and all I could do was to stand-up and gun it - lots of bouncing and praying. Unfortunately in the process my right wrist was hurt/strained. |
| 21h14 | On the gravel highway to Uitenhage, dust a real problem, making visibility even more difficult. |
| 21h25 | In the low viz, went into a turn with the wrong line, and went off-road, dodging the pendorings and frantically looking for a way to get back on the road. Thinking back now I shutter - I just cannot believe how lucky I was not to have a serious off, I went wide at about 70 kph! Pulled various leaves and twigs from the hand guards and frame the next morning. |
| 21h55 | Tar - phew! |
| 22h20 | Arrived home. Missus more happy than me as I was due back way before dark, the marvels of cell phone technology saved the day - called earlier from Steylerville to inform about problems. |
Only photo's I took, on the high track to the Grootrivier with Patensie in the background (only had cellphone). Perhaps ECTrax will post more.
Thanx to Gomit and ECTrax for a little bit of additional adventure. And who said that D/S motorcycling is boring?
