West Coast Explorer 2009 (added pics 20090805)

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C

Camelman

Guest
I have never found it easy to convey emotion into word's. This ride report will be one of those, where try as I may, I will not be able to tell you what it felt like to be on this coast for two day's with nothing but your bike and a bunch of very cool guys. Unfortunetaly my phone battery gave up on me, must have been caused by it being soaking wet, so I apoligise for the lack of pictures. The other guys took lots, and I'm sure they'll upload it through the day.

My tale starts in Bloubergstrand, Cape Town. The time 11:00.

It had started to rain at 08:00. It was freezing cold outside. Peering through my office window I could see sleets of rain pouring from the heavens. At 11:00 I started donning my kit. Everyone in the office asking if I was still going, as they could hardly have missed my fully packed bike parked downstairs. My answer was a shrug, and 'off-course I'm going'. Although I felt a bit of 'Eish!'!

My GPS showed 3 hours and 7 minutes to get to Vredendal. As I hit the N7 west, the rain upt a notch, and visibility neared 100 metres. As I neared Piketberg, I decided to stop for coffee. I was semi-frozen. Even through the thick jacket I was freezing my nuts off. And thats literally. Water had somehow managed to get in to my trousers and there were it counts, and it was like sitting in a bucket of ice-water. After  gulping the coffee down, I was was back on the road. The rain never let up, and after refueling at Klawer, I headed for Vredendal, where Weskus, Sybrand and Boetie, were waiting for me.

Joining them in Vredendal, we made our way to Lutzville where the others were waiting. A quick 'howzit' and some fuel, we were on our way to Jurg Se Kaya, where were overnighting.

Just before getting on the jeep track:
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My trusted steed:
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Very soon we were on the jeep track along the coast and the fun started. I was at the rear as my bike was still fully packed with fuel, water and baggage, followed by Nico with the 4x4. Soon the sand got thick, and I lost the plot. The bike being waited down, I couldn't lift it myself, and waited for the Nico to arrive. “Can I help you boet?”, was followed with a, “Ja, please oom”. Nico checked me out and in a stern voice said, “Call me oom again and you'll have to pick your bike by yourself!”. That was it then, no more oom! After I was up again the fighting continued. Me with the bike, sand, and mud and the freezing rain messing all up. On the way we met up with Frik, who had come from Lamberts Bay, and waited on the side of the track for us. As we were nearing JurgSeKaya, wich was at the foot of a slight decent, the sand sand stopped and the mud began. Within sight of stopping for the night, I fell again, and was helped up again by Nico. It was with great relief when I could stop the bike for the night. It had taken us just over a hour, I think, to do the 40km.
 
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