For the last six years I have done a three-week job around this time of year up in Thabazimbi, so this mini-report is almost an extension of the report at:-
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=24886.0
I was not sure I would be able to ride this weekend. I fell down an ore pass on a mine in the seventies, and now at my “advanced” age my back occasionally plays up, and this week was one of those times.
But yesterday I interviewed the Mine doctor as part of the project, and he noticed my discomfort as I stood up, and gave me a prescription for some pills. I took the unintelligible script to the local pharmacy, where a robust lady of at least twice my bulk sent me to a back room and told me to bare my butt for an evil looking syringe. I was not going to argue with her and did as instructed.
I suspect many of us on the forum woke up angry this morning after the horrible news of Malgat’s death, and I was no exception. The only good news was that Ms Jumbo’s muti had worked during the night and my back was almost pain-free.
In some warped and twisted way I wondered “what would Malgat do?”, and decided he would have taken bike-therapy, so I did.
I decided to head out North West this time, and see what the roads along the Crocodile up towards the confluence of the Crocodile, Limpopo and Marico on the Botswana border looked like.
The little ride I took was this loop. About 65Km of gravel tar-to-tar 110Km total
Based on this admittedly small sample I found the West a bit boring compared with the Marakele / Waterberg side, but still a nice area. The roads are flat and straight and for the most part corrugated with occasional sandy patches. On the east side of the river it is mainly game farms, while the west is wheat and lucerne fields.
But a couple of pics anyway:-
The view towards the Waterberg from the B&B veranda before I set out. The night-rains had cleared.
A church that has seen better days.
A welcome sign !
A stop on the Crocodile for Cappu.
The locals at the shop/shabeen. Already merry at 11:00 !
A little baobab to remind me I am in Limpopo – Baobabette ?
Back was starting to stiffen a bit so I headed back.
Bike therapy helps when you are angry.
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=24886.0
I was not sure I would be able to ride this weekend. I fell down an ore pass on a mine in the seventies, and now at my “advanced” age my back occasionally plays up, and this week was one of those times.
But yesterday I interviewed the Mine doctor as part of the project, and he noticed my discomfort as I stood up, and gave me a prescription for some pills. I took the unintelligible script to the local pharmacy, where a robust lady of at least twice my bulk sent me to a back room and told me to bare my butt for an evil looking syringe. I was not going to argue with her and did as instructed.
I suspect many of us on the forum woke up angry this morning after the horrible news of Malgat’s death, and I was no exception. The only good news was that Ms Jumbo’s muti had worked during the night and my back was almost pain-free.
In some warped and twisted way I wondered “what would Malgat do?”, and decided he would have taken bike-therapy, so I did.
I decided to head out North West this time, and see what the roads along the Crocodile up towards the confluence of the Crocodile, Limpopo and Marico on the Botswana border looked like.
The little ride I took was this loop. About 65Km of gravel tar-to-tar 110Km total
Based on this admittedly small sample I found the West a bit boring compared with the Marakele / Waterberg side, but still a nice area. The roads are flat and straight and for the most part corrugated with occasional sandy patches. On the east side of the river it is mainly game farms, while the west is wheat and lucerne fields.
But a couple of pics anyway:-
The view towards the Waterberg from the B&B veranda before I set out. The night-rains had cleared.
A church that has seen better days.
A welcome sign !
A stop on the Crocodile for Cappu.
The locals at the shop/shabeen. Already merry at 11:00 !
A little baobab to remind me I am in Limpopo – Baobabette ?
Back was starting to stiffen a bit so I headed back.
Bike therapy helps when you are angry.
