Dust, Dust...and a farmer's wife (Magalies area - 6/1)

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wino

Race Dog
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
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Honda XL650V Transalp
I was really looking forward to the day?s ride. It hasn?t rained for the past couple of days, which meant that the gravel roads should be hard packed.

Crossing Hartbeespoort Dam

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Easyrider Blouvark is the only one that rocks up at the wimpy and after a breakfast and quick intro and chat with cma andy and ?lennox, it?s off to fun.

Here?s the proposed route ? we didn?t keep strictly to it, but why should we have?

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A quick tar ride to Skeerpoort, from where we go on the gravel. It was so hard packed that it was better than the pot-holed roads in Mpumalanga and thus made for some high speed riding (ahem, that is high-speed riding in terms of my reference ? it would have leo chuckling in his sleeves). I really felt sorry for bv riding in the dust, there was no wind, not even a breeze and looking back in my mirrors all I saw was this huge, thick dust cloud hanging on the road.

First stop ? you will immediately recognise the venue from a previous report. Also time to deflate the tyres a bit for the looser stuff.

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Then a quick sprint on tar and onto gravel, leading to Breedts Nek. It wasn?t on the initial itinery, but BV just managed to turn my arm a bit. Here are some pics of the ride to the ?summit? (I must apologise for the quality of most pics in the report, as they were taken on the go):

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Reaching the top, we didn?t stop, but immediately took the trail that leads to the lookout point.. And BV, feel free to add any comments at this stage.

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BV approaching:

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And the view from the top. I try not to look at the VOD ? Ok, dammit, a must do for this year. It even looks pig friendly from afar?

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Thereafter down again, a 5km tar stretch and onto the New Thorndale road. This road was also in pristine riding condition, with dust the only incriminating factor ? but which didn?t bother me at all.

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After a while we again hit tar, once again for only about 5k?s and then back onto the good stuff. This specific road at one stage winds its way through a valley and mesmerises me everytime I ride it.

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Onto the bustling town of Boons

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From here the route that I marked was virgin territory for both of us, ie uncharted, not the other kind. I still remarked to BV that I suspect the roads from hereon to be pretty flat and boring. It was one of those remarks that you feel great about when proven wrong!! A tantalising ride that winds its way over some hills and through spectacular scenery. Man, it was great!

We eventually did ride some flat, straight roads, but even these were not boring (if compared with what we?ve done thus far). Here and there some sandy, rocky or pebble patches to keep the ticker at redline.

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We again hit a short stretch of tar, and passing a tweespoor I could?ve sworn that the tweespoor was on the route. Turned around and followed it. What a ride! Once again many sandy patches, but with various whoops to make you orgasm (proverbially) with delight! I was sure that the ta bottomed out. But the fun was shortlived, as we ended at a homestead. The gps didn?t show a vanishing of the road, thus I surmised that the road probably runs ?through? the homestead. So slowly, with a few dogs barking viciously at us, we entered the homestead. And this is where we met the farmer?s wife?




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After being ensured that there is no road further on, we turned around, enjoyed the tweespoor again, onto tar in search of some other gravel road, which wasn?t far off. Again an interesting road, but further on was very neglected, which encouraged the growing of sand in multiple patches.

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Tar again, for about 10+ k?s after which we hit the straightest gravel of the ride. Boring? No, sir! Not with greens all around and the occasional patches of lurking traps that swoop onto unsuspecting riders!

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BV showing off an emergency stop

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Unfortunately, it wasn?t long after this that the camera?s battery died, so we cannot show you the great spots/roads traversed further.

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Definitely another weekend! We eventually ended up in Magaliesburg, where we decided that Upperdecks would be the venue of choice for a cold one.

An awesome half-day?s ride with a no-fuss BV ? cheers to you!! And still so much in the area to explore!

Ps: and the farmer?s wife? She was at the homestead, and all that can be said is that BV (who is still single ? bless his soul) remarked about how ?nice? she looks. Seriously, nothing more, you perverts!
 
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