Ratel
Race Dog
Well as promised here are the pics of our first trip this last weekend.
We decided to sneak away from work early on Friday, packed the bikes and headed east towards Witbank. We took the road past Bapsfontein and then to Bronkhorstspruit to miss the first rip off tolgate.
Please excuse the lack of pictures for the section between Centurion and Middelburg - borrrrring!
Arrived in Dulstroom and booked into this lovely old house. Apparently the roof is the oldest in Dulstroom and was built in 1902 (it raned on Saturday nght and I am glad to report that there was no leaks).
Saturday morning we decided to to go and explore some dirt roads around Dulstroom.
Now out of the whole weekend we enjoyed this dirt road the most!
Got some nice pics of Mrs Ratel doing her Paris to Dakar Impression!
Just after I took these photos we got to a patch where the road is overgrown on all sides - almost like you are riding through a tunnel of trees. A steep incline followed with lots of loose rocks. The first thing that surprised me was the cow that appeared from nowhere out of the dense bush. I took evasive action leaving the cow between myself and the much smaller 650 GS behind me. Nowhere to go but up the incline, ADV-COW-650!
The next even bigger surprise was Mrs Ratel Standing on the pegs overtaking said cow and climbing up the incline all in one go!! Phew! Move over Lara Croft!
Lovely clear mountain stream:
Next up was Lydenburg and then Long Tom pass:
From Sabie we took the road to Pilgrims Rest. A very nice windy and slow climb just after this 10 km sign post.
Met up with some friends in Pilgims rest:
From Pilgims we returned to Dulstroom for some RR, potjiekos and lots of sherry!
We slept in on Sunday morning and awoke to a misty, fresh Dulstroom morning. Left round eleven and took the long road home to Centurion.
All 'n all a very sucessful first trip and here's hoping for many more.
Mr & Mrs Ratel
We decided to sneak away from work early on Friday, packed the bikes and headed east towards Witbank. We took the road past Bapsfontein and then to Bronkhorstspruit to miss the first rip off tolgate.
Please excuse the lack of pictures for the section between Centurion and Middelburg - borrrrring!
Arrived in Dulstroom and booked into this lovely old house. Apparently the roof is the oldest in Dulstroom and was built in 1902 (it raned on Saturday nght and I am glad to report that there was no leaks).
Saturday morning we decided to to go and explore some dirt roads around Dulstroom.
Now out of the whole weekend we enjoyed this dirt road the most!
Got some nice pics of Mrs Ratel doing her Paris to Dakar Impression!
Just after I took these photos we got to a patch where the road is overgrown on all sides - almost like you are riding through a tunnel of trees. A steep incline followed with lots of loose rocks. The first thing that surprised me was the cow that appeared from nowhere out of the dense bush. I took evasive action leaving the cow between myself and the much smaller 650 GS behind me. Nowhere to go but up the incline, ADV-COW-650!
The next even bigger surprise was Mrs Ratel Standing on the pegs overtaking said cow and climbing up the incline all in one go!! Phew! Move over Lara Croft!
Lovely clear mountain stream:
Next up was Lydenburg and then Long Tom pass:
From Sabie we took the road to Pilgrims Rest. A very nice windy and slow climb just after this 10 km sign post.
Met up with some friends in Pilgims rest:
From Pilgims we returned to Dulstroom for some RR, potjiekos and lots of sherry!
We slept in on Sunday morning and awoke to a misty, fresh Dulstroom morning. Left round eleven and took the long road home to Centurion.
All 'n all a very sucessful first trip and here's hoping for many more.
Mr & Mrs Ratel
