Like everyone who has ever owned a big dual-sport bike, I had a healthy respect for sand. One could almost more truthfully call it a nervous fear for that unknown monster. The SAND monster.
A handful of riders will proclaim with bravado that they “love sand”, and mostly the rest of us would hate them a little, secretly, for being so seemingly arrogant.
So it was with much excitement and anxiety that I decided to join eighteen other riders on a course to conquer our dual-sport nemesis – SAND.
Country Trax offers a 3 day sand riding training course at Klipbokkop in the Cape. When Celia, whom we’ve all come to know and love through bikebookings.co.za, first told me that they were going to attending a sand riding course, my mind immediately started racing and planning the possibilities to join them. No time was to spare since the bikes were due to leave within days with a transportation/adventure company to the Cape. We were to follow shortly the next week via good old Kulula.
This would not only be my first true sand riding experience, but also my first trip to Cape Town. Thus a double whammy for me, haha! Exciting stuff!
Thursday, an hour and a half behind schedule, I was greeted by horrible weather in Cape Town. Mist, cold and rain – not perfect for biking….
After a quick hot cup of soup and stop at the BMW depo at the waterfront, we were on our way to Worcester. En route we were to meet up with fellow trainees for the weekend. Near disaster struck when Christiaan’s 1150 adventures’ ignition decided to seize. Luckily at a petrol station right outside Worcester. Celia and I had to rush ahead to catch a supermarket open for dinner, while Chris phoned a friend for advice. Phillip, Mike and I continued onwards in the rain to look for our accommodation on a horse stud on the other side of town. Mildly unpleasant experience on an unexpected dirt road with knobblies pumped to almost 3 bar. We were all relieved to see Renette’s bike parked at our little house when we arrived. Celia and Christaan joined us a tad later, after removing the 1150 tank and effectively “hot-wiring” his bike. An operation that left Chris feeling like he was stealing his own bike! Hah! A hearty meal later and clothes strewn in front of the fire to dry like gypsies saw us to bed to recharge for the hard training to come.
The next day, the wind tried to blow us straight over the mountains as the crow flies, but finally we arrived at Klipbokkop. And what a view greeted us there!
A handful of riders will proclaim with bravado that they “love sand”, and mostly the rest of us would hate them a little, secretly, for being so seemingly arrogant.
So it was with much excitement and anxiety that I decided to join eighteen other riders on a course to conquer our dual-sport nemesis – SAND.
Country Trax offers a 3 day sand riding training course at Klipbokkop in the Cape. When Celia, whom we’ve all come to know and love through bikebookings.co.za, first told me that they were going to attending a sand riding course, my mind immediately started racing and planning the possibilities to join them. No time was to spare since the bikes were due to leave within days with a transportation/adventure company to the Cape. We were to follow shortly the next week via good old Kulula.
This would not only be my first true sand riding experience, but also my first trip to Cape Town. Thus a double whammy for me, haha! Exciting stuff!
Thursday, an hour and a half behind schedule, I was greeted by horrible weather in Cape Town. Mist, cold and rain – not perfect for biking….
After a quick hot cup of soup and stop at the BMW depo at the waterfront, we were on our way to Worcester. En route we were to meet up with fellow trainees for the weekend. Near disaster struck when Christiaan’s 1150 adventures’ ignition decided to seize. Luckily at a petrol station right outside Worcester. Celia and I had to rush ahead to catch a supermarket open for dinner, while Chris phoned a friend for advice. Phillip, Mike and I continued onwards in the rain to look for our accommodation on a horse stud on the other side of town. Mildly unpleasant experience on an unexpected dirt road with knobblies pumped to almost 3 bar. We were all relieved to see Renette’s bike parked at our little house when we arrived. Celia and Christaan joined us a tad later, after removing the 1150 tank and effectively “hot-wiring” his bike. An operation that left Chris feeling like he was stealing his own bike! Hah! A hearty meal later and clothes strewn in front of the fire to dry like gypsies saw us to bed to recharge for the hard training to come.
The next day, the wind tried to blow us straight over the mountains as the crow flies, but finally we arrived at Klipbokkop. And what a view greeted us there!
