kakkerlaksvlakte Night Ride

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Thump

Race Dog
WD Supporter
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
Messages
4,061
Reaction score
112
Location
Port Elizabeth
Bike
KTM 1190 Adventure
We were just finishing up the Braaiing at Friday drinks and only TerrorSA and I were left eating the last of the leftovers (So he couldn’t take it home for soup) when 214 and Tyger finally arrive.
There are still a few coals left.
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So I order a Milkshake while the main biker dude & dudess enjoy a glass of fruity red wine. :eek:ccasion14:

Tyger notices a few pieces of wood under the braai, so I put my glass on the cemented bricks and hold on to them while reaching for the wood when the bricks come loose, dropping my milkshake on the ground next to my foot.

Amazingly the glass did not break and ¾ remained in it.
Great thick milkshake.
This is where the other ¼ went.


During my second milkshake we start discussing about when are we gonna ride kakkerlaksvlei at night?
We start joking about doing it right now and we’re keen.
Tyger’s got exams the next morning but says she knows her work.
I’m not so sure, she seems bright… but then she goes out with 214 so..??

But anyway we decide to go. TerrorSA unfortunately had other plans and could not join us.
Maybe next time?

We went home to change and for 214 put the light back on his bike and we finally left at ± 9pm.

Tyger on the back of 214’s Husky 610. Me on the KLR.

Taking tar to the dirt end of stanford rd (first dirt right after mission rd) then along it a short while, when 214 took a left into the bush.
Here I just followed and didn’t have a clue where I was, couldn’t see the track some of the time, just followed the strange dude with Tyger holding on like glue as he bounced and ramped over bumps along the dirt trail.

I can’t believe how he ride’s in the bush with a pillion, they go faster than I do on my own.
Tiger never complains, she’s having a ball. And dat ball is bigger than both of mine². :paw:

A short while later we popped out on a dirt rd and he explained it’s on the way to the Old Ford test track.
So now I knew where I was.
Then we head of to the OFTT take a right and head towards the valley.

The pic below shows the approximate route after this. (I’m still not sure where we rode before. Hopefully 214 will enlighten me one day.)
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Here we stop and admire the scenery. The sky was lit up with stars and a full moon.
A lone tree on the top of a far away hill silhouetted against the bright night sky.
Seriously poetic  sh!t.

Our cameras can’t capture this so we settle for one of the distant township.
(Forgive the blur, 214 was shaking with excitement)
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Tyger
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Me and Tyger
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214 & Tyger
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The bike
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And then down into the river. I’m sorry but there’s no excuse, we were all sober.

I’m keen to ride the river. I’ve done it twice in the day from the other end. For day time views see this and that. The path runs through trees and bush which are pretty low at times and there’s quite a few rocky river crossings.  

Tyger & 214 say yah!, Let’s do it!  :thumleft:

After a few months of light duty I’m the unfittest  I've ever been in my short life and my back is very sensitive, just like my heart.

I get 214 to agree that if I sit vas or drop the bike, he has to help out because my back won’t handle any excitement.

As always, he say “Hey, sure no problem mate, let’s go!”

(Sometimes I just wish he’d chicken out or be an adult  when I suggest this kak to him)


So down we go into the valley. Awesome stuff this. I can’t describe how it feels, you’ll have to join us some time and find out for yourself.
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Ducking under the trees
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Crossing the stream
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Letting 214 lead. (It makes him feel better). Just joking, He rides better so I let him show the best lines and tried to follow.
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214 leading the way
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Giving advice. The KLR is stuck between rocks and keeps sliding to the side and getting stuck again.
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After much fun, 214 shows me how the pros do it. Here I thought it was because I had Siracs instead of D606’s on the back.
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And we’re off again. Sweating like a pig in the cold winters night.
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Watching out for trees and rocks at the same time.
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Tyger skeems this is funny, Thump can’t even ride a bike properly.
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We go on and have quite a few more crossings, but now I’m following the advice given and don’t get stuck as often. Except again on a ½m drop over a tree root onto the rocky river bed, I slowed too much for the bend and the drop and the bike got stuck on the bash plate. I had to get off  to rock the bike and push it to get it over. By now my jacket lining is wet with sweat , so I remove it and carry on.

Around the corner, another steep rocky section and while revving, I just hear a noise but the wheel don’t turn.
I immediately think gearbox. Not a good spot to get stuck and have to push out.

214 doesn’t know either. He’s worried
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Fortunately it’s only the chain.
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“Did you bring tools? “
“No. did you?”
“No you said you’d bring”

I have raised the back of the bike so the chain has to run a bit loose under normal load so that it doesn’t stretch under load.
This is the first time it’s come of though.

Luckily, I’ve got my Gerber (Poor man’s Leatherman)

214 tilts the bike up, dropping the wheel further and making the sprocket to sprocket distance shorter, while Tyger lights the way with my cellphone light and I do the magic.
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All’s good again
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214’s amazed or tired.
I don't know why, all he had to do was hold the bike up; I did all the work.

(I need to find younger, fitter okes to ride with)

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And onwards
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But despite popular opinion, the dudes a gentleman.
He rides the rough stuff and comes back and carries the damsel across.
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We get to the end and I’m thinking the whole way that I should have had my other wheel with the D606’s on and it would have been easier like 214’s bike. Then I notice his tyre is smoother than mine. Oh well, I’ll think of another excuse some time.
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As we’re leaving the river I feel the back sliding a bit more than normal but put it down to the loose sand.
Then we stop and I notice the back is half flat.
This is the first time in three years that I’m in this area without a puncture kit.
But it’s ±21h30 and I’m moeg and so just ride the bike out.
Sticking to ±60kmh until the garage at Greenbushes, where I pump it up to find the valve has torn out.
Pump to 4 bar and ride quickly.
But it’s flat before I turn off to lakeside road.

Interesting about this tyre is that it did not go completely flat; it always looked like it had ± ¼ air in and did not slip of the rim.
Rode a total of ±23.6km with the flat wheel, and when taking it off the next day there was no marks of wear or damage to the side walls. Had to battle to break the bead.

Got home just after 12 feeling good.

Tyger wrote her exam the next morning, and then we went out again at 3pm with my son Byron and his girlfriend as pillion as a training ride for them together in the dirt and some slightly technical terrain.

Thanks Tyger and 214, we’ll have to do that again during the next full moon, this time take some chops and beers with and make a night of it.
:wav:
 
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