G
GreenMamba1974
Guest
Thump and I decided a couple of days before the long weekend to tackle the Baviaanskloof. At first I had only wanted to camp one night in the Baviaans and ride out through Willowmore the next day. Since Thump knows the area much better than I he plotted out an excellent route on his Garmin.
The route:
Day 1
We met Saturday morning at the BP in Lorraine because we believe in supporting needy causes, as you know BP are in big trouble and need funds. We topped up and headed off along the M15 (Kragga Kamma). Thump took a few right and left turns here and there and we went past some place that has these:
They are called Alpacas and this place appears to breed them. The look like sheep that have been pulled on too hard at all the ends. Cool looking beasts, I wonder if they'd make good pets?
We then hopped onto the N2 and slabbed it to Hankey.
The above is a gratuitous pic of me on my bike. I'm including it in this report because I can :biggrin: I get a bit of flack for the big black thing I carry around on the back of the bike but it's a very good piece of equipment. It's called a Speedpack Wide and is sold by Bike Gear. I carry everything I need and more. It is strapped easily and quickly to the bike and does not work loose on technical dirt roads. The quality is phenomenal.
Stopping for coffee near the Saartjie Baartman Memorial in Hankey
Thumps KLR
Thump knows this area backwards as he has camped all over the Baviaans area with his family, I feel quite lucky to have him as my 'tour guide'. We go to check out the nearby Phillips Tunnel which was built to transport water I think. Normally filled with bats hanging from the ceiling and lots of bat crap on the ground we ventured in. It turned out to be very dry, very little crap and not much mud.
Light at the end of the tunnel. Phillips Tunnel is more of a cave as the other side is so small only a very small dude could crawl through.
Thump is always eager to go a little further off the beaten track and although I don't initially appreciate it, it makes me realize the need to push my boundaries more often. I followed Thump around a few farming roads and we ended up right on the Gamtoos River. This is the first time I'd ever encountered this:
Right out of my comfort zone I did everything you shouldn't do on loose ground and looked down and went too slowly. Thump powered ahead as if it was a normal gravel road as I turned around to wait. Another day, another time I'll try this stuff out again, it's all in the head!
This is what Thump saw around the corner while I waited
A little further on we pulled into Heronsklip Campsite to check it out. Very nice campsite on the river and a good fishing spot
We went straight on into the Baviaans, taking it very slowly. It was a PERFECT day, not cold, not too hot. You have to pay R30 per person and fill in some paperwork as you enter the Baviaans proper, even if you're just passing through. It's not too much too pay. It looks like the money has gone into maintaining the road, it is now much more to the liking of GS1200 riders and Harleys ;D It has been filled in well enough for a sedan car to pass through, I remember it being fairly challenging before in places, now it's a walk in the park.
Check the perfectly clear skies, it was a great day to be there!
After climbing to the top of the first pass you ride along the top for a bit until you have to descend again. Before heading down into the kloof we stopped to go see the well known cable.
Looks like it was completely imported from England back in the day judging by the names on the components.
This is all that is anchoring it, but it's stood the test
If you walk further down and away from the cable you see this
Carrying on we see this. It all looks beautiful, if only I could remember what it's called. The problem with the Baviaans is that every &*(%$ bend has a bloody name
A little further on we stop near some campsite for lunch. Thump leads me through thorn laden paths to get to the river. Thump does this often :biggrin: Despite foraging often in thorn dense territory we both survived puncture free for the whole trip. :thumleft:
A couple of pics from a lookout point further on. Note the perfect weather!
Thump using his camera skills to good effect:
A little later we get to the end of the kloof where we sign out and carry on a few kilometres to this place. Anybody recognize where this is?
Thump has noticed a strange knocking or vibration sound from his bike and has stopped here to investigate. Turns out his crash bar is poked. Ever resourceful Thump fixed the problem with wire found nearby and a leatherman :thumleft: isn't KLR ownership fun ;D
I notice my numberplate is only hanging on one side and fix that pretty quickly. Rumbling around through my pack it also turns out a bottle of Energade has emptied itself over my stuff. :eek7:
Randoms
The XT is so fast Thump's camera can't cope
This photo was taken some way past the Baviaans as we looped back toward Steytlerville to get to Marlu Guest House. It was close to dusk, mid-winter and it was gloriously warm, I just felt damn good to be in my own skin that afternoon. Good weather does make a trip that much better.
Thump is pretty skillful with the camera and took some great vids in particular this trip.
Self portrait
As we get quite close to Marlu it is now pitch dark. At the turnoff Thump gets off his bike to tell me his bike is getting very hot and that the fan hasn't come on for quite a while. The rear luggage rack has also become very loose and he has to take it easy for the next few k's.
This is Marlu Guest House. For those of you who might be interested it is a fully equipped self-catering Guest House that will easily sleep 6 to possibly 10 people. It has everything, you only need to bring food and drink. They provide wood for the braai as well at no extra charge. The cost was R175 per person per night. Not bad.
We had the resident pooch for company
While the fire was doing it's thing Thump was having a go at fixing his luggage rack. Fortunately he had the entire tool department of Builder's Warehouse at his disposal, where they hell did he pull them out of?? :biggrin: In typical KLR owner's fashion he had an entire set of spare bolts and nuts BUT no locktite :imaposer:
Sorry Thump, couldn't help myself there. :laughing4:
We were both buggered so decided to look at the overheating problem first thing in the morning. Once again the braai meat counldn't have tasted better, it was warm as in Pretoria warm in summer, perfect to be outdoors, eating meat and drinking beer. :thumleft:
A casualty of my leaking Energade was a pair of long johns. It's murphy's law the way the Energade has to stain that particular part front and rear. :
to be continued ... ...
The route:
Day 1
We met Saturday morning at the BP in Lorraine because we believe in supporting needy causes, as you know BP are in big trouble and need funds. We topped up and headed off along the M15 (Kragga Kamma). Thump took a few right and left turns here and there and we went past some place that has these:
They are called Alpacas and this place appears to breed them. The look like sheep that have been pulled on too hard at all the ends. Cool looking beasts, I wonder if they'd make good pets?
We then hopped onto the N2 and slabbed it to Hankey.
The above is a gratuitous pic of me on my bike. I'm including it in this report because I can :biggrin: I get a bit of flack for the big black thing I carry around on the back of the bike but it's a very good piece of equipment. It's called a Speedpack Wide and is sold by Bike Gear. I carry everything I need and more. It is strapped easily and quickly to the bike and does not work loose on technical dirt roads. The quality is phenomenal.
Stopping for coffee near the Saartjie Baartman Memorial in Hankey
Thumps KLR
Thump knows this area backwards as he has camped all over the Baviaans area with his family, I feel quite lucky to have him as my 'tour guide'. We go to check out the nearby Phillips Tunnel which was built to transport water I think. Normally filled with bats hanging from the ceiling and lots of bat crap on the ground we ventured in. It turned out to be very dry, very little crap and not much mud.
Light at the end of the tunnel. Phillips Tunnel is more of a cave as the other side is so small only a very small dude could crawl through.
Thump is always eager to go a little further off the beaten track and although I don't initially appreciate it, it makes me realize the need to push my boundaries more often. I followed Thump around a few farming roads and we ended up right on the Gamtoos River. This is the first time I'd ever encountered this:
Right out of my comfort zone I did everything you shouldn't do on loose ground and looked down and went too slowly. Thump powered ahead as if it was a normal gravel road as I turned around to wait. Another day, another time I'll try this stuff out again, it's all in the head!
This is what Thump saw around the corner while I waited
A little further on we pulled into Heronsklip Campsite to check it out. Very nice campsite on the river and a good fishing spot
We went straight on into the Baviaans, taking it very slowly. It was a PERFECT day, not cold, not too hot. You have to pay R30 per person and fill in some paperwork as you enter the Baviaans proper, even if you're just passing through. It's not too much too pay. It looks like the money has gone into maintaining the road, it is now much more to the liking of GS1200 riders and Harleys ;D It has been filled in well enough for a sedan car to pass through, I remember it being fairly challenging before in places, now it's a walk in the park.
Check the perfectly clear skies, it was a great day to be there!
After climbing to the top of the first pass you ride along the top for a bit until you have to descend again. Before heading down into the kloof we stopped to go see the well known cable.
Looks like it was completely imported from England back in the day judging by the names on the components.
This is all that is anchoring it, but it's stood the test
If you walk further down and away from the cable you see this
Carrying on we see this. It all looks beautiful, if only I could remember what it's called. The problem with the Baviaans is that every &*(%$ bend has a bloody name
A little further on we stop near some campsite for lunch. Thump leads me through thorn laden paths to get to the river. Thump does this often :biggrin: Despite foraging often in thorn dense territory we both survived puncture free for the whole trip. :thumleft:
A couple of pics from a lookout point further on. Note the perfect weather!
Thump using his camera skills to good effect:
A little later we get to the end of the kloof where we sign out and carry on a few kilometres to this place. Anybody recognize where this is?
Thump has noticed a strange knocking or vibration sound from his bike and has stopped here to investigate. Turns out his crash bar is poked. Ever resourceful Thump fixed the problem with wire found nearby and a leatherman :thumleft: isn't KLR ownership fun ;D
I notice my numberplate is only hanging on one side and fix that pretty quickly. Rumbling around through my pack it also turns out a bottle of Energade has emptied itself over my stuff. :eek7:
Randoms
The XT is so fast Thump's camera can't cope
This photo was taken some way past the Baviaans as we looped back toward Steytlerville to get to Marlu Guest House. It was close to dusk, mid-winter and it was gloriously warm, I just felt damn good to be in my own skin that afternoon. Good weather does make a trip that much better.
Thump is pretty skillful with the camera and took some great vids in particular this trip.
Self portrait
As we get quite close to Marlu it is now pitch dark. At the turnoff Thump gets off his bike to tell me his bike is getting very hot and that the fan hasn't come on for quite a while. The rear luggage rack has also become very loose and he has to take it easy for the next few k's.
This is Marlu Guest House. For those of you who might be interested it is a fully equipped self-catering Guest House that will easily sleep 6 to possibly 10 people. It has everything, you only need to bring food and drink. They provide wood for the braai as well at no extra charge. The cost was R175 per person per night. Not bad.
We had the resident pooch for company
While the fire was doing it's thing Thump was having a go at fixing his luggage rack. Fortunately he had the entire tool department of Builder's Warehouse at his disposal, where they hell did he pull them out of?? :biggrin: In typical KLR owner's fashion he had an entire set of spare bolts and nuts BUT no locktite :imaposer:
Sorry Thump, couldn't help myself there. :laughing4:
We were both buggered so decided to look at the overheating problem first thing in the morning. Once again the braai meat counldn't have tasted better, it was warm as in Pretoria warm in summer, perfect to be outdoors, eating meat and drinking beer. :thumleft:
A casualty of my leaking Energade was a pair of long johns. It's murphy's law the way the Energade has to stain that particular part front and rear. :
to be continued ... ...
