The Leo goes hunting, but gets soaking wet!

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Leo

Grey Hound
WD Supporter
Joined
Jan 24, 2006
Messages
5,158
Reaction score
344
Location
Brakpan, South Africa
Bike
BMW R1200GS HP2
Jip Easter came and Easter went and now all we?re left with is the memories and the pics. Everybody seemed to be doing something, so I decided it was time for me to explore Northern KZN. Farao had sold her Funduro last year towards Dec, which meant that I would have to pillion, something I hate, not only because of the weight factor (Ok she's not fat), but if you know back seat driving?????. oooh forget it, you catch my drift.

A very loaded 1200GSA set wheels towards KZN, but a very late start meant that there was no way I would reach the coast even if travelling at above the legal speed limits, so instead I opted to head towards Badplaas, the destination I had originally chosen, but was voted a no no by the majority votes.
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It was a bit out of our way, but at least we were heading in the right direction.

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A quick stop for a beer in Chrissiemeer. Anyone knew there is over 240 lakes in a 20 km radius?

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I guess someone will pay this for a bonsai tree

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At the Forever Aventura Resort I was told they have no space, something I found hard to believe, so I asked for the manager, explained to her where we usually camped, and that I could hardly believe that the entire space was filled. I could easily believe the regular camping sites were out, as there were hundreds of people all over the restaurant, butchery and reception area.
Well eventually I convinced the manager that there was space, and again quarrelling the fact that I had to pay R180 for a camping spot, which I was not using (without power) I paid only the peak season rate of R108 pppn.

Got to our spot, with ample space to spare, so set about the usual camping things. After a quick dip in the hot pool we headed back to do the braai thing as some fairly threatening clouds were gathering on our western side, and I could see rain was eminent, just a matter of time. As the devil would want it, torrential rain started just as the blitz had caught alight. I put the braaier nexto a fence that seemed to block some of the rain, and jumped into the tent with my trusty gifkan, 2L coke and lotsa ice. I sat and watched a poor guy across the road as his fire which was made under a moerse tree, eventually just disappeared in a cloud of white smoke as the rain drowned it completely. About an hour later the rain changed to a slight drizzle and I to give the fire thing another try.

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To my amazement my charcoal was ready for some meat ? bright red coals fell from the bag. Somehow when I put the bag of charcoal sideways against the inside of the drum, I placed some blitz under it, and the entire inside of the bag was lit, but the upper side of the bag acted as a shield against the rain. Soon the fresh after rain smell had to make way for my skaaprib and wors smell - I was the envy of every camper around us who had lost his fire to the rain.
Saturday morning we rose to a slight drizzle, and I packed as quickly as possible and by 9 we were out of there.
Farao clearly not impressed with the shitty weather

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We headed south on some pretty scenic routes and eventually entered Piet Retief.

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During the ride we were soaked several times, but I must add the moerse fairing on the GSA shielded quite a bitta rain from the upper body.

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My travelling speed was paced by the thunderstorm that seemed to stay about 5 kays ahead of me if I stayed at or just below the legal limits.

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A quick stop in Jozini to fill Honey with some juice ? first top up since Pta, pretty awesome hey, and soon we were heading towards Sodwana or Lake Sibaya ? hadn?t decided yet. Not far outta town the road turned to gravel and with the storm just passed the road proved pretty challenging.

Just before the fun really started

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And interesting observation in the mud, presumably because of the damper, but my previous mud experience the bike would make a giant fishtail wobble and you?d loose the front end. Now the bike stayed perfectly aligned, but it slid sideways at a 45 degree angle till I eventually ended in the gutter nexto the road which had a very concave shape . I had no way of controlling the direction. Faroa was giving me some serious lip from the back, so after about 10 kays of this, and after a very close call which provoked load laughter from the locals by the roadside, I decided to head back to Jozini and take the tar road from there to Kosi bay. Man that heavy tank is no fun if the front wheel is clogged with mud and just wants to slip from underneath the bike. Murphy has sent us another rain storm, so as we turned around we rode straight into that one. Now lekker soaked with my moer meter in the red I finally made it back to the black stuff.

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From here we travelled in the rain non-stop till we reached Kosi Bay. Another surprise ? Kosi bay was some 5 kays off the black stuff, but I had to get there as camping at any other spot seemed no option. I?m not sure how much it had rained there, but I was travelling in a stream of water with several large pools, but fortunately a bakkie was just in front of me so I could gauge the depth from it.

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At the main gate I was told ?No bikes?. Fcuk.

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I managed to convince the lady that this was not motoX bike or quad, and after speaking to management, I convinced them that I was no ordinary biker scum ? just special biker scum. Turned out they had a hurricane like storm the day before that ripped tents and gazebo?s and send every Vaalie in a 5 mile radius straight back to Gauteng. I parked my bike in camping spot number 1, right on the beach and pitched tent.

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Rain was pouring down so a fish braai was only a rumour, so I head back into town and buy some Steers for supper along with some coke and ice. What a pleasure with all the weight off and not having to worry about the well being of another person. Took me the best part of 5 min to get back to town, and within 30 minutes I was back at the camping spot. Farao thought I had crooked somewhere along the line as it took us almost 20 minutes when we came the first time. Anyhow we settled for a pretty boring Steers supper and then some gifkan and coke till I eventually fell asleep at the sound of rain falling off the tent and waves crashing into the shore about 3 metres away.

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Sunday morning didn?t bring the sunny bright day I had hoped for; instead the rain became even harder.
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At 9?ish my moer meter hit the red, so I told Farao fcuk this, let?s pack and go somewhere the sun shines. She shared my sentiments, so an hour later we were outta there. I headed inland as I hoped we will find some good weather ? which I eventually did at Bethal.

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By now we were lekker soaked, so it didn?t take much to convince Farao that we should head home, giving me enough time to wash Honey, clean the tent and let it all dry before storing it.

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Sunday night I treated myself to a 600 gram steak, a nice bottle of red wine and some Jeagermeisters, so soon the water was flooded from my memory by alcohol. Now as I type here all the goodies are stored for the next trip, Honey is almost as clean as when I got her and I somehow feel I have a score to settle with northern KZN. Just not during the rainy season.

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Thanks Farao for coming alomng. T?wasn?t great, but it was an experience none the less

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