falling foul at breedt's nek pass

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wino

Race Dog
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
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Honda XL650V Transalp
So yesterday I had a client meeting in Rustenburg. Having had no need for the usual suit attire I decided that it would be good to go with the bike. On my way back I had an idea to go across Breedtsnek ? a pass that has been well documented before by the Voels and me. So off I set, early in the morning it promised to be a great day to be in the open ? no wind, no prediction of rain. :D

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Olifantsnek ? looks more like tusks to me, but nevertheless, a spectacular formation:

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Olifantsnek Dam:

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And after the meeting was over and the niceties were exchanged I took the road from Rustenburg to Sparkling Waters, where I would get onto the pass:

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I?ve never done the pass from this side, it?s like slipping in the back door :twisted: :

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I?ve ridden the pass a few times before (KiLeR, this is where you guys stayed last year) and it has always been a comfortable ride. However, with the heavy rains of the past few months a lot of the bedrock is exposed and much of the road is covered by miniature boulders:

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At the top of the pass I turned slightly off the beaten track for the panoramic view of the Buffelspoort Dam, way yonder:

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Also at the top of the pass is a ?road? leading up even further. I think it was formed by the water that usually runs from the mountain and was eventually converted by 4x4?s to a kind of track. No prob, been on it many times before, and hey, last time that a ride report was done on this pass this track was found to be GS safe! :wink:

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Right at the top of the pass:

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Mmm, another track leading down into the valley, and I could see a further track up against the mountain again. Mesmerisingly, I was drawn to it:

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It proved to be a lot more technical than the first track, with lots of mini boulders and pebblesand that appears hard packed, but sometimes just sinks away. Twice I found the backwheel just spinning around and I got parked at 90 degrees in the veld.

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Eventually I decided that I was losing my sense of stupidity and reason kicked in. I?d rather come back another time with some buds to help me drag this heavy bike out.

On my way down I made a mental note of this part of the track ? a flat piece of rock lying at a 90 degree angle drop. Coming back up I had to make a quick call: try and run up the rock or into the veld; decided to run up the bedrock?and the ta got stuck on its belly, well the exhaust to be more precise. And the back wheel just made an unnecessary hole.

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So it was standing and rocking the bike, moving mm?s at a time until the bike was in a position to ride again. Back on track again and down the pass:

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The damage ? hopefully it will burn through soon so that I can ?upgrade? the zorst!

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Geez, it was time for a beer?

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:p
 
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