Cape Town to Brandvlei and back - solo, DIY

Ja, so I ended up doing it solo.

Turned out to have been one of the best trips ever. I decide to ride up to Ceres, turn right at Op die Berg and then proceed to Wupperthal. After Wupperthal I turned right on small road with LOTS of farm gates.

Then I joined the R355 and headed north to Calvinia and then off to Brandvlei to drink at the Windpomp bar. Got a room and crashed early.

Got up and rode back early on Sunday morning, straight down on R355 to Ceres. Magic. Was in Cape Town at 13:00. Poured a stiff B&C. Lekker.

Here are the photies and short captions:

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL023.jpg

I always stop here in Ceres for some, er, refreshments if I head that way.

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL025.jpg

At the top of Gydo Pass. Can't think of anything clever to say.

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL027.jpg

The dirt has started. Mount Ceder is a few kays away. So are the cold beers...

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL028.jpg

But first I have to stop for some coffee I bought at the shop in Ceres! :wink:

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL029.jpg

Mount Ceder is in the distance...

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL030.jpg

...but if you carry on past it, you reach the Cederberg Oasis. Then you have a quick B&C and laugh at the sweating mountain bikers. :twisted:

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL032.jpg

Past Truitjieskraal, on my way to Wupperthal

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL037.jpg

Above Eselsbank, where one very shitfaced local just wanted to talk. His name was Jerome or Elroy or Leroy or Jermaine or whatever. Had me laughing :lol:

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL038.jpg

Approaching Wupperthal

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL040.jpg

Filling up in Wupperthal. Or rather, trying to. After 14:00 it's a mission. But just as any local where "Aunty Soph" is. She's in charge of the pump. So I gooied 7 litres of LRP and hoped it would mix with the unleaded and not fry my catalytic converter... :?

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL044.jpg

17 kms after Wupperthal I turned right on this amazing road along the Biedouwrivier. But be warned, in winter flooded rivers will make it impassaable. Awesome, except for the shitload of gates. Only because I'm a Boerseun did I close every single one of them

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL046.jpg

NOG 'n hek...

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL047.jpg

Winter rain = no thoroughfare. You can't get a nice perspective from the photo. Sand was very tricky, interspersed with rond, uncooperative rocks. Worked up quite a sweat to get through in one piece

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL048.jpg

Another frikking gate

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL050.jpg

Stopping for some much needed 'coffee' :twisted:

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL053.jpg

Die Windpomp kroeg in Brandvlei. Quite an anticlimax. According to Dana Snyman the bars in the platteland only rock on Fridays. "Saterdae is hulle moeggedrink," sez he...

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL054.jpg

Sunday morning in Calvinia. Did the 150 km from Brandvlei in just under an hour. Hehehehehe :lol:

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL055.jpg

Ooh, yeah. The awesome R355 - 252 uninterrupted kms of which 200 is gravel.

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL056.jpg

150 - 160 km/h no problems. SITTING DOWN you Lifestyle morons!

https://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w317/jkirsten_2007/MGL057.jpg

Look carefully and check my dust. Had to brake quickly, demount, whip out camera, by which time most of it was skoonveld. After this I proceeded to do some SERIOUS steeking home.

I left Brandvlei 08:15 and reached home @ 13:00. Just over 550 kms. Rear knobbly needs replacement - will be doing advanced sand riding course at Klipbokkop soon.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it :wink: