- Joined
- May 21, 2009
- Messages
- 1,213
- Reaction score
- 45
- Bike
- Suzuki DR650
:imaposer:
Slipping and sliding into Robertson
EVER watched a fly, which has fallen into a pot of chocolate sauce or cream try and flap its wings buzz like mad but hardly make headway.
Well rainy and stormy Saturday saw Calle and I find ourselves in very much the fly’s situation as we exited Eilandia and headed up the pass and over to reach Route 62.
Kindly the roads department has been busy upgrading the road and to teach all motorists a great lesson in mud skating topped the surface with bright red clay like topsoil.
And true to form. A road sign read. Slippery when wet!!!
And thanks to the constant rain the road looked like the Orange River about to come down in flood. To add insult to injury we unfortunately met up with the Saturday morning Eilandia shoppers all returning from Roberston.
Picture us trying to stay in the middle of the road to stay well away from the steep camber where we would have soon fallen and bakkies, cars and all other means of cages transport coming down hill straight for us.
But we survived arrived in Roberston and warmed up on several well wooded reds.
The story begins when Calle called to go on a Saturday ride and left the route to me to sort out. I suggested Robertson on as much gravel as we could find as I have ridden the area many times and only two or three weeks ago rode with Andy and Wayne on much the same route to visit Fenderbender.
Waking on Saturday the weather in Cape Town was bright and beautiful. We met at the BP station at Klapmuts and agreed what a day for a ride. A group of serious canoeists boasting the latest and greatest craft for river running also pulled in. I never gave this a thought as the weather was bright and sunny.
Over coffee and hot chocolate in Franschhoek we discussed the heavy looking weather on the pass but decided on the Villiersdorp side it would sure to be clear.
How wrong can one be. Wherever we headed the rain seem to be like a magnet drawing us into the storm.
Heading out of Villiersdorp it increased in intensity and by the time we hit the gravel on the route to Doorn rivier it was a steady stream.
But here the road is pretty hard, fairly well drained and riding was pleasant if not a tad wet.
All went well and for a short while the rain actually stopped.
Leading I should have taken more note of the group of mountain bikers approaching us all looking as if they had fallen into a red paint pot. Or maybe they were bleeding to death.
Also I noticed but kept extremely quiet as I saw the canoeists paddling in the river near Eilandia. They must have taken heed of the weather report on yr.no.
Not so the route out of Eilandia proved to be the ultimate in slip sliding.
Maybe I should have brought out the jetski!
Well we warmed up at the Piano Bar and railway carriages in Robertson while the owner awaited 20 road bikers who had called from Worcester more than an hour before.
Could they be on Harleys?
Not so as we were ready to depart they arrived. The super bike brigade, who immediately hit the hard stuff. Hopefully that was where they were spending the weekend.
We headed out of Robertson and for a while it was dry. But alas not for long.
As we hit the gravel again at Rooiberg Winery on the way to Nuy that great magnet in the sky again drew us into another storm.
Fortunately Saggy Brewery was open and while Calle tasted their best beer we dined on the best Ale Pies I have ever tasted since dining in Liverpool a couple of years ago.
A short ride deeper into the valley is the Stone Lapa a great place to spend a quiet weekend.
Lunch over new friends made we headed for Nuy and then on the backroads to Robertson and home over Du Toits.
And ,you guessed it.
The weather was clear and great.
Unfortunately no Photos. The weather was terrible.
Slipping and sliding into Robertson
EVER watched a fly, which has fallen into a pot of chocolate sauce or cream try and flap its wings buzz like mad but hardly make headway.
Well rainy and stormy Saturday saw Calle and I find ourselves in very much the fly’s situation as we exited Eilandia and headed up the pass and over to reach Route 62.
Kindly the roads department has been busy upgrading the road and to teach all motorists a great lesson in mud skating topped the surface with bright red clay like topsoil.
And true to form. A road sign read. Slippery when wet!!!
And thanks to the constant rain the road looked like the Orange River about to come down in flood. To add insult to injury we unfortunately met up with the Saturday morning Eilandia shoppers all returning from Roberston.
Picture us trying to stay in the middle of the road to stay well away from the steep camber where we would have soon fallen and bakkies, cars and all other means of cages transport coming down hill straight for us.
But we survived arrived in Roberston and warmed up on several well wooded reds.
The story begins when Calle called to go on a Saturday ride and left the route to me to sort out. I suggested Robertson on as much gravel as we could find as I have ridden the area many times and only two or three weeks ago rode with Andy and Wayne on much the same route to visit Fenderbender.
Waking on Saturday the weather in Cape Town was bright and beautiful. We met at the BP station at Klapmuts and agreed what a day for a ride. A group of serious canoeists boasting the latest and greatest craft for river running also pulled in. I never gave this a thought as the weather was bright and sunny.
Over coffee and hot chocolate in Franschhoek we discussed the heavy looking weather on the pass but decided on the Villiersdorp side it would sure to be clear.
How wrong can one be. Wherever we headed the rain seem to be like a magnet drawing us into the storm.
Heading out of Villiersdorp it increased in intensity and by the time we hit the gravel on the route to Doorn rivier it was a steady stream.
But here the road is pretty hard, fairly well drained and riding was pleasant if not a tad wet.
All went well and for a short while the rain actually stopped.
Leading I should have taken more note of the group of mountain bikers approaching us all looking as if they had fallen into a red paint pot. Or maybe they were bleeding to death.
Also I noticed but kept extremely quiet as I saw the canoeists paddling in the river near Eilandia. They must have taken heed of the weather report on yr.no.
Not so the route out of Eilandia proved to be the ultimate in slip sliding.
Maybe I should have brought out the jetski!
Well we warmed up at the Piano Bar and railway carriages in Robertson while the owner awaited 20 road bikers who had called from Worcester more than an hour before.
Could they be on Harleys?
Not so as we were ready to depart they arrived. The super bike brigade, who immediately hit the hard stuff. Hopefully that was where they were spending the weekend.
We headed out of Robertson and for a while it was dry. But alas not for long.
As we hit the gravel again at Rooiberg Winery on the way to Nuy that great magnet in the sky again drew us into another storm.
Fortunately Saggy Brewery was open and while Calle tasted their best beer we dined on the best Ale Pies I have ever tasted since dining in Liverpool a couple of years ago.
A short ride deeper into the valley is the Stone Lapa a great place to spend a quiet weekend.
Lunch over new friends made we headed for Nuy and then on the backroads to Robertson and home over Du Toits.
And ,you guessed it.
The weather was clear and great.
Unfortunately no Photos. The weather was terrible.
