For all of you….who begged and swore at me…for not posting a RR yet…here it is…..or the start of it rather.
I intentionally delayed starting the report….because the bare thought of starting with it…made me miserable.
Every time I looked or even glanced at a photo or had a glimpse of a memory of the trip…I wanted to be back there again. Eventually I got started…but I never realised how much work this was. I’m at least two ride reports behind…and this photobucket links and codes and what have you is all new to me.
So it took me a couple of days writing the actual report from what I could remember and looking at my notes….and then the rude awakening came…if you want to do it properly.
So after countless times of trying loading up all our photos to photobucket (with mixed success) I decided to do it day after day….and here is day one…the rest will follow shortly.
OK….after some months of planning (many planning sessions was interrupted by too much red wine….so we had to had many sessions ) we got on the road on Friday morning, the 22nd of April.
We were due for an epic 11 day trip across our beloved country…just the two of us. Cocky being the much more experienced rider….en me the noob. I had a lot to learn and I planned to make the most of it. No group pressure from too many people and I planned to bring my new Katoom home in the same condition as the day that we left. Us too….falling and braking bones etc was not on the cards.
The Thursday afternoon before we left I fitted a new set of tyres on the Katoom…..Michelin’s all round…T63 on the front and a very aggressive Desert at the back. I sommer looked the part
Our trip was going to be in the reason of around 4000km……so I was pondering while they fitted it if was the right decision. More about the tyre a bit later.
Whilst there…..Gryshond was also getting some tyres fitted and 3 more Dawgs pulled in at the same time almost…Boer, Werfetter2 en Nomad. Almal baie jaloers natuurlik oor ons trip!! :ricky:
We made some small talk…had a quick beer and I was off again…..I still had to go past Stofstreep’s house for GPS and GoPro lessions…..and then packing of course.
The night before….we got together by Cocky’s place for final checks. I made biltong, cheese and grilled chicken samies and I must say…..we were both pretty tired. I think the long awaited time has come….all the excitement and anticipation took its toll and we couldn’t wait to get onto our scooters and hit the road.
After waiting weeks for my new Garmin Oregon 550 GPS…it finally arrived the Thursday before we were due to depart…so you can imagine that I was heavy excited about getting it fitted and taking it along for the trip. If I had to rely on Cocky’s GPS capabilities…..it was going to be a long trip.
So….our good friend “Shebangedwho”…offered to assist and actually connect to GPS wire directly onto the battery of my KTM.
Hey tsek man...ek weet wat ek doen
Now I don’t know much about voltage and those type of things……I leave it up to the pro’s…but even pro’s can make a mistake…pro’s like Shebanggu. He blew it….the GPS…literally…
eepwall: ot:
OK....HKGK..... :imaposer:
In hindsight maybe it wasn’t so bad after all…..instead of playing with my new toy on the trip…I could keep my eyes on the road.
Since then, Garmin replaced the unit under a factory warranty.........phew!!! Baie dankie vir Shebanggu wat bereid was om te help tot laat die aand...dit was amper 'n duur les maar dit het baie mooi uitgewerk op die einde!! Shot dude!! :thumleft:
O ja...en voor ek vergeet...duisend dankies vir die HID.....dit het meer as net opgemaak vir die tydelike teleurstelling! Soos ek gese het.....ek sou tien teen een my k@kker af geval het erens terwyl ek op die GPS gespeel het en nie vir die pad gekyk het nie!
My new boots....Marc Coma wannabee.........
Day 1:
Pretoria to Smithfield
The other downside of my GPS being brokeeeeen……was that Cocky had to use his GPS…and it doesn’t take tracks. So the culprit who blew it…offered to use Stoffie’s first two day’s tracks…map a route…and convert it so that we could use it on Cocky’s device.
That needless to say didn’t work….and when we got to Meyerton…the GPS went haywire and tried to send us back home. Luckily I had the names of the dorpies that we were supposed to go to….I pulled out my pocket book atlas and Cocky put them in as waypoints and off we went…no problem. DANKIE STOFFIE!! :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:
When we got to Deneysville…..we checked our route again and the next dorpie on the list was Koppies. I didn’t read properly…and Cocky didn’t hear properly…so he started to search for Knoppies….and when he got Knoppiesfontein…..he said “GO”eepwall:
BLIKSEM.....
Lost...but we don't know it yet....
Funny….I’m riding to Knoppiesfontein…which is completely in the wrong direction…and we go past the place where I had a rear puncture on the FS Bash….and in the back of my mind I briefly thought…this is strange…I can’t remember that we were supposed to come past here…..and when we got to Karan Beef just outside Heidelberg…we both looked at each other and started laughing. Anyhow….just 40kms detour. :deal: :deal: :deal:
We stopped at the garage outside Heidelberg….had something that eat that we packed the night before….and back we went as we came. :3some:
Almost back to Deneysville…I saw this awesome field on my left and I pointed to Cocky that he must look for an open gate….I wanted to take a photo in the middle of the field. There was an entrance right at the end of the field…so in we went.
So maak mens
Weapons of choice
Uit die stad uit
Tyd vir 'n rus kansie
Een van menigte mooi kerke
Nog 'n kerk
Then we went via Petrus Steyn to Marquard…had an awesome lunch there and plenty of BMW’s with lots of twatsuits and Tupperware on the bikes….off to BMW Bike Fest we assumed.
Even saw a couple of bikes that was being trailered down.
Fietse soek ook kos
Then we hit Clocolan….what a beautiful little pass on the way…Ladybrand, Hobhouse, Wepener and to Smithfield for our first nights rest.
Locals looking at these mad Dawgs
Due to our detour we were running late and had to push a bit on the gravel….going between 130 and 140 km/h. The sun was setting right in our eyes…so it was difficult to see exactly where to go.
Hence my two tank slappers in the sand right after each other…..sanity prevails…well sometime…and I suddenly decided that I was a lot more comfortable under those conditions at 100 clicks per hour.
We got there in the dark and found Pula Victorian guest house without any effort.
When we got there….the place was dark and no sign of Fabrice. Soon another car stopped with a hot lady and her mom. They had Fabrice’s cell number and he was on the way. Soon he stopped with the whole the local area's combined SPCA jumping out the car.
He opened up for us and gave me the room keys. Just to be on the safe side….I asked what the room arrangements were like. He looked at me and Cocky and surprisingly he said…”Sir...you asked for one double bed”
This time it was me and Cocky who looked at each other…very surpirised. ??? :biggrin:
Funny though…but he quickly arranged for an outside chalet with two rooms. Cool…we were in business.
We were tired, thirsty and hungry. In our full kit with luggage still on….we got on the bikes and rode to his restaurant in town. He doesn’t have a liquor license but I arranged with him to make a plan for us. Beers wasn’t cold but the food was great even though we had to wait the best part of an hour. While we waited we used his road atlas and we plotted the route for the next day.
We took a shower….separately of course…and while I was downloading the photies and camera recordings on my laptop….Cocky was busy getting his gear ready for the next day. I was still chatting to him when I heard him snoring. I got up, walked to his room and there he was…stone cold Steve Austin. :bueller: :bueller: :bueller:
Die Haan het geval.............
Bathroom
Our package included breakfast but we wanted to get on the road early so we arranged with the Frenchman to make us samies for the road. It was promptly delivered later that evening and I said to Cocky that I’m quite curious to see how creative he can be.
The package was big…and heavy….hmmmm hmmmm. More about the samies later. :3some:
Day 2 on da way!
I intentionally delayed starting the report….because the bare thought of starting with it…made me miserable.
Every time I looked or even glanced at a photo or had a glimpse of a memory of the trip…I wanted to be back there again. Eventually I got started…but I never realised how much work this was. I’m at least two ride reports behind…and this photobucket links and codes and what have you is all new to me.
So it took me a couple of days writing the actual report from what I could remember and looking at my notes….and then the rude awakening came…if you want to do it properly.
So after countless times of trying loading up all our photos to photobucket (with mixed success) I decided to do it day after day….and here is day one…the rest will follow shortly.
OK….after some months of planning (many planning sessions was interrupted by too much red wine….so we had to had many sessions ) we got on the road on Friday morning, the 22nd of April.
We were due for an epic 11 day trip across our beloved country…just the two of us. Cocky being the much more experienced rider….en me the noob. I had a lot to learn and I planned to make the most of it. No group pressure from too many people and I planned to bring my new Katoom home in the same condition as the day that we left. Us too….falling and braking bones etc was not on the cards.
The Thursday afternoon before we left I fitted a new set of tyres on the Katoom…..Michelin’s all round…T63 on the front and a very aggressive Desert at the back. I sommer looked the part
Our trip was going to be in the reason of around 4000km……so I was pondering while they fitted it if was the right decision. More about the tyre a bit later.
Whilst there…..Gryshond was also getting some tyres fitted and 3 more Dawgs pulled in at the same time almost…Boer, Werfetter2 en Nomad. Almal baie jaloers natuurlik oor ons trip!! :ricky:
We made some small talk…had a quick beer and I was off again…..I still had to go past Stofstreep’s house for GPS and GoPro lessions…..and then packing of course.
The night before….we got together by Cocky’s place for final checks. I made biltong, cheese and grilled chicken samies and I must say…..we were both pretty tired. I think the long awaited time has come….all the excitement and anticipation took its toll and we couldn’t wait to get onto our scooters and hit the road.
After waiting weeks for my new Garmin Oregon 550 GPS…it finally arrived the Thursday before we were due to depart…so you can imagine that I was heavy excited about getting it fitted and taking it along for the trip. If I had to rely on Cocky’s GPS capabilities…..it was going to be a long trip.
So….our good friend “Shebangedwho”…offered to assist and actually connect to GPS wire directly onto the battery of my KTM.
Hey tsek man...ek weet wat ek doen
Now I don’t know much about voltage and those type of things……I leave it up to the pro’s…but even pro’s can make a mistake…pro’s like Shebanggu. He blew it….the GPS…literally…
eepwall: ot:OK....HKGK..... :imaposer:
In hindsight maybe it wasn’t so bad after all…..instead of playing with my new toy on the trip…I could keep my eyes on the road.
Since then, Garmin replaced the unit under a factory warranty.........phew!!! Baie dankie vir Shebanggu wat bereid was om te help tot laat die aand...dit was amper 'n duur les maar dit het baie mooi uitgewerk op die einde!! Shot dude!! :thumleft:
O ja...en voor ek vergeet...duisend dankies vir die HID.....dit het meer as net opgemaak vir die tydelike teleurstelling! Soos ek gese het.....ek sou tien teen een my k@kker af geval het erens terwyl ek op die GPS gespeel het en nie vir die pad gekyk het nie!
My new boots....Marc Coma wannabee.........
Day 1:
Pretoria to Smithfield
The other downside of my GPS being brokeeeeen……was that Cocky had to use his GPS…and it doesn’t take tracks. So the culprit who blew it…offered to use Stoffie’s first two day’s tracks…map a route…and convert it so that we could use it on Cocky’s device.
That needless to say didn’t work….and when we got to Meyerton…the GPS went haywire and tried to send us back home. Luckily I had the names of the dorpies that we were supposed to go to….I pulled out my pocket book atlas and Cocky put them in as waypoints and off we went…no problem. DANKIE STOFFIE!! :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:
When we got to Deneysville…..we checked our route again and the next dorpie on the list was Koppies. I didn’t read properly…and Cocky didn’t hear properly…so he started to search for Knoppies….and when he got Knoppiesfontein…..he said “GO”
eepwall:BLIKSEM.....
Lost...but we don't know it yet....
Funny….I’m riding to Knoppiesfontein…which is completely in the wrong direction…and we go past the place where I had a rear puncture on the FS Bash….and in the back of my mind I briefly thought…this is strange…I can’t remember that we were supposed to come past here…..and when we got to Karan Beef just outside Heidelberg…we both looked at each other and started laughing. Anyhow….just 40kms detour. :deal: :deal: :deal:
We stopped at the garage outside Heidelberg….had something that eat that we packed the night before….and back we went as we came. :3some:
Almost back to Deneysville…I saw this awesome field on my left and I pointed to Cocky that he must look for an open gate….I wanted to take a photo in the middle of the field. There was an entrance right at the end of the field…so in we went.
So maak mens
Weapons of choice
Uit die stad uit
Tyd vir 'n rus kansie
Een van menigte mooi kerke
Nog 'n kerk
Then we went via Petrus Steyn to Marquard…had an awesome lunch there and plenty of BMW’s with lots of twatsuits and Tupperware on the bikes….off to BMW Bike Fest we assumed.
Even saw a couple of bikes that was being trailered down.
Fietse soek ook kos
Then we hit Clocolan….what a beautiful little pass on the way…Ladybrand, Hobhouse, Wepener and to Smithfield for our first nights rest.
Locals looking at these mad Dawgs
Due to our detour we were running late and had to push a bit on the gravel….going between 130 and 140 km/h. The sun was setting right in our eyes…so it was difficult to see exactly where to go.
Hence my two tank slappers in the sand right after each other…..sanity prevails…well sometime…and I suddenly decided that I was a lot more comfortable under those conditions at 100 clicks per hour.
We got there in the dark and found Pula Victorian guest house without any effort.
When we got there….the place was dark and no sign of Fabrice. Soon another car stopped with a hot lady and her mom. They had Fabrice’s cell number and he was on the way. Soon he stopped with the whole the local area's combined SPCA jumping out the car.
He opened up for us and gave me the room keys. Just to be on the safe side….I asked what the room arrangements were like. He looked at me and Cocky and surprisingly he said…”Sir...you asked for one double bed”
This time it was me and Cocky who looked at each other…very surpirised. ???
:biggrin:Funny though…but he quickly arranged for an outside chalet with two rooms. Cool…we were in business.
We were tired, thirsty and hungry. In our full kit with luggage still on….we got on the bikes and rode to his restaurant in town. He doesn’t have a liquor license but I arranged with him to make a plan for us. Beers wasn’t cold but the food was great even though we had to wait the best part of an hour. While we waited we used his road atlas and we plotted the route for the next day.
We took a shower….separately of course…and while I was downloading the photies and camera recordings on my laptop….Cocky was busy getting his gear ready for the next day. I was still chatting to him when I heard him snoring. I got up, walked to his room and there he was…stone cold Steve Austin. :bueller: :bueller: :bueller:
Die Haan het geval.............
Bathroom
Our package included breakfast but we wanted to get on the road early so we arranged with the Frenchman to make us samies for the road. It was promptly delivered later that evening and I said to Cocky that I’m quite curious to see how creative he can be.
The package was big…and heavy….hmmmm hmmmm. More about the samies later. :3some:
Day 2 on da way!
