Weekend Training in Aberdeen, with Country TRAX Guy's

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Tiger8

Race Dog
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
2,257
Reaction score
52
Location
Eastern Cape
Bike
KTM 950 Adventure S
Well I reckon I have been living vicariously (sjoe big word) through you good folk for awhile now, so I will attempt to repay in kind. This is my 1st Ride Report and I trust it will measure upto the Hounds exacting standards  ;)

I became the proud owner of my very own DS motorcycle 6 weeks ago and couldn't wait to venture out into the exciting back and beyond, as I see and read so many times in the past year from you fellow dogs. I am determined not to let my "new" baby go to waste and I want to know more about these amazing machines and what they are capable of...........this can be a bit daunting as I have been riding tar all my life and recently started riding Enduro bikes. Now I am pretty confident on the road and with a plastic, can hold my own, probably not as good as most of you guy's though, who in the RR's are my hero's and the ladies definitely my heroines! some of the girls here can rock-on-a-bike :thumleft:

I spoke to my mate Jupiter and he advised doing a riding course, so I checked out the options for a training date as soon as possible. Country Trax was offering one on the 5 Nov 2011 - cool! Told Mrs. T about this and got her "blessing", as I wanted to do this on my own, then later with her as pillion - understand that pillion riding is nothing new to us, Mrs T has been my pillion for many moons and we enjoy our biking 100's. BUT riding pillion on tar at speed is VERY Different to riding Gravel and Trail 2-up and for her safety and my sanity, instruction was advised.
Background story.............done! :D

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NOW the RR  >:D
The training was to take place on Derrick's farm, one of the Instructor's, near Aberdeen. I decided to ride through early on the Saturday and stay over on Sat night. The guy's from Country Trax sent through a list of what is needed/required for the day and instructions on how to get to the venue, must say Celia, the booking lady is very helpful and friendly.
Early on Sat morning 4am, I have been awake since 3.30am, I get up and ready for the day ahead - now any and all who know me will not believe that I am up at this time of day, for Anything. I normally see 7 o'clock only once a day  ;D I felt like a little boy on Christmas morning, I checked double checked all my "Stuff" including the now obligatory "Calf Rope" (tow rope under the seat), never leave home without the opportunity to score a movie deal! Thanks to Hoofseun!!! :biggrin: :biggrin:

I leave all fired up, sun still hiding under the sea, must just point out that I battled to setup my gps as the Mapsource software kept bombing out my Garmin, why will become apparent soon.........I promised Mrs T that I will behave myself and control the speed demon - ja right  :D Down the N2 towards Uitenhage I glide, though glide isn't a word i associate with big twins at low speed, more like bounce, my Triumph 1050ST triple motor is FAR smoother. Beautiful morning, don't often experience this awesome time of day, must do it more often I say to myself, even the streets are quiet no sound but the growl of the 950 KTM just heavenly. I am being good and keep to posted speeds, as I said to the Mrs, otherside the Kirkwood turn-off the temp drops and I start to shiver like crazy, should have left the thermal lining in my riding pants, my legs vibrate from cold, not in time with the beat of the Twin, but like a "kaalgat Kalkoen" at Thankgiving, manne maar dit is "Leeukop Koud", it is said that the coldest time of day is just before sunrise, well the bloody sun was taking his time this morning. I am still on the tar as I want to get to Aberdeen by 7.30am to fill-up for the training day, I am not stopping as I am riding quite slowly (110-120km) and don't know how long this trip is going to take. I have never ridden the route plotted on the gps, and it say's 2h47min duration.

I turn onto the R329 towards Steytlerville and reckon that I am still good for time, I pass a dirt road and the GPS blinks a furious Red! It indicates that I have reached my next way point, can't be, I am supposed to be riding the "quick" tar route to Aberdeen, no dirt forecast....mmmm I remember last time in Jhb at the beginning of the year I defied the almighty gps and was lost for an hour and some, I paid those school fees, wasn't about to make the same mistake twice  :xxbah: So I turn onto the dirt road, maybe there is tar further on.................... I ride 5, 10, 15km no tar, there is no-one around to ask directions to Klipplaat ( not that a man with a gps EVER asks for directions  :eek:) I figure keep going you are on an Adventure Bike, enjoy the adventure, only thing is the time factor and fuel levels are a bit worrisome, there is sweet fanny blow-all everywhere, I could be in the Australian out back, cause even the sheep ran at the sight of a man.
A ways down the road the gps starts to flash red again, telling me to turn left, I don't remember there being any turn-off on the road to Klipplaat as it was supposed to be a straight stretch of road, but then Mapsource also said it was TAR! so I figure that this may have been a detour on the route sorted by Garmin, ek volg maar. I hook left thinking the road probably routes through the hills, I don't mind the passes and the country side should be scenic, so on I venture into the foothills of the Karoo. Now if Mrs T was pillion today I would know exactly where I am and where I should be going, not so boy's?  >:D
I travel about 25km down this lekker road with its cuttings and whoops with the drifts that sneak up on you in the morning overcast, then it happens again, that flashing red left turn notification on the gps, I slow down, check my direction on my compass and take reading with the “sun and stokkie" on my watch, like they teach in scouts, NEE Magtig man, I am heading back towards PE, not good, this gps thing has me riding in circles, I don't have the time or fuel budgeted for this diversion, WHY now, Why this morning, when there is a mission to accomplish, Bliksemstarale en Donnerweer. I check with Mr Garmin and Associates, I go through the setting menu, check all I can understand, then I see it............AG JOU POEPOL is jy vertraag of wat Tiger8?  :xxbah: I forgot to change the setting from Paved roads only, the bloody machine was taking me back to a tar road! Time 7.20am, distance to Aberdeen 90km, plus refill, plus 20km's to the farm.
Now I am in the Kark, the manual for the KTM Adv 950S says +-320km including reserve, I am cutting it FINE, either I make it or I don't, I turn around and hope for the best....
I am doing this course so I may learn more about the Bike, my Ability and how the beast responds to me, I know I promised Mrs T I will stick to the Posted speeds, and I did, so far. I looked but could see no speed signs anywhere, so I say's to myself, "Self here is no Speed Signs, so it is NO Retsrictions..........he he he" >:D
Let me vertell to you good folk, this KTM is nice on tar.........................but I didn't know how great it is on dirt, till Now. I saw the speedo creep past the highway speed mark by a few cm, the wind was pushing from the side, the gravel loose, life in the next 40min was very exciting. The interphone rings, it's the missus, I slow down so I can hear her over the wind and roar, conversation something like this "Hi darling, no I am OK.........no the bike is lekker................ja am doing the speed limit, just making up a bit of time, slight detour.....................ja will call from the farm......bye". Don't want to alarm the loving soul on the other end, she has no Idea, nor I for that matter, that I am running out of fuel.Not a 100yrs later, the orange light starts flashing like a speedcop in the mirror, so I push her a bit harder. Now ktmrules said that I have about 60km's when the light starts to flash, but that is riding like a scholar and gentleman of which I am neither at this point. I am 45km into reserve and I don't know how much further I can go at my current and sustained speed of 150+..........did I mention I was running late. Just when I thought i am going to enjoy a nice walk in the Karoo Countryside, Aberdeens church spire pierces the morning sky, never has a church signalled Salvation more than at that moment in time.
I made it to the farm by 8.20am, to be met by a brigade of BMW's, Ag No! I thought this was a mixed course  ;D

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This is the group for the day

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This is Soutie, a fellow WD


Derrick met me and sorted me with coffee and rooster brood (the best I have ever tasted, thanks Umelda and the ladies). From there the introductions flowed and new friends were met. Whether we just started or have been at it a lifetime, we bond through our bikes. One of the things I take away from this initial meeting is that when we ride together, we rely on each other, no matter who we are or what we ride.
Marchant, Derrick and Mark were to be our instructor for the day, and they are good at what they do, never once a negative word or patience lost with us. The theory part of the course was informative, even after many years of riding and road courses done. Marchant and Derrick explained the design/riding dynamics and principals of motorcycle riding off-road and demonstrated the same with a humility that inspires a novice to be better than he is and a rider who may have lost confidence in himself and his/her bike to see past the obstacle or mental block.
All three guy's are accomplished riders who know how to convey their knowledge to others, not once did we feel like inferior riders who had to perform or do something we were incapable of, each exercise, each step, built confidence in the students. From the balancing of the bikes, which made us realise that although the bike is big and can have considerable mass, if we master balance we can overcome the fear of the bikes size, (I am 6'4", so not easily intimidated but there were shorter folk in the class who were) these guy's helped us see the bike for what it is, a tool to be enjoyed and respected. If you know how something works and what is required to make it obey your will, the fear of the unknown is removed, but this is NOT a license for stupidity.

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Throughout the day we were taught many things and at the end of the morning we were riding soft surfaces in tight spaces and mastering the ride. Of course I dropped the Beast, but was forgiven as I tried again.
The most defining lesson for me was Emergency breaking in the dirt and soft stuff, once again the guys demonstrated and encouraged. Now for me the most unnatural and sphincter tightening thing to do is break hard on an unstable surface, causing the bike to snake and then stop, buy the end of the lesson it was second nature, even lekker because it felt like throwing the WR450F around, except the Beast has some weight  :D just when I thought we were done with crazy braking, Marchant reckons "uh uh, nou gaan jy dit met die voor wiel ook doen" I'm like, is jy Bef*&*&K! :biggrin:
What a day of highs, great instruction, good folk and new friends.

This is how it should be done.....
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This is our attempts, which went went from tentative to "Exciting"
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To Anelle, RESPECT, you fell of that bike a number of times and many a guy would have given up, even Richard her hubby reckons he would have quit long ago and gone home, But ALL Credit to her and a testament to the motivational powers of the instructors, she got up one more time than she fell down and did everything the guy's did. This girl is a tough cookie, she is +-5'2" tall with a spirit that is indomminable  :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft: this is the kind of person I would ride with any day.

This is how her confidence increased, go girl!
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Even the steeds looked for shade in the midday heat.
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The catering was excellent, we were fed like kings, with a cooked  meal for lunch, lekker Babotie and all the trimmings and a very cheap honesty bar. During the course of a very hot day, we were kept hydrated with water and energade by the support staff and oh yes did I mention the awesome Roosterbrood, I think i must have had 20 they were so lekker!
I was going to camp there that evening, but Derrick said no worries there will be a mattress or couch available that evening, as Marchant, Mark, Derrick and Johan & his family were going to stay in the farm house, I was expecting a patch of floor to dos down on in the lounge, next thing I have a room and comfy bed to myself and Derrick is camping with his boet in the lounge, hospitality like this is only found with the good folk in small towns.
Derrick organised a lekker braai later that evening for those who were staying over on the farm. Lamb chops, Pork chops, boerie and Chicken Sosaties, with salads and you guessed it rooster brood. The talk around the fire is subdued but with the warmth of camaraderie of fellow riders.

Guys, you made this an awesome weekend adventure for me and the other folk who came to learn. I will definitely attend any future courses that you present, if any WD's want a lekker weekend where you can actually learn something new or brushup on something old, these are the guys to talk to. Country Trax, you guy's rock. Thanks to Jupiter who encouraged this whole adventure, it was worth more than the little bit that I spent, just in the value of new friends.
Marchant, as jy die lees, ek is amper ook "Windgat" :imaposer: :imaposer: :imaposer: Des lag nog steeds oor die!
Derrick, Mark julle manne is "sout van die aarde", baie dankie vir n ongelooflike naweek, ek oefen al wat geleer is, al die pad huis toe, dankie aan al drie julle manne en families wat so goed vir ons gesorg het.
Vir die manne en dame wat saam geleer het, dit was n plesier om julle to leer ken - ne Soutie en Jason.
Johan ek het lekker saamgery Graaf-Reinette toe, ek hoop ons paaie kruis in die toekoms en ons ry weer n pad saam.

Riding the Box is difficult enough on a looong KTM with the steering locks almost full out, then Marchant, Derrick and Mark decide to make it more nerve racking, THANKS Guys  :biggrin:
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Unfortunately my camera battery died, so no pics of the ride home, thanks for reading guy's, I will post less writing and more pics in future RR's.

Here are a few pics of the surrounding Area:
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