letsgofishing
Grey Hound
Fat B felt lus for a little ride to Die Hel, so with his superb organisational abilities, he arranged a couple of campsites for us for Monday 26 December.
The group consisted of Fat B - 1150GSA, Pad - 1200GS, Dusty - GS650, Gryph & Melissa - Africa Twin, KleinBietjieWyn (KBW) - TransAlp 700, Zirkie - 1200GSA, Hendrik & son - Africa Twin (sorry - forgotten your forum name) ,Firecoast - XT660, Bertie777 - KLR, Rynet - 1200GS, Tagsy - LandCruiser and myself - DRZ400.
We all met up at in Oudtshoorn, with the exception of Dusty & Pad and Rynet who were meeting us at WilgeWandel, and Firecoast who was on holiday and was riding directly to Die Hel.
The obligatory pic from Amanda's Grave if you're doing Monatague Pass
After a great breakfast at WilgeWandel we set off for the Swartberg Pass, with Zirkie and Hendrik going a head as they were riding back again the same day. Even though it was boxing day, thankfully there wasn't too much traffic on the roads. It was howling at Die Top, so we didn't hang around for a drinks break, but set off for the turn off to Die Hel.
FatB styling
Gryph & Melissa
Bertie777
KleinBietjieWyn
Zirkie
Dusty
Sorry, I don't know what happened to the exposure in here!
Pad
On the way up
Looking towards the Prince Albert side of the pass.
It took us the best part of 2 hours to get there with a couple of drinks breaks a long the way. These were REALLY necessary for a change ;D as it was getting hot - around 35C. We came across 2 young guys along the way who had ridden from Prince Albert - the madness of youth. On arriving at the shop, we met up with Firecoast and a round of cold ones were in order. The guys on bicycles arrived shortly after us - they overtook FatB along the way - had a a couple of cold drinks, a break and then set off back to PA. Tagsy and his wife arrived a bit later with a cooler box of ice, so we rode to the camp site to set up for the night. It was hot and humid, so immediately after pitching tents, we rode back to the shop and dived - not quite literately - into the pool, where we spent an hour or so relaxing and cooling off. Rynet took a number of pics and I'm sure she'll post them soon.
Zirkie and Hendrik & son set off back for MosselBay - it was a pity you couldn't have stayed over!
Along the way
It was really dry with only a few of the streams along the way running.
Still a long way to go
The road to hell...
Rynet on the last stretch
Nearly there
Bertie777 at the camp site showing Fat B's (and Firecoasts's) luxury accommodation for the night
Pad, Melissa, Gryph & KBW starting to unpack
Coming back from the swimming pool, I noticed my rear tyre was flat. Gryph and KBW wrestled for over an hour - trying to break the bead and getting the tyre off . I couldn't find a thorn?nail or what ever in the tyre and after having put the tube in a bowl of water, we couldn't find any trace of a puncture.
Then cam the mission of trying to put the tube back in. It was a XHD tube and KBW and Gryph just couldn't get the valve stem through the rim. This week, I'm going to find and buy one of those vavle stem guide-with-a-piece-of-wire-thingys! We decided to call it quits as by now it was getting dark.
We had a GREAT evening - a super bunch of people, good food, plenty to drink and countless laughs - Tagsy had some truly hilarious stories to tell!
Oh, and he also nearly swallowed a spider :imaposer:
The next morning bright and early, Gryph and KBW got the tube and tyre back on the rim and inflated it. No sign of a leak!
All we can think of is that the right-angled valve stem which I had lent to Pad to check his tyre pressure had not somehow seated properly when I replaced it and had slowly leaked all the air out!
Gryph and KBW, thank you so much once again for all your help - I owe you guys.
We packed up and headed to the shop for some tea and coffee before making our way back.
Bertie777 and Rynet, apologies for not saying good bye - I thought you were joining us for coffee! - hope you had a safe trip back.
We then headed back to WilgeWandel for breakfast. Thankfully , it was much cooler than the previous day, but this was going to have consequences later!
On the way back out
Gryh coming through the small drift...WHY WON"T THESE PICS SHOW THE RIGHT WAY UP...Grrrrr
... and Dusty....
... and Tagsy
Cloud coming over the mountains just before joining the Pass road.
As soon as we started climbing the pass, the mist thickened, the drizzle started and at some stages, you could hardly see 10m in front of you!
By the time we got to WilgeWandel we were soaked - but another great breakfast and excellent service lifted our spirits. We then heade for Oudtshoorn to re-fill, where Fat B promptly got a puncture - the side wall of the rear tyre started breaking up! He got on the phone to Tagsy to come back and pick him up so he could get a lift mack to Mossel Bay. Hope you managed to get a tyre sorted today Fat B.
Pad, Dysty, Gryh, Melissa and myself headed back to George on the dirt and as we neared the Outeniqua Pass the mist and rain returned!
I've lost count of the number of trips where I've returned from a karoo trip and it's been raining on the pass!
We stopped for a final drink and smoke at the lookout point :imaposer: in the rain, said our goodbyes and rode into George from where I headed back to Sedgefield.
Thanks Fat B and everyone for yet another great trip!
LGF
The group consisted of Fat B - 1150GSA, Pad - 1200GS, Dusty - GS650, Gryph & Melissa - Africa Twin, KleinBietjieWyn (KBW) - TransAlp 700, Zirkie - 1200GSA, Hendrik & son - Africa Twin (sorry - forgotten your forum name) ,Firecoast - XT660, Bertie777 - KLR, Rynet - 1200GS, Tagsy - LandCruiser and myself - DRZ400.
We all met up at in Oudtshoorn, with the exception of Dusty & Pad and Rynet who were meeting us at WilgeWandel, and Firecoast who was on holiday and was riding directly to Die Hel.
The obligatory pic from Amanda's Grave if you're doing Monatague Pass
After a great breakfast at WilgeWandel we set off for the Swartberg Pass, with Zirkie and Hendrik going a head as they were riding back again the same day. Even though it was boxing day, thankfully there wasn't too much traffic on the roads. It was howling at Die Top, so we didn't hang around for a drinks break, but set off for the turn off to Die Hel.
FatB styling
Gryph & Melissa
Bertie777
KleinBietjieWyn
Zirkie
Dusty
Sorry, I don't know what happened to the exposure in here!
Pad
On the way up
Looking towards the Prince Albert side of the pass.
It took us the best part of 2 hours to get there with a couple of drinks breaks a long the way. These were REALLY necessary for a change ;D as it was getting hot - around 35C. We came across 2 young guys along the way who had ridden from Prince Albert - the madness of youth. On arriving at the shop, we met up with Firecoast and a round of cold ones were in order. The guys on bicycles arrived shortly after us - they overtook FatB along the way
- had a a couple of cold drinks, a break and then set off back to PA. Tagsy and his wife arrived a bit later with a cooler box of ice, so we rode to the camp site to set up for the night. It was hot and humid, so immediately after pitching tents, we rode back to the shop and dived - not quite literately - into the pool, where we spent an hour or so relaxing and cooling off. Rynet took a number of pics and I'm sure she'll post them soon.Zirkie and Hendrik & son set off back for MosselBay - it was a pity you couldn't have stayed over!
Along the way
It was really dry with only a few of the streams along the way running.
Still a long way to go
The road to hell...
Rynet on the last stretch
Nearly there
Bertie777 at the camp site showing Fat B's (and Firecoasts's) luxury accommodation for the night
Pad, Melissa, Gryph & KBW starting to unpack
Coming back from the swimming pool, I noticed my rear tyre was flat. Gryph and KBW wrestled for over an hour - trying to break the bead and getting the tyre off . I couldn't find a thorn?nail or what ever in the tyre and after having put the tube in a bowl of water, we couldn't find any trace of a puncture.
Then cam the mission of trying to put the tube back in. It was a XHD tube and KBW and Gryph just couldn't get the valve stem through the rim. This week, I'm going to find and buy one of those vavle stem guide-with-a-piece-of-wire-thingys! We decided to call it quits as by now it was getting dark.
We had a GREAT evening - a super bunch of people, good food, plenty to drink and countless laughs - Tagsy had some truly hilarious stories to tell!
Oh, and he also nearly swallowed a spider :imaposer:
The next morning bright and early, Gryph and KBW got the tube and tyre back on the rim and inflated it. No sign of a leak!
All we can think of is that the right-angled valve stem which I had lent to Pad to check his tyre pressure had not somehow seated properly when I replaced it and had slowly leaked all the air out!
Gryph and KBW, thank you so much once again for all your help - I owe you guys.
We packed up and headed to the shop for some tea and coffee before making our way back.
Bertie777 and Rynet, apologies for not saying good bye - I thought you were joining us for coffee! - hope you had a safe trip back.
We then headed back to WilgeWandel for breakfast. Thankfully , it was much cooler than the previous day, but this was going to have consequences later!
On the way back out
Gryh coming through the small drift...WHY WON"T THESE PICS SHOW THE RIGHT WAY UP...Grrrrr
... and Dusty....
... and Tagsy
Cloud coming over the mountains just before joining the Pass road.
As soon as we started climbing the pass, the mist thickened, the drizzle started and at some stages, you could hardly see 10m in front of you!
By the time we got to WilgeWandel we were soaked - but another great breakfast and excellent service lifted our spirits. We then heade for Oudtshoorn to re-fill, where Fat B promptly got a puncture - the side wall of the rear tyre started breaking up! He got on the phone to Tagsy to come back and pick him up so he could get a lift mack to Mossel Bay. Hope you managed to get a tyre sorted today Fat B.
Pad, Dysty, Gryh, Melissa and myself headed back to George on the dirt and as we neared the Outeniqua Pass the mist and rain returned!
I've lost count of the number of trips where I've returned from a karoo trip and it's been raining on the pass!
We stopped for a final drink and smoke at the lookout point :imaposer: in the rain, said our goodbyes and rode into George from where I headed back to Sedgefield.
Thanks Fat B and everyone for yet another great trip!
LGF
