So after a good lunch at Belfast Wimpy...
Jim: First highlight; was a beautiful steep pass between Belfast and Badplaas – old tar, but well and truly grown over.
Sean: This pass was brilliant, rocky and very gnarly at the beginning and then transforming to old tar with grass growing out of all the cracks. Nice slow descent, I left the bike in 3rd and allowed the motor to do most of the braking. The views were fantastic – no picture can do justice.
About 2/3 of the way down we were met by an obstinately locked gate that could not be circumvented.
We considered twisting the locks off and wiring the gate shut. We also tried to remove the bolt from the gate’s bottom hinge but not having a 19 spanner also scuppered this plan.
Before leaving home and packing my tools it was a toss-up between packing water-pump pliers and fencing pliers. As Jim, Chris and I had been repelled by a similarly obstinate gate on the volcano run the fencing pliers went into the toolbox – scwheet.
We proceeded to undo the short fence sections on the left of the gate, which despite the steep incline was an easy route around the obstinate locked gate.
ALL THROUGH
...AND NOW TO REPAIR WHAT WAS UNDONE
AND WHILE I SLAVED IN THE SUN... MY COMPANIONS HIDE IN THE SHADE...
The section after the gate was heavily overgrown and most of the previous road surface had been lost to erosion. Due to the height of the grass all of the riding had to be done standing up with the ground surface totally invisible. About 2 km’s of this and we came to a nice dirt road and before long tar as well.
AND THE NICE DIRT ROAD TO BADPLAAS
Jim: Second highlight was the beautiful newish tarred road from Bulembi border post to Barberton – nice chance to scrape toes and wear out our side knobs. At Barberton (sunset), as per arrangement, Dassie was there, and braai stuff and beer waiting in the fridge.
Sean: What Jim neglects to mention is the very tricky, loose rock, hairpin bend cattle strewn goat track to get to the tar section.
Allow me to mention and categorically take back everything that I have had to say about big bikes not being able to keep up with the smaller bikes in offroad terrain.
Mike is a monster on his 1200GS.
On those twisty dusty turns he was having a jol hanging onto Jim’s rear tyre. My sense of self preservation and keeping a sensible dust gap saw the two bullets having to wait for me at all of the junctions. At the start of the tar section I raced off after Jim through the twisty’s. Before long the GS’s twin headlights were in my mirrors and I had to wave Mike through. To add to my new found respect for this very good rider was the fact that he was riding the pass one-handed while taking pics and videos of Jim and I hanging on to all the corners. Added to this he went through all the gears on his backwheel!!!
I also got quite a start while daydreaming along a tar section and he came past with that LHS exhaust growling like a temperamental boerboel – unruly, rude bloody GS riders.
Topic: JIMBO'S FULL MOON KRUGER PARK FENCE RIDE (Read 11869 times)
