- Joined
- Jan 24, 2006
- Messages
- 5,159
- Reaction score
- 345
- Location
- Brakpan, South Africa
- Bike
- BMW R1200GS HP2
Think of Swaziland and I think of vast open gravel roads, unexplored by myself and I guess by the majority of other readers here. For the last 4 years we have made a point of exploring different regions in Swaziland, while attending the Swazi rally and weâ??re getting to know the place, but there is so much more to explore that I guess weâ??ll be going back there for quite a few more years.
This year the Sazi rally clashed with the Gauteng WD bash, but as I had promised my mates that we would do the Swazi I could not go back on my word, so the WD had to be missed. Apart from that the thought of 50 odd riders all finding their way along the same track spelled disaster for me, and left me feeling rather uncomfortable about it all. SO the Swazi it was going to be. Andre, Stef and Nino had various reasons for chickening out, but the rest of the team was all in position.
Excalibur and I met at Shell Ultra City from where we would head to his hometown (Ermelo0 to have dinner with his sister, before we would head further.
Honey sporting her new poeprietâ?¦
Excalibur on the good stuff after we had eaten at his family.
Waited for about 10 minutes before the rest of the gang arrived and soon we were in Amsterdam.
We bought meat at The Glen butchery, about 5 kmâ??s out of town on the Lothair road. Can really recommend this butchery!
Re-fuelling in Amsterdam
Form Amsterdam we headed for the Nerston border post that was dead quiet. We were the only people there.
From Nerston we took some scenic gravel roads that eventually took us to Sidvokodvo â?? the town closest to the rally site.
Just before Sidvokodvo we passed this new golf estate â?? very impressive. Still being developed, sorry no pics of the greens and fairways, but trust me, if youâ??re a golfer, you gotta go there. Hire a golf cart, else you not going to make it.
Soon we were checked in, and before you could say â??bliksemâ? we had our tents pitched, the fire started and a cold one in hand.
Watching the sun set over the African sky, with mates around a fire and a cold one in hand. This has got to be life!
.
Saturday morning we rose to the rising sun, feeling somewhat unnerved, but ready for a great day
��. Nice number plate.
Not long after we started we came upon this Corsa bakkie parked in the bush. Keys in the ignition, started but going nowhere. The driver obviously was speeding and couldnâ??t make the turn.
We stood there admiring the carnage, when out of the blue this European chick walks past, as if itâ??s the most natural thing to do. All by her lonesome self
Soon it was time to water the thirst, so we parked at this shebeen
One happy owner
Lovely roads in a beautiful countryâ?¦
Dereck flying byâ?¦
Even the local locust stopped to check the bikes
Another shebeen stop
��and more lovely roads
Of course we had to stop at a river and do some water crossing.
We were back at the camp at about 4 pm, ready for a few cold ones and another braai.
That evening some ladies were very hot and a crazy oke on stage poured cold water all over them. Some ladies got very upset â?? everything was standing up, including their tempers, but we just cheered then on
Sunday morning we rose to another lovely day, so we started packing
From Sidvokodvo we headed towards Piggs Peak
..where we took the road to the Bulemu border post. Those of you who follow the news must have heard of the devastating fire in the region. Canâ??t remember how many hectares of forest has been destroyed, but the evidence was everywhere
Just before the border post you pass the site of an old mine, thousand of houses on the hillside. From here coal was taken in pans via a cableway to Baberton.
The border post were also very quiet, we were the first people there for the day.
From here we followed the route to Baberton, man this is an awesome route and certainly a must do for those of you that love the fresh mountain air and lotsa gravel roads. Theyâ??re busy tarring it, so get of your couch and go ride it before itâ??s too late
Wimpy in Baberton
In Carolina, Dereck decided his new motoX boots were sh!t, so he swopped them for his latest ATGATT.
Well folks that was it. The rest of the route back was pretty boring, and by 3 pm I was at home washing all that needed to be washed, and relaxing.
As a matter of interest the Swazi rally is organized by the Kingâ??s Brigade MCC, with Carlos as their president. This year on 1 December theyâ??re organizing an Iron Butt run as the smallest country in the world to ever host an Iron Butt run. There is a 600 km route around the circumference of Swaziland and participants will have to complete three loops to qualify. Could be interesting, so if youâ??re into that kinda thing, give Carlos a buzz.
Thanks to all who joined, it was lovely, once again. Thanks to the Lord for showing us these beautiful places and bringing us all home safely.
This year the Sazi rally clashed with the Gauteng WD bash, but as I had promised my mates that we would do the Swazi I could not go back on my word, so the WD had to be missed. Apart from that the thought of 50 odd riders all finding their way along the same track spelled disaster for me, and left me feeling rather uncomfortable about it all. SO the Swazi it was going to be. Andre, Stef and Nino had various reasons for chickening out, but the rest of the team was all in position.
Excalibur and I met at Shell Ultra City from where we would head to his hometown (Ermelo0 to have dinner with his sister, before we would head further.
Honey sporting her new poeprietâ?¦
Excalibur on the good stuff after we had eaten at his family.
Waited for about 10 minutes before the rest of the gang arrived and soon we were in Amsterdam.
We bought meat at The Glen butchery, about 5 kmâ??s out of town on the Lothair road. Can really recommend this butchery!
Re-fuelling in Amsterdam
Form Amsterdam we headed for the Nerston border post that was dead quiet. We were the only people there.
From Nerston we took some scenic gravel roads that eventually took us to Sidvokodvo â?? the town closest to the rally site.
Just before Sidvokodvo we passed this new golf estate â?? very impressive. Still being developed, sorry no pics of the greens and fairways, but trust me, if youâ??re a golfer, you gotta go there. Hire a golf cart, else you not going to make it.
Soon we were checked in, and before you could say â??bliksemâ? we had our tents pitched, the fire started and a cold one in hand.
Watching the sun set over the African sky, with mates around a fire and a cold one in hand. This has got to be life!
.
Saturday morning we rose to the rising sun, feeling somewhat unnerved, but ready for a great day
��. Nice number plate.
Not long after we started we came upon this Corsa bakkie parked in the bush. Keys in the ignition, started but going nowhere. The driver obviously was speeding and couldnâ??t make the turn.
We stood there admiring the carnage, when out of the blue this European chick walks past, as if itâ??s the most natural thing to do. All by her lonesome self
Soon it was time to water the thirst, so we parked at this shebeen
One happy owner
Lovely roads in a beautiful countryâ?¦
Dereck flying byâ?¦
Even the local locust stopped to check the bikes
Another shebeen stop
��and more lovely roads
Of course we had to stop at a river and do some water crossing.
We were back at the camp at about 4 pm, ready for a few cold ones and another braai.
That evening some ladies were very hot and a crazy oke on stage poured cold water all over them. Some ladies got very upset â?? everything was standing up, including their tempers, but we just cheered then on
Sunday morning we rose to another lovely day, so we started packing
From Sidvokodvo we headed towards Piggs Peak
..where we took the road to the Bulemu border post. Those of you who follow the news must have heard of the devastating fire in the region. Canâ??t remember how many hectares of forest has been destroyed, but the evidence was everywhere
Just before the border post you pass the site of an old mine, thousand of houses on the hillside. From here coal was taken in pans via a cableway to Baberton.
The border post were also very quiet, we were the first people there for the day.
From here we followed the route to Baberton, man this is an awesome route and certainly a must do for those of you that love the fresh mountain air and lotsa gravel roads. Theyâ??re busy tarring it, so get of your couch and go ride it before itâ??s too late
Wimpy in Baberton
In Carolina, Dereck decided his new motoX boots were sh!t, so he swopped them for his latest ATGATT.
Well folks that was it. The rest of the route back was pretty boring, and by 3 pm I was at home washing all that needed to be washed, and relaxing.
As a matter of interest the Swazi rally is organized by the Kingâ??s Brigade MCC, with Carlos as their president. This year on 1 December theyâ??re organizing an Iron Butt run as the smallest country in the world to ever host an Iron Butt run. There is a 600 km route around the circumference of Swaziland and participants will have to complete three loops to qualify. Could be interesting, so if youâ??re into that kinda thing, give Carlos a buzz.
Thanks to all who joined, it was lovely, once again. Thanks to the Lord for showing us these beautiful places and bringing us all home safely.
