Recent content by platpatat

Hi Devan, Thanks for your invitation to ride with you at Sandcamp and to grow my skills a bit.  I had a look at the pictures and videos that you recommended and it looks like fun.  Perhaps I'll join in this weekend or the following.  A mate of mine got a BMW Dakar today, so my weekend riding...

Hi guys, I'm Brendon the bearded trooper on the yellow Suzuki. Thanks to everyone for your welcoming and supporting attitude to newbies, it was much appreciated. Special thanks to KarooKid who played sweeper (so that I wasn't completely on my own at the back :-), helped me to get out of the...

Days 15 & 16 (of 15) – Barkly East to Cape Town 29 & 30 Dec 2013 Officially I had to be back at work on Monday 30 December.  The great distance which separated Barkly East from Cape Town however would have the last say on this matter.  And so this 15 day journey turned into a 16 day journey...

Day 14 (of 15) – Barkly East to... well... Barkly East 28 Dec 2013 After a generous helping of Pro-Nutro and packing the bike I said my farewells and parted company with George to head back to my family in Uniondale.  It was at about 10h00 when I first pointed my front wheel towards Aliwal...

Day 13 (of 15) – Sani pass backpackers to Barkly East 27 Dec 2013 With 4 people in a tiny room the stretch of the dream was limited by the earliest riser.  Accordingly then, it was around 07h00 when George and I rose shortly after our roommate (who was sleeping when we arrived the previous...

Day 12 (of 15) – Ladybrand to Sani pass backpackers 26 Dec 2013 (Part 2 of 2 - Sterkfontein dam to Sani pass backpackers) The R74 were by all estimates as bad as roads got before forgotten lines disappeared from following editions of maps.  The views next to the 20km long Sterkfontein dam with...

Day 12 (of 15) – Ladybrand to Sani pass backpackers 26 Dec 2013 (Part 1 of 2 - Ladybrand to Golden Gate national park) After the dream faded to reality I was delighted to have some Pro-Nutro breakfast cereal.  George also had some before we packed the bikes and put the gates of Little Rock...

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Day 11 (of 15) – Ladybrand to Maletsunyane Falls and back 25 Dec 2013 (Maletsunyane Falls to Ladybrand - Part 2/2 ...because only 10 pictures are allowed per post) Because of delays related to mechanical problems we had so nearly missed coming to this waterfall, but seeing this majestically...

Day 11 (of 15) – Ladybrand to Maletsunyane Falls and back 25 Dec 2013 (Ladybrand to Maletsunyane Falls - Part 1/2 ...because only 10 pictures are allowed per post) Merry Christmas!  At 7h00 we woke up to find four huge potbelly pigs wandering around close to our chalet.  The sight reminded my...

Day 10 (of 15) – Bloemfontein to Ladybrand 24 Dec 2013 On the morning of Christmas eve the hopes ran high to fix Andrew's motorcycle and head back to Lesotho.  With permission from the guest house we left our luggage there after checking out and headed for a motorcycle shop on the far side of...

Day 9 (of 15) – Bloemfontein 23 Dec 2013 The light of morning revealed our accommodations.  A large wendy house had been remodelled into three small bedrooms each with a double bed, shower and toilet.  The rooms also each had a refrigerator, microwave oven, kettle and a television.  George...

Day 8 (of 15) – Katse to Bloemfontein (via Mohale Dam on A3) 22 Dec 2013 I relied on my fellow travellers to rip me from the dream in the morning, but the tug never came.  This reliance because my cellphone's battery grew to twice its conventional thickness before giving up the ghost and thus...

Thanks so much for all your positive comments guys.  It is much appreciated. Please note that I would be unable to make further progress on this write-up until Monday (2014-01-13) next week due to other commitments.  But don't worry, I want to share the rest of the story as much as you want to...

Day 7 (of 15) – Katse Dam Rest Day 21 Dec 2013 Gradually reality pushed its way through the dream after 07h00, but I only greeted the day some 20 minutes later.  Andrew had been up since before sunrise to take his camera for a stroll and declared that his tripod was broken beyond repair from...