TigerMan
Puppy
So it started out as an idea and ended a reality. The plan was simple, a boys weekend away with some lekker riding in the mountains and sleeping out under the stars by the Doring river. Well plans don't always work out how we want and after some confusion about what weekend it was going to be on and some guys not being able to make this particular weekend I decided to go it alone, well at least the only bike. I had a Pajero and a Toyota hilux as back up vehicles who carried the 40 ltrs of water I needed and 20 ltrs extra fuel. To put it mildly it was stupid hot on Saturday with temperatures reaching around 44 deg's and there was no shade. The start of the trail was quite tricky as we initially couldn't find it. Eventually through burnt out trees that had fallen over the entrance of the route we started making our way along the track. A river crossing or two which i'm sure in winter would be quite interesting. A very nice spot to stop for lunch was the Tra Tra lodge. To be honest, with a little renovation I could live there.
I decided to ride the route from the R355 side accross to the Biedouw valley and I was going to stay by the Doring river for the night but when I reached the top of the Kliphuiskloof 4x4 trail I decided to push through to the Mertenhof farm in the Biedouw valley. At this point I was suffering quite a bit from heat exhaustion even though I had been drinking loads of water and after walking down part of the track and seeing how far it was to the river I decided I didn't want to risk my life today. The start of the track is very rocky and very steep. Again the plans changed but I was loving being out in the mountains. From this point it was a fairly easy jeep track ride to the Biedouw Valley. Camping on the Mertenhof farm is awesome with its shady grass area around the old farm house. There is toilets, showers, and braai facilities, just what you need after a long hot day on the bike. So the stars didn't disappoint this night but bed was beckoning so I didn't spend too much time watching satellites. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you that on the way down the Kraaiberg pass into the Biedouw Valley I had to nurse a front wheel puncture. I guess I was too exhausted on Sat. night to bother doing anything about it and after breakfast on Sun. morning I found myself pulling the front wheel apart with a crowbar as I had left my tyre levers at home. Anyway a patch job well done (as I also left a front inner-tube at home) and we were off homeward passing through Wupperthal which at 11:00 on a sunday morning is dead. A lunch break at the Cederberg Oasis was a perfect end to a lekker trail.
If you are interested in joining me on any of my rides please feel free to join my events on the link below
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Tigerman-Adventure-Touring/148496848637889?sk=events
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Tigerman-Adventure-Touring/148496848637889
I decided to ride the route from the R355 side accross to the Biedouw valley and I was going to stay by the Doring river for the night but when I reached the top of the Kliphuiskloof 4x4 trail I decided to push through to the Mertenhof farm in the Biedouw valley. At this point I was suffering quite a bit from heat exhaustion even though I had been drinking loads of water and after walking down part of the track and seeing how far it was to the river I decided I didn't want to risk my life today. The start of the track is very rocky and very steep. Again the plans changed but I was loving being out in the mountains. From this point it was a fairly easy jeep track ride to the Biedouw Valley. Camping on the Mertenhof farm is awesome with its shady grass area around the old farm house. There is toilets, showers, and braai facilities, just what you need after a long hot day on the bike. So the stars didn't disappoint this night but bed was beckoning so I didn't spend too much time watching satellites. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you that on the way down the Kraaiberg pass into the Biedouw Valley I had to nurse a front wheel puncture. I guess I was too exhausted on Sat. night to bother doing anything about it and after breakfast on Sun. morning I found myself pulling the front wheel apart with a crowbar as I had left my tyre levers at home. Anyway a patch job well done (as I also left a front inner-tube at home) and we were off homeward passing through Wupperthal which at 11:00 on a sunday morning is dead. A lunch break at the Cederberg Oasis was a perfect end to a lekker trail.
If you are interested in joining me on any of my rides please feel free to join my events on the link below
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Tigerman-Adventure-Touring/148496848637889?sk=events
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Tigerman-Adventure-Touring/148496848637889
