This is the fourth year in a row that we’ve done a bike trip after Christmas. It’s an institution now. ‘n instelling! We’ve been to Die Hel, Rhodes, Sutherland and this time it was the Cederberge! It was Wayne’s turn to organise and a splendid job he did too!
It's a pity Erich (a Cape Town wild dog) could not join us! Maybe next time Erich!
Day 1 Uniondale to Worcester
We met at Uniondale on the 27th. Philip (GSA) rode all the way from Pretoria, Wayne (S10) from Somerset East, Francois (Dakar) from PE and me (Mario) from Jeffreysbay (F800GS). It was hot! The bikes read 38 to 40 deg C and the wind was pumping from the front. We even rode past Ronnie’s Sex Shop – we wanted to get to Worcester, quick!
Due to the great distance we did tar all the way - Route 62! We stopped at Ladysmith for a Yoghurt Icecream smoothie at the Parmalat shop and then had good food and a cold one or two at the Country Pumpkin in Barrydale.
Philip and Francois
The BB in Worcester
A little surprise was waiting for us – two rooms, each with just a double bed… AND a loo and shower in the room – with lots of carpet! BUT the messages were the cherry on top and we just burst out laughing! Drukkies and soentjies….
Lovely view from the Dros!
Day 2 – Worcester to VanRhynsdorp via the scenic route
We rode through the lovely Slanghoek?nek valley to Ceres, had breakfast , filled up and then took the Gydo pass up to the “koue bokkeveld”.
What a view…looking back to Ceres.
Me – just in awe at the view.
Philip had heard of this place called the Cederberg Oasis from some bikers he met in Uniondale. So we had to get to VanRhynsdorp via the Cederberg Oasis and ride right through the Cederberg Nature Reserve – what a pleasure!
Cederberge rocks!
Cederberg Oasis
A tent inside a tent – it gets hot here!
Looking back at where we came from
We asked about how to get to VanRhynsdorp…and yes it had to be via Wuppertal. Fun coming up!
The 4X4 road to Wuppertal
(42 km in 2 hours… with a bike repair along the way)
Beautiful little river
Our directions were a bit off and landed in this dead end with deep sand! Two bikes fell at the same spot! The Dakar refused to start here – luckily just loose battery terminals!
The right road…
Wupperthal
Leipoldt house museum – Louis Leipoldt’s father.
Some crazy people drink coffee in the heat!
Inside Lekkerbekkie restaurant
The normal gravel road in and out of Wupperthal.
Nice gravel highway after Wuppertal!
Niewoudtville
We filled up – after about a 210 km ride from Ceres. The garage was slightly weird… kinda of a car/bike/wreck museum and the people were friendly – talking to the ” lanies”…
We had planned to do the Gifberg loop (70km), but it had been a long hot day already.
The view coming down the pass just before Van Rhynsdorp was stunning - the whole world just opens up.
The Van Rhynsdorp caravan park
Day 3 Van Rhynsdorp to Richmond
Calvinia
We filled up the bikes and ourselves in Calvinia.
The big red “blommeposbus”
And on the other side is a coffeeshop/museum with very good moerkoffie!
The beach buggy brigade!
Fraserburg
Loxton
Vygies!
Die Rondawels near Richmond
Another braai…
Day 4 – Richmond to home
Early morning
After a very good breakfast in the “dining room” we were off: Philip on the long tar haul to Pretoria, Wayne to Somerset East via gravel highways and Francois and I on the shortcut route to PE and Jeffreys Bay via the Groot Rivier Poort ( ). Klipplaat, Aberdeen, Steytlerville…
Klipplaat motors. Klipplaat used to be a major railway station – now just steam locomotive wrecks.
Great roosterkoek at Aberdeen
The descent down to the Doringrivier
Yes, it is steep…
The Doringrivier crossing just before the Groot Rivier crossing. This was actually more tricky…
Just after Doringrivier
Out of the poort and the nature reserve…at this point we thought we were done. BUT a few surprises were waiting…
A long steep rocky stretch – about 800m with a sharp bend…
I had a slow topple as I lost momentum. Francois was behind and as he came up with nice momentum, he hit a rock and got thrown off line and down the hill he went. He got wedged onto rocks about 30m from the road.
After almost an hour we got the Dakkie to here
After another 30 min we got the Dakkie out, Francois took it back down and powered up that road again! Finally we picked up the 800.
The view down to the bend
There were another two or three tough stretches but we really went for it and got through without issues.
Thanks guys, that was a memorable trip!!
Mario
It's a pity Erich (a Cape Town wild dog) could not join us! Maybe next time Erich!
Day 1 Uniondale to Worcester
We met at Uniondale on the 27th. Philip (GSA) rode all the way from Pretoria, Wayne (S10) from Somerset East, Francois (Dakar) from PE and me (Mario) from Jeffreysbay (F800GS). It was hot! The bikes read 38 to 40 deg C and the wind was pumping from the front. We even rode past Ronnie’s Sex Shop – we wanted to get to Worcester, quick!
Due to the great distance we did tar all the way - Route 62! We stopped at Ladysmith for a Yoghurt Icecream smoothie at the Parmalat shop and then had good food and a cold one or two at the Country Pumpkin in Barrydale.
Philip and Francois
The BB in Worcester
A little surprise was waiting for us – two rooms, each with just a double bed… AND a loo and shower in the room – with lots of carpet! BUT the messages were the cherry on top and we just burst out laughing! Drukkies and soentjies….
Lovely view from the Dros!
Day 2 – Worcester to VanRhynsdorp via the scenic route
We rode through the lovely Slanghoek?nek valley to Ceres, had breakfast , filled up and then took the Gydo pass up to the “koue bokkeveld”.
What a view…looking back to Ceres.
Me – just in awe at the view.
Philip had heard of this place called the Cederberg Oasis from some bikers he met in Uniondale. So we had to get to VanRhynsdorp via the Cederberg Oasis and ride right through the Cederberg Nature Reserve – what a pleasure!
Cederberge rocks!
Cederberg Oasis
A tent inside a tent – it gets hot here!
Looking back at where we came from
We asked about how to get to VanRhynsdorp…and yes it had to be via Wuppertal. Fun coming up!
The 4X4 road to Wuppertal
(42 km in 2 hours… with a bike repair along the way)
Beautiful little river
Our directions were a bit off and landed in this dead end with deep sand! Two bikes fell at the same spot! The Dakar refused to start here – luckily just loose battery terminals!
The right road…
Wupperthal
Leipoldt house museum – Louis Leipoldt’s father.
Some crazy people drink coffee in the heat!
Inside Lekkerbekkie restaurant
The normal gravel road in and out of Wupperthal.
Nice gravel highway after Wuppertal!
Niewoudtville
We filled up – after about a 210 km ride from Ceres. The garage was slightly weird… kinda of a car/bike/wreck museum and the people were friendly – talking to the ” lanies”…
We had planned to do the Gifberg loop (70km), but it had been a long hot day already.
The view coming down the pass just before Van Rhynsdorp was stunning - the whole world just opens up.
The Van Rhynsdorp caravan park
Day 3 Van Rhynsdorp to Richmond
Calvinia
We filled up the bikes and ourselves in Calvinia.
The big red “blommeposbus”
And on the other side is a coffeeshop/museum with very good moerkoffie!
The beach buggy brigade!
Fraserburg
Loxton
Vygies!
Die Rondawels near Richmond
Another braai…
Day 4 – Richmond to home
Early morning
After a very good breakfast in the “dining room” we were off: Philip on the long tar haul to Pretoria, Wayne to Somerset East via gravel highways and Francois and I on the shortcut route to PE and Jeffreys Bay via the Groot Rivier Poort ( ). Klipplaat, Aberdeen, Steytlerville…
Klipplaat motors. Klipplaat used to be a major railway station – now just steam locomotive wrecks.
Great roosterkoek at Aberdeen
The descent down to the Doringrivier
Yes, it is steep…
The Doringrivier crossing just before the Groot Rivier crossing. This was actually more tricky…
Just after Doringrivier
Out of the poort and the nature reserve…at this point we thought we were done. BUT a few surprises were waiting…
A long steep rocky stretch – about 800m with a sharp bend…
I had a slow topple as I lost momentum. Francois was behind and as he came up with nice momentum, he hit a rock and got thrown off line and down the hill he went. He got wedged onto rocks about 30m from the road.
After almost an hour we got the Dakkie to here
After another 30 min we got the Dakkie out, Francois took it back down and powered up that road again! Finally we picked up the 800.
The view down to the bend
There were another two or three tough stretches but we really went for it and got through without issues.
Thanks guys, that was a memorable trip!!
Mario
