EssBee
Grey Hound
@Rmunning had mentioned to me that he'd heard of Die Hel and naturally wanted to ride there. I mentioned that from we stay it is quite far and slow going so an overnight in Die Hel itself would be the way to go. Since doing the mountain bike event "To Hell and Back" a few times some 20 years ago, it has certainly been on my to-do list. With his returning to the Netherlands next week it suddenly became 'urgent'. So, we booked accomodation for Wednesday night and made it happen.
The planned route getting there would be Montagu Pass out of George, then over the N9 to the Paardepoort road and dirt all the way to Oudtshoorn. Then on tarmac on to the Swartberg Pass, and turn left onto the final road to our destination. Return route....whatever...we'd play by ear. We'd heard some remarks about the road into Die Hel itself being in a bad state...I didn't think too much of it, having ridden it numerous times on a bicycle as said. It turned out that it is indeed very much worse than I recall, by a long shot. I was in 1st and 2nd gear for easy 85% of the way, ( I'm referring to the road from the Swartberg pass turn-off until the drop down into the actual valley of Gamkaskloof...some 30 odd kms) but what a blast it was!
Pic#1 - some rain on Tuesday night turned the dusty top layer of dirt into snot! On the Paardepoort to Oudtshoorn leg.
Pics 2 to 4 - Swartberg Pass...it was 3 degrees up there!
Pic #5 - Arrived.
Pic #6 - our digs....Oupa Piet se Huis
Pic #7 - Enjoying some sundowners. I carried that wine in in my soft panniers.
Pic #8 - this masked weaver was quite brave, and he likes the Kips.
Pic #9 - Lekka indoor braai for the Kudu Fillets we brought with....and another bottle of red.
Pic #10 - It was predicted to be 3 degrees in the morning and we didn't believe it.....but seeing the frost on our bikes....maybe!
Pic #11 - The end of the fun.....on the way back, the gnarly road done...2 hours! Then it was the pass, and tarmac back home.
Pic #12 - One very happy man. What a way to round off a visit to SA, and an introduction to adventure biking!!! Well, done, Ruud!
The planned route getting there would be Montagu Pass out of George, then over the N9 to the Paardepoort road and dirt all the way to Oudtshoorn. Then on tarmac on to the Swartberg Pass, and turn left onto the final road to our destination. Return route....whatever...we'd play by ear. We'd heard some remarks about the road into Die Hel itself being in a bad state...I didn't think too much of it, having ridden it numerous times on a bicycle as said. It turned out that it is indeed very much worse than I recall, by a long shot. I was in 1st and 2nd gear for easy 85% of the way, ( I'm referring to the road from the Swartberg pass turn-off until the drop down into the actual valley of Gamkaskloof...some 30 odd kms) but what a blast it was!
Pic#1 - some rain on Tuesday night turned the dusty top layer of dirt into snot! On the Paardepoort to Oudtshoorn leg.
Pics 2 to 4 - Swartberg Pass...it was 3 degrees up there!
Pic #5 - Arrived.
Pic #6 - our digs....Oupa Piet se Huis
Pic #7 - Enjoying some sundowners. I carried that wine in in my soft panniers.
Pic #8 - this masked weaver was quite brave, and he likes the Kips.
Pic #9 - Lekka indoor braai for the Kudu Fillets we brought with....and another bottle of red.
Pic #10 - It was predicted to be 3 degrees in the morning and we didn't believe it.....but seeing the frost on our bikes....maybe!
Pic #11 - The end of the fun.....on the way back, the gnarly road done...2 hours! Then it was the pass, and tarmac back home.
Pic #12 - One very happy man. What a way to round off a visit to SA, and an introduction to adventure biking!!! Well, done, Ruud!
