When you sell your body for a living, and your living buys bike-petrol, and a client wants your body, you oblige. So when a client asked me to stay on in Durban to help a bit, I extended my stay a few weeks and ended up with a free weekend. So when Doc Ian, who is not yet on the forum sent me an email asking if I would like to join him and his wife on a trip up to the KZN Battlefields I jumped at the chance of a weekender. He had plotted a route up through the Valley along the Mhloti river to Greytown and then through Rorke’s drift, Isandhlwane to Babanango for the night, and then a return trip via Nkandla (where the Pres has his traditional homestead), through the Nkandla indigenous forests, and then back on the N2 via Mandini.
The first surprise was Ian’s bike when we met up at the N2 Petroport – a Yamaha TDM 900, which I was soon to learn is extremely capable on the gravel roads he planned to ride with his wife on pillion. It just gives credence to the principle that it is not so much what you ride, but how you ride, and this bike, in the good Docs hands, looked like it was made for this kind of trip.
The route we took – modified the plan a bit as we found there was no unleaded in Pomeroy and had to do a bit of slabbing up to Dundee
I had never been up in the North part of the valley on the Mdhloti River beyond Ndwedwe, but it has some really good dirt roads and scenery.
First stop was Rorkes Drift.
The old Hospital building – now a museum.
The chapel.
Isandhlwane – close up and not much to see
Watched the Sprinboks play Wales in the pub at Babanango with our host Lucky.
The Hotel
Ian and I wandered about the old town of Babanago to take a few pics – thanks to Ian for his pics
Babanango is an abbreviation of the Zulu phrase “Father! over there!”. The story is told of a little boy who got lost in the mist, and when his older brother saw him he shouted "Baba ! Nango", and that became the name of the place.
The pres looks a bit jaded in this pic. Symbolism ?
In the Nkandla Indigenous forests.
Looking towards the Tugela Valley (Now spelled Thukela I think)
The “birders” entrance to the forest walking trail. There are a few very rare birds in the forest, but I ashamed I forgot their names.
On the road to Mandini
Ian got a little lost – look at the sign above the post box on the right of the pic !!
And now the embarrassing bit – On the N2 near Stanger I get a flat front – No problem I say – I am an expert. After messing about for over two hours and making more holes in the tube than I started with we gave up and Ian kindly went home and trailered me back.
Why is it that it is no problem with other people’s bike, but your own give s^&t !!
An ignominious end to a really nice weekend !!!
A Big thanks to Ian and Debbie for their company on a great weekend.
Slept well on Sunday – almost 700Km over the weekend, and I am old !!
The first surprise was Ian’s bike when we met up at the N2 Petroport – a Yamaha TDM 900, which I was soon to learn is extremely capable on the gravel roads he planned to ride with his wife on pillion. It just gives credence to the principle that it is not so much what you ride, but how you ride, and this bike, in the good Docs hands, looked like it was made for this kind of trip.
The route we took – modified the plan a bit as we found there was no unleaded in Pomeroy and had to do a bit of slabbing up to Dundee
I had never been up in the North part of the valley on the Mdhloti River beyond Ndwedwe, but it has some really good dirt roads and scenery.
First stop was Rorkes Drift.
The old Hospital building – now a museum.
The chapel.
Isandhlwane – close up and not much to see
Watched the Sprinboks play Wales in the pub at Babanango with our host Lucky.
The Hotel
Ian and I wandered about the old town of Babanago to take a few pics – thanks to Ian for his pics
Babanango is an abbreviation of the Zulu phrase “Father! over there!”. The story is told of a little boy who got lost in the mist, and when his older brother saw him he shouted "Baba ! Nango", and that became the name of the place.
The pres looks a bit jaded in this pic. Symbolism ?
In the Nkandla Indigenous forests.
Looking towards the Tugela Valley (Now spelled Thukela I think)
The “birders” entrance to the forest walking trail. There are a few very rare birds in the forest, but I ashamed I forgot their names.
On the road to Mandini
Ian got a little lost – look at the sign above the post box on the right of the pic !!
And now the embarrassing bit – On the N2 near Stanger I get a flat front – No problem I say – I am an expert. After messing about for over two hours and making more holes in the tube than I started with we gave up and Ian kindly went home and trailered me back.
Why is it that it is no problem with other people’s bike, but your own give s^&t !!
An ignominious end to a really nice weekend !!!
A Big thanks to Ian and Debbie for their company on a great weekend.
Slept well on Sunday – almost 700Km over the weekend, and I am old !!
