Watty
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2006
- Messages
- 3,954
- Reaction score
- 3
- Location
- Port Elizabeth
- Bike
- Suzuki Djebel 250XC
Excitement on a little old track to the Grootrivier Poort, EC
On Saturday night 3 May I got a phone call from Barton, owner of Track&Tar Motorcycles, inviting me to join him and other D/S riders on a ride to the Grootrivier Poort. The proposed route was to be via the Eland river road from PE to Patensie up to a place called Grassnek (radio antennas), then turn north on the little used road/twee-spoor track that eventually end in Steylerville. Now, these guys are very keen adventure riders, but not yet Wild Dogs! So, I decided to join them and hopefully lure them into our kennel.
It was a beautiful, crisp morning when I arrived at Barton's house at 06h30 - a day made for riding. 8 riders and two very exited 6 year old pillions, clinging to their daddies, set-off with a motley collection of bikes - comprising of a Honda Africa Twin, a BMW F650 Funduro, two Yammies, a TTR250 and a TTR250 Raid, a Honda Transalp 400, a Kawasaki KLE500, and of course, yours truly on the Suzuki Djebel 250XC.
The first 60 km was nice gravel and at times we were able to clock 70+ kph, then as the mountainous region was approached the road became more technical as the surfaced slowly transformed into loose pebbles and exposed bedrock. Recent heavy rains has also left its mark on the road in furrows and wash-a-ways. Then, when we turned onto the track going towards the Grootrivier Poort, the fun really started (Grasnek 33° 38' 51.4" S 24° 48' 04.7" E). I kept whispering to myself: "Concentration, concentration" and "Gear down, weight-back, don't fight the bike - let it find its own way" as we made our way across really some truly rugged mountain terrain. If the big AT can make it with a pillion, OK, even if only a little one, so can I on my 118kg scoot. Lots of loose stuff and rock showers were the order of the day on some of the inclines.
The 28 odd km to the pass with drop-off's of 800m where the only barriers are in your imagination, was just the thing to make one realise why we do what we do - adventure riding! At the bottom of the pass: our pre decided destination, the Groot river and a braai that awaited 10 hungry riders. However, there was still a water-crossing to be done - Damm!, I really hate those big round rocks that are so nicely obscured by muddy water, just waiting to ambush your front wheel, and divert your carefully selected direction of travel in such a way that you nearly go for a unplanned swim. Much to the delight of the other riders I was nearly caught unaware. Auspiciously no mishaps, the riders won and the big rocks lost.
Final destination - Grootrivier 33° 34' 44.5" S 24° 39' 56.9" E reached!
After an hour of braaivleis, enjoying liquid refreshments, talking bike, ect., it was decided to up-anchor and head back to the sample some of the famous Tolbos coffee in Patensie. Once again the riding enjoyment of earlier was revived and more excitement was generated on the way back.
On the way down the mountains towards Patensie, our real first mishap occurred - btw I do not count all the near-off's and other 'poephol-knyp' moments experienced on the marble infested surface plus "little" hills of the track as mishaps, this was part of the fun factor of the outride! The Funduro decided to force a little stop by obtaining a flat front tyre. No problem, out with the tyre levers, spanners, patches, etc. A classic example of a front wheel hitting the sharp edged piece of a just to big bedrock - tube cut diagonally due to pinching. No patching remedy, so in when a spare tube (Note: as an emergency fix a 21" works quite well in the 19" tyre). These okkes may not be Wilddogs yet, but they do go well prepared on a trip. Job finalized with the 12v little compressor with a pressure top up at the filing station in Patensie.
At Tolbos the usual relaxing and socializing were conducted with dignity before the heading back to Port Elizabeth via Hankey, the old Loerie-Thornhill road, and eventually the N2. All made promises to log on to the Forum and see what the Wilddogs are all about. In my opinion - these riders will fit in 100%
Photograph captions in posting order:
1. Grassnek, looking south. Ocean in far background
2. Grassnek, looking west - towards the one and only Baviaanskloof
3. The track to Grootriver
4. ditto
5. ditto
6. Father and son combo
7. Getting ready for the decent
8. Let the decent begin
9. 800m plus free fall on offer
10. Stunning â?¦ that's all I can say.
11. Outspan
12. Ahhh.. yes the water crossing I think
13. Looking towards Patensie along the track
14. Absolutely breathtaking mountains
15. How to fix a flat without a sweat - be the counter-weight at the back!
On Saturday night 3 May I got a phone call from Barton, owner of Track&Tar Motorcycles, inviting me to join him and other D/S riders on a ride to the Grootrivier Poort. The proposed route was to be via the Eland river road from PE to Patensie up to a place called Grassnek (radio antennas), then turn north on the little used road/twee-spoor track that eventually end in Steylerville. Now, these guys are very keen adventure riders, but not yet Wild Dogs! So, I decided to join them and hopefully lure them into our kennel.
It was a beautiful, crisp morning when I arrived at Barton's house at 06h30 - a day made for riding. 8 riders and two very exited 6 year old pillions, clinging to their daddies, set-off with a motley collection of bikes - comprising of a Honda Africa Twin, a BMW F650 Funduro, two Yammies, a TTR250 and a TTR250 Raid, a Honda Transalp 400, a Kawasaki KLE500, and of course, yours truly on the Suzuki Djebel 250XC.
The first 60 km was nice gravel and at times we were able to clock 70+ kph, then as the mountainous region was approached the road became more technical as the surfaced slowly transformed into loose pebbles and exposed bedrock. Recent heavy rains has also left its mark on the road in furrows and wash-a-ways. Then, when we turned onto the track going towards the Grootrivier Poort, the fun really started (Grasnek 33° 38' 51.4" S 24° 48' 04.7" E). I kept whispering to myself: "Concentration, concentration" and "Gear down, weight-back, don't fight the bike - let it find its own way" as we made our way across really some truly rugged mountain terrain. If the big AT can make it with a pillion, OK, even if only a little one, so can I on my 118kg scoot. Lots of loose stuff and rock showers were the order of the day on some of the inclines.
The 28 odd km to the pass with drop-off's of 800m where the only barriers are in your imagination, was just the thing to make one realise why we do what we do - adventure riding! At the bottom of the pass: our pre decided destination, the Groot river and a braai that awaited 10 hungry riders. However, there was still a water-crossing to be done - Damm!, I really hate those big round rocks that are so nicely obscured by muddy water, just waiting to ambush your front wheel, and divert your carefully selected direction of travel in such a way that you nearly go for a unplanned swim. Much to the delight of the other riders I was nearly caught unaware. Auspiciously no mishaps, the riders won and the big rocks lost.
Final destination - Grootrivier 33° 34' 44.5" S 24° 39' 56.9" E reached!
After an hour of braaivleis, enjoying liquid refreshments, talking bike, ect., it was decided to up-anchor and head back to the sample some of the famous Tolbos coffee in Patensie. Once again the riding enjoyment of earlier was revived and more excitement was generated on the way back.
On the way down the mountains towards Patensie, our real first mishap occurred - btw I do not count all the near-off's and other 'poephol-knyp' moments experienced on the marble infested surface plus "little" hills of the track as mishaps, this was part of the fun factor of the outride! The Funduro decided to force a little stop by obtaining a flat front tyre. No problem, out with the tyre levers, spanners, patches, etc. A classic example of a front wheel hitting the sharp edged piece of a just to big bedrock - tube cut diagonally due to pinching. No patching remedy, so in when a spare tube (Note: as an emergency fix a 21" works quite well in the 19" tyre). These okkes may not be Wilddogs yet, but they do go well prepared on a trip. Job finalized with the 12v little compressor with a pressure top up at the filing station in Patensie.
At Tolbos the usual relaxing and socializing were conducted with dignity before the heading back to Port Elizabeth via Hankey, the old Loerie-Thornhill road, and eventually the N2. All made promises to log on to the Forum and see what the Wilddogs are all about. In my opinion - these riders will fit in 100%
Photograph captions in posting order:
1. Grassnek, looking south. Ocean in far background
2. Grassnek, looking west - towards the one and only Baviaanskloof
3. The track to Grootriver
4. ditto
5. ditto
6. Father and son combo
7. Getting ready for the decent
8. Let the decent begin
9. 800m plus free fall on offer
10. Stunning â?¦ that's all I can say.
11. Outspan
12. Ahhh.. yes the water crossing I think
13. Looking towards Patensie along the track
14. Absolutely breathtaking mountains
15. How to fix a flat without a sweat - be the counter-weight at the back!
