Sir Alex
Pack Dog
The missus (Mrs. Alex) and I hit the road on our annual leave, i.e. JHB > CPT > JHB via THE HELL down South. Donâ??t want to bore you with a long story as I am a man of few words but I believe the photos and concise comments (below photos) will suffice and give you a feel of an absolute awesome trip of 3699 kmâ??s.
Left, Kempton Park on the East Rand with passport to enter rest of the country, Sunday morning 13 April at 07.00
Asterix and missus, also on a GS ADV 1150, road with us till Ventersdorp, for breakfast before hitting the road - Mrs. Alex is the short one!
First stopover was at Hendrik Verwoerd Dam, where we were the only people at this awesome clean and secure site which is literally on the banks of the Orange River.
On way to Beaufort West Karoo National Park from Gariep on Monday morning 14 April
Pitched tent at Karoo National Park
On way to Oudshoorn Cango Mountain Resort with Swartberge in the distance.
Klaarstroom, just before De Rust in Klein Karoo, stop-off which has an interesting shop with these strange inhabitants
From De Rust we took the so called, Oude Murasiepad 3kms out of De Rust which is a mere 50 odd kmâ??s of pure pleasurable dirt with interesting and beautiful mountain views of the Swartberge . We stopped for a bit of a breather and to also take in a bit of the tranquility of this road!
Cango Mountain Resort and pitched tent in a very tidy and safe resort where we parked off for two days to travel some of the dirt tracks in the area.
Then the hi-lite of the trip was the visit to the so called â??The Hellâ? which, given its beauty, should actually be called Heaven â?? absolute awesome experience. Our return trip back to Oudshoorn was a near disaster though as my bikeâ??s frame broke in three places which I had repaired at a â??Swyswerkeâ? in Oudshoorn and which I later had checked at BMW in Stellenbosch which they OKâ??d and when I got back to the Bronx, I had Auto Alpina check it out as well â?? it was a repair job well done !
This is where it snapped off and was welded and reinforced at the same time â?? very neat job!
In Swartberg Pass on way to Heaven ����.. (The Hell)
Entrance and road to The Hell!
Shop in The Hell which is well stocked with cold beer and Mrs. Alex having a sarmy!
On our way out of The Hell
Then on Thursday 17 April we left Oudshoorn for Malgas via Calitzdorp which we approached via the back way, what else, but a dirt track passing Kruisrivier and Groenfontein. It is said that a good dirt track must have rhythm, well this one, does have just that. A bit technical and narrow at times but with interesting sites and scenery. The alternative is the tarred R62 to which one eventually links up in Calitzdorp itself.
Then the compulsory stop at Ronnies Sex shop and Barrydale â?? when I hit pension in 5 years, this is where I want to be! - nice place, nice people AND nice dirt in the area!
Malgas in the distance.
Pontoon over Breede River
Malgas stopover on the Breede Rivere and a shot of the river itself.
On Friday morning 18 April we left for Cape Town via Bredasdorp, Elim and Baardskeerdersbos.
Then we came across this ostrich just after Elim which ran ahead of the bike at about
40 km/h
Stayed with buddies in Cpt, Johan and Karen for Fiday and Saturday before returning back to JHB on Sunday 19 April and left amidst a (1st) cold front of the coming winter.
Inside Hugenote Tunnel on way back to the Bronx.
And after sleeping over in Colesberg we arrived back in JHB on Tuesday 22 April and the traffic in Gillolyâ??s â?¦â?¦â?¦â?¦â?¦â?¦.
Total distance 3699 km
No. of days 10
Petrol R2082
Average cons 16.8 km / liter
Load Two panniers, top box, tank bag, tent, two mattresses and pillion.
Then I embarked on a Lesotho trip on Saturday 26 April and 1900kms later arrived back on Tueday 29 April ������.. see separate report, i.e. JHB > Mokhotlong > Sani > Naudes Nek > Rhodes > Lundeans Nek > JHB
Left, Kempton Park on the East Rand with passport to enter rest of the country, Sunday morning 13 April at 07.00
Asterix and missus, also on a GS ADV 1150, road with us till Ventersdorp, for breakfast before hitting the road - Mrs. Alex is the short one!
First stopover was at Hendrik Verwoerd Dam, where we were the only people at this awesome clean and secure site which is literally on the banks of the Orange River.
On way to Beaufort West Karoo National Park from Gariep on Monday morning 14 April
Pitched tent at Karoo National Park
On way to Oudshoorn Cango Mountain Resort with Swartberge in the distance.
Klaarstroom, just before De Rust in Klein Karoo, stop-off which has an interesting shop with these strange inhabitants
From De Rust we took the so called, Oude Murasiepad 3kms out of De Rust which is a mere 50 odd kmâ??s of pure pleasurable dirt with interesting and beautiful mountain views of the Swartberge . We stopped for a bit of a breather and to also take in a bit of the tranquility of this road!
Cango Mountain Resort and pitched tent in a very tidy and safe resort where we parked off for two days to travel some of the dirt tracks in the area.
Then the hi-lite of the trip was the visit to the so called â??The Hellâ? which, given its beauty, should actually be called Heaven â?? absolute awesome experience. Our return trip back to Oudshoorn was a near disaster though as my bikeâ??s frame broke in three places which I had repaired at a â??Swyswerkeâ? in Oudshoorn and which I later had checked at BMW in Stellenbosch which they OKâ??d and when I got back to the Bronx, I had Auto Alpina check it out as well â?? it was a repair job well done !
This is where it snapped off and was welded and reinforced at the same time â?? very neat job!
In Swartberg Pass on way to Heaven ����.. (The Hell)
Entrance and road to The Hell!
Shop in The Hell which is well stocked with cold beer and Mrs. Alex having a sarmy!
On our way out of The Hell
Then on Thursday 17 April we left Oudshoorn for Malgas via Calitzdorp which we approached via the back way, what else, but a dirt track passing Kruisrivier and Groenfontein. It is said that a good dirt track must have rhythm, well this one, does have just that. A bit technical and narrow at times but with interesting sites and scenery. The alternative is the tarred R62 to which one eventually links up in Calitzdorp itself.
Then the compulsory stop at Ronnies Sex shop and Barrydale â?? when I hit pension in 5 years, this is where I want to be! - nice place, nice people AND nice dirt in the area!
Malgas in the distance.
Pontoon over Breede River
Malgas stopover on the Breede Rivere and a shot of the river itself.
On Friday morning 18 April we left for Cape Town via Bredasdorp, Elim and Baardskeerdersbos.
Then we came across this ostrich just after Elim which ran ahead of the bike at about
40 km/h
Stayed with buddies in Cpt, Johan and Karen for Fiday and Saturday before returning back to JHB on Sunday 19 April and left amidst a (1st) cold front of the coming winter.
Inside Hugenote Tunnel on way back to the Bronx.
And after sleeping over in Colesberg we arrived back in JHB on Tuesday 22 April and the traffic in Gillolyâ??s â?¦â?¦â?¦â?¦â?¦â?¦.
Total distance 3699 km
No. of days 10
Petrol R2082
Average cons 16.8 km / liter
Load Two panniers, top box, tank bag, tent, two mattresses and pillion.
Then I embarked on a Lesotho trip on Saturday 26 April and 1900kms later arrived back on Tueday 29 April ������.. see separate report, i.e. JHB > Mokhotlong > Sani > Naudes Nek > Rhodes > Lundeans Nek > JHB
