So I was really lus for a ride over this past weekend, but was very apprehensive joining any of the newbie rides due to my limited movement and strength on the bike. I didn't feel like holding anyone up.
So on Monday morning I woke up nice and early and decided to go do a ride on tar. I looked at the GPS on my BB and the R24 past Rustenburg looked like it could be scenic.
I specifically used my road helmet so I wouldn't be tempted to do any off road riding.
So I set off from Randburg and took the route past the Cradle and the Rhino/Lion park. I stopped briefly to admire this fellow. Even though I think he belongs in the wild, he is probably better off here with a guard watching him.
I took the road past the Sterkfontein caves, and then Magaliesberg and finally hit the R24.
I saw no bikes all morning and cars were at a bare minimum.
I stayed within the speed limit and just relaxed. But I every single little dirt road was tempting me more and more as I rode past it.
Buzzing along I briefly caught a sign out the corner of my eye that indicated Mogallywood's brewery. 'Great, I'll stop in on my way back for lunch', I thought. In the back of my mind I couldn't quite figure out why the place sounded so familiar.....
A few kays on the rain started, so I pulled off at an intersection with a fairly safe looking dirt road. Put on my rainsuit and was wondering what 'Boons' was as per the road sign.
Having lost all willpower, I decided to see where this dirt road went.
Didn't take me too long to realise I wasn't being too bright. I last road offroad in April. That day the mud was terrible, I fell 7 times, and also partially tore my hamstring. After that, I did the op and was banned from bikes for 12 months while I recover.
The road was very slippery. I couldn't find a line that had any grip. Car tracks were slick and filled with water. The sides and middle mannetjies were lose gravel and small stones that looked grippy but were in fact just covering mud.
Having my tyres inflated to 'tar' recommendations didn't help at all.
Also with so much rustiness offroad, my speeds were embarrassing. I was doing anything from 8kph to 20kph on a 'faster' stretch. 'Glad I'm here on my own and not holding anyone up', I thought.
I just kept repeating what Malibu taught me 18 months ago. 'Bend arms, relax upper body, and don't fight the bike'.
I could feel my confidence slowly coming back and was starting to relax a little. Whilst riding on my own with no pressure to keep up, I found some areas to improve my offroad riding. Basically, I'm still not relaxing enough when I see mud and the like.
Here is what the road looked like mostly. Seems smooth and dry....
Then this:
I must say that this looks like a road I want to ride all the way to wherever it ends. I decided not to as the below happened. I didn't come of fortunately, but I decided it was a good enough sign to turn around. I'd only ridden 10km's and could feel I was getting really tired.
So back to the R24 and time to go check out this Mogallywoods joint. Take the road, follow some signs on the dirt road (which is nice and dry and allows my confidence to permit speeds of 35kph on some sections :imaposer
Then I get to the below section and remember why Mogallywoods sounded familiar.
This is the very spot I had my final two falls in April, tearing the hamstring. I sat on that very log whilst Malibu and Grolls cleared the mud locking my front wheel and turned my bike around and escorted me back to tar so I could get home.
Shortly after this log I almost came down again. Front wheel washed out, but I was going slow enough (story of my day!) to to save it.
After all that, Mogallywoods was closed. So decided it was time to go home and have lunch and a beer there.
Then the ride got interesting. I took a wrong turn somewhere and got lost on all the dirt roads for about 25 mins. I was riding around aimlessly looking for an exit. Finally bumped into some mountain bikers. They gave me wrong directions to a tar road and had to back track.
Some workers assisted me and directed me to the shortest route out.
Here is what I came to. Not feeling confident crossing this I tried to turn around and got stuck in the mug. You can see where I was wheel spinning and digging trenches on the right of the road. A Land Rover came past and the driver offered assistance. I told him I was fine (ego...) and watched him cross this little puddle. It was as deep as his axles. Was I glad I didn't try cross this on my own.
Finally I found my way out but not before having to ride through this:
Boy was I glad to see tar roads after this.
My 'adventure' wasn't over however.
I was quite hungry and thirsty by now so was riding briskly to get home when I saw this tortoise about the size of my hand whizz past me in a blur. Hard on the brakes and quick u-turn to try warn the motorist I'd just past about the little 'pedestrian'. I just made it in time, but this lady would not move over and almost ran me over and just missed the tortoise. It's like she was aiming for both of us.
Anyhow, she missed and I was able to stick the little critter into the bushes and ride home.
Not a major ride by anyone's standards, but I had so much fun being out on my own (against better judgement), getting some confidence back on gravel (read mud), enjoying the scenery on a quite day (saw 3 other bikes the whole morning) and getting to save a little innocent creature.
SWAMBO was most unimpressed when I arrived home muddy from a bike ride 'that will only be on tar'. :biggrin:
So on Monday morning I woke up nice and early and decided to go do a ride on tar. I looked at the GPS on my BB and the R24 past Rustenburg looked like it could be scenic.
I specifically used my road helmet so I wouldn't be tempted to do any off road riding.
So I set off from Randburg and took the route past the Cradle and the Rhino/Lion park. I stopped briefly to admire this fellow. Even though I think he belongs in the wild, he is probably better off here with a guard watching him.
I took the road past the Sterkfontein caves, and then Magaliesberg and finally hit the R24.
I saw no bikes all morning and cars were at a bare minimum.
I stayed within the speed limit and just relaxed. But I every single little dirt road was tempting me more and more as I rode past it.
Buzzing along I briefly caught a sign out the corner of my eye that indicated Mogallywood's brewery. 'Great, I'll stop in on my way back for lunch', I thought. In the back of my mind I couldn't quite figure out why the place sounded so familiar.....
A few kays on the rain started, so I pulled off at an intersection with a fairly safe looking dirt road. Put on my rainsuit and was wondering what 'Boons' was as per the road sign.
Having lost all willpower, I decided to see where this dirt road went.
Didn't take me too long to realise I wasn't being too bright. I last road offroad in April. That day the mud was terrible, I fell 7 times, and also partially tore my hamstring. After that, I did the op and was banned from bikes for 12 months while I recover.
The road was very slippery. I couldn't find a line that had any grip. Car tracks were slick and filled with water. The sides and middle mannetjies were lose gravel and small stones that looked grippy but were in fact just covering mud.
Having my tyres inflated to 'tar' recommendations didn't help at all.
Also with so much rustiness offroad, my speeds were embarrassing. I was doing anything from 8kph to 20kph on a 'faster' stretch. 'Glad I'm here on my own and not holding anyone up', I thought.
I just kept repeating what Malibu taught me 18 months ago. 'Bend arms, relax upper body, and don't fight the bike'.
I could feel my confidence slowly coming back and was starting to relax a little. Whilst riding on my own with no pressure to keep up, I found some areas to improve my offroad riding. Basically, I'm still not relaxing enough when I see mud and the like.
Here is what the road looked like mostly. Seems smooth and dry....
Then this:
I must say that this looks like a road I want to ride all the way to wherever it ends. I decided not to as the below happened. I didn't come of fortunately, but I decided it was a good enough sign to turn around. I'd only ridden 10km's and could feel I was getting really tired.
So back to the R24 and time to go check out this Mogallywoods joint. Take the road, follow some signs on the dirt road (which is nice and dry and allows my confidence to permit speeds of 35kph on some sections :imaposer
Then I get to the below section and remember why Mogallywoods sounded familiar.
This is the very spot I had my final two falls in April, tearing the hamstring. I sat on that very log whilst Malibu and Grolls cleared the mud locking my front wheel and turned my bike around and escorted me back to tar so I could get home.
Shortly after this log I almost came down again. Front wheel washed out, but I was going slow enough (story of my day!) to to save it.
After all that, Mogallywoods was closed. So decided it was time to go home and have lunch and a beer there.
Then the ride got interesting. I took a wrong turn somewhere and got lost on all the dirt roads for about 25 mins. I was riding around aimlessly looking for an exit. Finally bumped into some mountain bikers. They gave me wrong directions to a tar road and had to back track.
Some workers assisted me and directed me to the shortest route out.
Here is what I came to. Not feeling confident crossing this I tried to turn around and got stuck in the mug. You can see where I was wheel spinning and digging trenches on the right of the road. A Land Rover came past and the driver offered assistance. I told him I was fine (ego...) and watched him cross this little puddle. It was as deep as his axles. Was I glad I didn't try cross this on my own.
Finally I found my way out but not before having to ride through this:
Boy was I glad to see tar roads after this.
My 'adventure' wasn't over however.
I was quite hungry and thirsty by now so was riding briskly to get home when I saw this tortoise about the size of my hand whizz past me in a blur. Hard on the brakes and quick u-turn to try warn the motorist I'd just past about the little 'pedestrian'. I just made it in time, but this lady would not move over and almost ran me over and just missed the tortoise. It's like she was aiming for both of us.
Anyhow, she missed and I was able to stick the little critter into the bushes and ride home.
Not a major ride by anyone's standards, but I had so much fun being out on my own (against better judgement), getting some confidence back on gravel (read mud), enjoying the scenery on a quite day (saw 3 other bikes the whole morning) and getting to save a little innocent creature.
SWAMBO was most unimpressed when I arrived home muddy from a bike ride 'that will only be on tar'. :biggrin:
