Riaanrw
Race Dog
Had a little fall in Attakwas pass. Bike luckily had no damage!!
I will do a full ride report later in the week. Just got home after a very long days riding.
Will keep the writing to as little as possible!! Can write a book about this trip.
I am going to split this RR into two parts. Baviaans and Attakwas solo is part two.
I will keep it short. :deal:
Had to go to a wedding in Durban!!
Plan. Ride there and back on the bike. Family goes in car. :thumleft:
All changed!! Oldest daughter decided to join as pillion. Day one. We are going to ride from Hermanus through Gysmanshoek pass and over Rooiberg pass into Die Hel and out to sleep close to Oudtshoorn
Nice early morning start: 8 am. Lucy and me.
From the start this was going to be a cold run. How damn cold we would soon find out.
We were making good time and got through Heidelberg nice and early. Heidelberg in the background and some rain clouds lurking.
Gysmanshoek is one of those little passes that most people don't even know exists. If you ever come past this area and have some time, just ride it. Up and down the mountain won’t take more that 45 min. Worth every minute. :deal:
Next up Rooiberg pass. Another pass not ridden too often. Beautiful area and lots to see. The pass itself is not a big challenge to ride, but it is a long and windy road.
From here straight to Calitzdorp for petrol. No time to rest - got to get in and out of Die Hel and it is already 2:15 in the afternoon. From here to Die Hel no pics sorry. Took the gravel road out of Calitzdorp to the bottom of Swartberg
Little crossing before Calitzdorp. See the concentration on my face!!! :mwink:
The famous Swartberg pass. Oudtshoorn side.:ricky:
The sign says 2 hours 50km my ass. Ok the my ass part not. It was 3:45 pm when we stopped at the entrance sign. I wanted to get in and out before dark. Didn't take too many pics. SORRY!!! :-[
4:30 I stopped in the caravan park. And I didn't ride fast!! So to head out. Nope!! Lucy is now tired. She used all her charms on Daddy and got me to setup camp and stay the night. ((Shit there are big spiders here.
TR said so))
And 15 min later she was what seems to be not so tired any more. Maybe she ain’t into riding as much as Daddy?
Pics don't show a tired little girl!!!
I had to make some dinner. Hmmm little problem we weren't going to camp here. But I am a McGiver kind and quickly had a great meal set out. River juice, medium to well done steak and bird droppings on the side!!!
We enjoyed the views all through dinner!!
Bed time!! SPIDER DREAMS!! DAMN TR. Awoke at midnight from rain falling on tent. Checked for spiders!! Packed up by 8 am and set off.
Next two pics are taken at same place one late afternoon previous day and the other the morning we left. It didn't stop raining all night and day.
Describing driving out. One of the best riding experiences I have had to date. It was intense. Adventure riding at it's best. Only one pic of the road as camera got wet. Sorry!!!
And this is where the trip fell apart. Wrong rain gear!!!! Coming up the pass out Die Hel I felt the front of my stomach getting wet. To put it in laymen terms I could have spent a night drinking beer and just go in my pants the whole time would have been the same. :dousing: Everything was wet by the time we got to bottom of Swartberg.
Lucy was very cold and I decided to call it quits and meet mommy on the N2 and ride to in laws close to PE (Bokness Strand) and park bike. It still took 6 hours to get there. F@$k did I freeze my balls of!!! (Sorry not pics of that.)
Part two to follow.((My solo Baviaans and Attakwas pass in one day.))
PS. Did I mention Die Hel has BIG Spiders!!!
Part two!!
Coming back from the wedding. I had 2 days to get home. Decided to do Baviaans.
Plan was to ride in from Steytlerville side to Patensie and stealth camp just before Baviaans. I had the pleasure of riding the Antoniesberg pass.(Suurberg pas) (Got the name off Google. Not sure if it is correct name.)
What an awesome pass. Took me a good 3 hours to complete. This place is just as natural as it gets.
You ride on top the hills for km's on end. Views are just spectacular.
Patensie!!
Did a quick fuel and food stop in Patensie and headed towards Baviaans. First time here I didn't know where to sleep so did the stealth thing. Don’t ask me where - It was dark by the time I left Patensie. I just took a small track off the road for about 150 m and made camp.
Next morning I was up at sparrows’ fart. Bike packed and on my way by 6:15 am. Still dark. Not to sure how far into Baviaans I was by the time I could see a little but here is the first pic I took.
Some pics through Baviaans. Nothing much to say about this place that hasn't been said.
Now some advice about riding Baviaans so early morning. It is Faarking cold. I rode in 0 degrees for more that 2:00 hours. Don’t do it!!!!
It took me about 3-4 hour to ride through Baviaans. That was at a nice pace of average 30-40km/h. But don't rush like me. Baviaans should be done with plenty of time.
Got to Uniondale by 11am. Plan from here is to take some nice gravel highways home. So take out the GPS and set it to T4A on shortest route and off we go. :ricky:
That went well for about 100km. Then the next thing I find myself on front yard of a farm. But the GPS says go through here for 5 more km and then turn right. So on I go thinking maybe it is just a shortcut.
Road soon became a 4x4 track. I carry on just 2 more km to right turn. :
Right turn was this. By now I was committed to the road and I just wanted to see where I am going to end up.
This was where I came to next. Won't say much!!
eepwall:
This road is not easy and not to be taken lightly. It has big ruts and holes that will take you out very easy. :deal:
The theory is to keep momentum when riding. Crap not in big loose rocks!! They move from under you and then voila!. You see your ass!!!!!
atch: atch:
The rest of the photo's are taken riding through Attakwas kloof.
Back on the gravel highways!!
Got home 6 pm that day.
Next time I am doing it from this side through. Who is coming with me?????
Sorry for not writing more but it would just make the RR way to long and after all most Wilddogs don't read!!!
