cono
Pack Dog
Part 1: Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth
2 Days before New Year 2009, I decided to take my new bike (KLR650 Versys) for a ride to PE from Johannesburg.
I packed her onto the bakkie.
I know many people ride bikes... me...I ride with my bike.
I also packed in the rubber duck, outboard motor, SCUBA diving kit, fishing tackle and tent. Ran out of space for the Golf Clubs and sleeping bag.
Last stop before hitting the wide open roads. Bike warm and comfortable on the back of the bakkie in case it started to rain.
Around about Kroonstad, met with Johan, solo rider on his way to Cape Town. Like the saying goes "Great minds think alike" or "Do fools seldom differ". He packed light and like me decided it's the bike for a News Years solo holiday. No familiy, no kids...just lots of booze and KM's to put on the clock. He was also taking 2 weeks on the open road.....told him if his backside is sore, he can pass PE on his way back to Transvaal and I would load his bike on the bakkie for a comfortable ride back home. Needless to say, he did not have his cellphone readily available and had no idea what his cellphone number was..... or he thought I was weird and was no-way going to let me ride him home. (Ek dink die beore-seun, het gedink ek is 'n moffie". I did say to him I was sleeping over in Gariep or Colesburg and that perhaps he should stay over their with me and leave for Cape Town the next morning.
I shadowed "Johan", who was from Bronkhorstspuit, up until Bloemfontein, where he decided to cabin down for the night in a B&B. It was getting late and it was not a good idea to be on the N1 road, on a bike in the dark.
I pushed ahead for Gariep Dam, where I would put up the tent and party away with the locals for the eveining.
Plan was to get to bed early, wake up early and hit the Gariep Dam, with the "rubber duck" and powerful 4 Horsepower Outboard motor, I gave myself as a Xmas Gift.
Needless to say, I went to bed early, about 04:30am and got up early about 05:30am, sun was bolldy high and my brain was a mixture of Red Heart Rum and "shyte knows what". Lond story short...met some old Parabats from way back in the 80's and what better way to celebrate than with the old drink of choice." Red Heart Rum". It was no cost to me as I was regarded as the "Ou Man" and respect to an old "Grens Vegter" my "Junior's" had to "hoes and wys".
I took the bike for a ride around the Gariep Dam, which is "huge". OK..it was still on the back of the bakkie.
A view of the road through the Free State.
At least the trip allowed me to listen to music I often do not get to listen to, like James Brown's "I feel Good"...fck...Red Heart Babalaas and all. Crossed into the Eastern cape ..Yahoo a dry of joy, I'm finally reaching my destination. fck.it again...Petrol Pumb Engineer slammed the bonnet closed smashing the hook in the process. Went to see a local (Mechanic, Property Salesman, Insurance Salesman, Undertaker, Estate Agent)... he could not fixed the hook as it required a "electrinic gadget", which is hooked to the "thing-a-ma-bob", which hooks to the little lever you pull to open the bonnet. Scout training came in handy as I tied the bonnet down with some knots, which I later could not even untie. The "mechanic" from Colesburg, said "Swaar, ry in die rigting van "Middlesburg" daar is 'n Mazda/Ford handelaar wat jou kan help".....loosly translated into English...You stuoid fck idiot, your drunk and need to go back to Middleburg to find a electronics expert, they make these new cars difficult for a dumb fck like me to work on."
I ignored his advise because Middleburg was way back on the other side of Mpumalanga, just past Witbank. There was no way that I was going to back in the direction I had just driven. So I followed the "flapping bonnet" into the sunset.
OK...was was not even 200 km's from the place I just woke up from and the sun was already going down.
My head was ponding harder than the music "Guns 'N Roses" and when I looked up I saw I was in Cape Town.
fck.it I must have taken the wrong turn-off from Colesburg.
This is the Tafelberg "something" on the Free State / Estern Cape Border.
I continued going finding out some idiot did not load the Eastern cape maps into the Garmin GPS and I got stuck in time.
David Bowie, was singing some some serious crap about Major Tom, trying to make contact with Earth and i just needed a drink. Before leaving Johannesburg, I do remember packing a coller box with cheap wine, Klippies & Cola, Windhoek and Black labels. I just did not have the good sense to stop and look for that coller box on the back of the bakkie some-where.
Amazing I eventually came across the town called "Middleburg - Cape", so the Colesburg "mechanic' was not shyting me. Needless to say, no-one in Middleburg, knew where to find Mazda spares to fix the bonnet hook and it was suggested to go across to.....not Graaf-Reinet...but the other way to get to PE., because there is a Mazda/ Ford dealer there.
Was this sign intended for me or for the "mechanics" I was fortunate to meet so-far on my trip.
I was still crawling at a speed of 80km's from Gariep with the Mazda's bonnet flapping in the wind, everytime I went faster than 85km's per hour. I know I heard the song by Michael "what's his-name" " Don't let the sun go down on me", and he was being backed by Elton John. Ironic, I believe both these boys like doing that "backing-up stuff".
By now at the speed I was travelling I felt that I was on a time warp, it was still so early, yet the sun really was going down.
I reached Cradock and found a Mazda / Ford "Mechanic" Amen !!!! With a screw driver and pliers, he cut a few wires and broke some things out of the electronic locking device, re-connected my battery and set the "electronic clock" in the bakkie and fck.it, it was late...the speed that I was driving and the fact that our Colesburg "mechanic" did not re-set the time clock in the bakkie, it meant I was way behind on travel time and the sun would be long gone by the time I got into PE.
248 km's later I crept into PE, babalaas was gone and so was all my booze I had in the coller box. NO...I was not drinking and driving. My eternal greatfulness, to my hero "Cradock Mechanic", after he and his mates said there was no charge for the work done to the bakkie, was to hand over all my liquid assets. At least one babalaas on this trip would be more than enough.
Another song comes to mind "He ain't heavy his my brother". Iron Legion, decided to ride with a Extreme Wild Dog from PE to Plettenberg Bay.
There were more smoke-breaks along the way than riding. We did "almost" manage to cross van Staden's Bridge.
30km's later we turned back, with the Iron Legion leaking oil and his biker buddies not showing up for the ride.
Old Years Eve came and went with a "major accident".
Now riding solo, without a GPS or internet to make contact with the PE Wild Dogs, I went down to see the fire-works at the beach front. The cops had closed off the road, just after Happy Valley and was diverting us through back-streets to the other side of Summerstrand. In fron of the Cops, I made a slow U-turn and dropped the bike in front of the Cops, who came running, thinking "Ja, this blerry biker is moerse dronk, let's bust him". What happended was ....and I am only telling you this story, to teach all the newbies a lesson. my takkies laces had come un-done while riding and as i was making this very tight U-turn in the heavy traffic, got the lace caught on the right foot rest as i was putting the foor down, needless to say, the foor did not find the ground, but the bike and me did. The Cops were surprised to find bikers also fall even when sober. This is an Adventure Bikers Forum, so my greatest adventures always involve a fall or two, that's what makes it an adventure.
Then the time came to make this the trip of a life-time....Baviaans Kloof ...here I come.
Again crossed van Stadens Bridge on the way to patensie via Lowrie and Hankey. Just over the bridge got stopped in a road block, for riding too slow. Cops became friendly and arrested me, making ne drink with them...
S'True No Bull Be Told...there was a nice sexy blond driving a Mini with a hellava big "Red Bull" who insisted I have a can of the best with her and the Cops. Best road block I have ever been stopped in.
Part 2: Crossing into Patensie and the Baviaans Kloof ...to follow soon.
2 Days before New Year 2009, I decided to take my new bike (KLR650 Versys) for a ride to PE from Johannesburg.
I packed her onto the bakkie.
I know many people ride bikes... me...I ride with my bike.
I also packed in the rubber duck, outboard motor, SCUBA diving kit, fishing tackle and tent. Ran out of space for the Golf Clubs and sleeping bag.
Last stop before hitting the wide open roads. Bike warm and comfortable on the back of the bakkie in case it started to rain.
Around about Kroonstad, met with Johan, solo rider on his way to Cape Town. Like the saying goes "Great minds think alike" or "Do fools seldom differ". He packed light and like me decided it's the bike for a News Years solo holiday. No familiy, no kids...just lots of booze and KM's to put on the clock. He was also taking 2 weeks on the open road.....told him if his backside is sore, he can pass PE on his way back to Transvaal and I would load his bike on the bakkie for a comfortable ride back home. Needless to say, he did not have his cellphone readily available and had no idea what his cellphone number was..... or he thought I was weird and was no-way going to let me ride him home. (Ek dink die beore-seun, het gedink ek is 'n moffie". I did say to him I was sleeping over in Gariep or Colesburg and that perhaps he should stay over their with me and leave for Cape Town the next morning.
I shadowed "Johan", who was from Bronkhorstspuit, up until Bloemfontein, where he decided to cabin down for the night in a B&B. It was getting late and it was not a good idea to be on the N1 road, on a bike in the dark.
I pushed ahead for Gariep Dam, where I would put up the tent and party away with the locals for the eveining.
Plan was to get to bed early, wake up early and hit the Gariep Dam, with the "rubber duck" and powerful 4 Horsepower Outboard motor, I gave myself as a Xmas Gift.
Needless to say, I went to bed early, about 04:30am and got up early about 05:30am, sun was bolldy high and my brain was a mixture of Red Heart Rum and "shyte knows what". Lond story short...met some old Parabats from way back in the 80's and what better way to celebrate than with the old drink of choice." Red Heart Rum". It was no cost to me as I was regarded as the "Ou Man" and respect to an old "Grens Vegter" my "Junior's" had to "hoes and wys".
I took the bike for a ride around the Gariep Dam, which is "huge". OK..it was still on the back of the bakkie.
A view of the road through the Free State.
At least the trip allowed me to listen to music I often do not get to listen to, like James Brown's "I feel Good"...fck...Red Heart Babalaas and all. Crossed into the Eastern cape ..Yahoo a dry of joy, I'm finally reaching my destination. fck.it again...Petrol Pumb Engineer slammed the bonnet closed smashing the hook in the process. Went to see a local (Mechanic, Property Salesman, Insurance Salesman, Undertaker, Estate Agent)... he could not fixed the hook as it required a "electrinic gadget", which is hooked to the "thing-a-ma-bob", which hooks to the little lever you pull to open the bonnet. Scout training came in handy as I tied the bonnet down with some knots, which I later could not even untie. The "mechanic" from Colesburg, said "Swaar, ry in die rigting van "Middlesburg" daar is 'n Mazda/Ford handelaar wat jou kan help".....loosly translated into English...You stuoid fck idiot, your drunk and need to go back to Middleburg to find a electronics expert, they make these new cars difficult for a dumb fck like me to work on."
I ignored his advise because Middleburg was way back on the other side of Mpumalanga, just past Witbank. There was no way that I was going to back in the direction I had just driven. So I followed the "flapping bonnet" into the sunset.
OK...was was not even 200 km's from the place I just woke up from and the sun was already going down.
My head was ponding harder than the music "Guns 'N Roses" and when I looked up I saw I was in Cape Town.
fck.it I must have taken the wrong turn-off from Colesburg.
This is the Tafelberg "something" on the Free State / Estern Cape Border.
I continued going finding out some idiot did not load the Eastern cape maps into the Garmin GPS and I got stuck in time.
David Bowie, was singing some some serious crap about Major Tom, trying to make contact with Earth and i just needed a drink. Before leaving Johannesburg, I do remember packing a coller box with cheap wine, Klippies & Cola, Windhoek and Black labels. I just did not have the good sense to stop and look for that coller box on the back of the bakkie some-where.
Amazing I eventually came across the town called "Middleburg - Cape", so the Colesburg "mechanic' was not shyting me. Needless to say, no-one in Middleburg, knew where to find Mazda spares to fix the bonnet hook and it was suggested to go across to.....not Graaf-Reinet...but the other way to get to PE., because there is a Mazda/ Ford dealer there.
Was this sign intended for me or for the "mechanics" I was fortunate to meet so-far on my trip.
I was still crawling at a speed of 80km's from Gariep with the Mazda's bonnet flapping in the wind, everytime I went faster than 85km's per hour. I know I heard the song by Michael "what's his-name" " Don't let the sun go down on me", and he was being backed by Elton John. Ironic, I believe both these boys like doing that "backing-up stuff".
By now at the speed I was travelling I felt that I was on a time warp, it was still so early, yet the sun really was going down.
I reached Cradock and found a Mazda / Ford "Mechanic" Amen !!!! With a screw driver and pliers, he cut a few wires and broke some things out of the electronic locking device, re-connected my battery and set the "electronic clock" in the bakkie and fck.it, it was late...the speed that I was driving and the fact that our Colesburg "mechanic" did not re-set the time clock in the bakkie, it meant I was way behind on travel time and the sun would be long gone by the time I got into PE.
248 km's later I crept into PE, babalaas was gone and so was all my booze I had in the coller box. NO...I was not drinking and driving. My eternal greatfulness, to my hero "Cradock Mechanic", after he and his mates said there was no charge for the work done to the bakkie, was to hand over all my liquid assets. At least one babalaas on this trip would be more than enough.
Another song comes to mind "He ain't heavy his my brother". Iron Legion, decided to ride with a Extreme Wild Dog from PE to Plettenberg Bay.
There were more smoke-breaks along the way than riding. We did "almost" manage to cross van Staden's Bridge.
30km's later we turned back, with the Iron Legion leaking oil and his biker buddies not showing up for the ride.
Old Years Eve came and went with a "major accident".
Now riding solo, without a GPS or internet to make contact with the PE Wild Dogs, I went down to see the fire-works at the beach front. The cops had closed off the road, just after Happy Valley and was diverting us through back-streets to the other side of Summerstrand. In fron of the Cops, I made a slow U-turn and dropped the bike in front of the Cops, who came running, thinking "Ja, this blerry biker is moerse dronk, let's bust him". What happended was ....and I am only telling you this story, to teach all the newbies a lesson. my takkies laces had come un-done while riding and as i was making this very tight U-turn in the heavy traffic, got the lace caught on the right foot rest as i was putting the foor down, needless to say, the foor did not find the ground, but the bike and me did. The Cops were surprised to find bikers also fall even when sober. This is an Adventure Bikers Forum, so my greatest adventures always involve a fall or two, that's what makes it an adventure.
Then the time came to make this the trip of a life-time....Baviaans Kloof ...here I come.
Again crossed van Stadens Bridge on the way to patensie via Lowrie and Hankey. Just over the bridge got stopped in a road block, for riding too slow. Cops became friendly and arrested me, making ne drink with them...
S'True No Bull Be Told...there was a nice sexy blond driving a Mini with a hellava big "Red Bull" who insisted I have a can of the best with her and the Cops. Best road block I have ever been stopped in.
Part 2: Crossing into Patensie and the Baviaans Kloof ...to follow soon.
