pboardman31415
Puppy
Kev, Al and I trailered the bikes to Matata and stayed with an old friend, Dre. Power failure in Mtata, so we decided to watch the Bokke beat Ireland at a hotel in Butterworth. Al nearly got another wife... Went to watch some soccer with some of Dre's friends and admired their fine art collection.
Got unexpectedly searched by SAPS walking home at night. It’s a good move to stay cool & friendly in these circumstances. We started out for Port St Johns and had our first of many refreshment stops at Libode. We met this interesting uniformed character with Standard Bank epaulettes…he was the local security guard / parking attendant / lottery officer and random number generator.
We turned off the R61 and headed into the villages and hills. Finding our first deep gorge & impressive cliffs.
It was on one of these tracks that Alan decided to show what the KTM was capable of on a steep uphill track. Once the dust had settled, Al thought he had cracked a rib or two…
We stopped for juice as we rolled into PSJ and it was only once we were filling up that we noticed the precarious angle of the roof structure above the fuel pumps… No - it was not an elephant!
It’s worth going to the top of the mountain where the PSJ airstrip is - beautiful views all around!
Onwards into the CBD of PSJ we found a lekka local who gave us tips on where to stay. Amampondo backpackers where the beer was cold and the beds were cheap.
During the night we met an out-of-work Eskom technician /Margate bouncer with his sister who suggested that when we landed in Lusikisiki we look up a friend of hers called Louis who was doing permaculture venture in the bush near Magwa Falls.
So we arrived at Louis’s house and what a spot! Right on the edge of the escarpment - the setting was awesome.
ot:
On Kev’s hire bike, the puncture that was “fixed” in Lusikisiki needed to be properly repaired as the tyre was flat again… after fixing, we got to drinking whiskey and cooking some meat. Louis advised us to stay the next night in Mbotyi at Fanie’s backpackers. Spectacular sea view.
Fanie put on a big braai for us … we had salads and other greens under a star studded sky. Al getting strapped up.
Next morning we rode through a mad jungle track (a heavy trail head full of zombie) which eventually spat us out on the concrete road to Fraser falls.
We had an idea to find the Waterfall Bluff near Luphuthana so we rode the mountain bike trail south towards waterfall bluff after crossing several small muddy rocky rivers, we were circled by a light aircraft and remembering warning from Dre and others regarding heavy fines and worse for riding cross county in the coastal areas. We beat a hasty retreat...paranoia / residule pondo fever getting the best of us we decided to avoid all roads and headed directly inland over some challenging terrain…our thoughts were with Al and the ribs. Back on the road we were thirsty for beer and wanting to avoid roadblocks and other complications we rolled through the back of the village Ndindine. With the help of 2 locals who we lifted to their recommended spaza tavern, thirsts were quenched and dialoguges opened re Transkei local politics.
Then we were off towards Msikaba drifters camp south of Mkambathi nature reserve area where we planned to settle in for the night. Pete went to score us some beer and chicken for the evening’s festivities…we lit a fire and using the lodge canoe, went for a paddle in the lagoon. Peter and Kev were headed out for open ocean until Al who was walking on the beach noted that it was a spectacularly kak idea to head into the breakers in a leisure type canoe without lifejackets. Kev was relieved.
Next morning Kev and Pete took the canoe out again and this time headed up the Msikaba river…they caught their first sightings of the vultures circling above. No sign posts yet to this new vulture colony lookout platform, but the vultures were awesome!
Town planning and cleaners sorely needed in Lusikisiki!
Back to camp to load up and ride out for Magwa falls for Djembe drumming and a shroom surprise.
Louis is promoting these efficient wood burning stoves. Contact him on [email protected] or 0832685611 if you are interested in getting one of these great ideas.
Next morning we headed out for a Pondo inspired indigineous forest walk and then headed back to Andre for our last night in the Kei.
Happy was happy to get out.
Lots of wind turbines have popped up around Jeffries.
The trip home was pleasant until after Somerset West when the trailer’s RH bearing started smoking! We pulled over and noted that the wheel bearing was no longer! Pete and Kev limped the trailer to Attie Hofmeyr’s place on Winery Road.
On our way to 58 for the traditional “back in town” drink Kev almost gets taken out by a mattress flying off a car outside the Langa area. It seems ironic that the most life threatening bike incident happened not in the back roads of rural Transkei but rather on the N2 5kms out of Cape Town! :dousing:
Got unexpectedly searched by SAPS walking home at night. It’s a good move to stay cool & friendly in these circumstances. We started out for Port St Johns and had our first of many refreshment stops at Libode. We met this interesting uniformed character with Standard Bank epaulettes…he was the local security guard / parking attendant / lottery officer and random number generator.
We turned off the R61 and headed into the villages and hills. Finding our first deep gorge & impressive cliffs.
It was on one of these tracks that Alan decided to show what the KTM was capable of on a steep uphill track. Once the dust had settled, Al thought he had cracked a rib or two…
We stopped for juice as we rolled into PSJ and it was only once we were filling up that we noticed the precarious angle of the roof structure above the fuel pumps… No - it was not an elephant!
It’s worth going to the top of the mountain where the PSJ airstrip is - beautiful views all around!
Onwards into the CBD of PSJ we found a lekka local who gave us tips on where to stay. Amampondo backpackers where the beer was cold and the beds were cheap.
During the night we met an out-of-work Eskom technician /Margate bouncer with his sister who suggested that when we landed in Lusikisiki we look up a friend of hers called Louis who was doing permaculture venture in the bush near Magwa Falls.
So we arrived at Louis’s house and what a spot! Right on the edge of the escarpment - the setting was awesome.
ot:
On Kev’s hire bike, the puncture that was “fixed” in Lusikisiki needed to be properly repaired as the tyre was flat again… after fixing, we got to drinking whiskey and cooking some meat. Louis advised us to stay the next night in Mbotyi at Fanie’s backpackers. Spectacular sea view.
Fanie put on a big braai for us … we had salads and other greens under a star studded sky
. Al getting strapped up.
Next morning we rode through a mad jungle track (a heavy trail head full of zombie) which eventually spat us out on the concrete road to Fraser falls.
We had an idea to find the Waterfall Bluff near Luphuthana so we rode the mountain bike trail south towards waterfall bluff after crossing several small muddy rocky rivers, we were circled by a light aircraft and remembering warning from Dre and others regarding heavy fines and worse for riding cross county in the coastal areas. We beat a hasty retreat...paranoia / residule pondo fever getting the best of us we decided to avoid all roads and headed directly inland over some challenging terrain…our thoughts were with Al and the ribs. Back on the road we were thirsty for beer and wanting to avoid roadblocks and other complications we rolled through the back of the village Ndindine. With the help of 2 locals who we lifted to their recommended spaza tavern, thirsts were quenched and dialoguges opened re Transkei local politics.
Then we were off towards Msikaba drifters camp south of Mkambathi nature reserve area where we planned to settle in for the night. Pete went to score us some beer and chicken for the evening’s festivities…we lit a fire and using the lodge canoe, went for a paddle in the lagoon. Peter and Kev were headed out for open ocean until Al who was walking on the beach noted that it was a spectacularly kak idea to head into the breakers in a leisure type canoe without lifejackets. Kev was relieved.
Next morning Kev and Pete took the canoe out again and this time headed up the Msikaba river…they caught their first sightings of the vultures circling above. No sign posts yet to this new vulture colony lookout platform, but the vultures were awesome!
Town planning and cleaners sorely needed in Lusikisiki!
Back to camp to load up and ride out for Magwa falls for Djembe drumming and a shroom surprise.
Louis is promoting these efficient wood burning stoves. Contact him on [email protected] or 0832685611 if you are interested in getting one of these great ideas.
Next morning we headed out for a Pondo inspired
indigineous forest walk and then headed back to Andre for our last night in the Kei. Happy was happy to get out.
Lots of wind turbines have popped up around Jeffries.
The trip home was pleasant until after Somerset West when the trailer’s RH bearing started smoking! We pulled over and noted that the wheel bearing was no longer! Pete and Kev limped the trailer to Attie Hofmeyr’s place on Winery Road.
On our way to 58 for the traditional “back in town” drink Kev almost gets taken out by a mattress flying off a car outside the Langa area. It seems ironic that the most life threatening bike incident happened not in the back roads of rural Transkei but rather on the N2 5kms out of Cape Town! :dousing:
