- Joined
- Dec 15, 2008
- Messages
- 6,720
- Reaction score
- 773
- Location
- Port Elizabeth
- Bike
- BMW R1200GS Adventure
Seeing no one has yet started this RR, here goes. I am not going to comment much on the trip, but must say it was a great event, well planned and great company.
The trip up to Middleton Manor was done on tar (
uke_l: ) with a quick stop at Colchester to attempt to assist NemoDakar with a dead battery, then on to Paterson, Olifantskop Pass and on to Middleton for brunch.
Not many photos taken on the tar so here goes. Please feel free to add whatever photos you have.
The route we followed
Meeting at Spar, Bluewater Bay.
On the tar (YUCK!)
S33 29 22.02 E25 55 49.44
Having a break at the top of Olifantskop Pass
S33 18 48.93 E25 57 33.31
Isn't she pretty?
S33 18 48.93 E25 57 33.31
Next stop was to buy some karoo biltong
S33 02 47.40 E25 49 34.62
The farmer has this ingenious portable farm stall. That's Rice Crispy having a smoke break.
S33 02 47.40 E25 49 34.62
Lunch at Middleton Manor, the only thing that was important to me at the time. (Well, almost the only thing! >)
After lunch, Rice Crispy and I decided to head for Zuurberg pass on some gravel via Wilton and Wellington Grove.
Some awesome gravel highways
S32 58 8.71 E25 47 40.81
Wilton Guest House
Big Country!
S32 58 37.53 E25 43 27.02
S32 59 28.76 E25 42 47.55
Crossing the Little Fish River
S33 0 11.41 E25 41 36.76
Where it was starting to get a little warm. I say "starting" for a reason. Read on ...
S33 0 11.41 E25 41 36.76
Crossing the canal.
S33 0 15.73 E25 41 26.29
S33 0 37.29 E25 40 40.35
Another View
S33 0 37.29 E25 40 40.35
Riding along merrily ...
S33 0 37.39 E25 40 40.25
We suddenly came across this abandoned silo. My immediate thought was "Man, the top of that will make an awesome vantage point for a photo" So I duly ploughed on the brake and went to have a look.
S33 2 14.36 E25 39 26.02
Unfortunately, some moron has cut the ladder off at the base of the silo. Some people just have no consideration for others!! ??? Anyway, after scouting around for the remains of the ladder and not finding any, I've made a mental note to go back there one day and find a way to the top.
S33 2 14.36 E25 39 26.02
Moving along
S33 2 28.00 E25 38 47.49
It was now hot!
S33 8 9.50 E25 37 58.22
But the roads were awesome!
S33 8 29.72 E25 38 12.92
Soil erosion is a harsh reality in the eastern cape.
S33 8 50.56 E25 39 27.70
Onto Zuurberg pass to check on my cache.
S33 16 25.70 E25 46 33.44
S33 16 25.70 E25 46 33.44
The old homestead on the hill. What I wouldn't give to own this little piece of peace.
S33 16 24.38 E25 46 20.82
The ruin. Would still like to know what this was.
S33 16 24.38 E25 46 20.82
The view from the ruin
S33 16 24.38 E25 46 20.82
And finally, Rice Crispy doing the cutting.
S33 22 41.69 E25 43 9.13
Thanks dude for an awesome ride. Thanks, too, to Beagle Boy for arranging it all.
The trip up to Middleton Manor was done on tar (
uke_l: ) with a quick stop at Colchester to attempt to assist NemoDakar with a dead battery, then on to Paterson, Olifantskop Pass and on to Middleton for brunch.
Noupoort Christian Care Centre places those who have rehabilitated and those still rehabilitating in a town that Noupoort Christian Care Centre purchased called Middleton. It is located in the Eastern Cape on the banks of the Great Fish River. Being surrounded by Game farms and close to the famous Addo Elephant Park Middleton is a charming little village steeped in history dating back to 1879. The town includes a hotel, restaurant, pub, general dealer, bottle store, post office and camping site. (not to forget the quaint church).
https://www.ciara.co.za/index.php
Not many photos taken on the tar so here goes. Please feel free to add whatever photos you have.
The route we followed
Meeting at Spar, Bluewater Bay.
On the tar (YUCK!)
S33 29 22.02 E25 55 49.44
Having a break at the top of Olifantskop Pass
S33 18 48.93 E25 57 33.31
Isn't she pretty?
S33 18 48.93 E25 57 33.31
Next stop was to buy some karoo biltong
S33 02 47.40 E25 49 34.62
The farmer has this ingenious portable farm stall. That's Rice Crispy having a smoke break.
S33 02 47.40 E25 49 34.62
Lunch at Middleton Manor, the only thing that was important to me at the time. (Well, almost the only thing! >
)
After lunch, Rice Crispy and I decided to head for Zuurberg pass on some gravel via Wilton and Wellington Grove.
Some awesome gravel highways
S32 58 8.71 E25 47 40.81
Wilton Guest House
Big Country!
S32 58 37.53 E25 43 27.02
S32 59 28.76 E25 42 47.55
Crossing the Little Fish River
S33 0 11.41 E25 41 36.76
Where it was starting to get a little warm. I say "starting" for a reason. Read on ...
S33 0 11.41 E25 41 36.76
Crossing the canal.
S33 0 15.73 E25 41 26.29
Orange River water is diverted from the Great Fish River by a weir at Elandsdrift into an aqueduct which winds approximately 65 km along steep slopes and cuts through the Bosberg chain between Cookhouse and Somerset East. The main feature of this aqueduct is the 13,1 km Cookhouse Tunnel through the Bosberg, which was completed in 1978. The canal discharges into the Little Fish River near Somerset East via a multi-stepped chute, from where the water flows down the Little Fish River for some 40 km to the De Mistkraal Weir.
Read more here: https://www.dwa.gov.za/orange/mid_orange/fish-sun.htm
S33 0 37.29 E25 40 40.35
Another View
S33 0 37.29 E25 40 40.35
Riding along merrily ...
S33 0 37.39 E25 40 40.25
We suddenly came across this abandoned silo. My immediate thought was "Man, the top of that will make an awesome vantage point for a photo" So I duly ploughed on the brake and went to have a look.
S33 2 14.36 E25 39 26.02
Unfortunately, some moron has cut the ladder off at the base of the silo. Some people just have no consideration for others!! ??? Anyway, after scouting around for the remains of the ladder and not finding any, I've made a mental note to go back there one day and find a way to the top.
S33 2 14.36 E25 39 26.02
Moving along
S33 2 28.00 E25 38 47.49
It was now hot!
S33 8 9.50 E25 37 58.22
But the roads were awesome!
S33 8 29.72 E25 38 12.92
Soil erosion is a harsh reality in the eastern cape.
S33 8 50.56 E25 39 27.70
Onto Zuurberg pass to check on my cache.
S33 16 25.70 E25 46 33.44
S33 16 25.70 E25 46 33.44
The old homestead on the hill. What I wouldn't give to own this little piece of peace.
S33 16 24.38 E25 46 20.82
The ruin. Would still like to know what this was.
S33 16 24.38 E25 46 20.82
The view from the ruin
S33 16 24.38 E25 46 20.82
And finally, Rice Crispy doing the cutting.
S33 22 41.69 E25 43 9.13
Thanks dude for an awesome ride. Thanks, too, to Beagle Boy for arranging it all.
