- Joined
- Dec 15, 2008
- Messages
- 6,695
- Reaction score
- 758
- Location
- Port Elizabeth
- Bike
- BMW R1200GS Adventure
This isn't going to be much of a report. Just going to let the pictures tell the story.
7am on Friday morning saw us gathering at Engen on Disa Rd, where we did the last minute fill-ups for ourselves and the bikes.
Our route would take us to Grahamstown via Shamwari game reserve and Riebeeck East, then via Committeesdrift to Breakfastvlei, skirting Double Drift game reserve to Middledrift. Seymour to Tyldon via some awesome forestry roads and then tar into Queenstown.
The group fltr: Francois(Dakar), Tertius(1200GS), Nemodakar(Dakar), Dorothee(F800), Jughead(Dakar), BMWPE(HP2) and Skipskop(KLR).
Schamwari Giraffes.
Stopping for a break to either replenish the fluid ...
... and to get rid of some fluid. >
The farmers in deep conversation.
Approaching Riebeeck East
Skipskop
Francois
Tertius
Getting arty.
Nemodakar does it standing up!
Nemodakar does it standing up and looking back! :biggrin:
On the forestry road that runs parallel to the Niko Malan Pass.
Stopping for a cold one.
BMWPE
Here Tertius lost the hugger of the mothership, so we mounted it on the fence as a memorial! :biggrin:
Waqu station
The most intact station I have seen in a long time.
Getting arty again.
I only did 10, promise!
From here we slabbed it into Queenstown, where we met the locals.
Day 2, Saturday.
Saturday was a circular route that took us to visit the dams in the area. After the heavy rain the previous night, some sections had been cancelled, but what remained was still stunning, an awesome ride with the evidence of the previous nights rain all over.
Francois
Bholotwa river
These railings are spring loaded, so that they collapse and fold down over the catwalk when the river is high. I guess no one took into account that there would be some debris in the water.
Shopping trolley, rural style.
Lubisi Bottle Store.
Coming around a corner, we came across these longdrops.
There's a good reason for not having a door. Would you want a door blocking this view? :biggrin:
Some locals
Wide open spaces. What a beautiful country!
Stopping for a cold one, again.
Not sure that was just Coke in that can.
The Barman
Lunchtime at Xonxa Dam, and time to cool off. While some did it carefully ...
... others just jumped in, boots and all.
And some just sat, contemplating life, or whatever.
I crossed the causeway to get these pics.
Organisation was brilliant!
The ladies
It didn't have the view of the longdrop, but the ladies were happy.
On the way back, Mr T got a slow leak in the rear. >
Dorothee crossing a runoff from the White Kei river.
Francois
Outside Queenstown, we "accidently" :biggrin: took one of the sections that had been cancelled. This was the road down, looking back. As usual, the camera doesn't do justice to the slope.
As we entered Queenstown, we came across this disused filling station ...
... where someone showed some resourcefulness.
At the rally point, there was more. This screen gives new meaning to "Pooratech"
And this for the riders with an identity crises. An Orange BMW Jacket. :imaposer:
BMWPE having a snack after a long day.
Day 3. Homeward Bound
We planned to head back via Devil's bellows and Katberg Pass to Grahamtown, then slab it back home.
Oxkraal Dam
Ciskei roads can really damage a vehicle.
Just before Devil's bellows, we were pulled over by a police bakkie and asked where we were headed. When we said Devil's bellows, the cops started shaking their heads. "Not on a bike. You will not get through" We tried to argue but they would have none of it. So they escorted us on an awesome little road, meandering through villages, on a route that ran up into the hills below Katberg Pass.
En route, we came across this graveyard, in the middle of nowhere.
That's our escort waiting patiently in the distance.
This is the road they led us on.
Saying our farewells, with a few last minute instructions. The "road" directly behind the bakkie cab and above my bike's right mirror, is the one we were instructed to take.
So off we went.
And promptly got lost. End of the "road"
So we wandered around ...
... and eventually found it.
Looking back toward the dam we would have passed, had we not been intercepted.
Nearing the top.
The view.
And eventually got to the top.
On the way down Katberg Pass.
The only off for the weekend. But then, there was no separation, so I guess it's technically not an "OFF". That's my bike in a rut, a big one!
From here we slabbed it back to Grahamstown for coffee, then home.
7am on Friday morning saw us gathering at Engen on Disa Rd, where we did the last minute fill-ups for ourselves and the bikes.
Our route would take us to Grahamstown via Shamwari game reserve and Riebeeck East, then via Committeesdrift to Breakfastvlei, skirting Double Drift game reserve to Middledrift. Seymour to Tyldon via some awesome forestry roads and then tar into Queenstown.
The group fltr: Francois(Dakar), Tertius(1200GS), Nemodakar(Dakar), Dorothee(F800), Jughead(Dakar), BMWPE(HP2) and Skipskop(KLR).
Schamwari Giraffes.
Stopping for a break to either replenish the fluid ...
... and to get rid of some fluid. >
The farmers in deep conversation.
Approaching Riebeeck East
Skipskop
Francois
Tertius
Getting arty.
Nemodakar does it standing up!
Nemodakar does it standing up and looking back! :biggrin:
On the forestry road that runs parallel to the Niko Malan Pass.
Stopping for a cold one.
BMWPE
Here Tertius lost the hugger of the mothership, so we mounted it on the fence as a memorial! :biggrin:
Waqu station
The most intact station I have seen in a long time.
Getting arty again.
I only did 10, promise!
From here we slabbed it into Queenstown, where we met the locals.
Day 2, Saturday.
Saturday was a circular route that took us to visit the dams in the area. After the heavy rain the previous night, some sections had been cancelled, but what remained was still stunning, an awesome ride with the evidence of the previous nights rain all over.
Francois
Bholotwa river
These railings are spring loaded, so that they collapse and fold down over the catwalk when the river is high. I guess no one took into account that there would be some debris in the water.
Shopping trolley, rural style.
Lubisi Bottle Store.
Coming around a corner, we came across these longdrops.
There's a good reason for not having a door. Would you want a door blocking this view? :biggrin:
Some locals
Wide open spaces. What a beautiful country!
Stopping for a cold one, again.
Not sure that was just Coke in that can.
The Barman
Lunchtime at Xonxa Dam, and time to cool off. While some did it carefully ...
... others just jumped in, boots and all.
And some just sat, contemplating life, or whatever.
I crossed the causeway to get these pics.
Organisation was brilliant!
The ladies
It didn't have the view of the longdrop, but the ladies were happy.
On the way back, Mr T got a slow leak in the rear. >
Dorothee crossing a runoff from the White Kei river.
Francois
Outside Queenstown, we "accidently" :biggrin: took one of the sections that had been cancelled. This was the road down, looking back. As usual, the camera doesn't do justice to the slope.
As we entered Queenstown, we came across this disused filling station ...
... where someone showed some resourcefulness.
At the rally point, there was more. This screen gives new meaning to "Pooratech"
And this for the riders with an identity crises. An Orange BMW Jacket. :imaposer:
BMWPE having a snack after a long day.
Day 3. Homeward Bound
We planned to head back via Devil's bellows and Katberg Pass to Grahamtown, then slab it back home.
Oxkraal Dam
Ciskei roads can really damage a vehicle.
Just before Devil's bellows, we were pulled over by a police bakkie and asked where we were headed. When we said Devil's bellows, the cops started shaking their heads. "Not on a bike. You will not get through" We tried to argue but they would have none of it. So they escorted us on an awesome little road, meandering through villages, on a route that ran up into the hills below Katberg Pass.
En route, we came across this graveyard, in the middle of nowhere.
That's our escort waiting patiently in the distance.
This is the road they led us on.
Saying our farewells, with a few last minute instructions. The "road" directly behind the bakkie cab and above my bike's right mirror, is the one we were instructed to take.
So off we went.
And promptly got lost. End of the "road"
So we wandered around ...
... and eventually found it.
Looking back toward the dam we would have passed, had we not been intercepted.
Nearing the top.
The view.
And eventually got to the top.
On the way down Katberg Pass.
The only off for the weekend. But then, there was no separation, so I guess it's technically not an "OFF". That's my bike in a rut, a big one!
From here we slabbed it back to Grahamstown for coffee, then home.
