Cape Town - Groblershoop - Orkney and beyond. Report complete | Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006

The trip started (one week late) and in a totally different direction.

Ek weet nie hoe lank die trip gaan wees (Week of twee ??)

If the first two days was anything to go by this will be an AWSOME trip. I had to do gates, all types of roads and surfaces and almost turned around as it looked like a dead end - but wasint.

I took only Videos with the hand held Sony Actioncam. The picture quality might not be good as I did 'screen grabs' for this report. I also did not take any pictures of 'things' as the was essentially a travelling trip with minimal stopping and siteseeing. I will now make changes to the OX (bike) for even better trips in the future.

At the end of the report is a short technical overview and trip stats.

Preperation

As I only received the OX a week and a half before the trip there was a lot I had to get used to. I was so used to the lightness of the Dakar and everything already had a place. I prepared a 'packing list' for travel, accomodation and work related items. As I did not know how long I'll be at the customers and if the other sites are ready I had to plan for up to 3 weeks.

Packing List

I am slightly overloaded for the first part as I need to take a lot of stuff for the first job. From then onwards only the tools (Small bag) All camping goodies will also go with as I need to do something other than work as well. :-) Total luggage mass around 40kg

The GPS and its 'traits'

So tussenin moet ek ook nog die GPS leer gebruik. During my preperation I printed the GPS route maps and also took a 1:750 000 road Book with me as backup. This book is useful with all the detail but a bit of a dog as a short distance can span a few pages. More than 4 times I had to fiddle the GPS to get the correct route. This was mainly where a waypoint was 'just off the road'. Once I realised the waypoint is about 50meters off the road so I turned in and drove around the garden whilst chasing the chickens away.

The OX. Fully loaded and ready to go

Day 1

Cape Town to De Aar. Tar to Ceres and then it was all gravel to Sutherland. From there it was gravel to Fraserburg, Loxton a bit of tar to Victoria West. all gravel to De Aar. Total Distance 740km (about 180 Tar)

Day One 740km

Die wind bo by Bainskloof was so sterk dat ek die fiets moes draai sodat ek dit regop kon kry. The heavy bike also meant a much more 'stable' ride in the wind.

Now I'm in my element.

Die onlangse reen het vir nogal groot sports gesorg die week tevore. As dit so nat was sou ek moes omdraai omdat ek alleen gery het met 'n k@k swaar fiets. die spore het vir meer as een kilometer so aangehou. ek het darem geen 'valmerke' gesien.

I am so glad this wasnt me

Here we still had the luxery of roadsigns. A day or two later was only the GPS your 'sign'.

Nog in die beskawing.

The route from Victoria West to De Aar was quite senic and with a few gates. At one point the GPS indicated that I must 'turn left' but the gate was locked. A quick check on the map showed that the straight road will also end in De Aar. A few technical sections (4/10) and just a 'tweespoor' later I joined the bigger roads again. I saw a herd of probably 100 Springbok and a fair amount of other animals.

Towards De Aar

Day 2

De Aar over Orania to Bloemfontein (Spent 2 hours visiting my sisters) then on to Frankfort. 737km with less than 150km Tar. Die son het onder gagaan terwyl ek nog op die grondpad was!!! Decided to take tar to Frankfort via Reitz (75km Tar)

Day 2 route

As hulle son het kan hulle krag gee (De Aar)

From De Aar I headed for Orania. This was one of the few places 'I wanted to see' in my life. As one get closet to water the landscape and farming change. I had to refuel in Orania (with cash as the shop is closed till after church) It was dead quiet on the Sunday morning.

Die hek na Orania

From Orania I crossed the Orange River into the Vrystaat. I headed on gravel to Petrusburg and the tar to Bloemfontein where I spend an hour each with my two sisters. I only left Bloem 2:00 PM and realise it would ba a tight squeeze to reach Frankfort as I am heading east and the son sets much earlier than in Cape Town.

In die Vrystaat

Unfortunately I could not stop and it was to risky to film this section wilst riding. Dit het my nogal laat dink hoe gevaarlik ons tydverdryf is. As hier iets gebeur kry hulle mens eers 'volgende week'.

Freshly graded road

Bird strike

Daar was heelwat Tarentale wat nou begin 'huis toe kom' want die son het begin laag sit. Op die een plek het een van die jongetjies bietjie laat opgevlieg en ons het mekaar gegroet. Ek het geen vere ens gesien so dink nie dit was te erg nie.

Oos Vrystaat paaie

Most of the roads was good and I could press on. Some sections did require more concentration due to the small rocks etc but nothing to be concerened about.

Sunset in the Freestate

Toe ek sien dit begin laat word om Frankfort te haal het ek eers vir Mike gebel om verblyf in Frankfort te kry. Ek het al te veel na sononder by 'n dorp gekom en dan met 'n redelike gesoek slaapplek gekry. Die laaste 35 km na Frankfort sou in die donker wees en alhoewel ek LED spotlights op het was dit nie die risiko werd. Ek het op die R57 regs gedraai na Reitz en darrvandaan na Frankfort. Die aand 7:00 in die donkerte daar aangekom.

Dit is 'n klein wereld. Die volgende oggend hoor ek die gastehuis eienaar was een van my Sabie kliente se vorige baas.

Day 3

I left early for the 186km to Kusile power station. Must be on the road by 6:30. It will be a dash but still with gravel as the tar roads are 'well potholed' (Heidelberg - Delmas)

Freestate Sunrise

As ek maar net geweet het wat voolre. ek het al vergeet van die 'Herfs mis' in Mpumalanga, en hoe koud dit kan wees.

Gravel and mist

It was misty most of the way and finally arrived at Kusile Power station at 10:00.

I MUST WORK AS WELL. Day 3 to Day 8

Ek het ge-hoop om Maandag tot Woensdag te werk ek so daar gaan nie gery word nie. As gevolg van 'n fout op 'n komponent moet ek Vrydag een invlieg van Kaapstad en dit by O.R. Thambo gaan haal. Ek is vrydag aand laat weer terug in Witbank en het toe Saterdag 12:00 klaargemaak. Gelukkig kon ek Vrydag in ander klient in Pretoria sien en sodoende weer bietjie tyd wen. Ek MOET Maandag in Groblershoop wees.

Day 8

I left Kusile 12:00 and made an appointment with a customer in Muldersdrift (Krugersdorp) to do some re-configuration. It took 15 minutes to get a happy customer again. I then set off for Bloemhof. At this stage thi little town was in the middle of some serious riots. All the Municipal council members houses was already burnt down - an I want to sleep there.

Muldersdrift to Bloemhof 375km

Because I did so many kilometers tar the last few days I was getting 'Tarfobia' and had to get on the gravel. It was quite strange as I have quite a few customers in this area it is allways the typical 'dash in - dash out' buisness trip. This time I drove past and just enjoying the scenery. Once past Randfontein I had to get on gravel. And whalla the dust is rising behind me. Almost immediately I was in a 'dumpyard' for building rubble, then a detour for roadworks before the rural roads streched in front. Ahhaaa I can relax again.

Cattle country

The vegetation changed more rapidly here, from grasslands to cultivation to bushveld type schrubs. It was mielies and sunflowers with a few patches of peanuts.

Mealie country

The roads was smooth without any surprises. I think this was the 3rd or 4th sandy spot on the trip. I did sit upright as it was fairly deep for 20 meters or so.

First SAND (did not walk back to the 'real' sand)

This part of the country is the edge of the 'versamel voëls'. It was interesting to note that they like certain types of structures in certain areas. Daar was seker 8 van die kragpale met neste in maar geen neste in die tradisionele telefoon pale nie.

Squatter birds

Die son het begin sak en ek het Bloemhof genader. die trein het so 80 tot 90km/h gedoen.

The midnight train (Spanish train? )

In bloemhof was daar nogsteeds 'n groot polisie teenwoordigheid. die plaaslikes het darem al begin bedaar. die polisie se hoof taak was om hulle uit die dorp te hou. Saterdag aand. Dit was my eerste aand (8e dag) wat ek nie hoef op te staan met 'n gejaag nie. More ry ek net so 400km tot in Griequastad. Die eerste rustige ry dag.

Day 9

Na ontbyt is ek weer op pad. Die GPS het weer so paar snaakse paaie aangedui - Teer vir 65km. Ek wou nog altyd sien waar die Oranje en Vaal riviere bymekaar kom. Ok, ons het tyd, ons gaan Douglas deur. Ek dink ek het die Vaalrivier omtrent 4 keer oorgesteek, weet nie of dit elke keer tussen Vrystaat en 'n ander profinsie was nie.

Oorspronklik Bloemhof tot Griequastad maar nou heelwat verder.

From Bloemhof to Christiana was nice gravel but ended with a short tar section.

Tar Tar Tar

It is amazing to see how the landscape stay the same but the farming change. You will be in Cattle country and then suddenly it will be cultivated lands with crops at various stages of production.

Landerye net waar jy kyk

No more Landerye only Grasslands

Then I crossed the Vaal for the umpteenth time. From Christiana to Warrenton was on the N12.

Crossing the Vaal - Again

I got so bored that I had to do something to stay interested in the trip. Hipnotaais Hipnotaaise I make your arse rise.

Tarfobia

65km Tar again! no waais. Ek vat sommer die eerste grondpad regs maar dit lyk of dit my verkeerde rigting gaan neem. aag wat, draai maar om en ry teer. Na so paar km IS DIT WEER GRONDPAD. Op die staduim besluit ek dat Douglas 'n goeie opsie sal wees. Tik sommer op GPS in en kies 'kortste pad'. Whala grondpad al die pad tot by douglas. Koffie gedrink en gou gaan kyk hoe lyk die samevloeiing.

I dont know what I was hoping for but was a bit disappointed. Although natural for two rivers to 'just join' I wanted a 'roaring white water fight'.

Oranje en Vaalrivier samevloeiing

Now we enter the barren land section of the trip. No more cultivated land, just bome en bossies.

Barren land

Die plan was om in Qriquastad te slaap en dan Maandag oggend vroeg Bokpoort toe te ry. Die prys vir 'n nag in die gastehuis voor enige ete was net soveel as wat ek in Groblershoop MET ETE kan doen. Dit was ook nog vroeg genoeg om die 175km grondpad te doen. Vinnige oproep om seker te maak daar is plek vir my en ek is op pad.

More Barrenness

They recon you only cry twice when you come to live here. the day you arrive and the day you leave. This family looked chirpy so they not leaving yet.

Fellow travellers

The squatters decided the telephone poles make a better city this time.

More Versamelvoels

So 10km voor Groblershoop besluit ek ek kan hier slaap as daar plek is. Reg op die Oranjerivier se walle.

Cabin for the night

next to the river

Day 10

Dit het die nag so bietjie gereen maar daar was geen wolke toe ek opstaan. Ek moet so 4 ure werk voor ek weer verder kan ry. There are about 3 or 4 solar farms in North West Province. The one at Bokpoort is one of the biggest if I'm not mistaken. Depending when I can get away I'll decide where to sleep. Provisionally it will be Kenhard Hotel.

Groblershoop na Kenhard

But first I had an early meeting with the mud.

I will drop you if you do not concentrate

die een kon BAIE erger gewees het. Ek het nie gekyk waar ek ry en ook aan twee hondjies aandag gegee. Die OS het net daar jaloers geraak en my afgegooi. Min het ek geweet my rug is vol modder. Toe ons by the plant weer in die bakkie kom toe sien ek hoe die sitplek lyk. Patrykeer lekker as mens goeie kliente het. I had to get two other campers to help me pick the bike up.

Now entering the REAL binneland

Even the rocks want to get out

And then the GPS pointed to a locked gate. OK this was about 400m from a farmhouse. I will turn around and decide what to do.

Toe val ek sommer om

Op die stadium was ek lekker moerrig vir die GPS en maak die draai so effe te wyd. Toe die voorwiel die rand van die pad bereik toe is my seer been (van val een die oggend) nie genoeg om die fiets regop te hou. nou is dit n probleem want ek moet die OS aleen optel. I first let the adrenalin wane off so I can 'feel' the weight of the bike and not hurt myself. Prep, prep, plan, plan and then I picked it up without ofloading anything to make it lighter. The road I then took to Kenhard was just about 10km longer AND STILL GRAVEL.

Promise of rain fro the barren land

Die mure in die hotel is vol beskryf van reisegers wat daar 'kom rus' het.

Is dit my waarvan hulle praat?

Ek moes ook my stukkie skryf. (die pen was soos ek op daai oomblik - effe pap'

Gekke en dwase skryf op mure en glase.

Day 11

Due to new projects and lack of Internet the last few days I contemplated a straight trip home via Tar. (680km) The original plan was to sleep over about halfway (Middelpos) and only be back home in two days. Afetr a torred night with mosquitos and my leg (I landed on something hard when I fell and had a 'lammie' the whole day) it was the decided. Get home now!!.

Last day. a moese afstand

Tarfobia kicked in. A few km out of town I passed the first gravel road, and then the next and then one with the word 'Verneukpan' on it. I turned around, checked the map and decided to at least go via Verneukpan to Brandvlei. Hiervandaan sal dit dan maar teer moet wees.

Avoid the tracks

Voertuie na die reen het redelike diep spore in die pad gelaat. ek moes maar versigtig wees want partyplekke was die hele pad vol diep harde spore.

Verneukpan to the left

You actually do not see verneukpan from the road. I had no time to turn off so another trip coming up just for this.

Pad met hekke

GPS pointed through a gate again. This time there was lots of fresh car and motorcycle tracks so off I went. With my sore leg it was a bit of a mission to get off the bike and open all the gates. But the scenery made up for the pain and soon the leg was good (probably the exercise)

Area 53

These buildings in the middle of nowhere, also not the traditional farm barn type. A little further this 'windpomp' was on the only koppie in the area. Peculiar as I thought water is in the low lying areas.