Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

A friend of mine asked me what I did this weekend. The answer was easy, I delivered the “Devils” newspaper in “Die hel” and on Sunday lunch I did some “pole dancing” in Laingsburg. Neadless to say, she was shocked. Saturday morning Daniel Nelson and I left Wellington and headed for Worchester via bainskloof (someone must show me a way out of the Cape that does not go over Bainskloof) we had some breakfast at the Shell petrol station and we headed on. Once outside Worchester we took the Nuy gravel road to Rodeberg and via Robertson, Ashton to Montague. What a beautiful morning it was. In Montague I know a little tweespoor that leads to the Oubergpass towards Touwsriver. The tweespoor was a nice wake-up call with its loose stones and sharp turns. In Touwsriver we put in some petrol and had a “small” beer and on to the Witteberg road towards the Rooinekke pass outside Laingsburg. While having our beer under the watchful eye of the traffic officer the people from Gamkaskloof called me and asked if I could bring them today’s Burger, R6.50 later it was in the pannier. Die witteberg road alongside the Anysberg reserve was absolutely magic, the early morning sun and spring green made for awesome sights. Good road surface made for good fast travel. Rooinekke pass and on to seweweekspoort pass. The Seweweekspoort pass is as flat as a pancake but surely one of the most beautiful ones to ride through, very loose road surface makes for wake-up riding techniques. Daniel had his moments as he was sweeping and sweeped his tail end a bit wide at times, makes for good fun though. Out of Seweweekspoort onto die Huisrivier pass to Calitsdorp, no we did not have Port but a few beers were packed for later consumption. Overlooking a dam just outside Calitsdorp on the Groenfontein road we had a cold one and contemplated how good life is, what more does one need. Groenfontein to Swartberg pass and into Gamkaskloof with sunset. This is a sight to remember, everyone should at least see this once. Once at the kiosk I delivered “Die Burger” and we bought some preserved vegetables and headed for our camping spot. To our surprise the camp site was quit full. Good red wine, rump steaks and a cigar completed the day, ten o clock we were flat on our back. All night there was a cacophony of snoring from all angles in the camp and as usually everyone denied participating. Sunday morning we headed out of “Die Hel” (Die Hel to the Swartberg pass takes two hours according to the signboard, rest assured it can be done quicker) back over die Huisrivier, Seweweekspoort and Rooinekke pass into Laingsburg The railway bridge over the river on my left caught my attention as there are two pillions of a previous structure lying under it and I was wandering where these came from. Passing a gap in the foliage I noticed the old railway bridge and then remembered the right turn. I would best leave this part to be explained by Daniel as he had a prime seat to what followed. The events appear to be a very good advert for Country Traxs training and the slogan “Stand-up, look-up and open-up”. I was traveling at about 80 kilometers / hour on that piece of tar when I thundered onto the gravel on the side of it, I had about four meters to work with, not that I noticed. Daniel says he has never seen anyone get up that fast and that nogal for a fifty year old. There was a signpost that I missed by a few inches with the wheels, this according to the tire tracks and although I had panniers fitted I got past the pole, just imagine how flat I had thrown the bike onto its right-hand side, weight on the left peg and don’t close the throttle seem to have done the trick, also the bike had knobblies fitted. Obviously I had no target fixation as I had never seen the signpost, I think I actually sprained my neck looking for the corners exit point. I was laughing like anything in disbelieve when Daniel pulled up alongside me and showed me he’s hearth was sitting in his mouth. Laingsburg hotel served us a few nice burgers and ones refueled we headed into the Moordenaars Karoo towards Matjiesfontein, what a stunning ride. Back onto the Sutherland to Matjiesfontein road I knew of a small road past the “Ou Mure” and Brandfontein leading into the Patatsfontien road which goes to Ceres but after a few kilometers we got to a closed gate. What a pity that must be a real blast to ride. We turned around and suikered down to Matjiesfontein to get over Patatsfontein onto Ceres. Fueling up and “Pomp die tires” we rolled into Wellington at about 18h30 (Over Bainskloof of course as there is no other way into the Cape). Kilometers about 1100 for the two days, bikes 2, fun 10/10 and blessings galore. Our GS’s take us to the most wonderful places, thanks for the weekend Daniel.