Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

A little before Christmas the urge came upon me, would it last, could I sustain it? The urge for a quiet trip, that is! Last year it came and went due to exhaustion of work.

Now as a fair few know, I am Bi, I swing both ways, bike riding-wise that is. Tar and dirt do it equally for me!!

Now, what with the 'Ladies Training' and the 'Club's Track day' and the 'Slightly faster breakfast' run, my masculine side was out balancing my feminine, so a bit of dirt was called for to re-balance!!

As the urge remained, solo or with company, the urge was for zany…..Cloudgazer sprang to mind…he wanted to trip in The Hell, sorry, I mean trip to The Hell, but my having been there a few times, Lesotho and Sani seemed a better idea.

Now my concerns:his religion, he does NOT worship the rising sun,.... an eleven am start IS considered  early by him!!!

Ah well, convert him then, for a gent who could not do 70kph on tar to solo trips he is convertible, sooo..

Ring, ring…”Hi Cloud, Jane is working, and I’m free, how’bout a trip+-28 Dec to +-4 Jan, thinking of Sani.”  Cloud, ‘I’ll think it over and call you after Christmas” I called him on the 28^th at 8.30….start the conversion process!!......Cloud “ Sorry other commitments”…..ok who else….Charles and Mr B?

 I knew they, Charles and Julie, were in Port Alfred, try, who knows? Perhaps we could meet-up somewhere?....Ring, ring “Hi Charles…..story…( I type with x1 finger, so imagine the conversation!) Charles, ”Mr B is back home at the mercy of my sons and the affirmative shoppers, so sorry no can go”

Ok the signs are for go alone so alone it will be.

Now where exactly is Lesotho and Sani…. On a SA map it is straight up and a bit to the right, can’t be too far or hard to find!!

Now the what's and where's……..info..., fast ……..try SteveT….. he works up there, wherever there is.

Ring, ring, ”Hi Steve….(imagine story)…..next day at 12.30 met with him and Fern…..route sorted, place to overnight sorted…. Need passport and registration and insurance papers, and ho ho ho off I can go.

Route will be: Day 1…. Up the N1 to Colesburg turn via Gariep dam, Betulie, Smithfield, dirt to Wepner,then Hobhouse, Clocolan, Ficksburg.

Day 2: Ficksburg, Maputsoe, Hlotse, down to Katse, Thaba Tseka,Mokhotlong, Sani, Himeville.

Day 3: Himeville via Bulwer, Howick, Nottingham Road, Mooi River, Estcourt, Winterton, Bergville, Little switzerland, then down to Phuthaditjahaba, and across via Golden gate to Clarens (here the Harley 'things' were on full pose, so much so, thet gender/ human-ness was not easily discerned), Fouriesburg, Ficksburg and overnight.

Day 4: Back to Cape Town or a possible detour....?

Clearly this is a happening, and a day and a half later I'll be off.

Part 2: Wednesday 30 Dec: Depart.

My Steed

 At 06h00 on Wednesday 30 Dec., I ride out.

Kitted up and on my Heidies…the 100 front and 140 rear at +-2.6 and 3 bar respectively.

First stop the bank, for some ‘pad geld’….and away! Some kilos down the N1 zero-ing of the trip meters is remembered!

I know Ficksburg is far-ish (but actually only find out just how far on arrival), but keeping it ethical, I ride DuToits…NO tunnel for me, and no woosie, throttle lock speed control/cruise control/ Airhawk  or  sheepskin seat  either, if Jane can do it, so can I!!

I am a bit twitchy in Du Toits as the road is cold and I have a poor-ish view of the tyres in corners…all in my head admittedly. I have also promised to Jane, Steve and René to take it easy, so this I do but soon warm to the corners but keeping it gentle.

First stop was Worcester Shell for a cappuccino and a small breakfast.

The veld was in bloom, a thorn bush.

Thorn Bush close-up.

In time all things pass

See the mass of thorns.

Hanover was the next bite spot.

Somewhere in the Hanover/ Richmond area: One of our Safety officials.

NOW passing through Leeu Gamka : I wish to see ALL BOYCOTT this town!!!!!!!!!

DO NOT buy ANYTHING there!!!!!!!!!!!

As I do not wish to stoop to their level, I’ll use the term gentleman, but it is used in word only….

Leaving this er, town, one goes over a bridge and approaching the bridge, is the 120kph sign about  50 m  past the bridge, it can be clearly seen in the approach, so naturally motorists already begin to accelerate to 120 in the short distance before the bridge. Here lies the rub: there is a gentleman with his camera equipment stationed there….intending to make some quick bucks selling holiday snaps…pics of you doing 90 to max 110, as you won’t get to 120 till the sign, in this still 80 kph zone.

AVIOD CONTRIBUTING to this town don’t buy anything.

I don’t think I was nabbed, as I kept it very strictly to the limits in each section, but this is very mean spirited and will in no way contribute to road safety, in fact undermines it as motorists will be angry and less well disposed toward law enforcement and up-holding the law…..he was still there 4 days later!!!!

They also hide inside bushes and on the sides of cuttings. Fair enough, but again some spots are questionable on the down-hill, after  you have been trapped behind a truck they nab you as you accelerate in the overtake…..after seeing some of these placements I’m starting to side against Arrive Alive…. good  sentiment, poor/ horrible execution, possibly causing more harm, thanthe good they do, much like religious zealots!!!

I saw cars doing really slow overtakes to avoid being nabbed….these cameras are making for greater danger, watching these actions, as all of the cars were capable of faster overtakes, none were old bangers!

The other area is the drivers, som seem to need the white lines to lead them home ala Hantzel and Gretal and follow almost on top of the line, and no movin to the sholder or into the emergency lane, it may not be the best but allows for much smoother safer passing, none of this was a problem to me  on the bike but, these were what I observed by riding at the speed limit!!

Ficksburg area??

Okay enough of the stuff, the ride to Ficksburg was for the rest uneventful.

The rain in the air.

The rain in the air.2

I got into Ficksburg just before 18h00.....+- 1150 km for the day.

I rode around the town and the to the Spar to see if there is a newspaper to read or a magazine......my eyes nearly popped!!!

Firstly the magazine rack is MUCH bigger, x2 racks, than the Milnerton Spar I'm used to, but not only the aray but the TITLES!!!!!!!!!

See the pic ... this is FICKSBURG not Sea Point!!!!!!!!

An array of mags availible in Ficksburg

Somewhere nearby is a dorpie with a Koeksuster statue and Verwoed and De La Rey bronzes, where they would go mad (be-dornnered) if you said you were aiming to slaughter an ox in your backyard for your ancestors, but would help if it was for a bull skin to wear to Loftus or for braai while watching the rugby!!!

So to see these mags, and not 2 or 3 availabile, was a wee bit of a surprise!!

I bought an Enduro mag from the Spar and a few beers from the store next door, and after a quick bite at the Wimpy, found my lodging and retired for the night.

Thursday 31 Dec:

Today off to Lesotho, Sani and sleep in Himeville?

A vapour trail.: Seen,just before departing from my overnight accommodation

The town at Maputsoe: The Border crossing in the backround.

The town at Maputsoe 2

Cultivated fields...maize???

On the road To Leribe?

On the road To Leribe?2

Alongside the road this beautiful grove of trees, and the area was clean. 

What suprised me was that the traffic had a nice safe feel, the speeds were low.

And all in all they were much better drivers than those back in SA, calmer more patient.

Donkeys became a common sight, carrying loads, sometimes being ridden.

From what I saw, both men and women worked the fields, men ploughing and ladies tilling with a type of hoe.

The ploughing done with cattle pulling the plough. The plough was moved from field to field on a wooden sled, pulled by the same team of cattle.

Working in the fields: Ploughing

Working in the fields

At the border post, the town was fairly littered, and the same went for other town areas, booming music etc., but the rural areas were neat and clean, seems as if crowning people brings out the worst.

There was one really beautiful traffic island, neatly planted with flowers, exquisite, sorry I did not take a pic as I had to turn and the focus was on which way.

Nearing Pitseng? A house with a view!

Pitseng

Cultivated fields...maize? some were wheat.

A river...clean!

The riding was easy, the roads nice on the whole.

An under - road culvert.: The roads which I saw had all been superbly designed drainage wise.

Clearly well considered drainage had left the roads needing no repairs from flood damage.

A kraal and garden.: This neatness and cleanliness was evident everywhere, except in towns.

Water was mostly from communal taps, from what I could see.

An aloe type plant?

Cultivated fields.

Again from what I saw it was mostly done with animals, only a few tractors seen, mostly wrecks.

Plenty twisties. 1

Plenty twisties. 2

Plenty twisties. 3: Although all these corners, they weren't conducive to speed.

I wasn't going to try shooting through them, as often there was a bit of loose dirt on the outside of turns, and speed was not the atmosphere of the country, it would have felt out of place, vulgar, much like talking on a cellphone in the middle of a Mozart piano recital.

This said they were still enjoyable, flicking rhythmically from corner to corner.

Rocks in this area.

This reed-like grass was plaited into rope.: I saw this on a number of animals.

This pass had snow warnings.: I assume these painted rods indicate the road, when it is snowed under.

Another pic of the rods.

For Rony: Photo shooting point...interested?: This area has a fair bit of rockfall activity.

See the loose stuff near the edges.

Rockfall road damage, some caused with the water freezing?Beauty everywhere!

The last few pics were of this pass.

A local.

Some have piggybanks...goatybanks, aka, food.

A herder was always present.: Often young boys.

Their prowess at stone throwing is for controlling the herd, mainly to prevent them from eating the cultivated crops, I saw a horse being chased off with a stone.

As to stone throwing directed at me, NONE Whatsoever!!!!

Admittedly I started waving to all and sundry early, only one young boy of +-4 - 6 yrs made any of throwing, but did not.

There were a few busses, mainly Taxis, yet I saw NO fast or reckless driving.

Near my entry point I saw x2 traffic patrol cars, no speed traps, and one roadblock outside Thaba- Tseka, the gent was most polite, interested in me, where I came from, what is the bike like etc.

Katse 50 km

Ploughing.

Wheat being harvested with sickles.

Another reason to take it easy.

Approaching Katse Dam wall from the dammed up side.

Bridge, which one??

Washing, a common sight.

Cattle and donkeys.

This is not as common as I expected, in a fair bit of the area the people and animals walk alongside the road, and not on the road, usually behind the Armco barrier.

Damed up side of Katse

Damed up side of Katse 2

The Wall!!: I was keen to do a BASE jump off of it +-25yrs ago.

From on top of the Wall.

The metal trim may be an anti-static or lightining protector????

On the Wall.

The lower wier, see the roads for a size reference.

A volcano like dam.

After Katse nearing Thaba-Tseka it became drier and more barren.

Nearer Thaba-Tseka.

Nearer Thaba-Tseka 2

My lunch, pap, potato salad and lamb......Thaba-Tseka.

The time was about 12h15, I left Ficksburg at about 07h00, taking all the pics slowed things down, and I was not racing, yet I was concerned as Sani was to be the last part of the day and this was to be a second looong, hot day in the saddle, and I actually had no idea what Sani was to be like.

The last section now, the bit from Mokhotlong to Sani, this was hot, and alot drier, and I was feeling a little tired, not badly so, but nearing Sani it cooled a bit.

Still beautiful, dry though.

Still beautiful, dry though. 2

A plough in the field. 1

Looking on the cross- bar..Mealie Brand.: Next to the blade are x2 steel muzzels??

Another corner, I am not certain exactly which one!

A bit drier here.A local bakkie: a wooden sled for transporting the plough to the next field.

Looking back.

When you least expect it, a corner!!

With about 20km to go the rear felt a bit loose, puncture??

Stopped...sidewall cut. I used x1 string, although I felt I ought to use x2.

It ought to have been x2 as I had to redo it  the next day, I also had to re-inflate halfway down Sani, when I washed off the blood!!

No futher problems all the way home.

Sidewall cut.

THE sign.

This last section after lunch seemed to take forever.

Adding to this I was on Tracks4 Africa, and it kept changing the "Turn in 'xyz' km". One moment it is 15.8km then 3.6km then 46.2km, possibly all the corners confusing things??

Out-buildings at the border post.

The Border post.: They were friendly and curious about me.

The famed highest pub.: I didn't stop to visit, perhaps that was my downfall!!

The start.

The start was fairly smooth, but it went downhill fast!!

The first km, or rather few hundred metres of elevation is the worst bit.

You have to RIDE down, one can't try rolling down in neutral and applying brakes for the corners, speed/ momentum is needed through the rocks.

Ballsy stuff!

I clipped a rock and as my visor was up bashed the bridge of my nose on the edge of the screen, cutting it ....blood everywhere!

Picked up the bike, trying to get back on, fell over to the other side, now the wheels are uphill to the bike, after a fair bit of struggle on loose rock I was shot, and still dripping blood.

A couple in a type of quad thing came along and he helped me get the bike up.

I ought to have rested but pushed on and had x2 more falls.

I then stopped, lowered my seat and took my sleeping bag off the pillion seat as this was a major hinderance to climbing on and off...I was wearing the GS Ralley Boots, and trying to get back on with sleeping bag there on loose rocky ground,  caused the 2 nd fall.

I took a quick rest and had to re- commit to riding the bike down, and not try free-wheeling.....it went well, but not a very comfortable feeling at all!.

Klapped!

There was a small level area where a stream crossed the road, here I stopped and washed the blood off as best I could, but by now the sun was setting.

There was more blood, I wiped it clean soon after the happening!: For some reason, I didn't take pics at the scene, sorry!!!

I got to the SA border post, got stamped in, with questions about my appearance.....

SA side...

Preparing to tar... Himeville towards the SA border post.

Approaching Himeville....

By now there was a light rain falling, I stayed as I was....in my vented jacket and ran for Himeville, "I want to be back on TAR!!".......no accomodation....New Years Eve parties...full...try Bulwer.

Rain jacket on and run for Bulwer......now almost dark, rain, then MIST!!!!

Damn, then follow a road sign, not the GPS, to Bulwer... a slightly muddy road, about 7 km in,  spy some locals and ask if ok to Bulwer,.....no, best go back and tar it in, "Oh no, how very silly of me", or words to that effect!

Now dark.... Mountain Mist Hotel.. another dirt road in the light rain.....Got a room!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!

By now my rear was tender, but I resisted the temptation to do as our chairman did for Noelene....and drop my pants in front of a mirror and use my cellphone to send a pic via MMS of my tender rear to Jane lest I, like him, mis-send and it be forwarded to the editors of the magazine in Ficksburg!!

Tomorrow a New year must be better!!!

End Day 2: +- 457 Km and +- 12 hrs in the saddle.

Day 3: The plan was to go from Bulwer via Howick, Nottingham Road, Mooi River, Estcourt, Winterton, Bergville, Little Switzerland, Phuthaditjhaba, Clarens, Fouriesburg and back to Ficksburg.

Before leaving Bulwer I re-fixed the puncture, filled up then headed out.

In Little Switzerland, over tea, ended up chatting to x2 students on scramblers who were riding to Ficksburg.

I got in to Ficksburg around 15h00 and decided to run on to Cape Town, in the reverse of my up ride, well, time wise I got to Colesburg and spent the night there.

End Day 3: +- 761 Km

The next morning rode back to Cape Town, via Du Toits naturally,in at +- 15h15.

Stopped at three Sisters.....full, cars everywhere.....Steers full and queuing.

I filled up then rode along to a farm-stall just a little further on and had breakfast.

I think it was between Three Sisters and Beaufort West that I saw a BIG Tortoise...big watermelon size one, starting to cross the N1, I pulled over, slowed cars till he chose his destination and was off the N1 then on for home.

At Beaufort West there was about a 1 km queue  of slow moving cars trying to go back to Gauteng!

Laingsburg last fill-up and bite.

Total distance +- 3240 km.....4 days on the road....it was a quickie!