Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

First Day

The day to test my new skills learned from the Beginners & Intermediate Off-road courses and endless hours of cones practice arrived. Robin, my son, was not keen on the idea of riding his Honda XR600 for 3 hours on tar and had borrowed a trailer to get our bikes up to Clanwilliam. I must admit that reclining in the car passenger seat watching the sunrise as we drove out of Cape Town was rather comfortable. A steaming coffee and full-on breakfast at the Desert Rose farm stall a little later helped the morning along just nicely thank you.

 Desert Rose Farm Stall

Robin’s friend Ian joined us in the Clanwilliam dam campsite car park on his BMW G600X, as we were unloading our bikes.

 Robin ready to rock 'n roll 

Half an hour later we were in the saddle and headed up and over the Pakhuis pass. Who were we to doubt Ian’s new GPS which showed “this way to Wuppertal” and directed us onto the first dirt of the day. The kids sped off as I stopped to let my tires down and disengage my ABS.

I caught up to them as they waited at the first farm gate

Ian and the two toy bikes

We set off with Ian in front, me in the middle and Robin behind. Ian left us in a cloud of dust and waited further on for a photo opportunity.

 Pristine solitude

The road narrowed and I soon found myself having to negotiate some steep gravelly ascents as I quickly recalled the “stand up, look up, open up” lessons I had learnt not so long ago. Shouts of encouragement egged me on from behind as I made it over each difficult section.

Our first stop to tighten down loose gear revealed a problem with Robin’s XR. Petrol was dripping out from under the engine and kick starting it proved a little tedious. We were soon on our way though and rode higher and higher through some amazing country side.

 Robin getting ready to take over the world

 Kit stowed and ready to go

Stopped at the top of the first pass to rest and admire the views. And what magnificent views they were. Sandstone rock formations of a bygone world similar to those seen on the walk from Wolfberg cracks to the arch surrounded us as far as the eye could see.

 Endless scenery

Bob & Robin

 A good place for the soul

The sun had given us a good scorching by that stage and we rested for a while. Now the XR was well and truly flooded and just would not start. Kick starting a 600 is no fun and I was too tired to offer any help. Robin kicked away for a good 10 minutes before getting it going. I was not envious of his efforts.

 Getting hot & sweaty

We set off climbing and descending steep rocky inclines with loose pebbles thrown in for good measure. Gently on the back brake now. Rain dongas added to the excitement.

 A posing GX

  Approaching the end of the downhill

We had been in the saddle for the best part of 2 hours already as we got down onto the valley. I was knackered and really did not need to be greeted by sandy roads. I managed to get through the 1^st patch without being caught and we stopped to celebrate with high fives. Unfortunately this proved to be too early.

I thought the hard part was now over 

The next bit was looser and the instructor’s voice telling me to relax my grip bounced around in my head. Unfortunately this did not translate into my hands and I heard a little voice from somewhere near my front wheel “You want to hold on tight and slow down when I get thicker? Come to me” said the baby sand monster. Thwap. Down I go on my right hand side. No worries. Pick the old girl up and soldier on.

Extracting Esmarelda from the baby sand monster 

Getting it right

More sand, shouts of go, go, go from behind egged me on. A left hand corner with rocks on the inside loomed up. “You want to go round here with your weight on the inside and watching these rocks?” says mommy sand monster “Come to me”. Thud.  Down I go again this time on the left side. I’m not having fun any more.

The road eased and the last 5 or so km’s into Wuppertal were uneventful. Ian went through the stream at the entrance into Wuppertal, with his feet in the air. No, I’m not going to try that, I don’t mind if my feet get a bit wet. Approached the centre and tried to ride the middlemannetjie which was sort of visible through the murky water. Water Monster. No one had told me they live there. Front wheel slid right and down I went again on the left. Definitely my non-chocolate side. Managed to get my leg away before Ezzy went right over and blew bubbles underwater with her exhaust. Switch off, sit, reach underwater for the handlebar & seat hold and got her top parts out the water. Pull up and walk backwards. “No not like that” chirped the water monster. Slipped in the mud and down we both went again. Up again more carefully, got it right and stood there soaking wet while some guy who had been watching the whole episode started telling me that falling like I just did is the reason why he does not ride anymore. Silly man. Doesn’t he know I’m having fun. He eventually let up and let me start the bike and ride out of the stream. Unbelievable – half of the bike had been underwater and she started as if nothing had happened.

 Riding out of the problem puddle

Squelched across to the café to get the water out of my boots. 3 hours of riding so far.

Dehydrating: check out the gecko socks 

Had a good rest with tea and sandwiches served from a quaint thatched tearoom amid the screams and shouts of encouragement for the local rugby teams on the nearby feild. Petrol from the pastoor for Robin’s bike – what a gent. Topped up my home-made hydration pack (a cycling bladder stuffed horizontally into the back pouch of my jacket, with the tube threaded through the lining and out an air vent at my shoulder).

More sweat and mutterings as Robin got his bike started. Off we go, onto the concrete road up and up, bumpy hairpin after bumpy hairpin. Wow the GS is built for this. Effortless motion. More sand bother. Not going to try the “stand up, open up” thingie any more. My bones are too tired. Bum in the saddle, feet out, clutch slipping and slowly we go. No falling this time.

The problem was that at some stage I sat down too hard and caused my hydration pack to spring a leak. The water slowly drenched my trousers and while cooling my nether regions meant I had to stop every time I needed to get a drink from the spare bottle in my pannier.

Down the last concrete road to a large intersection with trees on the centre island (at Langkloof farm, I think).  No Ian in sight. What part of wait at turn offs does he not understand. Out comes the map and Robin’s GPS. Turn left they both said. OK and just as we were ready to head off in that direction Ian rode back from the right and up the concrete road without seeing us. Off we chase but Ian proved too quick for me and I gave up. Robin carried on while I rested in the shade of a rock. Coolth bliss! The boys soon returned and we all headed off in the correct direction.

 Joining up again

Sailed effortlessly along passed farms named Rietvlei an Keurbosfontein before stopping at Matjiesriver to say cheerio to Ian who went off ahead to get to where he was staying before sundown.

The last veiws of the day 

We trundled the last 6 kays down the valley to the most welcoming sign I’d seen all day.

Cederberg Oasis: Bring on the beers 

120kms in 5 hours. Every muscle I possess ached, even my bingo wings. I was absolutely shattered and could barely walk but you would not have been able to wipe the smile off my face.

The Oasis

We had hardly parked the bikes when another smiley face in the form of Chantal breezily greeted us and enquired “How would you like your steaks done?” While I was pulling off my gear, Robin discovered that he had used ¾ of his meagre tank of petrol since filling up in Wuppertal and we watched as the precious fluid continued to drip out of the carb overflow into the sand. Petrol tap off. The problem can wait a while.

All I wanted was a cool shower and to get into some dry clothes. The trouble was that our room was upstairs. Up steep stairs. Hauled all the kit into the room and got ready to shower. Dilemma! The shower is downstairs and my legs had the flexibility of planks of wood. Eventually got the ablutions over and negotiated the stairs down into the pub to meet the affable Gerrit. ‘Laid back’ does not do him justice. He is horizontal mixed with a lovely sense of humour. 

Settled into the first beer. Aaah! Another beer or two, followed shortly by the best steak I have tasted in many years. Solved the problems of the day (and some of the worlds’) and took in some of God’s wonder in His amazing display in the sky above. Up the stairs (again) and fell asleep thinking that I should have taken that Rehidrat. An hour later I nearly shot through the roof as what seemed like all the muscles in both legs cramped simultaneously. Hobbled out of bed to find the hydration elixir and the relief that followed very soon thereafter.

Robin was up bright and early to get petrol from Mount Ceder on Ezzy. I was quite envious watching him disappear down the road into the rays of the early morning sun.  

A magnificent breakfast appeared out of the kitchen upon his return and we spent the next hour topping up our energy. Chantal said her goodbyes and dashed off while we were finishing our coffee.

We got down to the business of fixing the XR. Petrol would flow out of the overflow regardless whether the engine was running or not. Gerrit helped by fashioning a wooden plug from a twig for the outlet hose. We figured that this could not do any harm so long as the engine was running and the petrol tap closed before the engine was switched off. As we were tidying up Gerrit happily chirped “I’m going to be in such trouble when my wife finds out that I’ve been fixing motorbikes and not washing the dishes”

Farewell Gerrit: note my nemisis in the left background

Second Day

We waved our goodbyes and headed back toward Matjiesriver where we turned left toward the settlements of Dwaarsrivier and Cederberg and on toward Algeria. The road was good and we sailed happily along the left bank of the Driehoekrivier.

A road to heaven

We rode onto a magnificently brick paved road just before Algeria. Although I was sad to see the end of the dirt the paving was so well done and it rode like a dream as it still followed the contours. We took the right fork just after Algeria and rode through wonderful scenery along the right bank of the Rondegatrivier. The paved road descended Nieuwoudts Pass into the valley where it reverted to dirt once again. The heat was like a wall in the valley and I was glad that there were no more sandpits ahead.

We turned right just before the Olifantsrivier bridge and rode along the right bank of the river. I reached the dam after a while and noticed the Robin was no longer in my rearview mirror. I waited 5mins before turning around to retrace my tracks. While I know he is more than capable on a bike my heart was still in my throat as I roared back as fast as I could dare. Found him stranded 5kms back. The XR had just stopped seemingly from fuel starvation. Robin had taken the twig out of the overflow pipe by the time I arrived and the carb had flooded once again. More kicking and vloeking until he eventually got it started.

Olifantsrivier

We trundled along the easy road past the dam back to where we had parked the car at the campsite. 110kms in 2½ hours. A walk in the park compared to the day before but still with the magnificent Cederberg scenery every inch of the way.

Got the bikes packed onto the trailer and then headed off for a swim in the dam. I had had visions of riding back to CT earlier on but after an hour in the car my eyes started loosing focus and I was glad for the trailer and my secure spot in the car passenger seat.

There is no doubt that I will be planning another ride in that splendid neck of the woods in the very near future.