Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

Early morning on 19 Dec we set off to join Johan du Preez for his 2009 end-of-the-year trip. Two of us travelled straight to Robertson and waited for the main group coming from Somerset West. Before long they arrived and we hit the (tar) road to Barrydale. Roete Dag 1 After refueling and a hearty breakfast at the Country Pumpkin, we travelled a few more km on the R62 and turned onto dirt at the Doornrivier/Brandrivier turnoff. A long stretch of very green dirt road took us to Van Wyksdorp, crossing the R323 (near Muiskraal) on the way there. At Van Wyksdorp we turned east towards Rooiberg. We made our way through the very quiet, dusty town, greeting the odd enthusiastic youngster. Van Wyksdorp - peak traffic An easy section of dirt road led us past the Assegaaybosch area into the southern side of Rooiberg. The road remained easy to ride even though it gradually became narrower, especially after turning north beyond Assegaaybosch. Die Rooibergpas het ‘n lang geleidelike aanloop voordat die eintlike klim begin. By tye is die draaie kort, maar dis steeds ‘n maklike pad. Tussen plase deur, oor heuwels en deur klofies was dit ‘n plesier om die wereld te beskou. Up Rooiberg, looking south Up and up Rooiberg pass Die eerste steil en moeiliker gedeelte het kort draaie met heelwat los gruis en baie sinkplaat opgelewer. Nie vreeslik moeilik nie, maar mens moet wakker wees. Gelukkig nie verkeer in die draaie teegekom nie --- dikwels het ons aan die verkeerde kant van die pad gery om die sinkplaat te vermy. Bo-op die berg volg ‘n langerige stuk pad oor die plato voordat mens aan die noordekant steil afsak. Rooiberg plato Vista - rigting Calitzdorp Mooi klipwerk Soos met dele van die opgaan, verwonder mens jouself aan die netjiese klipwerk wat soveel jare al staan. Onder op die vlakte het ons op ‘n sementpad gery tot in Oudtshoorn en so teen 14h00 by Kleinplaas tent opgeslaan. Kamp opslaan Die plan was om die Swartbergpas ook te ry en voor donker terug te wees by die kamp. Teen 16h00 is ons weg en teen die Swartberg uit. Die tonele raak meer en meer asemrowend soos mens opgaan. By die kruin (die “Top”) het ons ‘n kort tydjie gestop om almal bymekaar te kry en toe die afdraende aangepak. Netsoos met Rooiberg was hier sinkplaat om die draaie, maar die sinkplaat was dieper en sterker omdat hier baie meer verkeer is. Ons het ook dikwels voertuie teengekom, gelukkig sonder enige insidente. Swartbergpas op pad boontoe Swartbergpas Suidekant Vallei suidekant van Swartberg Swartbergpas - anderkant af Uitsig in noordelike rigting Being late afternoon, the sun was low in the west. This created wonderful effects on the rock formations facing west. On the way down we came across a large gathering of vehicles and people admiring an exceptional display of sunlight on the orange/red rock faces above a deep and long valley. Wonderful light effects on the rock faces Out the other side, we made for the Lazy Lizard in Prince Albert to check on their highly acclaimed apple tart. Excellent, as usual! Apple pie at Lazy Lizard We planned to return to Oudtshoorn via the Swartberg pass, but decided the route via Meiringspoort was more sensible due to the darkness approaching and because the GeelKameel had a slow leak in the rear tyre. It was exciting to ride the winding Meiringspoort at a brisk pace. Stopping at De Rust to re-inflate GeelKameel’s rear tyre, I noticed that the tread on the tyre was used all the way to the edge --- the corners in the Poort was used very well! Back at Oudtshoorn we decided to dinner first and then return for shower/wash/sleep. We covered just over 600 pleasant kilometers on the day. Tired riders! Fixing the puncture on GK Next morning (Sun 20th) we started early on a round trip that took us past Dysselsdorp, Uniondale, Avontuur, De Vlugt (Prince Alfred’s pass), through Knysna, through the Seven Passes to George and back to Oudtshoorn. Roete Dag 2 Die pad tussen Dyselsdorp en Uniondale is maklike groen roete. Mooi natuur en mooi uitsigte, veral langs die Kammanassie rivier, so driekwart deur die roete. the Torch Cactus - an alien plant from South America Mooi omgewing, goeie pad So twee uur nadat ons vertrek het, het ons in Uniondale aangekom vir ontbyt by die kantore van die plaaslike toerismeraad. Hulle is gewoonlik Sondae toe, maar het spesiaal vir ons ontbyt gemaak. Lekker smaaklike brekfis maar bietjie aan die duur kant as mens dit vergelyk met “normale” pryse. En net duskant Avontuur het die GeelKameel die 100000km merk verbygesteek! GeelKameel 100 001 km Van Uniondale via die teerpad na Avontuur (die R339 kortpad deur die Uniondale poort was gesluit). By Avontuur is die afdraai na Plettenbergbaai/Knysna via De Vlugt en die Prince Alfred’s pas. ‘n Besonder goeie roetebeskrywing deur Toast Coetser is te lees in die WEG tydskrif van Julie 2009. Skerp draaie, valleie en rotswande hou deurentyd jou aandag. Mooi bruggies en selfs ‘n klein waterval is te sien op pad. By De Vlugt het ons ‘n vinnige stop gedoen en met 'n paar KTM-manne gesels. Avontuur na De Vlugt Afsaal by De Vlugt Verderaan het ons die steil paadjie na Spitskop uitgery (nogal baie tegnies agv steilheid, los klippe en skerp draaie). Asemrowende uitsig van daar bo af. Mens kan besonder ver sien, 360 grade reg rondom. Johan does a 360 at Spitskop Some technical riding at Spitskop By Diepwalle het ons afgedraai op die Kom-se-Pad. Dis ‘n mooi paadjie deur die digte bos. Mooi en besonders, maar tog het ek die gevoel van eentonigheid gekry. Jy ry vir baie km met bome weerskante en bo jou. Die gevolg is dat mens niks anders as die pad voor jou en die bome by jou sien nie. Hierdie pad eindig by Knysna. Kom-se-Pad ‘n Vinnige middagete langs die Knysna lagoon (Crabs Creek) en toe die Sewe Passe na George. Weereens baie goeie padoppervlak en wonderlike natuur. Hier rond het Karl ontdek dat hy sy beursie en selfoon by De Vlugt vergeet het. Paar oproepe later het hy gereel dat die KTM manne dit sal saamneem en dit by Karl besorg die volgende dag by Calitzdorp. In George het ons afskeid geneem van Johan sodat hy die volgende oggend vroeg kan laat kyk na die olielek op sy agteras. Rene en Karl het besluit om via die Outeniquapas te ry na Oudtshoorn, terwyl ek, Peter, Neil en Morten via die ou Montaguepas terug gery het. Regroup at George The Montague pass is very impressive --- a well maintained long winding road up the Outeniqua mountain. Equally impressive is the view towards the west down the valley, with the new pass high up on the far slopes. Montague pass going up View from Montague pass towards Outeniqua pass, high on the distant mountain A shower, dinner and well earned sleep at the Kleinplaas base ended the 430km day. Monday 21st we packed up the tents and took the Matjiesrivier/Kruisrivier/Groenfontein road along the foot of the Swartberg to Calitzdorp. Roete Dag 3 As expected, good road and splendid views all along the way. We came across two horsemen --- lo and behold, Rene knew them personally (who in this world does he NOT know?). Rene's friend The Horseman Tipiese toneel naby Calitzdorp In Calitzdorp we had brunch at the Dorpshuis, a typical old-style country house with high ceiling and quality woodwork all over. Good eating at a very reasonable price. Die Dorpshuis in Calitzdorp - worth a visit We left Karl behind to wait for the KTM group that was bringing his cellphone and purse that he left at De Vlugt the previous day. We were to meet up again at Barrydale a few hours later. From Calitzdorp we rode the same route as day 1 in reverse (Rooiberg pass, Van Wyksdorp, Muiskraal, Brandrivier) to Barrydale. Brunch at Country Pumpkin. Naby Brandrivier Last leg to Cape Town was on R62 tar, with a very strong wind that was buffeting us virtually all the way. Back home we can now reflect on a very pleasant, extremely relaxing and incident free trip. And my throttle hand showed signs of wear after three days of hard work. Hardworking hand Thanks Johan for the initiative!