Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

The story, I believe, is a familiar one. It goes like this: wife needs to work over the weekend. Husband is given permission to do something productive with his time. The beemer is available, willing and ready. The rest is history. I left Saldanha on Thursday morning at five – destiny unknown; except that I know I want to do the long stretch of gravel road between Ceres and Calvinia. A gale force southeaster was blowing and I tried to make myself as small as possible on the GS. My approach to riding in the wind is to be as light on the handles as possible i.e. put on the speed control and keep two fingers on the handle bar. Sunrise found me riding through Bainskloof on my way to Ceres. The wind was still gale force. I stopped in Bainskloof for some pictures and find it difficult to walk in the wind. The sun is coming up in Bainskloof I stopped in Ceres: fuel at the Engen for the GS; coffee and breakfast at the Wimpy for me. On my way out five adventure riders on KTMs and Kawas stopped. They were on their way to Middlepost. I stopped on top of the Theronsberg Pass. The weather wasn’t looking very well; the wind was still strong with some dark clouds appearing on the horizon. In the Theronsberg Pass Finally it was time to adjust the tire pressure and to switch off the ABS. I quickly phoned my wife. The message was simple: if you haven’t heard from me by 15h00 you need to send a search party! And then I hit the wild open country of the Ceres-Karoo. Tyres and ABS need to be changed What an unbelievable place. Wide open spaces, long open roads, silence if you stop. What more can a man asked for? It was interesting to note how many vehicles with CA, CY, CL, CF registration nrs you find on that particular road over a weekend like this. Some of them have obviously spent huge amounts of money to be as comfortable as possible ‘in the wild’. Where I came from! Where I'm going to! The first part of the road was really good. The last part not that good – to the point that it’s almost technical in nature. Traffic on the road between Ceres and Calvinia. I arrived in Calvinia at around two. The food and the conversation at the Hantamhuis is exceptional. I spend about two hours enjoying both. Thursday night I stayed over in Calvinia with family I haven’t seen in ages. Early on Friday morning I left Calvinia to explore some of the back roads in the area. I was surprised by the relative good conditions of the gravel roads. There was some technical riding and on one or two instances my heart almost stopped in patches with some heavy sand. However, to visit places like Klipwerf is almost like given one step back in history. The humbleness of the people is something to experience. Where is Klipwerf? On my way to Klipwerf. My search for Klipwerf continue. Klipwerf: At last! The Shop at Klipwerf - closed on public holidays (and Saterdays?) I wonder how big is the alumni club of the school at Klipwerf. Mixing with Klipwerf's locals. On Friday night I slept over in that area on a farm called Saaihoek own by Henta and Elfrida Visagie. The hospitality was unbelievable; the food even better. It is really a remote part of our country and I believe virgin country for most GS riders. The Hantam mountain range provides some spectacular scenery in that area. The biggest tree I've ever seen at the farm, Saaihoek, where I stayed over. My plan was to go from there to Loeriesfontein on Saturday morning. However, it started to rain and everybody was advising me to rather stay of the gravel roads when wet. Apparently the roads become very snotty. I therefore went back to Calvinia and hit the road back to Saldanha – a road that was uneventful, wet and cold. Near Elandsbay on my way back home - wet and cold! In all, it was great to meet and experience the hospitality of the people in these areas.