Riding the Eastern Cape by Gravel

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

Day 1

Since you okes enjoy the pics, I decided to post a trip I did last year during the easter break, which was a very cold spell in SA. I also figured someone needs reminding they need to get on their bike and ride. Mr. Green

The trip was about 2800 km and I did it in 5 days with a pillion. Due to the pillion, I took the BMW. It is a pillion friendly bike. I usually don't like a pillion on gravel, but if it is a very small lady, of good looks and decent character, then it can be a pleasure Mr. Green

The day before we had dinner at the german club, which is located some way out of Pretoria. The only way to keep somethig exclusive these days is to move it out of the way and dont signpost. A good solid Eisbein in the belly, washed down with some beer, and you are ready to roll.

We took a roundabout way to get there, to minimise tar riding, and a mate who was going to ride as far as Parys with us the next day came along.

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While there, it started raining, so the way out was pure mud. But my pillion thought even slipping and sliding it was safe to not hold on and take pics LOL

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But she did warn me not to reach speeds like this on the trip or I would face serious head butts

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Th next morning was deperature under cold grey misty skies before sunrise. The destination was Bethulie 800 km away. Bethulie is on the edge of the Hendrik Verowoerd dam (the architect of Apartheid who built many of the infrastructure projects). It is now renamed the Gariep dam. Whoever Gariep is, he had nothing to do with the dam, whereas Verwoerd did, and built up the infrastructure of SA today.

By dawn we are near the turn off to Fochville. The first bit of gravel

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Then we take tar to Parys

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It is so cold in Parys, keep the hands on the hand grip warmers while getting fuel!

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From Parys to Kroonstad. It is early in the trip to get a non-biker used to running stop and gos. So I stop. Later I get the smacks and shouts as i go around the barrier and use the gravel when there are oncoming cars Mr. Green

let the cages stop, I will go.

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Arrival in Bethulie for the evening

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2011 KTM 990 Dakar
2009 BMW 1200 GS

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

Day 2.

Day 2 was from Bethulie to Grahamstown, my old home town. The ride is pleasant with a charming english pillion, but of the born in SA type. Even as we approach Boer war sites, there is no signs of a flare up in hostilities. Not all the english need to be treated as an invasive species Mr. Green

Werny · Traffic Copper Joined: 02 Feb 2011 Karma :

Keep them coming! Mr. Green

Some wonderful scenery there, SA is just so huge!

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

Day 3. Grahamstown to Tarkastad

After a party with mates the night before, we head of down to the beach at Port Alfred. Since the Police canteen and the former 6 SAI battalion canteen are no longer what they used to be, we kept the party to homes.

Port alfred via the belmont valley road. This is where the British government first settled the 1820 Settlers from england, right on the border of the black lands to the east. Mostly poor people from england. The idea being these settlers would form a border to prevent black incursions, an expendable group to take the brunt of the attacks during the Kaffir Wars, of which there were 9, so that the garrisons and the upper classes inland would have warning. Lovely government isnt it?

The end result was that the Afrikaners and new english settlers bonded together to defend themselves against the predations and invasions.

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This unity carried on until about 1838, when british authority drove the afrikaners out and the Great Trek began to escape British crown rule

port alfred. This town had an airforce base during world war 2 to train pilots for the RAF as well. According to many here, SA fought on the wrong side during the war.

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Down to the sea at Kenton-on-sea

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From Kenton it is sandy roads up towards Bedford. And across one lion reserve. I get a yelling ddidnt you see the sign saying no bikes? I answer, it is OK. If a lion chases us I will elbow you off the back, and while they busy with you I can get away and the bike will be safe Twisted Evil

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

Day 5 bethlehem to pretoria

After a long day, and staying at a mates place in bethlehem, we head home to pretoria. The entire day is on tar Sad

, but at least we go via Golden Gate and the Drakensberg

The pillion survived her first real bike trip, on a bike where she cant even touch the ground Laughing

And she got to see some historic places in SA, like british concentration camps to starve to death women and children, border settlements to establish british domination at the expense of their poor, and which were never economically viable.the english kept the farms too small for defence purposes, knowing that those farmers never had a chance to establish viable farms.

In the end, it was the Military garrisons for the Kaffir Wars that made the towns viable. The Afrikaners had never ventured that far east as it was the land of the Xhosa. The british eventually established settlements right to the border of the black lands, and then over, forcing the Black Chief to swear allegiance to the Queen and preventing the further western migration of blacks.

For all hostility that arose in later years, the original documents of friendship between english and afrikaners are still in the museum. The english settlers and the early boers fought side by side. Until the british crown tried to enforce allegiance to their queen.

Since 1994, farming has drastically declined in these border regions. Stock theft from the Ciskei and Transkei make farming impossible. The main economies that side of the border are stock theft, and sitting and doing nothing while getting government hand outs. Without the Kommandos and police to patrol after 1994, the farmers have left.

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2011 KTM 990 Dakar
2009 BMW 1200 GS

rac3r · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Karma :

Awesome!

How 'dangerous' is it over there? in terms of being robbed/hijacked
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Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

ThunderSteve · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Karma :

That must have been one fantastic trip.

The pictures and history lessons tied in make for a great read.
Thanks for sharing. Much appreciated, makes me miss "home" even more.

Steve

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

ThunderSteve · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Karma :

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

ThunderSteve · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Karma :

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

I rode once across the Transkei and stopped at Matatiele, and met 2 road bikers. I was looking for a place to stay so they took me to one of their farms. Between cedarville and kokstad. They said Matat was too datrk for me to stay there. Also my plate was half off from all that gravel and bad roads, and they had a rivet gun to reattach. I have pics from that trip somewhere. I guess you will recognise the area. I then did gravel to Underberg and Himeville. then that gravel road across the berg. then home in 1 day. Kokstad to Pta in 1 day, shew. And alot of it gravel.

I love solo gravel. Pillion on gravel is kak as you cant stand on the pegs and your weight is on back rather than front wheel. But a small english woman who is barely above your shoulders and weighs less than whatever english stones is an OK pillion. if she rode herself would be even better. But please, no Union Jack on the bike Mr. Green

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2011 KTM 990 Dakar
2009 BMW 1200 GS

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

nice pics.

There is a guy who used to post on here, who is from capetown and made a few long way down style vids of his trip from capetown to lesotho.

Well worth a watch.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=2838417&highlight=#2838417
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Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :

sidewinder · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2011 Karma :

Cracking pics again Kradmelder i'd be worried about braking down in the middle of nowhere Embarassed

.How hard is it to get spares for your bikes out there? Very Happy

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"Nitrous is like a cheap hooker, you want to hit it but are scared of the consequences

Kradmelder · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jun 2012 Karma :