Gravel ride across the Eastern Transvaal Escarpment

[Kradmelder]

Today I went on a 832 km ride, to the highest road in the Transvaal, to the Lowveld. I woke up at dawn at 0500, but it rained all night so I wait until nearly 0630 to leave
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I check oil, tyres, chain, load all the tools and spares, and my travel kit. And toilet paper of course. I would use the new mandela money but the colour runs. I dont wnat parts of mandela on my arse. Madchen is eager to go and eat gravel
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The first nearly 150 km to Middelburg are brain dead tar. I’m bored and frustrated and going faster and faster to get it over with. Finally in mountain pass north of Middelburg I turn off to more interesting riding.
I stop for a piss near a spruit
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The roads are very soft from all the rain we had
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I reach an intersection. Right towards tar, or left deeper into the mountains. Left of course! This is adventure riding.
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The scenery is stunning on a nice summer day. Lots of abandoned farms in ruins. It is hard to farm in remote areas where gangs of marauding darkies murder you in your sleep
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It starts to get muddy
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And muddier still. I figure Ai, I hope it doesn’t stay like this. Not going to make 800 km in this snot.

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Then dry road. With this heavy thunderstorms we have been having it can rain really hard in one place, and barely at all a km away. So the mud is very patchy.
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President Zuma said Africans must reject the ways of the white man, and the white man’s ways are finished. This bush cat seems to following his President and going back to the bush African style. Only he must still return the white man’s JoJo tank, fencing, doors, the metal drum, and his clothes. I wonder when Zuma will be returning the white man’s Mercedes, cell phones, planes, palaces, clothes, microphones, doctors and medicines and money,. He can live in a mud hut and trade or steal cattle, and rely on his witch doctor.
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The mud bakes hard onto the pipes and I cant knock it off. I still haven’t seen 1 cage all day since leaving the tar.
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The road has improved and Im barrelling along at 80 kmh
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You Brits complain about potholes. For use huge potholes are normal, and in some places the tar is gone. Imagine coming over a rise at 160 and hitting that. A speed bike would be twisted metal, or at best rims dented and forks collapsed.
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I then start climbing to Jaap se Hoogte (Jaap’s Heights). It is the highest road in the Transvaal at 2340 mamsl. The temperature plummets to 21 C. It rose to 22 from engine heat while I got off the bike, took off gloves and lid and got my phone out

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I go down to Lydenburg for fuel and to buy biltong for lunch
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In lydenburg a group of bikers flag me down. They are mates. They ask me join them and ride, and come for a few beers. They are renting a chalet nearby. I say no thanks. I don’t do group rides of 10 people, I’m here to ride, not drink, and a few beers I won’t be able to finish the next 450 km.

I descend Long Tom pass from 2300 m to 600 m. Down to Sable, Graskop and the Lowveld. It is a very steep twisty descent. The view is stunning but clouds blot it out
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I then hit forestry roads
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GPS is really useful. There are so many twists and turns and forks. The trees blot out the horizon, and the clouds obscure the peaks and sun so it is difficult to keep your bearings while on the move. Roads have no markers
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Going up the escarpment again, clouds rain and mist obscure the view


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I see no cages, but there is still traffic holding me up

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Up near the top again near Ohrigstad
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The temperature is 37 C. Stopping is not so pleasant.

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Home. 12 hours and 832 km later. Im now bike fit for my big tour in Jan
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Speeds varied from 170 kmh + on the tar bits, to less than 20 kmh in the very muddy bits. Most gravel was at least 50 kmh except where very soft . I guess this is as close as I will get to the dakar

Saw Only one other bike on gravel, and that was on that good bit. Very very few cages all day. Mostly 4x4 farmer bakkies.
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2011 KTM 990 Dakar
2009 BMW 1200 GS

[Kradmelder]

And yesterday I did a short 100 km gravel loop near home just to shake myself down for this trip.


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2011 KTM 990 Dakar
2009 BMW 1200 GS

[Kradmelder]

How far is it from the South of England to the top of scotland? Is it possible to plan a route that is at a minimum 50% dirt, and bypassing all major towns? Can all the green lanes be hooked up to make a proper trip?

Like totally avoid multiculti shit holes like london and any major city.

Is their a google earth app to check out a path? We have tracks4africa, SA mountain passes. They can be uploaded to google earth to create a route you want. Can the english green lanes be uploaded, together with point info on road conditions and roads of interest to make your own routes?

50 or 60 years ago you couldnt drive from Johannesbrurg to Cape Town without getting out fo your car to open and close farm gates
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2011 KTM 990 Dakar
2009 BMW 1200 GS

[Spudly]

That trip in the top post looks fantastic, exactly the sort of thing I'd like to do when I'm more together.

And no, it is no longer possible to travel the length of Britain off road. I guess 2000 years of sustained cultivation will do that. I reckon it's still possible to do it completely on B roads, but even that's questionable.

Fun to have a go though.
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The Old Apprentice

[Kradmelder]

[Acemastr]

Are all people from South Africa completely racist? You seem to have a thing about colour...
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2017 KTM 350 XC-F - 2014 Yamaha R6 - 2005 Yamaha YZ125
2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited

[Kradmelder]

[moppy]

Jesus christ, you seem to have had a great ride. Why can't you just leave it at that? Why the racism?

[Kradmelder]

[Spudly]

[Kradmelder]

[Spudly]

Nah, I'll be doing it half for cancer research and half for a masonic charity which provides private education for the kids of dead freemasons.
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The Old Apprentice

[D O G]

[Spudly]

[Eddie Hitler]

Out of interest, what happens if you break down? I know the usual question would be to fix it, but the head blows, or chain snaps for example?

[D O G]

Provision of counseling support, perhaps, but private education? Not sure I've heard of anything so ridiculous.

Let me guess, most of the patrons are masons, right?

[Spudly]

[Spudly]

There you go, bit of info here so you can bitch about something concrete.

https://www.rmtgb.org/
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The Old Apprentice

[D O G]

[Spudly]

[D O G]

*shrugs*

Let me clarify (especially after looking at the site), I don't have a problem with it, in fact it seems to help people who I'd probably like to help. But for the average person, giving ££ so some kid of a dead mason (and therefore relatively affluent), is not going to be attractive.

Hence, good luck with it.

[Spudly]

[Kradmelder]