Today we were going to tackle the rated 5/5 4x4 route, the route is so bad, no one has ever been up it, people have only come down, due to the steep gradient of the trail.
Trailrider just had to do some repairs to the Honda first.
Here is LGF coming up, the DRZ 400 was the biggest bike on this trip,
Notice the nice mountains in the background!
Hello! Is there cellphone reception here?
Trailrider going down one of the rocky slopes
Operator also having a crack at it.
LGF blasting through
Next we negotiated a very tricky hill climb it may look straight but there are some beeg rocks that throw you off course!
Trailrider going up, with Rooipoot standing at the top. He’s pannier rack hit the fence and got bent a bit.
Rooipoot starting the climb
Everyone made it up safely at the end…… except for LGF whom decided he was going to have a fall in the barbed wire, Trailride got such a fright he actually ran to help him, he asked me to take the pic, which I promptly did!
Kings of the Hill? Operator sporting some very fashionable shades there!
At the top we had a rest, the next section was going to be the downhill, feared by many a person, it’s a point of no return thing.
LGF and Rooipoot decided to take the same route back, and we continued on.
Trailrider gave us a briefing that, if we go past this section there aint no turning back. It was steep down there, I went the entire way down with I engine switched off, it was quite an experience for a noob like myself.
Operator going down, after the point of no return he realized he wasn’t going to make it, so he decided to “try” and turn around when he got the bike turned around he was trying to ride it out, back up the hill, but the gradient was so steep he’s bike just flipped over backwards!!! Hectic!
I helped Operator push his bike down a bit to the last flat section, from there on it was straight down all the way.
It was great riding down there, completely different to the things I have done before, slipping and sliding all over the place, careful not to touch the clutch otherwise the bike just runs away underneath you!
That’s exactly what happened to me in the last turn, I though ah almost made it, lets ride the last bit out, err no! When I pulled the clutch to start the bike it just run under me, I put it down softly against some rocks.
Trailrider and I were already sitting at camp when the others were still coming down, so we just watched them from the comfort of some shady trees.
After the rough route Tok Tokkie and I had something to drink at the restaurant, before packing up camp to head to the next destination.
There were some long gravel roads onroute to George but Trailrider worked in Montagu Pass, something that I have been wanting to ride for forever, into todays ride.
Rooipoot steeking it on the gravel!
Operator!
Tok Tokkie giving a wave as he comes through.
Montagu pass was amazing, the road just winds the whole time making it very nice to ride by bike, 50 meters from the top of the pass going through a “S” turn I had a MLOT
(momentary laps of talent) I just lost it halfway through the turn, hitting the ground at about 60km/h, its like everything went slow motion for that moment. Thanks to good quality riding gear I just got up, unscaved, my TroyLee Design pants just got some ruffles on the knee side. Closer inspection to the bike revealed that the handguard had been pushed in holding the grip, like a throttle lock, aswell as a bent foot brake lever. We repaired the handguard at the top op the pass, while TR told me the story behind Amanda’s grave.
The obligatory pic at the bridge!
We stopped in George for supplies and besides a minor “hotdog incident”:D
Ok let’s just leave it at hotdog incident! Stopping at TR’s house meeting YellowFever, and Mrs TR there. Asterix also joined us from here on.
Trailrider had been talking about the next destination for quite some time as the highlight of the trip, and boy oh boy was he right!
The Trail started at TR’s farm leading onto a neighbouring farm were we would camp that night, since we started that morning I noticed that the change in plant life dramatically changed during the day, we started off in a Fynbos area, going through a part of the Karoo and now we were in this Knysna type forests with the Ferns etc. Unfortunately I didn’t spot one of them elusive Knysna Elephants
The route TR had planned out through here was amazing, riding through the forests is what trailriding is all about!
There is a time and a place for everything, in these forests its not the time, nor the place to jaag and spin etc. Respect the environment!!!
Lots of nice bridges and crystal clear water.
Father and son, riding together:
Some more off the nice bridges and water
Here is the “ag its not so technical” way down to camp, LGF going down.
Rooipoot had a slight fall with the loose rocks its quite tricky, but this Oom can seriaasly ride! I hope I can ride like that when I reach that age!
Tok Tokkie also going over, Asterix promptly there to help!
Trailrider, just sitting going down like its nothing!
What a place to camp! This was my bed for the night just a sandy patch no need for a tent.
We had a lekker braai on the river, I would say, Worlds Best Braai Area!
Once the sun set we were surrounded by fire flies, it was a long day, not distance wise, but time spent in the saddle wise.
My riding experience had grown tremendously on this trip, it’s like the saying goes. “You start with a empty pot of experience, and a full pot of luck, the trick is to fill the pot of experience before the luck runs out!”
Continue to Day 4
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