Ouberg Pass at Last! - Day 3

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Today I had a very long way to go.

We had decided the previous evening that we'll leave earlier today and booked breakfast for 7:30.



By 9am everybody's bikes we loaded and refueled and we were off - direction Sutherland!



It was a clear and chilly day. They had some rain in the area recently and you could see it in the veld and smell it in the air. Riding through the wide open spaces of the Karoo you really get that feeling of freedom.



We passed quite a few bikes including a group of approximately 15 BMW's. Each and every one of them greeted or nodded. What a friendly group!





Another quick refuel and we were on the road again. Next on the itinerary - Ouberg Pass!



Since the first time I saw photos and read Ride Reports of Ouberg Pass I knew I had to go there.



45 Km from Sutherland we reached the top of the Roggeveld Mountains and suddenly found ourselves on top of the escarpment. The view is simply amazing.




(Photo taken by Merrycan)



A thousand metres below lies the Karoo valley with a pass winding slowly but surely down, down, down.



Pioneer farmers used this trek route for more than 80 years for their seasonal sheep trek. Ox wagons were the only transport for these people.



I've been wanting to ride this pass for a very long time, so I took my time, taking in and savouring the scenery and the experience. Believe me, riding down this pass takes your breath away. With the steep decent and the high views you almost feel like you are gliding down towards the Ceres Karoo below.



Honda gives you Wings!




(Photo taken by Merrycan)


(Photo taken by Tok-tokkie)


(Photo taken by White Stripes)


(Photo taken by White Stripes)

Further down the pass you will find a very rare plant called Olifantsvoet ..... as well as the Sterboom which is only found in this area.

Elephant's Foot:

Dioscorea elephantipes (Elephant's foot or Hottentot bread), is a tuberous vining flowering plant, native to southwest South Africa.

It takes the name elephant's foot from the appearance of its large tuberous stem, which grows very slowly but often reaches a considerable size, often more than 3 m in circumference with a height of nearly 1 m above ground. It is rich in starch, whence the name Hottentot bread, and is covered on the outside with thick, hard, corky plates. It develops slender, leafy, climbing shoots which die down each season.
(source)

Sterboom:

This unique endangered veld plant is called Star Cliffortia(Cliffortia Arborea) and confined to the mountains around Sutherland on a southern Peak high up in the mountains. It can grow between 3 to 5 metres high and in very sheltered areas, it can reach a hight of up to 10 meters!
(Source)

We came from the top of those mountains:



What an amazing pass to experience and what an experience to share with friends. This, without a doubt, was the highlight of my trip.

Rooipoot and I posing with the pass in the background. Rovrat took the photo:



Regrouping at the bottom.



Some more Karoo scenery on the last stretch I shared with the group:





And all to soon we had to say our goodbyes. I split off while the group continued to Katbakkies Pass. Thanks guys. I was great sharing the road again with good friends.



For the rest of my ride the average speed was somewhat higher. I wanted to get to George as early as possible as it was my dad's birthday. I did have time for some photos though.

Just over Rooinekke Pass:



...and the breathtaking Seweweeks Poort. No matter how little time you've got, you have to stop here to take in the magnificence.





And so the ride drew to a close. I've had my fix (and a good one at that!) and had withdrawal symptoms no more I had to cover a lot of distance in a short period of time but it certainly was worth it. Ouberg Pass was great. One of the three I had on my "must ride" list. Now I have to make a plan for the other two - Sani Pass in Lesotho and Leba Pass in Angola.






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Tok-Tokkie's Pics

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We all went to the same places so my pictures are really just repeats.



The stream at Eselbank just above the waterfall.



The top of the waterfall and the deep gorge in the mountain there.



Our leader on the way down to Wupertal - except he was not in the lead.



The Vis river. I have become very interested in the Great Karoo and was very pleased to see this. Will use this picture in my thread about the geology.



Another picture for my geology thread. The escarpment at the Ouberg pass.



Panorama from the top of Ouberg Pass.



After I dropped my bike & eventually got it standing I took this photo of the pass before going down very carefully. The brake fluid to my back brake boiled so i had to pump the lever 3 or 4 times before it worked.



Ouberg pass on Google Earth.



Just for reference this is Gannaga Pass which is the next one along starting from Middelpos. Another great pass to ride & you can use both for a round trip.






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Day 2

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After a very good night's sleep, we had a wonderful breakfast, including goat's milk butter, courtesy of the matron.

The road to Sutherland passed the Vis River, which later becomes the Sak River and then the Hartbees River, flowing in the Orange River at Alheit, close to Kakamas. I could not resist stopping and spend a few sentimental thoughts.

Apart from that, it was kind of boring, taking into account our splendid passage of the day before. We had something in mind, however, Ouberg Pass. For few us it was a first. We had a lot of things to do for the res of the day, each his own reality, but this we agreed on, we are not going to miss this. No magician can compile words to describe in words what we felt going down that pass.

So let's just open our eyes and take in.































We had to say goodbye to TR and as if we lost our spirits, things started to go wrong. Rovrat started to show off his bike's speed and left us behind. He enjoyed the open so much that he could not resist. He gave that 800 free reign. Tok-tokkie and I were the unlikely puppies in hot pursuit. So much so that we lost our way, my wife and our group. Luckily Rooipoot "planned the ride and rode the plan" and I could unite with Merrycan at Op-die-berg.

We were supposed to go over Skittery and Katbakkies, but with Tok-tokkie and I going the wrong way, we missed that, till next time.

From Op-die-berg Merrycan and I drove as fast as we could, we still had a bag full of plans to pursue. I rode into Citrusdal on reserve, filled up and headed for Piekenierskloof. We stopped and reminisced our fateful day of a year our so ago, when we stopped at this very place and took the first step into our lives together. Even though time was short, we sat and watched the sun go down on a cloudy horison.

Thanks guys, it was really nice. This trip was loooong overdue. Next time we hope to get the other guys lined up too. Eisbein, Operator, Suzbox etc.






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Day 1

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Thanks so far, TR. Yes it was a nice relaxed trip. Even though we tried out level best to add some adrenaline to the trip by hanging around at places, cutting our travel time very short.

Most of us know each other very well, or at least the promise of friendship peeped over the rocky horizon, so we took every moment to talk bull and enjoy life's little pleasures.

Here are some of the magical moments.





Some less magical moment



Eselsbank





Somewhere






We stopped at the waterfall.







To my utter dismay, my wife has the tendency to loose herself at places like this. I had to buy the goodwill of the gang with snacks.



Tok-tokkie



Rovrat tried to sneak around to fake interest in the beautiful surroundings to make my wife's crusade less painful. She came up with some nice pictures, however.





On the way to Wuppertal.





The result of this conference was to take the long way round. The river was to deep to go on.








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