I realise I have not posted anything in a long time. Life is what happens when you make other plans. During this long absence, there were short trips and hikes, but nothing as extensive as Namibia. Now I’m planning a trip from Cape Town to Pretoria with my second cousin. We are starting our trip in Cape Town heading out onto the beautiful Route 62 all the way to Oudtshoorn and from their staying off the main highways to end up in Pretoria before Christmas. I’ll be spending Christmas with the family before we regroup to head down through the Free State, Western Lesotho and then follow the East Coast of South Africa back down to Cape Town.
I’ll be posting updates and photo’s as we travel through this beautiful country of ours. Watch this space!
Merry Christmas to all and I hope you are having a great time with your loved ones. Christmas Eve was spent with friends from three countries.
On Christmas morning I decided to take my motorbike and go on a road trip. All I knew was that I wanted to go towards the Garden route. Two years ago I did a similar trip with my friend Moritz but we did it with the car. I saw how many gravel roads there were and wanted to do it again with my bike.
I wanted to go over the Breede River at Malgas using the pont. The Malgas ‘pont’ is famous for being the last hand-drawn pont of its kind in the country. Because the Breede is navigable for around 50km inland to Malgas, this was once an important trading port that served the whole area. At Swellendam I hit the gravel road. It’s the first time since Namibia that I’ve been off road again. For most of the trip so far I only saw one other biker. It stayed that way for the rest of the trip with me, occasional sheep and birds being the only beings on the road.
Last time when we were at Malgas the queue to cross was a bout an hour long. This time I was the only vehicle there for about ten minutes. The pont was halfway across to the other side. I could stretch my legs and take some photos.
Nothing felt hurried on this day. Kids were swimming in the river and the two guys pulling the pontoon seemed to take a leisurely pace as well. There were two cars with me when we crossed. It’s R46 for a car to cross and even less for a bike.
While I was waiting a farmer that lives on the other side of the Breede River pulled up and we spoke about bikes. He has a BMW1200GS and he gave me tips about the roads to take. Then it was just me and the open road with a great sense of calm. I didn’t even know where I was going to sleep. Probably not that clever seeing it is Christmas weekend and summer holidays in South Africa. But I knew it would work out just fine.
Every now and again I would get to a junction with no directions or one of the roads just says private road. With the mountains to my left and the ocean somewhere to the right I just kept on going straight. Somewhere I would cross the N2 again. When I did it was a quick half an hour into Mosselbay.
I headed towards Diaz Beach and saw the Oceans Hotel. As luck would have it they had a budget room available. After unpacking it was time for a cold beer in the bar. The very friendly proprietors Leon and Elize offered me a plate of “Boere kos” that was left over from Christmas lunch. That was exactly what I needed. After sunset I went for a walk to Diaz Strand where the full moon rose over the ocean. What a beautiful sight on Christmas Day.
Returning to the bar for a glass of red wine I had the pleasure to listen to stories of the people around me. Not all of them 100% sober by this time, but nonetheless entertaining. For an evening I’m anonymous in a different city. Heading to bed I was very content and as soon as my head hit the pillow I was asleep.
Let’s see what the rest of the weekend has in store.
Monday morning when we woke up the town was covered in mist. We started the day relaxed enough; oiled the chains of the bike, had breakfast and Kobus did some reorganising of the stuff that came out of the caravan the previous day. And let me not forget the mountain of washing that was still being tackled bundle by bundle. The poor washing machine probably hasn’t been that busy for a while. Then we got ready for the 316km round trip to Brandberg Wes Mine. It is an abandoned tin mine, operated between 1946 and 1980, located in the Erongo Region, in Namibia. I read later that the summit of these mountains, named Königstein, at 2,573 m above sea level is the highest elevation in Namibia.
The salt road until the turnoff to D2303 was a pleasure to ride and that was where the pleasure ended for me. It is a beautiful and desolate area and the temperatures quickly started to rise the further we moved away from the coast. By mid afternoon it was 37˚C and no shade for miles away except your own or that of the vehicle your driving on or in. We only saw one other vehicle on that road the whole day. It is constant riding on corrugated iron with loose rocks and sand thrown in for good measure every now and again. From the salt road to the mine is 74km. That morning I didn’t feel it at all and hated every km of the ride. I couldn’t get into the rhythm and lost my sense of humor.
At some point we stopped to admire the Welwitschiagrowing in the area and I just walked off into the desert to regroup myself. Christoff and Hannes had a lot of fun on the road and went off ahead with the bakkie on their heels and the Landrover Discovery following my dust trail. As I rounded a corner, the two bikes were parked on top of a little outcrop and the two brothers beckoned me to follow suit for a “we were here” photo.As I was standing on top of the outcrop, the sweat was dripping off me. After the photo session and manoeuvring down again, we followed the rest of the vehicles. And that is where we hit the thick sand! The two vehicles were parked at the junction where the D2342 turned right. I could see them but they felt miles away. I had to duck walk the bike all the way through and when I got there I was sweating profusely and had no desire to continue for what would turn out to be a 10Km round trip with those conditions. It’s physical hard work riding a bike on these types of roads and in the heat. Thanks goodness that we have at least 5L of water between the three of us.
With some persuading by Ockert and Christoff, it was decided that Christoff would leave Stoof at the junction and take my bike further. I opted to get into the Disco. I must admit, cold water and an aircon was a welcome reprieve. Looking back it was the best decision as it gave me the break I needed for the road back. It took us three hours to eventually get to Brandberg West mine. We had a look around the place and then had sandwiches and a cold beer in the shade of one of the “kameel doring bome” in the area. By now it was just after 15:00 and we still had three hours back to Hentiesbaai. As Namibia is on winter time, it gets dark not long after 17:00. When we stopped for lunch Christoff removed the top box off my bike to see what the difference would be and when I got back onto my bike at the junction, he told me how much easier the bike was to handle. It does make sense and on the way back I could feel the difference. Again I had to duck walk the bike through the initial hick sand. I definitely have to practise more riding on sand as the other two make it seem so easy. Once I got through that I decided to put the experience of the morning behind me, enjoy the wide open spaces with the setting sun and just go for it. I stood most of the way and found that this time I was able to let the bike glide across the surface and it was indeed a case of “dance mother….”. It was a great feeling to be able to achieve that sense of freedom and confidence in my bike and in my abilities.
The Disco was following my dust trail again. I stopped to wait for them to get my Camelbak with water. It was at that stop that Ockert realised the Disco had a flat back tyre. We were not standing there for a long time before the bakkie came down the road again. It turned out that Kobus and Christoff turned around to check that I was ok on the road. They left Elsabe and Hannes about 5km further up the road. We decided that Kobus would stay with Ockert and Zelda to assist with changing the flat tyre and the three bikers would go ahead to Hentiesbaai as it was getting dark and the scrambler had no lights. We rode off to fetch Hannes and left Elsabe at the side of the road with a camera and the vast open desert. Later she told us that the sound of silence was overwhelming and that she could hear the hooves of antelope on the rocks, but could not see anything.
When we got to the salt road (C34) it was getting dark fast. Our riding strategy was that Hannes would ride between the two of us; in the end he ended up riding next to me on the left with Christoff heading up the front. The spotlights on the GSA provided ample light for both of us. Although we were lucky not to have mist, the salty air and the spray from the road caused our visors to mist up. The clip on the visor of Hannes’ helmet was broken and every time he lifted his head, the visor lifted up. Uncomfortable riding at night to say the least. We got home to Hentiesbaai all safe and sound and had to wait about half an hour for the rest of the party to arrive. The wheel was changed successfully and all passengers got home safely. It was time for a well deserved coffee, beer and wine and not to forget the hot shower! Unfortunately the mountain of washing did not seem much smaller than the night before and that was continued whilst we made supper. The rest of the evening was spent watching DVD’s. I remember starting to watch the A-Team but couldn’t make it through the first 15 minutes before I fell asleep and decided my warm bed was a better option. I had a great sleep that night after a great day. Looking back on experiences like that, you realise that our guardian angels are hard at work, but the experiences is something that no-one can take away from you. It’s a life well lived!
I think I forgot to mention how beautiful the sunset was at A Little Sossus.
We left early in the morning towards Solitaire. We settled in and rode on until we got to Moose McGregors’ road side café where we stopped to taste his famous apple pie. Unfortunately Moose passed away a while back. About 40km north of Solitaire on the C14 stands the Tropic Of Capricorn sign. My first time crossing the Tropic of Capricorn on any vehicle. All previous times I flew across it. Take care when driving on the gravel road for on-coming vehicles, and sharp stones on the road surface. There are sections of the road where the desert winds cause the surface to become corrugated. You can, literally, bounce yourself off the road.
After crossing the desert plains you drive onto the escarpment and then through the Kuiseb Pass. The drive across the highlands is rugged and picturesque. You then negotiate the Gaub Pass. Take care, there are no crash rails on the side of the road and the drop into the pass is a long way. At the bottom of the pass there is a scenic picnic area where we stopped. I had a chat with Marnus from Windhoek who was doing his first trip on a Honda CRF250. The brothers climbed up the mountain and through a kloof and disappeared for at least half an hour only to appear on the other side of the road. It was then that two sets of fellow travellers stopped and gave us a message that the caravan was standing next to the road about 5km back.
We turned back and when we got to the rest of the party we found out the axle of the caravan bent and as a result the one tire bit through the floor of the caravan and started biting into the fridge that was standing atop of that area. The caravan was no longer road worthy. By the time we got there most of the stuff was already packed out of the caravan onto the trailer and into the Landy and bakkie. The decision was already made to leave the caravan in desert. We assisted to strip down he caravan and left not a lot behind. The carcass and curtains was probably all that was left.
Once you are on the desert plains the road is not very interesting. The surface is great and we could keep a constant speed on the bikes. All three GoPros were put to good use to capture good footage. I cannot at this stage speculate how much data we have captured but the end result will make a great video.
When we got onto the salt roads going towards Walvis Bay we sped up even more. The closer we got to the coast, the temperatures started dropping again. As we got close to Walvis bay Dune 7 lay to our right hand side. The famous Dune 7 and my fist glimpse of it. Silhoutted against the afternoon sun one could see the people walking on the crescent of the dune. We had a well deserved late lunch at the Spur in Walvis Bay before heading towards Henties Bay. The sun set as we got to Swakopmund and we headed north with the ocean close to the road on our left hand side. We are staying in the house of a cousin of Elsabe’s in Henties Bay and for the first time in over a week we are sleeping on beds and have a constant flow of hot water. After unpacking all the stuff Elsabe and Zelda started with all the washing. I think it took three days to do all the washing and get rid of the dust as every single thing that was in the caravan had to be washed.
The kids discovered 30 Seconds and we started playing by our own rules which caused a lot of laughter. Eventually the rest of the party went to bed and the three bikers retired to our room where we continued with the game. At some point we were so tired that none of the answers made any sense. We slept like babies that night and I woke up when Dawid snuck into the room to retrieve the 30 Seconds cards.
After some practical reorganisation of the “stuff” we headed off to Brandberg Wes where Elsabe spent the first couple of years of her life. Little did I know what road lay ahead.l but that will have to wait until I can blog again.
We left Lüderitz early enough as we had a lot of kilometres to cover and most of it on gravel roads. About 5km before Aus Christoff pulled off the road saying it was time for coffee. We had nothing with us that morning to make coffee and I suggested we head into Aus, but they said the wanted to wait for the caravan. When the caravan and trailer eventually arrived, I found out Stoof ran out of petrol again. They thought the look on my face was worth not telling me.
Apparently Aus was slightly further away than he calculated Stoof could run without a refill.
At the turn off to Helmeringhausen the scrambler came off the trailer and Hannes was all smiles again. Even Kobus took it for a slight spin up the road and back. The rest of the party left us whilst we got ready. About 5km’s down the road we hit sand which is not my favourite surface to ride. We were travelling at about 90km p/h when my bike started snaking across the sand and I could not pull it straight again. The end result was that I bought a piece of Namibian gravel road, cosmetic damage to my bike, a blue butt and a bruised ego. Thank goodness nothing serious happened. But for a while after that I took it easy and the adrenaline was pumping. Yet another piece of thick sand where I somewhat ungratefully duck walked the bike through and then the road became better and we could maintain a nice speed.
At some point in the afternoon the scrambler got a flat front wheel and had to be loaded on the trailer. Hannes again rode pillion with Christoff. We decided to skip Duwiseb castle as it was getting late and took the road to A Little Sossus which was about 90km away. By then it started getting dark and dark in the dessert before the moon rises is dark. (Full moon was a couple of days ago). I asked Christoff to ride my bike and I rode pillion. I never think riding at night is a good idea, but seeing road signs warning of wild antelopes, giraffes, wind and sand in the desert is in my opinion never a good combination. We saw Eland at the side of the road at some point.
We got to A Little Sossus all in one piece and were allocated site 8. What an amazing campsite. It’s like a massive barn with two bathrooms on either side and a kitchen in the middle and open to the front and the veld. We pitched the three tents against both walls and the caravan on the outside. About 100m from the site was a salt licking spot and we had Springbok the first night and small Buffaloes the second night. Living in a city we tend to forget how beautiful the night sky is and the Milky Way was breathtaking. The silence and wide open spaces is what sticks in my head when I think of this country. We had two “donkeys” that are used to heat the water and a warm shower was well deserved.
Kobus had to do another round of vacuuming of the caravan due to the one window not sealing properly and the Namibian dust seeps into every opening. The caravan was covered in a thin layer of dust. This was the second time he had to do this after Ais Ais. After a great dinner the camp settled down.
The next day we headed to Sossus vlei. As we were not allowed to enter the park with our bikes the three bikers took Kobus’s bakkie whilst the rest went with Ockert in his Landrover Discovery. The 65km’s in the park to Sossus vlei is the only piece of tarred road we’ve seen since leaving Aus. A cold beer and a slow drive made the trip seem shorter. From the end of the tarred road it’s another 5km’s to Sossus vlei and one can only attempt it with a 4×4 vehicle. The sand is thick powder and I was glad I did not have to ride that on my bike. Ockert took the other six first and then returned to fetch us. We walked about 100m down the sandy road and decided it’s a bad idea to walk the 5km’s. Two German girls started walking down the road with two bottles of 350ml water, short sleeves and no hats. On our outward bound trip we found them about 1,5km’s down the road and gave them a lift. It turns out both of them are interns in South Africa doing a trip at the end of their internship through Namibia. I seem to have a knack running into German interns.
The pictures I’ve seen of Sossus vlei does not do nature justice. Dead trees surrounded by massive dunes on three sides is an amazing sight to behold. Off course the brothers convinced me to climb the highest dune from the most difficult angle. Climbing in loose sand up a massive dunes at midday on a winters day is tougher than one of the WOD’s I’ve had to perform. Dry desert air, 25°C and a dune to conquer. We had enough water and the view from the top was worth it.
We met the two German girls on top of the dune and still no hats and a little bit of water. We ran into them at Sesriem later and it was good to see they were ok. On the way back to the parking area we passed at least three vehicle stuck in the sand. A Unimorg was busy doing the rescue so we drive on. At the parking area the gas braai with Christoff as chef served a very late brunch. Somehow the mossies in the tree above us kept on finding Hannes and made their deposits first on his plate and then on his shirt. Somehow the road back to the entrance gate seemed much longer than on the way in. We stopped at Sesriem and walked a bit down the canyon. If one didn’t know about it one would drive right past this little canyon with all the beautiful round river stones.
Back at the camp we did chain maintenance on the bikes and checked that all nuts and bolts were still tight. Then it was another awesome braai and a nice chat round the campfire. The next day we had to hit the road towards Hentiesbaai via Walvisbaai. Another long day lay head of us with a minimum of 200km’s of gravel road. Little did we know what the next day would bring us.
We left Ai-Ais at 09:15 yesterday morning 01 July. The day before we did 176km on gravel roads and yesterday we did 196km on gravel roads. A record set for me of one continuous day on gravel roads on a motorbike. And not all of it flat gravel roads. We hit areas where it was like riding on corrugated iron with sand thrown in to boot. They were scraping some sections of the road but the last 13km’s to Seeheim was particularly bad. Corrugated iron like they made it in the good old days with “dongas” dotted in between. It was a case of grit your teeth and ken throttle to glide across that. We stopped for breakfast at the Canŷon Road house again where the rest of the group caught up and joined us for coffee. I think the caravan got slightly twisted on the last piece of gravel road before we hit the tar.
The fact that we ride bikes seem to attract attention. Everywhere we go someone has to ask something and tells us a story. I love the cameraderie that is created. At Ai-Ais our neighbours were a South African German family and we keep on running into each other.
At Aus the NG Nerk had a braai bazaar next to the road where I had the best Eland sosaties ever. The brothers thought I needed convincing to decide between the stoep of the one horse hotel or the road side braai with “skaap tjops, skaap wors; eland sosaties and roosterkoek”. However the braai won the day.
The road between Aus and Lüderitz constantly disappears in the distance. It is straight and boring apart from the wild horses about 10km after Aus. After that the bikes just have to eat kilometre after kilometre. At Aus the temperature was 25°C and when we arrived in Lüderitz it was 13°C. With the wind chill it got cold on the bike.
We’re camping on Shark Island and found a spot that is relatively protected from the wind. The first night we had dinner at Ritzies. The next morning it was misty and cold but we had a great camp breakfast before we headed out to Kollmanskuppe. The famous diamond ghost town. We took a guided tour which gave us interesting facts and stories about the German town in the desert. After that we rode to Dias Cross where we had a light lunch.
The rest of the afternoon was spent at the campsite. Had a luke warm shower, but to be clean feels great so we grin and bear it. Ockert made a great chicken potjie after which all headed to bed early. The three of us attempted to watch a series on the notebook but we all faded quite fast. I got up during the night to find thick mist had rolled in.
We are hitting the road towards Aus, Helmeringhausen and to camp at A Little Sossus campsite. I will blog again when there is WiFi
We arrived at Ai Ais last night where we setup camp for two nights. After Noordoewer we hit the gravel roads and about 10km’s in, the scrambler came off the trailer and Hannes was no longer riding pillion. The desolate countryside has something mesmerising. A picture cannot paint a thousand words in this country, even though we try.
We found the hidden Spar at Aussenkehr where we bought food, cold beers & wine. When we got into Ai Ais we setup camp and had an ice cold beer, took a swim in the pool fe by the warm water spring (65°C spring) and then sat round the fire and a braai. Life is good.
This mornin after breakfast we cleaned and lubricated the chains of the bikes and hit the road to the Vis rivier canyon. Most of the gravel road was in good condition but at some point we hit sand which I hate. Suck it up and let the bike “dance mother…” as Christoff always says.
We got to the Vis Rivier canyon which I believe is the second biggest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon. What a sight to behold from the viewing point. This is also one of the hiking routes on my bucket list – 90km over 5 days and you have to carry everything you need. Another 20 odd kilometres and we got to the Canŷon Roadside in where we had lunch. This place has a collection of old rusted vehicles in the garden as well as in the restaurant. Lost license plates all over and an amazing collection of memoribilia. Guys should definitely open Pandora’s box in the Gents!
As we got ready for the return trip three bikers turned up. It turns out they shipped their bikes to Cape Town from the UK and are now doing an African adventure all the way up to Malawi over three months. Flow these guys at http://mathersafricatrip.blogspot.com/ Hope to catch up with you again during the next two weeks.
We headed back towards Ai Ais and a cold beer Namibia is on winter time which Ian hour behind RSA. As a result the sun start setting earlier to our clocks. Riding NW with the low hanging sun and dust made for a challenging last 20km’s into camp.a well deserved cold beer, warm pool and amazing “potjie” awaited us ( the latter compliments of Christoff with preparation by yours truly). All early to bed as tomorrow is a long day towards Luderitz.
Lying in a tent in Springbok after a long but satisfying day. We left Vanrhynsdorp and took the road towards Nieuwoudtville in search of the waterfall and the quiver tree forest. The road is beautiful and stretches as far as the eye can see. In Afrikaans Hannes said ” so wyd soos die Here se genade”. I’m sure in the next days that thought will repeat itself.
Up and over the pass and there’s a different world but the same. Wide open expanses with “koppies” dotted along the way. We found the big and small waterfalls 7km from Nieuwoudtville.
After “losing” the two brothers between the small and big waterfalls as they were doing Boulder hopping and taking photos we headed another 15 min towards the quiver forest. I did not know what to expect but after turning off onto a gravel road for 3km we found this forest of quiver trees. Something I’ve never seen in my life. It is one of my favourite trees and to see them stretch as far as the eye can see is amazing. And a bonus is they are in bloom – nature’s gift. I do not regret the round trip, but it was a four hour round trip and we had to make up time as we still had 475km to get to Vioolsdrift. After a late lunch stop at a ” pad kafee” we hit the road North again. It was already 15:00 and my GPS said we would get to the border at 18:30. We realised yesterday that as soon as the sun starts setting, so does the temperatures. One thing I don’t like is being cold.
Stoof had to be refuelled at Bitterfontein where I saw a message from their dad to say they were not going to make the border and we had to meet them at Springbok. Another 150km from Bitterfontein and probably a good idea as the border was another 110km from there and it would have meant riding in the dark.
Somewhere along the road we found a perfect spot to stop and make coffee. What amazes me is the silence. We so easily forget how much noise pollution we live with every day.
Eventually we got to Springbok after dark where we met up with the rest of the group that will travel with us. They had already setup camp and all that was left for us was to setup our tents and grab a well deserved drink. After a great braai and a bit of banter round the camp fire we’ve all turned in. Tomorrow it’s up early to get to the border post and then into Namibia.
Our first night on the road. Relatively uneventful day except Stoof ran out of gas 11km before Trawal. Luckily we have a 5L Jerry can so I did a run for gas whilst the brothers were getting coffee ready next to the road.
Today we are going to visit the Quiver tree forest in Nieuwoudtville. Mike who owns Namaqualand Country Lodge is a wealth of knowledge on local flora. Friendly service and to see his passion and excitement about the area is contagious. Even the room names have local flora names.
We’re leaving on Saturday 27 June for a two week trip through parts of Namibia. One Suziki V-Strom DL650 and one BMWF800GSA, two 4×4’s with one caravan. It’s been in the planning for a couple of months and the route was devised by Christoff’s dad as well as most of the other arrangements. We’re packing our bikes and leaving on Saturday to meet the rest at the Vioolsdrift border crossing on Sunday. After some discussion we decided to break the trip to the border into a leisurely two day back road trip. I didn’t feel like racing 680km up the N7 in one day. On Sunday we packed everything we think that need to go with on the living room floor and debated most items. Then packed everything to see if all will fit onto two bikes. What I have to mention is that Christoff’s brother is flying to Cape Town tomorrow to ride pillion up to the border with us. For the trip to the border we will use my bike as the mule. I probably packed too much clothes and will repack at least twice more before the final load. It reminds me of packing for the Camino; it took two sessions of repacking and then I still realised after two days I packed too much and had to send stuff back. At least this time I can leave things in the caravan during the day. I keep on making a list and checking things off and then adding again. Music for my iPhone, bike papers, cross border letters, medical insurance etc.; check, done, add. It’s my first extended trip on a motorbike which comes with a lot of anticipation and expectations but peppered with trepidation. But I have grattitude that I am able to do this and visiting a neighbouring country that I’ve never been to. Now we’re looking forward to the last couple of hectic days at work and doing the last planning.
We have a motorbike group at work and on Saturday 07 June 2015 it was the second run of the group and our first attendance. We left home just before 08:00 to meet the rest of the group at the Winelands Engen on the N1 outgoing. It was a beautiful, cloudless, brisk autumn morning which can be so typical of Cape Town this time of the year. Little did we suspect how the temperatures would drop in the shadow of the mountains.
We were nine riders with seven bikes; Stoof was still in for a services, so Christoff and I swopped being pillion the whole day. The planned route was over Du Toitskloof Pass, through the Slanghoek valley with breakfast at the The Winterberg Mountain Inn. We started with coffee and left just after 08:30. The Winelands Engen is a popular meeting place for bike breakfast runs doing routes all over the area. It was already quite busy when we got there and even busier by the time we left. Everyone was eager to “Carpe Diem” and after a few words from Riel the leader of the group about group riding and safety, we got on our way.
We left the N1 and took the R304 and then the R312 the R44 and back onto the N1. We took the alternative route over the Du Toitskloof Pass and as we decended on the other side of the pas, the temperatures dropped to about 4˚C. I was riding pillion at the point and was trying to keep my hands warm by hiding them away from the wind behind Christoff’s back. How I missed my heated handle grips at that point. The sun was just starting to creep into the valleys and the surrounding mountains had a pink glow to them. What a great start to the day. As we rode through the Slanghoek valley, the temperatures did not increase, but the beauty of the area did.
Bikes at the Winterberg Mountain Inn
When we arrived at The Winterberg Mountain Inn, Karien was waiting with her welcoming smile and a warm fire in the dining room. Everyone gathered round the fireplace with coffee mugs warming our hands. We spent some time getting to know each other and trading stories whilst waiting for our breakfasts. After a hearty breakfast and great hospitality, it was time to hit the road again. This time we would head back towards Cape Town over Bain’s kloof pass. We’ve done this pass a couple of times during different times of the year from both directions and it still is one of my favourite passes close to Cape Town.
Admiring the view
We stopped at the summit to admire the view and this was where we said our goodbyes to the rest of the group as Christoff, Wikus and I decided to go on to Franschhoek and over the Franschhoek pass. We rode through Wellington, cut past the outskirts of Paarl on the R301 towards Franschhoek. We stopped in Franschhoek in order for Wikus to fill up the Ducati and as things happen in life, there was a whole group of Ducati riders at the petrol station and immediately Wikus got all the attention and an invite to join their Ducati riding club.
I knew having a Ducati rider and a friend who likes to enjoy the curves of the Franschhoek pass, the next half an hour would be an interesting ride. I was not wrong at all. The Ducati Hyper motard was built for this and Wikus was in the mood to have fun. Christoff was not to be left behind and took the Beamer through it’s pases. Although not exactly built for the same riding style as the Ducati, it definitely held its own on the road. I think here and there Christoff probably felt a poke in his ribs, but he smiled and had fun. All I could do was sat back and enjoy the ride.
We stopped on the bridge of the Theewaterskloof dam on the way to Grabouw to admire the view and give our butts a break. The dam level is quite low for this time of the year and one can only hope that we will have a wet winter to cope with the water demands of the summer months. It was here that Wikus offered that Christoff take the Ducati for a spin to Grabouw. Christoff must have thought is was Christmas in June as he was eyeing the Ducati for a while. The next 20 odd kilometres we saw him have fun on the road with that bike.
Christoff after his Ducati ride
When we stopped at the Orchard’s for a well deserved drink we were not able to wipe the smile off his face for the first couple of minutes. The next stop was Cape Town and the boring Sunday afternoon ride on the N2. This route is generally busy and passing the town ships you have to keep an eye out for pedestrians crossing the busy highway.
Again we are grateful for being able to do this and having these great roads in the Western Cape.
Today started fairly relaxed with a sleep in, then a late home made brunch before we got on the bikes. We haven’t done a day trip in a while and the open road beckoned. It was a beautiful Sunday morning and although autumn is in the air, it was a pleasant 27°C with no wind. I love this time of year in Cape Town. It’s the last remnants of summer without the relentless South Easter. I heard such a great Afrikaans word for the South Easter yesterday which describes exactly the way we feel after it’s been blowing for days on end. “Dikbek wind”, which translates as “sulking wind” but it’s not as expressive as the Afrikaans word.
I’m digressing here and should get to our trip. I had no direction in mind and just wanted to ride. As JC filled Stoof’s tank I said you lead; I’ll follow and off we went direction North on the N1 towards Paarl. We took the R44 off-ramp towards Wellington and then Main Street until we got to the R45 towards Paarl. All the vineyards are donning their autumn colours with yellow and purple vine leaves. The stately old oakes in Paarl are also starting to colour into the dark green that signals a change in season. We drove through town admiring the old homes with big “erven” towards Franschhoek.
In Franschhoek we stopped for a drink but decided not to have something to eat which was not a great decision as we both we very hungry an hour or so later but then we were on a gravel road with no shops. We headed up Franschhoek pass and did a quick stop at La Petit Ferme for the view.
Up and over the pass and past the Theewaterskloofdam. At the t-junction of the R321 we turned towards Grabouw but just after the bridge we turned left on a gravel road towards Botrivier. The first 3km’s of that road brought back memories. It was the first piece of gravel road I rode when I bought my first BMW. It was also in March and my brother rode the Cape Epic. That day I followed them with the bike and had to do that piece of road.
At the junction we turned right towards Bot Rivier but not before taking some pics of the bikes.
And this is where we discovered the Van der Stel pass. I’ve never even heard of it. What a beautiful piece of road. It is a fairly easy, but long, gravel road pass and mainly serves the farming community. The road is generally well maintained and it is a fairly long pass at 17 km. We passed some wine farms but as it was getting late we didn’t stop. It is well worth a return visit.
JC started singing “Flash aha, saviour of the Universe” and that’s the way I felt. I was the saviour of my Universe. Grattitude for being able to ride and experience this day. We are blessed!
Heading into Bot rivier the route home was the N2 over Sir Lowry’s pass. Not the best route on a Sunday afternoon with all the traffic heading towards Cape Town and the Western sun hanging low and shining into your eyes. But after such a great day even that was an experience. We got home safe and sound & a glass of red wine with ostrich on the braai is the cherry on top.
We have not written a post for a while, as life happened, but here we are again. The weekend of 1 November was the Castle Rock craft beer and wine festival at the Winterberg Inn, halfway between Ceres and Wolsely on the R43. We planned a while ago that we will pack the camping gear and spend the afternoon at the festival and then camp in the area. That way we would not have to travel back to Cape Town. It’s also an awesome area to explore with the bikes. We were both looking forward to get out of town for the weekend. I’ve only done the Baviaanskloof with my bike and camping gear a couple of years ago and then we had a support vehicle carrying all our stuff. This time all had to fit on the two bikes. We packed all the gear on the living room floor the night before. This was it and I was excited as a kid before Christmas. Christoff has done this before and he made a list which we ticked off as we started packing. We even decided to pack our own wood for the fire as the camp site did not supply wood.
We could not have asked for a more beautiful morning when we got ready. Although the early morning promised a hot day and the closer we got to Ceres, it certainly did. However early 30 degrees Celsius is way cooler than the early 40’s we have experienced in this area on our motorbikes. We decided to take the N1 and cross over Du Toit’s Kloof pass and through the Slanghoek Valley to reach the Winterberg Inn. Going up the pass we did the necessary stops to admire the view over the Paarl valley and back to Cape Town. By now breakfast was a distant memory and we were hot, hungry and thirsty but decided to push through to the festival. The vibe at the festival was laid back and although it was busy the great gardens and big trees provided enough space for people to spread out. Top local cellars showed their wines and the food was supplied by the Bistro at the Winterberg Inn. We were however interested in the craft beers. The first stop was our well known brewery, Darling. A draught Native Pale Ale quenched the initial thirst followed by a great pulled pork sandwich and that kicked off the afternoon.
Darling Slow Beer
The other breweries that were there were Birkenhead Estate, The Belgian Beer Company, Devils Peak, Independent Beers and Spirits and Everson Ciders.
We ran into some of our friends from Cape Town and sat with them next to the pool under the trees having lunch and our beer. The first beer quenched the thirst and the sandwich filled a hole, and now we were relaxed and shopped around for what’s next. In the end the pale ale from Independent Beers and Spirits got our vote and we ended up sitting on the wall of the stoep with our friends, good beer and food. The brew master, Bernard, told us that he currently has a 70L setup and that he had his whole brew at the festival. We will definitely keep an eye out for these guys going forward.
Independant Beers and Spirits
Late afternoon we decided to call it a day, said our farewells and rode to Ceres. We still had to buy some things for the braai. (The word braai is Afrikaans for “barbecue” and is a social custom in South Africa. The term has since been adopted by South Africans of many ethnic backgrounds.) For dinner we bought steak and ready made salads. Breakfast was going to consist of eggs and bacon. We had bought some bottled Darling Slow Brew Native Ales and a lovely 2009 Shiraz from Koelfontein. We found the Petervale Guest Farm on the internet which is about halfway between Ceres and Prince Alfreds Hamlet. Reuben the manager was extremely helpful and told us where our campsite was next to the dam. We had to ride a little bit towards the mountain on a sandy two track and then through some trees to end up on this awesome camp spot next to the dam under the trees. Christoff immediately declared that this camping spot is on the top of his list. The area has soft white sand and most of it is covered by soft pine needles which is like walking barefoot on a soft carpet.
Petervale Guest Farm
We started unpacking and setting up the tent and camp site. The site had a “fire pit” setup on the sand with rocks packed in a circle. In the end there was enough dead wood lying around which kept our camp fire burning long into the night. After my good friend decided to spin my bike in the sand, the tent was covered with a fine layer of sand. Lucky for us only the exterior, as it would have been annoying to clean the inside. What would camping be without some adventure? After all of this “hard” work it was time for a swim in the dam. There was a canoe on the shore which we jumped into and pushed off into the middle of the dam. Jumping out of the canoe into the dam at least did not cause it to capsize, but we got more water in the canoe by the time we got back to shore. It was great to cool down and the views of the surrounding mountains were just awesome.
Our friend Ellie gave us a small cooler bag when we left the Winterberg Inn and we had some ice in there which kept our two beers and wine cold. With a well deserved beer in hand, we started the fire in preparation for the braai. We decided to explore a bit of the area and took a walk to find out where the ablution facilities were and what the other camp sites looked like. Although we had neighbours in the area, we never heard or really saw them which really makes Petervale well worth the visit. There is no electricity at the camp sites but there are hot showers and electricity points at the washing up area. Reuben also told us about the waterfall in the mountain which is about a 30 minute hike each direction. That hike was going to be on the agenda for Sunday.
Camp site sunset
When we got back to our site, the sun was just starting to set and the birds were getting ready for the night. The water birds were making quite a noise as they came in for the landing on the dam. It was great to sit in silence, experience nature at it’s best. No beeping of some smart device or laptop, which are my best breaks ever. The coals were ready and the steaks went onto the grill. Meat grilled on a fire as opposed to a gas Weber just tastes so much better and hunger is the best cook. Medium rare to medium is the way to go and the braai master, Christoff, always gets it just right. A real basic meal with salad, good meat and a glass of wine from Koelfontein and don’t forget the company. After dinner the fire was stoked for our bon fire. This is the part I love; just sit round the fire and staring into the flames. There’s no real need to talk, but when it happens, it follows the rhythm of the flames. The moon was in the first quarter and casting enough light on the area, but as a result the stars were not that clear. Once the moon had set in the early hours of the morning that changed the whole scene. I had to get up and got to see the beautiful star filled sky which one forgets about living in a city.
An early morning coffee and then we got ready to make breakfast on our little gas cooker. Bacon and eggs! The bacon just tasted better than other mornings. But first a quick dip in the dam just to wake up completely. After breakfast we broke up camp, packed the bikes and then hiked to the waterfall.It was already hot but the time we got going. It was a great, but steep hike up the mountain. We heard the waterfall before we saw it, but it was also then that Christoff spotted two Klipspringers above us on the rocks. They were fully aware of us, but did not run away. Instead they stood on their rocks and just observed us and then leisurely started moving higher up. The waterfall is aptly named “Gods bathtub”.
Gods bathtub
One hikes down into the small ravine through which the water flows. The first part is a small waterfall before ending up in a pool. The deepest part of the pool we figured out must be about 2,5m. Christoff immediately figured out the he could safely dive and do backflips into the pool from the one embankment. Then we found that a part of the waterfall is like a slide going down into the pool which kept us amused for a while. Water always brings out the inner children in us. We filled the water bladder with fresh water and hiked back to the bikes.
It was time to start the bike trip for the day. We rode to Prince Alfreds Hamlet, bought chicken salad and then headed towards the Gydo Pass and the Witzenberg valley. A stop under the trees on the Gydo pass was the impromptu lunch spot. The Witzenberg valley has a lot of fruit farms, but there are also nice gravel roads which we were looking for. We ended up on a farm dirt road riding north, but not sure if we could cross all the way through the valley. The Tracs4Africa GPS was very inconclusive about this and we decided just to follow the track. We had to turn back a bit, dodge through a gap in the fence to get back onto the tar road north. This road turned into a gravel road with loose gravel, turns, some sand and farms around.Coming too slowly round one corner I lost control and rather ungracefully jumped off the bike as it fell. No damage apart from a bruised ego and some scratches on the crash bar. Every off rode ride I’m learning a bit more and gaining more confidence. Christoff later said he was waiting round the corner for me and the next moment he saw was a puff of dust. Eventually we crossed a little river and about a 100 m further we ran out of track as it went into protected Cape nature reserve with a gate and “NO ENTRY”. That meant we had to turn around and do the same route back which is not what we normally do. The operative word when we stood there, had an apple and some water was “adventure”. One forgets how much effort and concentration it takes riding on roads like these and the heat was also an additional factor to take into account.
Travelling back on the same road until we hit the tar, felt much shorter than the way in. My confidence was much higher and I rode faster than riding in. I could still not keep up with my riding partner whose motto is “let’s fly”. We stopped in Ceres for petrol and came to the realisation that Eskom was doing load shedding and there was a queue of vehicles, heading back to Cape Town, waiting patiently for fuel. All the towns we rode through back home were “powerless”. We headed back through the Slanghoek Valley, across Du Toit’s kloof pass and decided we could not face the boring N1. We rode through Wemmershoek, then Pniel, Stellenbosch and the last bit on the N2 into Cape Town. As we got home, we realised that even our area was “powerless” and that resulted in no hot shower as the geyser was switched off for the weekend. Nothing to do but grab a beer (still cold) sit on the terrace, watch the last bit of sun over Lions Head and mull over the adventure. This type of adventure is definitely on the repeat bucket list.
Sunday was an early rise as we met our friend Theo at Tamboers Winkel for a coffee . After that, the day lay ahead unplanned. The only thing was a hearty breakfast after which we decided to head North with the motorbikes and the one requisite was to do some mountain passes. The Western Cape has enough passes with a some of these close enough to Cape Town. A lot were built by father and son Bain so we decided to head towards Wellington on the N1 and then the R44. Leading from Wellington towards Ceres is the Bain’s Kloof Pass which was the first of three passes for the day.
Going up the first quarter of the pass is a gravel parking lot. Every time I’ve stopped there in the past I’ve noticed a gravel road going down into the valley. The last time Christoff and I stopped there was in 2013 when he bought his motorbike in Cape Town and came down to fetch it. We spent that weekend on the roads and stopped at the same place to take photo’s. When I mentioned the road his response was to start going down the road and shouting backwards to me, “Let’s go. What can they do to us, just tell us it’s private property?” Down we went, past vineyards and ending up in a small pine tree forest where a sign said “Wine tasting”. The gravel road was very slippery going down and my back wheel had no grip. We rode past some farmers cottages and all of a sudden ended up on the Doolhof Wine Estate. It turns out we took the 4×4 route and lesser known route to the farm, as the normal road leads through the valley from Wellington.
Doolhof
What an awesome discovery and beautiful wine estate. We have not heard of them before, so it was a great find. There were only two other people doing the wine tasting and at R20 for five wines, it is very cheap. If you buy wines, then the wine tasting is free. We sat on the terrace under the trees with the mountains towering above us and enjoyed five exceptional red wines. My personal favourite is definitely the Lady in Red which is a Bordeaux style wine. They even had a lucky barrel where according to our host Francois, they had wines which were cleared from stock and at R20 a bottle, it was definitely a bargain. We managed to find a Cabernet Sauvignon with a 2004 vintage. We stocked up on some wine and the box was strapped down to the seat of Stoof and the rest went into the top box. We decided to continue over Bain’s Kloof pass but not before exploring some of the gravel roads on the farm. We realised there are quite a few 4×4 routes on the farm and the area which will be explored in future.
Once across the summit of the Bain’s Kloof pass, we followed the narrow beautiful winding road towards Ceres. The Witte River cuts through this rugged cleft in the mountains with rapids, waterfalls and natural pools. The winding road makes for excellent riding at a leisurely pace to allow one to take in the views and spectacular rock formations. It’s roads like these that lead to peace of mind; where it’s you, the motorbike and nature. It’s a form of meditation, just one where you don’t sit still.
At the bottom of the pass is the Tweede Tol camp site. We decided the next time we head in that direction, the camping gear is going with and we are staying at this camp site next to the river to explore the area by hiking and biking. According to their brochure, there a few hiking trails in the area with a waterfall further into the mountains.
Tolhuis
By now we were ready for lunch and headed towards the Tolhuis on the Mitchell’s Pass. This little Bistro on the pass has great views from the stoep through to the pass and mountains beyond and serves comfort food. Don’t expect anything Banting on the menu though….
After lunch we took the Mitchell’s Pass back towards Wolseley and Tulbach. The plan was to go over the Nuwekloof Pass and then turn off to Riebeeck Kasteel. What a bonus when the turn-off turned out to be a gravel road all the way to Riebeeck Kasteel. Riding past farms with sheep, vineyards and olive trees dotted around the landscape.
Kasteelberg
We nearly lost our precious cargo of wines on this piece of gravel road, and had to strap it down again. That would have been a tragic loss of good wines. It was a real Sunday afternoon feeling when we drove into Riebeeck Kasteel. It felt as if the little town was having an afternoon nap. We drove past the Royal Hotel with a quick stop to fill our bikes. The R46 to Malmesbury, although a tar road, is still beautiful to ride. However once you get onto the N7 towards Cape Town it is just a straight uninspiring national road. We pointed the bikes towards home after an awesome day out with a layer of dust on our clothes and bikes, but feeling completely refreshed.
Mindfulness is a lifetime’s journey along a path that ultimately leads nowhere – only to who you are
We parked the bikes at the parking area where one turns off Kloofnek Road to drive up to Table Mountain. Our only plan for the hike was to ascend Table Mountain from the Atlantic side, which meant that we had to follow the Pipe track until we found the first route up. This narrow but easy path below the Twelve Apostles was initially a maintenance path for the water pipes coming off the dams on top of Table Mountain. As the routes on this side of the mountain are exposed to the Western sun, it can become quite hot in summer. We were lucky that it was about 20ºC and partly cloudy which made for perfect hiking conditions.
The first route up from the Pipe track is Diagonal, after Blinkwater Ravine became too dangerous and was closed down.
Back of Table Mountain
The Diagonal starts from the Pipe track, and zigzag’s about half way to the top, with spectacular views to Camps Bay, Lions Head and the back of Table Mountain.
Soon we reached Porcupine Cave. Although it’s not a cave, but actually an overhang, it makes for a great stop to take a break. Here we stopped for a snack break: apples, bananas and the obligatory trail mix, mixed with the amazing views towards Camps Bay. It’s when you sit at a spot like this with the silence surrounding you, that one realises how blessed we are to live in this awesome city. We have the ocean and the mountains and it allows us to connect with Mother Nature within hiking distance from our doorstep.
As we headed around the face, we followed the river course up Porcupine Ravine, which makes for an easy climb. We initially thought of following the river course all the way up, but we were not sure if there was a path to follow… Halfway up, we found the path
Rock with a view
leading towards Barrier Ravine, marked out with rock cairns, an easy route marker for the Table Mountain paths. Some of these cairns were even stacked in small, low growing trees. I am always amazed at how the flora changes from lush, small trees & fynbos in the ravines, to small, low growing fynbos in the higher altitudes, where they are more suited to the high winds.
Leading past the buttress, the path heads up into Barrier Ravine. This route must be one of the most scenic routes we’ve hiked to date, with indigenous trees, fynbos, and the occasional small stream. Around every corner, mother nature just gave another splendid show. Unfortunately we did not check the battery on our camera before we left, and soon the battery died. After our camera was no longer an option, the cell phone became the camera of choice.
Ascending Barrier Ravine
The Diagonal route crosses three buttresses (Porcupine, Jubilee and Barrier) and across two ravines where the ascend ends in the Barrier ravine. As we ascended to the top of the mountain, the blowing wind was icy cold, and we quickly had to layer ourselves. Lucky for us we packed the second backpack with our warm hiking clothes, gloves and beanies.
From here to Platteklip Gorge is possibly another two hours hiking. We found some protection from the wind behind a huge rock where we ate some of the nuts, with views towards the Atlantic. As we headed into the direction of the Valley of the Red Gods, one can see the Mountain club huts and views to the South across False Bay, with the peninsula snaking towards Cape Point. This valley is spectacular with trees, boulders, massive ferns and to our amazement, we found an underground river; as we were walking on the path, we heard water dripping to our right. Behind some trees we found a cave with a tunnel that goes underground at one end. With the torch of our cell phones we carefully entered this tunnel, which runs about three meters underground, and then it abruptly ends, with the water running underneath the ground. One can clearly see where the high water mark was not so long ago with all the rains we’ve had. It’s a beautiful piece of nature and again makes one realises that Table Mountain is not flat on top at all. It’s only when viewed from the front that the mountain appears to be flat.
We continued through the valley until we reached the cross-road
Choose the direction
where you can turn right towards Kasteels Poort and down again to the Pipe track, or left towards Platteklip Gorge. In the distance we could see the sets of ladders we still had to climb and cross the last bit to reach the front of the mountain. Christoff wanted to hike to the front of the mountain as he hasn’t been up there for at least 10 years.
After we took the route up from the Pipe track we encountered no other people. I did see some fresh footprints in some of the sandy areas and commented on these. Christoff asked me if I knew when they were made, and I said no. I was waiting for some clever analysis of the footprint, when he responded: “Earlier today, because it’s now late afternoon”. Always the joker…..
When we got to the top end of Platteklip Gorge, I commented on the fact that it was so quiet. We continued to the front of the mountain and admired the views, but the wind was biting cold. As it was getting close to 18:00, we considered taking the cable car down. After 18:00 it’s normally half price and both of us have Wildcards. Still there were no other people around, which was very noticeable, as normally there would be loads of tourists around.
Silhouette
It was the first time that I experienced this in all the time that I’ve been on top of the mountain. We started suspecting that the cable car might actually be closed. As we got to the station, this was confirmed by locked doors and packed away equipment, even though the sign said last car down was 19:00. This gave us great photo opportunities on top of the mountain with no-one around, which was quite eerie. At least the movement down below in town confirmed that the world did not actually end…
With the cable car closed, there was no other option for us than to hike down. Myself not being a fan of Platteklip Gorge as a route, we decided to do India Venster which is not a route for novices… there is even a sign saying “This is not an easy way down”.
Not an easy way down
The first section has sheer cliffs on the left of the path, with awesome views to the Atlantic. By the time we got to the front where the path meets the route up from Kloof Corner, it was 18:17 already with the sun setting at 18:46, which meant that we would have to be more careful going down once the sun set. It is said to be more technical than other routes, and what makes it great is that it’s not just walking on a path, or climbing steps, as some places you have to climb down rocks. There is even a section with metal rings and chains in the rock where it’s quite steep.
With the setting sun to our left, silhouetting Lions Head, it was the cherry on top of an already perfect day. With my hiking companion doing his normal jumps down rocks and me scrambling to keep up, we eventually got down to the parking area at the lower cable station in the dark. We just missed the last shuttle bus down to the bottom parking lot and with no other option left but to walk down all the way down to our parked bikes, we were rather looking forward to a cold beer and a hot shower. We ended the day with burgers and beers at the Royal Eatery on Long Street.
All in all a fantastic hike, one we will most certainly do again. You have to have some level of fitness for this route as there is a lot of climbing going up Diagonal, but once you’re on top it’s easy hiking. Coming down India Venster you would need to be a bit more fit and agile and also have no fear of heights.
The best way to experience the open road is on a motorbike. You feel and see the details of nature. This past weekend was all about bikes, gravel roads, flowers and friends. Our friend Suné suggested that we go to Darling on Saturday as they have the flower show. The flower show was not our highest priority, but we didn’t need much convincing to take the bikes and ride. We took the N7 North and then the R27. At the sign to the Groote Post wine estate, we took the dirt road to the farm. It’s 10 km’s on this well maintained gravel road before one reaches the farm. I currently have a knobbly on the front wheel of my BMW, but the standard issue back wheel. The back wheel will get a knobbly in the next two weeks which I’m really looking forward to. The back wheel has no grip and as a result I took it relatively easy. Stoof on the other hand has knobblies and clings to the road and Christoff always has fun off-road.
GS in flowers
It was on this piece of road that we saw the first wild flowers. Groote Post is a great wine estate and their Old Man’s Blend red wine is definitely a favourite. We took some time out to walk around the farm and took some photo’s but decided not to stay for a wine tasting. Where the gravel road joins the R307, we turned towards Darling. On the distant mountains, the peaks were covered with snow from the cold front which hit the Western Cape during the previous week. We were able to turn off into a conservation area with loads of wild flowers. This really brought out the photographers amongst us. Christoff could be seen in his familiar photographers pose, close to the ground searching for the best flower pictures. The challenge is that in every square meter the variety of flowers is so great, that one is sometimes not sure where to point the lens. Suné bought a macro lens from instaLens which connects to the back of any smart phone. It was amazing to see the details on the flowers she was able to capture with her phone.
Flower conservation
When we had enough and the hay fever set in, we took the road into Darling. This small town in the farming community of the West Coast was put on the map by the South African satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys who performs most of his shows as Evita Bezuidenhout at Evita se Perron. We stopped to have a look at Evita se Perron but by then breakfast was long forgotten and a late lunch was at the order of the day. Darling is also known for the Darling Slow Brew beers. We picked the first place we saw, which turned out to have Darling Slow Brew beers, but the food menu left a lot to be desired, which is a pity. The town makes its money from tourism and there are not a lot of places to choose from, so one would expect better quality. We should have driven slightly further along the main road to where the Darling Slow Brew tasting room is situated with a buzzing restaurant next door. Add that to the bucket list for a next visit.
We were not yet in the mood to return to Cape Town and were searching for another gravel road. We took the R307 out-of-town and just where the town ends with the graveyard on the left, there is a gravel road to the right. We had no idea where the road would take us, but it was not the destination that mattered, but the ability to be on the back roads with no other traffic. It turned out to be a great decision as the landscape was varied with wetlands in the area with wild waterblommetjies, which is an edible flower and a delicacy in the Western Cape, to flamingoes, sheep and cattle. The gravel road was not technical at all with some short sandy sections which made the BMW slide a bit, and me chewing the seat, and we even had to cross a little river, but just being out there and alive puts smiles on our faces.
Flamingoes
When we stopped to take pictures of the flamingoes we were immediately “attacked” by small little flying insects. Although they did not sting they gathered in a cloud round your face and got into every opening. I had to make a pit stop and both Christoff and Suné laughed at my antics trying to keep the insects at bay whilst going about my business. They were so annoying that we quickly moved on but not before Christoff got this amazing picture of the flamingoes.
Pit stop
It turned out that this road eventually joins the R45 after about 30km’s where we turned right towards Malmesbury and the N7 back to Cape Town. What we did discover is that there are quite a few gravel roads in that area to explore in future.
Johann, Suné and Christoff
On Sunday we took Daniel and Johanna to Blaauwklippen market situated on the R44 towards Stellenbosch. On Sundays they have a family market and our friend Saskia was there on Sunday manning the Flamkuchen stall.
Pony on a tea break
A lovely day under the trees, sharing a Flamkuch and beers from CBC & Jack Black. But no amount of food and beer could overcome the disappointment on Christoff’s face after finding out that the pony was on an extended tea break….
We then headed into Stellenbosch which is the second oldest European settlement in the Western Cape after Cape Town and known for its wine region, as well as being the home to Stellenbosch University. We tend to go to one of the restaurants on Church Street and this Sunday was no exception where we sat outside on the terrace of Java Café. Affordable prices as the Café is frequented by students, and the food is good. It was great Spring weather sitting under the old oak trees and watching Stellenbosch life go by.
We had the same feeling on Sunday after lunch as on Saturday, we did not feel like heading directly back to Cape Town. We took Helshoogte Pass towards the small town of Pniel (the name always creates a chuckle with Afrikaans speaking people) and then the R45 which either heads to Franschhoek, or towards Paarl. We turned towards Paarl and took the first gravel road but it quickly ended in a dead-end at Bien Donne wine farm. We then headed in the direction of Babylonstoren in the search of more gravel roads as our pillion riders got a small taste of gravel riding and wanted to experience some more. A short gravel road between Babylonstoren and the R45 just wet their appetites even more and we decided to go to Paarl rock and the Afrikaanse Taalmonument (a monument to celebrate the birth of the Afrikaans language and the continued existence of the language). We got there just before 17:00 and the monument was closed already. Christoff remembered the gravel road leading into the Paarl mountain reserve which we immediately sought out and took. There were quite a few mountain bikers and normal cars on the sometimes very narrow road.
The Guys
Coming round one corner where the road was quite narrow, Daniel and I had an encounter with a 4×4 which was on my side of the road as the driver had swung out for pedestrians. I had to break hard and squeeze past the cliff face to miss him and with my sleek back tyre, the bike slid left to right, but we pulled through without an incident. Moments like these the adrenaline is pumping and you feel very much alive. All credit goes to my pillion rider Daniel who was on his first gravel road bike riding experience and he stayed calm and trusted me all the time.
We took the road until the top gate and just admired the view of Paarl rock on the one side and through the valley with Paarl lying below and the Du Toitskloof mountains in the distance. With the sun setting we headed West on the N1 back to Cape Town where we were just in time to enjoy sunset from the Sea Point Promenade. Never a view to get bored with, what an amazing sunset after an awesome day.
Sea Point sunset
To end off the day we rode to Camps Bay and sat on the terrace of the Grand Café with a glass of wine. Days like these shows us a glimpse of what accepting a life of less could mean. Stepping off the treadmill and just following your passion.
It is Saturday morning with lots of sun and 21ºC, perfect for riding our motorbikes. Christoff and I decide to do a bike trip as we have not had a chance to ride our bikes in a while. We had a great start to the day with an Americano and Cappuccino from Tamboers Winkel to kick start our shopping at the Oranjezicht City Farm. We just wanted to ride and see where the road would take us. We decided to invite Johanna & Alina along as pillion riders. Both are relatively new in Cape Town, and for them a road trip on the bikes anywhere would be an experience.
We fetched Johanna & Alina in Sea Point and then started along the Atlantic Seaboard in the direction of Hout Bay. We decided to stop at the Hout Bay Harbour market which has a great vibe and good food to choose from. As with the Biscuit Mill neighbour-goods market, one tends to find the same food vendors, but there are tasting experiences like the craft beers.
Beer truth
As we were there after 14:00 on a Saturday afternoon, it was no longer that packed with people, which makes for a more relaxing experience as one can stroll around and find a spot to sit and relax and do some people watching.
We continued our trip over Chapmans Peak drive, which is one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Snaking 9 km between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, it clings to the rocky coastline from 593m at the highest point, to sheer cliff drops down at the sea below. The winding road makes it an excellent experience for a biker… Riding with a motorbike on this road gives you an entirely different experience, with the sun on your face, the smell of the ocean, you hear the waves crash against the rocks, wind in your face.
Neither Johanna nor Alina have done Chappies before, so we cruised up to the top viewing point at a leisurely pace, giving them the opportunity to take in the views. The views from the top are always spectacular and it is great to watch the reaction of friends when they experience it for the first time. It is times like this that I realise that I live in the most beautiful city in the world.
Again we spotted no whales in the bay or off shore. We did encounter three guys on two motorbikes whom have travelled from Wales across Africa to South Africa. When I see that I get the urge to take the motorbike and travel, and then we start talking about possible adventures in future.
There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Taking an easy drive towards Noordhoek, one comes round the corner and Long Beach stretches ahead with what looks like an endless white beach. Lots of people on the beach as well as horse riders. We decided not to stop in Noordhoek, but head on to Kalk Bay for a coffee.
Kalk Bay is an old fishing village on the False Bay coast between Fish Hoek and Muizenberg. It still has a working fishing harbour where one can buy fresh fish, but has evolved to become an artistic village. Lots of art and antique shops with great coffee shops and restaurants as well. One of the most well known spots has to be the Brass Bell which is located on the other side of the railroad tracks, but built right on the rocks with the waves constantly breaking against the walls. There are two tidal pools which has seen quite a few people end up in the water in the summer months. We found a table right against the break wall with views all the way across False Bay to the Helderberg Mountains.
Breaching whale
We had the best seats in the house this afternoon, as the next moment we had a whale breach about a 100m off shore. It just kept putting on a show for us and we soon realised there were two of them close to shore. We just had to wait patiently as it kept on breaching every couple of minutes to great applause of the all the patrons. I am always amazed at how these massive mammals are able to “graciously” lift themselves out of the water. I wonder if they were mating as tails were lifted out of the water, then a big fin and then breaching. It was just as entertaining watching my friends poised with their cellphones and camera trying to capture the moment for social media. Eventually the whales swam further away and the show was ended with another applause.
Christoff and I decided that we would head towards Constantia Nek, through Hout Bay and catch the sunset somewhere along the road back to Cape Town. We took Boyes drive towards Constantia and followed the Constantia wine route past Groot Constantia towards Constantia neck before heading into Hout Bay. From there we took the coastal road towards Camps Bay. As we came across Suikerbekkie, the sun was just about to set and we turned off towards Llundudno. We arrived on the beach just in time to catch the last glimpse of the sunset.
A great afternoon with friends on the motorbikes was ended with a braai on the “stoep” with some great red wine from Groote Post. An awesome road trip of total 111km.
Flower season on the West Coast of South Africa is at a peak. The flower season is normally from beginning of August to end of September. We decided to take Jonas, Robin, Christoff and his mother to the West Coast National Park on the R27. This national park is just over an hours drive from the mother city which makes it an easy day trip. The national park was established in 1985 and comprises 32,000ha. It was a beautiful morning in Cape Town when we left, not too hot but sunny so we would be sure to see the flowers open.
On the way we stopped for coffee at the West Coast Farm stall. Although the service is friendly and one can buy the usual stuff from “biltong” (South African cured meat) to “biskuit”, the food menu is not that inspiring.
After a coffee break we moved on to the West Coast National Park entrance off the R27. We were not the only people who decided to make use of the great weather and for the first time since I’ve been visiting the park, we sat in a queue that started on the R27. Entrance to the park is R65 p/p for South African citizens and between R85 – R120 for international visitors. Christoff and I made use of our Wildcards which gave us free access to the park. During the flower season from 01 August to 30 September each year, the Postberg area in the park is open to the public. We immediately headed in that direction and saw our first leopard tortoise on the way with the usual ostriches dotting the landscape.
Heading down to Kraalbaai
The lagoon lay blue in the sun and it always reminds me of somewhere in Greece. As we headed into Postberg it was a well maintained gravel road all the way through the reserve. This road is accessible by any vehicle and you don’t need a 4×4. However be prepared that your car will be very dusty and if it rained, covered in mud. Although we drove with the car this time, motorbikes are allowed into the National Park and it makes for a great day trip.
The best is to start at Postberg and do the drive through that area of the park before doing the other areas. We saw enough flowers and Christoff took the time to photograph some of these. Our German friends saw their first wild Bontebok, Eland, Flamingo’s, Gemsbok, Kudu and Zebra. And to top it all the small Dung Beetle as well. There are many beaches and areas to explore in the park and in off-season chances are one would have some of these to yourself.
Picnic
We packed a picnic lunch and decided to stop off at Kraalbaai for a picnic on the beach next to the lagoon.The azure blue lagoon stretched in front of us and looked very inviting for a swim, although the temperatures were not summer yet. However we did brave the water and found crabs and even a lone jellyfish in the shallow water.
After a great afternoon we headed back to Cape Town with the ever-present Table Mountain looming on the horizon.
I’m flying to Barcelona as I write this and leaving the Camino. It started to rain just as we caught the bus to the airport. Quite unreal to see the Camino go past the bus windows and the trip took about 35 minutes. On Monday we walked past the airport into Santiago and for us it was at least another hour and a half walk into town from the airport.
We went to the pilgrims mass in the cathedral on Tuesday and a nun sang and the organ played. The priest read off the nationalities of pilgrims who completed the Camino the previous day. He mentions how many of each nationality started where and there was only one South African who completed the Camino from St Jean Pied de Port – proud moment.
It still hasn’t sunk in that I’ve done it. Even sitting through the mass it was an unreal feeling. The Monday evening before dinner we went to the cathedral and that was a special moment.
Two nights in a row we ended up in a little tapas bar round the corner from where we stayed. Great tapas and with much laughter and recollections. After tapas last night we went to a bar where Jonas, Robin and Frank were able to watch football. The fact that I don’t have a 22:00 curfew at the albergue and I don’t have to get up, pack my backpack and leave by 08:00 and then walk for at least 7 hours ensured that too much beers were consumed. However no hangover from that I just fell asleep immediately.
This morning Jonas woke up with a full blown cold and had to spend most of the day in bed. Robin and I spent walking round the city and I found the book on the Camino which I was looking for. We met Sabine from NZ and David from Australia in another great tapas bar. I met Sabine and her friends in Burgos and since then we’ve walked into each other along the way. From Sarria the kids of her friends Rachelle and Sedrick joined them; the eldest 12 and the youngest 8 for the last 110km’s. Apparently the 8 year old doesn’t like shoes so by mid morning he was walking bare foot. Whilst standing in the bar I saw four more people from early days and that have completed their Camino’s. It has been sad not to run into Sam again. It was good to say “hasta luego” to these people.
Today is a day of too many “hasta luegos”. This morning we saw off Frank, Laura and Martí who flew to London. Jonas and Robin are sitting next to me on the plane to Barcelona. They will stay at the airport as they have an early morning flight to Münich and Mark is fetching me. I stay two more days in Barcelona. So another “hasta luego” coming up which I’m not looking forward to.
And this is where we discovered the Van der Stel pass. I’ve never even heard of it. What a beautiful piece of road. It
Hikes and Motorbikes 