Category Archives: Western Cape

Around a mountain

June 14, 2015 Johann Ebersohn Leave a comment

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.

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.

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.

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.

Western Cape

Van der Stel pass

March 22, 2015 Johann Ebersohn

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.

Until we ride again.

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Western Cape

Craft beer and camping

November 5, 2014 Johann Ebersohn

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.

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.

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.

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.

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”.

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.

It’s a good day to be out and about.

Western Cape

Three passes, gravel roads, a Doolhof and no plans

October 9, 2014 Johann Ebersohn

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.

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.

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.

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.

It’s a good day to be out and about.

Western Cape

Up Diagonal, down India Venster

October 1, 2014 Johann Ebersohn

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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”.

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.

Western Cape

Darling, flowers, slow beer and dirt roads

September 26, 2014 Johann Ebersohn

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Western Cape

Short Peninsula bike trip

Quote September 16, 2014 Johann Ebersohn

13 September 2014

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.

Christoff and Johanna ©Johann Ebersohn — Christoff and Johanna
©Johann Ebersohn

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.

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.

All images ©Christoff Jansen — Longbeach ©Johann Ebersohn

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.

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.

Western Cape

West Coast National Park

September 11, 2014 Johann Ebersohn

7 September 2014

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.

A guide to viewing the flowers.

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.

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.

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.

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