Dualadventurebiking - refresh here

Introduction

2012-01-19T06:46:00.001+02:00

Where does one get introduced into dual adventure biking?
You either read about it, hear it from a friend at a braai, see Ewan and Charlie doing it on television

Or

Gets introduced by an enthusiast
I'm not a professional, but I know what I like and know what I want out of it

So, this friend get himself a DR650, a very capable and enduring dual purpose bike
Perfect for what I like best, to be out there in the open

Got him quite interested and a quick intro after work, just what the doctor ordered

The smile tells the whole story, and this is the beginning

On to the old Houwhoek pass

Life is good, and must be lived

Weekend trip

2012-01-14T16:40:00.000+02:00

Saturday 06:00 - perfect weather and a destination set on GPS

Getting together for an outride

Going over Franschhoek pass

Mid winter temperatures in January

After a while we decided to head out on some dirt, after all, that's what it's all about

This road section was quite bad with a lot of corrugated sections

The Buel's starter died on it's owner
Decisions to make, turn around and go home, or struggle on
Easy decision for the owner, go home, for the rest of the group, you're going on, we will stick with you

Fuel at Darling

And on to dirt again - "ondergeskikte pad" - substandard road

Deflating tyres for gravel

At least the train had a striaght, smooth track

Small town Aurora - ice cold refreshments, and a beautiful Church

Taking the road again on to Piketberg

And then, as we were on our way to Clanwilliam, in the heat of the day at 40 degrees plus, I felt the back wheel starting to wiggle at a speed of about a 100 km/h
Yes, a flat rear and it had to be repaired

We reached our destination and had a nice braai and rest
A few night shots

Morning and no time gets wasted to get on the road, it's hot early on again

Visit an old bridge, no longer in use

Heading west towards the coast to Lambert's Bay for some nice cool fresh sea air

Onto a dirt toll road

Passing the Sishen / Saldanha train

Passing a windpomp

Onto the the long road heading home

But first a stop to refresh and replenish

Beautiful sunset and almost home

A wonderful two day outride, nice ride, nice friends, nice places to visit

My XT660Z

2011-11-26T20:19:00.002+02:00

Stettynskloof Dam

2011-11-20T22:28:00.002+02:00

Beautiful Saturday morning and an invitation to go to the Stettynskloof Dam, near Worcester
Restricted access, so this opportunity can't go to waste

First through the Overberg wheat fields, gravel roads to our destination to avoid all the traffic

Shop, Fuel and Post Office, all in one

Restricted access, code needed for entrance gate, we are here legally and have the code, gate open

This is an old tree that was planted upside down, the roots are at the top and the top of the cut off branch, nestled between rocks

The surroundings are beautiful on the road leading up to the dam wall

At the bottom of the dam wall

Took some lunch

Clean fresh mountain water

On the dam wall

Water level at about 98 % full, was still overflowing two weeks prior to our visit

The area below the dam wall, where we had a nice braai and picnic, we almost stayed the night

What a beautiful view

The road back, over the bridge and up the valley

We decided to take another route home, through Du Toit's Kloof pass, but the old route over the mountain, and not through the tunnel, magnificent, we stopped for some refreshments and on we went

This chap was just sitting in the pub with no bother with what's going on around him, very quiet and didn't even have a drink, did not even smoke his cigarette, just minding his own business

Through the old tunnel

Breathtaking views from the top

And then back home through another gravel road leading towards Botriver

What a fantastic day we had, so much to see, so much to do, life is just great

Breakfast run outing

2011-11-08T18:59:00.000+02:00

Beautiful Sunday morning and perfect day for a breakfast run

Quick stop at the local dam to check water levels

Then it was gravel roads to Bereaville

And just around the corner to Genadendal

And then breakfast time in Greyton

The best for a ten year old pillion, no doubt

After breakfast, off on the gravel again

Nice scenery and a special moment together

Just goodbye for today, until next time

Days like this with good friends are special

Southern Right Whales

2011-09-26T13:22:00.000+02:00

We are so fortuanate to live in the very beautiful coastal town of Hermanus
Yesterday was one of the beautiful days where we were able to spot some whales from the cliffs

The Southern Right Whale is a baleen whale, which means that instead of teeth it has long plates hanging from the top jaw. These baleens work like a sieve when the whale feeds
The Southern Right Whale got its name during the time when they were hunted. They were reffered to as the "right" whales to kill because they would float when dead (which made it easy for the whalers to find them in the ocean and transport them back to the whaling station. These whales have a large amount of oil (also called blubber) and baleen
They are named "Southern" as there are two species worldwide of Right Whales, one in the Northern Hemisphere and the South African species in the Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Right differs from most other whales in the following ways:

It has no dorsal fin on its back
When it breathes out there is a V-shaped cloud above the water.
Presence of callosities on its head. These callosities are white warts or rough skin patches on which little creatures, called whale lice, are attached

The Southern Right Whale is a migratory whale, which means that they spend one season in one place and the rest of the year in another, and travel long distances between these seasons. In summer (December through May), they are in the cold polar regions of the Southern Hemisphere where food (mainly krill) is present and in quantity. Winters (June through November) are spent around the shallow coastal waters of Southern Africa, South America and Australia

Calvinia 2011

2011-09-04T13:33:00.001+02:00

Yet another year has gone past and it's time to go to Calvinia for the annual Meat Festival
This year was more for the biking and the scenery and some flowers

07:00 and time to get going

Time to meet up with good friends for the trip - started in drizzle and it was quite wet and cold

Off to Wolseley and some of the old blockhouses

Of the more than 1,000 blockhouses built during the Anglo Boer War, few have survived, and two are located on the river south of the small town of Wolseley. They were built in 1901 by the British to protect the railway bridges from Boer attacks. The stone is local while the remaining materiels were imported from Britian

The blockhouses could house 20 men with water, amunition, and supplies stored on the lower floor. The "living" area was the middle floor and was accessible by a retractable ladder and the top floor was the look-out deck. They were very effective barriers and few saw any action

Where I found another cache

Now, it was time for some dirt road riding and from the tar onto gravel, this is what we came for

Through the Botterkloof pass

Onto our destination

Camp set up and time for some coffee

Nice and calm campfire - time to sit back, relax and think

Up early the next morning for flower trip

Going through Klipwerf

Back into the town of Calvinia

The large Post Box

This post office box stands in Calvinia's main street with a height of 6,17 meter, circumference of 9,43 square meter and a volume of 7,068 cubic meter

The Railway Station that's not in service anymore

Next day onto "Moedverloor se vlakte" - but there are no despair on this ride

Looking back over the Karoo

Wupperthal - The Church

Some of the houses

No fuel on a Sunday

Looking back to Wupperthal onto Eselbank

Beautiful waterfall and gorge

Leaving the town of Eselbank

Onto Cederberg Oasis

Friends and a cold one

All together

On some trips the pictures speak for themselves and no comments are needed to express the feeling of the ride

This was one of those rides where words were not neccesary to express the feeling

A good trip with good friends - all thumbs up

2011-08-13

2011-08-14T07:23:00.002+02:00

Started the day with rain during the night

Beautiful sunrise over Hermanus from the harbour

There was some unfinished business with a multi-cache in Westcliff (Hermanus) that I couldn’t find the previous day

Got my GPS and set out with some new clues as to where it could be

Some of the scenery along the way

And then, at last, I found the cache
It was not at the given waypoint as per instructions, but there have to be some adventure in you to search for it, everything in life can't just be easy

What a reward after two days of searching in a very beautiful place
The path along Westcliff from town to the new harbour is just a must for anyone staying or visiting Hermanus
We have lived here for more than six years and this was my first time on this path, and most definitely not the last

Then it was off to Kleinmond to Palmiet camping site for the Trial Series race

Now just to set things straight, I don't run and I don't ride a bicycle
For me life is either in a vehicle, motorbike or hiking
I must admit that the motorbike gets the first choice, but doesn't always happen

The reason for my visit to this race was purely to see the start of the race being set of with a cannon, and there were some very nice gentlemen from the Cannon Association Of South Africa

They were to start each of the two races with a small Muzzle Loading cannon

I missed the first race, but was in time for the second one

All was set up, the cannon was loaded with some blackpowder, the slow match was lit and the tension was building up

Then the commentator stopped all procedures due to some problem in the previous race

Out with the slow match, and waited for the right time

Twenty seconds, ten seconds, five, four, three, two, one, and BOOM, off she went and the race got underway

What an experience
Indeed another day of joy

Personal life - Journal

2011-08-11T22:51:00.002+02:00

2011-08-11

What do you do in your lifetime?

What will be remembered from your family and friends of who you were

I heard on our local radio station the other day that the presenter was actually cross with his Father for not keeping a journal from day to day so that his son in later years, could read about what his Father used to do, think, and cherished in his lifetime

This made me very aware of the fact that we all go on with our lives from day to day, without journalising it

I will try to journalise what I do from time to time and stand still at highlights in my life, so that those who one day, wants to go back in time and experience my life, have the joy of sharing and enjoying this as a past time that I had

Love to you all who read this – whenever, wherever

Martin

(Laugh, and everybody laughs with you, cry, and you cry alone)

Gravel outride in the Overberg

2011-06-19T09:29:00.002+02:00

Beautiful day and time on hand
So what's to do about it?
Well, there are some roads that needs exploring, and I have the right tool to do just that

Hermanus De Bos dam - water level alarming low at this stage

Then took on some lovely scenery road and just enjoy the spectacular views that nature offers

Then, the sand monster got the front wheel, and down I went, crash bars on the bike did their work, and all that's damaged, was my ego

Safe ride after the small incident and back home to tell off yet another beautiful experience

Stations - Bot River

2011-06-05T08:03:00.000+02:00

Bot River, the gateway to the Overberg, lies on the old farm Compagnies Drift, historical trading and bartering station of the VOC (Dutch East India Company).

It is here that the village of Bot River slowly developed. Compagnies drift took its name from the fording place in the Bot River where the Dutch East Indian Company officials came to barter butter with the Khoikhoi tribes. (The Afrikaans word for ‘butter’ is botter.) The Khoikhoi called the river Gouga which means plenty of butter or fat.

Bot River was the first farm where a permit was granted to sow wheat. The Overberg wheat belt stretches from Bot River to the southernmost point of the continent.

A major event in the life of Bot River was the arrival of the railway line from Cape Town to Caledon in 1902. This was after track layers had pushed the line through the Hottentots-Holland mountain chain near Somerset West in a massive engineering feat and brought the village alive, allowing residents and trades people to journey to the metropolis of Cape Town quickly and easily.

Conversely, it allowed city dwellers to see something of the countryside. Passengers and goods destined for further afield in the Overberg were then transported by bus from the Bot River station.

The railroad service was introduced in 1912.
The line prospered for a time but then after the N2 national road was built and road transport became more popular, the line’s usefulness diminished. Today, only special trains arrive at Bot River on excursions at holiday times and special occasions.

Station buildings

2011-05-26T18:16:00.000+02:00

The railway system used to be very important means of transport of passengers and goods
I will try to take you on a journey to some of the interesting stations in the Overberg region
Let's start with Hermanus

Hermanus has a long history dating back to the beginning of the 1800’s.

Hermanus Pieters is credited with first “finding” Hermanus. He arrived in Cape Town in 1815, as a teacher and trekked eastwards with the first ox-wagons to Caledon, where farming was the major industry. He taught students from the Boontjieskraal farm in Caledon.

During the summer months, he started herding his flocks of sheep and cattle from Caledon in the 1820’s, down the “Elephant Pass”, now known as the Hemel-en-Aarde valley, down to the coast, where he found good grazing and fresh water.

Hermanus Pieters did this each year and word fast got around the farming community that he had discovered good new summer glazing land. Many others started to follow him down the valley to seek lush pastures for their livestock, as well as fishermen, who found that the sea was teaming with fish and the farming families who wished to come to enjoy this new spot during the school summer holidays.

From then on, the area was named Hermanuspietersfontein, which slowly started to grow into a permanent settlement.

In 1902 the postmaster decided to shorten the name to just Hermanus and the village received official municipality status in 1904.

Word spread internationally too, with Harley Street doctors in London, prescribing Hermanus as an ideal location for rest and recuperation with its “champagne air”. A sanatorium was erected over-looking Walker Bay to cater for those in need of such “natural medicine”.

The small fishing village also started to attract holiday makers from around the world and grew steadily.

One delightful Hermanus story is regarding Sir William Hoy, who was the head of the South Africa Railways and Harbour Services. Sir William Hoy and his family enjoyed to holiday in Hermanus during the summer and had a great fondness for the small town.

Plans had already been drawn up for the railway line to be extended from the main line at Botrivier, some 35 kms away, down to the coastal town of Hermanus. As such, a railway station was built ready for the trains to arrive, but Sir William Hoy was concerned that the steam trains would not only pollute the fabulously clean air, but also that the town would suddenly be descended upon by 100’s of tourists and hence spoiling the quaintness of this sleepy seaside town.

He therefore over-ruled the extension of the railway line and set up a horse and carriage service between the 2 towns. Hence, Hermanus Station is the only railway station in the world to never have had a train arrive or leave from it.

Sunday misty dirt ride

2011-05-17T20:20:00.008+02:00

Got some friends together and went for a Sunday gravel tour through some parts of the very nice Overberg region

Get together at Highlands road

Then stopped at Houwhoek Farm Stall for a hearty breakfast

And off to the old Houwhoek pass

Setting off to Van der Stel pass

Ending up at Shaws pass

What a nice trip indeed

Dirt road and geocaching

2011-04-03T20:58:00.001+02:00

Took the wife on a gravel tour today
Went on a 140 km round trip and found two more caches
The Yamaha XT660Z is truly a dualsport adventurer to my liking

This calf was just born when we got there - wonderful new life

Geocaching - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site

2011-03-11T07:01:00.001+02:00

For those who know this, it's old news
For newcomers, it's a nice way of exploring and getting out there and experience the outdoors
We started this game, and it's like treasure hunt
All members of the family can join and boy, is this fun
We registered as Martin&Carolyn and started "hunting"

I need an "excuse" to get on my new bike and go out and explore

With a GPS and the necessary software, a new world arise

There is a cache around every corner, waiting to be explored

Up to now, we have found a couple of "treasures" and the feeling of achieving is immense

Some photos to tell the story

This, is real fun

Yamaha XT660Z

2011-02-22T18:35:00.001+02:00

So there I was, bikeless
The BMW and KLR got sold in one week

It's Friday morning, I sit in Hermanus and the closest bike dealer is about a 100 km away in Cape Town
Quick organizing and by 16:30 I can collect my brand new Yamaha XT660Z

Took the bike out for a ride on Sunday morning to L'Agulhas

Some scenes along the ride

Then came to the Southern most lighthouse on the African continent

And the Southern most point of the African continent, where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet

A shipwreck

And back to the beautiful town of Hermanus

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Saam met my Pa Hel toe en terug

2011-02-01T08:13:00.001+02:00

Hallo almal

My naam is Marlouw ook bekend as Beesblasie en ek is 9 jaar oud

My Pa noem my soms so

Laas week Maandag sê my Pa vir my: “Ons gaan Hel toe”

Ek sê toe maar ons gaan mos Hemel toe, die Hel is mos vir sondaars

Na my Pa aan my verduidelik het van Gamkaskloof en die Hel, was ek so opgewonde dat ek nie kon slaap nie

Ek het elke oggend gevra of ons al more gaan ry

Ek kon teen Vrydag al my sak pak en alles reg kry vir Saterdagoggend

Ek het my tandeborsel, kouse en onderbroek gepak asook my kopflitsie

My Ma het Milo bars, neute en sjokolade ballatjies gekoop

Saterdagoggend 6 uur het ons gery tot by oom ROV-rat hulle, my Ma was hartseer en het gehuil

My Pa en die oom het die motorfietse op die sleepwa en bakkie gelaai

Toe kon die rit begin

By Riviersonderend het ons gestop vir ete, maar ek was te opgewonde om iets te eet

Net koffie bestel, my Pa het ‘n melkskommel gedrink

Na ete het ons die lang pad Calitzdorp toe aangepak en speletjies in die bakkie gespeel

Krieket met karre en as ‘n motorfiets verbykom is jy uit

Ons kinders het lekker gelag

By Calitzdorp het my Pa-hulle die motorfietse afgelaai en ons kinders het eers playstation en pool gespeel

Toe vat ons die grondpad

Op pad het ons eers by die riviertjie gestop en water oor ons koppe en hemde gegooi om af te koel

Die oom het sy maag so ver ingetrek, sy broek het amper afgegly

Dit was al klaar Hel warm gewees en ons was toe nog ver van die Hel af gewees

Ons is op die Swartbergpas op tot by die Top

Die wind was nogal koud gewees hier

Toe is ons weer af tot by die afdraai pad

My Pa het kort-kort gestop en vir my water gegee om te drink en van die neute gegee, maar die sjokolade balletjies was gesmelt van die hitte

Ons het baie lekker op die grondpaaie gery en het die hele tyd agter die ander gery om seker te maak hulle was veilig

Die stof was partykeer nogal erg

Ons is twee keer deur water ook

Toe het ons uiteindelik by die Hel uitgekom

Dis nogal hoog daar van bo af

Ons het stadig teen die berg afgery tot by die grasdak winkel

Hier het ek lekker yskoue Coke en ‘n pakkie chips gekry

My Pa-hulle het lekker koue bier gedrink

Ons is toe na die huisie toe en daar was ‘n lekker swembadjie met paddas in

Ons het lekker geswem en baljaar

My Pa-hulle het vuur gemaak en ons het by die vlamme gestaan om droog te word

My Pa-hulle het vir ons lekker wors gebraai

Ons het baie oor motorfietse gepraat onder mekaar en ek dink dis tyd dat my Pa vir my ook een koop

Teen die tyd wat dit donker begin word het was daar ‘n eend gewees

Dit was toe al die tyd ‘n klein paddatjie wat soos ‘n eend maak

Dit was nogal snaaks gewees

Ons kinders het toe bed gaan maak bo in die een kamer

Daar was ‘n spinnekop gewees waarvoor ons nogal bang was

Ons was almal baie vinnig in droomland nadat ons bed toe is

Ek weet nie hoe laat dit was nie

Ek het lekker geslaap, ek dink ek was moeg gewees

Die volgende oggend het ons opgestaan en my Pa het vir my boksie pap gegee met warm Milo

Ek was nie baie honger nie, en lus om motorfiets te ry

Ek het op een van die klein motorfietse gery, maar dit was maar moeilik, dis hoekom ek ook een wil kry om te kan leer ry

Ons het toe gery en my Pa het by die Gamka rivier gestop en fotos geneem

Die water was nogal bruin van die modder

Ons was nou amper uit die Hel uit

Ons is toe teen die pas op tot bo die Hel vanwaar ons afgekyk het waar ons was

Dit was nogal mooi

Ons het toe weer begin terugry op die pad waar ons die vorige dag ingekom het

Ons het by ‘n bruggie gestop en lekker in die yskoue water afgekoel

Die water was regtig koud gewees, maar dit was lekker na die tyd, want dit het weer begin warm word

Ons is weer teen die Swartbergpas af tot waar ons oom Trailrider en Paddaman gegroet het

Ons is weer agter oom ROV-Rat aan tot by Calitzdorp

My Pa het langs die pad gestop en die klein volstruise afgeneem , hulle was nogal oulik gewees

Dit was weer warm en die groot volstruise het so oop bek gestaan

Terug in Calitzdorp het ons lekker middag ete gehad met ‘n milkshake die keer, my Pa het Cream Soda gedrink

Hulle het weer die motorfietse gelaai en ons is terug Hermanus toe

Die pad was lank en warm

Op Ladismith het ons lekker roomys gekoop en ek het Pepsi saamgevat

Weer het ons speletjies in die bakkie gespeel, krieket en woord speletjies

Ons het die reels verander dat ‘n VW jou uitmaak

Dit was pret en ons het lekker gelag

Daar is baie VW’s op die pad

In Hermanus het ons die motorfietse afgelaai en is huis toe, ons was lekker vol stof gewees

Ek was vrek honger gewees en my Ma het lekker kos gemaak

My Ouma en Oupa het my ook kom verwelkom, dit was lekker gewees

Hierdie rit was baie lekker gewees

My Pa get gesê dat hy my Ma Hel toe gaan vat, maar ek het gesê dat ek eerder weer sal saamgaan

Ek het dit baie geniet maar ek was moeg gewees

My Pa sê dit was ‘n Hel-se trip gewees, en dis perfek my woorde ook

Dankie aan die maats en die ooms, dit was Hel-se lekker gewees

Askuus as ek te veel geskryf het, eintlik wil ek nog meer sê, maar sal net baie dankie sê

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Overberg

2011-01-13T07:06:00.001+02:00

Went out for a quick outride in the Overberg area

Batteries recharged for a while again

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Malgas Pontoon

2011-01-02T11:19:00.001+02:00

Malgas in the Western Cape is famous for the last working pontoon in South Africa

This service began in 1860 and is still in working order to this day

The first pontoon was build by Abrahan de Haan and farmers contributed to the upkeep of the pontoon and was used for at least a hundred years

The pontoon is driven manually by men pulling on the cable across the Breede River on straps with chains attached

The town was first called Malagas named after a Hottentot chief who's dwelling was situated near this site

The name was later changed to Malgas, as post send to Malagas, ended up in Spain with a town called Malaga

Malagas used to be an inland port for steamboats transporting goods like wine, fruit and provisions to the Swellendam area

The trading shop in Malgas

The Kadie was one of the ships transporting goods

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Kawasaki KLR

2011-01-01T21:49:00.004+02:00

Back in 2007, after an absence of 18 years of biking, I got a brand new KLR 650
What a nice bike this was

My wife and I traveled through the Overberg area and discovered a whole new adventurous world
where one could be one with the openness and freedom

I sold the KLR and got myself the 800 cc BMW 650 GS - great improvement on power and speed, but alas,
I missed the thumper and was never hooked on the BMW as I was to the KLR

Then, about a month ago, I got my hands on a KLR again, and as soon as I took it for a test ride, I knew,

this was meant to be in my possession again

It felt if as I was just back on the bike the way it used to be

The feeling was there a I started the bike for the first time in over three years of absence, I was one with
the familiar thumper again

The feeling was great, to be honest, and I was at home with the bike the second I got onto it

Took it home, went on an old pass, took it to a station and did some dirt

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Elandskloof dam - Villiersdorp - Western Cape

2010-11-28T06:25:00.003+02:00

Took a nice trip out to Villiersdorp, Western Cape

Went out to the Elandskloof dam, that lies in the Elands river and was opened in 1976

The Elands river is blocked in the Elandskloof dam, from where the river flows through the edge of the town of Villiersdorp and into the Theewaterskloof dam

The dam provides water for farmers and the town from canals running down into the valley

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Muzzle Loading Cannons

2010-11-21T07:47:00.003+02:00

In our travels around the Western Cape province, we came upon very interesting places
One of our trips up Red Hill, above Simon's Town, where the Naval base is situated, we saw this strange looking structure
What could it be, we asked ourselves

After closer inspection, we realized that this was actually a cannon battery

We even took the opportunity to have a closer look inside

It was indeed sad to see how badly these batteries were kept up
The lack of interest and funds led to this state in witch these batteries are today

Now, a new interest was born, to seek, to learn and to document cannon batteries

Opposite Simon's Town, over False Bay, we discovered this battery that also used to be a SA Navy cannon battery
Clearly not being used for a very long time, the concrete remains still shows that here used to be activity of protection

We actually realized that these batteries were to no interest to anybody, and that no restoration will be undertaken to restore these batteries to their state where history would be available to the very few, that actually want's to learn and preserve

Very sad indeed, but, there are some interest and restoring needs for something similar, but totally different

Muzzle loading cannons

The Cape was a very important place for sea fearrers rounding the tip of Africa on the ship routes from Europe to the East
The need for a provision station was priority
European settlers arived at the Cape long before Jan van Riebeeck was sent to formalise the provision of supplies to these ships
These pioneers was raided and harassed by the local inhabbitants to the point where it was neccesary to build defensive positions on their small farms between Table Mountain and Table Bay

Some farmers brought small ¼ to ½ pounder commercial cannon with them on their voyage to the Cape, to protect themselves
These small guns were loaded with various forms of grape-shot such as a handfull of musket balls, pieces of iron and, in some cases, even stones

When Jan van Riebeeck was sent to the Cape in 1652, he placed two small canons, probably 4 pounders, on the beech near the small jetty from where boats were boats supplied the ships anchored in Table Bay

These would have been the first shore based gun battery at the Southern tip of Africa

Several batteries were erected to protect various points on the coast

At this stage we are concentrating on the signal cannons that were primarily used to signal the arrival of ships in Table Bay, so that farmers from as far as Swellendam could bring their produce to Table Bay

On the old Gantouw pass, lies two of these cannons

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Knysna

2010-11-09T20:24:00.002+02:00

Took a trip to the very beautiful town of Knysna
Knysna probably comes from a Khoikhoi word meaning - ferns
Knysna lies in the Western Cape province of South Africa and is part of the Garden Route
Knysna is famous for its "Heads", oysters and the Knysna forest Elephants

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Calvinia "vleisfees" - Meat festival

2010-09-04T09:16:00.001+02:00

Left Hermanus Friday 07:30

Tried to take gravel roads to get to the destination

Through the Hexriver poort

Past Matroosberg with snow on it

Quick detour to Matjiesfontein

And on to Sutherland

Filling up

Having a cold one at the Middelpos junction

Through a part of the country where nothing is, well beautiful

Reaching our destination

And the boarding school where we stayed

Next day - preparations

Sheep ribs between two hot rocks

Going back home

Cedar mountains in the distance

Almost home - Canola fields near Botriver

Done close to 1100 km on the three day trip - good friends and good riding

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West Coast National Park

2010-08-18T20:04:00.004+02:00

West Coast National Park - Western Cape - South Africa

Bird hide

Tortoise

Langebaan lagoon

Shipwreck - Pantalis A Lemos - 1978

Vondeling Island

Surfer riding a ice cold wave

Embedded in rock

Wild flowers

Blesbuck

Cattle Egret

Eland

Blue Wildebeest

Kudu

Blue Wildebeest

Zebra

Blesbuck

Tortoise

Langebaan lagoon

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Dualadventurebiking - **** refresh here****

Introduction

Weekend trip

My XT660Z

Stettynskloof Dam

Breakfast run outing

Southern Right Whales

Calvinia 2011

2011-08-13

Personal life - Journal

Gravel outride in the Overberg

Stations - Bot River

Station buildings

Sunday misty dirt ride

Dirt road and geocaching

Geocaching - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site

Yamaha XT660Z

Saam met my Pa Hel toe en terug

Overberg

Malgas Pontoon

Kawasaki KLR

Elandskloof dam - Villiersdorp - Western Cape

Muzzle Loading Cannons

Knysna

Calvinia "vleisfees" - Meat festival

West Coast National Park

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