After our 2018 tour on the same motorcycles, published in Bike SA magazine of November 2019, we then speculated the next trip will be from Kathu via Baviaanskloof, Gamkaskloof and Route 62 to end in Bokkomlaan Velddrif again. This was then planned and executed in the October 2019 short school holiday.
We had the bikes serviced left all the extras we did not use the previous trip and added some new stuff – Intercom systems in the helmets (BEST thing ever!), nice proper bike jackets (not the normal drymacs we used before), took some spare tubes, 5l extended fuel tanks and obviously our Veldskoene. Again, we planned to use only gravel roads for the trip and added some more serious 4x4 sections to add to the adventure.
Day 1
Kathu to Prieska
283km’s, over 4 hours of riding.
The first day we tried to keep not to long to sort out any issues and to get used to our bikes. Started at about 9am in Kathu using the tarred road to Postmasburg and the gravel roads to Prieska via Griekwastad and Niekerkshoop. Only two words for this section Dry + Corrugations!
Day 2
Prieska to Graaff-Reinet via Sneeuberg
418km’s, 6 hours with top speed of 96km/h!
Second day of the trip started with a good breakfast in Prieska then gravel road to Vosburg. Thought we will get petrol here but everything was closed except the church as it was Sunday, so we had to use our extended tanks to fill-up. Then gravel road again to Victoria-Wes where we pictured a lovely Sunday lunch, but again all eateries closed - luckily, we could buy a wrap at the local Spar which was about to close. After a lekker lunch on the pavement, off we went to Murraysburg. Here we again though the hotel will be open, but we ended up in someone’s private backyard lapa for tea and pudding! Only Karoo hospitality will allow this! Then it was off to Graaff-Reinet using the Sneeuberg gravel road – what a treat - now the scenery started to change from the flat karoo to the spectacular mountains of the Valley of Desolation area. We arrived in Graaf-Reinet just before dark after the extended Murraysburg stop.
Day 3
Graaff- Reinet to Baviaanskloof start via Klipplaat, Steytlerville, Elandsriver Valley and Patensie
288km’s, but it felt like a thousand.
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