Day 5 and Day 6

Day 5 was a quick breakfast and we were on the road by about half past eight. After a quick stop at the Hand of God, the gravel road soon became a decent track with rocky climbs, decents, sandy river stretches and great views. It all kind of blurs into a fantastic days riding. We followed the Akkadis Pass and Helskloof route, even if we were very tempted to head right down to the river. It was actually a good choice as on those roads travel was slow – partly because of the stops to see the scenery and partly because the bikes traveled much faster than the Landy.

Along this stretch those who had not as yet dropped their bikes did so. Greg even managed to do it standing still.

 After exiting the park the bikes headed towards Eksteenfontein on the side tracks while the Landy stayed on the main track. On the first side track detour Harry got grumpy and Grant was finding his bike very difficult to ride so when it came to the second detour Harry, Grant and Andy stayed on the main track while Ant, Jaco, Greg and I took the mountain route.

 It was a really interesting route with technical climbs, sand, rivers and fesh-fesh. I had come across this in Namibia but the first stretch in a corner caught me off guard and I overran into the shrubs rather than drop the bike. I caught up to Greg just as he hit a long deep stretch and all I saw was a sudden dust explosion. I stopped next to him as he was getting up and I at least had the decency to ask him if I could take a pic before I helped him up. Ant must have seen something in his mirrors because he came back as well and helped Greg to get going again. If you check the picture you will see why I could not stop laughing. There and then we renamed him “Dusty”. When he got going he just took off and we could not keep up, And when he arrived at the house in Eksteenfontein the rest who were already there could not believe it and he really came in for some comments. It took him about 2 hours to get himself “undusted” and we were amazed where the dust had got to. It was even inside his helmet and clothes.


We were lazy that evening and the ladies of Eksteenfontein made food for us. It was nice to have home-cooked style food again and it was followed by the fines evening. Greg, Tony and Grant were found guilty of many offences and drank often, Jaco got off lightly, and Jeremy even put himself forward for a fine. Based on some of the slow travel we had been doing we discussed the long day for the following day and decided that if it looked like we would not reach Kammieskroon before dark following the tracks we had planned then we would get onto the N7 and open up. 

Day 6: Things heat up. Greg was heading directly back to Langebaan so he packed his bike (looked like an Ovambo taxi) and set off early. The Eksteenfontein ladies served us a good breakfast and we then set out. Being thoughtful in planning for a change of lunch, 12 hard boiled eggs were prepared but when they were packed no-one (except the perpetrator) noticed that there were 13 eggs and one had a small cross on one end. We got off the main track fairly soon and headed up a mountain track which once again provided some excellent technical riding which most of us enjoyed. However Grant on his troublesome bike was battling and Harry was getting hot (in more ways than one). Once we had crossed the R328 we headed down some farm tracks and hit a track with lots of sandy river 

beds and about 1000 gates which eventually came out at Nigramoep from where we headed to the old O’kiep mine for lunch. Lunch once again was rolls, and cans and some nice hard boiled eggs. Except, that is, for the one that Tony cracked and wound up with raw egg all over his hand. I had to go for a leak I was laughing so much as the debate raged as to how it could have happened. Just after leaving the mine on a really decent gravel road we had planned to take a left down a farm track and Jaco was adamant we should. As we had passed it the Landy had to turn – which it could not do without unhitching the trailer. However some others with heat and problem bike felt that the gravel road to Springbok was the wise choice.

 To make matters worse a local stopped and told Grant that the farm road had been washed out and was passable but difficult, and this was not passed on to Ant or Jaco. 

As Grant’s bike was now also refusing to rev cleanly he had had enough of tracks and headed down the gravel road toward Springbok with Harry and Andy after him. I was ready for some easier riding and followed with Ant and Jaco behind. At Nababeep we reached tar and I must admit it was great to ride the tar to O’kiep and hit the N7 towards Kammieskroon. 

 Grant’s bike however had had enough and was backfiring as soon as he tried to rev, so it was hitched to the mighty V-Strom for a tow. Grant was not too happy about it but with Andy and I riding shotgun all went well as we protected him from traffic from the rear. At Kammieskroon I again had a go at sorting out Grants bike but as it appeared electrical there was not much I could do.

 We even disconnected his Vapor unit in case that was the problem. Here I found out what a wonderful wife I have. When I told her of the problem she offered to bring my DRZ up on the trailer from Saldanha and to take Grant’s bike back. Grant eventually decided to use his AA membership to see what they would do and after much frustration organized a car to be brought to him in the morning. The Verbe campsite may be all sand but it has the best ablutions I have seen for a long time. When I pitched my tent I was worried about all the ants but pouring a bit of coke on the ground a distance away soon distracted them from my dirty socks and back-pack. When I looked later the ants were like a Zion Easter assembly at Moria.