13/01/2024
Ultimate West Coast & Richtersveld 2023 Ride Report!
Continued:
The required Wimpy breakfast in Vryburg and sn**ch and on the run lunch snack in Upington.
Henry holding court imparting his words of wisdom at the Wimpy
Trailer loads of treasures...
At last the heavenly gates of Klein Pella arrived.
A little time to check out the accommodation and last packing/checking of our bikes.
We all tried to get some sleep, some harder than others.... Jarod could not wait, went to sleep with his helmet on....
And we’re off!!! Day 1 - Klein Pella to Ganaga lodge.
A stunning morning, clear skies and cool riding weather.
An obligatory photo of the team with the Klein Pella Kookerboom (Quiver Tree) forest.
Out the gates and just as I was about to celebrate the open road I grabbed a bit much throttle and lost the back end. Great start! That’s what not riding for 5 months will do for you. A destroyed ego, bruised confidence and a few scratches, I had the bike back up before too many could notice. Seems like a bike and woman share the same trait, if you ignore them for too long, don’t expect a smooth reunion.
Shortly into the gravel highway we had a thick mist descend, and the temperature dropped.
As the mist cleared, the harsh desert was starting to make way for nature at its artistic best. This was a mere appetizer for what was to come.
Ring Master Gus had warned us today would be about distance - a gravel highway. This it was, but there were a few sights along the way.
The clear skies are a little misleading - it was downright chilly.
We were permitted a grab and dash food stop in Loeriesfontein. What we had not taken into account was that it was Sunday and the only place that was partially open with the ability to provide us with by now much needed nourishment, Neptune Take Always, was staffed with very punctual staff, who informed us that they closed promptly at 13h00 and as it was now 12h15 they could not start making food.
Lohan was as persuasive with the ladies behind the counter as he was coxing his bike through impossible terrain. They relented - though only partially. We would get toasted sandwiches but NO chips! Simba would have to fill the gap. I for one was grateful for whatever we could find to eat. The cold had given me a hunger that required attention.
Hunger satiated, heart burn on the rise we rolled out of Loeriesfontein. Fuel stop in Calvinia and then into the Tankwa-Karoo National Park.
On arrival, the weather started to turn nasty. High wind and rain. Things had got slippery towards the end of the day, with a number of good saves from most of us – except Lohan.
We unpacked, had hot showers and a hearty meal. I had serious menu envy when the food was delivered to the table – the Roasted Lamb’s Neck is the right choice, which I had thought of but decided against. Bu**er!
The lodge had kindly arranged fuel for us to get us to the Tankwa Tented Camp and eventually the next fuel stop two days away at Clanwilliam – on condition that we were able to ford the Doring River! (This would turn out to be a significant condition!)
We fueled up, hiding from the driving rain and wind.
My GPS was running Tracks4Africa, which kept on showing encouraging signs such as "Don't attempt after rain?" - I suppose it said nothing about during rain, "4x4 Required", "Avoid after Rain".
When we left, it was raining with thick mist before descending the Gannaga Pass. Made for interesting going, a sheer drop on the left, cliff on the right and soap under the wheels, with a number of tricky wash aways across the road.
That slow roasted lamb neck is out of this world especially on a cold evening...
to be continued
