Around SA in 19 days

The return of the Motomias

2010-03-31T09:00:00.004+02:00

It's been just more than two months ago that we arrived back in Stellenbosch after completing 5 800 km's successfully on our two 125cc Motomia Enzo's. What an adventure that was!

Now that we know these bikes can handle long stretches on tar roads, we have decided that it is time to test the off-road capabilities of the 125cc's! We have successfully crossed the Baviaanskloof and managed our way through the Wild Coast, but how will these bikes handle some sand? :o)

This long-weekend, Francois and myself will set off to do just this - take the Motomias where even big bikes have rarely treaded before. Location is the West Coast, but we'll keep it a secret a bit longer and will soon reveal all. We are set to depart early on Friday morning, 2 April 2010 and will arrive back on Monday again with the full update.

Packing up for the last time

2010-01-12T10:12:00.002+02:00

We camped for the last time close to Barrydale last night and are sad to end our trip. It feels like yesterday we left for the Northern Cape. We're looking forward to download our pics and to tell the complete story on www.aroundsa.co.za Thanks for all the followers and support and messages along the way! Peace, f&t

One of many water-crossings after the rain...

2010-01-11T13:15:00.003+02:00

Last night's rain left us many low-water bridges under water, which made for some feet-in-the-air riding. It has cooled off considerably since yesterday, when we'd have jumped right in at every opportunity!

Rain at Bakkrans

2010-01-11T13:01:00.003+02:00

We entered the Baviaanskloof yesterday morning and didn't know what the roads might do to our bikes. It was close to 40 degrees and the rivers were mostly dry. We took most of the day to reach Bakkrans on the opposite edge of the kloof. We were knackered, but trouroughly enjoyed the off-road ride and were very impressed with the little 125's! We had a hot shower, built a huge fire and fell asleep listening to the thunder and rain! Wow, the Baviaanskloof never disappoints!

congratulations Gloudi and Pieter-Louw!

2010-01-10T08:01:00.003+02:00

We arrived in the beautiful Gamtoos Valley on Friday afternoon to celebrate the wedding of Gloudi and Pieter-Louw in Patensie! The wedding was held last night and was most definitely a highlight of our trip. What a stunning setting and a wonderful couple! Today we will head off for a final adventure through the Baviaanskloof, just over 5000 km completed and our 17th day on the road...

Muddy road to Madwaleni

2010-01-07T10:12:00.003+02:00

We arrived at the Madwaleni Hospital yesterday, after a badly washed out 16km stretch of dirt road. Tania got stuck once and spun me full of mud as I pushed to free her back wheel. We had a lovely stay at Norman and Anina's and wish we had time to stay another night! We're off to East London today. All the medication Norman gave me, has given me strength again, thanks mate!

Recouperating in Port St Johns

2010-01-06T09:27:00.002+02:00

For the first time during our trip we have stayed in the same place for another night! Yesterday it was still rainy in Port St Johns and Fran has picked up some nasty tummy bug so we decided to extend our stay at N'taba River Lodge. We spent a glorious lazy day in bed watching tv and went out to explore a bit in the afternoon and took the bikes up the mountain where there is an airfield and a magnificent view over Port St Johns. Of course we couldn't resist a bit of drag racing competition on the airstrip! Fran started off with a lead as I had a bad start wheelieing my 125cc with a bit too much enthuasism! After a tight race I just managed to get a bit more vooma out of my bike and it was a close call. Perhaps not a clever idea to push our bikes over the limit on a mountain in the middle of nowhere, but the enzos have proved themselves greatly so far with 4100 problem free km's completed! Today we are on the road again and on our way to coffee bay surrounds. Let the good times roll!

Why a pic of the roof?

2010-01-04T19:03:00.004+02:00

Because thats what we're seeing lying flat on our backs at a lodge in Port St Johns after a long day in the rain! We had 2 extremely wet days since our last post and did not have the opportunity, or energy, to take photos. we visited friends in Zinkwasi yesterday, and they wouldn't let us leave, so we had a trip to the beach and enjoyed some good food and stories of passed trips with Joe, Anne-Marie, Gerhard and Anli and their kids and grand-kids. Thanks for the hospitality! We also serviced the bikes again. Tommorow we'll be visiting Norman and Anina close by Dweza, if I'm not mistaken.. Sorry for the bland pic, hahaha

Pineapples galore and the yellow rain suit

2010-01-02T17:45:00.002+02:00

We had a wet day on the road today, but nevertheless had great fun laughing at each others rain suits! francois was especially visible today as can be seen in this photo! here we are buying pineapples from some locals next to the road to St Lucia, a bowl like this goes for R25, amazing! We are booked into a B&B tonight in St Lucia as the tent is still wet, very nice!

Sleeping like babies next to the loo...zzz

2010-01-02T17:24:00.002+02:00

While looking for a campsite in Piet Retief, I got a puncture right in front of Sundowner Lodge on the edge of town. We pulled in, pitched camp and fixed the tyre. The clouds were twisting above us and the sky was getting dark. We decided on KFC in the tent when suddenly the biggest thunder storm broke out! After a few minutes everything was wet and the lightning strikes were next to us. The lapa was occupied, so our only other option was the ladies bathroom. I dodged the thunder carrying all our stuff under cover and Tania dried out the bedding. Regardless of the setting, we still slept like babies. This morning it was still drizzling, so we wrapped everything in plastic bags and hit the road towards the coast!

Flatty in Piet Retief

2010-01-01T17:31:00.002+02:00

Here Fran is fixing his tyre after he got a flatty this afternoon! luckily we were right in front of a caravan park in Piet Retief. thus we had an easy choice of where to sleep tonight. Some friendly pretoria folk helped us to inflate the fixed tyre again. Now we are off to get some dinner, we might get some rain tonight!

Koffie in Letsitele en new years in sabie

2009-12-31T19:50:00.002+02:00

Heerlike tyd gehad saam met linda se ouers, Ina en Barry in Letsitele vanoggend! hier is my ma se skildery wat in die kapel hang, pragtige kerk! dankie ook vir die emergency 2 minute noodles tannie Ina! Gelukkig braai ons darem vanaand regte vleis! gelukkige nuwe jaar vir almal en thx vir al julle belangstelling in ons trip en die support! vanaand in sabie en kamp heerlik uit op die gras, hoop julle gaan ook 2010 binne met baie fun! T&F

The snake whisperer

2009-12-31T19:34:00.003+02:00

Francois is thrilled with this part of SA, mostly because he has seen 2 snakes since yesterday! Strangely this little guy was handed over to him by some freightened locals in the front of the Spar in Graskop. they instructed him to kill it, but in stead we put the snake in the front pouch of the camelbak and it was safely released in sabie! (tania)

Lekker kuier by Smit en Marthie op Letsitele

2009-12-31T19:20:00.002+02:00

GISTERAAND SE KUIERTJIE BY SMIT EN MARTHIE IN LETSITELE WAS ONGELOOFLIK LEKKER! SMIT HET VIR ONS RUGSTRING MET KNOFFELSOUS GEBRAAI EN MARTHIE HET CHIPS EN GEVULDE PAMPOENSTJIES GEMAAK. ONS HET SO LEKKER GEKUIER EN DIE LE ROUX'S SE GASVRYHEID WORD BAIE WAARDEER!

The turning point, after 2370km!

2009-12-30T15:00:00.002+02:00

The bikes and our luggage

2009-12-29T20:41:00.007+02:00

Villiers has asked us to post some photos of the bikes fully loaded! Here they are... :o)

Francois Snr joins us for a few days. Here we are at Afri-Chic!

Lamboudia, potholes en die groen Limpopo

2009-12-29T19:33:00.007+02:00

Vandag is ons vyfde dag op die pad en ons het nou al 2 000 km's op die Enzo's se klok gesit! Vir die van julle wat ook bang is dat ons te vinnig om die land gaan ry - daar is "method in the madness"... Ons bou 'n bietjie kilometers op sodat ons bietjie kan afvat in die wilde kus en dan natuurlik ook vir die troue die 9de Januarie in Patensie! Om ons trippie betyds klaar te maak moet ons so average van 290km per dag ry en sover het ons al amper 3 "af" dae bymekaar gemaak!

Gisteraand was ons behoorlik bederf deur skoonpa Francois toe hy ons gestick het vir verblyf by Afri-Chic, 'n pragtige gastehuis in Rustenburg. Was heerlik om te bad, hare te was en droog te blaas en te slaap op iets wat soos 'n koning se bed voel - lekker bederf! As enigiemand weer verblyf soek in Rustenburg, bel vir Betsie - very nice!

Na heerlike brekfis het ons vanoggend die pad aangedurf Thabazimbi toe met pa Francois en die Condor as back-up crew vir die dag (en 'n cooler met bier!). Thabazimbi is pragtig groen en ek dink terug aan so bietjie minder as 4 jaar terug toe Francois my die kys gevra het hier tydens die wildsfees :o)

Ek was heeltemal verras met hoe mooi die pad was tussen Thabazimbi en Lephalale... Tot dusver dink ek is dit nog een van die mooiste paaie wat ons nog gery het. Dis pragtig groen en die bome staan hoog langs die pad. So 30km voor Lephalale kry ons 'n trop bobbejane langs die pad, elke tweede een abba omtrent 'n kleintjie. Ons ry onder die wolke uit en in Lephalale slaan die hittegolf ons... "boots" word uitgeskop en die crocs word aangetrek, maar ons vrek nog steeds :o)

Plek plek moet ons potholes dodge oppad All Days toe, maar uiteindelik arriveer ons by "At se Gat" net voor 6. Interessante plek, klein swart varkies, bestel jou dop uit die swembad uit en "anything goes". Lekker om die bosveld gevoel te kry :o)

More groet ons weer ons die support crew pa Vrankois en dan is dit terug na kamp :o) Maar eers gaan ons by Smith en Martie 'n draai maak in Letsitele!

2004 km! Lunch time in Lephalale

2009-12-29T13:47:00.001+02:00

Cheers! Pizza in rustenburg

2009-12-28T20:04:00.001+02:00

Pic of the oily afternoon

2009-12-28T19:37:00.000+02:00

Windy morning and oily afternoon

2009-12-28T19:00:00.003+02:00

we faced a strong head wind the first 150km to Mafikeng this morning, but lying flat on the tanks help. After a while we settled into a rhytm and ate the kays for brunch. We were soon on our way though the great Marico to meet my dad for the evening. Even though the bikes are slow, it's still helluva fun ride, with people waving, laughing or just shaking their heads! I'm very impressed with Tania. I keep forgetting she hasn't ridden a bike before. Mafikeng and Zeerust was crazy busy, but she managed superbly! We had a swim and serviced the bikes where we're staying in Rustenburg tonight, and are now on our way to grab a pizza in town. Have a great week y'all! (fran)

zeerust drive through dop shop

2009-12-28T18:09:00.002+02:00

dad fanie dares us to go through the zeerust drive through dop shop! here francois shows off his 2 castle quarts, cheers!

kameelboom lodge and the emo

2009-12-28T17:54:00.002+02:00

totsiens noord-kaap!

2009-12-27T20:23:00.003+02:00

ons het vroeg vanoggend in die pad geval met die wete dat dit ons 'n hele paar km's het om op te maak vandag. Ek was aangenaam verras om te sien hoe keimoes ontwikkel het van ek laas hier gery het! ons het nogals tuis gevoel tussen plase soos Die Akker, Vergelegen, Klein genot en Soverby! die druiwe plase le soos klein oases tussen die dorre klipkoppies en rooi kalahari sand. dis nou maar een ding van om 'n 125cc bike te ry - jy mis niks want teen 70km per uur kan jy lekker rondkyk! na 'n wimpy brekfis in upington neem ons afskeid v d noord-kaap met 'n bietjie heimwee. behalwe dat dit moer warm hier is laaik ek die mense en die landskap! teen half 3 stop ons in kuruman vi ete, ons is gesmelt.. en skep asem vir die laaste 150km vryburg toe. ons bly op 'n interessante plek vanaand, hier is 'n mak emo, eland, meerkat en rooikat! ook natuurlik 'n lekker sagte bed, zzzzzzz.. (Tania).

2010 SA Waterski Champs

2009-12-26T16:20:00.005+02:00

We had a great day in the saddle, after a good nights rest. The only disappointment being my new sleeping bag. I bought it especially for the trip and when I opened it for the first time last night, it not only was the wrong model, but the zip won't work and the stuffing sticks out! Even so, we slept like babies 'til 7 and were off at 9.↲
↲On the road some time this morning we were passed by 4 Harleys. They rode along side us for a while and took a photo of Tania on a cell phone! They waved and roared into the distance. It was nice and cool this morning, but after Pofadder, the heat hit us like a damp fart in lift. We aimed for Augrabies, but turned into a ski-resort just before the park. Gerrit said we can camp for free, since the campsite hasn't been finished yet! We're busy having chips and beer, and will go for a walk on the game farm and a dip in the dam later. Gerrit built the dam for his son's skiing hobby and will be the hosting the SA champs next year!

Christmas camping in Kammieskroon

2009-12-25T18:16:00.003+02:00

We left home at 8h20, see pic of the bikes below. At 10h20 we had brunch at the Spur in Piketberg and thought we'll only reach Garies next Fall! But soon we settled into a nice 80km/h rhythm and arrived in Kammieskroon at 17h20! We both had an awesome ride and are looking forward to our rump steak and pinotage. And sunset, so we can go to sleep! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Last day at the office!

2009-12-24T12:14:00.005+02:00

It has been a long week and today is my last day at the office! We have been running around to get everything done before we leave for our "Around SA!" trip tomorrow. Francois has been driving around all day to get the last few things... high visbility vests, spares, dog food, noodles etc. etc. :o) We also need to make sure that our wedding clothes get dropped off at Pieter-Louw so that we have something decent to wear on the 9th in Patensie. Late this afternoon we will load the bikes and do a quick test drive to Stellenbosch to make sure that everything is ready for tomorrow.

We will have to get on the road early on Christmas morning! We are aiming for Kamieskroon tomorrow, where we will be staying at the Verbe Caravan Park in town. We'll have a braai (kindly sponsored by Nico and Chane) and will celebrate Christmas with a bottel of Diemersfontein Pinotage. What a different way to spend Christmas day :o) We'll be missing our families and the wonderful christmas dinners for sure - and of course the three four-legged kids and my warm cosy bed!

Less than 24hrs, but WARNING: My patience with IT is on a diet

2009-12-24T09:21:00.003+02:00

We're leaving in less than 24 hrs, and somehow it feels as if we haven't really planned or prepared at all. We've thrown everything we need to pack on a big pile on the bed, and looking at it I wander whether it'll even fit on the back of my bakkie... That said, I must say we're very excited and can't wait to hit the road and see where we end up the first evening.

A quick warning though, my patience with the technology is wearing thin! I haven't been able to set up anything on my new cell phone and the internet connection at home is slower than a fully loaded Motomia Enzo 125cc!

Thus, if the blog trails behind us for a day or two, do not blame our dedication to report, but rather my inability to master the mobile telephone...

Have a Merry Christmas tomorrow and pop by to see how our first day went.

Cheers

Biting our nails because of Vodacom and extensions for our blinkers

2009-12-23T10:22:00.015+02:00

I ordered my new cell phone three weeks ago. The one I need to keep this blog updated! But due to delays etc, it hasn't arrived yet...and we're leaving the day after tomorrow! I couldn't wait any longer, so decided to go to the Vodashop to see what's what. The very helpful Riaan told me it is due to arrive tomorrow, but the problem is: It'll take me more than a couple of hours to figure it all out. So he showed me another phone. A better one. And I took it. So keep your thumbs crossed that I don't slip down the learning curve and that I master the art of mobile blogging before Christmas!

The other preparations for the trip included moving the rear indicators further backwards to accomodate the luggage bags hanging over the saddles. Eon helped me extend the power cables from the plug under the seat to the inidicators, which we fitted to the rear carrier. We each did a bike and here are some photies:

The garage (first pic)

Before (2nd pic)

Extensions (3rd pic)

After (last pic)

300km Service

2009-12-18T11:31:00.018+02:00

I took the bikes in for their first service this morning, should get them back tonight. This is make or break time... if anything goes wrong with the machines after this, we'll have to use common sence and logic (and phone-a-friend) to fix it!

The bikes fitted on the bakkie quite easily

Concentration is the name of the game!

Racking up the kays!

2009-12-17T09:27:00.002+02:00

Hope you all had a great Day of Reconciliation yesterday!

We went for a short (not quick) ride to complete the first 300km's for the service tomorrow. The bikes are still going strong and Tania's silver machine is still faster than mine (except when we exchange bikes for a while!). I realised yesterday that I will have to get used to seeing her shrinking in the distance ahead of me on even the slightest of the uphills while I wait it out with my chin between the handlebars.

Both bikes now have 270km on the clock. That is roughly 30km LESS than our average required daily mileage to complete the trip on time...and it only took us FIVE DAYS to not quite do 300km!!

Still, we're very confident we'll make it on time for the wedding in Patensie on the 9th of January!

Best not to peak early, I always say!

Bike riding 101

2009-12-15T09:52:00.000+02:00

Tania passed her learner's licence last week and has been practicing her riding skill since October. She's used to mountain biking and loves the sport, but once she felt the thrill of moving forward at speed without having to pedal, there was no turning back! She practiced on an old Yamaha MR50 two-stroke, borrowed from 2-Stroke Dan! What a great little machine to learn on. You can go full-throttle and corner at any speed without fear of being thrown into the bushes. Tania had great fun and quickly got used to the clutch and gear-changes. Thanks for lending us the yellow bike Danie!

Next step was getting used to riding in traffic. We took delivery of our bikes (which will feature in a post soon...) last Friday. Over the weekend we did a short ride around Paarl mountain to get the hang of it. I registered the bikes yesterday, and this morning Tania rode her silver Enzo to work in Franschhoek. We need to rack up the km's before the first service on Friday the 18th.

Watch this blog for a road test of the Enzo's...

Until then, a few sneak pics:

The route... the route... the route is on fire...

2009-12-14T15:38:00.001+02:00

Since we don't have space for a road map on the bikes and there are too many wonderful places to visit in South Africa (which makes it rather hard to decide where to visit), we decided to hug the outside borders of our country for the most part. In other words: "We're keepin' left!".

We wanted to go 'round anti-clockwise to go back in time, but we were invited to a wedding of good friends of ours, Gloudi and Pieter-Louw. Since it takes place on the 9th of January and it is in Patensie in the Eastern Cape, we'll have to go around clockwise to make the full circumnavigation.

Below is the preliminary route map:

It's time for something crazy!!

2009-12-14T13:01:00.000+02:00

We decided it is time for a crazy trip, so we'll be riding two new 125cc motorcycles around South Africa, covering some 6 000km. We don't have planned stops and will be updating you on our progress as the trip developes. We'll be carrying only the bare essentials, but the camera equipment will noy be left at home! Go and check out our website (www.aroundsa.co.za) and
follow us here to see what we get up to and where we end up each night. Peace to all and enjoy!