ALEXANDER BAY 24 to 27/09/09

We are planning to go to Alexander Bay for the extreme point during the long weekend in September - Friday 25th is a working day so 1 day leave would be required.

Our planned route will be:

Day 1 (24 Sep'09) - Pretoria to Uppington : 806km
Day 2 (25 Sep'09) - Uppington to Aleaxander Bay back to Springbok : 836km
Day 3 (26 Sep'09) - Springbok to Kimberley via Loeriesfontein : 882km
Day 4 (27 Sep'09) - Kimberley to Pretoria : 520km

Total distance approximately 3050km

Not much happening in the Northern Cape so the joy for this one will truly be in the ride rather than the destination. When you "only" have a (long) weekend and you don't necessarily want to do it in one go, you unfortunately have do fairly long stretches per day hence early starts will be required every day.

Anyone interested in joining is most welcome to contact us.

No pressure so no names will be mentioned but I seem to remember this from not so long ago

.... although Alexander Bay will be a nice ride - still have to 2 do that and Aghulas for our extreme silver.......

......I need Alexander Bay, Kosi Bay and Pontdrift

Alexander Bay candidate ! Last extreme point . Love all the others !

I am one of the candidates, but will be on the Train to Matjiesfontein ( & Cape Town).
I need that as my last extreme point.
Would have been lekker. Enjoy !

I think you need to reschedule this trip between our train trip and the Namibia trip.

Would have been a nice ride - also need it for the extreme silver, will be on our way toe Bloemfontein as Elsabe has a workshop to attend on Monday. Enjoy and safe riding

Shucks JR... I have already committed to a trip up north that weekend. Why do you arrange these things on such short notice?

I have however made up my mind that I must do that corner when the Namakwaland is in bloom, so it must be an August/September. If not this one, the next!

Once in Springbok, try to see the Flowers in Nababeep (10 km), GOEGAP Nature reserve (in the city) and, if you have time, 70 km south Namaqua National Park (20 km gravel). If no rain and sun....it's worth!

Thank you for the advice Bruno. This is one part of the country where we have never been to before therefore any “extra” info is appreciated.

As the “Chair Man” rightfully said last Friday, it is funny that a “foreigner” gives advice on local travel.

Having said that, pat yourself on the back my friend, you have certainly been around the country in a relative short space of time and for the record, I don’t regard you as a foreigner…..you are our very own “Souf Efrican Brazilian”

deonp wrote:I am one of the candidates, but will be on the Train to Matjiesfontein ( & Cape Town).
I need that as my last extreme point.
Would have been lekker. Enjoy !

I think you need to reschedule this trip between our train trip and the Namibia trip.

Easy - come back from CT via Alexander Bay - don't see the problem??

like the man said, what's the problem......"only" 2170km Cape Town to Randburg via Alexander Bay .....biker logic if you ever wanted to see it in action

.....roughly 800km to Alexander Bay from Cape Town on the first day and approximately 1400km back home on the second day........

and we are sowing the seeds aren't we.......

Springbok to Kimberley via Loeriesfontein:

Then you pass Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Verneuk Pan (with his Bluebird) on the R357, don't you?! I wonder if one can “S” on Verneuk Pan?

See inter alia:
http://www.bluebirdteamracing.net/bluebirdsupportersclub/peo/mc.html

Very interesting. Not bad for 1933 – achieving wheel spin at 272mph

Although I have never ridden there, I have a sneaky suspicion one can “verneuk” enough just by riding the normal roads in that area.

Who knows, just maybe the opportunity presents itself where one can off-load the luggage for a nice “leisurely” few miles……

Do you intend taking the K/S and the F/ST onto dirt roads?

Day 3 (26 Sep'09) - Springbok to Kimberley via Loeriesfontein : 882km ...hmmmmmmmmmmm?

This stretch will feature lotsa dirt road, and whatever bike you're on, the average speed will be lower and fatique factor a lot higher.

Unless your name is Alfie Cox... and are in Dakar shape.

Hmm, this does seem a great ride. Now let's give it some thought...
1. Do I head up there on the GS post GS Eco jol, doing the off-road thing?
2. Or join you from GP, on the K/R?
3. Or get my hands on a demo K/GT or a R/RT, for extra pillion comfort.

Tell me more...

what you are saying is the R355 to Loeriesfontein and the R357 to Brandvlei, Prieska and Douglas are not necessarily tar?

like I said, I have never been to that area

Prieska to Douglas is tar.
But W, SW, of Prieska is gravel/dirt road. Tar only WSW until Copperton.
And beware, Google Earth confuses VanWyksvlei with Brandvlei...

It seems that the R357 have lots of gravel!
If you want to see the Pans, use the R27 and than some gravel to be there.
3 weeks ago, it was closed, because AUDi was testing its cars there.
Before going, talk to Chunky, He has some contacts with people who knows the place.
Btw, thanks for the promotion: “Souf Efrican Brazilian”

Ya, Namakwaland is a 'lekker deermakar' place, I love it.

Indeed something else to do road/trip planning in the Northern Cape especially if available travel time is somewhat of an issue and daily distances are long.......even Map Source and Google Earth get it wrong in the NC . Now I know exactly why our "trip map" is least populated in this area

Eventually got some valuable input from someone that lives in Vanrhynsdorp

Wish we had 2 weeks to explore the area properly

For the benefit of interested parties herewith an updated revised route overview.....and yes, it is tar all the way.

Our trip specific “equipment” as well as the daylight hours in combination with the daily distances, simply don’t allow for any gravel to be included

Thursday, 24 Sep – Pretoria to Upington : 804km
Friday,25 Sep – Upington to Alexander Bay back to Springbok : 922km
Saturday, 26 Sep – Springbok to Victoria West via Vanrhynsdorp : 793km
Sunday, 27Sep – Victoria West to Pretoria : 896km

Total distance : 3 415km

Alternative to this confusion - is to join the AA and have acces to their road reports - will give one an update on road conditions when travelling and what to expect - have looked at the packages and what is offered for it - relatively cheap considering the peace of mind one gets.

Have happened a few times in the past that i plan a route - when travelling alone and all of a sudden the tar is no more. Problem with this - if youre in sweeper on the deck and the tar surface seizes to be - ???????.

LeRoy Olivier wrote:Alternative to this confusion - is to join the AA and have acces to their road reports - will give one an update on road conditions when travelling and what to expect - have looked at the packages and what is offered for it - relatively cheap considering the peace of mind one gets.

Have happened a few times in the past that i plan a route - when travelling alone and all of a sudden the tar is no more. Problem with this - if youre in sweeper on the deck and the tar surface seizes to be - ???????.

70% of all roads in SA are not tarred. So the obvious solution would be......





Get a GS !!!!!!

No - tend to disagree - just make sure of your trip planning route status - join the AA.

4 bikes and 4 people confirmed.

Alexander Bay is not going to come any closer this trip will always test the endurance ability somewhat but it is not so bad.......

30 Towns in 4 days - counting only the "big villages"

Seems like a bit of an Iron But ride - nevertheless - enjoy and ride safe.

[quote="LeRoy Olivier"]Seems like a bit of an Iron Butt ride - nevertheless - enjoy and ride safe.[/quote

I like your 3D MapSource program!

BTW, has anyone played much with Garmin BaseCamp yet? http://www8.garmin.com/support/mappingsw.jsp