The road is calling

........if you remain quiet for a few minutes, you should be able to hear it

have bikes, can like to ride

For the first time in 26 years of married life, our kids (some are not really kids anymore) will not be around us over New Year . For the past 4 years, we have taken the bikes with (on trailer) during our “between Christmas and New Year” breakaway in any case so on short notice, we decided to loose the cars this year as it will be only “mom” and “dad” in the travelling party.

Some successful “nifty footwork” took place during the last few days to arrange accommodation…….not a good idea to travel at this time of the year without confirmed accommodation.

Since it’s only the two of us without demands/requirements/expectations from other travel companions, we decided it’s a good time to pass through places and areas that we have not travelled frequently or not been to at all before. We came up with the following route:


Day1:
Centurion, Heilbron, Petrus Steyn, Lindley, Senekal, Marquard, Clocolan, Ladybrand, Hobhouse, Smithfield, Bethulie, Colesberg
764km for the day

Day2:
Middelburg, Cradock, Pearston, Jansenville, Uitenhage, JeffreysBay
556km for the day

Day3:
Kareedouw, Joubertina, Haarlem, George, Mossel Bay
315km for the day

Day4:
Albertinia, Riversdale, Heidelberg, Swellendam, Bredasdorp, CapeAgulhas (for the extreme award ), Robertson
434km for the day

Day5:
Montagu, Barrydale, Ladismith, Calitzdorp, Oudtshoorn, GrootBrak
353km for the day

Days 6, 7 & 8 at leisure. Maybe Quteniqua and Robinson passes (and the likes) again and again and……….

Day9:
Mossel Bay, George, Oudtshoorn, De Rust (and fit in Meiringspoort...and back ), Willowmore, Aberdeen, Graaff-Reinet, Middelburg, Steynsburg, Burgersdorp, Aliwal North
738km for the day

Day10:
Rouxville, Smithfield, Bloemfontein, Bultfontein, Bothaville, Viljoenskroon, Potchefstroom, Carletonville, Centurion
715km for the day

50 towns and a total distance of 3 875km

Wow, this is awsome you must ride safe and I am looking forward to your pictures. Wish I was there....

Now this looks like a great trip !!!!

You guys must enjoy, and be SAFE !!!!!

Looking forward to a BIIIIIG ride report

Enjoy, ride safe and bring lots of photo's.

Sounds very "lekker" - would have loved to join you but we have family over for the whole xmas season - health issues and have to be close to specialist for the whole season for medical interaction - think you will be having a better time of it. Enjoy, drive safe.

ENJOY...!

But please watch those Eastern Cape drivers...they have a habit of cutting corners in right handers. Going to the Buff last time, I was almost taken out 3 times on the road between Cradock and PE by cars driving on the wrong side of the road. One was a SAPS bakkie to top it off!

So - the normal road rules dont apply to SAPS - dont you know that by now.

Intersting route, can't wait for the report !!

LeRoy Olivier wrote:So - the normal road rules dont apply to SAPS - dont you know that by now.

...and seatbelt requirements clearly do NOT apply to Tshwane Metro Police.
I have yet to see ONE four-wheeler TMP where the occupants wear seat belts.
I pulled alongside to remark about it last week - and found the occupants wearing seatbelts !
Then I noticed they were Gauteng PROVINCIAL Traffic Police...


...so I apologised and said they should fine the Tshwane guys every time they see them.
For some reason they laughed...?

When I last heard our two travellers were entrenched in a pub at their first overnight stop in Colesberg - at 4pm!!

They apparently arrived there at 3pm. Probably the reason why we have not yet had a trip update!

Wonder if this is going to be another Sabie weekend type ride report.

We had a look for the weary travellers here in Colesburg and could not find them. Will keep a lookout for them on the road 2morrow.

Rejuvenated DaveS wrote:Wonder if this is going to be another Sabie weekend type ride report.

Cut me some slack here……….remember we are alone……no kids

Day 1: 26/12 Centurion to Colesberg (long way down)

Our first stop in Heilbron





We had to do a slight detour before Smithfield but we did not mind……like I said, have bikes, can like to ride. The roads were acceptable to good and we have been to Towns that we have never been to before (and in all probability will never visit again)

Accommodation in a jam packed Colesberg was LaProvance guest house. Fairly unfriendly staff. Clean but very basic……as in TV but no DSTV, soap but no shampoo, and aircon but not working. Not recommended.

For an early dinner (16:00 pub visit) we found the most amazing little pub – the HORSE & MILL. Highly recommended and give the lamb chops a go if you ever visit. S30 42 24.7 E025 05 58.3



A great day on the road - 820km

Day 2: 27/12 Colesberg to Jeffreys Bay

Again we had to adjust the route due to a gravel road. By chance we crossed the Jester and the fairer one at the Wimpy in Cradock.

Pic removed…..a bit boring

The beautiful little town of Cradock

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not much happening in Cookhouse

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In Jeffreys we stayed at Super Tubes guest house named after the famous surfing waves of Jeffreys. Pricey but highly recommendable.



where we met up with one of our "lost" sons for dinner



another good day's riding - 520km

Thanks - love these reports on the go - started by Wahl if I remember correctly.

Nice to visit all those small towns - usually quite interesting.

Yep... this is the way to go. Thanks for sharing.. and be safe!

Thank you for the updates, hope weather plays along and you have an even better time

interested in your route deviations, did the GPS not have them listed as non-tarred roads? Had similar experience last year during my Nortern and Eastern Cape trippie, but think I didn't use the GPS properly when I planned

Now hurry up and post ...

Enjoy the trip. Hope you have good weather (except the stupid wind) as Kobus and myself had on on our trip.

Joe wrote:Thank you for the updates, hope weather plays along and you have an even better time

interested in your route deviations, did the GPS not have them listed as non-tarred roads? Had similar experience last year during my Nortern and Eastern Cape trippie, but think I didn't use the GPS properly when I planned.......

except for the wind, the weather is not bad at all – not necessarily for holiday making but definitely for biking. One of my Map Source parameters was to avoid gravel roads.

Day 3: 28/12

One last view of Supertubes Guest House (actually of the bikes ......man they are real beauties )

Pic removed…..a bit boring

It was rainy in Jeffreys at the time of us leaving. (to Dave…..Stienie’s patch came loose, we will fix it later during the week )

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Upon request of friends travelling from Mosselbay to Oubos, we altered our route to the N2 so that we can rendezvous somewhere along the route only to find out enroute they in turn changed their route to our original route in order to avoid the N2 traffic congestion

Storms River stop

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Traffic was heavy on the route but not much of a hindrance to the bikes

We spoiled ourselves to the “Honeymoon Suite” at the Diaz Beach hotel in Mosselbay

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...........................therefore, nothing further to report for the day……….................

The riding (Bike riding) is getting better and better apart from a very strong wind from George to Mosselbay, yet another good day’s riding.

We have done just over 1600 km in total so far and 315km for the day

It looks so good, hope you enjoying it and safe riding

Sjoe, dit lyk lekker, veilig ry asb.


en as die helmets daar afval?

[quote="MadnohB"]

We spoiled ourselves to the “Honeymoon Suite” at the Diaz Beach hotel in Mosselbay



...........................therefore, nothing further to report for the day……….................

I take it that this is the 'before' picture!!

No, its the 'after' picture...


...AFTER the maid made the bed.

I take it that this is the 'before' picture!!

No, its the 'after' picture......AFTER the maid made the bed

no comment………but I can say we got on the road a bit later today

Day4 : 29/12 (no 3G here, it sure does take a loooooong time to upload photos......appreciate)

This was meant to be the “working” day of the holiday mainly to get the Cape Agulhas visit in but after we gave it some “colour” it turned out to be a little gem.

We left Mosselbay on the N2 to Swellendam.



just past Heidelberg

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a Ducati 996 flew past us and I decided to let the K (with luggage) loose (surprise ). Without incriminating myself, I will only say the Beemer held it’s head high......very high and when I eventually slowed down to wait for the Mermaid, this guy was riding next to me for a good few minutes to had a good look a the bike……. ...........to the Duke rider - you are very capable my friend

From Swellendam it was on to Bredasdorp and Cape Agulhas

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…….fun and games

by now we had done almost 2000km and I was determined not to stop a meter short of south – against the advise of the fairer one. I would have made a GSA proud handling those loose rocks. But, after the photo had been taken, I found the bike stuck in the rocks, rear wheel digging itself in nice and firm………at this point I’ll revert back to “what happens on a trip, stays on the trip”……….no damage done though

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From the south side, it was on to Robertson via Bonnievale. Rain all the way from Bredasdorp. The BMW Comfort Shell jackets worked perfectly in keeping us dry without a rain suite top.

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In Robertson (about 12km outside Robertson) we stayed (are still here) in a magnificent 100 year old farm house on the Excelcior wine estate.


Excelsior Manor Guesthouse, Tel (023) 615-2050

Highly recommended.

This phrase is getting boring now I know but yet another excellent day’s riding

Very nice!! Like the pics of the bikes at the Aghulas beacon!!

Can't wait for more

You and Mermaid sure know how to make us greeeen .. Well done! Go safe!