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Saturday February 22 - Saturday March 07, 2020
At regular intervals, the BMW GS Club International eV organizes a great trip together to a special destination. Especially because only a few members would travel to distant countries or unknown regions on their own. Getting to know the country and its people is an essential aspect for us as a club. At our annual general meetings, ideas and specific suggestions are discussed and brought to a vote. In 2019, the common tenor for the trip in 2020 was South Africa.
During the same period, Peter Kistner, treasurer and CFO of our club, had a chance but groundbreaking email correspondence and a subsequent meeting with Herrmann Kistner, also CFO at the BMW Club Durban. Through the namesake with the same job, we got in touch with another member of the BMW Club Durban, David Scates. Dave has a passion for adventure motorcycling, lives near Durban and started Switchback Adventures (https://switchbackadventures.co.za) to encourage and support people to explore southern Africa. In 2010 Dave bought his first GS and started showing others his wonderful country on motorbikes. He likes interacting with people and building new friendships. An invaluable partner and contact for us, because Dave not only worked out the routes for us on site, but also made our GS rental motorbikes clear (according to all individual needs), booked the hotels and developed very individual routes for all routes - both on asphalt as well as gravel, both for greenhorns and for experienced motorcyclists. In the following sections you can read how much Dave and his staff have grown so dear to us on this trip.
The result after many phone calls between the continents, a personal meeting with Dave in Munich and a final online meeting:
“on tour” with 30 guys, 2 girls, 1 Toyota pick-up, 2 tour guides, 1 luggage vehicle and 1 spare motorcycle covers an approximately 3000 km long route from Cape Town via Montagu, Calitzdorp, Prince Albert, Stytlerville to Addo Elephant Park, then via Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Swellendam, Caledon, Franschhoek back to Capetown. What an adventure!
It is a joint tour with our biker friends from Iceland (Johannes, Gudmundur, Skuli, Einar, Eggert, Grimur and Axel) through the southeast of the African continent. We see highlights like Table Mountain in Cape Town, some wildlife parks in the hope of the Big Fives, the southernmost point of Africa and the Cape of Good Hope. But so much else too. Our biker hearts beat faster when we make fantastic trips through the Karoo on beautiful gravel roads and cross gigantic passes, sometimes on tar as an alternative. The impressions of this continent and, above all, the shared experience of every single day are something very special. Dave summarized it: "It was a very special time that we all shared together on our bikes, we did making stories". And these stories should be remembered for every single day of this trip with a film and this report.
Some of us have used Adventure South Africa and traveled to Cape Town and the surrounding area earlier. Others traveled by direct flight or via adventurous stopovers such as Istanbul and Dubai because they were cheaper. But all participants were punctual on Saturday in the Protea Hotel Fire and Ice, a hotel with a view of Table Mountain and Lions Head, at 22 degrees Celsius and light drizzle.
Meeting point with a big hello was in the lobby at 17.15. The start of our trip was an evening arranged by Dave for a barbecue with a few boys and girls from BMW Club Cape Town at Moto Adventure. We were picked up by bus and found ourselves in an absolutely cool location: the Pomphuis. An oasis with a swimming pond, a bizarre clubhouse with a huge grill, a bar with a thousand curiosities on walls and ceilings, such as a kudu head with a Hawaii garland, orange sunglasses and a blonde wig. There was grilled lamb and a spicy lamb sausage. Not everyone's cup of tea, Markus said, but a great start to our journey and an unforgettable first evening.
Anticipation. Here we go. We start from the Fire and Ice, penned up in minibuses, to collect our rental bikes from GS Africa Hire and Motorrad Executive. Everything is repackaged: the small luggage for the motorcycles is enclosed, the large luggage is stowed on the pickup truck by Dave's employees Steve and Jayne. Now I realize why everything had to be waterproof. Our luggage gets on the loading area and on the roof of the pickup.
Excitement: Picking up the motorcycles, last touching on the still required navigation brackets, on raised or lowered benches, on incorrectly adjusted exterior mirrors, on the check-ups of the rented machines. But now let's go. The sound of 32 machines is phenomenal. Left-hand traffic - a red arrow "keep left" on the windshield of the motorcycles should warn us and always warn us. We drive in the convoy. The first impressions of South Africa graze us on the way to our first stop in Montagu - on tar and quasi motorways - past the first townships. Our arrival at the Montagu Avalon Spa (Avalon Springs Resort in the Western Cape) is all the more relaxed.
In the 35 degree warm swimming pool (hot springs) cooling is not necessarily the order of the day. But the hotel has great mountain chalets, a steep walk, but with a funky mountain view. Our journey really begins here. From tomorrow we swallow dust on the long-awaited gravel roads and are really looking forward to it.
Today was the first real gravel day and everyone drove their GS into the dust and dirt. Harald - Dirty Harry - our second board member, had to switch to a pick-up rental car due to an injury. We all know that his heart was bleeding not to be able to sit in the saddle. Hence a huge respect for the fact that being there is everything for Harald! He also swallowed plenty of dust and experienced a lot with the pick-up. Today's approx. 300 km route begins for Harald on asphalt and leads him directly to Ronnie's sex shop. A really weird shop on Route 62 from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. Ronnie came to this remote area over 20 years ago to sell groceries. His friends added the word sex to the name "Ronnie's Shop". But there can be no talk of sex shop here. Beer and schnapps are sold. Hundreds of bras hang from the ceiling in the pub. But they are not so much erotic toys as Ronnie's favorite trophies. Ronnie seriously offered Dirty Harry his shop, land and wife for 2 million euros. Harald said he's thinking about it!
We bikers, on the other hand, had our first encounter with the “Little Karoo”. The first wild animals (monkeys, springboks and ostriches). Via private game farms we came to Seweweeks Poort, probably the most beautiful 18 km long gravel road in all of South Africa. With gentle gradients, multiple river crossings and stunning views, this road is a must-do in South Africa.
At the end of the tour we went through the Swartberg Mountains to Calitzdorp. A beautiful path through a very green and bizarre gorge with water passage. When we arrived in Calitzdorp, we were divided into four overnight accommodations. The Karoo Life B&B, The Queen of Calitzdorp, the Port Wine Guest House and Die Dorpshuis.
In the evening we were in De Krans Wine Estate, a winery 900 m outside of Calitzdorp Essen. A mild evening, a wine-covered pergola in the garden, a great meal, excellent wine, which, incidentally, the French brought into the country, and accordingly a merry evening.
Day 3 of the tour was a motorcycle highlight in every respect.
The first highlight: the Meiringspoort Waterfall. The beauty of the area is shown as the gateway between the Klein Karoo and the Groot Karoo, about an hour's drive from George and Oudtshoorn. However, the Icelanders thought it was more of a letdown than a waterfall. Nevertheless, the way was worth it in full motorcycle gear with over 35 degrees of heat. Not only was the magnificent view of the bizarre rock formations a pleasure, the water was also refreshing and Reinhard's Acapulco cliff legend. The journey is fantastic: first real curves on asphalt over the impressive Meiringspoort pass, a deep gorge in the middle of the Swartberg Mountains between De Rust and Prince Albert.
The beautiful mountain range of the Swart Mountains is located between Oudtshoorn and Prince Albert. Over an unpaved pass road, it goes over the famous Swartberg Pass, which is one of the most spectacular mountain passes in South Africa. A new, breathtaking view is hidden behind every curve - unforgettable photo motifs await. The approx. 27 km long gravel road reaches a total height of 1583 meters.
Then it goes down to Prince Albert (in the Central Karoo district), through beautiful gorges, on small narrow gravel paths. Everything is green and fertile. The loose rubble and the strenuous standing driving to the summit of the Swartberg Pass are forgotten. Here you only have eyes for an overwhelming view of the expanse of the mountain peaks and the serpentine course of the slopes down into the valley.
Arrived at the Swartberg Hotel, which has a history of more than 150 years and is located in the heart of the small town of Prince Albert, it has caught every one of us at the latest: the magic of South Africa - and the privilege of having this magic with our hobby of two To be allowed to connect wheels. And whether the pool in the hotel looks more black than clear and the occupancy of the bungalows turns out to be annoying and Frank D. briefly puts the room under water because no water comes, but he turns on all available taps as a precaution is an absolute matter - if also worth mentioning.
Today it shows who masters his machine in difficult terrain and who has completed off-road training in Hechlingen as a passion and not as an ordeal. The relatively straight but difficult 245km slope from Prince Albert to Steytlerville already has deep sand passages in the start phase. While the boys and girls struggle on their mopeds and the goat throws off one or the other, Harry effortlessly cruised through with his Toyota. Repeatedly picking up motorcycles and counteracting them in sandy passages - that takes strength.
It was warm and dusty - at least on the moped at over 40 degrees. How good that Sophie's Coffe Shop in Willowmore had cool milkshakes and great cakes for lunch. Sophie's Choice is not just a culinary highlight, but inside a monstrous museum with antiques, rarities and curiosities.
On the second part of the route, the sand passages become less, but we see showcase turtles at the edge of the gravel road. Along the way we pass private game reserves - gates on the slopes have to be opened and closed again and again. Then it went relatively straight and at high speed to Steytlerville.
Today's tour was technically challenging. Sand passages Driving through too slowly is a guarantee of gentle descent; too quickly the guarantee for Acapulco fans. Our tour guide Dave did the latter and is now in the hospital in George. Dave broke his collarbone and a rib, but first went "strong enough" with his injuries to Willowmore. There Steve and Jayne loaded his machine onto the trailer and brought him to the hospital immediately.
The service of such a trip that your luggage almost drives you to the hotel is luxury. But first aid in the event of an accident always comes first. It can happen that there is no luggage and you go to dinner in your underpants and a musty T-shirt. Everything works. We know Dave is in good hands and we are glad that nothing more happened.
Incidentally, the puddle of the swimming pool in the Royal Hotel and the rollable electric radiators in the rooms at 40 degrees felt strange. In addition, Max and Frank D. were sand-free today because Max Navi mixed up the start and finish point. And suddenly they were back in Prince Albert for lunch at the same hotel last night.
Today's hotels: Royal Hotel Steytlerville, Steytlerville Villa Guest House, Karoo Oasis
(Addo Main Rest Camp at Addo Elephant Park)
Today is a short GS riding day, "easy going on standard and extra gravel road" after three long hot days. Things are going straight, sometimes a bit boring.
We are a little disappointed with South Africa's impressive wildlife: so much space for wild animals and what do we see? Goats, turtles, a few monkeys on fences and sheep without end. Shortly before Addo there was actually a river that had water. And promptly it got much greener, around us we see plantations with apples and citrus fruits. But also the plight of the locals at the last petrol station in front of the park, who are unemployed, hopeless and sometimes too boomy in gambling halls and liquor stores. That is the bitter aftertaste of this trip through South Africa, which leads us through townships, endless cemeteries and just such dreary places. We drive to a camp that protects us tourists and pampers us with its luxuriously furnished cottages, built on high wooden stilts with a terrace that is second to none. The white towels were draped on our bed as swans.
At the end of the town there was a fire on the street. The native blacks built blockades with tires and set them on fire. A protest because their water and electricity were cut off; Later in the park we understood why the strike was taking place: It's about the working conditions and the starkly different standard of living between white and black. There was therefore only one emergency staff in the restaurant in the park, but even they looked after us lovingly and worked their way out for us - with a good mood and a smile. Burger, steak and salad were more than great. And just before dinner came the unimaginable: It rains in South Africa - almost all night long!
The Addo Elephant National Park is located in the Sarah Baartman District, in the western part of the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa, 70 kilometers northeast of Port Elizabeth in the Sundays River Valley. With 1640 km², the Elephant National Park is the largest national park in the Eastern Cape. It was established in 1931 to protect the region's eleven last surviving elephants. The population has recovered today and the number of elephants alone is estimated at over 600. The Addo belongs to the state organization South African National Parks (SAN Parks) and is the third largest national park in South Africa.
A group with Harald goes on their own in the afternoon with Harald and if they haven't been fooling around, then they have seen everything the park has to offer except for lions, rhinos and hyenas - zebras, antelopes, kudu, springboks, warthogs, buffalo and a herd of elephants.
It had started raining last night. The 40 ° + became 10 ° in less than 15 hours. The day starts at 5:30 with a sunrise safari. Divided into two jeeps, driven by experienced ranchers, both groups did not see the same animals. However, there were antelopes, zebras, an elephant from far away and, surprisingly, a rhino. There are not many of them anymore and they are very rare to see. The crowning glory, however, were two lions, which were ready for the prospectus right next to the path: Jack and Jill are two of the 7 resident lions in the park. I could also make friends with at least 16 hours of sleep a day.
We were just frozen in the open jeeps. The early excursion in the unfamiliar cold was definitely exciting, even if the 600 elephants didn't introduce ourselves.
After there was a provisional breakfast in the park restaurant due to the strikes, Peter, Frank, Max and Bärbel decided to take Harald to Port Elizabeth, which is not on our route tomorrow. Port Elizabeth has a unique location on the banks of Algoa Bay, is the fifth largest city in South Africa and the largest on the coast between Cape Town and Durban. At the very end of Port Elizabeth there is a beautiful nature reserve with a lighthouse directly on a natural, rock-framed sandy beach, which we enjoyed extensively with many photo opportunities. The city itself rather disappointed us - a single shopping street filled with thousands of people ... not very idyllic.
Alternatively, Peter, Reinhard, Justus, Markus and Richard drove into the park again with a car; Frank, Floh and Adrian walked around the park on the Zuurberg loop with their motorcycles. There is a Zuurberg hiking trail, an 11,3 kilometer loop trail near Riebeeck East, Eastern Cape, which offers scenic views. You can also ride this on a motorcycle, but the path is quite rocky. The rest of us have rested, soaked up the silence and varied nature in the rest camp and recharged our batteries for tomorrow.
Alternatively, Peter, Reinhard, Justus, Markus and Richard drove into the park again with a car; Frank, Floh and Adrian walked around the park on the Zuurberg loop with their motorcycles. There is a Zuurberg hiking trail, an 11,3 kilometer loop trail near Riebeeck East, Eastern Cape, which offers scenic views. You can also ride this on a motorcycle, but the path is quite rocky. The rest of us have rested, soaked up the silence and varied nature in the rest camp and recharged our batteries for tomorrow.
Alternatively, Peter, Reinhard, Justus, Markus and Richard drove into the park again with a car; Frank, Floh and Adrian walked around the park on the Zuurberg loop with their motorcycles. There is a Zuurberg hiking trail, an 11,3 kilometer loop trail near Riebeeck East, Eastern Cape, which offers scenic views. You can also ride this on a motorcycle, but the path is quite rocky. The rest of us have rested, soaked up the silence and varied nature in the rest camp and recharged our batteries for tomorrow.
In the evening at 19.00 p.m. we did another “Night Game Drive”, this time dressed really warmly. However, the animals were half asleep just like us, it wasn't really spectacular. Before dinner we had a photo shoot in the park's museum. There is a huge, impressive elephant skull hanging on the wall, in front of which we took a group photo. Dave got us all GS Club South Africa shirts. Ready to hand for most people, but not for Max. A dusty suitcase emerged from Harald's dirty pickup truck before the agreed photo session. Max suitcase. After several dust removals, no GS shirt could be found in this suitcase either. I've rarely laughed so hard. Max, you never have a plan!
Today is the longest stage with 365 km. It goes down to the sea and then slowly along the legendary Garden Route towards Cape Town. Most of us take the tarred road from the two options offered today because numerous highlights await us on this route.
The contrasts of South Africa are also more than visible on today's tour. In the interior of the country, we pass numerous large townships. There are huts made of corrugated iron, cardboard boxes and other questionable materials, no trace of water or hygiene. In contrast, there are the luxury villas from Jeffreys Bay to the famous Plettenberg Bay by the sea. The difference between blacks and whites cannot be any clearer than at this stage.
Our first big stop leads us to Storm River Mouth Trail in Tsitsikamma National Park. This beautiful hiking trail is almost 2 kilometers long and leads to the Suspension bridge, a really impressive 77 meter suspension bridge over the Storm River estuary. The path runs over wooden planks, around rock cliffs and inspires with ever new views of the rough Indian Ocean with its rocky beaches and its original nature.
After we are more or less all walking the same route together today, it is an absolute challenge to manage the entry into the national park with 20/30 bikers. The South Africans are pretty relaxed, but we are not at over 35 degrees in the sun again.
The next stop at the Bloukrans River Bridge, 40 km east of Plettenberg Bay, gives us pure thrills. With a height of 216 meters and one Wingspan of over 272 meters is the "Rainbow Bridge " an impressive sight in itself. She is the undisputed queen of African bridge construction and is therefore regarded as an eldorado and adrenaline rush of bungee jumpers. A corresponding infrastructure is therefore set up east of the bridge: souvenir shops, information room about the construction of the bridge, backpacker lodge and viewing platform. And from this viewing terrace or simultaneously on a huge flat screen screen, we saw our Reinhard jumping live and in color. He dares to 160 m free fall from the bridge into the gorge - in 4 seconds; He is then catapulted upwards again by the rope 50 meters above the river bed and then dangles around himself at a lofty height. In the meantime, an employee rappels down from the edge of the bridge and secures Reinhard on a second rope. Together they are pulled back up and the adventure is over. By the way, to get to the highest point of the bridge at all, the thrill consists of a 200-meter-long Flying Fox Cable Slide (known in South Africa as the Foofie Slide). Respect Reinhard, you are our hero! We were all either speechless by the television or on the observation deck.
After the whole afternoon was of course well advanced with the last event, we went to Plettenberg Bay - a popular, but also very touristy coastal town on the Garden Route with miles of beaches. To the west of the city is the Robberg Peninsula, a nature reserve and home to a large seal colony. Unfortunately, we were too early for whale and dolphin watching during the mating season between July and December. Definitely compensated us View from Signal Hill above the village, which gives an unforgettable panoramic view of Plettenberg Bay and the coast.
And because it was not enough for the day and some are already on gravel depletion after all the tar, a few hard-boiled people have decided to drive the last piece of the Prince Alfred Pass directly to Knysna via the feeder of the R340. Not without danger, because dusk has already started and two thirds of the pass also lead through a dense forest. You will be happy if you can still find your hotel in the dark and fall off your bike completely ready. By the way, a group of us came into a police control for the first time just before Knysna. The only time ever on the whole tour.
In Knysna we go to the Waterfront in South 34 for dinner. A great eatery with a view of the harbor. Michael and Jürgen eat a fish platter for two with ease - energy requirements after this great day!
Our hotels for tonight: Knysna Wayside Inn and Knysna Manor House Guesthouse
Only 147 km are on the agenda today. So a short trip, which some extend with a detour to Mossel Bay. But then it's back inland and on the legendary gravel roads of the Seven Passes Road through a great forest area followed by the Montagu Pass, the oldest unchanged mountain road in South Africa. This is not about kilometers and time. The impressions are so overwhelming that we stop again and again and are simply amazed with wide eyes.
The “Seven Passes Road” is described as the true Garden Route with the entrance to the mountains of South Africa: the historic Seven Pass Road was the main route between George and Knysna until the new N1952 national road was opened in 2. This scenic branch route runs through the hinterland - mostly on a high plateau parallel to the foot of the Outeniqua mountain range in the north and the Indian Ocean in the south. You drive through rural areas with farms and pastures, with peacefully grazing cows and again and again you drive through gorges and valleys with extensive forest areas.
The “Seven Passes Road” actually includes 8 passes, as follows (viewed from Knysna in the east towards George in the west).
The tour on the historic Old Cape route between Knysna and George takes about 2 1/2 hours without a stop. Only a few sections are tarred, the main route is a gravel road, which is usually easy to drive with a normal car. A special experience is the Tea Junxion, in the middle of nowhere at Erf 357 Whites, Wilderness Heights. A small house with a fascinating garden under magical trees with a view of the majestic Outeniqua Mountains, an oasis of peace and quiet. There is tea (feels like 100 varieties), coffee and the best apple and carrot cake I've ever eaten. All fresh from the oven!
Johannes took a curve too quickly out of the Icelander troop and literally landed in the ditch - almost over the embankment into the bush. Neither he nor the motorcycle got a single scratch and were lucky that a passing pick-up had a winch with which the motorcycle could be recovered with the help of everyone involved. Nothing happened - what luck!
When we arrived in Oudtshoorn, we were a little disappointed in the city, which has no historical city center and only lives from tourism outside of the attractions. But the El Dorado Accomodation is a hotel on a European level - a spacious complex with many small, well-equipped bungalows / lodges with parking spaces for cars and motorbikes right on the doorstep. In addition, a beautiful pool area. For dinner we walked into town - Dinner at various restaurants in town.
Play me the song of death: Driving Die Hel, the South Africa's Road To Hell
The day off in Oudtshoorn offers many opportunities to spend the day. The trip to Die Hel has nothing to do with hell, but in all forums it defines itself as a dangerous road, a challenging off-road passage.
The Gamkaskloof, also known as Die Hel, is a narrow, isolated valley, about 20 kilometers long and a maximum of 600 meters wide. The valley is located in the Swartberg mountain range, which is part of the Garden Route District community in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The road is in the Swart Mountains and is 37 km long. The expected journey time is approximately 2 hours. The Hel is a remote valley in the Swartberg Mountains between Oudtshoorn and Prince Albert, which can only be reached via a rather small, narrow and rocky gravel road and is completely cut off during the rainy season when the Gamka River overflows. At the end of the route, where everything is technically offered by stones, sand and hairpin bends (there are 51 bends, corners and curves on this section, of which 5 are full hairpin bends, the last of which curves 270 degrees), as actually everywhere in the barren regions, you still come across life:
Annetjie Joubert has seen a lot. She is the only real, remaining resident with property in Gamkaskloof. She converted her farm into two comfortable guest houses, runs a caravan park with campsites at the entrance to the Kloof and the only kiosk. There is also a licensed Busch restaurant called "De Oude Klowers Plaaskombuis".
Our Die Hel-Riders come home exhausted but happy in the late afternoon. Except for a departure from Robert over the handlebars in a sand passage, nothing happened to anyone. Robert probably bruised a few ribs, but takes it bravely in a male way.
Alternative design: Cango Caves, Ostrich farms and Cango Wildlife Ranch
The rest of our group chose the highlights of the area today. The Cango Caves are a cave system in the South African province of Western Cape and are counted among the most beautiful cave systems in the world. The caves are located in the Swartberg Mountains and consist of three sections with a total length of over four kilometers.
All caves contain bizarre stalactite formations of impressive size: stalactites, stalagmites and even a few organs. Two sections are protected and not open to the public. The Cango Caves are located 29 kilometers north of Oudtshoorn on the R 328. It was pleasantly cool on our heritage tour with our English-speaking “cave guide”, who accompanied us and with plenty of humor on the relatively easy walk through the first six largest and most spectacular cave sections to the “African Drum Room” went.
By the way, the whole area is Ostrich's land, on huge farms. Hundreds of ostriches stand tightly against gates and fences, to the right and left of our route - almost touchable, if their beaks weren't razor-sharp on their long necks.
On the way back to Oudtshoorn we make a detour to the Cango Wildlife Ranch. A zoo in South Africa - beastly, strange and really crazy. The Cango Wildlife Ranch is located three kilometers north of Oudtshoorn and was founded in 1977 as a crocodile show farm. Paths built on wooden stilts give you a good view of the enclosures. But it was too warm for the crocodiles, lions, tigers and cheetahs (called Cheetahs here) - they just lay around lazily. Except for the baby cheetah, not much has moved. The facility is beautiful, but does not hide the fact that wild animals eke out their existence in the smallest of spaces. Then we prefer the rare observations of wild animals in the wild.
After our excursions, Harald had to secure the body over the loading area of his Toyota. All screws had said goodbye to the gravel roads. There was a subsequent detour to Smitswinkel almost around the corner. The shop is both a restaurant and a shop. Funny are the old cars, especially ingenious old Bullis, as well as the motorcycles that hang on walls and ceilings throughout the restaurant. The shop is an eldorado of kitsch, homemade items from the area, handicrafts and local works of art. This is where we found Dave's birthday present: an old tin sign with a BMW GS 1200.
The day was long and busy. But one event shook us all at the end of the day. At 71, Axel is the oldest passenger and had a breakdown in the morning. It wasn't clear whether the heat, the exhausting stages of the last week or a slight stroke. Grimur took his papa to the hospital in George and we all hope that Axel will soon recover. However, Axel's language center is also affected, it has to be stabilized and the possibility of traveling home to Iceland is questionable. Our trip is something very special, but the daily tours and the physically demanding stages are not without it. At sometimes over 40/45 degrees, each of us needs at least four liters of water a day and a good constitution. The extreme friendship and family cohesion of our Icelandic passengers is characteristic. Skuli describes it like this: Every morning we stand together like a football team and pray that we can get through today safely and healthy.
Over the Rooiberg pass, coffee stop at De Spekboom in Van Wyksdorp or alternatively over the Gymmanshoek Pass via Barrydale (Diesel & Creme) and down the Tradouws Pass
Dave is back with us, with a steel plate in his collarbone and two broken ribs. But that doesn't stop him from accompanying us, no longer on a motorcycle, but in Harald's pick-up. Harald tries the best way for Dave in spite of the bumpy paths through the steppes in first and second gear Rooiberg Pass a DAK Bungalow.
The rest of us embark on today's 250 km tour through Little Karoo towards Swellendam. In Van Wyksdorp, in the middle of nowhere, we make our first stop at De Spekboom coffeeshop. From here we drive to the Muiskarral farm stall via well-maintained and well-maintained gravel roads. A Farm stable is a mostly farmer-run business on a trunk road in South Africa. They are independent and mainly deal in local, farm-owned and homemade products such as jam, butter, bread, cheese, dried fruits, nuts, eggs, pies, coffee or wines. Lucky, because there were also ice cubes. After Barbel's fall on a dead straight gravel road (it just tore her handlebars at 70 km / h), her knees and wrists were quite damaged. More - except for one machine that was unfortunately pretty scratched on the crash bars - thankfully not happened. Then Bärbel and Hans drive the tarred road to Swellendam.
The rest take the route via Barrydayle with a stop at the bizarre bar “Diesel & Creme”. The Diner in kitschy Americana style is crammed with all sorts of odds and ends - and developed rapidly becoming iconic Route 62Meeting point. The world's best milkshakes are available here - and a strawberry shake always works!
Via the Tradouw Pass we went back to the Garden Route and it was already green, there were cows instead of ostriches and significantly less dust. The Tradouw Pass is a 16 kilometer route through an altitude range of 219 meters and through some of the most beautiful and rough mountain landscapes that the Langeberg, a mountain range in the Western Cape Province, offers. This pass is undoubtedly one of the top 20 tarred passes. It connects the cities of Barrydale and Swellendam.
When you arrive at the Swellengrebel Hotel, you head straight for the large pool and then for a relaxed dinner at the buffet.
Today we drive a “V”, it goes from Swellendam to the sea to Cape Agulhas and then back up to Caledon.
We make a short detour to Malgas pond. The last hand-operated ferry across the Breede River in South Africa is an absolute experience.
Then it goes over the R319 to the sea to Cape Agulhas. Cape Agulhas is the southernmost point of the African continent, not, as is often assumed, the Cape of Good Hope. It is the geographic boundary between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
On the impressive lighthouse at Cape Agulhas, which leads to the top platform via an adventurous chicken ladder, you have a spectacular view of the southernmost point of Africa. The rough beauty of nature, the view of the rocky sandy beach and the choppy sea leave us speechless. Directly by the sea, a marker reminds us of this very phenomenon: on the left the Indian Ocean, on the right the Atlantic Ocean. A photo subject that has been used a thousand times.
We drive back inland on the coast via the Floorshoogte - a 16 km long, tarred pass on the R43 between Villiersdorp and Caledon. Once at the top, i.e. 525 meters above sea level, you have a gigantic view over Caledon in the Westkamp province in the Overberg district at the foot of the Swartberge.
In the afternoon we arrive at the Caledon Hotel and Spa Resort, a truly luxurious hotel with a casino, lush gardens and an outdoor pool that is just in front of the terraces of our rooms. There is also a Mineral Caledon Spa for those who like to warm up, with a historic Victorian bathhouse and numerous hot springs, including the naturally heated 12-meter-long cascading Khoi San pools. A dream and the absolute contrast to tomorrow!
First we come to the coast through Hermanus, a coastal town in the South African province of Western Cape located southeast of Cape Town and a popular destination for whale watching.
It's a short day of driving today with only 132 km; it goes over the Karwyderskraal Pass, which ends at its eastern end directly at the summit of the Hemel-en-Aarde Pass. The rough gravel road connects the summit area of the Hemel & Aarde valley on the R320 with the cultivation area of the river mouth of the Bot and the Karwyderskraal farm on the mountain plateau. It also serves the farms on the east side near the Hemel en Aarde valley and provides a clear shortcut for locals for those who want to avoid the congestion of the R43 to Hermanus and Onrus.
After a long section of tar, the end is over the Franschhoek Pass (740 m). It is located in the South African Winelands on the R45 (Lambrechts Road) and stretches 13 kilometers between the town Franschhoek and the Theewaterskloof Dam reservoir. A popular destination for city dwellers who frequent the pass on all possible vehicles at the weekend.
Surrounded by mountains and green valleys, Franschhoek (which means "French corner" in Afrikaans) is located in the wine region in the South African province of Western Cape and is famous for its bodegas and restaurants, art galleries, nature excursions and impressive landscapes.
A part of us already arrived at noon and the contrast to yesterday's Caledon Hotel and Spa Resort couldn't be greater. The Franschhoek Traveler Lodge - a shabby youth hostel contains everything that we have experienced from our teenage days: a single bed with questionable bedding, an ancient formica cupboard that rattles, a measly table, barred windows that hardly let in air and the common sanitary facilities End of the corridor, which you only want to enter with shoes and disinfectant.
BUT: The Traveler Lodge has a barbecue area, a Rondavell, which is perfect for tonight. Although Dave wanted to keep it secret, it's his birthday today. In addition, few of us are leaving tomorrow. The evening will be our official farewell party. There is only tomorrow, then we have to return the bikes and the trip ends.
Harald, Dave and Bärbel go shopping. What fun. Three shopping carts are loaded with meat, salads, bread and of course lots of drinks. We drag everything to the Franschhoek Traveler Lodge, prepare everything, inflate balloons and, in all seriousness, feel like teenagers organizing the first party of their lives. But what came next was just moving.
We celebrate Dave under the stars with two huge grills and a gigantic buffet and with the knowledge that we have conquered South Africa's gravel roads - and not only his birthday, but also his warmth, his friendship with us and his passion for his country, that he brought us closer while riding a motorcycle. As a group, we would like to thank Dave, Adrian, Steve and Jayne.
What we take with us is friendship and not a paid organization force. It was a successful, wonderful evening that could not have taken place in this form in any hotel in the world. This time it was exactly the adventure that we actually associate with Africa!
Our last day of driving. In the late afternoon we have to return the rental motorcycles, which is associated with a lot of paperwork. Sadness arises. But there is still one last wonderful day ahead of us. Via Stellenbosch we drive back down to the coast and via Simons Town to the Cape of Good Hope. It's hot and much more touristy than on our entire trip so far. We only drive on tar; The stop-and-go traffic through the many small, picturesque and pleasant villages that don't really have charm is particularly annoying, but are designed for the largest possible number of beds and tourist entertainment. One of them is the Boulders - penguin colony in Simons Town. We have lunch at the port, but our thoughts are already at the Cape of Good Hope.
Bartolomeu Diaz was the first European to discover the Cape in 1488 in search of a sea route to Asia. Truths, stories, tragedies and legends spin around this geographically and cartographically striking point. The Cape of Good Hope is not the southernmost point in South Africa, but it is a beautiful nature resort.
And suddenly we are at the gate of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. The Cape of Good Hope has been protected since 1939 and today impresses its visitors with a unique flora. More than 1.300 plant species, including orchids, protees, fynbos plants and various types of heather, are distributed in the hilly landscape. The wildlife is also impressive in this area: herds of antelopes and zebras, baboons that are completely unaffected by the tin columns in the middle of the street, and more than 150 species of birds are at home here.
About 13 kilometers behind the gate capepoint, an approximately 250 meter high cliff with a lighthouse, which can be reached with the "Flying Dutchman" mountain railway. Of course, you can also run up there, but it's not really fun now in motorcycle gear. Then you'd better take the "elevator". Then we drive a few kilometers back to the most famous photo motif at the Cape of Good Hope: it is the sign that marks it as such. The tourists are lining up, and so are we. But a group photo with our club banner is a must have.
We are privileged to financially cover this expensive journey with flights, rental bikes, a local coach / tour guide, an escort vehicle for our luggage and the individually compiled routes through South Africa's fascinating landscape. It is not easy for each of us to finance the well-calculated trip in advance. Our passion for motorcycling is not just limited to gravel driving fun in the vastness and mountains of South Africa. We also have a responsibility when we travel - to behave as responsible road users on the road and to show respect, openness and compassion for the country we travel to. The numerous townships we drove through, the rubbish blown for miles, many of them unbreakable plastic, the poverty, the dilapidated houses in front of which toddlers play lost - that moved us all very much.
Before this trip, Peter Kistner had initiated the Vulamasango charity project. For this, some of us have shortened the day of driving and got to know this great facility with a donation on site. I still refer to it, but let me put it this way: it is a small refuge for severely traumatized, abused children who simply need security. The encounter was very moving.
After the procedure was completed with the handover of the motorcycles, some of them have booked themselves back into the Hotel Fire & Ice and a few who have extended their stay have moved to other hotels. A final dinner together at Mama Africa was the culmination of the evening. Vegetarians should listen now, but all the animals on the plate that we imagined on our trip were again very tasty. The restaurant specializes in South African cuisine and is on the corner of Long Street and Pepper Street. African bands play every evening at Mama Africa.
Most will fly home tomorrow. The farewell was very moving, especially from Dave, Adrian, Steve and Jayne. "We are all welcome the next years with some more adventures in the exciting continent of other parts of Africa".
This concludes my travel report, but I would like to point out a few things that are very important to me and in exchange with other participants.
Vulamasango means "open gates" in the Xhosa language. Vulamasango, a non-profit organization (NPO) based in Cape Town, has been taking in orphans and children whose parents have died or are no longer able to care for their children for other reasons since 2009. Orphaned, neglected, but above all sexually abused children from the poor areas of Cape Town, and children who are so impoverished by the circumstances in the townships that survival would no longer be possible without additional help, will find a home here and a chance for a future .
Since 2018 Vulamasango is a state recognized Child and Youth Care Center (CYCC). Florian Krämer is the founder of the project, heads the management, finance, fundraising and all logistics.
Everyone of us who has experienced this refuge for extremely abused children aged 0 to 18 has been more than moved. The children live in shared apartments and receive the best possible school education. In the afternoon there is also a wide range of activities for holistic leisure activities and the acquisition of practical skills. There is a nursery, a joinery, a sewing project, a theater group and above all a gigantic choir that tours internationally whenever it is financially possible. If votes for Vulamasango and all violated children of South Africa are heard, then in this choir. Listen in https://www.vulamasango.org/vulamasango-de/videos.html.
Is supported Vulamasango relevant here through its two European funding associations and financial sponsors, Positiv Leben eV (Germany) and Friends of Vulamasango South Africa (Switzerland).
It was an honor for us to personally hand over our donation. I deliberately do not call a sum, because that too can only be a drop in the bucket. What Florian Krämer and his employees can do on site cannot be compensated with any money in the world. Still, every donation is needed to keep this great project alive.
Organizing a motorcycle tour with 32 members, especially in a country like South Africa, is a real challenge. I was really shocked by the statement made by an employee when I handed in the motorcycles. Original sound: "You are the first group in which there were no dead". We had several flat tires, we had minor accidents, even when Dave had to go to the hospital. Flea lost his license plate and picked up something new he cheated his way through, Markus lost his luggage on a tour and a local picked it up bit by bit for him with his quad. Johannes drove into the ditch and Bärbel dismantled it on a completely straight gravel road. Harald has almost lost his pick-up body. Ossi was always on the move with a petrol can because his almost 200 km did not have the tank range for our stages. Frank D. benefited from this because he forgot to fill up. Max was scheduled as always, but always finds a way to avoid all dangers.
We all had a very different driving experience. I've never driven on gravel and enjoyed it; In all seriousness, Eggert has only had his driver's license for a year and still drives his GS 1250 easily. Max is handicapped due to his foot injury, limps limping when walking, but remains stoically on his machine in any terrain. Harald is in the pick-up because of his tendon surgery and would love to jump on one of our motorcycles. With over 70 years, Axel is our oldest passenger. Respect for these daily exertions in extreme heat. Unfortunately, it took his strength. But after his hospital stay, he was able to fly back to Iceland with everyone else on Saturday.
What a tour!
Our thanks go to Peter Kistner and Harald Beiner, who literally did pioneering work beforehand as board members. Peter made the contact and prepared countless Excel tables with travel dates and costs. Lists about lists of the participants, the motorbikes booked on site, the individual arrival and departure times and so much more. In collaboration with Peter and Dave, Harald has developed an agenda that is second to none: tour maps and GPS tracks, a tour road book for every single day of our trip, general travel information, guiding and riding principals and together with Peter has the entire online Communication of all participants organized, as well as the final meeting in Munich.
Our thanks go to Dave and his fantastic team: Adrian, our second tour guide, who took both the greenhorns among us inexperienced gravel drivers and the professionals by the hand with their insatiable thirst for loose stones and nasty hairpin bends. Steve and Jayne, who not only accompanied us, transported our luggage and organized our room occupancy on site, but always had an ear for our worries. And of course Dave. How should I describe that? During this trip he became a friend from a tour guide. His passion for the country and its history, the feeling for the stretches of our route - with the clear announcement of who is suitable for which route - was unbelievable and extremely helpful.
Again: On every daily tour Dave worked out at least three routes - gravel, tar or a mix of both. And the evening before, he always made it clear to us what to expect and what driving requirements are required. No 32 people set off at the same time. We were always in groups of a maximum of 5 to 8 people - and sometimes on different routes. And I think that's exactly what made our trip so special: the variety of individual routes to the same destination or hotel, and yet the individual decision to drive, see and discover what you want every day. Thanks Dave! We loved you very much.
I would like to express my thanks to two passengers. Franz had his drone with him and even if it didn't want him every day, he posted an impressive video of our day's stage on WhatsApp every day. Thanks Franz! Just watching the films, already during our trip, was great. I know how much work that was! And more importantly, we were able to review the routes in these films and relive them. Just thank you!
And Skuli. Skuli is an Icelandic, blogger, motorcycle fanatic and talented entertainer. He films, he interviews, he questions. And also filmed every day of our trip, which is then backed up with daily interviews. I myself got on his nerves with the English definition of exited. But what Skuli filmed was terrific:
Should I forget something in this report, ignore someone or even have completely lost sight of something, then please check it out. It was a flood of information, impressions, research. And the biggest, best, best vacation I've ever had.
Bärbel Schmidt, June 2020
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