Cederberg Mountains

So.....up bright and breezy for breakfast at Cederberg Oasis backpackers. It's run by a lovely Afrikaans couple, who are pro bikers and very helpful.

I got my tool kit out and tightened up all the nuts and bolts on the Chonda. Cleaned the chain with my brush and some petrol. Re packed my kit and was ready for the next section, 80km of gravel track through the mountains to Clanwilliam. (Good name)

I've put some pics of the tents and backpackers building. I paid 160 Rand for a room with a kitchen, which I didn't use, as I'm "can't cook, won't cook". But I did have a fantastic steak and pepper sauce from the owner.The business, for 95 Rand. The bar was self service, with each guest having a 'Bar Book of Honesty'. Where you served yourself and wrote it down, how cool is that ?

Two large KTM's set off just before me. Then it was my turn, a tad nervous, unsure of what lay ahead. The track was gravel, dust and sand. Which is a nightmare to ride on and very easy to come off on. Riding fairly conservatively, I made my way through the Cederberg Mountains. A valley lay ahead of me, as far as the eye could see. Right upto the horizon. My bike twitching left and right, as I got into my rythem of sitting and standing. You'll see what I mean from the photos. Really impressive, makes you feel so tiny. Just me, the bike and rugged mountainous landscape all around. The track, with shear drops to one side......made more imposing due to the very high winds.

I stopped quit a few times and took pics, so check them out.☺ I'm not in many as I'm alone, and find it hard to balance the phone.

The track seemed to go on forever and a day. I felt myself adjusting to the gravel and, making my riding style more sutle. Then, a bit like seeing a glimpse of Big Foot,  I saw the side profile of something black and on all fours, go into the bush. I had a bit of a, "did I just see that moment". I carried on, had a water stop. Then, as I set off again I saw a troop of black Baboons crossing the track to my rear. Wow !! Not being in a zoo, I looked at the two baby baboons and realised all animals protect their young. Don't we ? One of the adults started to run towards me, so I pulled away slowly. The baboons 50 meters behind me now,he stopped and was distracted by some sort of fruit on the track. So top tip of the day, if baboons start chasing you......off load your apples and pears sharpish!!

As I approached Clanwilliam, the 80 km off road section coming to an end, I came across the local dam. Crystal blue waters, with some holiday cabins at the shore. I'd caught the two KTM's up by now, one can be seen in a pic. I was quit happy with the Chonda, 250 cc from China and holding it's own against the big boys. 😊

I filled up in Clanwilliam, my tank two thirds empty. I'm buying a 5lt fuel can tomorrow and strapping that to the bike. It would seem my fuel, air breather pipe is blocked. And is the most likely reason the petrol is spewing out of my fuel cap, as the pressure builds up. Which is exactly what happened again in Clanwilliam. (Onwards and upwards Rodders).

Following the map Andy gave me at Cape Town Backpackers, I headed towards Calvinia, approximately 190 km away. Tar mac all the way, I thought. Wrong!! 20 km later I was back on gravel and dust. Litterally nothing man made 360 degrees. I picked up speed and confidence, consistently riding at 70 to 80 km off road. When I say there was nothing.....I mean nothing. Bar the odd rogue 4x4 blasting dust all over me.

So here I am in Calvinia. Its a Afrikaace town. Afrikaance being very old Dutch, from 400 years ago. Mixed with new words the settlers made up for the african enviroment, a few English and French words thrown in to boot. Its facinating. Christmas Eve and Day finds me with nowhere to buy petrol. So I did some negotiations with hotel. Which is really not bad at all. I'm paying 220rand a night. (£14ish) Tomorrow I'm filling up and heading to Upington. Which is in the Kalahari Desert. We shall see what the desert brings to me.

I know it's Christmas, but can you please realise I'm doing this, just like when I crossed africa before, in aid of wounded servicemen. Please click the Help for Heroes, top right. £20...come on. Don't our amputee soldiers deserve to walk in the New Year ?

Willx

Hotel Callafornia. ...aka ...Cape Town Backpackers.

So, here we go. I'm back in Africa and raising awareness and donations for Help for Heroes. All donations go directly to wounded servicemen, most of whom have lost limbs in the service of Britain. Simply click the Help for Heroes logo, top right and you will be taken to the charity donate page.

This time I circumnavigating South Africa, solo and unsupported and self funded, on a Chinese copy of a Honda XR 250. I'm calling it the Chonda ! I bought it brand new in Cape Town, for18500 Rand (£1,100).
To be strictly legal here, I needed a Traffic Regulation Number, in order to register the bike in my name. Well, in true african fashion it's taken 5 weeks and I still don't have it. But as the South African police are frequently corrupt, I'm hoping to be asked for some cash, so I have my 100 Rand at the ready.

I wanted to start with thanking everyone at Cape Town Backpackers. Andy the owner is also ex British Army and was an absolute diamond. The staff feel more like friends now. Justine even giving up her staff bed, as the hostel was fully booked one night. (No potty minds please, she was at her boyfriends. ) I was also given many a demonstration on how to smooth in on the ladies by young Jerrard aka J Rad. JRads main tactic being, to talk for South Africa to one of them and simply flop his hand and arm loosely over their leg. ' The hand of Jerrard ' became pretty famous, often copied, but never mastered. (Sorry Jerrard if you're reading this, there's only 5000 people a month reading this page). 😇

Well, having tried to leave the backpackers at least half a dozen times, I finally left Hotel Callafornia this morning. It was time. Broadly speaking, I shall circumnavigate South Africa in an anti clockwise direction. When possible on tracks, keeping off main roads. I've got mountain ranges, salt pans and the kalahari Desert to look forward to. Not to mention Rorks Drift! !! Can't wait for that.....I can hear the Zulu chanting already.

So I jumped on the Chonda this morning with my Camelbak water bladder, one bag, tent, doss bag, some bike tools, tyre foam and a few clothes. Can't carry much, I simply don't have the space. And off I went heading for Paarl, some 45 km east. I had an absolute barrel of laughs sticking to the 70 km 'run the new Chonda engine speed.' As every single massive truck over took me, blowing their horns and I suspect communicating with the international middle finger. (Sorry for slowing you down chaps, but it's just the way the Chonda and I roll.)😊

Anyway, past Paarl and off the big boys road and headed to Wellington, I don't have GPS, but Andy at the backpackers did lend me a map. Which proved handy, as the last time I 'left ', I successfully circumnavigated bloody Cape Town. Doing a 207 km big circle and ended up where I started. !! Wouldn't mind, but it took all day and had to make the excuse that I'd forgot my laptop!!! Oops.

Where was I ? Between Wellington and next town, Ceres, are the Cederberg Mountains, going up to about 3,000 ft. A pass was made in 1849, called Bains Kloof.He certainly wasn't Roman, this road has more twists and turns, than a drunk belly dancer. The poor little Chonda not so much struggling, but he didn't have his happy face on. I filled the bike up in Ceres and it would seem I have a range of 300 km. Tomorrow I'll buy a 5 lt can, extending that to about 450 km. That should please Chonda....longer days. The road standard was good, the traffic light and the views stunning. (The photos don't do it justice ).

A little bit concerned about my fuel range and the lack of petrol stations pending, I stopped at Op die Berg. Basically it had half a dozen buildings, on a cross roaf,one of which being a petrol station. First bike problem, the petrol cap doesn't actually keep the petrol in the tank. The paint on my plastics has peeled off, as petrol seeped out. Nothing dangerous there then, with a nice hot engine for it to drip on. Getting one of those plastic temporary caps tomorrow.

Past all the vine yards, mountains towering over me, on I pushed, as the tarmac ended. 48 km to Oasis, the sign read. This was now Cederberg Mountains for real now. Dirt, dust, gravel and a shed load of leapords. "O joy ", I thought. Chonda seemed pretty good on the gravel and really enjoyed the blast. Finally we arrived at Cederberg Oasis at 5 pm. It's some sort of ranch, that's been converted into a Backpackers and camping place. There's a number of off road bikers here on mainly KTMs (no other Chonda's) all on their own challenges.

Well I'll try to upload some photos. Remember I'm spending a lot of money and missing out on Christmas. Crossing salt pans and the kalahari Desert to raise donations for wounded servicemen. Please click the Help For Heroes logo top right. Make a donation. ...these men and women have lost arms and legs. Lets give them the best Christmas present. A chance of a fully functional life.

Please Share this page as much as you can.

Will x