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**Haroon** · 01-26-2012, 07:21 PM

DAY-4 18 December (Visiting attractions around Oudtshoorn) The Adventure Day...

Assorted videos collection from Day-4

SOUTH AFRICA BIKE TRIP DEC 2011- DAY 4 - YouTube

We start the day with a leisurely & simple breakfast at the lodge (lets say a basic breakfast!). Today we just have the topcase basically for storing helmets etc while sight seeing & use light riding wear as we are riding just out of town where all the attractions are located.

FUNNY BOARD IN KITCHEN

A REFRESHING ICE CANDY ON A VERY HOT DAY

HOW ANIMALS PAY FOR MANS RECKLESS BEHAVIOR

INTERESTING THINGS AT THEIR CURIO SHOP

DURING NORMAL DAYS, YOU CAN RIDE THESE PARTICULAR OSTRICHES

OSTRICH EGGS IN VARIOUS FORMS AT THEIR CURIO SHOP

Adventure Tour Cango Caves Chimney Tunnel of Love The Coffin Devil's Kitchen Devil's Post Box Grand Hall Lumbago Alley King Solomon's Mines Devil's

THE ADVENTURE TOUR ROUTE MAP

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Tired & hungry on an exceptionally hot day, but feeling absolutely elated & invincible with all the exceptional experiences, we do a relaxed ride back to Oudtshoorn passing farmlands along the way.

**Haroon** · 01-27-2012, 03:36 PM

DAY-5 19 December (Oudtshoorn to Knysna)

Assorted video collection from Day 5

SOUTH AFRICA BIKE TRIP DEC 2011- DAY 5 - YouTube

ARRIVING AT THE FARMSTALL

THOSE PINK HANGING THINGS ARE MADE OF OSTRICH FEATHER

We meet with Chris & Celia for the first time after all these months of email exchanges. An absolutely wonderful couple who inspite of their busy time at the farm stall with Christmas shoppers, give us yet another taste of the amazing South African warmth & hospitality - thank you Chris & Celia.

MRS & MR ADVENTURE WITH CHRIS & CELIA

After the brief visit, we are on the N12 highway back to Oudtshoorn where the same highway turns left & heads down south towards the beautiful and intimidating Outeniqua Mountains. Just before the mountain, we stop at the well known Holgate Farm Stall & eatery for their specialty Griddle Bread with jam & cheese which is gulped down with some excellent tea.

Getting back to our trip, after crossing the Outeniqua pass we are soon descending into the beautiful and sophisticated looking town of George, which also signals our entry into the famous Garden Route of South Africa. We pass thru this fairly large sized town crossing many traffic signals (BTW, traffic signals are called ROBOTS in South Africa!).

Continued in next post

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**Haroon** · 01-27-2012, 03:39 PM

DAY-5 Continued

Moving forward at one point after riding a small incline, at its pinnacle like a flash we suddenly get a full blown view of the mighty & stunning Indian Ocean at a distance. Heading left we merge into one of the important arteries of the South African road system, the N2 highway with the Indian Ocean on our right. Vehicular traffic on this road is relatively heavy & fast but highly disciplined and soon pass the small towns of Wilderness, Sudgefield and although the ocean goes out of view, after a few twists & turns along a serene lake on our right we arrive at the beautiful small town of Knysna located on an estuary of the Indian Ocean and our halting point for the night.

Following the GPS we turn left and head to the luxurious Simola Hotel & Golf Course. We detach our sidecases and leave them at the hotel, have a cup of tea and hop on the bike minus the sidecases to see the breathtaking Knysna Heads. It is a very steep climb to its vantage viewpoint, but the R1200RT easily takes it in its stride. We spend the evening soaking in the natural beauty & magnificent views of the Indian Ocean several hundred feet down below and the Knysna Heads in the background. From the 42 dec C in Oudtshoorn yesterday to a mere 15 deg C in Knysna today-Wow, it was a welcome change.

In South Africa in almost all hotels we stayed- small or big, a complimentary assortment of teabags with sugar, whitener & electric kettle seems to be a standard feature, which we greatly liked

THE VERY FRIENDLY RESTAURANT OWNER

Total distance traveled today 223 kms

**rachitkohli** · 01-27-2012, 03:56 PM

Outstanding..!! Loving each pic with each word of narration..
Roads are simply superb..!!

**Haroon** · 01-28-2012, 01:59 PM

DAY-6 20 December (Knysna to Barrydale)

Assorted video collection from Day 6

SOUTH AFRICA BIKE RIDE DEC 2011, DAY- 6 - YouTube

We wake up to a bright sunny morning in Knysna. After a large & sumptuous buffet breakfast at the wonderful Simola Hotel, we are ready to rock n roll. So we pack up, load the bike and head back in the west bound direction on the N2 highway with the beautiful serene lake on our left. Once out of Knysna, we soon cross the town of Wilderness and continue on the N2.

MY WIFE TIMED THE CAMERA PERFECT FOR THESE 2 FLOATING PEDESTRIANS!!!

The Indian Ocean is accompanying us on our left, while beautiful mountains flank us on the right side. The road has a series of long sweepers and at one particular curve, many feet above us we encounter a large flock of skydivers in their colorful parachutes encircling overhead. I am sure those guys up there must be having an amazing experience and a spectacular aerial view of the scene below with the mighty Indian Ocean dwarfing everything else.

As we ride further the N2 soon becomes a wide 4-laned divided highway and we lose sight of the ocean. This road continues with farmlands on either side and after a good distance the Indian Ocean once again comes back into view with its dazzling white sandy beaches with a riot of colorful umbrellas on a nice sunny day and we are nearing the harbor town of Mossel Bay. With the warm waters of the Indian Ocean to the south, and the protective barrier of the Outeniqua Mountains to the north, Mossel Bay enjoys excellent weather, combined with white sandy beaches, its one of South Africa’s favourite beach holiday destinations. After our fuel stop & lunch break at Wimpy in Mossel Bay, we continue our journey forward on the silky smooth N2 highway passing Albertinia & Riversdale.

Some more cruising on nice smooth tarmac and we arrive at Heidelberg, where we stop for an early tea break at the well known Blue Crane Farmshop. We savor their fresh homemade African milk tart, Savoury Scone with jam & butter with a nice cup of tea. As I head back to the parking lot, its really windy and I know some more cross-wind wrestling is in store ahead!

We go further and then branch off into R324, which takes us thru the village of Suurbraak and then heading for the wonderful 14km long Tradouws Pass that was originally built in the late 1800’s. Traveling thru it one cant stop marveling at the engineering challenges the builders would have faced in carving the pass from rugged terrain without all the modern technology.

SEE HOW A MISSING ‘P’ CAN CHANGE THE WHOLE MEANING….

Day-6 Continued in the next post

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**Haroon** · 01-28-2012, 02:03 PM

DAY-6 Continued

After tackling the Tradouws pass and a few kms further down, the R324 road terminates at the junction with the famed Route 62. We turn right at the T-joint and a km later arrive at the quaint and charming town of Barrydale that we had simply ridden thru on day 3 of our ride. In fact the weather, landscape, fertile soil & vegetation here is very similar to the Mediterranean region of southern Europe and winemaking is big business here. Barrydale is a peaceful town where the timeless countryside charm welcomes you.

Total distance traveled today, 302 kms.

**Naughty VaIsH** · 01-28-2012, 07:49 PM

wow .. another one .. well i have no idea how did i missed this tread from the start .. was it up in ADV also .. as i was bit away from both for a while ..

good to see an new adventure ride from you bro.. well the highways are so tempting and the sweet ride you have chosen to ride is good combination

good luck for more rides

and thats a hell lot of scale model collection you have

**Haroon** · 01-28-2012, 08:10 PM

Originally posted by rachitkohli View Post

Outstanding..!! Loving each pic with each word of narration..
Roads are simply superb..!!

Thanks & glad you like the narrative.

Originally posted by Naughty VaIsH View Post

good to see an new adventure ride from you bro.. well the highways are so tempting and the sweet ride you have chosen to ride is good combination

good luck for more rides

and thats a hell lot of scale model collection you have

Thanks. I have some more bike & bus model pics to upload on the website....

**Haroon** · 01-28-2012, 08:23 PM

DAY-7 21 December (Barrydale to Arniston)

Assorted video collection from Day 7

SOUTH AFRICA BIKE TRIP DEC 2011- DAY 7 - YouTube

THE DAILY GADGET CHARGING RITUAL

Bredasdorp is basically an agricultural town and also hosts a one of its kind shipwreck museum in South Africa. Going back to some history along the southern coast of the African continent, a lot of ships have been wrecked in olden times when sailors thought the Cape of Good Hope was the southern most point to go around Africa and turned around the bend to be met with violent & tragic endings due to the jagged coastline turning this coast into a mariners nightmare. Therefore this museum (which was formerly a church in the 1800s) holds a lot of artifacts, furniture and other memorabilia from the many ill fated ships. The annexe building also displays old means of transport and Victorian domestic life that offer a fascinating view into the colorful past of the region.

Day-7 Continued in the next post

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**Haroon** · 01-28-2012, 08:25 PM

Day-7 Continued

After a small rehydration break in Bredasdorp we are heading in the southern direction to another one of our memorable stops in this trip- Touching Cape Agulhas, the southern most point of the huge African continent, which is also the point where the warm waters of the mighty Indian Ocean meet the icy cold waters of the great Atlantic Ocean. However, before celebration time, I must mention that the 25-30 odd km ride on the smooth R319 road from Bredasdorp to Cape Agulhas thru Struis Bay was one of the most harrowing rides on our trip as the strong cross winds are again playing havoc with the bike and us.

BREDASDORP POLICE STATION

FINALLY AT THE SOUTHERN MOST POINT OF AFRICA - CAPE AGULHAS

FUNNY SIGN IN A TOILET

With a wonderful balcony opening to the sea, we just sit there and spend the evening soaking in the views, while the unending waves from the blue waters of the Indian Ocean soothes the mind beyond words. We finally call it a day with a light dinner from Room Service.
Total distance traveled today 263 kms.

**Haroon** · 01-29-2012, 01:11 PM

DAY-8 22 December (Arniston to Cape Town)

Assorted video collection from Day 8

SOUTH AFRICA BIKE RIDE DEC 2011- DAY 8 - YouTube

Waking up early with the stunning view of the sea from the comfort of our bed coupled with the soothing sound of the waves, and the mild light from a cloudy sky, it was indeed an extra-ordinary feeling for us.

THIS IS WHAT MY AFRICAN SUN-BURN LOOKS LIKE

Fortunately, after Bredasdorp, though it is still cloudy, the cross winds subside and we have a nice & cool ride on a well surfaced tarmac backroad passing Napier, Fairfield, Akkedisberg pass & Stanford before merging with R43 road heading to the large & lovely whale watching town of Hermanus.

Hermanus is a trendy & lively place with a lot of holiday shoppers out on the streets in a festive mood and the road into town is lined with beautiful homes. All this on the ground, however one look above and the sky was conveying a more depressing message to Mrs & Mr Adventure - Yes, being endowed with relatively fair weather for the past 7 days, today we are going to see rain for the first time on this trip.

As we are getting out of Hermanus, small droplets of rain hit our windshield. As I am thinking that our riding gear is waterproof and can handle some amount of water, suddenly the droplets change to pouring rain as the sky opens up in full form! Now we are wonderfully wet, outside town on a lonely highway with no shelter, and our summer jackets are not really keeping the chills away either. I decide to carry on in rain.

Day-8 continued in the next post

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**Haroon** · 01-29-2012, 01:14 PM

Day-8 Continued

Re-charged in our stomach & mind, we get back on the wet roads with light rain still accompanying us. Infact, on this trip I had great plans to shoot some nice videos/pics etc on the spectacular Clarence Drive (its where a lot of BMW bike and other car commercials are shot), but without proper natural lighting and wet conditions, I fix my GoPro camera on my helmet and shoot a few stretches of the R44 road on Clarence drive with lots & lots of curves, the Atlantic Ocean on the left and the tall imposing mountains on the right. Though it was in wet rainy conditions, regardless we decided to make the best of this serpentine masterpiece of riding. It was pure biking Nirvana with the long sweeping curves with gentle ascends & descends, while the massive atlantic ocean on the left is looking you in the face and the sparse traffic makes you feel you literally own the road. The biker in me was simply ecstatic……especially knowing that this is probably the last stretch of wonderful twisties before we head into Cape Town and finish off the ride.

One camera on floor, one on my nut….!!

Riding the Clarence Drive on a wet rainy day

South Africa Dec 2011: Riding the R1200RT on a wet CLARENCE DRIVE - YouTube

The unforgettable Clarence Drive finally terminates at Gordons Bay, where we stop for the customary Ice Cream! Sure makes it taste better & romantic in rainy & overcast conditions! Added to that we have just finished an absolutely exhilarating ride on one among the best sport touring bikes on the planet!

Anyways, after the ice cream break and cooling off some of the adrenaline rush, we gun for the highway that takes us back thru the outskirts into beautiful Cape Town with lots of ‘ROBOTS’ to negotiate (means traffic lights in SA!) in the evening traffic. We arrive at the popular V & A Waterfront and then slowly inch our way towards Loader Street…

TEXTING AND DRIVING, VERY BAD COMBINATION!

Arriving at our base camp- 17 on Loader, what a great feeling to have done an absolutely enchanting ride of about 2000 kms thru the western cape of the rainbow nation thru varied kinds of landscapes, terrain, climates, foliage etc etc.

BRAVO, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED…...

AND, THAT’S SOME OF THE STUFF WE CARRY IN THOSE BOXES….

After unloading and washing up, we head to the Kaprinos restaurant for a buffet dinner. Well, the food was excellent, but you have to wait in a line of 60-70 patrons before you get your shot at the buffet counter. At Rand 99 per person, its an all you can eat affair and is good value for money esp with seafood like calamari and shrimps galore.

ITS NOT A WEDDING HALL.....ITS THE ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET (PAID OFCOURSE!!)

We head back on foot to our B&B on Loader Street enjoying the wonderful cape town climate and end the day with some well deserved sleep. Total distance traveled today, 276 kms.

Tomorrow is Cape Town sight seeing day…..

**kar1zma** · 01-29-2012, 06:39 PM

haroon bhai

truly an awesome and amazing adventure
kudos

alf alf mabrook
wish u many more such ADVENTURES

i truly hope that one day i can follow ur footsteps

**tourer_kashif** · 01-29-2012, 09:26 PM

Wow!!!
Amazing ride you guys had.
I loved the videos equally.
Haroon bhai & mam you guys rock.

**Ram_RD350** · 01-29-2012, 09:59 PM

Dear Haroon,

Since I got your mail this evening, I finished the whole thread in one go. I am really speachless.

In Farzana, you really have a biker lady eventhough she doesn't look the part. Please convey my regards to her and I am sure she will give courage for many to follow her steps in being with their respective spouses.

Look forward to the rest of it

Best Regards & Drive/Ride Safe

Ram

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