It has been yesterday since I have written a little blog. I apologise for the delay, but a lot has happened since we last spoke. Moved back to a familiar orange company, KTM and much much more that has kept my mind busy. NO EXCUSES I TELL YA! I am back doing what I love and have found the love for it again. Motorcycles, cars and the sheer feeling it gives just leads to a whole bunch of happiness. A motor at 5 000 rpm hits the sweet spot and a moment of pleasure engulfs the mind. I know to a lot of people, a vehicle is just an item, a need to get from point A to B but for me it is a whole bunch of good feelings. Let’s hit the real stuff and an experience that I am fond of when thinking of the love that I have for a vehicle.
These last two years have not been easy on anyone or anything. The first 3 months of 2020 looked promising with new ambitions, goals and rewards. Unfortunately the world took a weird turn and that ended up causing a whole of host unwanted problems. Couldn’t ride bikes or go exploring. The Sunday breakfast ride had to conclude in your mind or you could watch a biker on YouTube going through the mountains and pretend it was you. A few months passed and I finally got onto a motorcycle and recreated those memories of pre 2020. Roll around July time and I have an opportunity with my dad to take a 790 Adventure and a 390 Adventure into the Cederberg mountain area. Right… so it is winter, it has rained the whole week and on the weekend it has cleared. Snow is almost guaranteed and it will be chilly. We officially hit the road at just after 2 as I had to work that day. We knew the sun would set at just after 6. Time needed to be made up before hitting the mountain area. Off we head, towards Tulbagh. Tar roads all the way till Ceres and the 790 Adventure is not dropping the 390. Both of us are having the time of our lives until Ceres where we realise that we both needed fuel in order to make it to Cederberg and back. Or so we thought. Off I pop to get fuel and it is just over 8 liters that is needed. The 390 then needed just over 6 liters. How is that possible? A 390? Lighter than a 790 on the open road!
We really needed to hit the roads to Cedeberg as soon as possible as the sun was setting, slowly. Up Gydo pass’ we go and stop to see the snow, as you would normally do even in a rush! Just over the canyon was a mountainous range that has the lightest of snow on top. Not too worry! Surely shouldn’t be too bad! As we approached the last little bit of the tar road before gravel, the temp on the bike’s ambient gauge dropped and dropped quickly. It was now reading just over 8 degrees. My dad and I were not expecting what we saw next… A mountain that was covered in snow, like a blanket. I could almost touch the snow with how much had fallen. Strangely, as we moved passed the snow mountain, the temperature rose slightly just before the gravel road began. Off the ABS goes at the rear and into off-road riding mode. My dad on the 390 is showing off his skills and making me look very novice. Although, he has ridden some gnarly 2 stroke dirt bikes back in the day. Now I have to catch him, and its cold, on an unfamiliar bike (never previously ridden the 790 off-road) and the gravel has a bit of mud and gunk on it. I swear it was like Tobey Price and a turtle!
The scariest part about the next 30 or so kilometers was the fact that phone signal had completely disappeared. Okay, maybe not all that bad but a youngster would definitely struggle without their socials in this area. The mountain area is beautiful and is dancing with the blue sky. A few times we stopped along the way to rest and take pictures. Finally we hit the last home stretch and I kid you not, there was roadworks! ROADWORKS! In the middle of a mountain range! It was slippery and we nearly threw ourselves off the bikes. Whoops!
Oasis Cedeberg is where we will be staying. Upon arrival, we are informed it is a honesty bar. Say what? You can take anything and they trust that you will pay? That is new! My dad and I are the only ones in jeans, leather road boots, leather jackets and road helmets! WEIRDOS! The best ribs and chips I have ever had and it was a bargain price, but the real treat happened at night. Look up and be shunned quiet by the beautiful sky. The milkyway galaxy. The stars brighter than in a town and bright enough to guide you home. I would, 10/10, recommend to anyone to go once.
Here came the real fun and games. MotoGP was starting their season and we wanted to get home in time to see the first race. Right… Let’s leave at 7 to get home by 11 to catch the Moto3. Not impossible but going to be a close call! Off to the steads we go and both bikes start up easier than ever in the ice cold temperature. We start riding after about 5 minutes of letting the bikes warm. Up the valley we climb and it is getting warmer but then the world through a little trick, we came back down and it got colder and colder. Eventually the temperature hit -4 degrees. HOLY CHRISTMAS CRACKERS! That is cold. Now I realise why everyone wants to have heated grips.
We did make it back to the HQ at just after 11, phew, and we watched the Moto3. Now the reason why I enjoy this memory is for a simple reason. We live a short life, sometimes over looked with fear or doubts. I am not the most confident on an off-road or adventure bike, but I do try and I have huge fun. I let my fears turn into a reality and conquer it. There are moments where you fall over or go through water and can’t control the bike but it is all about fun, enjoyment and make the most of that moment.
I promise that my blogs will not be this far apart again and thank you so much for the continue support! Each of you are appreciated.