Itinerary for my first solo bike trip. +- 3500km

I leave the day after tomorrow and this last week has been so busy, that I have left most of the packing, sorting and cleaning for the weekend – including an update of where I will be going on my first solo trip.

Here is a quick overview of the whole trip. Sorry for unnecessary detail, but I am aware I have many overseas friends following as well and want to help everyone understand.

This trip was going to happen mid Oct, but I changed it so that I could attend the Wild Dog Bash, a country wide get together of other off road enthusiasts. The Bash will be held at Snow Valley (near Rhodes) in the Eastern Cape.

Day 1: Montagu to Uniondale. I hope to leave around 8.30 on Monday, 17 September - the day before my hubbys birthday. I go via Route 62 to Oudshoorn, where I will meet up with a friend for coffee.  Then Uniondale via De Rust.

Day 2: Uniondale – Port Elizabeth. Either via the Langkloof, meeting up a friend on the way (in Louterwater - yeah, you will have to go and look for it, its minute!). Otherwise via the Prince Alfreds pass to the N2, and do the Groot Rivier and Bloukrans Passes via Natures Valley on my way to PE.

Day 3: PE - East London via Kenton-on-Sea and Port Alfred. In EL I meet up with Abie, who is accompanying me to the Wild Dog Bash.

Day 4:  EL - Rhodes. I will be in the hands (or mercy?) of Abie, taking a detour around some back roads to Rhodes, where we meet up with another group of Dogs that evening.

Day 5:  Rhodes – WD Bash – After getting our tents up, I believe we might go for a ride?

Day 6:  WD Bash. My dream is to get into Lesotho and we will be 30kms from the border, but I have no idea how far the actual border posts are and how far our limited fuel supply will bring us. Let us hope for the best!

Day 7:  Bash – Hogsback.  Again a few detours to get to one of the prettiest areas in South Africa.

Day 8: Hogsback – East London. Some more detours and sleeping (and washing clothes) in EL

Day 9: EL – Plettenbergbay. A long drive and might even meet a friend for coffee. Hope to stop at Storms River mouth if time allows it.

Day 10: Plettenbergbay – Wilderness. Hoping to meet up with a friend and spend the day doing passes and trips in the Tsitsikamma.

Day 11: Wilderness. Trips in Tsitsikamma

Day 12:  Wilderness – Oudshoorn. If the weather is good, I want to attend the Springbok Rally, a family orientated rally at the foot of the Swartberg

 

Day 13: Rally. Go to The Hell via Swartberg or do Meiringspoort

Day 14: Oudshoorn – Montagu. Back home via Route 62 or the dirt roads via Rooiberg pass and Van Wyksdorp.

This is only a rough idea of what I want to get up to. Anything can change at a moments notice. Severe cold and snow with below zero temps forecasted for the time I will be at the Wild Dog Bash and want to get into Lesotho. Muddy conditions can be very arduous and slow going. Not to mention FREEZING in a tent!! All part of the adventure, right?!

You don’t stop riding because you’re getting old, but you get old when you stop riding.