Post by Dave S on Feb 21, 2008 20:22:11 GMT 2
Was in KZN for the week if 11 February on business and was only planning on coming back to PTA on 18th. So took the Adventure down on the trailer to do some riding the weekend.
So,come Saturday 16th the plan was to ride from Kingsburgh to Pietermaritzburg on R603(and try to visit a private game reserve on the way). From PMB to Wartburg and on to Tongaat. Then on to Kranzberg Nature Reserve in Kloof/Hillcrest area.
Started of at 08:45. Arrived at game reserve and spoke to their reception – did not want to let me in on the bike – have some of the big five and it is not safe. Decided to carry on - going by way of Richmond as I had never been there before.
So turned off the R603 onto the R624. Nice road with lots of sweeps.
Got to Richmond – main road.
Had seen some signs on the way in indicating some interesting places. The first being the oldest Anglican Church in KZN – St Mary’s – established 1953.
Also found the Museum. Where is the City of Johannesburg?
Right here in Richmond of course!!
Road behind the church - small cemetry at the back of the church.
Decided to try to find Bhambatha Memorial site
.... and came to the end of the tar
– carried on with the dirt road only to end up in an orchard of some type
– obviously the memorial site is down one of the other roads and not clearly marked. Decided to give it a miss.
Riding out of Richmond saw the sign showing ‘Richmond Valley’ – hmmm – never been there either so time to go have a looksee.
Tree-lined road to one of the houses.
Eventually ran out of tar,
but the tree lined road looked inviting – and after all the reason for getting rid of the RT and getting the GS was to be able to ride dirt roads in just such a situation – so carried on!
Eventually it ended at a house’s driveway.
Time to turn around and go back the way I had come
– avoiding the logging vehicles.
Carried on along the R56 to Pietermaritzburg and realized I was hungry. Stopped at Franki Bananaz at 11:45 for a bite to eat and a cold one – realized that I had not got off the bike for the past 2 hours – no wonder by backside was starting to feel a bit tender.
Shaken, not slurred!!
After lunch, carried on to Wartburg and stopped for a'rest'
– saw a soccer match being played on a ‘field’ of long grass.
Then proceeded along the R614 to Tongaat. Getting on the highway saw this sight.
Was the third time I had come across this today.
….and then on to Kranzberg Nature Reserve. Nice winding road through the suburbs starting at the Stokers Arms in Hillcrest.
Even found a place to hang my jacket!!
While riding round the area, following my nose, came to a sign warning of occasional flooding. Did not realize it was today!!
Crossed the ‘floodwaters’ and eventually came to a T-junction.
Decided to turn left and carried on for a while. Did not have a clue where I was but could see the sea ahead so knew I was headed in the right direction.
Went through a lot of rural areas and the road suddenly went downhill – very steeply. Saw I was riding alongside the Mgeni River. Stopped on the bridge and was amazed at how quiet and peaceful it was. All I could hear was the water flowing over the rocks.
Still had no idea where I was! The road was excellent – very good surface. Then, through the trees I saw it….
…a dam. As I got closer I came to another T-juction – tar road left going away from the dam and a dirt road right going towards the dam. So, right it was onto the dirt road.
After some time of seemingly going nowhere I turned around, managed to move past the natural obstacles to the bridge and onto the tar road.
Realised it was in fact Inanda Dam.
Did not know if this only went to the dam and whether I would later need to travel back the way I had come – but that was a problem for later.
Once again a lovely twisting road to a viewpoint above the dam.
A view of the river and the tar road I had ridden along.
Looking over the dam you can see the dirt road I travelled on earlier.
Carried on to a four way intersection – the sign indicated right to the dam. When I got to the entrance (it was already 4:30pm), I asked the guard whether I needed to travel the same road back. He told me to go back to the intersection and go straight.
What a brilliant piece of road with hairpin bends galore!!
A left turn at the top and to my amazement I found that I was in an area called Waterfall where one of our customers is.
A short ride back through Kranzberg Nature Reserve brought me to Stokers Pub at 5:15pm. I had only missed 5mins of the Stormers game and decided to stop there to watch the rugby and have some supper.
A fantastic days riding - getting to the places I wanted to and seeing lots of areas I had not planned on riding through.
Got home at 9pm – just over 12 hours after I had left this morning. 463km later and 6hrs 4min of riding time through some fantastic countryside.
Will be in KZN the weekend after the Buff with Doroty and am looking forward to taking her along this road then. ;D
So,come Saturday 16th the plan was to ride from Kingsburgh to Pietermaritzburg on R603(and try to visit a private game reserve on the way). From PMB to Wartburg and on to Tongaat. Then on to Kranzberg Nature Reserve in Kloof/Hillcrest area.
Started of at 08:45. Arrived at game reserve and spoke to their reception – did not want to let me in on the bike – have some of the big five and it is not safe. Decided to carry on - going by way of Richmond as I had never been there before.
So turned off the R603 onto the R624. Nice road with lots of sweeps.
Got to Richmond – main road.
Had seen some signs on the way in indicating some interesting places. The first being the oldest Anglican Church in KZN – St Mary’s – established 1953.
Also found the Museum. Where is the City of Johannesburg?
Right here in Richmond of course!!
Road behind the church - small cemetry at the back of the church.
Decided to try to find Bhambatha Memorial site
.... and came to the end of the tar
– carried on with the dirt road only to end up in an orchard of some type
– obviously the memorial site is down one of the other roads and not clearly marked. Decided to give it a miss.
Riding out of Richmond saw the sign showing ‘Richmond Valley’ – hmmm – never been there either so time to go have a looksee.
Tree-lined road to one of the houses.
Eventually ran out of tar,
but the tree lined road looked inviting – and after all the reason for getting rid of the RT and getting the GS was to be able to ride dirt roads in just such a situation – so carried on!
Eventually it ended at a house’s driveway.
Time to turn around and go back the way I had come
– avoiding the logging vehicles.
Carried on along the R56 to Pietermaritzburg and realized I was hungry. Stopped at Franki Bananaz at 11:45 for a bite to eat and a cold one – realized that I had not got off the bike for the past 2 hours – no wonder by backside was starting to feel a bit tender.
Shaken, not slurred!!
After lunch, carried on to Wartburg and stopped for a'rest'
– saw a soccer match being played on a ‘field’ of long grass.
Then proceeded along the R614 to Tongaat. Getting on the highway saw this sight.
Was the third time I had come across this today.
….and then on to Kranzberg Nature Reserve. Nice winding road through the suburbs starting at the Stokers Arms in Hillcrest.
Even found a place to hang my jacket!!
While riding round the area, following my nose, came to a sign warning of occasional flooding. Did not realize it was today!!
Crossed the ‘floodwaters’ and eventually came to a T-junction.
Decided to turn left and carried on for a while. Did not have a clue where I was but could see the sea ahead so knew I was headed in the right direction.
Went through a lot of rural areas and the road suddenly went downhill – very steeply. Saw I was riding alongside the Mgeni River. Stopped on the bridge and was amazed at how quiet and peaceful it was. All I could hear was the water flowing over the rocks.
Still had no idea where I was! The road was excellent – very good surface. Then, through the trees I saw it….
…a dam. As I got closer I came to another T-juction – tar road left going away from the dam and a dirt road right going towards the dam. So, right it was onto the dirt road.
After some time of seemingly going nowhere I turned around, managed to move past the natural obstacles to the bridge and onto the tar road.
Realised it was in fact Inanda Dam.
Did not know if this only went to the dam and whether I would later need to travel back the way I had come – but that was a problem for later.
Once again a lovely twisting road to a viewpoint above the dam.
A view of the river and the tar road I had ridden along.
Looking over the dam you can see the dirt road I travelled on earlier.
Carried on to a four way intersection – the sign indicated right to the dam. When I got to the entrance (it was already 4:30pm), I asked the guard whether I needed to travel the same road back. He told me to go back to the intersection and go straight.
What a brilliant piece of road with hairpin bends galore!!
A left turn at the top and to my amazement I found that I was in an area called Waterfall where one of our customers is.
A short ride back through Kranzberg Nature Reserve brought me to Stokers Pub at 5:15pm. I had only missed 5mins of the Stormers game and decided to stop there to watch the rugby and have some supper.
A fantastic days riding - getting to the places I wanted to and seeing lots of areas I had not planned on riding through.
Got home at 9pm – just over 12 hours after I had left this morning. 463km later and 6hrs 4min of riding time through some fantastic countryside.
Will be in KZN the weekend after the Buff with Doroty and am looking forward to taking her along this road then. ;D
