Adventure Riders Cape Town : 2014-07-12 Malmesbury, Misverstand, Gouda, Wellington

12 July 2014 - Misverstand Dam Run-around

For a change we decided to take a Saturday trip instead of Sunday mainly due to the pending rain expected on Sunday and headed out on a round-trip to Misverstand dam, 10km or so north of Moorreesburg. Pannas and Norman with his partner Janine on KLR’s joined us at Richwood at 8am and we met up with Kevin (Chef) on an ageing KLX at the Philidelphia turnoff.

The group headed on to Malmesbury for breakfast at the Wimpy. Even the staff are getting to know us and we get a warm greeting on arrival with a very welcome coffee for the cold . After breakfast we headed on the dirt roads towards Mooreesburg and took a number of the smaller gravel roads to Misverstand Dam. The roads were good and firm after the rains, and made for excellent riding. On the way there we saw some deer with antlers, one which just managed to miss Pannas while jumping over the road.

The wheatlands are recently planted and green, and even with the somewhat misty day, make for really beautiful riding. The steel bridge over the Berg just north of the dam is one of those built with rivets before welding – Titanic style. I stopped to capture its rustic beauty and take in some fresh farm air. Kevin’s bike was leaking a bit of petrol from early on in the day, and eventually gave up the ghost 20km away from Gouda. Pannas towed the bike through to Gouda and parked it at the fairly dodge looking Gouda Hotel. It will be interesting to see if there is something left to collect on Sunday!

We were all treated to the sight of Pannas lifting Kevin – hou Kawa, hou! – not a lightweight combo on one KLR. Not that it slowed Pannas down though, and I think Kevin must have sweated it out on the 80 or 90km trip back home. The rest of us went through to Wellington for a Pizza mostly on gravel via Menin and Slangrivier roads. Norman dispelled all our doubts about wheelies and KLR’s and gave David renewed hope that soon, he will be able to perform the same tricks on his KLR. Norman wheelies effortlessly 2 up in 2nd and 3rd gear for miles. Much respect! (for both rider and pillion)

After our pizza at “The Perfect Place” in Wellington, we headed our separate ways, getting home at around 4pm.

The route

K(an) L(ekker)R(y)'s setting off into the sunrise...

ltr - Norman/Janine (back), the Nav, the Chef & Pannas

the usual please... warming up at the Wimpy!

someone's getting creative in the kitchen.....

sorry, couldn't resist sharing this sign stuck on the ladies toilet doors! Malmesbarians can't spell but at least they have a sense of humour.. even if only toilet humour!

KLRs & tummies filled up, kitted up and ready to find some off the beaten tracks

The chef on his KLX who later needed more than just a kickstart to get the wheels rolling

the Nav grinning inside his helmet - It's GOOD to be out on the bikes again

lovely group shot (well almost)

Gripping stuff!

Chef enjoining all things green

"raar maar waar" - not often that the blogger gets to be in a photograph - thanks Pannas!

The wheelie king Norman and his queen Janine

and when the Nav gets on his bike, its time to GO...

Waiting for the Chef to get his KLX kickstarted... so glad I have an electric starter otherwise I'd NEVER get to take photographs on the run

The Nav turning around to find Pannas and the Chef...

Norman and Janine hot on the Nav's heels going in search of the 'lost ones'

The Nav finally gathered the group and continued on towards Misverstand

(almost) last but not least - yours truly following my leader

one last stop though as I just HAD to capture the amazing views from this magnificent old steel bridge

Misverstand dam somewhere to the right of this gravel road

Misverstand dam wall should be at least 10 metres higher to reach the level of the side walls
(picture borrowed from thewebsite)

Did you know how Misverstand dam got it's name? If you were Afrikaans speaking you would know that “misverstand” means misunderstanding. The dam's name means misunderstanding and if you look at the dam wall you can see why. The two farmers who were funding the building of the dam wall had an argument and it was never completed. Had they completed the dam, the water in the dam would most probably have been about 10 metres deeper which in turn might have destroyed some of the beautiful rock faces to be found higher up river.

A little bit misty, but still a beautiful sight to behold

it seems that even when I try and capture wildlife (antelope lying down), a windmill sneaks into the frame

gravel roads in fantastic condition and nice and damp with little to no dust to obscure the magificent views

gentle rolling hills, occassionally offering lone homesteads along the way

the Chef's KLX starts to misbehave

The Nav's tow rope coming in handy (again)

Pannas towing the Chef's KLX

see you guys in Gouda!

The Gouda Hotel seemed like the safest place to leave the KLX overnight

"the less said, the better"

The Tribe has spoken. Chef's walk of shame...

Lucky for the Chef, Pannas offers to lift him out of his predicament

Got myself caught up in the beauty of my surroundings.... "hold up Nav, I am on my way"

a good thing I saw the dust in the distance...

sorry guys, was taking some time to smell the wheat

Norman finds it hard to keep his front wheel down *envy from the Nav*

Traversing the beautiful valley in Wellington
Did you know? Sir George Napier suggested that the town should be named after ’England’s greatest soldier in 1840’