Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Karoo - Day2 Leg9 - Fraserburg

We rolled into Fraserburg somewhat later than originally planned, but the Old Post road had been well worth the extra time investment, it had been one of the best parts of the whole trip. We eased into town, looked first for petrol, then for a place for something to eat and drink. Thirsty work out in the semi-desert! Finally found a little place called the Meercat Coffee Bar and got a fantastic hamburger there. Then realising we were only just half under way in distance, but with less than half the day left, we had to press on to our next stop Loxton and Victoria West. Still had 337km to go before dark.

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com. A short series on the Karoo Motorbike tour we took on during September 2011. See the plans for the trip blog here: Planning a 6 day 2500km route through the Karoo maximising dirt
More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.

Wind comes up and stirs up the dust in this little Karoo town

The approach to the town

Flowers everywhere

More flowers

Nice old Cape Victorian type building

Topping up with fuel

Some typical Cape Dutch style architecture

Our place of choice for a coffee and something to eat!

Centre of town

Outskirts of town and the new houses developed
Our next bit of the route from Fraserburg, via Loxton to Victoria West - 180km

The long road already behind us as we leave Fraserburg.

Watch out for Ant bear holes in the road Richard! That's coming up next.


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Tuesday, 28 February 2012

Karoo - Day2 Leg8 - Weird moonscape

Just about half an hour before reaching Fraserburg, we found a very strange landscape, which looked like there had been evidence of mining or human intervention with the landscape. If it wasn't mining then it was a very strange natural phenomenon that we'd not seen before. Strange little clusters of rock piles all over the place over quite some large area. If anyone knows, please leave a comment as to what this is? Thanks.

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com. A short series on the Karoo Motorbike tour we took on during September 2011. See the plans for the trip blog here: Planning a 6 day 2500km route through the Karoo maximising dirt
More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.
 
Rich having a laugh

Closer up of these strange rock piles into very small hills
Dotted all over the place for miles
Looking the other way - more of the same

Was that the flash on the rear light - otherwise why is the brake light on?
Photographing these strange outcrops
Adventure bikes in a very un-busy road
Windmill and rocky hillocks
Looking back to see if we can pull off

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Monday, 27 February 2012

Karoo - Day2 Leg7 - Oasis and Erosion

We were on the old post road on our way to Fraserburg, which is 180km of pure remoteness. Difficult to find things to say about endless open space after a while. On this leg of the journey we passed another farmstead that looked like an oasis of green in a very dry environment otherwise. We then carried on and found a place where when it does rain it really pours, judging by the recent erosion almost taking out the whole road! We also saw more flower growing in the road which is a testament to how often the road is used.

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com. A short series on the Karoo Motorbike tour we took on during September 2011. See the plans for the trip blog here: Planning a 6 day 2500km route through the Karoo maximising dirt
More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.


An idea of the remoteness of this place

We came upon a farmstead again with green trees and a garden - An Oasis

They must have a good source of water normally

Road following the river
Back out into miles of remoteness again - look at how the road carries on
Then we found a section of road that had been badly washed away

This side was really deep

Flowers growing in the road again

Not often you see this anywhere else!

On the last stretch to Fraserburg

In need of some food now

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Friday, 24 February 2012

Karoo - Day2 Leg6 - Soldiers Grave 1902

On this trip we had now riden for the best part of one and a third days and were a good 300km into the Karoo, when we discovered this group of nine soldiers that had died and been buried just off the side of the road.

The only reason we saw it was because we reached a gate in the road. We stopped to open the gate and continue and then noticed it just a few, probably about 15 meters off into the veld. They had died out here in 1902. It does not state why they had died, but it seems incredible that people would have been on horses so far out here. Does anyone know if there was a battle in this area? Amazing. Or did they just die from lack of water? Saying that I see there was some water there in the road, but only at this time of year.

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com. A short series on the Karoo Motorbike tour we took on during September 2011. See the plans for the trip blog here: Planning a 6 day 2500km route through the Karoo maximising dirt
More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.

The grave

reaching the gate




Parked up just through the gate - taken from the soldiers gave site




And we set off again

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Thursday, 23 February 2012

Karoo - Day2 Leg5 - Old Rusty Car

Another great thing about the Karoo are the occasional old cars you find being used as art work or as in this case a bit of artwork, and a cactus garden at the entrance to a farm where it seems an artist lives. We pulled over to get a picture of the long twisty road up the hill in the distance and then realized there was some thing slightly further down the road that looked interesting so we carried on to the car. I loved this old car - something very Karoo about it! Lost in time, dust and rust.

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com. A short series on the Karoo Motorbike tour we took on during September 2011. See the plans for the trip blog here: Planning a 6 day 2500km route through the Karoo maximising dirt
More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.














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