George and Rally

Heading east it was rather windy and rained slightly, nice mountains and mist was the order of the day. Talking about mist, i was having a bit of a problem with my motorcross goggles, they had lost most of their foam and the lenses where rather scratched. Try finding googles in George, i went to every bike shop and where where they, yes the last one in my search. At the bike shop i was served by a very helpfull lad, he even did an add-on sale of tear-offs for the googles. Great invention but i personally found them a bit noisy.

Something about being a lone bike rider, everyone wants to ask u how u do it by yourself, dont u get lonely, what if something goes wrong. It was no differant at the bike shop. Just love talking to people like that, LOL, realy makes my confidence collaps. Seriously though, its nice to have people interested in what im upto, i dont mind repeating the same words day in day out. Ive not had one bad experiance in all my trips and if i have ive now forgotten.A nite in George then nth. to Graaff-Reinet, where in the center of town is a big old church, well worth the time to look. From there i took a dirt side road to a historic town, Neiu-Bethesda. Very original type of town sort of hidden in the ranges to the west of the hyw.

My main goal was to reach Colesburg and attend the Ulysses Rally, and what a waste of the word Rally. It was not so much a rally as a country fair that motorcyclists where invited to. The only up side was the great people i meet and the country feel of the fair. I watched sheep dog trials, strong man comps and the like but nothing to actually to do with motorcycles. I was disapointed i think ill hand back my Usless club badge. I was also the only person not to stay in a motel, what a bunch of girls. I did win the rat bike award, so i gess there was some motorcycle stuff.

From Colesburg i headed on to Venterstad, Ladygrey and into Rhodes. Nice day, in Rhodes i took a spot at the caravan park, i was the only gest. That nit i joined the locals and others at the Bar at the hotel on the hill. A cold walk back to the tent and an even colder nites sleep, well i was warm in my Bag but it was cold going to the loo.

From Rhodes i took a very windy, rocky, slow ride up and over a mt. pass in to Maclear. The pass was such great fun but boy was it cold and then cold. I took lunch in Maclear at ' Lisas kitchen' very nice it was. Rather funny when an old lady, local, came in and started stipping, i thought thats my luck, why was it not a nice young lady. From what i gathered she was a little crazy and this is not uncomon, the joys of travel.

Maclear led me to Kokstad then down into Durban, the Indian capital of South Africa. I took some tourist drives of Durban and did a little internetting while there. Checked out the beaches then moved on to Underburg where i got a nice cabin and spent the nite with the local farmers at the pub. Cold nite.

Underburg is not far from the SaniPass. This was also one of my goals.