Matroosberg 2009

This year is the 4th time that Leon and Lourens of [http://countrytrax.co.za Country Trax] have organized a weekend of offroad riding and camping at Matroosberg. This trip was previously done in preparation for the GS Challenge, but since the GS Challenge has fallen away, and future access of bikes to Matroosberg is uncertain, the event will be changing venue and/or format. ===Mr. Badger and friends...=== Our group comprised of Mr.Badger and me, Tian and his son Nils (ex-neighbours of mine who joined the club), and Andyman. We took the better part of Friday getting packed and finally embarking on the trip. ===Brake Trouble=== With an hour to departure, I decide (as I always seem to do) that this would be a good time to ''quickly'' clean my rear brake caliper (it's been sticking a bit). Surprisingly, I manage fine. But once it is all together the brake does not work. At all. I look up instructions for bleeding the system, but am stumped by the line: '''''"Attach BMW brake bleeding apparatus to the bleed nipple and activate."'''''. WTF?!? So now I must get the bike in to the dealer for repairs? There goes my trip. The End. Oh, wait, let me phone Andy and ask him what he would do... Put the phone on speaker and follow Andy's instructions. Eureka! What a boytjie! I am late but I am on my way, safe in the knowledge I will be able to stop when I get there. ===Matroosberg=== We arrive around 4pm. Andy is so excited he has to do a number two! Andy 0, Tiger Prawns 1: ...something about Anne's cooking last night I believe... Braai and Talk Team Briefing: Leon gives rules and instructions Leon describes tomorrow's ride as more scenic than difficult. We listen By the looks on some faces I would say he has a credibility problem. ===Saturday Morning Outride=== To business that we love: we rise betimes and go to it with delight! An early breakfast before we split into 5 groups to do the outride. I had slept like a baby (i.e. ''I woke up a few times and cried''). Turns out a 19-year-old sleeping bag just isn't warm enough in the matroosberg in a tent called, and evidently made for, Beach. Seems they don't make men like they used to 19 years ago either. Marise and Hennie: just before departure Stunning scenery was the order of the day: Orchards in Bloom: Michael Bucholz on his red 1100GS Ahoy there! R100GS HPN: Altus Pienaar on one of his modified bikes Lourens and the beast Leave only tracks Leon and Lourens had organized a route through private nature reserves and farms. We were under strict instructions to leave only tracks - if that. The ride was indeed a treat. Laughing Pillion: Guy Biscoe and Marise Group Photo: Our group was led by Wayne Sheppard ====The locked gate==== At the end of a very long stretch through some farms, we came to a locked gate. Turning back was not really an option. Hoe dan nou?: Our backup crew The solution was easy: unbolt the gate hinges with a spanner and open the gate using the locked chain as a hinge. ====Katbakkies==== (aka "''kakbakkies''") Our lunch stop and 'red-route play area' was at the foot of Katbakkies pass. Where's my pillion? KLR Magic: Michael on his Kawasaki 650 KLR Let's have fun The KLR was a revelation. Half the price but this youngster had much more fun - he loves riding so much that he wouldn't stop for lunch. Jaco plays in the dunes Long water crossing Stunning bike: ...and some nice scenery Ladies and Gentlemen...: I present to you, Hennie Lowe's bike in a landscape... ====The Route Back to Matroosberg==== The road back was very interesting and fun to ride. But it gave a number of people punctures. I was riding with Andy and Tian at the back. First we came upon Nikki Lutzener trying to fix a leak in the rim of his front wheel. He could not get enough pressure from the pump to seal the bead properly until he found a puncture. Once repaired he was on his way again. Unfortunately, Riaan and his pillion, on a KTM, ended up in a rut at the bottom of the descent and I watched in horror as they went down. I then struggled to stop myself close enough to run to their aid, and by the time I got to them Riaan had the bike up again and they were on their way in a jiffy. Puncture Pathway: Bester Els at work while Wayne supervises Then we catch up to Bester in a spot of bother. ====The Rush==== We were starting to run out of time to get back to the Skills Challenge in time. I started entertaining thoughts that it might be canceled. Then I started having regrets, because the skills challenge is one of the reasons I signed up. Once I had run through all my feelings about it, I decided that even if I was totally useless, I should at least give it a go. This rationale was against a backdrop of pretty aweful (afr=kak) riding during the day, and bruises from the Dune Course the Friday before. I do have standards to maintain you know, but my riding of late has been so bad that just entering the contest would be an achievement. ===The Skills Challenge=== We get back to camp around 4:30pm, and the Challenge was meant to have started an hour ago. Culprits: Lourens and Leon with naughty grins "Oh yes, the skills challenge is still on, call the others let's go down to the course." Well, when we got to the course, it looked like a drunkard had accidentally dragged barrier tape over the very rocky and sandy river a few times, crossed over his own path a few times, and fallen into sandy holes and emerged at awkward angles. This was not the 'oh so pedestrian' set of cones laid out on a wine-estate manicured lawn. The obstacles here were real, and there was a real danger of hurting yourself or your bike. To be fair, we drew numbers out of a hat to decide the order that we would compete in. '''I drew out the number 1!''' ===Mr Badger the Aerobat=== Lourens got me lined up early, with the motor running to warm it up and help avoid stalling. There was a rush because it was getting dark soon and we had 22 competitors. I would have liked to walk the course again, to think about how to ride it this time, because during the first walk-through I was a bit shell-shocked and horrified. But there wasn't time. Now I was off. Through slalom cones - easy. Boris Slalom Now an elephant turn - go outside the box, 10 points down. Perfect Elephant Turn Alternative Andy: didn't drop his bike - he put it down and swung it around on the pot! Back through the cones, to a box where a u-turn is needed. Choose the wrong direction and end up out of line for the narrow path up the hill. Andy up the hill Hennie on the crest Over the hill and down a sharp slippery turn to the left. Sharp sliding turn to the left I stop to gather myself for the very daunting-looking river crossing. Here goes nothing and I negotiate it without trouble. Daunting crossing Andy contemplates the daunting Not so some others, in particular Boris, whose fall made the most aweful bike-breaking sound, even though no real damage was done. Crunch!: No bikes or people were harmed in the filming of this report In spite of an otherwise superb round, Boris joined a few unlucky customers on this crossing. Next a u-turn in a sandy area with grass tufts. Tricky and I go over the line a bit. Then a descent into more sandy and tufty terrain. The sand interferes with your front wheel, and the tufts knock you around. Badger in sand and grass As is my wont after doing the Sand course and the dune course, I am aggressive on the throttle (more about that later), and end up lurching from tuft to tuft. Into a sandy hole and out again. Aggressive on that throttle. Lurch off the course instead of into the next sandy hole. Looking at the hole I decide to skip it instead of doubling back. That's 50 points lost right there. I want my mommy The next obstacle is another ugly-looking crossing. I sail through no problem. Badger Exuberance: showing off in front of the gooses But now I cannot remember where the course goes, and in the confusion lose it and drop the bike. Ag for Pete's sake: please make it stop Damn! A crowd of people come forward to help, but I fight them off bravely and pick up Mr. Pot-Belly-Pig-Eats-Far-Too-Much-Badger by myself. Lourens points out the narrow entry point to the next part of the course. A single-track along a slope, then sharp right into a bowl and out over a steep wall. Back on Track Now up and out But no. I stall on the exit wall and do a hill recovery manouevre. If only I had just run the bike back and tried again I would have saved myself many lost points. But with a lack of oxygen, panting like a scared bunny, with a dry mouth, I made all the wrong decisions. After dropping the bike, I got stuck in the grass and had to call for help anyway. Then, I '''was''' lined up, and Mr.Badger was so embarrassed at my clumsiness that he quite literally leapt out of that pit - watch: Leap: Notice how pleased Lourens is at my good position on the bike :) Scatter I remember seeing people scatter as Mr.Badger took to the air. I nearly landed on the rock in the elephant turn arena, but landed OK and was ever so grateful to be able to rest and catch my breath. I came 14th out of 22, which attests to the high standard of riding that Leon and Lourens have cultivated. I was disappointed with my result, but pleased that I participated, and that I beat Nils by two positions after he had challenged me by throwing down his gauntlet. Tian came 12th, and Andy was 10th. Jacques on an 1150GS like Mr.Badger showed that it is not the bike but the rider, by coming 5th. Young Michael on his KLR came third I think, and his prize was an 'Intro to Offroad' training, which is quite appropriate. ===Saturday Dinner=== Karoo Lamb on the spit. Lovely. We almost all went to bed early - and I made a point of sleeping in my full rider gear to avoid waking up cold in the night. With some cloud cover, the night was a lot warmer and I ended up waking up sweating like a pot-bellied badger... ===Sunday Outride=== A scenic ride around the farm. There are pictures. But I do need to finish up here. Trust me the pictures and scenery is stunning. Then brunch, prize-giving, Highs-and-Lows, lucky draws, and a ride home with my friends. ===Should you do this?=== If you like rides that are challenging yet safe, with great people, led by qualified instructors who know each person's capability, then this is for you. To be eligible for this kind of weekend, you should at least do the [http://www.countrytrax.co.za Intro to Offroad] training (and no, I don't get paid to say this - I pay full fee for my attendance at these things because they are worth every cent).