capediver

Day 4...De Vlugt to Diepwalle camp. Oh its only 38ks I hear you say!!! Hoo boy, throw 40ks on your bike, add a healthy dose of atmospheric temperature..like 43degs C....then who knows how many ks of ascent...and its game on...the forest teases you all the way...hi..here i am...its lekka cool under my trees...then na.ah...im gone and its hilly and blazing hot...I just made it to Buffelsnek on the last bottle before breaking the seal on the emergency bottle...it was close...then from there into Diepwalle proper a breeze...a deviation up Spitskop to check the view..1k of 13% nearly broke me!! The view though was worth it...then a short stroll through the fern valley and up to a big tree... Diepwalle camp site is nicely elevated so downhill out of the blocks tomorrow morning...looking forward to Kom Se Pad... Ran into Tony Thorburn from PE and Fat Tracks...legend!!!! Regalled each other with stories of derringdoo!!! He's done it all...I'm still wet behind the ears!!! Lekka

Diepwalle area....including a detour up to Spitskop...for the view!!

No worries...when im done I'll share my Garmin route...

Day 3...Eagle Falls to De Vlugt.... Hellava slog out of Eagle Falls back onto the Kammanassie road and to the end of the road where it joins the N9....gravel perfection that road...recommend Kammanassie any day of the year...great condition... Near end of Kammanassie, came across a gang on tour from Knysna...sporting proper gravel topend bikes...had a nice chat with the lady in support car...SA guys who ride in Spain and on holiday?! Then a big haul up Potjiesberg pass 8km at 8 %....down to the Apple Crate Padstal for moer coffee and egg, bacon and cheese rosterkoek...I sweat that got me thru the day cause I was really worried about the climb to the top of Pronce Alfred Pass...turned out cool....4 -5% for about 4ks then exhilarating descent for ever into DeVlugt...what an absolute beast of a pass and so glad I was going down and not up!!! Stopped and chatted to an elderly gent on his way down with a huge load of besem grass in his arms....he picks it at the top of the pass then goes home and makes brooms for the locals in Avontuur...10k round trip and that stuff is not light...respect! Gave me a nudge in determination to get to the top! Angie's Gspot gave me a spot on the river..shout out to Mark...

Yoh big day off Kammanassie to Prince Alfred Pass down to Angie's G Spo at De Vlught!!!

Day 2...Dysseldorp to Eagle Falls along the Kammanassi Road... This gravel road links an series of valleys and fruit farms that are established along the Kammanassie River..starting in Dysseldorp, its a bit trashed from farm traffic but the rest is real good...rolling hills with a few thigh burners...the scenery changes as well with more greenery generated from the ample water in the valleys...there's no flow at the moment but there's plenty underground Over night at Eagle Falls..spectacular place overlooking rock pools and waterfalls..grassed campsites and awesome chalets with bar restaurant overlooking the canyon!! Shout out to Mike and his piece of heaven!! 66ks Last 3 to Eagle Falls had the biggest climbs and descents...10 to 12% plus...tomorrow morning is going to be a b$^^th to get back to the road!!! Lekka HOVER_20260106_beauty_1767711117119.mp4

He flew up! I should mention the others...at the pass signboard a couple stopped on there way up...Tommy was already going down... a couple from CTN...both fit as ****...guy probably works as aviation mechanic...kick starting Jumbos...jissie never seen such thighs!!! And then a group of 3 passed me earlier on the pass...one of them is a bikehub shadow...saw these posts and instantly greeted me!!! Embarrassed to say I never got their names...they went all the way along same route along Paardepoort had coffee near Oudshoorn and turned back...bumped into them hauling over the Paardepoort rollers..thats a huge day! Over 120ks in 45 degrees!!! Yoh, respect...sorry I never got their names...

Day 1...holy !##% Montagu Pass!!!! What an experience...and its doable by anyone with some cross country MTB experience.. even by gravilists!! There are some sections that you have to take care and if you alone best to get off and walk it but not enough to spoil a good day on the bike... Met a few bikers on the path...Tommy from JHB hammered it up to the top on his Dale leftie in 40mins!!! Holiday snake!! Kippie here took his time stopping often to wonder at the marvelous sights...what place...in all just under 3 hours pushing about 50% of the way...only cause of rig and weight!! Then flying down to Perdepoort and a nice long descent thru the poort and then not quite champagne gravel but good sparkling wine stuff...rolling hills...no shade and hot as hell! And early in to Dysseldorp and Hazenjacht cabins to loll about in the pool and recharge... What a day i tell you...flipping heck...stoked...66ks.. I got more pics on other devices...big screen movie coming out later!!! Onward to Kammannassie Road to Eagles Falls...another 60 odd...but heat is gonna be huge! Lekka

Road closed to vehicles but not madmen on 2 wheels...

Nah...straight over....plenty of recent tracks...

Ground zero...its just got real!

Thanks for the info, i got mine in Qatar at a craftman's place...camel hide...has taken a beating for 3 years and yeah its the scarfing down and then the holes that take time...there's a leather guy in S Town I saw a few days back near the Lord Nelson who may be able to run up some tape...he does belts so its just a bit thinner and I don't mind if the edges are the same thickness so no edge scarfing...just means wrap is a little thicker..no issues..cheers!

Glass half full! Just have to fuel up! Weather is looking ominously hot so holding thumbs for some coolness on day 1 and 2!

If that is real leather bar tape, please let me know where you got it?

Headed that way in a few days! Frothing!!!!!

You are right, according to their website runners are allowed before 10AM on weekends but it all just doesn't make sense...this puts runners on that section on the road at peak cycling times...so you can't walk that section at all at any time but if you walk really fast and break into a jog...you can run it...and generally this is done running into the oncoming traffic for runner safety reasons but I have often had very close calls going down and almost colliding with runners hugging the cliff-side running up from Noordhoek to the viewpoint against the flow and direction of traffic...for the same reason.."runner safety" Why not simplify it...no foot traffic from viewpoint to Noordhoek... In fact...here's the solution: Ala Lake Garda.... Coat, hat, door..slam.

Ja .the runner thing is a bit confusing ...chappies site says from view point to Noordhoek.. .Pedestrian movement between Lookout Point and Noordhoek Corner (km 28,6 and km 33,1) is prohibited at all times...does a pedestrian become a runner when he starts jogging!🤣?? Runners will not be permitted between Lookout Point and Noordhoek Corner (km 28,6 and km 33,1) during the following hours: Weekdays (off-peak season) 07:00 – 08:00 & 16:30 – 18:00 Hours of darkness Weekends, Public Holidays & Peak Holiday Period (15 Dec - 5 Jan) 10:00 – 19:00 Hours of darkness So technically the runners shouldn't have been there...it was Sunday before 10am.. and the riders ahead of me were not in single file.... So everyone in this scene is out of bounds ..!!!

Love this road!

Ending 2025 going downhill!...

Not just DUI, also just DGAF....

This morning...Chappies....count the number of "transgressions" here....and the number of near- misses...

SIL did some recce from Plett...section around Diepwalle is looking epic!!!!

Everything delivered, rushing back for eggnog!

Chasing the rising rays....

I got mine overseas but any local supplier of Profile Design should have them, just be aware that you need the riser that fits your specific type of bars and clamps you have as they have a few styles of risers...not cross compatible... https://fluidlines.co.za/collections/profile-design https://www.takealot.com/profile-design-bracket-riser-kit-60mm-including-bolts/PLID90019268 You get risers for: Aerobar A3A A3C https://profile-design.com/collections/aerobar-accessories