SA Bucket List Rides

[rudi-h]

another great ride...

 

Location:  Graaff Reinet roundtrip

Discipline :  MTB / Gravel

Distance / Time:  ~415km / 4 days

Difficulty:  Moderate (ish)

 

Day 1:  Graaff Reinet to Toorberg (op die Sneeuberg grondpad)

Day 2:  Toorberg - Groenvlei gasteplaas

Day 3:  Groenvlei - Nieu Bethesda (via Kompasberg)

Day 4:  Nieu Bethesda - Graaff Reinet via Glen Harry nature reserve

[Wayne pudding Mol]

another great ride...

 

Location:  Graaff Reinet roundtrip

Discipline :  MTB / Gravel

Distance / Time:  ~415km / 4 days

Difficulty:  Moderate (ish)

 

Day 1:  Graaff Reinet to Toorberg (op die Sneeuberg grondpad)

Day 2:  Toorberg - Groenvlei gasteplaas

Day 3:  Groenvlei - Nieu Bethesda (via Kompasberg)

Day 4:  Nieu Bethesda - Graaff Reinet via Glen Harry nature reserve

this is an awesome option 

[PhilipV]

Its a crazy idea, probably wont be popular.

Well the Around the Pot organizers think a 200 miler is a great idea, so you might have some company.

[Dusty]

The Sishen to Saldahna Iron Ore Railway ride is iconic.

+- 900km

MTB or Gravel bike

It is a bikepacking route, so sleeping kit etc needed. Needs to be done in the cooler months imo. 

As hard as you want to make it. Anywhere from 5 days to 10 days of riding.

[mecheng89]

Calitzdorp to Prince Albert and back via Kruisrivier and the Swartberg pass.

 

Spend the night in PA.

 

Gravel

 

About 90km each way, tough ride there and easier ride back, neither for beginners.

SICK

[DJR]

Little bucket list stuff in my backyard? Quick but great stuff? 

 

1. Chapmans Peak, Hout Bay to Noordhoek and back, at sunset, on a really great road bike, for the views of ocean, mountain and road 

2. Missing link mtb trail along the 12 Apostles, from Camps Bay to Llundudno, at sunset, for the Atlantic views.

3. Newlands Forest to Constantia neck at sunrise, mtb, for the indigenous forest part above Kirstenbosch

4. Tafelberg road from Signal Hill to Devils Peak and back on a great road bike, sunrise or sunset, both fantastic, for the city and Table Bay views

5. Any of the Tygerberg mtb trails, in winter when it is green, and which has a view of Table Mountain. Hoogekraal, Contermans Kloof

6. Ride the West Coast cycle path from Melkbos to Milnerton on a single speed, for the view of Table Mountain growing as you come closer 

 

Edit: Thought this here thread could do with some pictures!

Edited August 6, 2020 by DJR

[Paul Ruinaard]

Herkerville Red Route

[DJR]

Harkerville Red Route

Yes It is spectacular

[Paul Ruinaard]

Little bucket list stuff in my backyard? Quick but great stuff? 

 

1. Chapmans Peak, Hout Bay to Noordhoek and back, at sunset, on a really great road bike, for the views of ocean, mountain and road 

2. Missing link mtb trail along the 12 Apostles, from Camps Bay to Llundudno, at sunset, for the Atlantic views.

3. Newlands Forest to Constantia neck at sunrise, mtb, for the indigenous forest part above Kirstenbosch

4. Tafelberg road from Signal Hill to Devils Peak and back on a great road bike, sunrise or sunset, both fantastic, for the city and Table Bay views

5. Any of the Tygerberg mtb trails, in winter when it is green, and which has a view of Table Mountain. Hoogekraal, Contermans Kloof

6. Ride the West Coast cycle path from Melkbos to Milnerton on a single speed, for the view of Table Mountain growing as you come closer 

like the cut of your jib....

[Shebeen]

there's a hole in my bucketlist dear Lisa

[geomark]

+1 on Swartberg/Die Hell and the Cederberg.

 

On Sani get it done as soon as you can/regs allow before it's stuffed up more, a great addition the day before/after is to do the Lower Lotheni gravel road from Nottingham Rd to Underberg, 90km of some of the most scenic gravel in RSA through the Drakensberg foothills. Then add Karkloof mtb.

 

The Mpumalanga Escarpment is seriously underrated riding in all disciplines, lots of accommodation and options;

Mtb - a whole series of venues but especially White River, little known but fantastic trails set up by some locals and taken over by MTO,

Gravel - endless district/forestry gravel up and down and along the escarpment with major climbs and stunning views

Tar - there is a reason international teams have camps up there, high altitude options, beautiful views, big climbs, little traffic and often a yellow shoulder.

[geomark]

there's a hole in my bucketlist dear Lisa

Must be nice to only have 1 hole 

[MTBeer]

Cederberg - Jamaka to Heuningvlei. +-80km.

 

[Mntboy]

Something that's always fascinated me is Port Nolloth to Durban... both are very roughly the same latitude, very different climates and over an hour apart in terms of daylight/timezones

Across the country following latitude or hugging the coast? Both would be very interesting rides though.

[BSG]

I think that the road from Kruisrivier back to Calitzdorp is one of the most magical rides one can do.

 

Good surface and after the climb out of Kruisrivier you have a undulating road gradually losing altitude so if you carry speed in you can power over the next rise (ok, this only works until you get to the dam).

 

The road is mostly shaded and you can do 50km without seeing a car, but it is not so isolated that it poses a threat.

 

I miss it.

 

Ps.

 

Where are you in Groenfontein?

I've done this one........in a motorbike [emoji23][emoji23]

[mrdaynes]

On 8/6/2020 at 10:04 AM, geomark said:

+1 on Swartberg/Die Hell and the Cederberg.

 

On Sani get it done as soon as you can/regs allow before it's stuffed up more, a great addition the day before/after is to do the Lower Lotheni gravel road from Nottingham Rd to Underberg, 90km of some of the most scenic gravel in RSA through the Drakensberg foothills. Then add Karkloof mtb.

 

The Mpumalanga Escarpment is seriously underrated riding in all disciplines, lots of accommodation and options;

Mtb - a whole series of venues but especially White River, little known but fantastic trails set up by some locals and taken over by MTO,

Gravel - endless district/forestry gravel up and down and along the escarpment with major climbs and stunning views

Tar - there is a reason international teams have camps up there, high altitude options, beautiful views, big climbs, little traffic and often a yellow shoulder.

Consider it now on the list.

Are you aware of any cycling groups based in or near Notties?

Cheers