A little help with routes at Van Gaalens

[Steady Spin]

Good morning. 

A little help please. VG is not known for excellent trail signage and as a result we got terribly lost just before the concrete strips climb. 

Thanks to @_David_ I now have a GPX file to help plot the route better. 

Below is where we went wrong. We tried to skip the "concrete strips" & "tant miems" due to lack of fitness only to get stuck next to the fields on what Trailforks believes is a section called "Edge of the Fields" leading to "Wave Rider". Thanks to an oversight in topping up sealant we both punctured and had to hike back. 

The booboo is indicated on the map as well as what we thought would be the route to get to the railway and then "Pomphuis Loop"

Is there an option to get to Pomphuis without going over Concrete Strips etc?

We do have friends that know the route but they insist on the Concrete Strips and apart from fitness we also don't like the super rocky downhills on the other side. My fiance is that confident on technical trails like that. 

We just want a nice day out to stretch the legs and do a little climbing. 

My plotted route below

 

 

[_David_]

This route follows "wave runner" instead of "concrete climbs", but it is still pretty rocky to get to "pomp huis". You turn right instead of left at the bottom of "concrete climb".Van_Gaalens.gpx

Edited January 24, 2022 by _David_

[Steady Spin]

Looks like that comes back on a black route called "Saddle Singletrack"

Let me look at the heatmaps quickly. 

I also downloaded the full map from the Van Gaalens site but it isn't super clear with something called "Ode to Erik" into "Gully" into "Wave Rider" 

I just couldn't find "Wave Rider" It appeared to be super overgrown.

[Swift01]

Sorry to hear you got lost and got punctures. To answer your question how to get to waverider without going along the 'Edge of the field" you can do the following:

1. Ride as if you are going to the concrete strips. When at the very base of the concrete strips instead of going left and up the strips go right and off the end where the strips end, you will see about 5 meters further a single track going left up the hill (basically opp direction to going up the strips". The will take you to single track (purple signs) which will eventually go along the top of the ridge (lands on the right but you are on a ridge). This single track takes you to the start of waverider.

Stay off pomphuis at the moment. loads of devil thorns at the moment. Must have collected over 30 in my tires a week ago.

To get to baboons, there is 2 ways. You can take what your map calls "Baboon 1". You turn off the district road go through the gate at the guard house, then go all the way up to the greek church.

We tend to start the river keeping to the left track and go up to the Greek church via what your map calls "Greek Church 1" and "Greek Church 2". Again go right up to the Greek Church.

Once at the Greek Church you have to look for the Red sign that says Baboons. Bit hard to see due to the growth but if you stand at the boma looking towards the dam, the Baboons track is to your left through an gate and up the hill. As you go through the gate keep to the right.

[Steady Spin]

Good to know about the Pomphuis loop. 

We got stranded with 100s of these little buggers in our wheels. Rode as far as we could before hiking the rest of the way next to the tar road. 

Starting to think that Bufffels might be a good option instead for a good leg stretch. 

I do have fond memories of previous rides at VG though. Would be great to relive that.

[Thug]

I rode Van Gaalens yesterday and the signage as far as I was concerned had improved tremendously.

Rode Concrete Strips, Tannie Miems, Railway Tracks and Greek Church and although we knew the route, there was plenty of clear signage.

[DIPSLICK]

is Eric or his son still involved, was always a great spot to ride

[_David_]

I haven't ridden there since Eric had his accident. Best trails in JHB.

[Swift01]

Victor is running it now since Eric's accident. As @Thug said he you knew the old VG then the new signs are a massive improvement. He is just struggling to keep up with some weed eating. Concentrated on the river section last week and was looking a lot better on Sat.

[Steady Spin]

56 minutes ago, Thug said:

I rode Van Gaalens yesterday and the signage as far as I was concerned had improved tremendously.

Rode Concrete Strips, Tannie Miems, Railway Tracks and Greek Church and although we knew the route, there was plenty of clear signage.

I think the last time I rode VG with you was in 2013. Good times back in those days with the dogs. 

I'm heading there again on Saturday. Will keep my eyes open for the signs. It is very well marked at the start though. Can't fault that. 

I can imagine it being more difficult to maintain it out on the outskirts of the trails. 

[Steady Spin]

24 minutes ago, _David_ said:

I haven't ridden there since Eric had his accident. Best trails in JHB.

What happened after the accident? I remember reading about it and being heartbroken for him. What a legend of a man. 

Was he paralyzed? 

[_David_]

1 minute ago, Steady Spin said:

What happened after the accident? I remember reading about it and being heartbroken for him. What a legend of a man. 

Was he paralyzed? 

 

 

 

[Steady Spin]

Ah man... this breaks my heart.

[L.T.G]

3 hours ago, Steady Spin said:

Good to know about the Pomphuis loop. 

We got stranded with 100s of these little buggers in our wheels. Rode as far as we could before hiking the rest of the way next to the tar road. 

Starting to think that Bufffels might be a good option instead for a good leg stretch. 

I do have fond memories of previous rides at VG though. Would be great to relive that.

for future ref....

 

If you go through the middle of that farm/field you can avoid the plague that is those devil's thorns.

Took a group out in December and what was supposed to be a decent 40/50km ride was cut down to 20odd due a billion "DNFs" from punctures from those thorns (sealant could only help so much)  

[Swift01]

Eric does the Cheese tours now. He can get some serious speed in that wheel chair 🙂

[Steady Spin]

21 minutes ago, L.T.G said:

for future ref....

 

If you go through the middle of that farm/field you can avoid the plague that is those devil's thorns.

Took a group out in December and what was supposed to be a decent 40/50km ride was cut down to 20odd due a billion "DNFs" from punctures from those thorns (sealant could only help so much)  

I think I saw the road going through there. Didn't want to plough a field and get shot in the process.

We flatted at 18km and hiked 2km back to the car with our tails between our legs.