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Day 4 - the Klein Karoo and Ostriches!
We
had the bikes all packed up and were on the road by 09:00 for the day's
ride along Route 62 to Oudtshoorn, where we woould be staying for the
next two nights. We stopped in Swellendam for fuel and refreshments
before picking up Route 62 at Barrydale and heading into the Klein
Karoo.
The Karoo is a semi- desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. As the name implies, the Little Karoo is the smaller (and more southerly) of the two Karoo sub-regions. Locally it is usually called the Klein Karoo, which is Afrikaans for Little Karoo. Geographically it is a valley (bounded on the north by the Swartberg and on the south by the Langeberg and Outeniqua mountains). Once you hit the karoo the change to landscape is quite dramatic and cruising along Route 62 on the fully loaded GS I thought to myself - " Now we're in Africa". Well, the signs warning you to watch out for tortoises were a bit of a give away!
The Karoo is a semi- desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. As the name implies, the Little Karoo is the smaller (and more southerly) of the two Karoo sub-regions. Locally it is usually called the Klein Karoo, which is Afrikaans for Little Karoo. Geographically it is a valley (bounded on the north by the Swartberg and on the south by the Langeberg and Outeniqua mountains). Once you hit the karoo the change to landscape is quite dramatic and cruising along Route 62 on the fully loaded GS I thought to myself - " Now we're in Africa". Well, the signs warning you to watch out for tortoises were a bit of a give away!
 Ready for the day's ride |  Gert and Heike with the 650 |
 Ronnies from Route 62 |  Outside Ronnies |
 Lunch at Calizdorp |  Traffic cones, but what a back drop! |
You
are in the middle of nowhere, riding Route 62 when in the distance you
see a white building. As you get closer you can read the hand painted
red sign - "Ronnies Sex Shop". Ronnie painted the name Ronnie's
Shop on this cottage next to the R62, planning to open a farm stall to
sell fresh produce and fruit. His friends played a prank on him by
changing the name to Ronnie's Sex Shop. Initially angry about the
involuntary name change, Ronnie left the name and continued fixing the
dilapidated building. His friends would stop by for a chat, having a
few beers and throwing a couple of chops on the fire. During one of
these evenings, someone suggested: "Why don't you just open a pub?"
Ronnie's Sex Shop has had visitors from all over the world, judging by the graffiti, it has also become a regular pitstop for bikers.
Route 62 is excellent riding,and as there are generally no hedges in SA, you can see for miles. My riding was increasing in confidence, so bearing in mind it was still pretty windy and we were fully loaded I took the BMW up to 180 km/h, obviously not telling Trace about this till later.
We rode through Ladismith and stopped for lunch and fuel in Calitzdorp before making our way towards Oudtshoorn. As you approach Oudtshoorn you pass fields full of grazing ostriches - very strange!
As we had made good time Tony suggested visiting the Highgate Ostrich Show Farm just outside Oudtshoorn. By now it was late afternoon and the temperature was well into the 30s, but we all enjoyed the tour as a change of pace. Being the heaviest I stood on some ostrich eggs and Tracy briefly sat on one, just long enough for me to get a pic! Gert, who is built much more like a jockey than I am, actually did really well and rode one!
It was very enjoyable, but it had been a long day and we were pleased to arrive at the Stonebreaker Country Lodge in Schoemanspoort , north of Oudtshoorn. Once again the accommodation was excellent and we all enjoyed the kudu steaks in the Old Mill Restaurent just across the valley.
Ronnie's Sex Shop has had visitors from all over the world, judging by the graffiti, it has also become a regular pitstop for bikers.
Route 62 is excellent riding,and as there are generally no hedges in SA, you can see for miles. My riding was increasing in confidence, so bearing in mind it was still pretty windy and we were fully loaded I took the BMW up to 180 km/h, obviously not telling Trace about this till later.
We rode through Ladismith and stopped for lunch and fuel in Calitzdorp before making our way towards Oudtshoorn. As you approach Oudtshoorn you pass fields full of grazing ostriches - very strange!
As we had made good time Tony suggested visiting the Highgate Ostrich Show Farm just outside Oudtshoorn. By now it was late afternoon and the temperature was well into the 30s, but we all enjoyed the tour as a change of pace. Being the heaviest I stood on some ostrich eggs and Tracy briefly sat on one, just long enough for me to get a pic! Gert, who is built much more like a jockey than I am, actually did really well and rode one!
 Fat man abuses ostrich eggs...... |  Ride 'em er.. ostrich girl! |
 Who are you looking at? |  So that's what happened to Bernie Cliffton! |
It was very enjoyable, but it had been a long day and we were pleased to arrive at the Stonebreaker Country Lodge in Schoemanspoort , north of Oudtshoorn. Once again the accommodation was excellent and we all enjoyed the kudu steaks in the Old Mill Restaurent just across the valley.