Nicki's blog

As soon as it looked like the rain was clearing up, I started making plans to do a ride. I invited my cousin along, and just as I was about to leave, he called to say it had just started raining in the city again, so he was going to give it a skip till this weekend. I decided what the heck, let's give it a go on my own.

I filled up at the 1 Stop out on the N1 towards Paarl, then took a left at the Stellenbosch offramp, and a right a few hundred metres on onto a gravel road parallel with the N1. The road was wet after the morning downpour we had, and had an almost sandy feel to it. The front and rear was feeling a bit unhappy at road pressures on this surface, but I pushed on standing on the pegs, it felt a lot better.

After a couple of k's, I turned left onto the Eensaamheid Road.





Deserted farm yard


Custom cab no more...


Here was another section with some bigger pebbles, so I decided to stop and drop the pressures to 2 bar.

A nice bloekom laning


Some open space after the tunnel vision


Now it felt better, and I continued until the road met the R312.


Here I turned right towards the R44. At the R44 I turned left towards Wellington, and left onto the Hoogstede road again after a km or two. I wanted to travel towards Slent road, but somehow missed the left turn, and found the Windmeul/Paardeberg tar, where I turned left.

View towards Paarl


A nice bloekombos to shelter behind away from the cold breeze


After a few k's I found the Slent road turnoff to the left, and turned left to eventually reach the Eskom experimental windfarm.

My bike turning 20k


View towards Klipheuwel


One of the wind generators


The next turnoff to take was Radio road to the left just past the R302/R304 crossing at Klipheuwel. I drove through the little settlement 3 times trying to find the road to Mellish station, but could not find it, and had to ask some locals. They said it was a Jeep track on the left of the railway, and my eyes lit up. Yes, sounds like fun! They also said it was a bit slippery due to the stones from the railway line, but I've been on those before!

Shortly after the start


The grass gets longer


Me and my ironhorse pushed on, and even met a real iron workhorse along the way.


Luckily there is enough space to pass, and I was in the left 'lane'. Just think how I would have reacted if I was in the right lane, and this baby came up from the rear and used that hooter!

Close to Mellish 'station' the path crosses the railway line, and then the Jeep track turns into a better track, and meets the Brahms turnoff off the R302.


I took a picture of droffarcs favourite water feature, and got on the black stuff to get home for another appointment.


Trip distance: 83km from 1stop to home. Time: 2:20.