Eastern Free State

Day 01: Centurion to Rosendal

Distance: 452km                             Elapsed Time: 07h35                     Moving Average speed: 89km/h

Anthony and I met at Carl's Coffee Roastery in Bronberrick, Centurion at 07h30 for coffee before departing at 08h00.  The temperature was a comfortable 10C.  I followed Anthony along the R21 south where we encountered heavy mist all the way to the airport and very slow traffic at Gillooly's Intersection.  Once we got through is was easy riding along the N3 to Villiers where we stopped at the Engen One Stop to refuel and stretch our legs.   

I realised that the left spotlight metal bracket on my motorbike had broken due to 21 years of metal fatigue.  I bought some cable ties at the Petrol Station shop and secured the spotlight to the bike frame along with duct tape for reinforcement.

We took the R26 to Frankfort and Bethlehem and stopped at the Bethlehem Museum in the hope of seeing their vintage vehicles.  Unfortuntely they only open between 14h00 and 16h00 on Wednesdays.  We continued to the quirky Roadside Diner for breakfast.

We continued along the R26 to Fouriesburg and 5km before Ficksburg we turned onto the R70 to Rosendal.

The roads were all in good condition except for a few potholes that were easy to avoid.  We arrived in Rosendal at 14h45.

We stopped at Yolla's Restaurant & Bar for a beer while we waited for Anthony's sister-in-law Stina, to join us.  After drinks we headed off to book into Rosendal Backpackers.   

Norman met us and arranged that we could park the bikes under the Bar veranda so they would not get covered in ice during the night.  Stina then took us on a fascinating tour through Rosendal and it's "small homes" and "large homes".

We returned to Yolla's to enjoy the Wednesday Special Hamburgers.   Stina dropped us off at the backpackers where we enjoyed a comfortable night despite the temperature dropping to -1C.

Day 02: Rosendal via Golden Gate to Clarens

Distance: 181km                             Elapsed Time: 6h32                     Moving Average speed: 66km/h

We woke up to a chilly morning of -1C.  We enjoyed coffee and rusks before heading off at 08h30 to Stina's home to greet her farewell.

The air was clear and crisp, however we were well prepared for the cold.  We headed back along the R70 to Fouriesburg.  I followed Anthony while he did a short tour of Fouriesburg before stopping at Toeka Bar for breakfast.

There was a family of 3 guys on their Royal Enfields who were enjoying a hearty breakfast before heading to Johannesburg.  We chatted for a while before they headed off.

We took a ride along the scenic R712 through the Golden Gate National Park (GGNP) and Lichens Pass before turning around and stopping at the Sugar and Cinnamon Restaurant on the western side of the GGNP for their speciality pancakes.  Riding through this area is always a new experience as the mountains and veld colours change from morning to sunset and throughout the seasons of the year. 

Day 03: Clarens to Centurion

Distance: 390km                             Elapsed Time: 6h19                     Moving Average speed: 84km/h

CONCLUSION

A winter bike trip can be harsh, but if you dress correctly it is a very enjoyable adventure.  Anthony made this a very special occasion and is a great riding companion.  He offers great entertainment wherever you go.   As he is a member of the Pretoria Harley group, he adheres to their strict code of conduct which made the trip safer.

Like any good trip, it would have been great if we could have spent more days on the road, however Anthony had commitments on the 4th July so it was not possible .... maybe next time.