WillTour

11/12/2024

https://blog.tracks4africa.co.za/on-adventure-bikes-to-clarens/

When you take your adventure bike on gravel roads to reach Clarens, the journey becomes the destination.

10/12/2024

This is GREAT news and makes a return trip to Wakkerstroom and Ossewakop on dirt a much stronger reality - those who joined me on the last ride will appreciate this message more than you could understand 🤣

03/12/2024

With Tracks4Africa – I just made it onto their weekly engagement list by being one of their top engagers! 🎉

17/11/2024

𝐂𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐆 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐈𝐁𝐎𝐒 𝐓𝐄𝐀 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑

Riding WIth: Cesar Lopez Solis; Nico Strydom; Garth Edwards; Andrew Miller and Ricardo Bendana.

A 7-day 3,300km Adventure Bike Ride into the Great Karoo, The Cederberg and the Green Kalahari, riding 29 mountain passes across 4 provinces. More than 60% of the ride took place on undulating gravel roads and dirt passes, taking us to places such as Sutherland, the famous Tankwa Karoo and its Farmstall, the innermost folds of the Cederberg mountain range and then up the Great Escarpment into the Green Kalahari, visiting the forgotten town of Loeriesfontein on our way to the world-famous Verneukpan, and finally one of SA's icons - the Augrabies National Park, home to the famous falls and the majestic Gariep river.

"60% of this ride may be on good gravel...but 100% of this ride will blow your mind."

This turned out to be a ride filled with many incredible biking moments including the birth of "The Lambinator"; The Snuffinator in Sutherland, The Old Rooibos Tea Route to Wupperthal, Our high-speed GS sprint on the gravel R357, Garth Edwards's submariner GS :-), shots of neat brandy after making it through the treacherous Verneukpan, and the most knarly wet clay section into Loeriesfontein.

Ride Video: https://youtu.be/-Sc5U0FGGyI

17/11/2024

𝐌𝐓𝐁 @ 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍
Another sh*tty day in Africa 🤣...an early morning of trails at Cradle Moon and then we got to see this beautiful couple on the ridge.

16/11/2024

𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑 – 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐀
One of the most incredible bike experiences ever – expertly hosted by Maria Danescu of Romania MotorcycleTours. The liquid-cooled 1200 GS had just debuted and became my steed in a magical 8-day 1195km guided bike tour covering “The World’s Greatest Driving Roads”, where I got to ride the legendary Transfagarasan- and Transalpina Passes, walk the streets of beautiful cities like Bucharest and the historical Sibiu, visit Transylvania (yes and Dracula’s Castle of course), drink a hot chocolate in the massive underground Salt Mine of Prahova and visit the glacial Lake Bâlea high up in the mountains.
The amazing lodges, the food, the many miles of flowing lush countryside, the very professional tour arrangements, endless mountain scenery and quaint villages. All the countless passes and me trying to keep up with our very capable guide Ade on his Dakar 650. Clean air, castles, vineyards – great friendships formed – a magical experience definitely worth doing!

Ride Video: https://youtu.be/D5BrhuyylUc

14/11/2024

𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐎 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝟒𝐗𝟒 𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄
4 Provinces, 8 days, and 17 Mountain Passes, including a few on South Africa’s “Top Ten” mountain pass listing, covering a total distance of ~1915km in the breath-taking Maloti Mountain scenery, as we circumnavigated the border of the mountain kingdom, Lesotho.

02/11/2024

𝐒𝐀'𝐬 𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒
Joubert's Pass - 1:6 gradient - 2236m ASL - South Africa's 4th highest rough gravel pass.

29/10/2024

𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐖𝐀

The background to this scene unfolding in the heart of the Tankwa Karoo NP was a comedy of errors...funny as hell :-)

27/10/2024

𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆/𝐇𝐈𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆/𝐅𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐃 @ 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐆 𝐅𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘
I'm a massive fan... Waterberg Farmstay provides tranquillity, good service, farmstyle isolation, a dam/river, hiking, lush grassed campsites, an awesome pool etc. etc. and all of this at very good rates.

Thanks Family for the great road trip and awesome weekend time spent together!!!

27/10/2024

𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐔𝐇𝐀𝐔𝐒 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐍 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋
Breakfast Run to Brauhaus Afrika Restaurant - nice 80km run on mostly remote gravel roads through the Magaliesberg - Thanks Cesar Lopez Solis and Ricardo Bendana for the company!

27/10/2024

𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐃𝐎𝐎𝐒
Another amazing ride out into the wilderness - miles and miles of mind-clearing gravel taking us through countless valleys, ridges, rocky outcrops and riveting sections of single track meandering through thickets of bluegum trees. It's so easy to lose yourself in this world...soul food! We also had the privilege of being hosted by Joe and Ruth from Bushboys in Tonteldoos - WOW, WOW, WOW. The hospitality, the service...good food and even better friendships. Certainly, a ride to repeat!

Ride Video: https://youtu.be/vF-LTjZZCdI

27/10/2024

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒/𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐏 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄
One of the biggest group rides to date - a total of 13 riders out to ride the canals in Harties/Brits. A nice and very mild route through the "vegetable basket" of the region - including a stop for a mega-breakfast at Farm Vibes Guesthouse. Another great ride with great people.

T4A Article: https://blog.tracks4africa.co.za/cruising-along-the-brits-canals/

27/10/2024

𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌
Having created and double-checked this route endless times on the map, it was finally time to do the recce. What unfolded was an amazing adventure weekend with Thirsty Lizzy and co-pilot Liz Rudolph - exploring the landscape of gravel tracks all the way from JHB to Wakkerstroom, in the Battlefields region. +300km of incredible scenery and some of the best-kept dirt roads in the business. The accommodation - the vibe - the history - the amazing fine dining and spoils from the bakery - the fresh air and the magical landscape...we will be back!

This one is definitely destined for a bike route.

T4A Article: https://blog.tracks4africa.co.za/on-gravel-roads-to-wakkerstroom/
Drive Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fgb66s2wj0

26/10/2024

𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐒 - 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
I finally got the opportunity to "test" my 300+km dirt route running from Walkerville, South of JHB to Clarens in the Free State. My appreciation to all who rode with me as well as Liz Rudolph, María Elena de Bendaña and Jenece Rowe who provided backup. Epic Scenery, Magnificent Punctures and Cows...putting the "A" into Adventure Biking.

T4A Article: https://blog.tracks4africa.co.za/on-adventure-bikes-to-clarens/

Ride Video: https://youtu.be/TzF6WiYGPsI?si=_448_-tEZX2qrM90

26/10/2024

𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐆𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐀!
A while ago I took a decision to have some custom riding gear made by a local firm MIRA - It has been a project a few months in the making due to my busy schedule and the level of detail that Marique had in mind, but I finally got to fit on my gear this morning. I must say am SUPER IMPRESSED. The engagement with Gerrit and Marique is amazing, the gear is modern, and tech-specific for my type of riding and best of all its fully customisable, and completely fitted, so it now accommodates all the bulky body armour that goes with this type of riding. Highly affordable and the innovation is mind-boggling. They draw deeply on the experience of the Dakar riders who wear their gear. Also super proud to be wearing a local brand. You rock MIRA!!! To my darling Liz, thank you so much for being the inspiration behind this BEAR and for sticking with me through this entire process....it's dedicated to you!
https://fb.watch/vsNIVX5atz/

26/10/2024

𝐒𝐀 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐒
Over the years of riding through mostly isolated parts of SA on countless biking and 4x4 adventures, I have always been fascinated by the roadside memorials that dot our landscape, these beacons marking tragic loss of life associated with travelling on the roads of our country. I try and stop at all those I come across (not always possible) - just to take in the memories of the loved ones - the act of remembrance and also just to pay my respects - to be once again reminded of the fragility of life. It was during one such ride in the heart of the barren Karoo that I came across the roadside memorial of Violet Cloete...the normal questions surfaced silently...who was she?...what happened? It was at this point that I knew I had to dedicate something of mine to the memory of all these departed souls - enter my FB page of the same title. Please visit and follow the page if you are interested in that type of content. Thanks,

Page Link: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087529788674

Dedicated to the memory of all those who have lost their lives on the roads of South Africa.