Zooming with Zac

Date : 27 May

Ride : Kwambo to Eteza via Moba Dam, estimated total distance 50kms

Riders : Aroon, Thaven + Zac

Bikes : Polaris Trailblazer 250, Yamaha 700R Raptor + Polaris Hawkeye 300 4x2

On a chilly Sunday morning, Zac and Thaven were the only ones brave enough to join me on a jaunt to Moba Dam and Eteza, from Kwambo.
Though the mercury was surely below 8 degrees (!), we were ready for a blazing ride.

Showing off the newly acquired Umhlatuze Off-Road Association riding vests, just before setting off on our ride.
The vest numbers are unique to each rider and the riders' details are registered on the UORA database, with signed indemnity declarations.

Zac + I, posing for a pic at Moba Dam, with a bit of "smoke on the water". It was a really fresh and pleasant start to the day.
We explored the forest tracks around the dam as well, before heading off towards Eteza.

Zac, pointing out the spot at Eteza, where he left the MX track after going over the edge of the tabletop jump.

We did the MX track a couple of times, with Thaven remarking that "we always see the potential for some serious spills when we ride this track...."

The owner is hard at work, building a clubhouse/pavillion at the side of the track, and a tunnel under the main tabletop, to allow safer access to the starting grid - should be very cool once it's all done.

Riding the outride (12-14kms) was again a pleasure, with the few small changes recently made, enhancing an already enjoyable loop around the Van Heerdens farm.

Zac managed to survive Point Roon (see previous post c.1 Jan 07) and thoroughly enjoyed riding along the river, and especially the few technical sections; Thaven, on the other hand, chose this trip to enter his name into the incident register - he flipped his bike when the RH wheels clipped an embankment during a high speed drift, throwing him off, into a nearby grassy patch! Unfortunately there were no pictures, and only 1 witness who has been sworn to secrecy....(oops!)

On the way home, we switched bikes, and I got to ride Thaven's Big Blue, the 700 Raptor - wow! The acceleration was thrilling, and the handling crisp and responsive - nearly addictive, but I will hold out until I can land the big one....

Zac, on the Trailblazer, ran out of fuel in the forest near Kwambo, so we simply....switched to the reserve tank (learned THAT lesson the hard way....see earlier post c.1 Jan07). I rode the TB home after that, and proceeded to roll it into a donga, not 500m from my front gate!

Even though we suffered 2 incidents (note that the beginner, Zac, had an incident-free ride though he spent much of the ride with the throttle pinned!!!), there were no injuries nor damaged parts. (except our pride, of course)