Pongola Cane Rally - On The BMWR1250GS

The road from Wakkerstroom to Luneburg is 70km of the finest gentle dirt I have ever ridden.

I first tackled that magical road maybe six years ago en route to the Swazi Rally. On that day I was riding a Yamaha Super Ténéré 1200 and the conditions were treacherous. Low cloud the colour of bitter despair hung over the mountains and it was almost certain I would ride into rain.

And I did. It wasn’t very heavy rain but it was incessant and soon turned the road into a treacherous skid pan. I can’t say I saw much of the scenery because I was so focused on not binning the Ténéré on snot slippery descents into the valleys. But that was then and this is now. On this day it was a completely different scenario. The weather was perfect, the road was in good condition, my mojo was with me and the brand new BMW R1250GS was in its natural habitat and performing like a thoroughbred. The road traverses the rugged Balele Mountains and around each corner and at the summit of each nek the sun-smeared panoramas spread out below are lovely beyond words. Within the first 20km I stopped four times to take photos and eventually had a stern word with myself “HZ, you cannot take a photo of every single beautiful vista. Just stash the images in your memory.” In the 60km to the Paulpietersburg junction I saw exactly three other vehicles. That’s how wild and lonely it is out there in the berge. Go and ride that road while you’re still young. You’ll thank me!