Two of the most well-known adventure names in the Gauteng-ish area are the Canal Road and Jericho Rock. Luckily, the one leads to the other.
There is a famous canal leading from the Hartbeespoort Dam Wall that keeps farms as far as 100km north nice and green and fruitful. As with any geographic public facility, it requires maintenance and a road to get maintenance vehicles there. Thus the Canal Road was born, an 80-km dirt road that meanders with its water-faring sibling through the openness of the NorthWest Province. The Canal Road concludes near the looming domed monolith that is Jericho Rock, a geographical feature that towers above the otherwise flat landscape.
The ride took place a couple of days after the Winter Solstice, and so the sun mellowed lazily over the horizon as everyone sipped coffee and ate breakfast at Mulligans Pub near Hartbeespoort. The ride was organised by Hero Rides with The Bike Show and Dirt & Trail contributor Donovan Fourie together with Hero Motorcycles South Africa. These rides are open to all adventure machines and a touch less than thirty souls braved the cold morning to take part.
The idea behind Hero Rides is social, easygoing adventure rides, and that’s what this was. The group headed up the Canal Road, regularly waiting for everyone to catch up and helping wherever needed. This was needed when part of the road had been unceremoniously turned into a rubbish dump, a barrier that lesser people would have navigated around the long way but not Hero Riders! A bit of a run-up and up they went, one at a time. Like everything in adventure motorcycling, it started as a social challenge but ended up becoming a social occasion.
As the Canal Road wound out of Brits, it opened into the farmlands, crossing streams, and bridges and navigating winding bits. It was brilliant. By the early afternoon, the group gathered at the foot of Jericho Rock where boerewors rolls and drinks were served, and naturally, a good deal of merriment ensued.
The day ended with the crew riding up Jericho Rock itself via a path that ascends the side of the rock, offering a view encompassing a massive chunk of the NorthWest…. And more merriment ensued.
There will be more Hero Rides in the near future open to all adventure riders. To find out more, kindly join the Hero Riders South Africa group on Facebook
