The Outeniqua Pass is the quick way from the coast to the Karoo, and a motorcyclist's first lesson that South Africa's mountains come in a hurry. On the coast, George sits among green hills with the Indian Ocean on the horizon. Twenty minutes inland, the N12 climbs the face of the Outeniqua range in a series of well-engineered bends, crests at roughly eight hundred metres, and drops into the dry, rocky country of the Little Karoo toward Oudtshoorn. The pass was opened in the early 1950s, replacing the older Montagu Pass, which still exists as a gravel road a short distance away.
The riding is a joy. The surface is smooth, the bends are broad and well banked, and the views, back to the sea or forward over the brown folds of the interior, are wide. In the morning the coastal side is often wrapped in mist, while the northern slopes are bright and dry. The climate changes with the altitude: the coast is humid and mild, and the top of the pass can be cool and windy. Look out for heavy trucks crawling uphill, and for baboons near the roadside, which are best left alone. Rain turns the surface slick, and fog on the upper slopes reduces visibility without warning.
The mountains are a wall for weather as well as for traffic. The Outeniquas catch the moisture off the sea, so the coastal side supports forests of yellowwood and stinkwood, while the northern side, in the rain shadow, is semi-desert with aloes and succulents. This is the border between the Garden Route and the Karoo, and crossing it in a few minutes is a real pleasure. The old Montagu Pass, built in the 1840s by the engineer Henry Fancourt White, is worth a detour for those with a bike that suits gravel, a fine example of Victorian road building with dry-stone walls and a gentle gradient.
George, just six kilometres away, is the place for fuel, a decent lunch and supplies. It is the largest town on this part of the coast, with petrol stations on its main roads, and in South Africa an attendant will fill the tank for you. On the way up, there is a viewpoint with space to stop and look. Once over the top, Oudtshoorn, the ostrich-farming capital, is about sixty kilometres on, with the Cango Caves nearby, and a cold drink is welcome after the climb.