2022 ... what a crazy year ... so far.

[Ian in Great Brak River]

In conclusion, our 2022 ride was not what we had expected it would, should or could have been. The last few years have been challenging for many and most I know of just needed the open road to chill out on, that would also be true for Henri, Allen and I. All was new for Henri; new to bikes, new to bike kit, new to open roads, a new old friendship re-kindled after 30 odd years ... and new to the lifestyle we all appreciate.

But I suppose I should start by saying this is an attempt at an iPhone photo RR, using the forum's upload option insted of something I need to pay for. It was also a celebration of life in many ways on a milestone reached and that needs to be celebrated in special places too ...

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

The time with family and friends was well spent in different places and I am fortunate to have these fine folks in my life. It's about the journey they say, and now I know what that really means.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Chill out in your own way ...

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

The Gent from George has a new just-like-new red AT and was keen to share ... congrats to you XR!

 

[Mev Vis Arend]

Joh, hier is 'n paar mooi fotos.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

1400km's away, Allen was preparing to meet Henri and I two days later in Sutherland.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Henri had found himself a perfect starter bike in a GS750 for an absolute steal, it has low k's, was very well looked after and he was super keen to see what it was we keep going on about bike trips. He was to make his way along the N1 towards Maitjiesfontein were we had an overnight stop planned and would meet up near Touws River.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

I had made my way up via the Anysberg area and that takes one through the Sanbona Private Nature Reserve. I was told I need to be escorted through the 20km reserve and was kept waiting for over an hour at the West gate after being told to wait 30 mins. I could hear the ranger talking to the gate guy saying "I am 10 mins away". He finally turns up with very clearly an anti-biker attitude, wants me to take my GoPro off my helmet, which I do. I'm told to stick to 50kph and he will follow. I do but this dude is going slower and slower as if he wants me to get way ahead of him ... finally loosing sight of him completely. I stop and wait 5 mins and still no sight of him so I continue on to the East gate. There to wait for another 10 mins for him. When he arrives, it's clear he intends to start discussing why we bikers are always breaking the speed limit to get him into trouble. After 3 mins of this ****, I get of, go over to the gate, open it up and disappear off into the distance.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Appolpogies for doubling up at times, looks like you get a once-off photo attachment attempt. I am not going to mess around with edits.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

The weather forecast is cold, and rain, lots of it and for an extended period. And so be it. It's only 110k's from Maitjies to Sutherland and it's a lekker road but it is 5 degrees on take off.

As he often does, Allen arrived from Britstown into Sutherland just 10 mins after we do ... it has clearly been wet and slippery from Williston for him.

 

[ALLEN I]

Nice buddy. Gooi it old chap. Ye and you can put on the bike taking a rest. No the ous will get a kick out of it

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

It was good to catch up as it has been so many years since the three of us were together ... petrol was 54 cents a liter then ... so some time before yesterday.
Kambro Kind is where we stay and Juanita the owner has been creative and it looks good.
It's 2 degrees at 9am the next morning when we part ways, Henri back to Som. West and Al and I are heading North to Namibia. We're on the R354 to Middelpos and Calvinia, stopping to warm up and twice I am looking around for the truck that lost hydraulic oil somewhere on the road that I can smell ...

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

16km from Calvinia the R354 joins the R27 tar ... and still that damn smell. I dismount and take a closer look and it take a long time for my frozen peanut to realize ... that it's brake fluid! ... except that it is not &*%$# brake fluid but fork oil! ****! The bike is covered in the stuff, it drips away quite happily as I stare at it. The water and mud on my boots and pants is in fact a damn mixture of mud and oil. It takes some time to compute what this means ... before I left Great Brak, XRRX had mentioned the ****** short lifespan of the AT front fork seals. I laughed it off as my bike has just done 29600k's but right on time it seems ... there it is.
It's nearly exactly 425k's to CT and the same to Upington. ****! So it's CT here we come. Did I mention it's Sunday and we have accommodation at Felix Unite's Lodge in Nam for Wednesday night? We make it to Piekenierskloof for the night so 560k's for the day.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

From 7.30 Monday morning I am on the phone to all the Honda dealers in CT. Super helpfull they are but not one has seals in stock (!! for a known weak point on the First Edition AT 1000 ??) "We can courier them down from JNB Tuesday and do the 6 hour job Wednesday" I'm told ... Al has a brain wave as we confirm the above at a 9am stop. We call Mike Superfoxi in CT ... yes he has fork seals ... yes he can do it today ... yes he has front and rear brake pads ... at 11.35 we stop at his place in Capri Village. If you know Mike, he is not a guy who wastes time with chit chat, nor does he want owners of the bikes he works on to "offer advice or help out" ... so we kill time. Uncle Allen wants to put his old boots into both oceans, Indian and Atlantic, and he does. We get a PCR and Antigen test done for Nam Immigration whilst we mess around in Sun Valley. At 3.15 Mike texts me "Your bike is ready" Me ... what?? By 4 we are on our way back to Piekenierskloof who are surprised to see us back. A huge Thank You Mike for excellent workmanship. Tuesday we make it to Springbok.

 

[subie]

Really lekker RR
The cloud picture/painting above the bed is spectacular for me.

 

[subie]

Good. I see no carbs in Allens breakfast

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Really lekker RR
The cloud picture/painting above the bed is spectacular for me.

That is really quite something to see up close, the colours are so vibrant and I have already booked this room (# 5) for next year.
Ha, Uncle Allen does not do Carbs unless it’s free radicals in a bottle!

 

[ALLEN I]

Good. I see no carbs in Allens breakfast

Ye im on a diet. Looking after my figure. i is innocent.

 

[ALLEN I]

That is really quite something to see up close, the colours are so vibrant and I have already booked this room (# 5) for next year.
Ha, Uncle Allen does not do Carbs unless it’s free radicals in a bottle!

Hey cold ones are not carb related. they is my friends

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

For years now we have spoken of doing the Alex Bay/Oranjemund Border crossing and then the lekker gravel road on the North side of the Orange along and down to Felix Unite for our traditional first night in Namibia ... for years now we have not done this for a variety of odd reasons ... this year it's oil leaks, detours to Cape Town and subsequent time constraints.
All looks like it should on arrival but quickly we find out part owner Carlos, the happy welcome "face" of the River Camp has left. Well, not just left but sold up and retired to Madeira. That is a surprise as he has always been a nice guy to have a beer with but we believe it's in part due to circumstances beyond his control. The new part owner is from Graaff-Reinet (I think ...) and they plan to convert the huge house on the hill that was Carlos's main residence into a R6k a night option. The Orange lives up to it's name this year with all the rain out to the East washing down.