Thx for the info.
I have the same sentiment. Also want to go the phone route. My bike does have a battery though so it might be a bit more simpler then
2023 Big Red Pigs in Kenya - Season 8! Rise of the Octopig!
- Thread starter Osadabwa
- Start date
I have the same sentiment. Also want to go the phone route. My bike does have a battery though so it might be a bit more simpler then
Hey!!
I heard the good news.
13 November is braaap tree planting day.
I heard the good news.
13 November is braaap tree planting day.
Osadabwa
Race Dog
@Grunder - Yeah, this place never ceases to amaze. That public holiday was announced late last week. How stupid, simply, stupid.
And we did plan to ride, but it was absolutely pissing with rain and I knew it wasn't worth trying to get guys to suck it up. I ended up going today instead down to Mt. Longonot for a hard hike and a ride back home in preparation for climbing Oldoinyo Lengai, which I've tried to do twice and been shut out. That trip happens early Dec. Until then, I'll only be doing ride and hikes, so probably not worth posting, but we'll see.
And we did plan to ride, but it was absolutely pissing with rain and I knew it wasn't worth trying to get guys to suck it up. I ended up going today instead down to Mt. Longonot for a hard hike and a ride back home in preparation for climbing Oldoinyo Lengai, which I've tried to do twice and been shut out. That trip happens early Dec. Until then, I'll only be doing ride and hikes, so probably not worth posting, but we'll see.
Osadabwa
Race Dog
Return to the Valley of the Mountain of God!
Back in December 2019, before Covid lockdown madness, PCR tests and other global horse manure, Wry and I set off on a pilgrimage to the Valley of the Mountain of God. The Mountain of God – Oldoinyo Lengai – a semi-dormant volcano sat on the floor of Northern Tanzania’s Great Rift Valley sits just next to Lake Natron and is truly a spectacular sight to behold. Here’s a pic:
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/eda/edaa1c03212542a7ad7cba655975bb68 "[IMG]")
Above: Oldoinyo Lengai… as Dall-E conceives of it anyway… somehow snow-capped, with active volcanic fires roaring on the plains (oddly) while hordes of wildlife scamper for their lives. As much as I wish it was like that, in reality it's:
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/f4a/f4a30e5334f9ca63a0fad49d5fd4d4f1 "[IMG]")
Above: …more like this. An actual pic from our trip in 2019. Jus tcheck out how little the bikes look! Still a pretty volcanoy looking volcano, and one hell of a one-day climb.
Our trip was excellent, you should go check it out HERE. If you do, somebody make a comment and drag it out of obscurity. It doesn’t spoil it to confess that in 2019, rains turned us away from climbing the mountain and we left with that considerable box left to tick. We vowed then and there to return the following year, but along came Covid and border closures and Tanzanian officials taking steam baths to cure themselves and Americans drinking horse meds (similar energy, you ask me…). Then 2021 came along and wasn’t much better so we pinned our hopes on 2022. But then the two of us sabotaged our own plan by injuring ourselves on motorbikes in Kenya just before the trip. Fortunately, we salvaged that ride by taking an amazing tour of Northern TZ which can be found HERE.
But Lengai was still out there. Taunting us. Beckoning.
So finally, on Saturday, we’re going back.
Oink
Back in December 2019, before Covid lockdown madness, PCR tests and other global horse manure, Wry and I set off on a pilgrimage to the Valley of the Mountain of God. The Mountain of God – Oldoinyo Lengai – a semi-dormant volcano sat on the floor of Northern Tanzania’s Great Rift Valley sits just next to Lake Natron and is truly a spectacular sight to behold. Here’s a pic:
Above: Oldoinyo Lengai… as Dall-E conceives of it anyway… somehow snow-capped, with active volcanic fires roaring on the plains (oddly) while hordes of wildlife scamper for their lives. As much as I wish it was like that, in reality it's:
Above: …more like this. An actual pic from our trip in 2019. Jus tcheck out how little the bikes look! Still a pretty volcanoy looking volcano, and one hell of a one-day climb.
Our trip was excellent, you should go check it out HERE. If you do, somebody make a comment and drag it out of obscurity. It doesn’t spoil it to confess that in 2019, rains turned us away from climbing the mountain and we left with that considerable box left to tick. We vowed then and there to return the following year, but along came Covid and border closures and Tanzanian officials taking steam baths to cure themselves and Americans drinking horse meds (similar energy, you ask me…). Then 2021 came along and wasn’t much better so we pinned our hopes on 2022. But then the two of us sabotaged our own plan by injuring ourselves on motorbikes in Kenya just before the trip. Fortunately, we salvaged that ride by taking an amazing tour of Northern TZ which can be found HERE.
But Lengai was still out there. Taunting us. Beckoning.
So finally, on Saturday, we’re going back.
Oink
Osadabwa
Race Dog
But hold yer horses there amigos. You can’t just jump into something like climbing Lengai without putting in some legwork first!
Early November, Wry and I pinky-swore we’d go to Lengai, so that meant booking the digs and making some effort to get fit enough for the climb. The mountain is 2 kilometers tall. You start at midnight and walk straight up for six hours by starlight until dawn and then turn around and fall straight down for six more hours. My middle-aged frame was going to need some toning. So, I set up a routine of jogging, but that quickly eroded my will to live, so I added my motorbike to the mix. Once a week, I’d ride my XR650R down the 60km of kamikaze two lane tar road to Mt. Longonot, the little baby volcano near Naivasha, change into hiking gear and do a kind of old dude shuffle-jog up and around the crater rim. I absolutely fell in love with the routine. Almost always leaving in the cold rain of a Nairobi morning, battling traffic and dodging head-ons with lorries, sometimes needing to search for detours when the trucks clog the main road… it’s an acquired taste.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/64a/64aaedb2e4262033c66c10eefe3f2738 "[IMG]")
Above: Longonot in the background from the last Lengai-prep hike I did, I had to improvise my approach since the lower Naivasha road was blocked in both directions by truck breakdowns followed predictably by monumental stupidity. I pitied anyone on that road in a car… must have taken 3 hours to extricate… because my way was fantastic.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/301/3015a72825e39f9405706105897dc13c "[IMG]")
Above: Longonot looks positively prehistoric. I want to see Godzilla climb out of there or something.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/56b/56bceaf7d0923ffd1b4d4b0e7603d65a "[IMG]")
Above: A look into the crater. Takes about 45 min of hoofing it to get there if you’re not gawking.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/939/9395fe88f943a7709ec404d4070a7758 "[IMG]")
Above: Sometimes I’d meet Mr. Baboon and his troop on the ascent. They can be entertaining. Once I met a herd of Cape Buffalo. They’re less fun.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/50d/50d6b34e0932916ef5329898db5b364a "[IMG]")
Above: Very often I’m the first on the crater rim, or at least the first over the top and trotting down the other side. This means I get to see the night’s animal spoor. The paw above should be from a leopard I’d guess. Of more concern for me is when I see fresh Cape Buffalo spoor and scat… I’d rather face a Leopard than a lone bull any time.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/b47/b475cbac05e14e6661e1277970792fcf "[IMG]")
Above: Twice stray dogs have tagged along for some or all of my hike. This guy was very photogenic.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/357/35772a28b2d36d3df6c74302d8b8875b "[IMG]")
Above: At the peak of the crater rim, my companions take a break, but I just snap a pic and keep shuffling round the rim.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/52a/52a219398b63b4b2465ad5ddf78139cd "[IMG]")
Above: In places it’s kind of a scrambly trail, whether on two feet or four.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/bc9/bc9f46beb2adbe3d3f3dd2559df6826e "[IMG]")
Above: Foul-mouthed and filthy biker I may be, but I always stop to smell the flowers as well. Longonot smells like Leleshwa, and after a rain it’s heavenly.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/e43/e436056f57100b7454c60d03541c7ccb "[IMG]")
Above: Some mornings are very foggy and drizzly. Those are the best days. If you get caught up there after several dry, hot, sunny days the track turns to a pumice and dust bobsled course.
If I don’t stop and I’m in decent shape, the hike plus two loops of the crater rim can take me about 3 ½ hours. That’s good exercise, but the cherry on top is kitting back up and roaring out of there on my bike. The routine’s usually the same. I head up to Mai Mahieu, past Meyer’s and up the SGR, spewing rocks (denting rims and breaking spokes it turns out) and splashing through the mud. If I have time I stop at Muturi’s Roastman in the valley for some tasty vittles’ and a beer before ripping the rest of the way home. I’m getting fitter, not slimmer.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/896/896c4c8ce50061c7fe0376bb5d3386e0 "[IMG]")
Above: Just a nice spot with an amazing bike
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/3d5/3d5b89029f960472696f0da64c823dc3 "[IMG]")
Above: At Muturi’s… half a kg of goat, a plate of chips, kachumbari and a cold White Cap. Nothing better.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/f01/f01489587757a08b592c76e59271f21c "[IMG]")
Above: When not riding down to Longonot and back, the past month has had me out on the road for work a bit as well. Far better in a congested and chaotic city like Nairobi to take the bike to avoid traffic and make quick, illegal U-turns when needed.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/d34/d34fc86cdf4dd2fb53febb6da80fc571 "[IMG]")
Above: And occasionally you end up somewhere really nice. This is the south end of the Ngong Hills called Kona Baridi.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/98c/98c42981eaf68efb662ce7dcc81d7fd0 "[IMG]")
Above: I also manged to take Kolobus and Panic out for a day between epic rainstorms. We hit the rocks of the valley first…
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/448/448754e77b8a9c735b0a74ffcd1c997b "[IMG]")
Above: Then the choma from Muturi’s after.
And finally, Wry and I managed to get out for one preparatory hike up to the Ngong Hills. We picked a lovely day for it. It was absolutely freezing and spitting with rain. There was no visibility at all and the wind was howling up there, but we persevered in the name of passable fitness.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/64b/64b1cb118bbd42a611aecc00409c8c42 "[IMG]")
Above: Wry and I on the Ngongs. Picture perfect day it was, too.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/607/60734aba8362dc2995f64ebbbb5d1194 "[IMG]")
Above: Though ‘twas a tad windy…
Anyway, now we can ride to Tanzania and try our hand again at climbing Lengai. Got fresh oil, fresh tyres, bags are packed, whisky decanted and snacks stowed. A gazillion tracks have been burning a hole in my GPS since 2019, some of which we’ll explore while we’re down there.
So I’m off riding. See you in a week!
Braaap!
Early November, Wry and I pinky-swore we’d go to Lengai, so that meant booking the digs and making some effort to get fit enough for the climb. The mountain is 2 kilometers tall. You start at midnight and walk straight up for six hours by starlight until dawn and then turn around and fall straight down for six more hours. My middle-aged frame was going to need some toning. So, I set up a routine of jogging, but that quickly eroded my will to live, so I added my motorbike to the mix. Once a week, I’d ride my XR650R down the 60km of kamikaze two lane tar road to Mt. Longonot, the little baby volcano near Naivasha, change into hiking gear and do a kind of old dude shuffle-jog up and around the crater rim. I absolutely fell in love with the routine. Almost always leaving in the cold rain of a Nairobi morning, battling traffic and dodging head-ons with lorries, sometimes needing to search for detours when the trucks clog the main road… it’s an acquired taste.
Above: Longonot in the background from the last Lengai-prep hike I did, I had to improvise my approach since the lower Naivasha road was blocked in both directions by truck breakdowns followed predictably by monumental stupidity. I pitied anyone on that road in a car… must have taken 3 hours to extricate… because my way was fantastic.
Above: Longonot looks positively prehistoric. I want to see Godzilla climb out of there or something.
Above: A look into the crater. Takes about 45 min of hoofing it to get there if you’re not gawking.
Above: Sometimes I’d meet Mr. Baboon and his troop on the ascent. They can be entertaining. Once I met a herd of Cape Buffalo. They’re less fun.
Above: Very often I’m the first on the crater rim, or at least the first over the top and trotting down the other side. This means I get to see the night’s animal spoor. The paw above should be from a leopard I’d guess. Of more concern for me is when I see fresh Cape Buffalo spoor and scat… I’d rather face a Leopard than a lone bull any time.
Above: Twice stray dogs have tagged along for some or all of my hike. This guy was very photogenic.
Above: At the peak of the crater rim, my companions take a break, but I just snap a pic and keep shuffling round the rim.
Above: In places it’s kind of a scrambly trail, whether on two feet or four.
Above: Foul-mouthed and filthy biker I may be, but I always stop to smell the flowers as well. Longonot smells like Leleshwa, and after a rain it’s heavenly.
Above: Some mornings are very foggy and drizzly. Those are the best days. If you get caught up there after several dry, hot, sunny days the track turns to a pumice and dust bobsled course.
If I don’t stop and I’m in decent shape, the hike plus two loops of the crater rim can take me about 3 ½ hours. That’s good exercise, but the cherry on top is kitting back up and roaring out of there on my bike. The routine’s usually the same. I head up to Mai Mahieu, past Meyer’s and up the SGR, spewing rocks (denting rims and breaking spokes it turns out) and splashing through the mud. If I have time I stop at Muturi’s Roastman in the valley for some tasty vittles’ and a beer before ripping the rest of the way home. I’m getting fitter, not slimmer.
Above: Just a nice spot with an amazing bike
Above: At Muturi’s… half a kg of goat, a plate of chips, kachumbari and a cold White Cap. Nothing better.
Above: When not riding down to Longonot and back, the past month has had me out on the road for work a bit as well. Far better in a congested and chaotic city like Nairobi to take the bike to avoid traffic and make quick, illegal U-turns when needed.
Above: And occasionally you end up somewhere really nice. This is the south end of the Ngong Hills called Kona Baridi.
Above: I also manged to take Kolobus and Panic out for a day between epic rainstorms. We hit the rocks of the valley first…
Above: Then the choma from Muturi’s after.
And finally, Wry and I managed to get out for one preparatory hike up to the Ngong Hills. We picked a lovely day for it. It was absolutely freezing and spitting with rain. There was no visibility at all and the wind was howling up there, but we persevered in the name of passable fitness.
Above: Wry and I on the Ngongs. Picture perfect day it was, too.
Above: Though ‘twas a tad windy…
Anyway, now we can ride to Tanzania and try our hand again at climbing Lengai. Got fresh oil, fresh tyres, bags are packed, whisky decanted and snacks stowed. A gazillion tracks have been burning a hole in my GPS since 2019, some of which we’ll explore while we’re down there.
So I’m off riding. See you in a week!
Braaap!
ClimbingTurtle
Bachelor Dog
- Joined
- May 6, 2011
- Messages
- 10,747
- Reaction score
- 1,365
- Location
- Gauteng, South Africa
- Bike
- BMW (all models)
Oh FFs...
I saved this RR the whole day, and it's only half done.....!
I'm shattered.....
Ok - with bated breath, we wait.....
I saved this RR the whole day, and it's only half done.....!
I'm shattered.....
Ok - with bated breath, we wait.....
Osadabwa
Race Dog
Yeah mate sorry, I'm still in Nairobi. Bike is packed, but I'm sleeping here tonight, riding tomorrow (hopefully climbing tomorrow) home on the 12th then do the writeup as quickly as I can, but it's earliest next week!Oh FFs...
I saved this RR the whole day, and it's only half done.....!
I'm shattered.....
Ok - with bated breath, we wait.....
Love your reports - my favorite kind of riding too. Thanks for your labour of love over the years. 
About the punctures: I know you say mousses won't work but have you actually tried mousses? I use them all the time, and only change them when the tyre is done. So long as you're not doing over 120km/hr on the black stuff for more than 15 minutes you should be fine.
That last pic of you in the wind is hilarious. How did you do that?
Looking forward to the next chapter.
About the punctures: I know you say mousses won't work but have you actually tried mousses? I use them all the time, and only change them when the tyre is done. So long as you're not doing over 120km/hr on the black stuff for more than 15 minutes you should be fine.
That last pic of you in the wind is hilarious. How did you do that?
Looking forward to the next chapter.
Osadabwa
Race Dog
Hey @BlueBull2007 - yeah I've used mousses many times. In Tanzania I had them in my XR400 and here in Kenya I had them in my KTM 450 EXC. I think the issue is this: The type of mousses and tyres we get are not up to the abuse of a heavier bike doing mostly raid-type riding. We don't get Michellin desert race stuff here, and we need it since almost 100% of the riding is fast and rocky in very hot conditions. I've tried Golden Tyre mousses in my Pig and hated the feel, hated the money and hated how quickly they died. Since I can change a puncture in 30 minutes and have had a lot of luck with TuBliss on the rear (which brings that time to 5 minutes flat), I'll stick with air for now.
Osadabwa
Race Dog
The Return at Last
At last, the day had arrived. We were up and on the road by six and making decent time despite the thick fog that pushed back at us from Kiserian all the way past Bisil. Rather awful riding in that stuff, but we pushed ahead and were at the border with Tanzania early. Two hours later, after some goofing around, getting SIM cards and having a chai and mandazi at the Namanga Cave, er, Café, we were hellbent for Lengai!
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/d12/d121b32c36ef4aeea011cc7c35d3d6af "[IMG]")
Above: Pea soup fog for most of the ride to Namanga.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/531/531a0be3ce133d974aa24ab8e5cfdc4c "[IMG]")
Above: Fog was clearing and the sun was breaking through cottonball clouds while Wry greeted oncoming traffic with his little golden rainbow.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/bd1/bd15c57e4bde7daebb4e20d0843921e8 "[IMG]")
Above: While we waited for our fixer to sort our paperwork, we enjoyed a nice cuppa and a mandazi at the Namanga Café.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/5e5/5e5b3dad9d8b69e6abe3b9aa9a784a63 "[IMG]")
Above: Namanga oddities… Supa Commando looks about the same going in as out I reckon.
We got our wheels rolling and ripped the last bit of tar to Longido, swung a right and bee-lined it for Kitumbeini. That road is now a dirt superhighway. A lot changes in four years… So while the riding wasn’t interesting, at least it was fast, and in no time we were cutting between Mt. Gelai and Mt. Kitumbeini with Oldoinyo Lengai in our sights straight ahead.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/c14/c1417e8ccb4f8c2c98a507df5a45b865 "[IMG]")
Above: Nice little giraffe spotting
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/7d1/7d17277038624b28889d8e80d9dd9094 "[IMG]")
Above: Wry aims for Gelai
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/5e2/5e276c31002b1640907844c1fa28a1ce "[IMG]")
Above: Funky clouds over Kitumbeini
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/f3a/f3a28ec02f5b010a08dc0ada41c963da "[IMG]")
Above: Good dirt leading to Lengai on the right and her sister peak
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/dff/dff7e4fb327d2906a4f31a31199e5af6 "[IMG]")
Above: We always climb up this hill to let the mountain get a good look at our bikes...
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/ee8/ee8218cf7473461e74f02e08b9c5320e "[IMG]")
Above: Makes a nice backdrop for our venerable piggies
Hanging a right at the T junction for Mto wa Mbu and Natron, we were happy to get past the road works teams and their motor patrols to where the road has yet to be improved. It’s far more enjoyable when there’s some obstacles and nastiness to contend with. Soon the way will be nice murram and then the plan is to tarmac it. There is nothing like a tarmac road to change the character of a place, so I’m glad I’ve been here before it comes.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/3d0/3d084d6edff1d3a6ca5d3549a52dd3e5 "[IMG]")
Above: Ripping along on the rough part of the road.
Lake Natron Camp, an amazing lodge situated on a natural soda spring that puts out a remarkable quantity of water and supports thousands of little cichlid fish, would be our digs for the trip. We didn’t skimp, we shall not suffer. In no time they fed us a huge lunch and we were in the water having the cichlids give our toes a bit of a nibble. Then we hit the tents for a rest as the plan was to climb the mountain that same night at 1AM.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/c12/c12acf0fc5e995388430c81e7e5e3f75 "[IMG]")
Above: Views from L. Natron Camp. Lengai has no clouds on her yet, that's a good sign!
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/5e4/5e4a8aba497ad1d502befe5544c4a28f "[IMG]")
Above: But late afternoon thunderstorm rolling in and hammering the plains near Mt. Gelai... this might be bad news for our summit attempt...
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/c98/c98dcf2f4b9fc9b4be9d095fe2325e3c "[IMG]")
Above: But there's nothing a mere mortal like me can do, so we just rested in the pool and tried to beat the oppressive afternoon heat
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/d05/d056b6f1e8c6cf3677e3351ef77def83 "[IMG]")
Above: Thankfully, as evening rolled around, the clouds in the sky were deemed harmless and the mountain was clear. We were given the go-ahead for the climb!
To be continued...
At last, the day had arrived. We were up and on the road by six and making decent time despite the thick fog that pushed back at us from Kiserian all the way past Bisil. Rather awful riding in that stuff, but we pushed ahead and were at the border with Tanzania early. Two hours later, after some goofing around, getting SIM cards and having a chai and mandazi at the Namanga Cave, er, Café, we were hellbent for Lengai!
Above: Pea soup fog for most of the ride to Namanga.
Above: Fog was clearing and the sun was breaking through cottonball clouds while Wry greeted oncoming traffic with his little golden rainbow.
Above: While we waited for our fixer to sort our paperwork, we enjoyed a nice cuppa and a mandazi at the Namanga Café.
Above: Namanga oddities… Supa Commando looks about the same going in as out I reckon.
We got our wheels rolling and ripped the last bit of tar to Longido, swung a right and bee-lined it for Kitumbeini. That road is now a dirt superhighway. A lot changes in four years… So while the riding wasn’t interesting, at least it was fast, and in no time we were cutting between Mt. Gelai and Mt. Kitumbeini with Oldoinyo Lengai in our sights straight ahead.
Above: Nice little giraffe spotting
Above: Wry aims for Gelai
Above: Funky clouds over Kitumbeini
Above: Good dirt leading to Lengai on the right and her sister peak
Above: We always climb up this hill to let the mountain get a good look at our bikes...
Above: Makes a nice backdrop for our venerable piggies
Hanging a right at the T junction for Mto wa Mbu and Natron, we were happy to get past the road works teams and their motor patrols to where the road has yet to be improved. It’s far more enjoyable when there’s some obstacles and nastiness to contend with. Soon the way will be nice murram and then the plan is to tarmac it. There is nothing like a tarmac road to change the character of a place, so I’m glad I’ve been here before it comes.
Above: Ripping along on the rough part of the road.
Lake Natron Camp, an amazing lodge situated on a natural soda spring that puts out a remarkable quantity of water and supports thousands of little cichlid fish, would be our digs for the trip. We didn’t skimp, we shall not suffer. In no time they fed us a huge lunch and we were in the water having the cichlids give our toes a bit of a nibble. Then we hit the tents for a rest as the plan was to climb the mountain that same night at 1AM.
Above: Views from L. Natron Camp. Lengai has no clouds on her yet, that's a good sign!
Above: But late afternoon thunderstorm rolling in and hammering the plains near Mt. Gelai... this might be bad news for our summit attempt...
Above: But there's nothing a mere mortal like me can do, so we just rested in the pool and tried to beat the oppressive afternoon heat
Above: Thankfully, as evening rolled around, the clouds in the sky were deemed harmless and the mountain was clear. We were given the go-ahead for the climb!
To be continued...
Osadabwa
Race Dog
Up the Mountain. Lets Go!
We left Nairobi 300km and 17 hours ago. After another huge meal and a few hours kip, we were loaded into a rattly Land Cruiser at 11:30 PM, banging through riverbeds and hunting for sketchy 4x4 tracks to the base of the mountain to begin the hike at 1AM. All the preparation hikes paid massive dividends for me. The hike was as relentless as I’d imagined, steep and precarious in many places, but we skittered up with no hiccups and were on the summit at dawn five hours later.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/6d0/6d01ce7bc33de54a63527355c61f91ff "[IMG]")
Above: Hiking by headlamp up the flank of Lengai in the darkness. Fog rolling all around us.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/0da/0da0de2171726a1d7fc5acc145180f2a "[IMG]")
Above: Pre-dawn just a bit of cloud and a taste of a view below.
We arrived at the top in a complete cloudveil. It was difficult to see more than a few dozen feet in any direction and it lent the place an eerie quality that was electric. When the wind died down a bit, you could hear the bubbling of active lava churning in the center somewhere; explosions deep underground gurgling to the surface. We were in high spirits and were in no rush to descend, so we spent an hour up there just exploring the mysterious crater rim and trying to catch glimpses of the valley below or the active cone inside. At one point the fog cleared just long enough for us to see an eland watching us from the other side of a small green valley. What an amazing creature!
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/afc/afc2d5bbb0528965743f11d929f7a694 "[IMG]")
Above: At the top in high spirits but low visibility
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/8a8/8a80f1ea31b4a3afe851a29bcc437c75 "[IMG]")
Above: Goofing around… my Lady of the Crater pose
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/3b2/3b2d8c9ec1b40520a7212816a330ba64 "[IMG]")
Above: Followed by my, oh shit I slipped pose… Truth is, the inner rim of the crater was extremely loose scree and was just like the sides of an ant lion trap. An actual step over there and you’d be sliding with no way to stop right until you fell off a 20-30 foot cliff onto the crater floor.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/c4a/c4a9e3c47be9f0627716c1b6e71fca5b "[IMG]")
Above: Looks like a Kubrick film up there
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/983/983396ec2e6ee6e135cce325a93989fd "[IMG]")
Above: Walking around the crater, the scree slide ends at a cliff very near to the rim in places. Apart from the sound of lava boiling below, we were surprised to hear a cacophony of bird song coming up as well. Magical.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/de6/de6014f96b039212d423ed6c14f5939a "[IMG]")
Above: A lone eland who decided that making the Mountain of God her home was just the ticket. What a beast.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/ad0/ad0789a9b8008e2be754adbf4327f00b "[IMG]")
Above: Wry loving it
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/bcf/bcf6f2b3c1be2456ce55585a7a00de04 "[IMG]")
Above: We only caught the briefest views of the centre cone when the cloud lifted. That deep chasm is relatively new. All of the scree we were standing on was ejected either in 2003 or 2008 when the last eruptions took place. Many years ago, the lava field extended to the edge of the mountain. There wasn’t a large cone surrounding it as there is today. Humbling to think how much earth was moved in a short period of time.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/2af/2afaed6ca8f8e1cac01830592b7cac5b "[IMG]")
Above: Wry vs the volcano
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/371/371e13aa21b6166dc66855b096941e2c "[IMG]")
Above: We actually could have stayed up there for much longer, but our guide insisted we turn for home. After a while we were getting cold as well.
After an hour at the top, we reluctantly turned back downhill. We were in cloud most of the way, but brief respites allowed us some spectacular views of the valley below from the steepest section close to the top called the Gate (at least that’s what we called it). You got the sensation of falling forever while your feet were planted on the ground. With fantastic views and high spirits we made cracking time and were back at the car in three hours, chanting and jogging the last bit just to show off a little.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/2ea/2ea9dc82a43e0362eff3ded989c2b202 "[IMG]")
Above: Starting down
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/1bd/1bd1efe5bfad7a3a50cf64596c355027 "[IMG]")
Above: Still quite cloudy/foggy up there
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/948/948e1bc365e2df73fcdca39af3629dda "[IMG]")
Above: As we descended, we could see through and under the clouds a bit
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/d32/d32e7cdc09cb633dc4cf4bbeb33868ea "[IMG]")
Above: Wry making his way through some of the greenery
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/458/45811ab58757b2263c85caf982420f59 "[IMG]")
Above: A small detour to a viewpoint, as if it was necessary… the whole mountain is a viewpoint
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/879/8793f1c34aef627d5c0d0e02bc36bd11 "[IMG]")
Above: Have to be my new WhatsApp pic I guess. Thanks Wry!
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/ec6/ec6a39d2fa90593d243877916298be0f "[IMG]")
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/e5c/e5c6ad94a0172bb5b953d73362235e39 "[IMG]")
Above: The folded and eroded tailings from Mt Empakai, high up in the distance and a collapsed crater below.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/5f5/5f5b9d21d0289839c936380d9d4a446a "[IMG]")
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/37b/37b379ac08f560ca58b96cbc17108007 "[IMG]")
Above: The top of the Gate. A narrow passageway of mostly hard concretized stone. Good grip, but you’d hate to get it wrong. Also, these pics always mess with your perspective. We’re looking straight down, but it looks like a gentle walk in the park.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/09e/09ef27b495c5517948fb588274c9280d "[IMG]")
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/854/854230724a2bf2097238465c6748d5bf "[IMG]")
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/c88/c887deb70e7f06aa9f8bf39964dccaa1 "[IMG]")
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/8d4/8d4067cf277371d3e8775248a561f779 "[IMG]")
Above: Still jazzed
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/cef/cef4bd53e04c464d961d9317c7f70730 "[IMG]")
Above: Eventually we emerged onto the grassy, shoulder of the mountain, some two vertical kilometers later. Still going strong, singing and goofing around all the way to the truck.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/4bb/4bb0427e8faffcd93a4737c823df1a3e "[IMG]")
Above: Don’t wanna fall in there…
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/8ae/8aecddc6f786dc008f71b52539dd49f9 "[IMG]")
Above: After our ride back from the mountain, Wry calls his kids while a herd of Zebra graze.
We were back in camp around lunchtime. Of course we celebrated with many beers in the cichlid pool and capped it off with an afternoon nap. Our bodies weren’t as broken as we’d thought they’d be so we were keenly planning our next move. The next day we’d get back on the bikes and climb up the escarpment and go exploring, trying to find a viewpoint down into the valley near Lengai where we’d spotted a big lone tree growing.
But first, to sleep.
To be continued...
We left Nairobi 300km and 17 hours ago. After another huge meal and a few hours kip, we were loaded into a rattly Land Cruiser at 11:30 PM, banging through riverbeds and hunting for sketchy 4x4 tracks to the base of the mountain to begin the hike at 1AM. All the preparation hikes paid massive dividends for me. The hike was as relentless as I’d imagined, steep and precarious in many places, but we skittered up with no hiccups and were on the summit at dawn five hours later.
Above: Hiking by headlamp up the flank of Lengai in the darkness. Fog rolling all around us.
Above: Pre-dawn just a bit of cloud and a taste of a view below.
We arrived at the top in a complete cloudveil. It was difficult to see more than a few dozen feet in any direction and it lent the place an eerie quality that was electric. When the wind died down a bit, you could hear the bubbling of active lava churning in the center somewhere; explosions deep underground gurgling to the surface. We were in high spirits and were in no rush to descend, so we spent an hour up there just exploring the mysterious crater rim and trying to catch glimpses of the valley below or the active cone inside. At one point the fog cleared just long enough for us to see an eland watching us from the other side of a small green valley. What an amazing creature!
Above: At the top in high spirits but low visibility
Above: Goofing around… my Lady of the Crater pose
Above: Followed by my, oh shit I slipped pose… Truth is, the inner rim of the crater was extremely loose scree and was just like the sides of an ant lion trap. An actual step over there and you’d be sliding with no way to stop right until you fell off a 20-30 foot cliff onto the crater floor.
Above: Looks like a Kubrick film up there
Above: Walking around the crater, the scree slide ends at a cliff very near to the rim in places. Apart from the sound of lava boiling below, we were surprised to hear a cacophony of bird song coming up as well. Magical.
Above: A lone eland who decided that making the Mountain of God her home was just the ticket. What a beast.
Above: Wry loving it
Above: We only caught the briefest views of the centre cone when the cloud lifted. That deep chasm is relatively new. All of the scree we were standing on was ejected either in 2003 or 2008 when the last eruptions took place. Many years ago, the lava field extended to the edge of the mountain. There wasn’t a large cone surrounding it as there is today. Humbling to think how much earth was moved in a short period of time.
Above: Wry vs the volcano
Above: We actually could have stayed up there for much longer, but our guide insisted we turn for home. After a while we were getting cold as well.
After an hour at the top, we reluctantly turned back downhill. We were in cloud most of the way, but brief respites allowed us some spectacular views of the valley below from the steepest section close to the top called the Gate (at least that’s what we called it). You got the sensation of falling forever while your feet were planted on the ground. With fantastic views and high spirits we made cracking time and were back at the car in three hours, chanting and jogging the last bit just to show off a little.
Above: Starting down
Above: Still quite cloudy/foggy up there
Above: As we descended, we could see through and under the clouds a bit
Above: Wry making his way through some of the greenery
Above: A small detour to a viewpoint, as if it was necessary… the whole mountain is a viewpoint
Above: Have to be my new WhatsApp pic I guess. Thanks Wry!
Above: The folded and eroded tailings from Mt Empakai, high up in the distance and a collapsed crater below.
Above: The top of the Gate. A narrow passageway of mostly hard concretized stone. Good grip, but you’d hate to get it wrong. Also, these pics always mess with your perspective. We’re looking straight down, but it looks like a gentle walk in the park.
Above: Still jazzed
Above: Eventually we emerged onto the grassy, shoulder of the mountain, some two vertical kilometers later. Still going strong, singing and goofing around all the way to the truck.
Above: Don’t wanna fall in there…
Above: After our ride back from the mountain, Wry calls his kids while a herd of Zebra graze.
We were back in camp around lunchtime. Of course we celebrated with many beers in the cichlid pool and capped it off with an afternoon nap. Our bodies weren’t as broken as we’d thought they’d be so we were keenly planning our next move. The next day we’d get back on the bikes and climb up the escarpment and go exploring, trying to find a viewpoint down into the valley near Lengai where we’d spotted a big lone tree growing.
But first, to sleep.
To be continued...
Osadabwa
Race Dog
The Mosonik Plains! Treasure hidden in plain sight.
Morning was a beauty. We were up with the sun, taking it all in. Coffee and a nice breakfast tucked away we were on the bikes at 9AM and out toward the “Seventeen Corners” road that lifts you out of the Rift Valley and onto the escarpment. Our plan was to explore the area we’d been looking at while descending Lengai. I knew from scouring Google Earth that there were no roads over there, and the guys from camp confirmed it. They said if we went there, we might see a mini migration with lots of wildlife. Man they were right! But first, we had to get out of the valley.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/84f/84f20246cd1de6c4236be0a13d284e0e "[IMG]")
Above: After getting the most expensive fuel of our lives in the village, we were on the way.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/d76/d764feecbdf196a1335ad00a82ba8e45 "[IMG]")
Above: The track takes you through some Badlands type, Wild West looking country.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/b4e/b4e36f06f728f5fc63a3236ec072f180 "[IMG]")
Above: Then you find the track. Sometime recently, Tanzania got serious about labelling every single track in the country. It’s crazy how you see these yellow hand-painted signs everywhere now. Quite different from the days when I named my own street in the posh peninsula neighbourhood of Dar es Salaam. (This is true, but my sign was removed because a bigshot on my street wanted the road named after him. As soon as my sign went up, it was removed and replaced with his sign: Nyalali Curve. A friend of mine did the same, naming two streets after his kids. These are still registered in Google Maps to this day. Check out Zaili Lane and Makai Street! Check Google Maps: LINK. Makes me laugh every time.)
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/d8d/d8d1656a89844e7f95b4b37f82a90282 "[IMG]")
Above: Cruising
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/6f1/6f12c6c6a935d93ac4facc9a1c08df3c "[IMG]")
Above: Halfway up the escarpment’s 17 corners road. For the life of me I can only count 16 corners, but whatever. It’s a fun track.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/e98/e98acbebe527179bb6f0f922e72d24c9 "[IMG]")
Above: Lake Natron in the haze below.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/114/114f8610a5b25b34c8ee3d4c77e5e19d "[IMG]")
Above: All of this will one day be apartments.
At the top of the road, just as things flatten out so we deviated and hung a left, aiming for the Mosonik Plains between the mountains of the same name, the escarpment edge, and the flank of Mount Empakai. We followed a single track through scrubby bush, past a few Masai manyattas and through a few shallow dry riverbeds before popping out on the biggest, flattest, greenest plain I’ve ever seen. It went on forever. Teeming with wildebeest, gazelles and zebra and only dotted here and there with trees it was a sight to behold. We rode carefully at first, worried about aardvark holes, but the footing was solid, so we just aimed at Lengai in the hazy distance and rode, picking up pace as we went.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/538/538aab6b1e052938d53a3fcdd37e6ca9 "[IMG]")
Above: Wry starts into the Mosonik Plains
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/fbe/fbe067b4fc8ff83321ec5aa77f8ef9db "[IMG]")
Above: Wildflowers scented everything sweetly and dyed my forks green to the axle
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/bbb/bbb052d2f3816cc5917b8ce6cea2706c "[IMG]")
Above: It really seemed endless…
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/a36/a3696081ab4a1acec2329da88aa1c815 "[IMG]")
Above: Going and going. The plains had three types of cover. This was the spotty, clumpy cover.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/baa/baa688d52c9ec03a64e7017a6d3160ee "[IMG]")
Above: And this was the perfect lawn cover
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/723/723d6457c6831caff4ddad2facea61c8 "[IMG]")
Above: And in other places it was the white flower blanket cover. This was the most difficult because you were sure a hole would be hiding there, but we were lucky and never had a hiccup. The flowers were deep enough to hide smaller animals and birds and we scared up rabbits, owls and even a Kory Bustard which is a tricky bird to hide given its size.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/886/8861e3dc58d0469f12f1ce9b2b7e1022 "[IMG]")
Above: None of the photos do it justice (the video at the end does a slightly better job).
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/88d/88d62d7fe617497f9b5cf4e199e1b87e "[IMG]")
Above: We were loving it. Wry suggested I do a nice pose with my handsome piggy.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/7c0/7c018dd93358aaa30f6c00fa52351562 "[IMG]")
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/719/719dea73b322ffb196a15c70cce53358 "[IMG]")
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/1e6/1e6ffd872ba77c6744985d3a8da05f7a "[IMG]")
Above: All the little black dots are wildebeest. They have a reputation for stupidity, but at least when they run away, they run AWAY. They do this crazy zig-zag thing which looks daft but must have some evolutionary purpose. Thomson’s Gazelle on the other hand, they run straight ahead of you and then dive IN FRONT of you at the last minute. Can only guess what Darwin would make of that behaviour.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/41e/41e74822922e14df4a1655c0a5fe4931 "[IMG]")
Above: Loving it
After an hour of riding straight over an endless green and white blanket, we eventually started to meet washouts coming from Empakai Crater, and a track that led to some Masai Manyattas nearer the escarpment edge. We followed the track, trying to get as close to Lengai as we could. But soon it became clear that the endless plain did not extend uninterrupted all the way to the edge. The massive Empakai Crater was the source of many streams and lava flows that had eroded the terrain there greatly and no bikeable paths cut across them all. Looking at Google Earth from the comfort of home, I can see to get there we should have ridden up for many kilometers and then come down a different ridgeline. Guess we have to go back sometime!
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/512/512ccc2e37ec2221f7c34f9cce3a4772 "[IMG]")
Above: A bit of erosion in the blanket of green
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/a24/a248542fb713f3895135d01bee920512 "[IMG]")
Above: After the manyattas, there was much more erosion. This was the last one we successfully crossed.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/5fa/5fac4d5a0bc6ce1744b9d7a6c24c040b "[IMG]")
Above: Because eventually, only a donkey or shanks pony could get you to the other side.
To be continued...
Morning was a beauty. We were up with the sun, taking it all in. Coffee and a nice breakfast tucked away we were on the bikes at 9AM and out toward the “Seventeen Corners” road that lifts you out of the Rift Valley and onto the escarpment. Our plan was to explore the area we’d been looking at while descending Lengai. I knew from scouring Google Earth that there were no roads over there, and the guys from camp confirmed it. They said if we went there, we might see a mini migration with lots of wildlife. Man they were right! But first, we had to get out of the valley.
Above: After getting the most expensive fuel of our lives in the village, we were on the way.
Above: The track takes you through some Badlands type, Wild West looking country.
Above: Then you find the track. Sometime recently, Tanzania got serious about labelling every single track in the country. It’s crazy how you see these yellow hand-painted signs everywhere now. Quite different from the days when I named my own street in the posh peninsula neighbourhood of Dar es Salaam. (This is true, but my sign was removed because a bigshot on my street wanted the road named after him. As soon as my sign went up, it was removed and replaced with his sign: Nyalali Curve. A friend of mine did the same, naming two streets after his kids. These are still registered in Google Maps to this day. Check out Zaili Lane and Makai Street! Check Google Maps: LINK. Makes me laugh every time.)
Above: Cruising
Above: Halfway up the escarpment’s 17 corners road. For the life of me I can only count 16 corners, but whatever. It’s a fun track.
Above: Lake Natron in the haze below.
Above: All of this will one day be apartments.
At the top of the road, just as things flatten out so we deviated and hung a left, aiming for the Mosonik Plains between the mountains of the same name, the escarpment edge, and the flank of Mount Empakai. We followed a single track through scrubby bush, past a few Masai manyattas and through a few shallow dry riverbeds before popping out on the biggest, flattest, greenest plain I’ve ever seen. It went on forever. Teeming with wildebeest, gazelles and zebra and only dotted here and there with trees it was a sight to behold. We rode carefully at first, worried about aardvark holes, but the footing was solid, so we just aimed at Lengai in the hazy distance and rode, picking up pace as we went.
Above: Wry starts into the Mosonik Plains
Above: Wildflowers scented everything sweetly and dyed my forks green to the axle
Above: It really seemed endless…
Above: Going and going. The plains had three types of cover. This was the spotty, clumpy cover.
Above: And this was the perfect lawn cover
Above: And in other places it was the white flower blanket cover. This was the most difficult because you were sure a hole would be hiding there, but we were lucky and never had a hiccup. The flowers were deep enough to hide smaller animals and birds and we scared up rabbits, owls and even a Kory Bustard which is a tricky bird to hide given its size.
Above: None of the photos do it justice (the video at the end does a slightly better job).
Above: We were loving it. Wry suggested I do a nice pose with my handsome piggy.
Above: All the little black dots are wildebeest. They have a reputation for stupidity, but at least when they run away, they run AWAY. They do this crazy zig-zag thing which looks daft but must have some evolutionary purpose. Thomson’s Gazelle on the other hand, they run straight ahead of you and then dive IN FRONT of you at the last minute. Can only guess what Darwin would make of that behaviour.
Above: Loving it
After an hour of riding straight over an endless green and white blanket, we eventually started to meet washouts coming from Empakai Crater, and a track that led to some Masai Manyattas nearer the escarpment edge. We followed the track, trying to get as close to Lengai as we could. But soon it became clear that the endless plain did not extend uninterrupted all the way to the edge. The massive Empakai Crater was the source of many streams and lava flows that had eroded the terrain there greatly and no bikeable paths cut across them all. Looking at Google Earth from the comfort of home, I can see to get there we should have ridden up for many kilometers and then come down a different ridgeline. Guess we have to go back sometime!
Above: A bit of erosion in the blanket of green
Above: After the manyattas, there was much more erosion. This was the last one we successfully crossed.
Above: Because eventually, only a donkey or shanks pony could get you to the other side.
To be continued...
Osadabwa
Race Dog
Thwarted in our plan to gaze off the escarpment’s edge, we were nonetheless chuffed with our day so far. We’d been out on the plain forever and it was past lunchtime. Next order of business was to have a rest in the shade, and we wanted to do it up on the side of the Mosonik mountains where the plains met the treeline and we could get a bit of shade as well as a view from above. Getting there was trickier than we thought it would be, again because we underestimated the amount of erosion near the escarpment. Instead of re-tracing our steps, we hunted around until we found our way through some steep washes, eventually kicking us back onto the plain and up to the mountain.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/aff/affde186689d80a2bc79e26ea1e6b849 "[IMG]")
Above: Scoping for a way across
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/11e/11e08353071c2f4c1baf9cb8a763ec5a "[IMG]")
Above: Wry going back for a better line
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/fc6/fc6b81912ae901442e021cb527786b64 "[IMG]")
Above: We managed to get down here with a little sweat. It was about 80F/26C
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/481/4812e8849c6ae9867ca8e423328a2970 "[IMG]")
Above: I love finding stuff that’s tricky but just rideable
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/543/5432b1f88f5dc8084a38ed1be66a364c "[IMG]")
Above: Finally reaching the plains again, we rode up to the mountains and straight up a little hill for our lunch break
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/07b/07b86cf9d8276df804a7ebb58124a70e "[IMG]")
Above: I may have mentioned, the view was amazing.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/89f/89fbd5fb9ae8e20c2c2b3060dce68ef2 "[IMG]")
Above: This pic kind of tells you how vast the plains are
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/359/359b6fdd1376ee67a479aeac5703108b "[IMG]")
Above: After lunch, we set off back to the green sea.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/d14/d145bc32d4918b6d8710460adc161fc4 "[IMG]")
Above: Battle piggy saying Hello!
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/300/3007c625673c9eb8e56c671d218965ad "[IMG]")
Above: We started out aiming for the distant hills (there), but eventually decided to turn back to camp. It would be late afternoon by the time we got back, and we could hear the cold beers and the little cichlids calling our names. So we retraced our path through the vast green plains and back down the switchbacks.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/809/8090c78651494af3d75dbb18d3db7085 "[IMG]")
Above: Parting shot of the Mosonik
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/4a5/4a55548402727b3e4c16a3dcab09f489 "[IMG]")
Above: The Mosoniks and Lengai peeking out from behind
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/9e9/9e930f6bd2786a76afa48313e9deda29 "[IMG]")
Above: Back down the corners
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/5be/5be354c06e4ab1730026aa3e2f8cb609 "[IMG]")
Above: Past several abandoned homesteads
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/c8a/c8a974f4f73fc492c83502004c7f66b8 "[IMG]")
Above: And back in the villages, a house of god with the Mountain of God behind
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/a58/a58253cb8337b99fb3ed19558b7d4b91 "[IMG]")
Above: To the cichlid pond and our cold, refreshing beers. It was only about 160km, but we were at it from 9 – 4pm and about half of it was totally off-piste. Awesome day
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/9fe/9fe0855d0b019dbfa43860730d35ed4c "[IMG]")
Above: The beers were going down easy
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/9ea/9ead1836d3213c24f560e3fe63fd1948 "[IMG]")
Above: Sunset was spectacular
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/715/7155edb85cea4b5b6086594233138616 "[IMG]")
Above: Heeeeeyyyy... how many beers did we have again?
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/866/8661cb19fbe8c028b9fe489417daef98 "[IMG]")
Above: Before we left, we organized with the camp to roast us some goat. Wry and I agree N. Tanzania has the best mbuzi in Africa (sorry Kenya, it’s true) and Natron Camp’s may be the best of the best.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/ebe/ebe5b9e4be82e892c6dd7c98c0395acb "[IMG]")
Above: We must have had a kilo of the stuff each, and this was our starter!
As the sun fizzled, the wind whipped up like mad and blew away all the cloud cover. Stars filled the sky and we filled our glasses with Black Label, dragging camp chairs out into the pitch dark and shooting the shit and laughing.
A good end to an excellent day.
Tomorrow we head home...
Above: Scoping for a way across
Above: Wry going back for a better line
Above: We managed to get down here with a little sweat. It was about 80F/26C
Above: I love finding stuff that’s tricky but just rideable
Above: Finally reaching the plains again, we rode up to the mountains and straight up a little hill for our lunch break
Above: I may have mentioned, the view was amazing.
Above: This pic kind of tells you how vast the plains are
Above: After lunch, we set off back to the green sea.
Above: Battle piggy saying Hello!
Above: We started out aiming for the distant hills (there), but eventually decided to turn back to camp. It would be late afternoon by the time we got back, and we could hear the cold beers and the little cichlids calling our names. So we retraced our path through the vast green plains and back down the switchbacks.
Above: Parting shot of the Mosonik
Above: The Mosoniks and Lengai peeking out from behind
Above: Back down the corners
Above: Past several abandoned homesteads
Above: And back in the villages, a house of god with the Mountain of God behind
Above: To the cichlid pond and our cold, refreshing beers. It was only about 160km, but we were at it from 9 – 4pm and about half of it was totally off-piste. Awesome day
Above: The beers were going down easy
Above: Sunset was spectacular
Above: Heeeeeyyyy... how many beers did we have again?
Above: Before we left, we organized with the camp to roast us some goat. Wry and I agree N. Tanzania has the best mbuzi in Africa (sorry Kenya, it’s true) and Natron Camp’s may be the best of the best.
Above: We must have had a kilo of the stuff each, and this was our starter!
As the sun fizzled, the wind whipped up like mad and blew away all the cloud cover. Stars filled the sky and we filled our glasses with Black Label, dragging camp chairs out into the pitch dark and shooting the shit and laughing.
A good end to an excellent day.
Tomorrow we head home...
Osadabwa
Race Dog
And just like that, our adventure was coming to an end. All that remained was to kit up and head home. Even though four years separated this trip with my first visit to Natron, it all feels like one since I’ve been thinking about it ever since. There’s something special about this place for sure. I’m also pleased with how we can set a goal and go do it. It’s not always easy, juggling work and family, planning around seasons and other obligations, but more often than not we get it done.
So we packed our kit, scarfed our breakfast and bid the camp farewell, ripping out of there like two bats out of hell (sort of… actually, that’s a flat lie… we were both a pair of drowsy buggars for most of the morning).
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/e8f/e8f2728c9aba8ae112001ddc4b78298b "[IMG]")
Above: Sunrise over Gelai
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/827/827f18e532ec7bba34d980a2ffb85c57 "[IMG]")
Above: Wry ripping one last time around Lengai
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/874/8740b2d24018f4917774e10f28d561d8 "[IMG]")
Above: See you again someday, hopefully… but then again, if they tar this road, maybe not. I’d rather remember things the way they are.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/89f/89fdea21f3452e618610b2374b26b8d1 "[IMG]")
Above: Parting shot…
With Lengai and the valley in our rearview mirrors, we were now looking for a more interesting way to get out of dodge. Unfortunately, some of the tracks I made lead to hunting blocks whose managers are not keen on having rip-snorting bikes pass through, and my more clever workaround tracks fizzled out in the bush in no time. Given the time of day, we decided to bail on the plan and headed for Kitumbeini. Unfortunately for Wry, however, a passing Land Cruiser obscured the road just long enough for him to smash a stone, bend his rim and pinch flat his tube. I only found out 20 minutes later when I arrived and checked my phone.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/ce8/ce8cc55d0ed9bd06df3cff8859527d75 "[IMG]")
Above: Like a swell guy, I rode the 20 minutes back to find Wry and give him a helping hand… or at least some words of encouragement… well, I was there anyway.
And during all this, we realised that Dr Big was out there somewhere trying to meet up with us on his heavily modified Suzuki DR800. He had had his own messy start to the morning, so finally gave up trying to find us and parked himself under a tree with his coffee and waited. We eventually turned up in a roar of dust and feathers and decided we’d convoy up to Namanga together, grab a quick beer and head our separate ways.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/64f/64f867c886e672b50f522241730dc406 "[IMG]")
Above: That DR800 is one of a kind. It has a Honda XL600LM tank, XR650R forks, XR650R wheels and a custom made aluminium swingarm. The double-barrel exhaust sounds like an artillery battery when the bike idles and a nuclear war when she’s revving. Quite an animal.
![[IMG]](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/0c8/0c85dd5adc49c43f6ddc7309ccd3cfd7 "[IMG]")
Above: Last shot. After our quick beer at the weirdly popular and modern looking “Rooftop Bar” in Namanga, Wry and I ripped up to Nairobi without incident and Dr. Big took off back down to Arusha.
And that’s the end of the story… apart from the videos!
Above: This is an homage to a song that’s making the rounds in Kenya at the moment and has become our anthem. It’s titled “In Heaven there is no Beer” by Rolling Tunes. Henjoy.
Above: Here's their video of it. Love the guys dancing. Very inspirational!
Above: But to my surprise, it seems The Rolling Tunes have made a cover of “No Beer in Heaven” by an old country band called Dillard/Hartford/Dillard. Which also slaps!
This one is our ride and hike and the usual idiotic banter (plus an acapella version of No Beer in Heaven) for you enjoyment.
Until next time…
Braaap!
So we packed our kit, scarfed our breakfast and bid the camp farewell, ripping out of there like two bats out of hell (sort of… actually, that’s a flat lie… we were both a pair of drowsy buggars for most of the morning).
Above: Sunrise over Gelai
Above: Wry ripping one last time around Lengai
Above: See you again someday, hopefully… but then again, if they tar this road, maybe not. I’d rather remember things the way they are.
Above: Parting shot…
With Lengai and the valley in our rearview mirrors, we were now looking for a more interesting way to get out of dodge. Unfortunately, some of the tracks I made lead to hunting blocks whose managers are not keen on having rip-snorting bikes pass through, and my more clever workaround tracks fizzled out in the bush in no time. Given the time of day, we decided to bail on the plan and headed for Kitumbeini. Unfortunately for Wry, however, a passing Land Cruiser obscured the road just long enough for him to smash a stone, bend his rim and pinch flat his tube. I only found out 20 minutes later when I arrived and checked my phone.
Above: Like a swell guy, I rode the 20 minutes back to find Wry and give him a helping hand… or at least some words of encouragement… well, I was there anyway.
And during all this, we realised that Dr Big was out there somewhere trying to meet up with us on his heavily modified Suzuki DR800. He had had his own messy start to the morning, so finally gave up trying to find us and parked himself under a tree with his coffee and waited. We eventually turned up in a roar of dust and feathers and decided we’d convoy up to Namanga together, grab a quick beer and head our separate ways.
Above: That DR800 is one of a kind. It has a Honda XL600LM tank, XR650R forks, XR650R wheels and a custom made aluminium swingarm. The double-barrel exhaust sounds like an artillery battery when the bike idles and a nuclear war when she’s revving. Quite an animal.
Above: Last shot. After our quick beer at the weirdly popular and modern looking “Rooftop Bar” in Namanga, Wry and I ripped up to Nairobi without incident and Dr. Big took off back down to Arusha.
And that’s the end of the story… apart from the videos!
Above: This is an homage to a song that’s making the rounds in Kenya at the moment and has become our anthem. It’s titled “In Heaven there is no Beer” by Rolling Tunes. Henjoy.
Above: Here's their video of it. Love the guys dancing. Very inspirational!
Above: But to my surprise, it seems The Rolling Tunes have made a cover of “No Beer in Heaven” by an old country band called Dillard/Hartford/Dillard. Which also slaps!
This one is our ride and hike and the usual idiotic banter (plus an acapella version of No Beer in Heaven) for you enjoyment.
Until next time…
Braaap!
ClimbingTurtle
Bachelor Dog
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Yeah - that was worth the wait - as always!
Thank you for making the time to post - much appreciated!!
Thank you for making the time to post - much appreciated!!
in heaven there is no beer.Magnificent stuff!!!
You GOT to go back and find a way to the escarpment.
Re the mousses - absolutely right about Michelin deserts being the only ones worth getting. The rest simply melt or are crap. Worth the drama class of importing them I recon.
Anyway, once again, please, pleez, keep these amazing reports coming.
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