westfrogger
Race Dog
:cyclops:
AMAGEZA 2013..... So much more! (SS4- last vid added)
- Thread starter bonova
- Start date
Orangeswifty
Race Dog
sub :deal:
Give us more!
:biggrin:
Give us more!
:biggrin:
sub :sip:
![N[]vA](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/39fc70600d70a0afa40b682c3a695dc0?s=96){kind=avatar}
bonova
Race Dog
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2008
- Messages
- 3,139
- Reaction score
- 0
- Bike
- KTM 950 Adventure S
My "plan" if you can call it that, going into the amageza was simple. Finnish, and come out un-injured. I had the roof of Africa a mere 3 weeks or so after Amageza and could not afford to be injured. I was going to try to learn as much as I could and take it like a journey and not a race..... Mmmmmm not a race? We'll see when the 1st spark detonates from that KTM spark plug of mine 
It was up early that morning ..... 4h15am. We got kitted out, and headed for a quick breakfast. I have no idea what it was, but I remember having to try force it down. There seemed so little time till my 05h42 start and everything felt rushed as all hell. We dropped our trommels at the overlander, and did our last nervous checks. Claude was a good half hour after me I think, so he was more chilled. But next thing I remember I was giving him a hug and a high five, saying "see you on the other side" and then I was in the queue. I don't remember who I started with, but I remember breathing fumes from that beautiful v-twin of Kamanyas who was in front of me. That's me......number 107 :ricky:
It was up early that morning ..... 4h15am. We got kitted out, and headed for a quick breakfast. I have no idea what it was, but I remember having to try force it down. There seemed so little time till my 05h42 start and everything felt rushed as all hell. We dropped our trommels at the overlander, and did our last nervous checks. Claude was a good half hour after me I think, so he was more chilled. But next thing I remember I was giving him a hug and a high five, saying "see you on the other side" and then I was in the queue. I don't remember who I started with, but I remember breathing fumes from that beautiful v-twin of Kamanyas who was in front of me. That's me......number 107 :ricky:
gwild
Race Dog
Well done keep it coming :thumleft:
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2006
- Messages
- 11,701
- Reaction score
- 5,268
- Location
- Cape Town, deep in the lentils
- Bike
- KTM 990 Adventure
I so look forward to sliding around corners with you next year.
There are few moments in life where the intensity of the memory engraved and emotion attached to it will be sipped from for life.
Thanks for that 100k's, it was special.
There are few moments in life where the intensity of the memory engraved and emotion attached to it will be sipped from for life.
Thanks for that 100k's, it was special.
Brink
Race Dog
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2007
- Messages
- 1,154
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Johannesburg
- Bike
- Confederate (all models)
Respect :thumleft:
SteveD
Grey Hound
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2011
- Messages
- 5,814
- Reaction score
- 25
- Location
- It’s complicated....
- Bike
- BMW G650 X-challenge
Kamanya said:
To quote Red Pollard, jockey of the great Seabiscuit - "That's the poetry, Agnes. That's the poetry"
MegaPix
Race Dog
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2013
- Messages
- 3,462
- Reaction score
- 799
- Location
- Highveld, CENTURION
- Bike
- Zero (all models)
:thumleft: :sip:
adv
Grey Hound
- Joined
- May 23, 2011
- Messages
- 6,770
- Reaction score
- 35
- Location
- Riebeek west
- Bike
- Triumph 900 Scrambler
O0 O0 :thumleft:
bonova
Race Dog
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2008
- Messages
- 3,139
- Reaction score
- 0
- Bike
- KTM 950 Adventure S
There were cameras everywhere and flashes. It was still pretty dark and ominous....overcast....
I remember thinking that at least the sun would not be in our eyes as we burn rubber eastwards. And then we were off. I was glued to that road book for the 1st while. I didn't have an ICO, and although the trip meter on my bike is adjustable, it's on the rear wheel, so it made for interesting times as it CONTINUOUSLY needed adjusting, which meant taking my hand off the bars. After about 15 min though, I settled down, and ended up riding near to a few guys on and off (Rudi, Kamanya) Soon we hit the dirt roads and spread out cause of the dust, but after quite a distance, and 1 fuel stop, I found myself on the ferry at malgas.
I was I think 3rd last to arrive and make the 1st ferry over. Then It was a speedy section, through some fairly soaking rain and mud through to the next stop ( I forget the town.....on the N2?... Think it was Heidelberg?) here I put in fuel and headed right off.....I was in front, now on this liason and started to thoroughly enjoy myself. We were following roads I'd done many times on my 950, and the familiarity was comforting. We ended up being a group of 3-4 riders at the front that did the last beautiful section into lainesberg. We arrived with only minutes to spare before our designated start time, so we gooied in fuel, and quickly pulled into the start of SS1. I was sitting 2nd in the queue, behind Martinus.
I was actually really tired from the liason I suddenly realized. I guess it was due to a few reasons. 1stly.... That seat is hard as stone...by far the hardest seat I have ever sat on.... Secondly, tension from the unknown, and 3rdly, just plain distance on a dirt bike. I was nervous that if this was how Felt now, how was I going to cope? Fortunately when things get exciting, tiredness goes out the window completely!
There was no time to take off warm gear, eat a power bar, or anything. I didn't even take off my helmet i don't think. Andy660 counted me down and then I was in the river bed! I remember wacking the throttle and getting on top of the sand. I remember seeing a photographer out the corner of my eye, and I remember hitting the 1st rock that jumped out of nowhere in the sand and launched me into the air. And in the 1st 500m I had arm pump hahahaha. I took some deep breaths, relaxed my arms and settled into a rough rock bashing 10 km or so. I would have loved to have seen my face! I don't think I have ever smiled that wide. Here I was...... Riding hard..... In an organized event..... Where it was ALLOWED! I was in my element! There were fast sandy sections, slow rough sections, river crossings, shrubs. It was all there just asking to be ridden. I made a concerted effort to watch my road book and GPS waypoints. Alex had warned very well against us missing the waypoint out of the river, (this i had marked in red and orange on the road book) and apart from a lone track in the odd bit of sand, I was riding solo.
I caught Martinus as he was struggling in a particular rough section, and then I too got stuck there for a bit and dropped my bike over softly. After that it was just trying not to bin it in the rocks and making sure I made it through the water crossings. Eventually I came to the waypoint. Turned 90 degrees left up a bank, and entered twee-spoor-paaitjie heaven. THe navigation was straight forward and fun and the route was technically easy, but one had to beware of lurking dongas, corners and river beds. Eventually I caught Martinus again and passed him when he dropped his bike lightly in a Donga. Now I was out in front and I pinned it. I really pushed that section....I was having so much fun! Right near the end I remembered that at the end there were 3 right turns marked in the road book and I just gunned it and stayed right. Skidding into the end of SS1 I saw Renette and Nicki running from the car to get the the finnish line. Turns out they had only but just arrived in time!
Martinus was pretty close behind me and we high fived each other still on our bikes. We were beyond ecstatic and I could hardly string a sentence together. Nicki and Renette were all smiles and kept muttering about how fast we were.
Arriving at the end of SS1
[/URL
Now how much further??
[URL=https://s337.photobucket.com/user/bonovalimbus/media/AMAGEZA%202013/image_zpsbdbd44e1.jpg.html]
[/URL
[URL=https://s337.photobucket.com/user/bonovalimbus/media/AMAGEZA%202013/image_zps8653b9ae.jpg.html]
The camera crew arrived after a few min, and I got given a red bull ..... Yay.
I had a snack and then geared up for the last liason to Sutherland.
Liason to Sutherland
[/URL
[URL=https://s337.photobucket.com/user/bonovalimbus/media/image_zps6ab9ffe8.jpg.html]
I chased ahead of the ominous clouds and rain off to my right side, and arrived at the campsite as the overlander pulled in. Pleco and Rubicon were there and it was smiles all round.
Arriving at Sutherland bivouac
Some stories were exchanged and I handed over my GPS which the computer would not talk to for some reason, so I left it there and went to find a place to chill up in the stands out of the wind.
WTD also up in the stands?
Watching the set up of camp
[/URL
Unfortunately it took ages to get my trommel ( it was obviously right in the furthest depths of the overlander) so I couldn't do much but watch the rain clouds gather and worry about Claude and the others out there. I had quite a long chat to Neil (bluebull2007) on the phone which was cool. And then the stories and riders started to come in. I heard of broken bikes, broken helmets, people lost, broken recovery vehicles. Jeez it sounded like a war zone. And I just sat and waited. Eventually I got my trommel and Claude's and hauled them up out of the rain with helping hands, and started to sort out bits and pieces. Coffee was eventually ready and that was a godsend. Eventually I heard the unmistakable sound of Claude's pipe on his 690 and I was there with coffee when he came back from the fuel station. He was tired and wet. He had quite a story of helping people out of the river and cutting wire tangled in someone's wheel. But it was all smiles.
[URL=https://s337.photobucket.com/user/bonovalimbus/media/image_zpse4d83eec.jpg.html]
[/URL
[URL=https://s337.photobucket.com/user/bonovalimbus/media/image_zps62d0edb3.jpg.html]
We did some quick bike maintenance...chains etc and I changed my oil. There was a lot of tension around about supper, guys stuck out in rivers that had flood warnings, where we'd sleep (by now it was pissing with rain) and when we'd gather to get road books and instructions for the next day. Everything was now wet and it was starting to get pretty cold.
A short breat in the rain
[/URL
I remember thinking that at least the sun would not be in our eyes as we burn rubber eastwards. And then we were off. I was glued to that road book for the 1st while. I didn't have an ICO, and although the trip meter on my bike is adjustable, it's on the rear wheel, so it made for interesting times as it CONTINUOUSLY needed adjusting, which meant taking my hand off the bars. After about 15 min though, I settled down, and ended up riding near to a few guys on and off (Rudi, Kamanya) Soon we hit the dirt roads and spread out cause of the dust, but after quite a distance, and 1 fuel stop, I found myself on the ferry at malgas.
I was I think 3rd last to arrive and make the 1st ferry over. Then It was a speedy section, through some fairly soaking rain and mud through to the next stop ( I forget the town.....on the N2?... Think it was Heidelberg?) here I put in fuel and headed right off.....I was in front, now on this liason and started to thoroughly enjoy myself. We were following roads I'd done many times on my 950, and the familiarity was comforting. We ended up being a group of 3-4 riders at the front that did the last beautiful section into lainesberg. We arrived with only minutes to spare before our designated start time, so we gooied in fuel, and quickly pulled into the start of SS1. I was sitting 2nd in the queue, behind Martinus.
I was actually really tired from the liason I suddenly realized. I guess it was due to a few reasons. 1stly.... That seat is hard as stone...by far the hardest seat I have ever sat on.... Secondly, tension from the unknown, and 3rdly, just plain distance on a dirt bike. I was nervous that if this was how Felt now, how was I going to cope? Fortunately when things get exciting, tiredness goes out the window completely!
There was no time to take off warm gear, eat a power bar, or anything. I didn't even take off my helmet i don't think. Andy660 counted me down and then I was in the river bed! I remember wacking the throttle and getting on top of the sand. I remember seeing a photographer out the corner of my eye, and I remember hitting the 1st rock that jumped out of nowhere in the sand and launched me into the air. And in the 1st 500m I had arm pump hahahaha. I took some deep breaths, relaxed my arms and settled into a rough rock bashing 10 km or so. I would have loved to have seen my face! I don't think I have ever smiled that wide. Here I was...... Riding hard..... In an organized event..... Where it was ALLOWED! I was in my element! There were fast sandy sections, slow rough sections, river crossings, shrubs. It was all there just asking to be ridden. I made a concerted effort to watch my road book and GPS waypoints. Alex had warned very well against us missing the waypoint out of the river, (this i had marked in red and orange on the road book) and apart from a lone track in the odd bit of sand, I was riding solo.
I caught Martinus as he was struggling in a particular rough section, and then I too got stuck there for a bit and dropped my bike over softly. After that it was just trying not to bin it in the rocks and making sure I made it through the water crossings. Eventually I came to the waypoint. Turned 90 degrees left up a bank, and entered twee-spoor-paaitjie heaven. THe navigation was straight forward and fun and the route was technically easy, but one had to beware of lurking dongas, corners and river beds. Eventually I caught Martinus again and passed him when he dropped his bike lightly in a Donga. Now I was out in front and I pinned it. I really pushed that section....I was having so much fun! Right near the end I remembered that at the end there were 3 right turns marked in the road book and I just gunned it and stayed right. Skidding into the end of SS1 I saw Renette and Nicki running from the car to get the the finnish line. Turns out they had only but just arrived in time!
Martinus was pretty close behind me and we high fived each other still on our bikes. We were beyond ecstatic and I could hardly string a sentence together. Nicki and Renette were all smiles and kept muttering about how fast we were.
Arriving at the end of SS1
[/URLNow how much further??
[URL=https://s337.photobucket.com/user/bonovalimbus/media/AMAGEZA%202013/image_zpsbdbd44e1.jpg.html]
[/URL[URL=https://s337.photobucket.com/user/bonovalimbus/media/AMAGEZA%202013/image_zps8653b9ae.jpg.html]
The camera crew arrived after a few min, and I got given a red bull ..... Yay.
I had a snack and then geared up for the last liason to Sutherland.
Liason to Sutherland
[/URL[URL=https://s337.photobucket.com/user/bonovalimbus/media/image_zps6ab9ffe8.jpg.html]
I chased ahead of the ominous clouds and rain off to my right side, and arrived at the campsite as the overlander pulled in. Pleco and Rubicon were there and it was smiles all round.
Arriving at Sutherland bivouac
Some stories were exchanged and I handed over my GPS which the computer would not talk to for some reason, so I left it there and went to find a place to chill up in the stands out of the wind.
WTD also up in the stands?
Watching the set up of camp
[/URLUnfortunately it took ages to get my trommel ( it was obviously right in the furthest depths of the overlander) so I couldn't do much but watch the rain clouds gather and worry about Claude and the others out there. I had quite a long chat to Neil (bluebull2007) on the phone which was cool. And then the stories and riders started to come in. I heard of broken bikes, broken helmets, people lost, broken recovery vehicles. Jeez it sounded like a war zone. And I just sat and waited. Eventually I got my trommel and Claude's and hauled them up out of the rain with helping hands, and started to sort out bits and pieces. Coffee was eventually ready and that was a godsend. Eventually I heard the unmistakable sound of Claude's pipe on his 690 and I was there with coffee when he came back from the fuel station. He was tired and wet. He had quite a story of helping people out of the river and cutting wire tangled in someone's wheel. But it was all smiles.
[URL=https://s337.photobucket.com/user/bonovalimbus/media/image_zpse4d83eec.jpg.html]
[/URL[URL=https://s337.photobucket.com/user/bonovalimbus/media/image_zps62d0edb3.jpg.html]
We did some quick bike maintenance...chains etc and I changed my oil. There was a lot of tension around about supper, guys stuck out in rivers that had flood warnings, where we'd sleep (by now it was pissing with rain) and when we'd gather to get road books and instructions for the next day. Everything was now wet and it was starting to get pretty cold.
A short breat in the rain
[/URL
