Beserker
Grey Hound
Angola, Angola
A tale of “três cavaleiros”
Prologue:
Initial planning, started with a bang and a slight hangover..
Having done some research, we knew we had to time the Langewand stretch, the narrow strip between Foz de Kunene and Tombua, where the sea meets the Namib dunes, for Spring low tide. From the available dates, we choose 7 September 2010.
The September date also allowed for us to hit the Eastern side of Angola, bordering Zambia, before the rainy season. The Eastern side consists of cotton soil, virtually impassable once wet, and the intention was to forge a North-South passage from Cuito Cuanevale to Namibia.
Tasks were allocated and we spent our time sorting out Letters of Invite, visas and rigging our bikes for an unsupported trip up the West coast, down the Eastern side of Angola.
Not only was fuel a consideration, but the fact that, in the words of a contact found on the internet researching the Eastern leg:
“Twedens, is ek bewus daarvan dat die Angolese regering en ander instansies reuse werk gedoen het wat landmyne aanbetref en steeds besig is, maar die gedeelte vanaf Cuito Cuanavale suid en terug na die grens met Namibia is uiters afgelee, selfs in Angolese terme. Die gedeelte word beskou as die uithoek van Angola en ek is van die opinie dat julle dit baie sal geniet sover dit die afgesonderdheid / ongeskondenheid aanbetref, maar sal julle maan om baie versigtig te wees vir myne. My ondervinding is egter dat mynvelde redelik voorspelbaar geplaas is en dat dit veilig is waar die plaaslike bevolking beweeg en op die paaie wat geredelik gebruik word. Passop egter by brue oor spruite en riviere asook naby voormalige dorpies wat as basisse gedien het.”
The group numbers quickly dwindled as the extent of the endeavor became known and the 3rd of September saw only me , Dave (Beserker), Danie (2StrokeDan) and Peter (WatDeFokKykDjy) loading up.
Typically for me, I was not finished with the bike building and started the re-wiring of the front end of the XR, to accommodate a battery, charging from the stator, to facilitate the GPS, as Peter was loading.
Some orderly packing…
Once loaded, we were ready to rock…we had 4 days from Cape Town to our jump off point into the Langewand stretch, North of Foz du Kunene.
Danie making haste
We arrived at Aussicht, just South of Opuwo, on Saturday afternoon. We were to leave the bakkie here. Aussicht can be recommended for reasonable rates, setting and hospitality.
You can see the start of the route in the background…good riding from the word GO!
Sunday was spent packing the bikes. For me, the first time that I fitted my fuel bladder system….Oh my Gosh! 55l of fuel is a lot of sudden weight.
Peter decided to shun the wearing of a backpack, and stuck about R500 worth of snacks into his jacket pockets.
Finishing early, we left for Ruacana in order to cross the border as early as possible Monday morning. Here we are, fresh and ready, about to leave. (The fresh were to change soon)
On the way to Ruacana, Danie’s XT started running hot, and suspecting the packing arrangements round his front end to be the culprit, he decided to re-arrange. This however, shrunk the available space at the back, and the first to fall victim to the reshuffeling was his food supply, which he promptly finished the first night….a type of weighless, just not patented. Talk about carbo-loading.
Monday morning, ready to cross into Angola…
Next up….
Trippin’ !!
