Brandon Bosch Memorial Ride - Africa 2021

[DASKOP]

The road to Tsumeb, all tar, nothing really interesting until I saw the castle. It is being built by Rainier Arangies. Quite unique. I tried, through Pierre to get access to see it, but the owner, also a biker, was not really very friendly and forthcoming, so that was a no-go. No Namibian character, it seems, just the fruits of so-called financial progress.

Booked into Kupferquelle Resort and Campsite, very nice, but no character. Very clinical. Set up camp and I met Rose and Graham Durrant from Cape Town.

It is a Public Holiday, so no alcohol is allowed to be served, but Shaun, one of the waiters, took pity on me and smuggled me a few beers in paper cups. Take-away pizza, with some of Jorine’s Chilli Sauce and off to bed.

 

[DASKOP]

26 May 2021

Tsumeb to Rundu.

Time to pack up and head out.

 

[DASKOP]

Kupferquelle is an amazing place, but it is not Africa.

Time to leave and head for what it is all about.

 

[DASKOP]

Fill up in Tsumeb. Wish our fuel prices were this low in RSA. ANC - Are Not Comprehensible?

 

[Vuurmaker]

Danksy die thread het ek dadelik geweet wie se fiets die is toe ek dit op FB sien vandag

PE se built not bought display vandag

Sent from my SM-A307FN using Tapatalk

Hi, weet jy miskien wie dit gepost het?

Gepos op Cafe Racers of PE
CROPE

Sent from my SM-A307FN using Tapatalk

 

[DASKOP]

The road from Tsumeb to Rundu was boring.

Only things worth mentioning, Matilda hit 119 000 km and I made some children's’ day when I stopped at a lay-bye for some bum relief and a smoke.

 

[DASKOP]

I had hoped that this sign would mean some sightings, but it was not to be.

 

[DASKOP]

It is amazing how many shebeens and bars there were along the way

 

[blackbird]

A person that loses a partner is called a widow. A child who loses a parent is called an orphan. But there is no word to describe a parent that loses a child, because the loss is like no other. So will you put this as your status for just one hour? Think of someone you know or love who has lost a baby or child, and take a few minutes to remember & honor their beautiful Angels.. ♥ ♥  N vriend het die vanoggend gepost , toe dink ek dadelik aan jou en jou gesondwordtrip! Sterkte boeta!

 

[DASKOP]

A person that loses a partner is called a widow. A child who loses a parent is called an orphan. But there is no word to describe a parent that loses a child, because the loss is like no other. So will you put this as your status for just one hour? Think of someone you know or love who has lost a baby or child, and take a few minutes to remember & honor their beautiful Angels.. ♥ ♥  N vriend het die vanoggend gepost , toe dink ek dadelik aan jou en jou gesondwordtrip! Sterkte boeta!

Dankie.

This is a loss like no other, it rips you apart like nothing else and challenges you to the point of questioning your own continued existence and even more so when it is your only child.

 

[DASKOP]

However, from the B10 main road to Hakusembe River Lodge, that was something else. Sand, loose gravel and more sand. It was slow going.

But I got there and went to have a beer on the deck, before setting up camp. Beautiful sunset, but I think that the loneliness got to me, and I felt like this place lacked character, it lacked homeliness. I would, however, somewhere in the future, eventually be proven wrong.

I had no appetite, but I knew that I had to eat, so supper was a plate of chips.

I went back to the campsite and could feel the cold coming, so I put my mattress in the ablution block and slept there.

 

[DASKOP]

27 May 2021

The route was Rundu to Divundu, then Rainbow River Lodge. I was curious to see what had been arranged by Johan, Jean and Jorine.

Coffee, some of JC’s rusks and, once again, basking in the sun to thaw out. It was a cold night and I was glad that I had slept in the ablution block.

There was heavy dew the previous night, so I had to lay everything out in the sun to dry, before packing up.

A while before I started the trip, I had attended a biker church gathering on the Jeffreys Bay beachfront and Matilda was annointed. The cross was clearly visible this morning.

Paid my bill, took some photos, and tackled the sand road out.

 

[DASKOP]

My dearest mom's strict instructions, Berocca in the morning.

 

[DASKOP]

Some photos of Hakusembe River Lodge and Campsite

 

[DASKOP]

I paid my bill and tackled the sand road out to the tar road. It took a while to get to the main road, but there were no incidents.

Filled up in Rundu. Matilda had so far done 3674 km, all without a hitch.

Off to Divundu.

 

[DASKOP]

It was good to see road maintenance being done.

 

[DASKOP]

The road from Rundu to Divundu is not spectacular, but it could have been better.

There are new smallholdings being constructed all along the way and the rate of de-forestation is alarming. The timber from the cut down trees are either used in the construction of these or put up for sale next to the road.

This road could have been so much more scenic if the Namibian Government had just, maybe, declared a 100 meter no construction natural vegetation strip on both sides of the road. Good for tourism and the locals could then develop their land for farming, not that I saw a lot of agricultural utilisation, just bush clearing and a lot of sand, out of sight and some of the natural beauty of this area would have been preserved. But, what do I know?

 

[DASKOP]

And it just continues, unabated.

 

[DASKOP]

This one I do not have any words for.

 

[DASKOP]

On my way to Rainbow River lodge, I passed some signs, one that indicated the route that I was on, and the other brought back memories.

In 2013, Tony and myself met Louis and Amori Gerber and camped at Shametu, which they owned. It was still under construction. I will have to go and see how it turned out.