Brandon Bosch Memorial Ride - Africa 2021

[DASKOP]

The Courier Guy arrived at my door this morning with a package.

Through the generosity of Chris and Jan at Flying Brick, Herman (aka Bike_Buddies) and Paul and Lorraine at Allan Lewis Motorcycles, I was blessed with a new set of Crash Bar Bags, a Connector Ring Set for my Tank Bag, a Headlight and Oil Cooler protection kit, a windscreen connector piece and the necessary bolts, grommets and washers, all at no cost to me.

Thank you does not seem enough, but it is conveyed with all sincerity and absolute gratitude. Your generosity has humbled me. Thank you.

I just want to put this into context, when I initially started looking for the items I required, because these items were not readily available, the alternative route was going to put me R 8820,00 out of pocket. Bike_Buddies got involved, see a previous post. This past Monday morning, Chris of Flying Brick phoned me, he was going to have a meeting with Jan at 12h00 to see if they could assist. By that same afternoon, he let me know that they had found everything I needed and that everything will be couriered to me as soon as the one part had arrived from BMW Stellenbosch. Then I got the email that between [member=2935]zebra - Flying Brick[/member] and [member=7510]Bike_Buddies[/member], they were covering all the costs.

I have been open and honest throughout this RR, and I am going to be again, the tears are flowing as I write this, because of the fact that some people find Brandon and me worthy of their kindness.

Thank you.

[member=2935]zebra - Flying Brick[/member]
[member=7510]Bike_Buddies[/member]

 

[DASKOP]

Along the way, I came across this dry river bed, like I did in Remhoogte Pass, with blue rocks. Blue, Brandon's colour. It was an emotional moment and I collected a few rocks before continuing.

 

[zebra]

[member=16902]Dondermerwe[/member]
[member=22504]Sneaky[/member]

 

[DASKOP]

Heading to Helmeringhausen.

 

[DASKOP]

Next, Zarishoogte Pass.

 

[DASKOP]

Zarishoogte Pass, where sticker no 63 was stuck up for Brandon.

 

[DASKOP]

On to the C19 / C14 T-junction where sticker no 64 was placed.

 

[DASKOP]

I had to take a photo of the windmill.

 

[DASKOP]

It had been a ride without any major issues, apart from the gentle lie-downs of Matilda when I was not paying attention, but about 80 km from Helmeringhausen, things went horribly wrong.

The stone is where it started, Matilda in the distance, is where it ended.

 

[DASKOP]

At that stage, I had no idea what had gone wrong.

I went into a corner at about 90 km/h, the front suddenly washed away, tank slap and Matilda turned into a bucking bronco. All I can remember was shouting, "God help me" and then I was in the air, Matilda was snaking, I was trying to keep the throttle open and pull through, which eventually happened, about 200 meters from where it started and I stopped in the grass next to the road.

How I did not go down was purely by the grace of God. The closest I have ever been in over 200 000 km of seeing my arse, properly.

 

[DASKOP]

Once the adrenaline stopped, I was able to continue to Helmeringhausen.

 

[DASKOP]

On my way to Helmeringhausen, I passed the De Klerk farm, owners of Mount D'Urban campsite, where I stayed on my way up. I did not not do it then, but it was time for sticker no 65.

 

[DASKOP]

I needed to calm down, the local shop, a cold Windhoek Draught, which I had sitting outside on the stoep.

 

[DASKOP]

I went across the road to the Helmeringhausen Hotel and met Bjorn and Katja Basler, the owners, and I got a special rate for the night. I had supper with Bjorn and it was off to bed.

 

[DASKOP]

29 July 2021

Packing Matilda in the dark.

 

[DASKOP]

I met up with Bjorn and Katja at the hotel, ready to leave and he asked if I had some time to spare, he wanted to take me to his farm to see something. I will come back to that, but he also noticed "oil" on the front of Matilda's engine.

Closer inspection seemed to indicate that the seal on the front shock of the ESA had gone. Could this have been the reason for my near mishap the previous day?

 

[DASKOP]

Björn had asked me if I had 20 minutes to spare, he wanted to show me something, so off we went in his Land Cruiser, to their farm, just down the road and then some dirt roads at a considerable speed and then stopped at the foot of a hill.

On top of the hill is a chapel. Not what I had expected, but it was amazing, to say the least. It was impressive in its uniqueness.

Björn then tells me the story of the chapel. The hotel had a huge heap of Windhoek Draught beer bottles which they had to get rid of. So Björn, on his own, carted 5000 Windhoek Draught bottles, to the top of the hill over a period of nearly 2 years, with no real initial idea of what he was going to do with them there. The chapel was apparently Katja’s idea, and with the help of two assistants, Björn carted the building materials to the site and built this amazing place, completing it within one month. Next to the entrance to the chapel are two brick columns with an old sleeper type cross-bar on top, and from it, on a chain, hangs a bell, which he had up-cycled from an old scuba diving air cylinder.

Few people are allowed access to the chapel and that was quite evident by the 50mm thick layer of bird dung on the porch, which he scraped away with his boot before opening the door and taking me to the front of the chapel, where the organ is. The organ was originally imported and transported by ship from Germany in the 1800s. Björn found the organ in a neglected state in the oldest church in Namibia, which he bought from an old priest, brought it back to the farm and then restored it to its current beauty.

 

[RobD]

Björn had asked me if I had 20 minutes to spare, he wanted to show me something, so off we went in his Land Cruiser, to their farm, just down the road and then some dirt roads at a considerable speed and then stopped at the foot of a hill.

On top of the hill is a chapel. Not what I had expected, but it was amazing, to say the least. It was impressive in its uniqueness.

Björn then tells me the story of the chapel. The hotel had a huge heap of Windhoek Draught beer bottles which they had to get rid of. So Björn, on his own, carted 5000 Windhoek Draught bottles, to the top of the hill over a period of nearly 2 years, with no real initial idea of what he was going to do with them there. The chapel was apparently Katja’s idea, and with the help of two assistants, Björn carted the building materials to the site and built this amazing place, completing it within one month. Next to the entrance to the chapel are two brick columns with an old sleeper type cross-bar on top, and from it, on a chain, hangs a bell, which he had up-cycled from an old scuba diving air cylinder.

Few people are allowed access to the chapel and that was quite evident by the 50mm thick layer of bird dung on the porch, which he scraped away with his boot before opening the door and taking me to the front of the chapel, where the organ is. The organ was originally imported and transported by ship from Germany in the 1800s. Björn found the organ in a neglected state in the oldest church in Namibia, which he bought from an old priest, brought it back to the farm and then restored it to its current beauty.

What a wonderful story that is!!! :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[DASKOP]

Björn suggested that I spend some quiet time here on my own with Brandon.

He said that I should take all the time I need, lit a candle, left me alone in the chapel and then I heard the bell ring four times.

No words can really describe that moment. I spent some time in the chapel, it was a time of significance, of reflection, and a time of intimacy with my Father and my son.

What a wonderful, amazing, sensitive and kind gesture, Björn allowed me access to this chapel and in this way honoured my boy, Brandon.

Once again, I had been blessed in experiencing the best of the people who crossed my path on this journey.

 

[DASKOP]

After a while, I walked around the hilltop.

Björn indicated the boundaries of their farm, and it extends over a vast area to the mountains in the distance. The view from the chapel is spectacular in all directions. It truly is one of the most unique places which I have had the privilege of visiting on all my travels to date.