- Joined
- Sep 18, 2010
- Messages
- 3,950
- Reaction score
- 1,529
- Location
- Walvis Bay, Namibia
- Bike
- KTM 990 Adventure
As some of you know, I had an awful accident in the South of Namibia about 10 months ago on my way to Cape Town. I fell asleep while riding and wiped out, breaking my left wrist and crushing my right wrist due to the impact with the ground. I have been riding again since the accident, however only on the black top because gravel riding really scared me silly. It was a physiological thing and I had to get over it as it really started to bother me.
I decided that enough is enough and planned a trip back to the place of the accident to get over it. The route that I planned consisted of as many gravel roads as possible. The total trip will be over 5 days and a distance of 2000km.
My plan was to ride to Windhoek over Bosua Pass and from there continue on gravel to Stampriet where I will sleep for the first night. Unfortunately, I just could not get myself to go on the gravel and cheated by riding on the B2 tar road to Windhoek, while all the way encouraging myself to get on the gravel as soon as possible. I arrived in Windhoek late afternoon and knew that I will not make Stampriet in day light and instead rode to Rehoboth to sleep over at Lake Oanob. This turned out to be a good decision, because the road between Rehoboth and Lake Oanob is a 10km gravel road. I had no choice but to ride it as there are no other decent camping sites in the area.
I turned off from the B1 and proceeded with riding the 10km gravel road to the lake. It felt like the longest gravel road that I have ever ridden. Every bump and bit of rough felt like mountains of loose gravel. The riding speed was slow and cautious, but I arrived safely at the Lake. It felt good that I have done this little distance of gravel and will repeat it in the morning.
The next morning I returned to the B1 via the 10km gravel road and all was ok, however still rattled by it. I realised that I am running late with my trip and took the tar road to Stampriet from where I will have to commit to travelling on the gravel as there was no alternative. I arrived in Stampriet at about 14:00 where I had a hotdog and a lemon twist for lunch. My next stop was Gochas approx. 75km from Stampriet where I will stay for the night. This gave me a second opportunity to ride some gravel and this time I was a lot more, although not 100%, comfortable with the idea. The rest of the way was just gravel with no escape to a tar road, which made me have to ride gravel.
and so my trip continued……………………
The actual route traveled
Day 1 – Walvis Bay to Lake Oanob – 491km
Packed and ready to GO
Peanut Butter and Biltong roll on the side of the road
Roadside Coffie Shop at Wilhelmstal
Old Steel Train Bridge
The old Wilhelmstal Hotel is behind this bridge, unfortunately the Hotel is been closed for years already. There is a very scenic road running past it to Omaruru.
I arrived at Lake Oanob.
Lake Oanob offers a fully licensed restaurant, shop, boat trips, paddle boats, chalets and camping sites. The camping sites range from N$80.00 per person per night to N$140.00 per person per night.
Rain was threatening and I had to settle for an N$140.00 camp site in order to camp under roof, I even had my own ablutions.
The campsite is huge, you can easily fit 2 off 3m x 3m Dome tents into opposite corners and still have a huge space available.
Beautiful view over the Lake
My 5 star accommodation for the night
Best piece of kit ever bought, money well spend
Day 2 – Lake Oanob to Gochas – 300km
Stampriet is approx 226km from Lake Oanob with a little town called Kalkrand almost in the middle at the 110km mark. You can get fuel, cold drinks other general items here.
Kalkrand
Stampriet is a very small farming community with a fuel station, Agra, lodge, guest house and 1 off the best private schools in Namibia. The little shop next to the fuel station sells the best freshly made hotdogs and I just had to have some.
Gourmet Lunch
It was really hot and the only bit of shade I could get was under the roof of the bus stop.
After lunch I continued to Gochas where I will stay for the night. In Gochas the best place to stay is at Stoney’s Country Lodge.
Stoney's Country Lodge
They have chalets and camping sites @ N$80.00 per person per night around the back behind steel gates.
They have a bar and a fine food restaurant. If you lucky you could also meet some of the local people, unfortunately I was the only guest this time. I have stayed here previously and it was cooking, with locals, playing pool, having beers and telling stories.
N$50.00 gets you 2 delicious russians and crispy fried chips, what more do you need.
Me
I decided that enough is enough and planned a trip back to the place of the accident to get over it. The route that I planned consisted of as many gravel roads as possible. The total trip will be over 5 days and a distance of 2000km.
My plan was to ride to Windhoek over Bosua Pass and from there continue on gravel to Stampriet where I will sleep for the first night. Unfortunately, I just could not get myself to go on the gravel and cheated by riding on the B2 tar road to Windhoek, while all the way encouraging myself to get on the gravel as soon as possible. I arrived in Windhoek late afternoon and knew that I will not make Stampriet in day light and instead rode to Rehoboth to sleep over at Lake Oanob. This turned out to be a good decision, because the road between Rehoboth and Lake Oanob is a 10km gravel road. I had no choice but to ride it as there are no other decent camping sites in the area.
I turned off from the B1 and proceeded with riding the 10km gravel road to the lake. It felt like the longest gravel road that I have ever ridden. Every bump and bit of rough felt like mountains of loose gravel. The riding speed was slow and cautious, but I arrived safely at the Lake. It felt good that I have done this little distance of gravel and will repeat it in the morning.
The next morning I returned to the B1 via the 10km gravel road and all was ok, however still rattled by it. I realised that I am running late with my trip and took the tar road to Stampriet from where I will have to commit to travelling on the gravel as there was no alternative. I arrived in Stampriet at about 14:00 where I had a hotdog and a lemon twist for lunch. My next stop was Gochas approx. 75km from Stampriet where I will stay for the night. This gave me a second opportunity to ride some gravel and this time I was a lot more, although not 100%, comfortable with the idea. The rest of the way was just gravel with no escape to a tar road, which made me have to ride gravel.
and so my trip continued……………………
The actual route traveled
Day 1 – Walvis Bay to Lake Oanob – 491km
Packed and ready to GO
Peanut Butter and Biltong roll on the side of the road
Roadside Coffie Shop at Wilhelmstal
Old Steel Train Bridge
The old Wilhelmstal Hotel is behind this bridge, unfortunately the Hotel is been closed for years already. There is a very scenic road running past it to Omaruru.
I arrived at Lake Oanob.
Lake Oanob offers a fully licensed restaurant, shop, boat trips, paddle boats, chalets and camping sites. The camping sites range from N$80.00 per person per night to N$140.00 per person per night.
Rain was threatening and I had to settle for an N$140.00 camp site in order to camp under roof, I even had my own ablutions.
The campsite is huge, you can easily fit 2 off 3m x 3m Dome tents into opposite corners and still have a huge space available.
Beautiful view over the Lake
My 5 star accommodation for the night
Best piece of kit ever bought, money well spend
Day 2 – Lake Oanob to Gochas – 300km
Stampriet is approx 226km from Lake Oanob with a little town called Kalkrand almost in the middle at the 110km mark. You can get fuel, cold drinks other general items here.
Kalkrand
Stampriet is a very small farming community with a fuel station, Agra, lodge, guest house and 1 off the best private schools in Namibia. The little shop next to the fuel station sells the best freshly made hotdogs and I just had to have some.
Gourmet Lunch
It was really hot and the only bit of shade I could get was under the roof of the bus stop.
After lunch I continued to Gochas where I will stay for the night. In Gochas the best place to stay is at Stoney’s Country Lodge.
Stoney's Country Lodge
They have chalets and camping sites @ N$80.00 per person per night around the back behind steel gates.
They have a bar and a fine food restaurant. If you lucky you could also meet some of the local people, unfortunately I was the only guest this time. I have stayed here previously and it was cooking, with locals, playing pool, having beers and telling stories.
N$50.00 gets you 2 delicious russians and crispy fried chips, what more do you need.
Me
