Damaraland & Kaokoland – Finally!

[Sheepman]

Brilliant report, full of stories, great pics and colorful characters - well done

 

[Sandban(g)k]

This report is not only well written, it makes one feel really bad for having all sorts of excuses not to go on this trip.

To everyone involved here, thanks. This trip and report thereof is what keeps the dream alive.

I feel refreshed, refocused en re-ady, just by reading. Can’t wait to see what I feel like once the stars align…

 

[Johannesf]

After we negotiate the somewhat tricky exit out of the Hugab river, we soldier on towards the abandoned Brandberg Mine.

We regroup, as agreed, every now and again as we go along and soon we are on terra firma, a wide gravel highway lying ahead of us. The plan is to take an obscure exit along the route and take a shortcut, hugging Brandberg mountain, towards White Lady Camp. Rodger and I are in front, and we both doubt the turn-off as indicated by the GPS once we reach it. I say to Rodger that I am going to go check it out and I head off into the veld, no tracks visible. Like the scene from Cool Hand Luke, or more famously for my time, the much acclaimed “Civil War” song by Guns’ n Roses, the following phrase jumps to mind: “What we’ve got here, is failure to communicate.”

I ride on into the veld, find the track not far off, and assume Rodger understood that I will be continuing on along the route if I find it. If I don’t find it, I will go back to the main road. Big mistake.

Well, I had the ride of my life. Riding for what felt like, and was, hours, skirting Brandberg, was magic. Never for one minute did I think that people might be concerned about me, or that I could be inconveniencing anyone whatsoever. I eventually met up with Rodger and all was good. Until the rest of the group started arriving. Turns out it was not the case.

@Johannesf, being one of the better riders in the group, was asked by Hardy that morning to take responsibility for the group from a rider perspective. And he did so with much aplomb. Alan and Sharon were doing the same as the recovery-vehicle crew. I later learnt that the entire group was very worried about me. Johannes, Ellio, Patty, Alan, Sharon. Once @Johannesf caught up with us he was visibly upset. I didn’t understand his reaction and shrugged it off. Rodger and I moved on.

Later that day, after the ride, @Johannesf again made clear his dissatisfaction, which again I couldn’t fathom. And herein lies the benefit of reflection. I have been thinking about this altercation and situation for some time and realised how inconsiderate I was in my actions. That the frustration shown that day came from a place of worry and concern. @Striggs also packaged it nicely for me and helped me understand it from a different perspective. (Thanks, Yoda).

@Johannesf, thanks for your concern, and thanks for the lessons learnt! In that desolate place you are taking risks. And riding alone escalates those risks significantly. I now fully understand where the anxiety and frustration came from. Dankie, en jammer, @Johannesf !

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Brandberg looming...

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No hard feelings, mnr !!
I also really felt bad after blowing off some steam on arrival at white lady camp for the reasons you so well explained…
Apologies again, REALLY-
Really look forward to meeting you on the long and dusty roads again!
A real pleasure to ride with you.

 

[JACOVV]

So jammer dit RR is klaar.

Baie lekker gelees en dankie vd moeite wat jy ingesit het om ons deel te maak vd trip.

"A job well done"

 

[Adriaan.theron]

All good things come to an end, and so did this trip. The following morning we pack up and it's a two and half hour dash to Usakos where we load the bikes and head to Windhoek.

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We spend the night at Arebbusch Lodge in Windhoek, and just like that it is all over.

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A question I have been asked often since my return is “were you a group of friends/mates that decided to do it together?”. People are surprised to hear that the answer is no. I went, like many of the others on the trip, on my own. I sort of knew and knew of a few of the people through WD’s and Quest Bootcamp, but to say “friends” would be a stretch, more like acquaintances. To say, however, that I came back with very good friends would be true.

To my fellow riders on this tour, I would like to say thanks!, you "awesome human beings", for making this bucket-list trip something that I will forever remember. To @Hardy de Kock and the amazing crew (@Chantal Burger , @hartebees , Hennie, Allan, @bowmansharonlee), what a pleasure it was to tour with you and thanks for looking after us the way you did!

Until we meet again.

Fluit fluit, my storie is uit.

Dankie Roux, dit was nou beslis die lees werd. Soveel herinnering terug gebring van ons trip laasjaar. Dis bitter spesiale wêreld daardie en daar is geen ander span as die Specialized Adventures span waarmee ek dit sal aanpak nie.

Ek hoop dat daar nog baie mense soos jy sal wees wat hierdie toer sal kan beleef.

Indien enige iemand wonder of dit die moeite werd is, dis ‘n kort en maklike antwoord. “JA”

 

[Hardy de Kock]

Baie domastrant van my gewees en ek kan myself gelukkig ag dat ek niks oorgekom het nie. Sou iets gebeur het was dit sleg gewees het vir almal. Hierdie is nie my laaste Specialised Adventures trippie nie maar wel my laaste soortgelyke dom ding wat ek beplan om te doen.....

Nee wat - sulke dinge gebeur en sorg dat ons stories het om te vertel.
Sien uit daarna om weer saam te ry Peter.

 

[Hardy de Kock]

Dankie Roux, dit was nou beslis die lees werd. Soveel herinnering terug gebring van ons trip laasjaar. Dis bitter spesiale wêreld daardie en daar is geen ander span as die Specialized Adventures span waarmee ek dit sal aanpak nie.

Ek hoop dat daar nog baie mense soos jy sal wees wat hierdie toer sal kan beleef.

Indien enige iemand wonder of dit die moeite werd is, dis ‘n kort en maklike antwoord. “JA”

Dankie ou maat

 

[Brakenjan]

Dankie Rooies - dit was 'n great RR en ek het lekker saamgery.

Was ook great om te sien hoe mooi @NIMMO jou gehelp het. Hy bly maar net 'n class act.

 

[Chantal Burger]

Hier is ‘n paar “behind the scenes” fotos van die crew.

 

[BuRP]

https://cdn.imagearchive.com/wilddo...d6bb378b27f36cac38d7e8d0c478b803b8c361fc9fefe
Dankie vir die foto Chantal!
Bly om te sien Honda's breek nie

 

[Hardy de Kock]

https://cdn.imagearchive.com/wilddo...d6bb378b27f36cac38d7e8d0c478b803b8c361fc9fefe
Dankie vir die foto Chantal!
Bly om te sien Honda's breek nie

Ons het vir Johannes 'n rev limiter ingesit. Die bike het die rivier beddens opgedonder

 

[BuRP]

vir Johannes 'n rev limiter ingesit

Sien onder....

 

[Ebee]

.