Mark Hardy
Grey Hound
Well this was the weekend I was waiting for. Early Saturday morning I drove to JHB to collect my bike and do some business, left JHB at about 2pm to ride back to Botswana. Sorry not to contact anyone but it was a quick in and out of JHB and to get back across the boarder before dark.
It was so good to have the bike with me again and the ride back just reminded me why we ride DS bikes. 460Km in 3hrs.
Hereâ??s a couple of pics of the return ride.
Sunday was the day to go and explore some of the area around Gaborone. Left the house at 8.30am as it is quite cold in the morning and I was not in a rush to get any where. The general idea was to ride from Gaborone to Molepolole, then down to Tamanga in a southerly direction. This was all good tar roads and about 120Kms.
Just outside Gaborone
Then it was time to find some dirt roads that would hopefully take me back to Molepolole. I found out quickly that there are no sign boards showing the dirt roads, later in the day I was going to understand why. After stopping at a local shabeen/bar, I was given directions to the dirt road to take that would take me to the next village of Kotolaname. Once past the houses and huts of Tamanga I so not to sure if I was on the right road, I saw an elderly man and his dog and stopped to ask if I was on the right road. â??oh yesâ? he says in broken English and then draws a quick map in the sand to show where I must go and to look out for a yellow shelter where I must turn left.
The Old Man and his Dog
The road ahead
The map the old man draw, I so of understood what he meant
So off I set on my first dirt ride in Botswana, and what a ride it was. Today I rode some of the best roads and tracks that I have ever ridden. Maybe because Iâ??m in a country I have never visited and everything is new and exciting and I was not to sure where I going or where I would find myself. I had no idea what lay ahead, all I knew was that the bike and I were doing what we really enjoy.
The road was like any dirt road we ride in and around CT,
nice and wide and in good condition. â??This is going to be a normal dirt rideâ? I thought. These thoughts were put to rest after about 10mins.
The road was slowly turning into a single car wide tack with an uneven surface. From sitting and riding at 120km/h, I now had to stand and move from one side of the road to the other. This was a taste of things to come and more.
I have to keep a constant look out for cattle/goats/donkeys because I am riding through the rural farm lands and they let the animals range free here. (Free range in the true sense)
Cattle road blockâ?¦â?¦ok Iâ??ll take the right track thanks.
This is the yellow shelter that I had to turn left at.
Now the road was becoming interesting, the Botswana sand was starting to make itâ??s self know. The sand was not deep, underneath was still hard so the going was no problem. Just having a total ball of a timeâ?¦â?¦â?¦
These roads are an absolute blast to ride
Then the sand monster stood up to be counted. For the next 20min this is what the track was like.
4th gear at 5000 revs and all was good, the heart was going ten to the dozen and I am absolutely enjoying myself.
Suddenly the trees give way and the small village of Kotolaname appears. This is the place I was looking for.
From the time I spoke to the old man and his dog I never saw a sign board, what I did see was plenty of tracts and little roads leading off the MAIN track, will have to go explore those another day.
Now it was on to the main dirt road back to Molepolole and then the tar road back to Gaborone. The road started well
but again quickly became a sand highway. Tracks allover the place and no real lines to ride�..so just stand, keep the throttle pinned and let the bike do what it was designed to do��..make bad roads good. This road is about 30kms long and an absolute pleasure.
Start of the sand
Then some more sand.....but this a Highway
Just before town it gets better again.
Saw this old church and stopped for a smoke and a few pics
For my first ride in Bots I could not have asked for more. Beautiful scenery and wonderful roads and tracks. The people here are polite and helpful.
220 Kms tar
180 Kms dirt and sand
100% Fun and enjoyment
PS.........scorps roam is area
It was so good to have the bike with me again and the ride back just reminded me why we ride DS bikes. 460Km in 3hrs.
Hereâ??s a couple of pics of the return ride.
Sunday was the day to go and explore some of the area around Gaborone. Left the house at 8.30am as it is quite cold in the morning and I was not in a rush to get any where. The general idea was to ride from Gaborone to Molepolole, then down to Tamanga in a southerly direction. This was all good tar roads and about 120Kms.
Just outside Gaborone
Then it was time to find some dirt roads that would hopefully take me back to Molepolole. I found out quickly that there are no sign boards showing the dirt roads, later in the day I was going to understand why. After stopping at a local shabeen/bar, I was given directions to the dirt road to take that would take me to the next village of Kotolaname. Once past the houses and huts of Tamanga I so not to sure if I was on the right road, I saw an elderly man and his dog and stopped to ask if I was on the right road. â??oh yesâ? he says in broken English and then draws a quick map in the sand to show where I must go and to look out for a yellow shelter where I must turn left.
The Old Man and his Dog
The road ahead
The map the old man draw, I so of understood what he meant
So off I set on my first dirt ride in Botswana, and what a ride it was. Today I rode some of the best roads and tracks that I have ever ridden. Maybe because Iâ??m in a country I have never visited and everything is new and exciting and I was not to sure where I going or where I would find myself. I had no idea what lay ahead, all I knew was that the bike and I were doing what we really enjoy.
The road was like any dirt road we ride in and around CT,
nice and wide and in good condition. â??This is going to be a normal dirt rideâ? I thought. These thoughts were put to rest after about 10mins.
The road was slowly turning into a single car wide tack with an uneven surface. From sitting and riding at 120km/h, I now had to stand and move from one side of the road to the other. This was a taste of things to come and more.
I have to keep a constant look out for cattle/goats/donkeys because I am riding through the rural farm lands and they let the animals range free here. (Free range in the true sense)
Cattle road blockâ?¦â?¦ok Iâ??ll take the right track thanks.
This is the yellow shelter that I had to turn left at.
Now the road was becoming interesting, the Botswana sand was starting to make itâ??s self know. The sand was not deep, underneath was still hard so the going was no problem. Just having a total ball of a timeâ?¦â?¦â?¦
These roads are an absolute blast to ride
Then the sand monster stood up to be counted. For the next 20min this is what the track was like.
4th gear at 5000 revs and all was good, the heart was going ten to the dozen and I am absolutely enjoying myself.
Suddenly the trees give way and the small village of Kotolaname appears. This is the place I was looking for.
From the time I spoke to the old man and his dog I never saw a sign board, what I did see was plenty of tracts and little roads leading off the MAIN track, will have to go explore those another day.
Now it was on to the main dirt road back to Molepolole and then the tar road back to Gaborone. The road started well
but again quickly became a sand highway. Tracks allover the place and no real lines to ride�..so just stand, keep the throttle pinned and let the bike do what it was designed to do��..make bad roads good. This road is about 30kms long and an absolute pleasure.
Start of the sand
Then some more sand.....but this a Highway
Just before town it gets better again.
Saw this old church and stopped for a smoke and a few pics
For my first ride in Bots I could not have asked for more. Beautiful scenery and wonderful roads and tracks. The people here are polite and helpful.
220 Kms tar
180 Kms dirt and sand
100% Fun and enjoyment
PS.........scorps roam is area
