Gauteng to Gamsberg in 12 days
- Thread starter Vaalseun
- Start date
Kenisis
Race Dog
Thank you Very much for Sharing. This looks like such an awesome trip!
Vaalseun
Pack Dog
Day 8: Koimassis, Aus, Luderitz, Aus (377km)
The night was rather stormy, and I had to anchor my little tent to any unmovable thing that I could find, the ground being too hard to drive tentpegs into. I had a peaceful night though.
As I had a long day ahead, I decided to get up at sparrowf@rt and get going early. Another reason for starting early was so that I could get through the worst sand while it was still firm. What a beautiful morning. The photos will do the talking today. The first few are still on the farm, doing the 20km back to the main road.
This is back onto the D707. Note the sand, but above all the fantastic views. I would recommend this road to anyone going that way.
The story goes that this windmill never produced a single drop of water.
While having a comfort break and a snack on the road to Luderitz, this guy stopped for a chat. Young Irish guy on his way from Cape Town to Cairo and then on to the UK. He has already done Europe, Asia, N and S America. He’s been on the road for 16 months already. What struck me was how little he had, and when I offered a map, spares, food etc he just refused, saying that he got by so far and he will get by for the rest of the way. We chatted for nearly two hours. How nice to be able to live your dreams. Hat’s off mate.
It’s the first time that my bike has seen the Atlantic ocean.
Luderitz from the other side of the bay. What a small little place it is.
The Diaz cross, or rather, a replica thereof.
Much has been written about the wild horses at Aus, and I will not bore you with the detail. Suffice to say that they are in mint condition, despite the lack of grazing. I guess they have adapted over the years to the harsh conditions.
Klein Aus Vista is an absolute magnificent campsite, and a must for everybody going that way.
Another beautiful end to a tough day in paradise.
The night was rather stormy, and I had to anchor my little tent to any unmovable thing that I could find, the ground being too hard to drive tentpegs into. I had a peaceful night though.
As I had a long day ahead, I decided to get up at sparrowf@rt and get going early. Another reason for starting early was so that I could get through the worst sand while it was still firm. What a beautiful morning. The photos will do the talking today. The first few are still on the farm, doing the 20km back to the main road.
This is back onto the D707. Note the sand, but above all the fantastic views. I would recommend this road to anyone going that way.
The story goes that this windmill never produced a single drop of water.
While having a comfort break and a snack on the road to Luderitz, this guy stopped for a chat. Young Irish guy on his way from Cape Town to Cairo and then on to the UK. He has already done Europe, Asia, N and S America. He’s been on the road for 16 months already. What struck me was how little he had, and when I offered a map, spares, food etc he just refused, saying that he got by so far and he will get by for the rest of the way. We chatted for nearly two hours. How nice to be able to live your dreams. Hat’s off mate.
It’s the first time that my bike has seen the Atlantic ocean.
Luderitz from the other side of the bay. What a small little place it is.
The Diaz cross, or rather, a replica thereof.
Much has been written about the wild horses at Aus, and I will not bore you with the detail. Suffice to say that they are in mint condition, despite the lack of grazing. I guess they have adapted over the years to the harsh conditions.
Klein Aus Vista is an absolute magnificent campsite, and a must for everybody going that way.
Another beautiful end to a tough day in paradise.
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Stunning photo's !!
Vaalseun
Pack Dog
Day 9: Aus, Rosh Pinnah, Ai-Ais (355km)
The road from Aus to Rosh Pinnah is tar, it’s long and it’s boring. The town itself is a typical mining town full of busy people and cars. Fortunately I had no business there other than to juice up, and I got going again. The pic below is well-known, and I’ve seen it in many previous ride reports.
I saw two guys coming from the south, and we stopped to have a chat. They were on their way to Windhoek for business, and were making use of the opportunity to see some other places. It was nice to chat to like-minded people for a change.
The road along the river is magnificent. I was looking for a place to stop for a swim, but being alone I wanted a spot where I could also keep an eye on the bike. I was not successful, so I just pushed on. It was now immensely hot.
I was very keen to see ‘n halfmens, and did some research before the time. Through Google Earth I found a spot on my route where they could be seen, and I had the coordinates in my GPS. It took a bit of searching as the coordinates were out by about 1km, but eventually I spotted them. I had to climb a koppie to get there, but it was worth the effort. These plants grow approximately 1,5cm per year, so I estimate this specimen to be about 3 times my own age. The halfmens is an endangered plant. It was almost a sacred moment to be able to stand next to it.
The well-known reed-houses of Aussenkehr
My plan was to ride the Gamchab 4x4 trail and even overnight there if nobody sees me, but the temperature made me decide that it would be irresponsible to tackle that on my own. I was so looking forward to it, but on a solo ride in such extreme heat, one also has to use the few brain-cells that are still functioning at that point.
Arrived at Ai-Ais safely and pitched my tent under a shade tree. Everybody just warns about the Bob’jane. To the guys going to the bash later on, my advice would be to take a rubber-snake along (oh, and leave the warm clothes at home).
The temperature of the outside pool is higher than body temperature. I discovered the secret is to dive in, and then get out so that the breeze cools you off. Once dry, you just repeat the process.
These two (from Central European descent) got themselves some meat at the shop, and they then collected firewood (i.e. the seed-pods that fell from the palm trees) to have a braai. Maybe I’m the fool, maybe they were going to eat the meat raw and use the seed-pods to sweep infront of their tent.
By now I was fed-up with tinned food, and I decided to eat in the restaurant. The service is good, the menu is not bad, and above all, they have aircon (oh, and it’s not expensive). They have an outside bar, and it’s amazing how one can have 5 draft beers in succession, and not feel it. I mentioned before that I was determined to avoid dehydration.
And so another peaceful day in Africa draws to an end.
The road from Aus to Rosh Pinnah is tar, it’s long and it’s boring. The town itself is a typical mining town full of busy people and cars. Fortunately I had no business there other than to juice up, and I got going again. The pic below is well-known, and I’ve seen it in many previous ride reports.
I saw two guys coming from the south, and we stopped to have a chat. They were on their way to Windhoek for business, and were making use of the opportunity to see some other places. It was nice to chat to like-minded people for a change.
The road along the river is magnificent. I was looking for a place to stop for a swim, but being alone I wanted a spot where I could also keep an eye on the bike. I was not successful, so I just pushed on. It was now immensely hot.
I was very keen to see ‘n halfmens, and did some research before the time. Through Google Earth I found a spot on my route where they could be seen, and I had the coordinates in my GPS. It took a bit of searching as the coordinates were out by about 1km, but eventually I spotted them. I had to climb a koppie to get there, but it was worth the effort. These plants grow approximately 1,5cm per year, so I estimate this specimen to be about 3 times my own age. The halfmens is an endangered plant. It was almost a sacred moment to be able to stand next to it.
The well-known reed-houses of Aussenkehr
My plan was to ride the Gamchab 4x4 trail and even overnight there if nobody sees me, but the temperature made me decide that it would be irresponsible to tackle that on my own. I was so looking forward to it, but on a solo ride in such extreme heat, one also has to use the few brain-cells that are still functioning at that point.
Arrived at Ai-Ais safely and pitched my tent under a shade tree. Everybody just warns about the Bob’jane. To the guys going to the bash later on, my advice would be to take a rubber-snake along (oh, and leave the warm clothes at home).
The temperature of the outside pool is higher than body temperature. I discovered the secret is to dive in, and then get out so that the breeze cools you off. Once dry, you just repeat the process.
These two (from Central European descent) got themselves some meat at the shop, and they then collected firewood (i.e. the seed-pods that fell from the palm trees) to have a braai. Maybe I’m the fool, maybe they were going to eat the meat raw and use the seed-pods to sweep infront of their tent.
By now I was fed-up with tinned food, and I decided to eat in the restaurant. The service is good, the menu is not bad, and above all, they have aircon (oh, and it’s not expensive). They have an outside bar, and it’s amazing how one can have 5 draft beers in succession, and not feel it. I mentioned before that I was determined to avoid dehydration.
And so another peaceful day in Africa draws to an end.
Vaalseun jou RR kan enigiemand gebruik as gids vir die suide van Namibia.
Mooi foto's van n baie droë landskap vanjaar.
Mooi foto's van n baie droë landskap vanjaar.
Mev Vis Arend
Race Dog
Jo-jo, maar dit is mooi. Baie dankie vir die RR en fotos.
Vaalseun
Pack Dog
chrisL said:
Dankie Chris. Komende van die Ghoeroe, neem ek dit as 'n kompliment. My roete was rofweg gebaseer op advies van jouself, Visarend en baie ander wie se name ek nie nou kan onthou nie. Dit is verstommend hoeveel 'n mens kan leer deur vorige ride reports te bestudeer, en hoeveel meer sinvol dit jou eie trip kan maak.
Ja but you "snuffeld" out some very nice campsite to stay.Vaalseun said:
I would like to stay at one or two of them for sure. Plaaskuier always the best.
Vaalseun
Pack Dog
Day 10: Ai-Ais, Fish River Canyon, Canyon Roadhouse, Ai-Ais (225km)
I could have left my tent and luggage in Ai-Ais, but the locals were sceptical whether the Bob’jane would leave it alone. My location was out of sight from the staff at the restaurant and reception area, so I decided to pack up and take everything with.
Judging by the age of this truck, it must have been standing here for at least 30 years. It’s amazing how slow the rusting-up process can be in the desert.
Of course, the Fish River Canyon is magnificent and a real highlight.
Note the cat on the bonnet of the truck. It was a scorching day, and I almost drank 4 beer-mugs of ice water with my very nice lunch. The Canyon roadhouse is an oasis in the desert.
Yes, I know everybody posts this picture but it’s still a very nice photo.
When I stop for photos I would often move over to the right-hand side of the road. On this occasion however, the shoulders of the road were just loose sand and I got stuck in no time. I had to get off, lay the bike on it’s side, and pull it back onto firmer ground. This was hard word, considering the temperature.
Later that afternoon a couple pulls into the campsite opposite mine. She’s from Germany and he from Cape Town. They were driving from Europe across West Africa, and tonight would be the second-last leg of their journey. We chatted until late, and my little trip seemed so trivial compared to theirs. I realised again that there's more to life than the rat-race that we find ourselves in every day.
And so another peaceful day in Africa draws to an end.
I could have left my tent and luggage in Ai-Ais, but the locals were sceptical whether the Bob’jane would leave it alone. My location was out of sight from the staff at the restaurant and reception area, so I decided to pack up and take everything with.
Judging by the age of this truck, it must have been standing here for at least 30 years. It’s amazing how slow the rusting-up process can be in the desert.
Of course, the Fish River Canyon is magnificent and a real highlight.
Note the cat on the bonnet of the truck. It was a scorching day, and I almost drank 4 beer-mugs of ice water with my very nice lunch. The Canyon roadhouse is an oasis in the desert.
Yes, I know everybody posts this picture but it’s still a very nice photo.
When I stop for photos I would often move over to the right-hand side of the road. On this occasion however, the shoulders of the road were just loose sand and I got stuck in no time. I had to get off, lay the bike on it’s side, and pull it back onto firmer ground. This was hard word, considering the temperature.
Later that afternoon a couple pulls into the campsite opposite mine. She’s from Germany and he from Cape Town. They were driving from Europe across West Africa, and tonight would be the second-last leg of their journey. We chatted until late, and my little trip seemed so trivial compared to theirs. I realised again that there's more to life than the rat-race that we find ourselves in every day.
And so another peaceful day in Africa draws to an end.
Vaalseun
Pack Dog
Day 11 & 12: Ai-Ais, Karasburg, Velloorsdrif, Aughrabies, Kuruman, Home (735km + 545km)
I rode the C10 straight to Karasburg. Although the scenery is beautiful, this road is treacherous in the sense that it has patches of loose sand that you need to be careful about. I can see why many riders take a fall here, especially the bit between the B1 and Karasburg. There are very good sections where 120kph is quite in order, but one must really concentrate here. Anycase, I could see that the habitat has changed yet again.
The road in the distance is already in the "States" as we called it back in the days. After the border post I took a hard left, roughly following the Orange river although the river was never in sight. Later on the road became tar, but immediately there was another lefty onto dirt.
My last night was in Red Sands outside Kuruman. This is also a very nice campsite.
And with this, a magnificent trip has come to an end. Although Namibia was very dry, I managed to see past that and appreciate the true beauty of this amazing country. Most of the time I slept on the ground next to the campfire without my tent, I ate very basic food and came into contact with incredible people. To me, this was a humbling experience. Thanks for reading.
I rode the C10 straight to Karasburg. Although the scenery is beautiful, this road is treacherous in the sense that it has patches of loose sand that you need to be careful about. I can see why many riders take a fall here, especially the bit between the B1 and Karasburg. There are very good sections where 120kph is quite in order, but one must really concentrate here. Anycase, I could see that the habitat has changed yet again.
The road in the distance is already in the "States" as we called it back in the days. After the border post I took a hard left, roughly following the Orange river although the river was never in sight. Later on the road became tar, but immediately there was another lefty onto dirt.
My last night was in Red Sands outside Kuruman. This is also a very nice campsite.
And with this, a magnificent trip has come to an end. Although Namibia was very dry, I managed to see past that and appreciate the true beauty of this amazing country. Most of the time I slept on the ground next to the campfire without my tent, I ate very basic food and came into contact with incredible people. To me, this was a humbling experience. Thanks for reading.
Mev Vis Arend
Race Dog
Wat 'n belewenis! :thumleft:
Jy het my so opgewonde - ek weet nie HOE ek hierdie maand gaan omkry nie. (Ons gaan mos self 'n bietjie "huis toe".)
Jy het my so opgewonde - ek weet nie HOE ek hierdie maand gaan omkry nie. (Ons gaan mos self 'n bietjie "huis toe".)
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Vaalseun - awesome ride report boet! Baie dankie!
Hijack on
Werdus, jy is mos Len se ouer broer? Jy het mos Dirk se Katoom gekoop? Ons het onmoet in Walvis by die wekus 4x4 vasbyt - ek en Dirk het met die swart jeep gery.
Hijack off
Werdus Smith said:
Hijack on
Werdus, jy is mos Len se ouer broer? Jy het mos Dirk se Katoom gekoop? Ons het onmoet in Walvis by die wekus 4x4 vasbyt - ek en Dirk het met die swart jeep gery.
Hijack off
Vis Arend
Bachelor Dog
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Vrek mooi RR en net so mooi kiekies. :thumleft: Dankie dat jy dit met ons gedeel het.
Jy het defnitief jou 12 dae ten volle benut. Ek is skoon jaloers, maar my beurt kom om julle jaloers te maak. :biggrin:
Jy het defnitief jou 12 dae ten volle benut. Ek is skoon jaloers, maar my beurt kom om julle jaloers te maak. :biggrin:
Beltzer
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10 uit 10! Dankie vir die RR, ek sien dis rerig 'n baie mooi land
stan1975
Pack Dog
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One the best RR's in a long time, awesome photos and well written, thanks a million for sharing Vaalseun.
:thumleft:
