Incomplete Namibia Trip for Bring It On (April 2013):

[Shaun]

Thank you for sharing this emotional trip with all of us.

I agree with Visarend!! We need to get a group together and go back to thank Oom Giel and the Upington guys and then do a bit in Nam!!! I'm in!! Just let me know when and lets start planning!!!!! Even if it is only in a few years time!!!!!!!!!

I too fully agree & will most definitely be there, if both time & finances allow. :thumleft:

 

[Shaun]

Finally got onto the tar section near the top of the pass & simply enjoyed yet another really Gr8 view. :drif: :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

Continued down the other side & eventually got to the end of the road, where I turned right for the final stretch of the day.....on towards Cederberg Oasis.

 

[spoedvark]

Beautiful!!!

Nou yik my gat!!!!

BUT

December is around the corner. Time to save a few ZARS so I can join JMOL if he plans a trip!!!!!!!!!1

Plus National Bash on our doorstep and the GS ECO Challenge also in our valley!!!!!!!!

Better start making coffee in bed tomorrow!!!! :thumleft:

Thanks again for a great RR, Shaun.

 

[Gadgeteer]

Great RR Shaun! Actually you were damn lucky and the incident could not have worked out better in any possible way (after the accident). Great support, you were not injured, and you rode home on a bike instead of by bus! Actually a nice looking bike you got as well!

But I hear it was not yet all over after Cederberg Oasis.... there is just a bit more according to Jaco. And you had a bit more luck by "stopping" in just the right place. You're one lucky guy!

 

[Shaun]

Last few photos for tonight..... Been a loooong day in the saddle posting these photos all the way from Upington to the Cederberg Oasis..... :lol8: :lol8: :lol8: :lol8:

The scenery out in this part of the WC truly is amaizing & I just could never grow tired of riding out through that area. As I pulled infront of Gerrit & Chantelle's place....Jaco & Arina were there to great me. Thanks guys for riding out :thumleft:

 

[Shaun]

Beautiful!!!

Nou yik my gat!!!!

BUT

December is around the corner. Time to save a few ZARS so I can join JMOL if he plans a trip!!!!!!!!!1

Plus National Bash on our doorstep and the GS ECO Challenge also in our valley!!!!!!!!

Better start making coffee in bed tomorrow!!!! :thumleft:

Thanks again for a great RR, Shaun.

Really glad you guys are enjoying the journey through this RR.  ;D

 

[Shaun]

Great RR Shaun! Actually you were damn lucky and the incident could not have worked out better in any possible way (after the accident). Great support, you were not injured, and you rode home on a bike instead of by bus! Actually a nice looking bike you got as well!

But I hear it was not yet all over after Cederberg Oasis.... there is just a bit more according to Jaco. And you had a bit more luck by "stopping" in just the right place. You're one lucky guy!

Yes Buddy....you are quite correct.....this RR is not in any way over just quite yet ....maar ek is nou eers bietjie moeg & gaan nou bietjie slaap. Will continue again tomorrow evening, when I get home from work.

Thanks to everyone for all the really wonderful comments!! :thumleft: :thumleft:

Lekker slaap almal. ;D

 

[VaalBaas]

Het sopas die hele thread sit en lees. Moes eintlik al begin werk het, maar moes eers klaar maak.

Wat 'n ondervinding, what luck en watter einde. :thumleft:

Ook maar lekker windgat mannetjie en glad nie bang nie, nè.  Dis nou nie almal wat 'n trip met een bike begin, nadat dit redelik oortuiging gekos het met vroulief, wegry van die huis af en dan met 'n nuwe bike weer by die huis opdaag nie.  ;D ;D :thumleft:

Nee jong dis sommer tong in die kies. Bly alles het goed afgeloop.

Voorspoed met daai skoeter en dankie vir al daai mooi foudies.

 

[GIDEON]

Die IS n AWESOME Ride Report  :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[Shaun]

OK....lets pick up from where I left off....

By the time I arrived to meet Jaco @ the Oasis...it was already pretty late & I still had to  pitch my tent for the night.....oh well on second thoughts..... some of Namibia's Finest in the form an Ice Cold "Tafel" & some catch-up chatting somehow found it's way to the "finish line".....& so the "tent-pitching" only happened a lot later ;D ;D

Really nice to see Gerrit & Chantell again. They truly are special people & always seem to pride them selves in pleasing others. After lots more chit-chat, enjoying some really Gr8 Sirloin Steak & Ribs (you truly are gonna battle to find it any better anywhere else!!!!) & another steering damper or 2.....we made our way down to the campsite, where Jaco & Arina had already pitched their tent earlier.

There is just no way to describe just how peaceful & awesome Cederberg Oasis really is......unless you have spent a night out there & experienced it for yourself.

The next morning Jaco played his part as "Camp Comadant" & woke us all up to the smell of nice fresh coffee he got going on the little gas stove. We packed camp & then headed up the main house out front for a really good welcome breakfast. After a bit more chit-chat & once our bill was settled....we started on our way.

Thanks again Gerrit & Chantell for your "Always GR8" hospitality. :thumleft:

Few photos on the morning just before we left.

 

[alanB]

A very well written and eventful RR  :thumleft:

I can share your heartbreak at seeing your bike so badly damaged and your long awaited adventure plans come to abrupt halt like that!  :'(

But as others have said - you did very well not to loose it and and thus thankfully only the bike was injured!  Bikes can be fixed a lot easier than bodies!

Plus you got a replacement bike and had a nice trip home - all was not lost!

A true adventure!

 

[Shaun]

Got all geared-up & started making our way towards Uitkyk Pass & then onto Algeria, where we would turn left up towards Citrusdal via Nieuwoudts Pass.

That is one "Cattle Grid" that had to approached with care......hit that wrong....& you will most definitely sit with a smiley  ;D ;D

 

[Shaun]

Few more shots of us travelling these wonderful roads. I have to say.....it really was so nice to have someone to ride with......always just so much better with Gr8 company. :thumleft:

 

[Shaun]

A few More.... :ricky:

 

[Shaun]

Coming to the sumit of Uitkyk Pass....Jaco was ahead of me & snapped this 1st shot of me with his phone. The next photo is me snapping him with my helmet cam.

 

[Shaun]

This truly is a really nice pass with the most amaizing views that just seem to go on forever. Stopped here briefly to take a few photos & then got a call from my Dad, to enquire how far we were, as he along with a friend from work (Wessie) were waiting there (in Ceres) to meet up with us later.

I told him where we were & gave him an approximate ETA......BUT little did I know that only just a few km's later down the road just before Algeria (as the brick paved section of the road begins) I would have my very first "Break-Down" on my new bike.

 

[Shaun]

Did I say the views from up here, as you head down this Pass..... are really Gr8 :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:....

 

[Shaun]

Then just as we were really starting to enjoy this ride, Jaco wanted to briefly stop as soon as we got onto the "Brick Paved" section of the road.....not too far from Algeria, to check his front tyre as the feedback he was getting, just felt odd.

We stopped, switched our bikes off, quickly checked out his tyres, found everything to be in order, got back on our bikes, I turned on the ignition & tried to start my bike.......EISH..... & then NOTHING!!!! :eek7: atch: atch: atch: atch:

To make a 1½hr "Frustrating" story short.....is that the "fuel pump electronics unit" had decided @ that exact moment to simply pack up & hence denying the bike any fuel. I can share with you all what some of the thoughts that flashed through my mind @ that point :angry5: :BangHead: :angry4: :angry5: ...... but I think you can make your own assumptions & lets leave it @ that : ;D ......

After almost stripping the entire bike down to do random fault finding & still not finding an answer.... Thank goodness we were in pretty good Cell phone Reception here & I decided it was time to "phone a friend" & gave Alfie a call. Long story short.....he very quickly ran me through various checks & quickly ended up @ finding the fault with the "fuel pump electronics unit", situated on top of the fuel pump. Led me through a "bypass method".....put the stripped bike back together, turned on the ignition & pushed the started button & instantly fired up. ;D ;D ;D ;D :wav:

Eish......I cannot tell you how wonderful I felt after that.... :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

2 quick shots of the roadside repair (bike being out back together & then finally ready to ride a gain) Thanks Jaco for all your help out there Buddy & Thank you to Alfie for getting me sorted out so quickly!!

 

[Shaun]

After a quick call to my Dad, who was very patiently waiting in Ceres, to let him know we were again on our way, after this Frustrating Setback.....the GS & AT could finally on our way again towards Citrusdal. :thumleft:

 

[Shaun]

Made a quick fuel stop in Citusdal & then made a quick run over "Middelberg Pass" with some really nice "sandy bits" along the way :ricky: :biggrin: :biggrin:, only stopping briefly @ the really sharp hair-pin-bend to get a few shots of Jaco taking the corner. :ricky:

The view down into this really deep valley sure is breathtakingly beautiful :drif: :drif:  :thumleft: