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

[Shaun]

One thing for sure.... is that the section of "Black Asphalt" is just sooooooooo loooooooong & boring......that I just had to find ways to amuse myself & keep myself occupied.

Made good use of the time I had @ my disposal while riding, to mess around with the camera & get creative. :biggrin: :biggrin:

 

[Heimer]

Sean - thanks for a brilliant ride report.

I was very disappointed when I did not see you at Ais-Ais -  where your friends told me what had happened.

I am glad you are on two wheels again.  :thumleft:

It is just a reminder to all of us that things can go very wrong, very quickly....

I need to ask you a question - I have been looking at the place where you totalled your bike

Do you think you would have made it through the hole if you were in the left side track?

 

[Shaun]

Then just before Calvinia, some Provincial "Traffis Ossifers" were doing a random "pull-over" to check for routine/general "L&R" stuff.

 

[Mambat]

Great RR BIO!

Man I could feel your emotions seeing your face in that photo when you realized your trip had come crashing to a halt   :'( Felt the same mate! Just be thankful you walked away unscathed!

But I have to say that sure is a sexy GS you got as a replacement, I love the colour  :thumleft:
Really looking forward to following you and seeing you on her IN ACTION!
I wish you many thousands of safe trouble free miles on her!

Cheers

Mambat

:ricky:

 

[Shaun]

Sean - thanks for a brilliant ride report.

I was very disappointed when I did not see you at Ais-Ais -  where your friends told me what had happened.

I am glad you are on two wheels again.  :thumleft:

It is just a reminder to all of us that things can go very wrong, very quickly....

I need to ask you a question - I have been looking at the place where you totalled your bike

Do you think you would have made it through the hole if you were in the left side track?

Hi there Jan, we also discussed that same thing out there on that day & we all seemed to think that even though it still might've been a better outcome had I been travelling in the left hand lane (due to the Washout being a lot narrower there)....there was just no time @ that present moment to even think of trying to switch over. It was literally a situation of....you see nothing, then you see it, decide & react in a split second, stick with your best gut instinct & hope for the best possible outcome.....

 

[Shaun]

Great RR BIO!

Man I could feel your emotions seeing your face in that photo when you realized your trip had come crashing to a halt   :'( Felt the same mate! Just be thankful you walked away unscathed!

But I have to say that sure is a sexy GS you got as a replacement, I love the colour  :thumleft:
Really looking forward to following you and seeing you on her IN ACTION!
I wish you many thousands of safe trouble free miles on her!

Cheers

Mambat

:ricky:

Thanks a lot Buddy for those really kind words :thumleft: :thumleft: Eish....it sure was not nice what happened to both of us....but as you say & could not agree more....that I am MOST Gr8full that both you & I could walk away & are able to ride again. :ricky: :ricky:

Looking forward to doing a ride together with you soon :thumleft:

 

[Shaun]

Quick stop in Calvinia to refuel (both bike & self) & snap a few photos in the process  ;D

 

[DASKOP]

Wonder how big the Postman is there?  :biggrin:

 

[Shaun]

I was really very happy as I exited Calvinia & made a left turn......Yipppppeeeeeee.....finally the long awaited awesome R355 Gravel High lay before me. :wav:

Continued for a while & just had to make a quick stop @ the lookout point on top of Bloukrans Pass. Boy oh Boy,.....what stunning view from there. :thumleft:

 

[Shaun]

Wonder how big the Postman is there?  :biggrin:

:spitcoffee: He must really be very BEEEEEEG :imaposer: :imaposer: :imaposer:

 

[Shaun]

Couple more photos from the lookout point. The one of the R355 seen through the spokes is one of my favourites :thumleft:.

 

[Shaun]

Still had quite a lot of distance to cover for the day.....so I continued to head off down the pass & enjoyed a little under 200km of Awesome Gravel Travel Highway, before I made a right turn onto the Katbakkies Pass.

Couple of random photos along the way. :ricky:

 

[Shaun]

Hang on a minute......all of a sudden I feel a bit of Dejvu here......

1st photo: Me now on my return trip &
2nd 2 photos: RideAlot & I riding past the same spot where the helicopter was standing ;D

 

[Shaun]

Couple more random photos... :ricky:

 

[Shaun]

Saw a few strange sights along the way too.

 

[Shaun]

Few more shots of me passing the "Tankwa Karoo Park" turn off & then not too far after the Tankwa Padstal, I turned right towards Katbakkies Pass. Real pity the Padstal was closed, as a nice ice cold "Steering Damper" sure would've gone down well @ that point....just to wash down a bit of the dust. ;D

Stopped briefly @ the "Sothemba Lodge" entrance for a quick photo & then stared making my way up the pass & then stopped again further on to snap a few more shot.

 

[Buff]

Yissie bud, I almost started crying just seeing the emotion on your face when you said goodbye to your traveling mates :-(
Sorry about your trip ending prematurely, it wasn't meant to be and that only means one thing... there's something better in store for you on the horizon.

Thanks for the great RR, it's been a great read and I'm enjoying the screen captures.

 

[spoedvark]

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!!!!!!!!!

 

[Shaun]

The road surface of Katbakkies Pass was truly in the best condition that I have seen in a long time & it sure provided for some really enjoyable riding......except for one or two of these sections atch: atch:

Eish.....I really did not want to see this kind of stuff!!!!! @ least here, they were very clearly visible & could easily be avoided.

 

[Shaun]

Yissie bud, I almost started crying just seeing the emotion on your face when you said goodbye to your traveling mates :-(
Sorry about your trip ending prematurely, it wasn't meant to be and that only means one thing... there's something better in store for you on the horizon.

Thanks for the great RR, it's been a great read and I'm enjoying the screen captures.

Brett, you are one of my friends that truly knew just how long & eager I had been looking forward to this trip. I will never deny that I truly was "Broken" inside & truly felt robbed that day......but in spite of everything I have managed to make peace with the fact that this time round.....I was not meant to continue this Trip. As I re-live that event in my mind, I know that God had His hand over me & am most Gr8ful for that. I also believe that one day/year will come..... when I will be able to get another chance to complete this long awaited Dream of going to Namibia. :thumleft: