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

[woody1]

Daai is nou regtig 'n naais ou oom.  :3some:

 

[Shaun]

We said thanks again to Oom Giel for his wonderful hospitality & continued on our way again. A little way further we got to the last gate where Fred had opened & let us all through.

This being the final gate that we had to go through & with me being right behind Fred, meant that I was now the "lucky" one out in front. From this point on.... the clock simply began ticking away for the final few km's, before my DREAM Trip to Namibia would suddenly come to a grinding halt!!!

When riding out in front here, with the early morning sun shining from behind you @ the angle it was...... you do tend to ride a hell of a lot slower & more cautious......all the while with the following things running through your mind..... "Keep away from the Electric Fence, Keep a look out for VlakVark Holes, sandy sections & WASHOUTS....all the while also looking out for the intersection up ahead, where we need to turn right"

Few shots of the sections of road.

 

[Shaun]

Daai is nou regtig 'n naais ou oom.  :3some:

He is really one of the nicest People with the biggest heart that I know. He truly went out his way to assist me.....as you will see later on in the RR

Oom Giel.....ek het dit al baie keur vir Oom gese.....maar weerens uit die diepte van my hart.....voel ek regtig ge-eerd om vir Oom te ontmoet & sal vir ewig dankbaar wees, vir alles wat jy & jou familie vir my gedoen het.

:salut: :salut: :notworthy: :notworthy:

 

[BMWPE]

:thumleft:

 

[woody1]

Hy het ons vertel, maar toe het ek nie geweet dit was jy wat daar geval het nie.
Nice om nou die verhaal te kan lees.
Besef hoe gelukkig is ons was om ons trippie te kon voltooi sonder enige ongelukke of valle.
Een van daai driffies was maar lekker tricky. Kon een onthou met 2 boggels wat die fiets lekker laat rondspring het

 

[Shaun]

Hy het ons vertel, maar toe het ek nie geweet dit was jy wat daar geval het nie.
Nice om nou die verhaal te kan lees.
Besef hoe gelukkig is ons was om ons trippie te kon voltooi sonder enige ongelukke of valle.
Een van daai driffies was maar lekker tricky. Kon een onthou met 2 boggels wat die fiets lekker laat rondspring het

The next few photos I'm about to post will reveal all. :'( :'(

 

[Shaun]

All was still going well......until, as in the next few shots show, within literally a few "seconds".....how my bike sustained severe damage & instantly brought my Trip to an END :'( :'( :'( :'(

First photo shows the small "crack/washout" across the road that I had gassed a bit (still in 3rd gear) to get over & keep momentum as the surface here was a bit silted on top. Also my eye had caught the "VlakVark Hole" just to the right of the crack in the road. The problem is that with a lot of these "VlakVark Holes"....is that you never can tell exactly in direction they are dug out.....which often ends up under the road.....which sometime can cause the road you are travelling on, to simply give way as you go over it.

Just take a look up ahead in this photo......even take a little time to study it (time which I never really had @ the time)..... & tell honestly if you can see a "1,4m wide by almost 500mm deep" WASHOUT up ahead?? Because I never did!!!! atch: atch: atch: :-\

 

[Shaun]

I have marked the same photo to indicate where the "BEEG WASHOUT" is & also a cross to indicate the point @ which I saw it.

Keep in mind that I had just gassed the bike in 3dr (sitting @ around 45-50km/h), had too much momentum @ that present point & was suddenly forced to make a split second decision...... :eek7: :eek7: :eek7:

Do I slam on the anchors & hope I can brake in time (possibly having the bike wash out form underneath me with the loose "silt" lying on top of the road & possibly land up in the Electric Fence)......OR do I make a judgement call to kick down into 2nd & hang on the throttle, in the hope that I can gain enough momentum to get @ least the front wheel over......then hope for the best w.r.t. what happens on the other side of the Washout. :eek7: atch: :eek7: atch:

Either way.... I knew @ that point.....this was not going to turn out good.

I knew one thing for 100% sure.....that if I didn't stop enough in time & my front wheel ends up in this hole.....the entire bike would most definitely dig in, flipping the bike "Gat-Oor-Kop" throwing me violently over the bars & more than likely landing on top of me. I did NOT like that picture.... so I opted for option 2, braced myself for the worst but hoped for the best possible outcome.

Following few photos happened within seconds!!!!!

 

[Ride Alot]

I get tears in my eyes when i see this again.....glad you put that behind you and got a very nice bike now to complete the Namibia trip next time!!!!

 

[Shaun]

One of the main factors that saved me from loosing things on the other side, was the fact that the surface was pretty hard & clean, which prevented me from loosing the front. The last section of my huge Bash Plate & the rear wheel took the full impact of the connection with the other side of the Washout. I ended up doing an "involuntary short stoppie", as the rear wheel bounced off the other side. When it landed....the rear end of the bike was all of a sudden a lot lower with the back wheel feel like it was suddenly locking up slightly. This was due to the rear shock's main bottom bolt sheering right off.

When I eventually contained things & came to a stop, my first reaction was to turn around & stop the other guys. By then Raptor F22 was already there, but likely had seen the dust from the impact & stopped in time.

 

[Shaun]

Ladies & Gentlemen....... After assessing the damage that had been done.....I knew very well that my "Dream for many year of doing this Trip to Namibia"....was officially over :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

I truly have No words to truly express the feeling that swept over me @ that point. I felt truly "Robbed, Angry & Totally Shattered".

Here was a lot of damage & my bike was seriously broken.

 

[Shaun]

We tried to free up the wheel by taking the shock out, as it had also partially sheered from the top mounting point as well. There was no way this bike was able to ride any further......so the only option was to radio through to RideAlot & Dave, asking them to please ask Oom Giel if we could use his trailer to get my bike to his farm.

After we lost a bit of communication with the other 2 guys, we decided to leave the bike there & start making our way back to the farm to pick up the bakkie & trailer....with me having to ride pillion on the back of Raptor F22's GSA. I was not a Happy Chappy. :'(

As we arrived back @ the farm.... RideAlot & Dave were all hooked up & ready to go back & fetch my broken bike.

 

[Shaun]

Almost an hour & a half later.....once we finally got back to the Farm & the guys had all there gear packed back onto their bikes.....they were all set & ready to continue with their "11 Day Journey to Namibia". As I wished them all well a watched as they continued down the road until I could not see or hear them anymore.....then truly did the reality set in & Hit me like a Ton of Bricks.

I have said this many times before & am still not in any way ashamed of repeating it or hiding away form the feelings I had @ that exact moment...... I was Truly Emotional deep down inside & it clearly showed as I looked into the camera lens & with tears in my eyes......said "That's the end of the Trip for me".

The Trip I had longed for & been looking forward to for many many many years.......was all over :-\ :'( :'( :'(

 

[Shaun]

Oom Giel mentioned to me that he was going to be going through to Upington later on in the morning, & kindly offered to drop both me & my bike off & the BMW Dealer there. For this I was truly grateful. Once he was ready & everything packed into the back of his bakkie, with the trailer in tow.... off we were.

I had about a million thoughts rushing through my head all the way to Upington (what now....is the bike repairable,....if not, where do I get another bike from, how long will it take to get sorted out, where am I going to stay,.....etc, etc, etc,....)

Finally as we came through Keimoes, we caught up with the guys just as they were about to leave, turn right & head off in the direction of Agrabies Falls. us traveling in the bakkie..... would however continue straight in the direction of Upington. I truly was very happy for the other guys,.....but I cannot help feeling robbed.

To Barnie, Riaan, Fred, Dave & Johan..... thanks for the wonderful time I was privileged to & have been able to spend with you guys on the first 2 days of our planned 11 day trip. Glad you guys were able to continue & that you had a really Gr8 time. Thanks once again too, for all you help in getting me sorted out & my broken bike loaded onto the trailer. Next time round, as soon as finances & time afford me another opportunity to do this trip again..... all I wish to say is..... "I Will Be Back & will once again look forward to saying it out loud...... "Bring It On""!!!

 

[Shaun]

Once we got to Upington, Oom Giel dropped me off @  "Auto Luxus BMW Dealership". We offloaded the bike off the trailer & then Oom Giel kindly proceeded to tell me.... "Shaun, ek het 'n huis hier in Upington & jy hoef nie te worry om plek te gaan soek om te bly. Jy is meer as welkom om by ons te bly vir 'n paar dae, tot alles uit gesort is."

Well guys & girls..... I was once again totally speechless with the really kind way in which Oom Giel opened up his home to me.

I will  briefly continue tomorrow to share with you all of the really Gr8 way I was treated by both Oom Giel & by the BMW Dealership, over the next few days I spent in Upington......but for now I am tired & am going to sleep.

Lekker slaap almal......

 

[Samou]

Hi there - Thanks for sharing your RR and sorry to read about your misfortune but like you said Namibia WILL see you but only a bit later  :thumleft: Hope Beemer has recovered and on the road again.

 

[subie]

Jy gaan nou vir my lag maar ek was self naby trane toe ek my postie bike moes abandon  langs die pad in die noord kaap. My sak en helmet gevat en die nag ingestap naaste dorp toe. Laaste foto wat ek van hom geneem het. Darem 600km grondpad daardie dag met die 110cc gehardloop insluitende n papwiel.

 

[woody1]

Is daai sak nie 'n BIETJIE swaar agter op daai fietsie nie .. ot:

 

[subie]

Is daai sak nie 'n BIETJIE swaar agter op daai fietsie nie .. ot:

Enigiets agter op n postie is swaar. Sit nou nog my dikgat  125kg by    :eek7:

 

[Joyride]

To get back to the sand pit on Verneukpan, it is like fighting the devil in the dark, you just don't know where he is. :thumleft:

After we left the farm it was kind of like "death in the family". We only recovered after seeing you in Keimoes and realised that you were, well kind of sorted and on your way to Upington.

A big thumbs up to Oom Giel for assisting you in the way he did. Sout van die aarde mense daai. Keimoes is hoeka my hometown.

Geen ons ten minste 'n verskoning om weer NAM te doen. :ricky: