Into Africa - DASKOP's 12000km drive

[DASKOP]

Day 5 traveling to Aus.

We do the tree thing and set off. Nice gravel roads to travel. Then we get to the T at the tar road.

Knowing that we have 2 mates joining us later in the day at Aus, we decorate the indicated Yield sign so that they can see that they are heading in the right direction. We even ask the roadside orange vendor to point them in the right direction if he sees them.

Later hoor ons Duppie en Pierre het niks gesien nie. Ek dink nie hulle het lank genoeg gestop vir ons lemoenverkoper om hulle te verduidelik nie.

Aus - gooi petrol, dwaal deur die oninspireerende winkel om iets te kry om vir aandete voor te berei.

Toe ontmoet ons Matt die Kiwi. Hy wag vir 'n olie tenker om die KTM se olie op te top.

 

[King Louis]

sub.... :thumleft:

 

[DASKOP]

WANTED (REWARD OFFERED)

Matthew English aka Matt the Kiwi. See picture.

 

[DASKOP]

Day 5 Aus

We leave the little town of Aus and head out to our camping area. Very basic and very beautiful spot. As we arrive Murphy goes all the way to the back, where we should have turned in at the beginning, and the sand makes for some interesting manoeuvres.

Set up camp, normal NZ / SA banter about sheep, etc. Matt the Kiwi very sharp for his age and gave some killer comebacks.

Pierre and Duppie arrive. Fire and braai. You know the story. Murphy and food.  ;D

n0b0dy, jou matras pomp het baie handig ingekom. Dankie.  :thumleft:

 

[DASKOP]

Day 6 Aus to Spreetshoogte Pass.

Die dag begin met 'n pap wiel vir Pierre. Wiel af, tube in, wiel aan. Nie so vinnig of maklik nie, maar ons is uiteindelik op pad.

We travel from Aus to Helmeringhausen where we fill up and buy some snacks. Not much available in the way of ingredients for supper, so I ask the garage owner, who is also the pump attendant, what the next place is, where we can stock up. Maltahohe is, according to him, big against Helmeringhausen, but not really big at all. 

The other guys leave. I can remember Matt, on the corner, once again topping up the oil in the KTM, and a horse and low-bed trailer passing before we can get onto the road. So we are stuck behind this rig. No chance of passing, the dust is just too much. This was sort of OK as it was going at about 80 to 90 km/h and I decided to just enjoy the gravel. It turned out to be a matter of enjoy the gravel for MANY kilometers.

Matt was between me and the truck. I saw the truck slow down. Matt started veering to the right.

My mind screamed "No Matt!!!!!!". He started passing the truck and the truck turned right into his path. He did not see the truck indicate in the dust. His bike went down, he rolled off to the right and the truck ****** to dust-filled halt.

I could only fit my hand between the front tyre of the truck and Matt's bike. That is how close it was.

Unfortunately there are no photos for this section.

As I stopped, I grabbed my camera to take a photo (sounds terrible, but I have learnt that when there is a dispute, a photo can make a world of difference), used the last available shot, changed the memory card, only to later realise that I had dropped the one that was full.

 

[DASKOP]

Well, Matt was fine, we dusted him off and got him right back on before he could think of what happened. As I rode behind him, smelt burning rubber. Wheel was touching chain guard. Convinced him to forget Sossusvlei for the moment and we continued to Maltahohe so that he could attend to any mechanical repairs that may be needed.

It was about 14h30 in Maltahohe. After filling up on fuel at the Co-op (if I remember correctly, the Total did not have fuel) and some dubious pies at a tough talking "lady's" shop (she was also arranging to go and tow in some travelers broken 4x4 whilst nuking the pies in a microwave, and informing us about the weather and road conditions in some language unbecoming of a plattelandse dame), we left. Matt was sitting on the steps of the backpackers place and waved us off.

It was later in the day than we hoped it would be at this stage of the planned trip for the day. We still had a lot of gravel to cover to Remhoogte and then Spreetshoogte Passes.

 

[stan1975]

let the good times roll :---  :ricky:

 

[JACOVV]

En ek ry lekker saam  :sip:

 

[DASKOP]

Day 6 on the way to Remhoogte Pass.

It was the type of road that makes us do what we do and want to do more of it. Lots more.

 

[Huisdier]

Marius, ek ry leeker saam met jule en droom om dit nog eendag te doen...

 

[Knucklhead/knuckey]

:sip:

 

[DASKOP]

You know what the Robertson Spices chef says: "It's a combination that makes the djuices flow."      O0

If you could have seen inside my helmet, you would know what he meant. The combination of GSA, gravel, scenery and location, made the DJUICES flow............... :drif: :drif: :drif:

 

[DASKOP]

Day 6 getting the most out of this section of the road.

There are long stretches of Intense NAMIBIAN LANDSCAPE. THE DESOLATION IS BALANCED WITH PERIODICAL SIGHTING OF SOME FORM OF FORMALISED ESTABLISHMENT, BUT THESE ARE A FEW AND ARE FAR APART.

Die res is mooi oop vistas wat dinge aan 'n man se hart doen.

The GSA was humming. The scenery was amazing. I stopped and gave my bike a hug.

:blob6: :blob5: :blob7: :blob5: :blob3:

 

[DASKOP]

Day 6: Still trying to get to Remhoogte Pass.

Just realised myself how many photos I took. I think the next post should just be the short version.

Just the main places with a photo of each. 

 

[DASKOP]

Remhoogte Pass.

It was worth the detour. Right at the beginning of the planning, I read a 4x4 report on Spreetshoogte Pass. No mention was made of Remhoogte and having ridden it now, that was definitely an oversight. The view might not be as spectacular, as you will eventually see, as that of Spreetshoogte, but it is a beautiful scenic ride. Spirit lifting.

It was getting late. We thought Spreetshoogte was a hop, skip and jump away, but it was not to be.

 

[DASKOP]

More photos of Remhoogte

 

[DASKOP]

The arrival at spreetshoogte.

 

[Gasman]

Geniet ek nou hierdie verskriklik! Nog asb!

 

[DASKOP]

Geniet ek nou hierdie verskriklik! Nog asb!

Dankie Gasman.

Bly om te sien julle is ok veilig terug. Dit vat my net 'n rukkie om deur al die fotos te werk.

Ek kan nie wag om dit weer te doen nie.

 

[Gasman]

Geniet ek nou hierdie verskriklik! Nog asb!

Dankie Gasman.

Bly om te sien julle is ok veilig terug. Dit vat my net 'n rukkie om deur al die fotos te werk.

Ek kan nie wag om dit weer te doen nie.

Presies dieselfde aan my kant. Internet probleme by die huis op die oomblik, maar behoort darem binnekort die volgende video en Zambia te kan post.

Ek ry lekker saam met julle en kan nie wag vir wanneer jou storie uitkom by die dele waar ons was nie!  :thumleft: