Trip started in Windhoek on 23 July 2008. My wife was expecting our first baby in Sept and I did'nt have a lot of time,also realising that I will be huosebound for a while and I was so keen to ride.
Charlies dad and friends came from the UK on holiday and he decided to show them the Norhern part of Namibia and at the same time do it on his bike. He was inexperienced and asked Gunther and myself to join which was an opportunity we could'nt miss
We had two backup vehicles and a trip organiser. The three of us flew to Windhoek from CPT and back to save time.
Vehicles left a couple of days earlier for Windhoek with our bikes in tow.
It was me on a KTM 640,"For the sponsors" just so they can get some mileage :mwink:
Charlie on a 650 BMW and Gunther on a 1200 GS
We had the bikes on the trailer through Etosha,Namatomi,Oshakati,Ruacana and thats where we saddled up for the first time.
In Etosha it was cold at night and Charlie thought it was a grand idea to sleep in a trailer,( it was such a #$% idea )further north it was very different
Kudu at a waterhole
I fitted Pirelli Rallye Cross knobblies on the 640 with amazing results
We were not interested in tar riding although Gunther rode from Windhoek as he flew up after us. On route to meet us at Epupa Falls he had major drama as his back brake came loose at 140km/h but he managed to stay upright and in the process destroying the back wheel and drive train of the big GS.
Within 24 hours he had a new bike from Stellenbosch to continue the trip, but enough of that.
The ride from Ruacana along the Kunene river was spectacular. Charlie discovered a leak in his radiator due to a stone wedged between the frame and the radiator.
Here we are trying to do a repair with putty at the Kunene river Lodge
We continued to Swartboois drift and had to go around to Epupa Falls as the stretch along the river will take at least 7 hours for a good rider in daylight and it was getting dark already.
There are numerous rivercrossings and through one of them Charlie hit the only rock in the riverbed and took his first tumble of the trip - little did he know that there was a couple more ahead the next few days.
We set up camp under the huge palmtrees next to the river for two day enjoying the area and although it was winter it was very hot during the day. Never do this in summer - you will die !!!
Our camping site,breakfast and sleeping arrangements
Early morning next to the Kunene river
We left Epupa and headed for Opuwo which is the only major town in the area where you can re-fuel and get supplies for the last time.
This is the view from the Opuwo Country lodge !
We followed the road to Kaoko Otavi to Orepembe which is by a long shot the best riding ever, make a note and have a look on a map :thumleft: Its an exilerating rollercoaster dangerous road with mountain passes (all tweespoor) with obsticles like sand, dongas, powder patches etc. Here Gunther parked the GS in an awkward spot
I found some shade and waited for the two Beemers just to make sure all was OK
The morning before we left myself and the tour leader decided to meet in a river bed close to Orepembe. I plotted the Hoarisib riverbed and he meant the Khumib river and although only 10km’s apart we missed the rendezvous point so we had to sleep in the riverbed only with what we had with us. I rode to this little shop and basically bought all their beer and “boeliebeef “ so we were OK for the night.
Our sleeping arrangements
The next morning they found us.
We set off to Purros which is the area where you are guarenteed to see the desert elephants. The roads are sandy and there are a lot of powder patches which is like baby powder and you can’t see what is below which can be quite dangerous on a bike.
This is what you look like when you tumble in the powder
Vrede a really small place and this is the Billboard outside town
We regrouped at Purros before leaving for Fort Sesfontein.
The BMW 650 took a hammering, here Charlie arive with spareparts around his neck after a couple of tumbles
Gunther handled the sandroads like a pro withe the 1200 GS
The road was bad but I was flying on the 640 and did’nt wait for the other guys as it was so much fun and very hot. I arrived at Fort Sesfontein filled my bike and went to the bar at the Fort where I probably had 5 liters of beer
While waiting two guys from Swakopmund arived, battered and bruised - the came from v Zylspas on 950's with panniers and fully kitted. That was quite entertaining to hear about their ordeal - dropping their bikes how many times and struggling to get that stretch behind them.
When our party arrived Gunther could hardly walk as both he and Charlie fell going through a powder patch. His ankle was badly bruised but he continued to Warmquele where we camped at Ongongo for the night. Gunther became a passenger and we put his bike on the trailer as his trip was over unfortunately
Himba children of the area
"likkewaan" crossing the road
The next day we set of to Twyfelfontein on normal district roads and stayed over at the community camp with quite a festive bar area.
It was such a pleasure to have a backup vehicle and not schlepping tents and baggage along.
The 2nd last day arrived and after breakfast we headed for Uis.
BMW vs KTM
Kawa vs Suzuki :mwink:
On the road to Henties from Uis it was like someone opened a fridge as we came closer to the sea from the warm desert.
What a View ?????
We regrouped in Henties ,swallowed the dust with good Namibian beer and set of for our last stop which was Swakopmund.
Three good friends having a well deserved beer at the Dunes in Henties after an awesome adventure
That night we celebrated an awesome adventure in true German style with Eisbein Sourkrout and Beer in Swakopmund.
We loaded the trailer the next morning, and after breakfast headed for the airport in Windhoek for a flight back to Cape Town.
Till next time which is 7-10 May 2009 - Cape Town - Baviaans - Cape Town :ricky:
Cheers and safe riding
Charlies dad and friends came from the UK on holiday and he decided to show them the Norhern part of Namibia and at the same time do it on his bike. He was inexperienced and asked Gunther and myself to join which was an opportunity we could'nt miss
We had two backup vehicles and a trip organiser. The three of us flew to Windhoek from CPT and back to save time.
Vehicles left a couple of days earlier for Windhoek with our bikes in tow.
It was me on a KTM 640,"For the sponsors" just so they can get some mileage :mwink:
Charlie on a 650 BMW and Gunther on a 1200 GS
We had the bikes on the trailer through Etosha,Namatomi,Oshakati,Ruacana and thats where we saddled up for the first time.
In Etosha it was cold at night and Charlie thought it was a grand idea to sleep in a trailer,( it was such a #$% idea )further north it was very different
Kudu at a waterhole
I fitted Pirelli Rallye Cross knobblies on the 640 with amazing results
We were not interested in tar riding although Gunther rode from Windhoek as he flew up after us. On route to meet us at Epupa Falls he had major drama as his back brake came loose at 140km/h but he managed to stay upright and in the process destroying the back wheel and drive train of the big GS.
Within 24 hours he had a new bike from Stellenbosch to continue the trip, but enough of that.
The ride from Ruacana along the Kunene river was spectacular. Charlie discovered a leak in his radiator due to a stone wedged between the frame and the radiator.
Here we are trying to do a repair with putty at the Kunene river Lodge
We continued to Swartboois drift and had to go around to Epupa Falls as the stretch along the river will take at least 7 hours for a good rider in daylight and it was getting dark already.
There are numerous rivercrossings and through one of them Charlie hit the only rock in the riverbed and took his first tumble of the trip - little did he know that there was a couple more ahead the next few days.
We set up camp under the huge palmtrees next to the river for two day enjoying the area and although it was winter it was very hot during the day. Never do this in summer - you will die !!!
Our camping site,breakfast and sleeping arrangements
Early morning next to the Kunene river
We left Epupa and headed for Opuwo which is the only major town in the area where you can re-fuel and get supplies for the last time.
This is the view from the Opuwo Country lodge !
We followed the road to Kaoko Otavi to Orepembe which is by a long shot the best riding ever, make a note and have a look on a map :thumleft: Its an exilerating rollercoaster dangerous road with mountain passes (all tweespoor) with obsticles like sand, dongas, powder patches etc. Here Gunther parked the GS in an awkward spot
I found some shade and waited for the two Beemers just to make sure all was OK
The morning before we left myself and the tour leader decided to meet in a river bed close to Orepembe. I plotted the Hoarisib riverbed and he meant the Khumib river and although only 10km’s apart we missed the rendezvous point so we had to sleep in the riverbed only with what we had with us. I rode to this little shop and basically bought all their beer and “boeliebeef “ so we were OK for the night.
Our sleeping arrangements
The next morning they found us.
We set off to Purros which is the area where you are guarenteed to see the desert elephants. The roads are sandy and there are a lot of powder patches which is like baby powder and you can’t see what is below which can be quite dangerous on a bike.
This is what you look like when you tumble in the powder
Vrede a really small place and this is the Billboard outside town
We regrouped at Purros before leaving for Fort Sesfontein.
The BMW 650 took a hammering, here Charlie arive with spareparts around his neck after a couple of tumbles
Gunther handled the sandroads like a pro withe the 1200 GS
The road was bad but I was flying on the 640 and did’nt wait for the other guys as it was so much fun and very hot. I arrived at Fort Sesfontein filled my bike and went to the bar at the Fort where I probably had 5 liters of beer
While waiting two guys from Swakopmund arived, battered and bruised - the came from v Zylspas on 950's with panniers and fully kitted. That was quite entertaining to hear about their ordeal - dropping their bikes how many times and struggling to get that stretch behind them.
When our party arrived Gunther could hardly walk as both he and Charlie fell going through a powder patch. His ankle was badly bruised but he continued to Warmquele where we camped at Ongongo for the night. Gunther became a passenger and we put his bike on the trailer as his trip was over unfortunately
Himba children of the area
"likkewaan" crossing the road
The next day we set of to Twyfelfontein on normal district roads and stayed over at the community camp with quite a festive bar area.
It was such a pleasure to have a backup vehicle and not schlepping tents and baggage along.
The 2nd last day arrived and after breakfast we headed for Uis.
BMW vs KTM
Kawa vs Suzuki :mwink:
On the road to Henties from Uis it was like someone opened a fridge as we came closer to the sea from the warm desert.
What a View ?????
We regrouped in Henties ,swallowed the dust with good Namibian beer and set of for our last stop which was Swakopmund.
Three good friends having a well deserved beer at the Dunes in Henties after an awesome adventure
That night we celebrated an awesome adventure in true German style with Eisbein Sourkrout and Beer in Swakopmund.
We loaded the trailer the next morning, and after breakfast headed for the airport in Windhoek for a flight back to Cape Town.
Till next time which is 7-10 May 2009 - Cape Town - Baviaans - Cape Town :ricky:
Cheers and safe riding
