Well... the plan was simple really. pack my rucksack with as little as possible, tie it to the back of my bike and head for Malawi with as many dirt roads as i could find on the way. A great ride on my own to clear my head and recharge the batteries. Sounds easy enough and to start with it was just that. But nooo!! there just had to be one small hickup that would, in the end lead to a complete and utter mission failure. So anyways... this is what hapenned
My mate Dave, came round a while back to visit, and it was the first time he had seen my shiny new bike( new second hand i guess). So as guys do when there is a new gal to stare at and admire and do the usual oohing and aaahing, i mentioned that i planned to ride up to Malawi, going through Botswana, Zambia, into Malawi then back home via mozambique and swaziland. Well needless to say a huge grin dawned on his mug and he said he was coming as well. About a week later i recieved an email from him, saying that his mate Eric from the cape wanted to ride with us as well, and would be arriving in KZN a few days before the set off date. But there was one small hitch... Eric hasnt ridden offroad before. He has a new GS adventure with all the trimmings, but it has yet to pop its dirt track cherry. I did at this point begin to wonder if having a complete novice along for the trip was such a good idea after all. I mean c'mon, what if the old boy broke a hip when his bike had a lie down in the middle of nowhere? how was i going to carry him out, could i do any good if the worst should happen, blah blah blah. All the usual worst case scenarios ensued, and before i knew it, i was stressing much better, but coulnt quite bring myself to mention my misgivings to the two retirees. But with a bit of meditating on the matter and plenty of breathing into a paper bag to calm my nerves, i decided that whatever happens, happens and just to go with the flow. A client of mine from Dubai, called me about a week or so before departure date, and asked if i could do a photoshoot for him in Maputo. So i accepted the job, and made a quick change to the route. Swaziland and Mozambique first, then off to malawi, and back through the other countries i planned to visit.
And then the waiting game started, two weeks to go, and all i can do is daydream of what is to come... endless miles of great riding and good company, and a heap of new people to meet along the way.
then about three or four days before departure, Dave calls me up and says that Eric has left his bike registration papers at home. And he has come down with some sort of ear infection thingy that causes poor balance and such. So eric decided to ride up to joburg to see family instead, but dave would ride with me for a few days, if he was up for it, then head back home. So as it turns out, it was going to be a solo ride after all. I have to admit i was a bit dissapointed with the news, as i had met eric over lunch and he is a great bloke, and i was kinda looking forward to the mishaps and adventures that come with riding in the rough with decent folk. yet at the same time thrilled to the gills that i would be on my own for a while. sorry if that sounds selfish.
In the end dave rode out to my place and we set off with great weather and plenty of time to see where the road would take us.
Day one: We left at about 10:am after a hearty breakfast, and headed up the karkloof valley and once we hit the tar road on the other side, we turned right and headed for greytown. A quick stop in greytown for a coke and then we headed off to dundee, via tugela ferry on the R33.( take note here, the stretch of road that goes through tugela ferry and pomeroy is no longer a safe place to ride. heard of riders getting stoned off therir bikes and robbed at gunpoint. hopefully this changes soon, as its a decent stretch of tarmac). seems we were lucky that day, as we had a great ride up to dundee, with no hassels at all. By the time i rode into dundee, my ass was killing me. The XTZ 750 has one hell of a butt buster for a seat . i think i would have been better off sitting on a plank of wood. by the time we got to dundee it was mid afternoon or so, and we decided to find a spot to pitch our tents. And the sooner i was off my seat the better. i saw a sign for a campsite about 10kms outside dundee and made a dash for it. I kept thinking to myself as the miles eeked their way past, that if i am suffering on the first day from an uncomfy seat, how is it going to be in two weeks time. either get used to it, or trade the bloddy thing for a pony somewhere in mozaqmbique.
we rode into the campsite at about 15:30 or so. Checked in at reception, then set about pitchng my tent. When dave unrolled his sleeping mat and a sorry excuse for a blanket, i had to laugh. the weather was starting to turn for the worst, and if it rained, he was going to have a cold and wet night. But hats off to the geezer, i cant say i would be too keen to have a night out in the piss pouring rain. been there, done that too many times to remeber during my travels a few years back. Once we got camp set up, we headed off in search of a cold beer and some grub.
this is what i took with me
1 tshirt
1swiming shorts
3 pr undies
3 pr socks
micro towel
camera
paperwork + passport etc
gps
first aid
tent
s/bag
thermarest
gas cooker + 2 pots
tool kit + tyre irons
and my toothbrush
the heavy duty tubes i fitted the day before we left. I fitted new Karoo's while i was at it. Damn, but that back tyre took me bloody ages to get on the rim.
the following day, dave and i say a quick cherrio to my mother and sister before heading off.... obligatory photo if you please.
and
a quick stop for a breather and a coke in greytown
this is on the stretch of road near tugela ferry. hasnt seen rain in a very long time!!
this sorry looking bedroll is what dave carried with him. Respect! But i will still keep my tent thank you very much. ANd my god, but can this dude snore! woke up at about 4 am to the sounds of the appocalypse... turned out to be dave!
more to come.......
My mate Dave, came round a while back to visit, and it was the first time he had seen my shiny new bike( new second hand i guess). So as guys do when there is a new gal to stare at and admire and do the usual oohing and aaahing, i mentioned that i planned to ride up to Malawi, going through Botswana, Zambia, into Malawi then back home via mozambique and swaziland. Well needless to say a huge grin dawned on his mug and he said he was coming as well. About a week later i recieved an email from him, saying that his mate Eric from the cape wanted to ride with us as well, and would be arriving in KZN a few days before the set off date. But there was one small hitch... Eric hasnt ridden offroad before. He has a new GS adventure with all the trimmings, but it has yet to pop its dirt track cherry. I did at this point begin to wonder if having a complete novice along for the trip was such a good idea after all. I mean c'mon, what if the old boy broke a hip when his bike had a lie down in the middle of nowhere? how was i going to carry him out, could i do any good if the worst should happen, blah blah blah. All the usual worst case scenarios ensued, and before i knew it, i was stressing much better, but coulnt quite bring myself to mention my misgivings to the two retirees. But with a bit of meditating on the matter and plenty of breathing into a paper bag to calm my nerves, i decided that whatever happens, happens and just to go with the flow. A client of mine from Dubai, called me about a week or so before departure date, and asked if i could do a photoshoot for him in Maputo. So i accepted the job, and made a quick change to the route. Swaziland and Mozambique first, then off to malawi, and back through the other countries i planned to visit.
And then the waiting game started, two weeks to go, and all i can do is daydream of what is to come... endless miles of great riding and good company, and a heap of new people to meet along the way.
then about three or four days before departure, Dave calls me up and says that Eric has left his bike registration papers at home. And he has come down with some sort of ear infection thingy that causes poor balance and such. So eric decided to ride up to joburg to see family instead, but dave would ride with me for a few days, if he was up for it, then head back home. So as it turns out, it was going to be a solo ride after all. I have to admit i was a bit dissapointed with the news, as i had met eric over lunch and he is a great bloke, and i was kinda looking forward to the mishaps and adventures that come with riding in the rough with decent folk. yet at the same time thrilled to the gills that i would be on my own for a while. sorry if that sounds selfish.
In the end dave rode out to my place and we set off with great weather and plenty of time to see where the road would take us.
Day one: We left at about 10:am after a hearty breakfast, and headed up the karkloof valley and once we hit the tar road on the other side, we turned right and headed for greytown. A quick stop in greytown for a coke and then we headed off to dundee, via tugela ferry on the R33.( take note here, the stretch of road that goes through tugela ferry and pomeroy is no longer a safe place to ride. heard of riders getting stoned off therir bikes and robbed at gunpoint. hopefully this changes soon, as its a decent stretch of tarmac). seems we were lucky that day, as we had a great ride up to dundee, with no hassels at all. By the time i rode into dundee, my ass was killing me. The XTZ 750 has one hell of a butt buster for a seat . i think i would have been better off sitting on a plank of wood. by the time we got to dundee it was mid afternoon or so, and we decided to find a spot to pitch our tents. And the sooner i was off my seat the better. i saw a sign for a campsite about 10kms outside dundee and made a dash for it. I kept thinking to myself as the miles eeked their way past, that if i am suffering on the first day from an uncomfy seat, how is it going to be in two weeks time. either get used to it, or trade the bloddy thing for a pony somewhere in mozaqmbique.
we rode into the campsite at about 15:30 or so. Checked in at reception, then set about pitchng my tent. When dave unrolled his sleeping mat and a sorry excuse for a blanket, i had to laugh. the weather was starting to turn for the worst, and if it rained, he was going to have a cold and wet night. But hats off to the geezer, i cant say i would be too keen to have a night out in the piss pouring rain. been there, done that too many times to remeber during my travels a few years back. Once we got camp set up, we headed off in search of a cold beer and some grub.
this is what i took with me
1 tshirt
1swiming shorts
3 pr undies
3 pr socks
micro towel
camera
paperwork + passport etc
gps
first aid
tent
s/bag
thermarest
gas cooker + 2 pots
tool kit + tyre irons
and my toothbrush
the heavy duty tubes i fitted the day before we left. I fitted new Karoo's while i was at it. Damn, but that back tyre took me bloody ages to get on the rim.
the following day, dave and i say a quick cherrio to my mother and sister before heading off.... obligatory photo if you please.
and
a quick stop for a breather and a coke in greytown
this is on the stretch of road near tugela ferry. hasnt seen rain in a very long time!!
this sorry looking bedroll is what dave carried with him. Respect! But i will still keep my tent thank you very much. ANd my god, but can this dude snore! woke up at about 4 am to the sounds of the appocalypse... turned out to be dave!
more to come.......
want to see the rest!
