Memory Lane

[Mzee]

I was looking at one of the photos from my trip in 2010.  I can only shake my head.  It was a daring trip solo.

 

[Welsh]

If you had known, you probably wouldn't have done it.  :thumleft: eepwall:

 

[Mzee]

It had rained the whole day.  I had ridden about 150 kms, but it seemed like I had ridden the whole day.  I came across the Tanzanian  and Burundian border, which is what you see in the picture.  The road was not tarred. 

If you pay attention you will see that I had Anakee II tyres on. These were road tyres and not suited to the kind of terrain of Western Tanzania with its volcanic muddy soil.  It was like riding on oil.  It put fear in me.  For a fee that I will not name, those children agreed to walk with me down the slop.

 

[Mzee]

If you had known, you probably wouldn't have done it.  :thumleft: eepwall:

I agree.    :lol8:  But the lesson is that  sometimes, knowing too much is often not productive because it stifles adventure, etc.  The only thing that would stop me from undertaking such a trip would be war, the fear of being kidnapped or harmed by unreasonable men.  Adventure makes life worth living.  :ricky:  That trip was undertaken with little money and no support except for enthusiastic Wilddogs who were following the  and occasionally asked wanted to know where I was. It was a genuine adventure.

That V-strom was a great bike.  It was built like a tank, bullet proof engine and indeed a very solid bike.  I don't know  what the later Wee-strom are like but I dare say nothing like the one I had.  On one stretch of about 116km I stopped counting after tumbling 15 times.  The tyres and the sand and the rain were just a bad combination that worked to undermine my strip.  The V-strom keep going.

 

[Welsh]

You will be remembered MZee, a BIG man who broke all the Racial stereotypes, a Gentle Giant of a man, Well Educated (Professor at Wits), and recently had been getting grease under his nails doing Steering Head bearings on his Sten. RIP

 

[schalk vd merwe]

You will be remembered MZee, a BIG man who broke all the Racial stereotypes, a Gentle Giant of a man, Well Educated (Professor at Wits), and recently had been getting grease under his nails doing Steering Head bearings on his Sten. RIP

Hi Welsh first time I read this. How did he die ?

 

[schalk vd merwe]

You will be remembered MZee, a BIG man who broke all the Racial stereotypes, a Gentle Giant of a man, Well Educated (Professor at Wits), and recently had been getting grease under his nails doing Steering Head bearings on his Sten. RIP

Hi Welsh first time I read this. How did he die ?

Hi Welsh I only realize now that I know this guy. He studied at Wits and on completion of his degree he became a professor at Wits. He was from Tanzania I think and bought the Yamaha to go home every year, I did a compliance certificate on the property he bought in JHB north some where. A gentle giant indeed. 

 

[Welsh]

You will be remembered MZee, a BIG man who broke all the Racial stereotypes, a Gentle Giant of a man, Well Educated (Professor at Wits), and recently had been getting grease under his nails doing Steering Head bearings on his Sten. RIP

Hi Welsh first time I read this. How did he die ?

Hi Welsh I only realize now that I know this guy. He studied at Wits and on completion of his degree he became a professor at Wits. He was from Tanzania I think and bought the Yamaha to go home every year, I did a compliance certificate on the property he bought in JHB north some where. A gentle giant indeed.

Yes, he was at a Robot on his Yamaha XT1200 on Empire Road I think, taking his son to school, turning right, a bus came around the corner from behind got it all wrong and swerved literally went straight over them.  :'(