Namakwaland and Richtersveld Wildride

[Noneking]

I recall Amsterdam and Marc being in front of me and was very worried that I might ride in to the back of one of them. And then it nearly happened...... as if out of nowhere, Marc appeared in front of me, hugging the embankment next to the road turned dune. We rode together for a while, but the heavier 890 needs to carry a bit more speed to be comfortable in the deep sand. I don't recall passing Amsterdam, but somehow I did.

I was elated to emerge on the other side and when Mark emerged from the cloud, we high-fived each other and started telling our versions of passing through it.

 

[Noneking]

It took longer than expected before the next ride emerged from the dust. [member=13878]Muffin Man[/member] and a few minutes after him [member=7804]Amsterdam[/member]

 

[Noneking]

[member=10935]BuRP[/member] rode up ahead and we arranged to meet up with him in Eksteenfontein. Meanwhile, we were waiting for [member=8876]2StrokeDan[/member] to emerge. After a very long wait, Amsterdam and I rode back to go look for him. Considering what we'd just been through, I had an uneasy feeling about it all....... I was was very relieved to find Danie standing next to the road a few km from where we were waiting. Unfortunately he had his bike's chain in his hand........ it broke in 2 places and he was going nowhere slowly. Decision time.... Danie was adament that we just tow him back to main road where he would be able to make a plan. Our fearless leader  O0 [member=7804]Amsterdam[/member] would have none of it. He insisted on towing Danie to Steinkopf where plans would be made....

I was given instruction to ride back to the others and we would hopefully all meet up again at Oewerbos Lodge on the Orange River. eepwall:

 

[m0lt3n]

keen to hear more about that chain snap?



There is plenty things I have and still want to experience on a bike, some I know will be great and other I know wont be.
I have no wish to experience a dust storm

 

[Noneking]

keen to hear more about that chain snap?



There is plenty things I have and still want to experience on a bike, some I know will be great and other I know wont be.
I have no wish to experience a dust storm

[member=8876]2StrokeDan[/member] is serving a Ban from the forum.....
He'll be back in a week or so and tell you it's a white KTM and that's why it broke.... :ricky:

 

[Noneking]

Nog was dit einde niet........


Amsterdam asked BuRP to wait for us in Eksteenfontein where we would all regroup and ride through the canyon to the Orange River. With 2StrokeDan's breakdown, the waiting became too long for  Bart and he decided to leave Eksteenfontein without us. Cell signal is rare in the Richtersveld so we were unable to let Bart know about the delays. As we arrived in Eksteenfontein after 16:00, we started looking for Bart who was nowhere to be seen. We asked around and eventually someone said they saw him in town earlier.  A WhatsApp  message from Bart came through on the group, sent some 40 odd minutes earlier saying that he has left and is riding alone and will see us in Klein Pella. This was a problem as we were staying over at Oewerbos and would only ride to Klein Pella the next day. Surely he could not be heading to Klein Pella??  The frustrations of the day boiled over and both Marc and I were very upset. What were we to do?  Marc has ridden the canyon before and was not happy starting the track this late as any problems would see us riding tech terrain in the dark. I was worried that Bart was in fact riding through the canyon alone and what would happen to him if we did not follow?  We were also not sure how Danie and Jan-Lucas were doing towing to Steinkopf. I left the decision to Marc as he knows the area well and we agreed that we should not split up further but rather head to Oewerbos via Helskloof and manage whatever happens from there. I was very disappointed to mis out on the canyon route, but Helskloof proved to be awesome fun and I was able to vent some of my frustration in rocks and sand.

 

[Noneking]

Amazing sight…. Thousands of cairns

 

[Noneking]

 

[Noneking]

 

[Noneking]

 

[Noneking]

 

[Avontier]

Fantastic RR and great pictures!  :thumleft:

 

[Mikie]

[member=10935]BuRP[/member] rode up ahead and we arranged to meet up with him in Eksteenfontein. Meanwhile, we were waiting for [member=8876]2StrokeDan[/member] to emerge. After a very long wait, Amsterdam and I rode back to go look for him. Considering what we'd just been through, I had an uneasy feeling about it all....... I was was very relieved to find Danie standing next to the road a few km from where we were waiting. Unfortunately he had his bike's chain in his hand........ it broke in 2 places and he was going nowhere slowly. Decision time.... Danie was adament that we just tow him back to main road where he would be able to make a plan. Our fearless leader  O0 [member=7804]Amsterdam[/member] would have none of it. He insisted on towing Danie to Steinkopf where plans would be made....

I was given instruction to ride back to the others and we would hopefully all meet up again at Oewerbos Lodge on the Orange River. eepwall:

This would not have happened if he was riding a GS, what with the shaft and no chain  ot:

But looking at your photos and some of those roads and I wouldnt want to take my GS on that sand.

Thanks for sharing, Noneking, stunning pics

 

[Noneking]

[member=10935]BuRP[/member] rode up ahead and we arranged to meet up with him in Eksteenfontein. Meanwhile, we were waiting for [member=8876]2StrokeDan[/member] to emerge. After a very long wait, Amsterdam and I rode back to go look for him. Considering what we'd just been through, I had an uneasy feeling about it all....... I was was very relieved to find Danie standing next to the road a few km from where we were waiting. Unfortunately he had his bike's chain in his hand........ it broke in 2 places and he was going nowhere slowly. Decision time.... Danie was adament that we just tow him back to main road where he would be able to make a plan. Our fearless leader  O0 [member=7804]Amsterdam[/member] would have none of it. He insisted on towing Danie to Steinkopf where plans would be made....

I was given instruction to ride back to the others and we would hopefully all meet up again at Oewerbos Lodge on the Orange River. eepwall:

This would not have happened if he was riding a GS, what with the shaft and no chain  ot:

But looking at your photos and some of those roads and I wouldnt want to take my GS on that sand.

Thanks for sharing, Noneking, stunning pics

Yeah look, as is usually the case, the toughest bits don't get photographed as no one wants to stop and take the pics.... The sand was challenging in areas and there were some proper technical climbs and descents on this trip. I have ridden with guys that would do it on a GS, but it takes proper skill and some decent sized ghoens as indicated by Marc in the pic below... :lol8:

 

[Noneking]

Arrived at Oewerbos to find that I still had a bit of work left. Marc is the type of guy who fights of other people to help with puncture repair so before I knew it my tube was patched

 

[Noneking]

 

[Noneking]

Bart arrives a bit later, having ridden the canyon on his own and very obviously didn't go to Klein Pella. We all have our say about the frustrations and clear the air. Later Jan Lucas arrives from Steinkopf where Danie was still trying to sort out his bike. Apparently they found a chain off an old Quad in the local scrapyard and he was trying to make that work. Unfortunately that was the end of Danie's trip with us and he left for home from Steinkopf the following day. Always sad to lose out on a trip like that, but we will ride together again!  :thumleft:

Later that night all the frustrations are forgotten as we enjoy redwine and some great pizzas together

 

[Noneking]

 

[ianb]

Did you meet the cheeky bar lady owner at Oewerbos. Nice ride. I did that same route last year. You brought back amazing memories.

 

[Noneking]

Did you meet the cheeky bar lady owner at Oewerbos. Nice ride. I did that same route last year. You brought back amazing memories.

We did yeah…. Was starting to think there was something wrong with us….