Our Story of the Honda Quest 2017
- Thread starter Kamanya
- Start date
Kobus Myburgh
Grey Hound
Kamanya said:
We would never do such a thing. Not when someone's looking in any case. :biggrin:
Kobus Myburgh
Grey Hound
Day 7 – Marble camp to Purros
This must be one of the most spectacular videos of the entire trip.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/VuSj5uxpbr8[/youtube]
What is left to say after such a brilliant take on events by Andrew?
Well, I’ll try and add my 2c worth.
That morning it was breakfast duty for us again so an early start to the day. We had our customary PRI’s and riders briefing and we’re ready to take on what would be another challenging day.
Just before we left Gerrit reminded me to put on my bib. O hell, where is it? With us making breakfast and doing the dishes, the other guys already packed the Iveco, with my bib still inside my bag. The last thing you want is your team to lose points because of such a small issue. Off I went to John to explain the situation and that I need to get inside that van to get my bib. John fortunately agreed that this would be a time consuming task and gave me the green light to ride without it. Relieved, we set off.
Compared to what lay ahead, the first bit of the day was easy going. And then we were entering the river ………….
For anyone with the slightest fear of sand riding, this would be the day that you had no choice but to overcome it.
For us Vaalies there’s not many places to get some sand riding done, so I think this was a little more unfamiliar to us than some of the more experienced sand riders. For me the most important thing was to ride at your comfortable pace, which is for sand, more often than not, just north of your comfort zone. This is of course easier said than done when riding in a convoy.
I was back on the DCT for the day and must admit that I was concerned about how it will perform in the sand. What a revelation though! Apart from the one little challenge of pulling off in 1st gear, once you get going, it’s pure bliss. No worrying that you’re in the wrong gear and when you do have a preference of a different gear, you simply flick a switch and you’re where you want to be.
The river took its toll on some riders more than others. The convoy stretched out and John stopped regularly. Up to the point where the riders bringing up the rear were took out the river and onto the parallel road that brought some relief. Like Andrew mentioned, we were then given the choice of either leaving the river and follow the same alternative, or carry on. Enough was said by Andrew about the tough choice this brought along.
Gerrit and I had a brief discussion and decided, knowing that there would not be penalties applied, to split the team, him continuing in the river, and me taking the escape route. I could see this was a very tough decision for Gerrit as he really didn’t want to split up the team. I was comfortable enough to continue in the sand, but was really concerned about whether my fitness will allow me to ride out the day in the sand without becoming too tired and make mistakes. Gerrit on the other hand, is an accomplished sand rider and really wanted to not miss out on the once in a lifetime opportunity to ride this terrain. We said our goodbyes and off they went.
The group of us found shelter under a nearby tree and waited for the rest of the convoy to catch up. Eventually we got going on a road that was actually quite spectacular, with lots of little turns and beautiful landscape that you actually missed while in the river.
Not too long it was the end of the road and it threw you back into the river. Well so much for an escape route. From here on we had no choice but to ride the river beds. It’s interesting how people vary. Contrary to Andrew, I found sticking to the jeep track more comfortable and flowing than making your own route. Especially through the corners, I found you could bank in the existing tracks and on the straighter sections the middle mannetjie did not cause any reason for discomfort. There was one section where I did follow a ‘new’ spoor and I nearly saw my gat properly, riding at one stage one legged half off the bike with Gerrit sure to have a good chuckle behind me. How I managed to save it is totally beyond me!
You could see the improvement of everyone on the second stretch of river. The convoy took less time to regather at the regular stops and before we knew it, we met up with the convoy for lunch, and what a lekka lunch it was!
Getting back on the road after lunch really was an amusing event. The majority of us parked our bikes in thick sand and getting out of there was a bit tricky. For the life of me I can’t remember who it was that took off with another rider assisting by giving him a push, but the sand roastie he received made us nearly cry with laughter.
Although the remaining road was gravel and very corrugated, it was spectacular. The vastness of this area has a beauty quite unique and very difficult to describe. We stopped at one stage waiting for the convoy due to a puncture repair and in the distance we saw a lone springbok ram. It really is puzzling to think how they survive in such an arid landscape.
This what the tyres looked like at this stage.
We rode into Purros in close convoy, watching the wild ostriches charging through the barren landscape.
Andrew said it ….. this was a day to remember for a long time to come.
“Don’t die without embracing the daring adventure your life is meant to be.”
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This must be one of the most spectacular videos of the entire trip.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/VuSj5uxpbr8[/youtube]
What is left to say after such a brilliant take on events by Andrew?
Well, I’ll try and add my 2c worth.
That morning it was breakfast duty for us again so an early start to the day. We had our customary PRI’s and riders briefing and we’re ready to take on what would be another challenging day.
Just before we left Gerrit reminded me to put on my bib. O hell, where is it? With us making breakfast and doing the dishes, the other guys already packed the Iveco, with my bib still inside my bag. The last thing you want is your team to lose points because of such a small issue. Off I went to John to explain the situation and that I need to get inside that van to get my bib. John fortunately agreed that this would be a time consuming task and gave me the green light to ride without it. Relieved, we set off.
Compared to what lay ahead, the first bit of the day was easy going. And then we were entering the river ………….
For anyone with the slightest fear of sand riding, this would be the day that you had no choice but to overcome it.
For us Vaalies there’s not many places to get some sand riding done, so I think this was a little more unfamiliar to us than some of the more experienced sand riders. For me the most important thing was to ride at your comfortable pace, which is for sand, more often than not, just north of your comfort zone. This is of course easier said than done when riding in a convoy.
I was back on the DCT for the day and must admit that I was concerned about how it will perform in the sand. What a revelation though! Apart from the one little challenge of pulling off in 1st gear, once you get going, it’s pure bliss. No worrying that you’re in the wrong gear and when you do have a preference of a different gear, you simply flick a switch and you’re where you want to be.
The river took its toll on some riders more than others. The convoy stretched out and John stopped regularly. Up to the point where the riders bringing up the rear were took out the river and onto the parallel road that brought some relief. Like Andrew mentioned, we were then given the choice of either leaving the river and follow the same alternative, or carry on. Enough was said by Andrew about the tough choice this brought along.
Gerrit and I had a brief discussion and decided, knowing that there would not be penalties applied, to split the team, him continuing in the river, and me taking the escape route. I could see this was a very tough decision for Gerrit as he really didn’t want to split up the team. I was comfortable enough to continue in the sand, but was really concerned about whether my fitness will allow me to ride out the day in the sand without becoming too tired and make mistakes. Gerrit on the other hand, is an accomplished sand rider and really wanted to not miss out on the once in a lifetime opportunity to ride this terrain. We said our goodbyes and off they went.
The group of us found shelter under a nearby tree and waited for the rest of the convoy to catch up. Eventually we got going on a road that was actually quite spectacular, with lots of little turns and beautiful landscape that you actually missed while in the river.
Not too long it was the end of the road and it threw you back into the river. Well so much for an escape route. From here on we had no choice but to ride the river beds. It’s interesting how people vary. Contrary to Andrew, I found sticking to the jeep track more comfortable and flowing than making your own route. Especially through the corners, I found you could bank in the existing tracks and on the straighter sections the middle mannetjie did not cause any reason for discomfort. There was one section where I did follow a ‘new’ spoor and I nearly saw my gat properly, riding at one stage one legged half off the bike with Gerrit sure to have a good chuckle behind me. How I managed to save it is totally beyond me!
You could see the improvement of everyone on the second stretch of river. The convoy took less time to regather at the regular stops and before we knew it, we met up with the convoy for lunch, and what a lekka lunch it was!
Getting back on the road after lunch really was an amusing event. The majority of us parked our bikes in thick sand and getting out of there was a bit tricky. For the life of me I can’t remember who it was that took off with another rider assisting by giving him a push, but the sand roastie he received made us nearly cry with laughter.
Although the remaining road was gravel and very corrugated, it was spectacular. The vastness of this area has a beauty quite unique and very difficult to describe. We stopped at one stage waiting for the convoy due to a puncture repair and in the distance we saw a lone springbok ram. It really is puzzling to think how they survive in such an arid landscape.
This what the tyres looked like at this stage.
We rode into Purros in close convoy, watching the wild ostriches charging through the barren landscape.
Andrew said it ….. this was a day to remember for a long time to come.
“Don’t die without embracing the daring adventure your life is meant to be.”
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2006
- Messages
- 11,909
- Reaction score
- 5,391
- Location
- Cape Town, deep in the lentils
- Bike
- KTM 990 Adventure
Hmmm, seeing Kobus' photo's, I hadn't thought of this till now.
In giving us the briefing about the split, John was pretty harsh on consequence. "Anyone is welcome to take the river, but if you screw up or struggle, you'll lose points big time"
The main reason, I see now, was that Ockie could only be with one group or the other. As went with the road group, if anything went wrong and needed medical in the river, it would take a while for him to get him to that person.
In giving us the briefing about the split, John was pretty harsh on consequence. "Anyone is welcome to take the river, but if you screw up or struggle, you'll lose points big time"
The main reason, I see now, was that Ockie could only be with one group or the other. As went with the road group, if anything went wrong and needed medical in the river, it would take a while for him to get him to that person.
Kobus Myburgh
Grey Hound
I forgot to make mention of another stalwart of the trip, Loftie, Scrats boet.
He came all the way from Swakop to bring fuel for our bikes and also took the 690 of Isitututu back with him.
Thanks Loftie. :thumleft:
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
He came all the way from Swakop to bring fuel for our bikes and also took the 690 of Isitututu back with him.
Thanks Loftie. :thumleft:
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Kobus Myburgh
Grey Hound
Day 8 – Purros
[youtube]https://youtu.be/kpDkNtKEFbk[/youtube]
After all the events of the day, I sat around the fire that evening in an attempt to capture the events of the day. Personally this was a day filled with lots of emotions and I didn’t want to forget it.
Excuse the handwriting and spelling errors, it was done with the only light being that of the fire. If illegible, I’ll type it out when I have some time.
Sun rise.
Servicing the bikes.
SP and Marcel had a proper workshop.
Andries hard at work
Gerrit (Scrat) relaxing after our hard work with a cup of coffee.
Charl enjoying getting intimate with his bike.
Cornelis and Angus doing their thing.
The afternoons event.
One of my favorite pics of the trip, taken on Jan Joubert koppie.
What an epic day, and we were not even riding.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
[youtube]https://youtu.be/kpDkNtKEFbk[/youtube]
After all the events of the day, I sat around the fire that evening in an attempt to capture the events of the day. Personally this was a day filled with lots of emotions and I didn’t want to forget it.
Excuse the handwriting and spelling errors, it was done with the only light being that of the fire. If illegible, I’ll type it out when I have some time.
Sun rise.
Servicing the bikes.
SP and Marcel had a proper workshop.
Andries hard at work
Gerrit (Scrat) relaxing after our hard work with a cup of coffee.
Charl enjoying getting intimate with his bike.
Cornelis and Angus doing their thing.
The afternoons event.
One of my favorite pics of the trip, taken on Jan Joubert koppie.
What an epic day, and we were not even riding.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2006
- Messages
- 11,909
- Reaction score
- 5,391
- Location
- Cape Town, deep in the lentils
- Bike
- KTM 990 Adventure
Day 8 Rest Day.
Rest Day in name, but it wasn’t really. It was admin and psy-ops!
But first priority was to get connected. There was a viewing platform that had a white dot in one corner painted onto it. We worked out that if you stood on the dot, you’d get the best reception.
Or, take a stroll up the dune behind the camp and get connected there.
I had over a hundred followers on my whatsapp group. Many of them where friends and family of other competitors. A few funny things about this group… because connectivity was an issue, it was only about the 3rd or 4th day that we managed to get Phil onto the group. Here we were living together for 24hrs a day side by side, and yet his wife got onto it no problem and he couldn’t?!
Just before I went to bed the evening before, I went up the platform to send some last photo’s and info. Connectivity seemed to rise the later it got. As I was sending the last bits of pre-typed messages and info out, my good friend Craig Barker, who now lives in New Zealand now, called on WhatsApp! Craig was the very first person I ever did an Adventure trip with and we had chosen to ride to Epupa and back to Cape Town. It was an amazing co-incidence. We reminisced and chatted as old friends do. That easy kind that makes it all seem like the times were only yesterday.
I saw a few heading up to the dune and thought I’d follow. Clinton at one point had the best reception, I think it had something to do with his pyjamas.
Photo SP Dreyer
Me, Clinton, Phil
Photo SP Dreyer
It was a bit of a luxury to start a little slower this morning. A great breakfast…
and then it was into the oil change. ..
It was very simple – go grab enough oil and two filters. Drop the bash plate. (that had seen some action. Rumbux is the way to go, they are definitely up for the job!)
Undo 2 drain plugs making every effort to catch the oil.
Unscrew the filter on the front of the engine….. Um, UNSCREW THE FLIPPING FILTER ON THE FRONT OF THE EGINE!!!!!!.... Fok! It seemed that the gorilla on the assembly line had set his torque wrench to tons per metre. I later learnt that each filter comes with a disposable filter socket. We only had the one for all 22 bikes. Within 5 bikes, the filter socket had broken.
Now normally one can just punch a hole in the filter with a screwdriver and twist it off. In this part of the world, with the nearest workshop who knows how far away, it was prudent not to use brute force destructive methods. After some calls to Honda SA, it was deemed safe to just change the oil and leave the filters on.
Obviously I can’t know for sure, but the oil that came out the bike looked dark but not bad at all compared to some I’ve seen out of my bike.
Waiting for all the oil to drain
It didn’t take us long, and after a thorough go through front to back both our bikes were done.
Then, not only were the locals offering to wash our clothes, but for another reasonable fee, they’d wash our bikes out back too! Here’s Clinton also taking his off to the bike wash.
….It was a mistake. Hardy came around and promptly gave points to those who’d washed their own bikes. I think it was only Charl and Barbara, Angus and Cornelius.
Then they started with the panel interviews. The whole crew sat in a semi-circle around a pair of hot seats under the shade of a big thorn tree out in the Puros River Bed.
None of the other teams would say what had been asked of course as this was a competition. Phil and I were very comfortable with each other and had spoken about how we would approach it. We’d come to expect very few gentle enquiries and lobbed balls. It would have been foolish to try and anticipate what we would be asked so resolved to be straightforward and ourselves.
“Does Andrew intimidate you Phillip?”
“Who would you not like to take with you from this group on a bike trip? Why?”
“What is your partners blood type?”
“You can take 5 people along with you from the group, who would they be and why?”
“Which teams do you think are in the lead?”
“What have you two disagreed about?” (Nothing!)
“What have you learnt from the trip so far?”
And so on. I think is was easily half an hour or so.
We actually had fun. We both enjoyed the session, even laughed a little. As we walked off we high fived; we’d got to the point where there was a security & trust in each other, we were sure it showed. We were a team. Smelly, but a team.
Then, it was off to Oom Jan for the camera interview. Again, we enjoyed that. When we were done, I interviewed them. I am sorry we didn’t get them to roll their cameras on them too. I asked what was the difference between Quest competitors and the Ford Ranger Odyssey ones. He said it was very big;
1 – The Odyssey guys had more physical exercises after the driving.
2 – The Quest guys seemed far more adventurous, understandable that being a function of the fact that to even enter, one had to at least be above average as a rider. Some of the lucky Odyssey guys hadn’t ever driven a 4x4 or camped.
3 – Quest guys seemed like one big happy group rather than a bunch of competitors. They were much more open to helping each other.
Long before I knew I was coming on this thing. I’d been invited to the launch of the Honda 250 Rally. At that event Hardy also launched the Honda Quest. It seemed so far off and not something that I would be lucky enough to get into. However, he did ask me, “how far can a few guys push a bike in sand?” I replied, “just enough to get it off the road. It’s madness to try any further. Rather leave the bike and start walking if you must.”
When I heard that we had to be ready at 4 with our boots, helmets, water and bike, speculation in the group was rife, but that previous conversation came to mind. ****! Phillip was way fitter than me, if we had to push bikes in sand, I was going to coughing my lungs up soon.
I thought I’d get a bit “strategic”. As we were getting ready, I quietly got my tire gauge and sneakily let both our bikes tires down to 1.4. If we were going to have to push bikes in a river bed, a softer tire would help.
Hardy and a few crew got in a cruiser and off we followed into the thick dust.
We rode a few k’s up onto the plain overlooking the camp. A herd of gemsbok raced alongside us for a while.
Then he stopped, “Right, you are to follow the bakkie and spaced out at 500 meter intervals, when I say, you will stop and spend an hour on your own. You may do what you want, but you have to stay where I leave you. You have this time of solitary to reflect. Enjoy!”
Cool!
Where I stopped I couldn’t see the one neighbour. It was just me, desert and the wind. It was a bit chilly, but I had my camelback that always has my wind cheater.
It was a very special hour. I got to think about a lot. Then, though I haven’t done this for a while, I thought I’d use some of the inspirational moment to pen an Ode to Quest and the Africa Twin.
What it produced.
A Quest
"Come!", he said, "I have a Quest,
I'm sure you'll understand"
There's amazing journeys to be had
In a magic desert land
And just like that it came to pass
That I'm sitting with my thoughts
Witnessed by ancient sun burnt sands
The journey this Quest has brought
I've been right back to where it began
And far further still than before
With a band of laughing, helping friends
We've claimed Van Zyls and more
But, much as the sights passed behind
There's been the inner journey too
What I am? where I am?
The big why's and the me and you?
The sun is setting to the biting wind now
And for the moment it's just me and the land I'm in
A pause with my back against the wheel
But lead me on, please more, my African Twin.
It was a very special time. Many had overwhelming experiences.
We were gathered back up
and hastily chased across the river to a lookout point to watch the sun go down.
The biting coastal wind brought the clouds and made for dramatic scenes. To wash down the whole experiences was a very suitable cup of Old Brown Sherry. Magic!
Finally the day was over, but we were on cooking duty. Glen confidently set about making a curry on a gas burner, whilst I did the rice on the fire. Phil and Grant packed lunch for the following day. Whilst we were doing supper, more presentations were done.
It was a fine curry. More than fine, Exceptional. Then the usual fireside chat.
I got a few more messages off to the excited hordes.
Then as per usual, crashed.
It had been a great day.
Rest Day in name, but it wasn’t really. It was admin and psy-ops!
But first priority was to get connected. There was a viewing platform that had a white dot in one corner painted onto it. We worked out that if you stood on the dot, you’d get the best reception.
Or, take a stroll up the dune behind the camp and get connected there.
I had over a hundred followers on my whatsapp group. Many of them where friends and family of other competitors. A few funny things about this group… because connectivity was an issue, it was only about the 3rd or 4th day that we managed to get Phil onto the group. Here we were living together for 24hrs a day side by side, and yet his wife got onto it no problem and he couldn’t?!
Just before I went to bed the evening before, I went up the platform to send some last photo’s and info. Connectivity seemed to rise the later it got. As I was sending the last bits of pre-typed messages and info out, my good friend Craig Barker, who now lives in New Zealand now, called on WhatsApp! Craig was the very first person I ever did an Adventure trip with and we had chosen to ride to Epupa and back to Cape Town. It was an amazing co-incidence. We reminisced and chatted as old friends do. That easy kind that makes it all seem like the times were only yesterday.
I saw a few heading up to the dune and thought I’d follow. Clinton at one point had the best reception, I think it had something to do with his pyjamas.
Photo SP DreyerMe, Clinton, Phil
Photo SP DreyerIt was a bit of a luxury to start a little slower this morning. A great breakfast…
and then it was into the oil change. ..
It was very simple – go grab enough oil and two filters. Drop the bash plate. (that had seen some action. Rumbux is the way to go, they are definitely up for the job!)
Undo 2 drain plugs making every effort to catch the oil.
Unscrew the filter on the front of the engine….. Um, UNSCREW THE FLIPPING FILTER ON THE FRONT OF THE EGINE!!!!!!.... Fok! It seemed that the gorilla on the assembly line had set his torque wrench to tons per metre. I later learnt that each filter comes with a disposable filter socket. We only had the one for all 22 bikes. Within 5 bikes, the filter socket had broken.
Now normally one can just punch a hole in the filter with a screwdriver and twist it off. In this part of the world, with the nearest workshop who knows how far away, it was prudent not to use brute force destructive methods. After some calls to Honda SA, it was deemed safe to just change the oil and leave the filters on.
Obviously I can’t know for sure, but the oil that came out the bike looked dark but not bad at all compared to some I’ve seen out of my bike.
Waiting for all the oil to drain
It didn’t take us long, and after a thorough go through front to back both our bikes were done.
Then, not only were the locals offering to wash our clothes, but for another reasonable fee, they’d wash our bikes out back too! Here’s Clinton also taking his off to the bike wash.
….It was a mistake. Hardy came around and promptly gave points to those who’d washed their own bikes. I think it was only Charl and Barbara, Angus and Cornelius.
Then they started with the panel interviews. The whole crew sat in a semi-circle around a pair of hot seats under the shade of a big thorn tree out in the Puros River Bed.
None of the other teams would say what had been asked of course as this was a competition. Phil and I were very comfortable with each other and had spoken about how we would approach it. We’d come to expect very few gentle enquiries and lobbed balls. It would have been foolish to try and anticipate what we would be asked so resolved to be straightforward and ourselves.
“Does Andrew intimidate you Phillip?”
“Who would you not like to take with you from this group on a bike trip? Why?”
“What is your partners blood type?”
“You can take 5 people along with you from the group, who would they be and why?”
“Which teams do you think are in the lead?”
“What have you two disagreed about?” (Nothing!)
“What have you learnt from the trip so far?”
And so on. I think is was easily half an hour or so.
We actually had fun. We both enjoyed the session, even laughed a little. As we walked off we high fived; we’d got to the point where there was a security & trust in each other, we were sure it showed. We were a team. Smelly, but a team.
Then, it was off to Oom Jan for the camera interview. Again, we enjoyed that. When we were done, I interviewed them. I am sorry we didn’t get them to roll their cameras on them too. I asked what was the difference between Quest competitors and the Ford Ranger Odyssey ones. He said it was very big;
1 – The Odyssey guys had more physical exercises after the driving.
2 – The Quest guys seemed far more adventurous, understandable that being a function of the fact that to even enter, one had to at least be above average as a rider. Some of the lucky Odyssey guys hadn’t ever driven a 4x4 or camped.
3 – Quest guys seemed like one big happy group rather than a bunch of competitors. They were much more open to helping each other.
Long before I knew I was coming on this thing. I’d been invited to the launch of the Honda 250 Rally. At that event Hardy also launched the Honda Quest. It seemed so far off and not something that I would be lucky enough to get into. However, he did ask me, “how far can a few guys push a bike in sand?” I replied, “just enough to get it off the road. It’s madness to try any further. Rather leave the bike and start walking if you must.”
When I heard that we had to be ready at 4 with our boots, helmets, water and bike, speculation in the group was rife, but that previous conversation came to mind. ****! Phillip was way fitter than me, if we had to push bikes in sand, I was going to coughing my lungs up soon.
I thought I’d get a bit “strategic”. As we were getting ready, I quietly got my tire gauge and sneakily let both our bikes tires down to 1.4. If we were going to have to push bikes in a river bed, a softer tire would help.
Hardy and a few crew got in a cruiser and off we followed into the thick dust.
We rode a few k’s up onto the plain overlooking the camp. A herd of gemsbok raced alongside us for a while.
Then he stopped, “Right, you are to follow the bakkie and spaced out at 500 meter intervals, when I say, you will stop and spend an hour on your own. You may do what you want, but you have to stay where I leave you. You have this time of solitary to reflect. Enjoy!”
Cool!
Where I stopped I couldn’t see the one neighbour. It was just me, desert and the wind. It was a bit chilly, but I had my camelback that always has my wind cheater.
It was a very special hour. I got to think about a lot. Then, though I haven’t done this for a while, I thought I’d use some of the inspirational moment to pen an Ode to Quest and the Africa Twin.
What it produced.
A Quest
"Come!", he said, "I have a Quest,
I'm sure you'll understand"
There's amazing journeys to be had
In a magic desert land
And just like that it came to pass
That I'm sitting with my thoughts
Witnessed by ancient sun burnt sands
The journey this Quest has brought
I've been right back to where it began
And far further still than before
With a band of laughing, helping friends
We've claimed Van Zyls and more
But, much as the sights passed behind
There's been the inner journey too
What I am? where I am?
The big why's and the me and you?
The sun is setting to the biting wind now
And for the moment it's just me and the land I'm in
A pause with my back against the wheel
But lead me on, please more, my African Twin.
It was a very special time. Many had overwhelming experiences.
We were gathered back up
and hastily chased across the river to a lookout point to watch the sun go down.
The biting coastal wind brought the clouds and made for dramatic scenes. To wash down the whole experiences was a very suitable cup of Old Brown Sherry. Magic!
Finally the day was over, but we were on cooking duty. Glen confidently set about making a curry on a gas burner, whilst I did the rice on the fire. Phil and Grant packed lunch for the following day. Whilst we were doing supper, more presentations were done.
It was a fine curry. More than fine, Exceptional. Then the usual fireside chat.
I got a few more messages off to the excited hordes.
Then as per usual, crashed.
It had been a great day.
isiTututu
Pack Dog
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2013
- Messages
- 115
- Reaction score
- 0
- Bike
- KTM 690 Adventure
ktmkobus said:I forgot to make mention of another stalwart of the trip, Loftie, Scrats boet.
He came all the way from Swakop to bring fuel for our bikes and also took the 690 of Isitututu back with him.
Thanks Loftie. :thumleft:
It seems to me that the whole of Namibia was populated by guardian angels in September. Loftie completed the lineup of good folk who made having a broken leg in the most remote part of Namibia a relatively trivial affair. Thank you Loftie!!
Bwana
Race Dog
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2015
- Messages
- 812
- Reaction score
- 14
- Location
- Port Alfred
- Bike
- Honda CRF-1000L Africa Twin
This just gets more interesting. I would really like to know how you guys set the bikes up. Did you just turn Traction Control off or did you set it for different conditions. I presume you all just turned ABS off on the back.
McSack
Race Dog
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2013
- Messages
- 1,928
- Reaction score
- 421
- Location
- Clarens
- Bike
- Honda CRF-1000L Africa Twin
As you described. Traction control off. ABS off (far as I know this setting is only for the back)Bwana said:
In the DCT there is also a Gravel option to engage which (for me anyway) worked as a downhill assist kind of thing to allow for engine braking without unexpected gear changes
On the DCT I mostly rode in Sport 1 mode (out of 3) or using the "sportronic" manual mode
The ride out of Opuwo was Rockstar like!! Riding in a convoy with spectators lined next to the road. Ag ek bedoel voetgangers langs die pad!
:laughing4: :lol8: :imaposer:
:laughing4: :lol8: :imaposer:
Scrat
Race Dog
How can i forget this! i think maybe this was the scariest moment of the whole trip!! :eek7:
What has been seen cannot be unseen :laughing4:
Hehehe - but i have to agree... it works!
Kamanya said:Also, we had a tailwind so that didn’t help much either. At the bottom of one of the hills, I had to strip off as far as I could. Water my buff and get it round my neck again. Gerrit had a few choice words to say about the scare I gave him.
Scrat
Race Dog
Wow Guys…
I have been sucked up by the work and all the deadlines now before year end – please forgive me for falling behind..
It is an absolute pleasure to read all the updates and I especially my Partner’s (KtmKobus) report of each day… I am re-living every moment as I read your updates! Awesome my friend!! :thumleft:
And Kamanya – you just have that perfect way with words… ;-)
So it took me a while now to read through it all … and i want to go back and do it again!!
So I will add to the days as best I can…
Some of the highlights I want to point out,
On our way to Upupa
just before the Kunene we stopped at the Dorsland trekkers monument. I remember this place and was looking for the 2013 Gedenkfees stone, my parents was part of the group that was there for the ceremony. Felt special to be there.
Next was when we started riding next to the Kunene river.. What a sight… 40degrees and this lush water mass .. Tempting. At one of our stops to regroup and rehydrate I had to get closer to the river! It was so tempting to just jump in and cool down… BUT the words from Johannes reminded me to keep a safe distance …”Bra, check net mooi – hierdi F0..k……n kroks n hongher hier…hulle is moeg vir Himbas…”
We rolled into Upupa camp , another superb day in the saddle of the AT – loving this bike more and more each day! wow Upupa camp was awesome! And they had cold beer! Johannes soon shared the location of the rock pool in the river (no crocs there..) this was a much needed cooling off session we all enjoyed..
Haha – I remember that night when Johannes came up to give his presentation about the Kunene – his outfit prepared me for what I would face the next day… he was wearing some weird bushman cloth and his Bib… I must say it did look much cooler than the tshirts we were wearing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Van Zyl's Camp
Now the next 2 days was the 2 best days of the trip for me.. Physical and mental challenges was faced by each of us. Time to really challenge yourself… Me and Kobus were ready for this!
As the sun came up that morning, BIG red ball to our left just above the trees… the smell of adventure – ( and some cattle dung) – we headed towards the unknown – the road to Van Zyls camp.
We were all split up before we started the road to Van Zyls, Kobus was moved to the front where he was joined by Pieter, die 2 Lang manne voor in die koor…. And me and Andrew were right at the back.. ons 2 kortgatte!
There was a lot of river crossings- tricky sand these river crossings – no use to deflate your tires as there was rocks waiting as you get out of the river…
Riding at the back was an absolute pleasure! No need to worry about any riders behind you… just keep going!
One of our stops to regroup
I was in the DCT for the 2 days and was contemplating what it would be like doing real technical road with it… well to be honest , being at the back of the convoy can also be a bit nerve wrecking,,, because you catch up with the group as they all are waiting for their chance to tackle the tricky uphill… so in the back of my mind I had on many occasions thought to myself – “damm. We going up that HILL with THIS bike… Yoh!! – And every time the AT would just embrace whatever comes its way!! Truly amazing… and the DCT surprised me – the ease of not worrying about a clutch, NO shifting with your boot while doing a Technical climb is just some of the worries you do not have anymore! s
On top of one of the long steep uphills we did
I was having a lot of fun with Andrew at the back – there is just one moment that I will remember for a long time… not because I want to….BUT “what has been seen , cannot be unseen….”
The atmosphere in the team was awesome… we were all tired and hot, but no nastiness of bad tempers – everyone just happy to be there.
We got to Van Zyls camp , and camp was setup – followed by a massive bonfire in the river – it really started to feel like a true adventure now –
That smile on Kobus’s face was growing by the day. What a great guy he is. Real gentleman and he does everything with a smile! Always calm and relaxed.
I have been sucked up by the work and all the deadlines now before year end – please forgive me for falling behind..
It is an absolute pleasure to read all the updates and I especially my Partner’s (KtmKobus) report of each day… I am re-living every moment as I read your updates! Awesome my friend!! :thumleft:
And Kamanya – you just have that perfect way with words… ;-)
So it took me a while now to read through it all … and i want to go back and do it again!!
So I will add to the days as best I can…
Some of the highlights I want to point out,
On our way to Upupa
just before the Kunene we stopped at the Dorsland trekkers monument. I remember this place and was looking for the 2013 Gedenkfees stone, my parents was part of the group that was there for the ceremony. Felt special to be there.
Next was when we started riding next to the Kunene river.. What a sight… 40degrees and this lush water mass .. Tempting. At one of our stops to regroup and rehydrate I had to get closer to the river! It was so tempting to just jump in and cool down… BUT the words from Johannes reminded me to keep a safe distance …”Bra, check net mooi – hierdi F0..k……n kroks n hongher hier…hulle is moeg vir Himbas…”
We rolled into Upupa camp , another superb day in the saddle of the AT – loving this bike more and more each day! wow Upupa camp was awesome! And they had cold beer! Johannes soon shared the location of the rock pool in the river (no crocs there..) this was a much needed cooling off session we all enjoyed..
Haha – I remember that night when Johannes came up to give his presentation about the Kunene – his outfit prepared me for what I would face the next day… he was wearing some weird bushman cloth and his Bib… I must say it did look much cooler than the tshirts we were wearing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Van Zyl's Camp
Now the next 2 days was the 2 best days of the trip for me.. Physical and mental challenges was faced by each of us. Time to really challenge yourself… Me and Kobus were ready for this!
As the sun came up that morning, BIG red ball to our left just above the trees… the smell of adventure – ( and some cattle dung) – we headed towards the unknown – the road to Van Zyls camp.
We were all split up before we started the road to Van Zyls, Kobus was moved to the front where he was joined by Pieter, die 2 Lang manne voor in die koor…. And me and Andrew were right at the back.. ons 2 kortgatte!
There was a lot of river crossings- tricky sand these river crossings – no use to deflate your tires as there was rocks waiting as you get out of the river…
Riding at the back was an absolute pleasure! No need to worry about any riders behind you… just keep going!
One of our stops to regroup
I was in the DCT for the 2 days and was contemplating what it would be like doing real technical road with it… well to be honest , being at the back of the convoy can also be a bit nerve wrecking,,, because you catch up with the group as they all are waiting for their chance to tackle the tricky uphill… so in the back of my mind I had on many occasions thought to myself – “damm. We going up that HILL with THIS bike… Yoh!! – And every time the AT would just embrace whatever comes its way!! Truly amazing… and the DCT surprised me – the ease of not worrying about a clutch, NO shifting with your boot while doing a Technical climb is just some of the worries you do not have anymore! s
On top of one of the long steep uphills we did
I was having a lot of fun with Andrew at the back – there is just one moment that I will remember for a long time… not because I want to….BUT “what has been seen , cannot be unseen….”
The atmosphere in the team was awesome… we were all tired and hot, but no nastiness of bad tempers – everyone just happy to be there.
We got to Van Zyls camp , and camp was setup – followed by a massive bonfire in the river – it really started to feel like a true adventure now –
That smile on Kobus’s face was growing by the day. What a great guy he is. Real gentleman and he does everything with a smile! Always calm and relaxed.
Malibu
Bachelor Dog
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2007
- Messages
- 11,171
- Reaction score
- 64
- Bike
- NER-A-CAR
Thoroughly enjoying the read! What an incredible experience...
GRyPH
Race Dog
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2008
- Messages
- 1,512
- Reaction score
- 1
- Bike
- Honda CRF-1000L Africa Twin
Day 6 - Van Zyls camp to Marble Camp
What an Epic epic day!
The first part of the road was not too bad, and when we got to the viewpoint I remember thinking "we are already at the viewpoint, this wasnt so bad yet" and that yet came well into play.
a few pics of the road to the viewpoint.
This was a incline of about 30-35 degrees and completely loose.
Riding on a ridge with a riverbed on each side of the road:
in the distance on the side of the hill you can see two of the local Himbas that seem to pop up from nowhere when you stop.
The viewpoint:
Although day 5 was more difficult in my eyes than day 6, nothing can quite prepare you for what is the big step of van Zyls pass. The statistics will show that its pretty much on a 1:1 gradient for a 90m stretch.
Add to that the difficulty of the surface and the fact that the shorter guys (note not short guys, just not as long as kobus) would not be able to use their own legs to support themselves made this a very big challenge.
Before we started with quest, i watched a few videos about van zyls pass, and had a look at the photos and remember thinking that doesnt look so bad. Hardy then told us that no Video or photo will ever do the step at van zyls any justice. And with that I have to completely agree.
Even on our own video, it looks pretty tame but let me tell you, riding down there will seriously get your heart pumping.
the next photo shows more or less what you can expect.
If you have a look at how close the guys are standing to each other, and the difference in height from one to the next, you can work out the decline.
"Vele hande maak ligte werk" so soon we got all the bikes down without incident. The support vehicles soon followed and then the big IVECO with Barend Fouche sitting passenger side. That took some big cahunas. I heard more than one of the guys mutter " Id rather stick to the bike" after the IVECO came down.
Then just when we thought the worst was over, as Charliepappa mentioned we hit a very steep decent with extremely loose slate and rocks. Tyres was riding just ahead of me, and at one stage he had a slight slip, putting the bike gently. I stopped to help him pick up his bike and for the life of me after this, I just could not get going again. As soon as you loose momentum on this decline, its pretty impossible to start up again. After about 3 times that I fell, I asked the guys behind me to please assist me to the next turn where I should be able to get onto the bike again.
Myself and Charliepappa got to the other side of the gorge together and as he mentioned when we turned around it was carnage. everyone was struggling to get down once the lost their momentum.
Once we got past this bit it there was one or two other technical pieces to cross but we soon got past them without a problem.
Something I forgot to mention. At the top of the step of van Zyls was the first time we encountered one of the "lone men" of the Kaokoland.
These stone men made from the rocks of the area pop out when you least expect it. IIf I remember correctly the one we found here was actually marked nr 31, but it is rumoured that no-one has found more than 8 of them yet. (on this trip I spotted 4)
Here is some more info on the lone men: https://www.travelnewsnamibia.com/news/mysterious-lone-men-kaokoland/
At the bottom of van Zyls we regrouped and had a little rest. The rest was most welcomed because I have to admit I was paste! The part of the pass really took everything out of me. Luckily Kamanya had a stash of GU gels in his camelback and after taking one of those and snacking on my lunch I was up to the task of the last part again.
Bottom of van Zyls pass
There is a large pile of rocks that everyone signs their name on so we did the same. I can almost hear my gran : " Gekke en dwase......"
From here we traded the steep rocky roads for the flat sandy type and off we went. Kamanya was riding on my shoulder and giving me tips and instructions on sand riding and it helped me a lot. It cost him though as his concentration was more on me, he would sometimes need to run off the track to accomodate my mistakes. At this stage Hardy was following directly behind us in his cruiser and at the next stop inquired if Andrew was ok, so I explained quickly what was going on. :thumleft:
SP and Marcel enjoying the sandy tracks
We had a quick photo session at the popular " rooi drom" before heading off again to the last climb of the day before we would hit camp.
Just after we got going from Rooidrom though, Andrew suffered a puncture that we had to fix quickly. As far as I can remember this was the only puncture Andrew had for the entire trip, and with my one puncture on the road before Opuwo, this would also be the only punctures our team got. (there was enough punctures to go around anyway so we didnt need more ourselves :imaposer
At the bottom of Joubert pass, the last climb for the day, we saw the second of the lone men, up on a koppie back the way we came. Not being one to miss out on getting the photo when we are already there, I quickly klapped toon close enough to get this photo.
Then it was onto the final pass. we were told that this again was going to be a difficult one, so we regrouped at the bottom while hinksding took the pass first to report back.
Soon we heard his voice on the radio saying that the pass is rocky and loose but if you keep a constant momentum without spinning the rear you should make it easy enough.
This message was sent down the line "telefoontjie" style and before we saw again we were all at the top. :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:
Joubert pass
another one of the lone men on the pass making my 3rd find.
me and Charliepappa , the not so lone man anymore.
after we all cleared the last climb in less time than anyone thought we would, it was time to head into camp.
Someone touched on this in his report before me but I need to mention it again.
Stopping at our destination for the night, Marble camp, the atmosphere was electric! everyone was ecstatic that the day went so well. handshakes, Hugs , High fives and fist-pumps were flying everywhere.
Everyone congratulated each other and It almost felt like the trip was over right there and we were all declared winners. And that we were. We conquered the infamous van zyls pass without serious incidents, and we did it with 22 bikes. As I understand it, this is the largest group of bikes to ever pass through there.
A quick briefing followed from Hardy and the crew to also congratulate us on what we achieved that day and after that we were allowed our own time to shower, and set camp and rest.
They also sourced us a couple of beers which was welcomed greatly, and later we had a bottle of rum to share, compliments of Clinton. ( a second bottle was produced later, but im not sure who to thank for that one)
Before we all settled down for the night, I heard throttle Jockey mention that he is going to ride to the deserted marble mine to explore so I headed out with him. SP, Marcell and Hinksding also joined in.
someone was taking the time to "stack" pieces of marble into perfectly formed rectangles with a "slash" diagonally through the middle. I wonder who had so much time, as there was more than one of these stacks and it was clear that it would take a lot of time to stack just one.
Being in the building industry myself, I found this mine very interesting. All the effort that went into mining these huge blocks of marble, now just laying there because its not cost effective to transport them from there. (and therefor also the reason the mine was abandoned).
Myself and Sp (who is also in the building trade) had a quick discussion how long we would be able to supply the kitchen counter top market in George, with the amount of marble already mined and abandoned there.
These are just a few of the blocks abandoned there. There are many many more.
Back at camp I had some running repairs of my own to do. My riding pants have seen better days and was tearing badly. Luckily I had a needle and thread with me and I started patching it up.
The next day however this proved to be a futile effort as the material would just tear again where I patched it. At a stage I borrowed some duct tape from scrat and tried to fix my pants that way but even that didnt help so after a dy or two of struggling I just left it as is with the idea of dropping them in a bin as soon as we hit Windhoek again.
I dont know if it was the days ride, beer or the rum, or the combination of the three, but that night sleep came easy and soon everyone was snoring away.
two more pics of the mine.
What an Epic epic day!
The first part of the road was not too bad, and when we got to the viewpoint I remember thinking "we are already at the viewpoint, this wasnt so bad yet" and that yet came well into play.
a few pics of the road to the viewpoint.
This was a incline of about 30-35 degrees and completely loose.
Riding on a ridge with a riverbed on each side of the road:
in the distance on the side of the hill you can see two of the local Himbas that seem to pop up from nowhere when you stop.
The viewpoint:
Although day 5 was more difficult in my eyes than day 6, nothing can quite prepare you for what is the big step of van Zyls pass. The statistics will show that its pretty much on a 1:1 gradient for a 90m stretch.
Add to that the difficulty of the surface and the fact that the shorter guys (note not short guys, just not as long as kobus) would not be able to use their own legs to support themselves made this a very big challenge.
Before we started with quest, i watched a few videos about van zyls pass, and had a look at the photos and remember thinking that doesnt look so bad. Hardy then told us that no Video or photo will ever do the step at van zyls any justice. And with that I have to completely agree.
Even on our own video, it looks pretty tame but let me tell you, riding down there will seriously get your heart pumping.
the next photo shows more or less what you can expect.
If you have a look at how close the guys are standing to each other, and the difference in height from one to the next, you can work out the decline.
"Vele hande maak ligte werk" so soon we got all the bikes down without incident. The support vehicles soon followed and then the big IVECO with Barend Fouche sitting passenger side. That took some big cahunas. I heard more than one of the guys mutter " Id rather stick to the bike" after the IVECO came down.
Then just when we thought the worst was over, as Charliepappa mentioned we hit a very steep decent with extremely loose slate and rocks. Tyres was riding just ahead of me, and at one stage he had a slight slip, putting the bike gently. I stopped to help him pick up his bike and for the life of me after this, I just could not get going again. As soon as you loose momentum on this decline, its pretty impossible to start up again. After about 3 times that I fell, I asked the guys behind me to please assist me to the next turn where I should be able to get onto the bike again.
Myself and Charliepappa got to the other side of the gorge together and as he mentioned when we turned around it was carnage. everyone was struggling to get down once the lost their momentum.
Once we got past this bit it there was one or two other technical pieces to cross but we soon got past them without a problem.
Something I forgot to mention. At the top of the step of van Zyls was the first time we encountered one of the "lone men" of the Kaokoland.
These stone men made from the rocks of the area pop out when you least expect it. IIf I remember correctly the one we found here was actually marked nr 31, but it is rumoured that no-one has found more than 8 of them yet. (on this trip I spotted 4)
Here is some more info on the lone men: https://www.travelnewsnamibia.com/news/mysterious-lone-men-kaokoland/
At the bottom of van Zyls we regrouped and had a little rest. The rest was most welcomed because I have to admit I was paste! The part of the pass really took everything out of me. Luckily Kamanya had a stash of GU gels in his camelback and after taking one of those and snacking on my lunch I was up to the task of the last part again.
Bottom of van Zyls pass
There is a large pile of rocks that everyone signs their name on so we did the same. I can almost hear my gran : " Gekke en dwase......"
From here we traded the steep rocky roads for the flat sandy type and off we went. Kamanya was riding on my shoulder and giving me tips and instructions on sand riding and it helped me a lot. It cost him though as his concentration was more on me, he would sometimes need to run off the track to accomodate my mistakes. At this stage Hardy was following directly behind us in his cruiser and at the next stop inquired if Andrew was ok, so I explained quickly what was going on. :thumleft:
SP and Marcel enjoying the sandy tracks
We had a quick photo session at the popular " rooi drom" before heading off again to the last climb of the day before we would hit camp.
Just after we got going from Rooidrom though, Andrew suffered a puncture that we had to fix quickly. As far as I can remember this was the only puncture Andrew had for the entire trip, and with my one puncture on the road before Opuwo, this would also be the only punctures our team got. (there was enough punctures to go around anyway so we didnt need more ourselves :imaposer
At the bottom of Joubert pass, the last climb for the day, we saw the second of the lone men, up on a koppie back the way we came. Not being one to miss out on getting the photo when we are already there, I quickly klapped toon close enough to get this photo.
Then it was onto the final pass. we were told that this again was going to be a difficult one, so we regrouped at the bottom while hinksding took the pass first to report back.
Soon we heard his voice on the radio saying that the pass is rocky and loose but if you keep a constant momentum without spinning the rear you should make it easy enough.
This message was sent down the line "telefoontjie" style and before we saw again we were all at the top. :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:
Joubert pass
another one of the lone men on the pass making my 3rd find.
me and Charliepappa , the not so lone man anymore.
after we all cleared the last climb in less time than anyone thought we would, it was time to head into camp.
Someone touched on this in his report before me but I need to mention it again.
Stopping at our destination for the night, Marble camp, the atmosphere was electric! everyone was ecstatic that the day went so well. handshakes, Hugs , High fives and fist-pumps were flying everywhere.
Everyone congratulated each other and It almost felt like the trip was over right there and we were all declared winners. And that we were. We conquered the infamous van zyls pass without serious incidents, and we did it with 22 bikes. As I understand it, this is the largest group of bikes to ever pass through there.
A quick briefing followed from Hardy and the crew to also congratulate us on what we achieved that day and after that we were allowed our own time to shower, and set camp and rest.
They also sourced us a couple of beers which was welcomed greatly, and later we had a bottle of rum to share, compliments of Clinton. ( a second bottle was produced later, but im not sure who to thank for that one)
Before we all settled down for the night, I heard throttle Jockey mention that he is going to ride to the deserted marble mine to explore so I headed out with him. SP, Marcell and Hinksding also joined in.
someone was taking the time to "stack" pieces of marble into perfectly formed rectangles with a "slash" diagonally through the middle. I wonder who had so much time, as there was more than one of these stacks and it was clear that it would take a lot of time to stack just one.
Being in the building industry myself, I found this mine very interesting. All the effort that went into mining these huge blocks of marble, now just laying there because its not cost effective to transport them from there. (and therefor also the reason the mine was abandoned).
Myself and Sp (who is also in the building trade) had a quick discussion how long we would be able to supply the kitchen counter top market in George, with the amount of marble already mined and abandoned there.
These are just a few of the blocks abandoned there. There are many many more.
Back at camp I had some running repairs of my own to do. My riding pants have seen better days and was tearing badly. Luckily I had a needle and thread with me and I started patching it up.
The next day however this proved to be a futile effort as the material would just tear again where I patched it. At a stage I borrowed some duct tape from scrat and tried to fix my pants that way but even that didnt help so after a dy or two of struggling I just left it as is with the idea of dropping them in a bin as soon as we hit Windhoek again.
I dont know if it was the days ride, beer or the rum, or the combination of the three, but that night sleep came easy and soon everyone was snoring away.
two more pics of the mine.
