michnus
Bachelor Dog
Kaboef said:
If I can get all the bureaucratic shit together for Egypt hopefully some time in Sept.
Round the World - Do you have beer we are coming to visit?
- Thread starter michnus
- Start date
If I can get all the bureaucratic shit together for Egypt hopefully some time in Sept.
Brakenjan
Race Dog
Lekker Mich!!! :thumleft:
Uganda hie kom ons!!! :ricky: :ricky: :ricky:
Uganda hie kom ons!!! :ricky: :ricky: :ricky:
michnus
Bachelor Dog
Lake Turkana
There’s one popular route from Kenya to Ethiopia, well not that people want to drive it, it’s the only short cut connecting the two countries, and it’s the last bit of dirt road that connects Cape town to Egypt, other than that the entire route from south to north is tarred. It’s a bad 280km corrugated dirt road with lots of volcanic rocks and rutted from all the trucks, not technical at all but for the better part only tests a vehicle’s suspension and the driver’s patience. From Isiolo to Marsabit the road has been tarred teh last 2-3 years. Only this one piece is left.
Red route is our route, Yellow is the normal route from Kenya to Ethiopia and Pink is the last 280km shock killer that is left
The other route (red) is a less travelled road for different reasons via Lake Turkana, it forms part of the lava fields from Mojale and Marsabit and runs all the way to Lake Turkana, formerly known as Lake Rudolph or locally called the turquoise lake. We got told at Jungle Junction about this route by a few travellers that came down from Ethiopia to Kenya. They warned us that this is not recommend as there’s much more to this route than just a scenic ride up to Ethiopia. The more they told us the more we wanted to go this way. It offers so much more than the Marsabit area, and frankly we needed a bit of excitement.
We tried to source as much info on this route. Marcus and Karina two Estonians on an 1100GS did it three or four months earlier and they broke their bike’s sub frame and had to pay silly money to get a pick-up van to take the bike to Jungle Jungle. They were sitting at JJ’s for nearly two months waiting for a new one. Besides that Marcus got heat stroke on that route and they nearly ran out of water and fuel. Another Turkish rider and his wife Deniz and Elif also did part of the route and he got out of it with a broken gearbox after a fall. He had a backup truck carrying his fuel and his wife Elif were at least able to ride in the truck.
No easing into the thing. Get off the tar at Isiolo and it turns into this.
What makes this route so dangerous and interesting is that overlanders need to carry their own fuel and water for the nearly 900km of the route up Lake Turkana and into Ethiopia. Most travellers’ team up with 4×4’s or trucks to carry their fuel and water and for added support when things go wrong. Just to add some more zest to this mix for this adventure the route follows the lava rocks and sand that’s also crossing into Marsabit, making riding it slow, dangerous and potentially a killer of tyres.
The road do not carry much traffic and the rocks do not round off as nice as on the Marabit road. Which leave them nice and sharp for soft tyres. The main issue is that there is no back up whatsoever, it is remote and you can not just summons a helicopter or rescue effort if things go wrong. Another traveller told me they had heat stroke there and the man was in a coma for two days. When they eventually got a message out to Nairobi, the rescue people said that if the man does not wake up by the next day they are not going to start a vehicle.
This is desolation valley!
There’s one popular route from Kenya to Ethiopia, well not that people want to drive it, it’s the only short cut connecting the two countries, and it’s the last bit of dirt road that connects Cape town to Egypt, other than that the entire route from south to north is tarred. It’s a bad 280km corrugated dirt road with lots of volcanic rocks and rutted from all the trucks, not technical at all but for the better part only tests a vehicle’s suspension and the driver’s patience. From Isiolo to Marsabit the road has been tarred teh last 2-3 years. Only this one piece is left.
Red route is our route, Yellow is the normal route from Kenya to Ethiopia and Pink is the last 280km shock killer that is left
The other route (red) is a less travelled road for different reasons via Lake Turkana, it forms part of the lava fields from Mojale and Marsabit and runs all the way to Lake Turkana, formerly known as Lake Rudolph or locally called the turquoise lake. We got told at Jungle Junction about this route by a few travellers that came down from Ethiopia to Kenya. They warned us that this is not recommend as there’s much more to this route than just a scenic ride up to Ethiopia. The more they told us the more we wanted to go this way. It offers so much more than the Marsabit area, and frankly we needed a bit of excitement.
We tried to source as much info on this route. Marcus and Karina two Estonians on an 1100GS did it three or four months earlier and they broke their bike’s sub frame and had to pay silly money to get a pick-up van to take the bike to Jungle Jungle. They were sitting at JJ’s for nearly two months waiting for a new one. Besides that Marcus got heat stroke on that route and they nearly ran out of water and fuel. Another Turkish rider and his wife Deniz and Elif also did part of the route and he got out of it with a broken gearbox after a fall. He had a backup truck carrying his fuel and his wife Elif were at least able to ride in the truck.
No easing into the thing. Get off the tar at Isiolo and it turns into this.
What makes this route so dangerous and interesting is that overlanders need to carry their own fuel and water for the nearly 900km of the route up Lake Turkana and into Ethiopia. Most travellers’ team up with 4×4’s or trucks to carry their fuel and water and for added support when things go wrong. Just to add some more zest to this mix for this adventure the route follows the lava rocks and sand that’s also crossing into Marsabit, making riding it slow, dangerous and potentially a killer of tyres.
The road do not carry much traffic and the rocks do not round off as nice as on the Marabit road. Which leave them nice and sharp for soft tyres. The main issue is that there is no back up whatsoever, it is remote and you can not just summons a helicopter or rescue effort if things go wrong. Another traveller told me they had heat stroke there and the man was in a coma for two days. When they eventually got a message out to Nairobi, the rescue people said that if the man does not wake up by the next day they are not going to start a vehicle.
This is desolation valley!
michnus
Bachelor Dog
I knew this was not going to be a easy ride and was worried about Elsebie, the bike was going to be much heavier and the riding on the wrong side of difficult. She is a competent rider, and I owe her this trip to prove to herself she is competent enough for such trips. After our Angola trip in 2007 she told me she want to do such a trip. She was adamant and assured that she will be able to ride this route.
Moer toe one-horse donkey town in the middle of nowhere. Stopped for some bread and canned food, this would be last big town we would see for a while.
We decided when back in Kenya from Uganda to look for some overlanders to team up with when back at JJ’s. One couple with two friendly blond haired girls were planning to go that way but did not had space for our stuff in their car, and they in the end also did not do the route as the risk of car trouble and two kids were too great.
No name, just a few shacks and a dust road going through it. The place looked like a typical western spot.
We had a few evenings with people at JJ's discussing whether we must go alone or not. We could argue all the way that a person must rather do such trips closer to home than in the middle of nowhere. But this is why we ride bike after all is it not? I had trepidations about this and did not want to end out trip with one of us getting hurt. But I owe it to her, and she owe it to herself.
Kenya sure are a beautiful counrty
Eventually we decided to buy some extra fuel cans and water cans and go at it on our own. There’s sure to be places for us to get water and petrol. We do not need to convince a local to give us 70L or 100L of fuel as with 4×4’s and so drain their only source. They would sure be able to spare us 10L or 20L.
Wild life was on the iffy side.
Moer toe one-
We decided when back in Kenya from Uganda to look for some overlanders to team up with when back at JJ’s. One couple with two friendly blond haired girls were planning to go that way but did not had space for our stuff in their car, and they in the end also did not do the route as the risk of car trouble and two kids were too great.
No name, just a few shacks and a dust road going through it. The place looked like a typical western spot.
We had a few evenings with people at JJ's discussing whether we must go alone or not. We could argue all the way that a person must rather do such trips closer to home than in the middle of nowhere. But this is why we ride bike after all is it not? I had trepidations about this and did not want to end out trip with one of us getting hurt. But I owe it to her, and she owe it to herself.
Kenya sure are a beautiful counrty
Eventually we decided to buy some extra fuel cans and water cans and go at it on our own. There’s sure to be places for us to get water and petrol. We do not need to convince a local to give us 70L or 100L of fuel as with 4×4’s and so drain their only source. They would sure be able to spare us 10L or 20L.
Wild life was on the iffy side.
michnus
Bachelor Dog
There were two or three routes to Loiyangalani, unfortunate for us we had to take the one from Isiolo to Maralet to fill our bikes, extra fuel cans and get water. This was the last town we were able to get fuel and water. The people do not see bikers often and we were surrounded by eager eyes from the locals. We set out late afternoon on very heavily laden bikes on route to Baragoie and South Horr.
The bikes had food for a few days, 15liters extra fuel each and 10 liters of water each.
Not 5km out of town and the road turned to slow, 4×4, technical rock climbing all the way up the escarpment. We only managed 25km for the rest of the afternoon and were looking for a camp spot when we got to this campsite.
With the heavy bikes the going was slow. We had to go slow and be as easy on the bikes as possible.
Amazing as we stop for a rest we see this small cottage just off the road on the escarpment. On enquiry it was less to rent it for the night than we normally paid for camping! The friendly staff helped us unpack, got us some beers, and due to the altitude and the cold at night they made us a Cedar wood fire in the cottage. It is the first time we smelled Cedar wood in a fireplace and it gave off a very nice pleasant sweet smell.
Freaky, that in the middle of nowhere this place pops up and it's as cheap as dirt. The owner is a Belgium wanting to make some business here. I think he is not going to be busy this road has not been used for quite some time.
We knew the next days riding would be hard on us and the bikes, it was nice to have a bit off unexpected luxury before the work start.
The bikes had food for a few days, 15liters extra fuel each and 10 liters of water each.
Not 5km out of town and the road turned to slow, 4×4, technical rock climbing all the way up the escarpment. We only managed 25km for the rest of the afternoon and were looking for a camp spot when we got to this campsite.
With the heavy bikes the going was slow. We had to go slow and be as easy on the bikes as possible.
Amazing as we stop for a rest we see this small cottage just off the road on the escarpment. On enquiry it was less to rent it for the night than we normally paid for camping! The friendly staff helped us unpack, got us some beers, and due to the altitude and the cold at night they made us a Cedar wood fire in the cottage. It is the first time we smelled Cedar wood in a fireplace and it gave off a very nice pleasant sweet smell.
Freaky, that in the middle of nowhere this place pops up and it's as cheap as dirt. The owner is a Belgium wanting to make some business here. I think he is not going to be busy this road has not been used for quite some time.
We knew the next days riding would be hard on us and the bikes, it was nice to have a bit off unexpected luxury before the work start.
chickenbadger
Pack Dog
Such a great RR :thumleft:
michnus
Bachelor Dog
GSLaaitie said:Nice cottage! Met my luck, slaan ek altyd kamp op so 2 km voor die plek en sien hom eerste ding die volgende oggend eers.
don't worry it happened to us many times. :lol8:
michnus
Bachelor Dog
We really regret taking more pictures, but in the heat and slow going technical riding to stop for pictures were just too much work. The road to Baragoie and South Horr snakes between and up mountain ranges and some of the most beautiful surrounding imaginable. The going was slow and although it was partly overcast it was hell hot. The entire road up to South Horr was badly run out and corrugated, little did we know the 1st and second gear 20km/h riding was what Murphy had planned for us for much of this route to Ethiopia.
The slow going had some benefits, we were able to enjoy the breath taking surroundings
We arrived at the small village of Barangoi in a cloud of dust. We saw they had a fuel pump and on asking were told they have some but for the majority of time the tanks are always empty. I can understand it as the roads to the village are so bad that tankers cannot deliver fuel and they get delivered by Land Cruisers and other old 4×4’s.
The road meander through the mountains and into river beds.
Reminiscent of the Northern Province bushveld
We calculated that we would be able to finish the route with the fuel we had on board. Not taking into account that the bikes fuel consumption can drop to 16km per liter when doing slow technical riding and we knew it was not going to get easier up North.
Farking hot, shade was a welcoming sight.
Some God forsaken little village turned ghost village.
Few kilometers before South Horr and taking another rest from the heat and slow riding. The best camping spots around, it got difficult to start again after relaxing under lush green trees.
The slow going had some benefits, we were able to enjoy the breath taking surroundings
We arrived at the small village of Barangoi in a cloud of dust. We saw they had a fuel pump and on asking were told they have some but for the majority of time the tanks are always empty. I can understand it as the roads to the village are so bad that tankers cannot deliver fuel and they get delivered by Land Cruisers and other old 4×4’s.
The road meander through the mountains and into river beds.
Reminiscent of the Northern Province bushveld
We calculated that we would be able to finish the route with the fuel we had on board. Not taking into account that the bikes fuel consumption can drop to 16km per liter when doing slow technical riding and we knew it was not going to get easier up North.
Farking hot, shade was a welcoming sight.
Some God forsaken little village turned ghost village.
Few kilometers before South Horr and taking another rest from the heat and slow riding. The best camping spots around, it got difficult to start again after relaxing under lush green trees.
madmike999
Race Dog
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michnus
Bachelor Dog
South Horr is a small village between nowhere and hell. Nothing happens there every 30min and it last for the entire week. That is the nothingness, I am talking about. The people on the other hand are super nice and we got chatting with locals within minutes. It's the usual stuff, where from, where too, how old, how many kids, that sort of thing. There is one bar guest house with a groovy African theme and the youngster running the place had some drinks in our hands with in seconds.
What in life is better than this? fokkol!! :ricky:
The owner of the only and best bar cum guest house in South Horr.
Just outside South Horr the road turned into powder dust and sand.
The rest of the route to Loiyangalani was a relatively easy going with sand tracks and at some places we could even use 3rd and 4 for a few hundred meters. For the first time the heat got really unbearable, it must have been well into the 40’s or 50’s. It is nice to ride without a jacket, but it’s actually beter with one on as it keeps the warm hot air out. Just about 50km before Loiyangalani we rode into the lava fields.
What is that movie? I see dead people or something the small boy said? Well, I see boobs everywhere :lol8:
If the sweltering dry heat wasn't bad enough the dust choked us up.
Between the bike and myself I was heavier on water than what the bike was on petrol.
While riding I thought to myself I am sure this is the devil‘s play ground, when camels succumb to the terrain it’s really not a good environment for people. How the tribes survive here is an absolute mystery. Their homes resemble a squatter camp more than anything else, and there’s no water here, except lake water and that is salty.
Not that there are a lot of them around.
Turkana is a very inhospitable place, even camels find it hard.
Millions of years old. Lava rocks all over the place.
This is the road, there is no line between the road and the edge.
Like a fast PK from the irritated guy next to you in a smelly dodgy bar, we were instantly PK'ed wide awake and had to concentrate like hell riding the lava pebbles and rocks while the sun was busy boiling our brains.
It was quite a difference riding this pebble size razor sharp rocks than sand or any other thing we have been riding before. It’s like riding on fist-size marbles in a hollowed out track and still trying to avoid the sharp edged rocks. Then there’s the size,some are smaller and more of them, or bigger sizes and they throw your front wheel all over the place. Riding out of the track is impossible and dangerous. Slow going is a no-no, you have to keep the speed to at least 30km/h or even higher. That increases the risk of falling and this is NOT the place to drop a bike.
At last the view of Lake Turkana. It was a welcoming site to some water again. It is called the turquoise lake for being a turquoise colour. I am just to shit at taking pictures that show the true colours so this is as turquoise as it get.
click to open bigger
There is either water or rocks, no vegetation around. How people live in such harsh conditions are beyond comprehension.
It is nearly impossible to try and understand how people can live in such extreme environment. Not even to mention what they know about the Western world. Sometimes I think they are better off not knowing the shit we sit with in the western world.
What in life is better than this? fokkol!! :ricky:
The owner of the only and best bar cum guest house in South Horr.
Just outside South Horr the road turned into powder dust and sand.
The rest of the route to Loiyangalani was a relatively easy going with sand tracks and at some places we could even use 3rd and 4 for a few hundred meters. For the first time the heat got really unbearable, it must have been well into the 40’s or 50’s. It is nice to ride without a jacket, but it’s actually beter with one on as it keeps the warm hot air out. Just about 50km before Loiyangalani we rode into the lava fields.
What is that movie? I see dead people or something the small boy said? Well, I see boobs everywhere :lol8:
If the sweltering dry heat wasn't bad enough the dust choked us up.
Between the bike and myself I was heavier on water than what the bike was on petrol.
While riding I thought to myself I am sure this is the devil‘s play ground, when camels succumb to the terrain it’s really not a good environment for people. How the tribes survive here is an absolute mystery. Their homes resemble a squatter camp more than anything else, and there’s no water here, except lake water and that is salty.
Not that there are a lot of them around.
Turkana is a very inhospitable place, even camels find it hard.
Millions of years old. Lava rocks all over the place.
This is the road, there is no line between the road and the edge.
Like a fast PK from the irritated guy next to you in a smelly dodgy bar, we were instantly PK'ed wide awake and had to concentrate like hell riding the lava pebbles and rocks while the sun was busy boiling our brains.
It was quite a difference riding this pebble size razor sharp rocks than sand or any other thing we have been riding before. It’s like riding on fist-size marbles in a hollowed out track and still trying to avoid the sharp edged rocks. Then there’s the size,some are smaller and more of them, or bigger sizes and they throw your front wheel all over the place. Riding out of the track is impossible and dangerous. Slow going is a no-no, you have to keep the speed to at least 30km/h or even higher. That increases the risk of falling and this is NOT the place to drop a bike.
At last the view of Lake Turkana. It was a welcoming site to some water again. It is called the turquoise lake for being a turquoise colour. I am just to shit at taking pictures that show the true colours so this is as turquoise as it get.
click to open bigger
There is either water or rocks, no vegetation around. How people live in such harsh conditions are beyond comprehension.
It is nearly impossible to try and understand how people can live in such extreme environment. Not even to mention what they know about the Western world. Sometimes I think they are better off not knowing the shit we sit with in the western world.
michnus
Bachelor Dog
Photo taking became almost impossible, when the going is good you need make up time and when the terrain is bad you work hard to get out of it. At one stage I stopped for a photo, Elsebie stopped behind me and with the weight of the bike on the loose stones, loosing her balance just for a moment, it was quite a balancing act, Elsebie dropped the bike. I did my best to explain to her in my calmest voice that at this place you do not drop a bike, whatever you do, do not drop a bike.
Rocks always and I mean always, win the fight with a bike’s engine casing or sump or whatever lever you need to use when negotiating rocks. I knew she already had that worked out for herself when we first rode into the lava field, and to try and recover a bike from here will be no easy feat, the terrain was really tricky but also good fun to ride.
Heeltyd Speeltyd, this is why we love riding bike!
No sudden braking, you just do not stop, feeling like ABS that’s ON on a dirt road, it’s even difficult to walk on the rocks.
Sign of a good few days riding. Elsebie's hands started to wear in
That afternoon late we reached Shady Palms Campsite in Loiyangalani. We debated long when last we felt so tired and had so much to drink without visiting the toilet. Each had about 1.5l of beer, 1.5l of water and .5l of soda before going to bed! Like at so many other camp sites the staff at the campsite was friendly and eager to please. We had some fresh fish from the lake, chips and coleslaw for dinner.
Life is goood man!!
:lamer:
Rocks always and I mean always, win the fight with a bike’s engine casing or sump or whatever lever you need to use when negotiating rocks. I knew she already had that worked out for herself when we first rode into the lava field, and to try and recover a bike from here will be no easy feat, the terrain was really tricky but also good fun to ride.
Heeltyd Speeltyd, this is why we love riding bike!
No sudden braking, you just do not stop, feeling like ABS that’s ON on a dirt road, it’s even difficult to walk on the rocks.
Sign of a good few days riding. Elsebie's hands started to wear in
That afternoon late we reached Shady Palms Campsite in Loiyangalani. We debated long when last we felt so tired and had so much to drink without visiting the toilet. Each had about 1.5l of beer, 1.5l of water and .5l of soda before going to bed! Like at so many other camp sites the staff at the campsite was friendly and eager to please. We had some fresh fish from the lake, chips and coleslaw for dinner.
Life is goood man!!
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