Southern Namibia Ride

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Hierdie RR gaan nog my lewe verkort, ek is nog besig om sand en kettie klippe uit my sak te haal van my Namibia trip, dan moet ek nou hier lees.
Pragtig.
Daai C14 is nou nog erger.

Ja Nee, daai C14 is 'n bliksem ... soos jy binnekort gaan sien hy het ons gatte geskop !

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

And then the oke shows up from Windhoek with the screen ... en net so is alles weer reg om te ry... of amper reg om te ry.

Once again thanks to the fantastic Namibia mense.

Remember the sore arm? .. well the damn thing is no better and no worse ... but a rugby injury has now joined in the fun! That damn C14 was not lekker at all and Allan's knee has taken a hammering so we need to take it easy from here onwards ...

Well we ain't dead yet so we head for Spitzkoppe. Plenty Springbokkies on the way there but in general not as much wildlife as I saw in 2010.

It's a short ride so we take it slow 'n easy.

In the middle of nowhere karrietjiesmense appear with a cell phone stuck to his ear ...

There's a concerted effort by the locals to tap into the passing tourist trade and we contribute where we can.

Even a year ago the drought was clear to see ... and still it persists.

But the dance floor is always ready to rock 'n roll.

... no idea what this is all about ...

... anyway soon we are through the gate and searching for a particular spot that I saw on another great RR here "Two Twins Hit Namibia" by Hermit in Nov '11.

This is without doubt the highlight of this trip, one can enter from the West that's quite sandy or from the East that's also quite sandy but a lekker camp site awaits.

Right at the Western end is this hidden spot.

The 4x4 crowd moves on and there's just that noise that silence brings with it.

There's even a room with a view too

Amazing rock formation

Ever better at sunset

The next morning we reluctantly move on ... for once not exactly sure where to but we have agreed that we will not do the Northern part of this fine country on this trip.

 

[subie]

Besonderse fotos :thumleft:

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Besonderse fotos :thumleft:

Dankie subie ons het so agt honderd geneem.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Not sure where this was taken after Spitzkoppe but it was a welcome break.

We decide that we'll camp in the Waterberg Lodge for the night.

Of course they are difficult for a change and will not allow bikes in even though we can see the camp site 150m away ...

... never mind, we have a lekker braai anyway.

At 6am the next morning we watch the local baboon troop pull in and make a moerse noise and throw all the rubbish bins over .. we chase them away but if anything, they are persistent creatures and all bins are thrown over eventually.

Thus we turn South with one more stop ... Oanob Dam just outside Rehoboth. Nice place indeed.

They have these great thatch bungalows right on the water.

It's even got some colour to it.

Clutched out.

That's it folks, shows over ... we slab it for home.

"Thanks for your time and I'll thank you for mine." - Rodrigues

 

[Chrisl]

Some stunning pics Ian.
I still want to go camping at Spitzkoppe. :deal:

 

[Karoo Rider]

Pragtig Ian - Namibië is een ongelooflike plek.

ChrisL - daai Spitzkoppe kamp is op die lys vir volgende keer. :deal:

 

[BlueBull2007]

Fantastic stuff Ian, thanks for sharing.

Hope your arm is coming right at last...

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Fantastic stuff Ian, thanks for sharing.

Hope your arm is coming right at last...

Thanks Blue Bull2007 ... on return I got a CAT scan on it and the damage was clear to see, a tear about half way through the Bicep radial tendon or somesuch, it took months to heal but I have always had doubts about it's strength since. The arm also tires much quicker than before ... it's quite a humbling feeling to be so vulnerable and aware of one's limitations.

Safe travels

8)

 

[ETS]

Some stunning pics Ian.
I still want to go camping at Spitzkoppe. :deal:

Ek wil saam. :thumleft:

 

[ClimbingTurtle]

Some stunning pics Ian.
I still want to go camping at Spitzkoppe. :deal:

Ek wil saam. :thumleft:

Meee toooooo...>!!!!! We missed on my last trip - perhaps next year!!

 

[lj111]

Thanks for the rr.  :thumleft:
Namibia sure is a great place :drif:

 

[ALLEN I]

Some stunning pics Ian.
I still want to go camping at Spitzkoppe. :deal:

Ek wil saam. :thumleft:

Meee toooooo...>!!!!! We missed on my last trip - perhaps next year!!

Some stunning pics Ian.
I still want to go camping at Spitzkoppe. :deal:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    u guys def need to do it fantastic place i no.me and ian want to go back there a again.      ALLEN I       

 

[ALLEN I]

Was one helluva good trip but as ian said bikes held up good even with my prang.but hey that's the fun of it.Us on the other hand took a bit of a beating, but wouldn't of changed the ride

 

[weskusklong]

Ons het deur blote toeval die eerste ingang na Spitzkoppe gevat vanaf Henties,slegte pad, en daai sandput net na jy deur die hek ( plaashek) gaan.

Daar is n kleurling wat daar bly en ornamente verkoop wat die hek oopmaak as hy toe is.

Pasop vir daai sandput.

Dan is die pad tot by daai mooi kampplek bietjie sanderig maar heel oraait,dit is letterlik die eerste rotse teenaan die pad,daar is n tweespoor pad net links om die rots en die kampplek net agter daai rots waar die fietse staan.

Ek glo jy kan maklik verby ry as jy nie weet van die kampplek agter die rots nie.

Ons het nooit by die hoofhek uitgekom nie.

 

[Vis Arend]

Dankie vir die RR Ian.  :thumleft:

Namibia is en bly maar mooi, saak nie maak waar jy jou in Nam bevind nie.  Spitskoppe bly maar een van my gunsteling plekke. 

Ry veilig.  :thumleft:

 

[ALLEN I]

Yerra guys my cousin is as mad as ever but I'm going to join them next ride. Only way to live. Well done cousin A.

 

[ALLEN I]

Yerra guys my cousin is as mad as ever but I'm going to join them next ride. Only way to live. Well done cousin A.

tanx bill p next time post from u own profile o and u welcome to come with us

 

[Jackol.]

Ek was nog nooit in Namibie gewees nie, nog nooit die begeerte gehad nie, maar hierdie fotos maak my lus om te gaan! Goeie RR :ricky:  :thumleft:

 

[Casino]

This ride report is looong overdue as the trip was done last year in May and I will not attempt any weak excuses ... Allen I and I had done less than the normal planning for any trip as I was out the country for most of it ... basically good old Skype came to the rescue! Allen needed a bike for starters and was quick to find an AT XRV 750 that was ready to roll from the off with good panniers, tank bag and pillion bag included in the sale.

The general route was to Namibia, we had big plans to get to Upupa Falls, from Great Brak via Sutherland as we wanted to see Saturn's rings that are visible in our winter months, but I'm getting ahead of myself here...

He drove down from Pretoria, with daughter as pillion ... sowing the seeds for future rides no doubt.

As always there nothing quite like the start of a ride, a long ride, any ride for that matter ... as we all know reality stands still and in effect nothing else matters at that moment.

Nothing quite like a Southern Cape sunset...

Even set up the new RIBZZ stretcher and slept on the balcony.

So the next morning we hit the road, going over the Swartberg Pass as he had not been to the other side of it before, for that matter he's never been out the country so many new things to experience ... like getting a passport too.

The weather was great, the pass was quiet, we're headed for Prins Albert.

We've known each other since Grade 1, grew up in the same town, 2 km's apart, those days Yamaha RD 50's and Honda SS 50's (with double valve springs to help it get to 110 kph) ruled the roost. If you had klomp geld (from working at the Leba Theater for 56c an hour) you got a DT 175 ... anyway, where was I ..?  Sutherland I believe ...

Sutherland, via Merweville where the roads were particularly shitty last year.

thanks Ian very nice pics and RR