The Goat Ride ... or should that be The Goats' Ride ...?

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This RR starts in Great Brak for me, Klerksdorp for "Tappet" (Helgard) and Pretoria for Allen. Much discussion had gone into our route up to the Kunene as we had set out twice before and only gotten half way ... the score was Nam 2 - 0. We had to change that so decided we would go up via Botswana but first I had to get to Zeerust from GB.

This was the start of what would be my 7940km, 3 week ride with the guys.





I went up via Beaufort, to Carnarvon and Douglas.



The Aardvarks make some serious holes up there ... I can just imagine the damage to a bakkie this would do at night!





I have been here once before a long time ago at the convergence of the two mighty African rivers outside Douglas.
The Orange Gariep ...



... and the quiet Vaal.



One plus one makes one.


 
It's a two day 1700 odd Km ride to Zeerust via Jan Kempdorp where the road conditions were worse than I had expected.





I stop for 2 minutes for a break ... and it would not be Africa if locals do not materialize from nowhere ...







Tapologo Lodge was the rendezvous spot in Zeerust ... I have had 5 months to get there on time ... so I do ...





The guys eventually turn up with the usual stories ... I could not believe the backpack on Tappets bike ... the "I Fell Tower" it is.





This is the official start of the ride for all of us.



For the guys it starts off well ...



... then shit happens ...



... a high speed disconnect I believe ...



C of G not where it needs to be ... Uncle Subie, this was modified later believe me!

 
I am doing some of that road back from the bash to Jeffreysbay.  Kuruman - Carnavon - Beaufort - Rietbron - Willowmore - and then Baviaans.
Will keep an eye out for the erdvark gate.  :thumleft:
Really enjoy reading about you oke's adventure trips  :ricky:
 
Allen has done a good job of tying the damn thing down ... but it needs to be hammered back into shape.





Then I tie it down so that it will stay there for 3 weeks ... I hope.



Then next morning we prepare for Khama Rhino Sanctuary.



Katie wants to be warmed up before she's ridden ... so she sits in the sun.



We take it easy towards the border, too easy as we will arrive in the dark at KRS as Gaborone is not a "dorp" but a "stad" and it takes a while to get through it.







We end up doing the last 35k's to KRS in the dark ... in Botswana ... with Goats everywhere. At the gate they are locking up for the night ... "but we have to camp here" we say ... "At the campsite...?" they ask, "Yebo" we say. "But it is too sandy for the bike, aikonna!" they say .... it been a long day so we reluctantly agree to be thrown onto the back of a bakkie and dropped off at the site, with an understanding to be fetched at 8.00 tomorrow morning.

Allen get's on with the finer details in life.







Chair...? Check. Beer...? Check. Fire...? Check. Meat...? Check.



We have a two legged braai grid, no problem as there are plenty empty beer cans.



Meanwhile, Helgard checks out his new camera and takes some good shots.


 
It's 3.5'C at 7am the next morning, this would be the lowest temp for the trip.





Even Uncle Allen needed his famous red socks to survive the night.



This oke is up looong before us and making sure we are aware of it too.



He brings his pals with him too.















I deliberately went as lite as possible for this trip, yet still loads of crap is taken along. The bakkie is late, so I walk out and find someone to call them. We have a road to catch ... to Maun tonight.



Just in case there may be someone in doubt as to what we are on, herewith close ups to be stuck on your garage walls ... or above your beds if that floats your boat.







For the hundreds of official Dinosaur fans ... OK, all 4 of you then.



Bots was dry but we see signs of life.





 
I can in all honest say the subject name/heading for a RR, if there was going to be one of this trip, came about very easily and I was aware of it on day 3 of 21 already. I counted close to one million goats in Botswana over the next 3 days, 975 306 in fact ... and how can I be so sure of that figure you ask? Well, as any African will tell you we count the legs and divide by 4 as I have never seen a goat without 4 good legs. They were to be seen continuously from here onwards untill past Epupa Falls in Nam.











... also saw the next generation in training...

 

... specifically in the fine art of pissing bikers off ...



Amazing nowhere can one buy Goat meat to eat ...?

 
Nice one buddy enjoying the RR of yours Videos are good, The famous red socks you say, Yea they do stick out don't they.Well don't be shy "gooi" more Still say it was a helluva  good trip
 
ALLEN I said:
Nice one buddy enjoying the RR of yours Videos are good, The famous red socks you say, Yea they do stick out don't they.Well don't be shy "gooi" more Still say it was a helluva  good trip
Click to expand...

Yeah, and considering we took over 4000 photos of the ride its great to see that we are putting plenty on the reports.  :thumleft:
 
Maun Lodge was great ...





... it gave us time to do some maintenance too. Allen lubs the chain,





Tappet works on lowering Katies C of G,





The Yam has no such problems ... it just needs some stickers.



We hit the road, and generally stick to the limit as the cops are serious as I found out ... twice!





We stop for a drink ... and buy the kids a liter of coke ... it went down real quick.





Tsodilo Hill is 40k's down this road.









We decide to use the shower block as our shelter for the night.







Allen get on making beer bread ... it took more than 1 bottle I can assure you.



To get to this phase ...



... means this ...



... and this ...



... and this ...



... is caused by this.



But it all ends in snores ...











 
It an easy trip to the border post ... we should perhaps never have told Tappet that sometimes, for no reason, they pick suspicious looking okes out of the line for a body search ...



Uncle Allen tells him to just be yourself ...



... and we do when we get there.



















This is quite a momentous photo as we have finally gotten to the north of Namibia ... two attempts had no success and whilst it might not be the Kunene it was the very impressive Kavango ... this one flowing East towards the Delta.



That's how close Angola is.





The kid in the Makoro approaches us.





 
We need to get to Hakusembe River Lodge for tonight.



Nice place this is...





That's Angola there ... and at 4am the Angolan National Rooster competition started in all eagerness ... after fierce competition it was declared a tie.







The bikes are taking a pounding and need TLC.





Francoise, the manager is a great help and so is his staff.



The facilities are great.

















Back at the campsite Allen repairs the XRV's seat.



The next morning we do some more looking around.







Tappet does some more welding ...







 
Good show bud carry on. Enjoying the read and as too the photos, did not get all of yours but so far we have 5140 to choose from.
 
MAGNIFICENT REPORT AWESOME PHOTO,S THANK U FOR SHARING
 
It's a long way to go to get to Oshakati today and we stick to the tar even though we are advised to do the gravel road just to the North that has short cuts down to the tar every 20k's or so ... more and more wood for sale along the way.



A new Makoro on it's way to the water.







Great feeling to be working on your new home too no doubt.



On the "B" for boring we stick to the limit.



We get to Nkurenkuru and there's no petrol at the Total garage ... but the locals are quite happy to sell you all you need at $20 a pop.



On the road to Okongo the KTM falls over ... again.



We are saddle sore (gatvol more like it) by Ondangwa and spend over an hour in the foyer of the Ondangwa Protea hoping for accommodation ... nothing available due to a trade convention ... so we settle for what we can get.





The next morning we are soon nearer to the real Namibia that we have been chasing for a week now.



The Ruacana Falls ... not much falling here other than dust.



Tenacity in action.



That's our road to Kunene River Lodge.



Even the XRV has a low opinion of the falls and shows us how it should be done.



Angolan Border Post.



In Kunene Town we fill up with fuel as Epupa is dry or $18 a liter we hear.







... and this is the start of our Namibia Adventure 2014 as far as we are concerned.





It's a great road to be on.







I am "agter os" for awhile and see a moerse cloud of dust just ahead ... "Bloody 4x4's" I say to myself. ...ah no, it's Tappet on his ear. TG it's only 2 mirrors and some scratches ... and some bruises. It could have been the end of the trip right there. Allen takes the photo of the entire Bots/Nam Adventure.









We pick him up, dust him off, check the bike and send him on his way before he can start to think about what just happened.









10k's further we arrive at the fantastic Kunene River Lodge ... nice and small with monkeys in the tree's.
Tappet gives his bike a thorough inspection.







Allen keeps busy too.



This is the Kunene, it flows West towards the Atlantic.



All is well again.





 
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