The Unforgiven Trail - and the legends that tamed it

[sidetrack]

BAIE !

 

[Kamanya]

In the preceding couple of years the route for the Kaokoland & Damaraland tour has stayed more or less the same. For various reasons Hardy decided that, for this group, something special should be served up.

Over the past few months we have had many discussions about the "new" route – it will be tougher, longer and will run through places where the lions and elephants are known to be found. Is the added risk worth it? Hardy has to make the final call, and he has to balance his two objectives – making the trip as exciting and epic as possible for the group, but also ensuring that everyone gets to go home safely to tell their family about their trip. I am certain that this keeps him up most nights – that is just how committed he is to these tours.

Stretches that were previously completed over two days are now combined into one. There is a very real risk that the group get delayed and might only arrive at camp after dark. All of these scenarios are discussed and debated in detail. It definitely is not as simple as the lines of a track on a GPS might make it seem.

Bugger!

FOMO

 

[Straatkat]

Julle manne moet geniet, hoe jaloers is ek nou! As iemand nog nie een van daai groot duffel bags het nie, pm my, myne le nog hier.

 

[m0lt3n]

Het ek jou gerattle met die capacitor storie?

nee



maar ek reken my bike een van die oudste daar....so ek gaan nou nie krap waar dit nie jeuk met n cocky antwoord hier nie....

 

[Psycho Porra]

Gaan daar Jack Daniels wees ?

 

[sidetrack]

View attachment 829131

Lekker pocket size

 

[JustBendIt]

@BuRP

Help my gou, die TPI’s kan mos nie hardloop sonder n battery nie?

Nie soos die Carb 300’s nie, kickstart en jys shap selfs sonder n battery.

Soos ek dit verstaan, as jy die 500 jumpstart met kabels, maar die battery het geen volts en is stukkend, dan sal die fiets nie hardloop nie sodra jy ontkoppel?

Of is ek deurmekaar?

Once the engine is started and running then the battery should be charged during running

You can onkoppel just like when jump starting a car

 

[Hardy de Kock]

Die bakkie met jumper cables en 12v krag is heeltyd by - hou op stres oor bike start.

 

[BuRP]

Bliksem

Heeltemaal korrek, dis wat jy is nou - omdat jy hierdie een uitmis!
Jammer ook ja, want jy's darem nie n te groot <edited away by an overzealous moderator lol> nie

FOMO

For you same swaer, sien bo!
I expected you to attend because Justin does...

die TPI’s kan mos nie hardloop sonder n battery nie?

Soos Justin se bo:
You remove the battery from the system and connect the capacitor instead (when using an electrolitic one watch the polarity!).
Then you kickstart as per normal, and then the charging circuit charges the capacitor plus feeds what needs feeding (like ECU, pump & injection parts etc) - mind, you may need to kick more than once, and in quick succession also, to get the engine started - and then it will run as per normal.
As I have it this is because the capacitor is present which sortof 'fools' the regulator, because excess current (spikes) is smoothed away as well as fed back to the system when it needs it, letting the system think there's a battery present.
The coils charge enough when the engine spins (kicking), after all normally even the battery is charged a little.

 

[BuRP]

Die bakkie met jumper cables en 12v krag is heeltyd by - hou op stres oor bike start.

Werner worrie omrede hy het nie n kickstarter nie, en myne wel (sadistiese avatar hierso) !
Maar, hy's glo ook korrek in saying dat n TPI (of recent 500) nie sal kan loop sonder battery nie, alhoewel hy wel sal jumpstart!
So, hy's geworrie dat hy langs jou bakkie sal moet gaan ry met 1 hand oppi bars en die ander hou die starterkabels vas..... omdat dit glo vrek lastig is as jy sekere goudgele ogies inni veld gesien het!
Nou ja, toe maar, shit happens......

 

[Hardy de Kock]

Werner worrie omrede hy het nie n kickstarter nie, en myne wel (sadistiese avatar hierso) !
Maar, hy's glo ook korrek in saying dat n TPI (of recent 500) nie sal kan loop sonder battery nie, alhoewel hy wel sal jumpstart!
So, hy's geworrie dat hy langs jou bakkie sal moet gaan ry met 1 hand oppi bars en die ander hou die starterkabels vas..... omdat dit glo vrek lastig is as jy sekere goudgele ogies inni veld gesien het!
Nou ja, toe maar, shit happens......

Hy het 'n 2016 en het dus wel 'n kickstarter Oupa

 

[BuRP]

AHA, Dankie!!!
So hoekom worrie jy Werner?

 

[Sandban(g)k]

Julle gaan leeus kyk saam met n spul olifante in Crocs, en al waaroor die thread gaan is jumper kabels en powerbanks.

Maak ons jaloers asb?! Los die DIY goed vir as julle terug is en gooi eerder fotos, roetes, planne

 

[Oubones]

nee



maar ek reken my bike een van die oudste daar....so ek gaan nou nie krap waar dit nie jeuk met n cocky antwoord hier

Ek is ongelukkig nie die trip daar met my klein “jumpstarter” maar as een ou net klein extra battery saamvat los dit die probleem op. So spesiale toer wil mens nie met dooie battery sukkel nie. Diens ook asb julle fietse voor die tyd en goeie of nuwe bande. Iemand het al paar dae en duisende R’s se onkoste onnodig gehad omdat hulle nie hulle voorbereiding reg gehad het nie.
Geniet julle toer en weet Hardy en sy bakkie is net paar minute agter julle as daar probleempie kom.

 

[JustBendIt]

nee



maar ek reken my bike een van die oudste daar....so ek gaan nou nie krap waar dit nie jeuk met n cocky antwoord hier nie....

my baaik is nou 23 jaar oud en maak 'n whopping 32 hp ... issie vinnig nie maar is betroubaar soos
oupa se Cressida

 

[Hardy de Kock]

my baaik is nou 23 jaar oud en maak 'n whopping 32 hp ... issie vinnig nie maar is betroubaar soos
oupa se Cressida

From experience I can tell you that your 23 year old DRZ will most certainly assist in the recovery of some of the newer bikes.
Good choice

 

[JeanDV]

In the preceding couple of years the route for the Kaokoland & Damaraland tour has stayed more or less the same. For various reasons Hardy decided that, for this group, something special should be served up.

Over the past few months we have had many discussions about the "new" route – it will be tougher, longer and will run through places where the lions and elephants are known to be found. Is the added risk worth it? Hardy has to make the final call, and he has to balance his two objectives – making the trip as exciting and epic as possible for the group, but also ensuring that everyone gets to go home safely to tell their family about their trip. I am certain that this keeps him up most nights – that is just how committed he is to these tours.

Stretches that were previously completed over two days are now combined into one. There is a very real risk that the group get delayed and might only arrive at camp after dark. All of these scenarios are discussed and debated in detail. It definitely is not as simple as the lines of a track on a GPS might make it seem.

Dit gee my so ‘n warm gevoel Jaco, dankie!

 

[m0lt3n]

Diens ook asb julle fietse voor die tyd en goeie of nuwe bande. Iemand het al paar dae en duisende R’s se onkoste onnodig gehad omdat hulle nie hulle voorbereiding reg gehad het nie.
Geniet julle toer en weet Hardy en sy bakkie is net paar minute agter julle as daar probleempie kom.

Nee ek stem, mens spandeer nie so baie op die trip en dan mis jy uit oor nie gediens het nie.
Ek gaan haal hom more na diens, en nuwr tyres en goed het vandag begin arriveer by die huis

 

[Hardy de Kock]

In the preceding couple of years the route for the Kaokoland & Damaraland tour has stayed more or less the same. For various reasons Hardy decided that, for this group, something special should be served up.

Over the past few months we have had many discussions about the "new" route – it will be tougher, longer and will run through places where the lions and elephants are known to be found. Is the added risk worth it? Hardy has to make the final call, and he has to balance his two objectives – making the trip as exciting and epic as possible for the group, but also ensuring that everyone gets to go home safely to tell their family about their trip. I am certain that this keeps him up most nights – that is just how committed he is to these tours.

Stretches that were previously completed over two days are now combined into one. There is a very real risk that the group get delayed and might only arrive at camp after dark. All of these scenarios are discussed and debated in detail. It definitely is not as simple as the lines of a track on a GPS might make it seem.

For me a good tour consists of 5 good elements

1. The tracks must challenge the riders and be interesting in terms of the fauna and flora
2. The riders must eat well
3. The riders must be able to sleep and shower well
4. The group must gel well (For this reason I have a conversation with each and every new booking to manage expectations and to make sure new guests will fit in with the existing group. Remember that customers who have already booked have no control over who joins after them)
5. The crew must offer a professional and friendly back up service.

I have seen throughout the years of hosting these tours that you seldom get complaints if the above mentioned factors are taken care of.

I decided to change the routes during the 2nd last day of the May tour in 2022 when a few of the riders were surfing the infamous sand track between Twyfelfontein and Brandberg in front of my Cruiser. This stretch was not too long but you had to have your wits about you in terms of your sand riding skills to attempt and conquer it. Alan and Sharon went through Divorce Pass with the rest of the group who wanted to ride the Messum Crater.
I already knew that there were a few riders who asked to secure their spots on the next year's tour and I knew it would be cruel to offer them exactly the same routes.

Whilst contemplating the possibilities I realized that I was opening myself up for endless logistical challenges because of the fact that we would not be able to refuel as often as we used to in the past if we decide the change the routes. We would also not be in a situation where we could purchase groceries as often as we could in the past and I could already hear Chantal and Sharon questioning this issue.
I decided to think it through some more and not make any decisions over this now. Just as we entered the Brandberg area I received a message on my phone from one of my friends back in SA. Now Greg seldom calls and when he does it usually is important. I quickly stopped and called him back. He told me that his wife decided that he would be a lot more happy as a bachelor and that this one-sided and impromptu decision by her made him realize that he wanted to visit the areas we host our tours in.

Greg has exactly the same Unimog U4000 as I do and this changed everything. I was now in a situation where I could carry more fridges, fuel and to the rider's delight, more cool boxes.
I quickly told him how well this can work out and agreed to discuss it when I was back in SA.

In the end, a decision taken by Greg's wife made it possible for us to put together a series of tracks that would have been impossible to do in the past in terms of the logistical requirements.

I am really looking forward to this tour and I can't wait to see how the riders react to the tracks we prepared for them.

 

[Renrew]

@Hardy de Kock - Deel asb n paar kiekies van jou Unimog setup