The Wife, the Ex and the Kid

[Big E]

Awesome  :drif:

 

[Metaljockey]

You have a lot to answer for Metal Jockey! In 2007/8 I was stuck in Northern Sweden (a particularly uninteresting part of the world), and chanced upon your ride reports - Angola, Goats, the Camel Man, etc. You single handedly inspired me to get back to the most beautiful part of the world, and to buy a bike. Now you are reaffirming my decision. Thank you!

Far out. Glad I could do some good.

 

[Chrisl]

Enjoying this MJ. Have to agree about that 40kms after Solitaire. Ive done it about 5 times and this year it was the worst.
Not scraping it as often as they normally do and touristnumbers would be the main reasons.
Everybody coming from Europe rents a 4x4 or a Yaris to drive where the 4x4s go.

 

[Nardus]

My Kroon !!

Have been waiting for this for a couple of weeks, but as always - it was worth the wait ! Thanks .... gooi mielies !!

 

[Would I?]

Really fantastic photo's and RR!!!!

I just love that country. Looking forward to doing a trip there with my wife.

Keep it comming.

 

[Leo]

MJ you're a gifted man.

Congrats on a gr8 RR.

 

[Brakenjan]

I don’t know why we put up with it. The only good thing that ever comes from the Cape is the Blue Bulls on their way back from giving die streeptruie a hiding.

Prophetic words MJ! 

I have modified the DRZ quite a bit to allow Tharina to get her feet on the ground; this includes changed rear suspension linkages and dropping all preload. It gets the job done but unfortunately messes up the geometry and consequently the handling.

I ride at her 4 o’clock and I get too clear a view of the DRZ repeatedly getting out of shape at 100km/h. When it starts going ape shit she jumps up on the pegs and gasses it. That’s right and that’s how I taught her but it’s not a good thing to watch in real time. I pull her over and we turn the damper up. It looks like it is a little better but this road is not nice, and Tharina is not fresh and perky. When she hits those sand ridges combined with heavy corrugation especially, the bike just gets violently out of shape.

Watching her ride turns into an ordeal for me. I know that if she goes down at this speed on this road, she’s gonna get hurt properly, braking bones and shit. Twice I feel the adrenaline shooting into my scalp when I think she's going down, but she rides the throttle hard and long, and she pulls it through.

But the reality of it is, that this is what I expect of her every time I go away on a trip. She sits at home not knowing if I’m going to come back happy, broken or not at all. And this is her choice, she wanted to do this trip, she is a grown woman who knows the risk and accepts it. I should respect that. So for my own sanity I fall back a kilometer or two. Not having to see it makes it easier.

This gave my goose bumps - it is exactly why I cannot get myself to share my passion for motorcycling with my wife (she is not interested in the pillion-thing either). It would freak me out to see her out of shape on the bike! Then again, I am clearly missing out on great experiences like yours...

Thanks MJ - as always, this is awesome stuff!  :thumleft:

 

[Metaljockey]

Day Seven – Swakopmund, Uis, Brandberg

Moving up the Skeleton Coast from Swakopmund is a salt road. It is made of salt and the perpetual fog next to this cold ocean keeps it wet and clear of sand.

Turning away from the coast towards Uis you are rewarded with one of the best open desert roads to be had. Now, just try to tell me this doesn’t appeal to you.

We ride directly inland in a cold coastal wind for 50km. Then, suddenly the wind direction reverses and the temperature shoots up by easily 15-20 degrees, leaving us totally overdressed and having to stop and get rid of clothing.

After refueling in Uis (abandoned, bought and resurrected mining town), we travel north to get to White Lady Lodge and Camping at the foot of the Brandberg. Peanut is sleeping again.

We get camp set up and I am just pleased as punch. We are now in the territory of the Goat Meat trip. The Goat Meat trip was one of my trips that was really special, opening my eyes as to what was possible. If you have some extra time between updates, have a look at this: Goat Meat, Good Friends and Riverbeds.

At the time I so much wanted to have Tharina experience the things that I did, because I knew that she would absolutely love it. Yet, I knew that she would probably never have the skills to do that kind of trip with me.

Let me give a little background on my wife. Tharina does not have the obsession that I and a lot of you have with bikes. She rides because I ride. Because she likes me and wants to be with me.

Regardless, she has done a lot as far as riding goes. Here’s some pics.

She did Rhodes on the DRZ.

She did the Transkei many times on the DRZ.

She has done Gamkas kloof and Baviaans on the DRZ. She enjoyed that trip.

She did Lesotho on the 640. She did not enjoy that trip.

She did a 6000km, six country trip around Southern Africa on the 1200. It blew her mind.

So she is well travelled, yet, she only does these trips and no riding in between. Her skill level stays pretty much stagnant.

Then we did a trip in the Northern Cape where I misjudged the difficulty level somewhat. Also, it was my first trip with my kid on the back, so I could not give the necessary support to my wife and she kakked off. I personally saw her go over the handlebars of that DRZ three times, and there were more.

But at the end of that trip I saw that she saw. She saw what it was about, where I found the joy. For the first time she felt that elation of having been pushed far past her limits and finishing the job, sore and battered maybe, but the MAN. Because she did it, she started it, she finished it, and by herself.

I think it is that trip that made all the difference. When I on a whim suggested a Namibia bike trip with the kid, she immediately responded “Yes, let’s do it”. I didn’t expect that, but there it was and in a very short time I planned my ideal route.

And now, here we are, on my ideal route, doing what I love best, with my wife and kid with me. Fucking fantastic man! Sometimes life is just so good that it feels unreal.

And Namibia delivers sunsets like only Namibia can.

This day, this night, here, right now, is where I want to be. Everything is as it should be. Look at that.

Perfection.




.

 

[throttle jockey]

Absolute perfection!

 

[KnopKop]

Eish.................

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

 

[Stofstreep]

:drif: :drif:

A maze Ing!!!!!!!!

 

[Gee eS]

You are one lucky guy to have your family share your passion.

 

[dogless]

Fantastiese RR. Jy't 'n yster van 'n vrou MJ!

 

[SGB]

Top class story once again MJ!  Did you use one of those "strap - in" gadgets to stop the kid jumping off whilst dreaming? 
Thanks you.  :thumleft:

 

[eikeboom]

Brilliant. I'm jealous. This stuff is like art - a very personal thing to share.

 

[Ou Ryperd]

:drif: :drif: :drif: :drif: :drif:

 

[Fire Cracker]

What an inspiring RR.  I cant wait to be at a skills level to do this kind of trip with my husband.  I've never been to Namibia and am now dying to go!  Hubby goes every year for fishing so now we MUST go ride it too!   Your wife is also an inspiration!!  Thank you :hello2: :salut:

 

[White Stripes]

Merrycan must read this. It will do the trick. Thanks man!

 

[funacide]

Damn MJ

You just have a way with words.... PLEASE ONE MORE TONIGHT??????? :lamer:

 

[Metaljockey]

Top class story once again MJ!  Did you use one of those "strap - in" gadgets to stop the kid jumping off whilst dreaming? 
Thanks you.  :thumleft:

Yes, I had her strapped to me, the same system we used on the Onseepkans trip, just simplified a little.

Damn MJ

You just have a way with words.... PLEASE ONE MORE TONIGHT??????? :lamer:

Aaah sorry, went to bed already. I'll do another one today.