Wham Bam Thank You Nam! - Namibia 30 Aug to 9 Sep 2006

[Ama ride ride]

LS and Kaboef

Awesome post you guys, I always wish I had a way with words like you do. :happy1:

Just something to all you forum guys wondering now about me breaking away on a trip and leaving mates behind while I go thundering alone in the direction of the setting sun. Nobody is pissed and we made up and all is 100% back to normal. :lol:

I must admit that the relaxing holiday mood of the group versus my adventure mood caught me a bit with my pants on my knees. We all know Namibia is one awesome DS country but time will always be against you. For us mere mortals with limited budgets and 20 days leave a year one need to use our time to the max.

Please note that I am not a typical MX, Desert runner or back up DS rider whom nearly always race from one overnight spot to the next. In fact I was the one who kept a look out for more backwater roads and I did my fair share of arm twisting to get the others to follow me on the less ridden tracks. 8)

However upon ariving at Ukasos there was a meeting held and everybody but me chose to take a tar road via Okahandja to Windhoek instead of keeping to the original plan of taking the Khomas Hockland road, overnight there ( about 100km west of Windhoek) on a farm and skip Windhoek the next day. So it was holiday moods (read beer and beerhaust) versus an adventure mood. I was very disappointed but due to my blown headlight and the fact that we had to travel 100km further than originally planned for that day and maybe the last 30km in the dark, I accepted to stay on tar to Windhoek. :crybaby:

At bedtime later that night when it was clear that the others wont pitch up at Arrebusch I decided to do the remainder of the trip home via Gamkhab Canyon, Richtersveld and Alexanderbay on my own.

 

[FortyZA]

Welcome back and good report. Glad to see everyone made it back okay without too much drama.

Having only gotten back end of last month from Namibia with Zonkelnut, Hydra8, Krazy-Eyes, I can feel what you guys felt in terms of beauty and landscape. It seems that the people of the South are not as friendly as the people from the Northern parts, Koako and Ovambo land. I think they could take a good lesson from them in terms of hospitality and going the extra mile for tourists (even if they are from just across the border) as we do help them pay bills and put food on their table.

Nice pic's and good churps to go with each pic. :blob: :blob: :blob: :blob: :blob:

 

[JourneyMan]

So we drove ourselves to Duin 7 outside Walvis and had a blast on the dunes. Ama ride ride was the first to fall. He tried to summit the dune from the oasis side by riding straight up it, but it turned out trickier than we first imagined!

Looks different from a distance but going up is another story, especially with those heavy bikes! Good on you all for going to play there! 8)

I had a bang of a crash when I jumped a 2meter high dune without first checking out the other side of it. It was a stupid mistake. As I cleared the dune crest I found myself flying off into the sunset. The wind had hollowed out the leeside and I flew for 8 or 9 meters before the front wheel touched down in the soft sand at a near 60degree angle. It was a thumping crash and I was flung unceremoniously over the handlebars and screen. On my way off the bike I unfortunately tore off a mirror and damaged the screen mountings.

I was sure the bike was damaged but once the others came to my aid and helped me stand the beemer up, I rode away from the scene without a problem.
It was only two days later when my shoulder began to hurt like a son of a bitch.

You were lucky. Could have been worse. Broken ribs comes to mind. :shock:

This is the most common of accidents happening on Desert Runs. Going like mad over what seems to be a small ridge but with the deep drop on the other side. Each year everyone gets properly briefed on this but still it happens. This year one such incident resulted in a 25 year old being paralized for life. :shock:

Do it properly and it is some of the best playground one can get.

 

[FortyZA]

LS and Kaboef

Awesome post you guys, I always wish I had a way with words like you do. :happy1:

Just something to all you forum guys wondering now about me breaking away on a trip and leaving mates behind while I go thundering alone in the direction of the setting sun. Nobody is pissed and we made up and all is 100% back to normal. :lol:

I must admit that the relaxing holiday mood of the group versus my adventure mood caught me a bit with my pants on my knees. We all know Namibia is one awesome DS country but time will always be against you. For us mere mortals with limited budgets and 20 days leave a year one need to use our time to the max.

Please note that I am not a typical MX, Desert runner or back up DS rider whom nearly always race from one overnight spot to the next. In fact I was the one who kept a look out for more backwater roads and I did my fair share of arm twisting to get the others to follow me on the less ridden tracks. 8)

However upon ariving at Ukasos there was a meeting held and everybody but me chose to take a tar road via Okahandja to Windhoek instead of keeping to the original plan of taking the Khomas Hockland road, overnight there ( about 100km west of Windhoek) on a farm and skip Windhoek the next day. So it was holiday moods (read beer and beerhaust) versus an adventure mood. I was very disappointed but due to my blown headlight and the fact that we had to travel 100km further than originally planned for that day and maybe the last 30km in the dark, I accepted to stay on tar to Windhoek. :crybaby:

At bedtime later that night when it was clear that the others wont pitch up at Arrebusch I decided to do the remainder of the trip home via Gamkhab Canyon, Richtersveld and Alexanderbay on my own.

AmaRR, I can feel for you, on our trip just 2 weeks before you guys left, I had a route planned out but after the 3rd day it was decided amongst us that it was to become "a journey and not a destination". Some of the distances I had planned would take 2 days to do because of heavy sand, rugged terain and riding in the heat of the day is alos not fun. Lots of water is needed and normally the places you have ear marked to stay have all the creature comforts. It is the place that you stumple upon which is the better, less know sites and where the most fun is had. This I am sure many people will agree with me on this point.

Welcome back and I hope that you alos had a good time.

 

[Buzzlightyear]

Thanks for making our mouths water, LS, AmaRR, Butch and Kaboef.

I've never been to Nam, and now I really want to go after reading your reports and seeing the piccies.

Welcome back in die moederstad.

Nicki

 

[Kaboef]

Thanks for making our mouths water, LS, AmaRR, Butch and Kaboef.

I've never been to Nam, and now I really want to go after reading your reports and seeing the piccies.

Welcome back in die moederstad.

Nicki

Thanks Nicki, my advice is: just go
Its easier than you'd imagine.
The hard part is setting a date. From there on its all downhill.

 

[LuckyStriker]

Please note that I am not a typical MX, Desert runner or back up DS rider whom nearly always race from one overnight spot to the next

I can attest to that. Ama was the most proficient rider of us all but nearly always rode sweeper to make sure everyone got to the next pit stop.
I think you must have gotten tired of us stopping in every single town to smoke a cigarette, visit the shop and take a leak.

My personal opinion is that every member of a group should be allowed to come and go as he/she pleases. No one should hold a grudge if someone chooses another route. And none of us did.
I could not have asked for better riding buddies than the lot of you.
Looking forward to riding with other forum members though...frankly I'm a bit tired of the three stooges I did this trip with! :wink: :twisted:

Do it properly and it is some of the best playground one can get.

I fully agree with you.
It was stupid of me not to explore the dunes more thoroughly.

 

[Maverick (R.I.P.)]

Just finished the report and well done, can't wait to do it ourselves 8)

 

[Lootch67]

Just finished the report ...

I used to have a computer like that....

 

[Scribble]

wow awesome trip report and photos

 

[Ama ride ride]

My personal opinion is that every member of a group should be allowed to come and go as he/she pleases. No one should hold a grudge if someone chooses another route. And none of us did.
.

LS did you forgot that I made off with nearly all your tools in my pannier? :shock:

 

[Kaboef]

My personal opinion is that every member of a group should be allowed to come and go as he/she pleases. No one should hold a grudge if someone chooses another route. And none of us did.
.

LS did you forgot that I made off with nearly all your tools in my pannier? :shock:

And all the biltong!!!!!!! :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Ama ride ride]

My personal opinion is that every member of a group should be allowed to come and go as he/she pleases. No one should hold a grudge if someone chooses another route. And none of us did.
.

LS did you forgot that I made off with nearly all your tools in my pannier? :shock:

And all the biltong!!!!!!! :twisted: :twisted:

:lol: :lol: LS said you may not hold a grudge against me.....

 

[briv]

Kaboef ek sien jy het toe die tou nodig gekry !!!

 

[Kaboef]

Kaboef ek sien jy het toe die tou nodig gekry !!!

Ja nee, toue is goud werd.
Toue en drank.
Eintlik net drank.
Maar toue is nie te sleg nie..

 

[LuckyStriker]

Kaboef ek sien jy het toe die tou nodig gekry !!!

ek weet nie of julle nou 'n geheime grappie deel nie maar Kaboef se tou het my bike gefix:

We replaced the broken screen brackets with a cable tie but that broke later on due to wind pressure on the screen.
The rope worked great and looked gnarley too!

 

[LuckyStriker]

Here are a few more pics that did not make it into the report ? there are many more but I don?t want to ruin your bandwidth



Kaboef?s girlfriend gave him something to remember her by?ag schweeeeeett?
Little did he know it had a tracking device, video camera and microphone implanted


A dam with cows


Turning away from the border on our way to Bushwacked camp


Our bungalow on Shark Island, Luderitz


The service was slow in the Kolmanskop bar


Kolmanskop. The whole town will be swallowed up by sand in a few years time. Better hurry if you want to see it


Kolmanskop


Splashing on the Tsaris pass


The lighthouse and state house in Swakopmund


Birdlife in Walvisbaai


Quiver tree forest


Outside the roadhouse near Hobas


Last night, at Ai-Ais

 

[Buzzlightyear]

We replaced the broken screen brackets with a cable tie but that broke later on due to wind pressure on the screen.
The rope worked great and looked gnarley too!

Looks like the Touratech iol cooler protector came in handy! Must have been quite some pressure from the screen against the rope!

Kaboef?s girlfriend gave him something to remember her by?ag schweeeeeett?
Little did he know it had a tracking device, video camera and microphone implanted

 

[popipants]

Great Report!!!!

 

[X Banana Boy]

BRAVO!! BRAVO!! :thumbup: :headbang:

+1

Awesome read. thanks