XT-treme XT 500 Pans- a Wildcat, a Straatkat and the cats from Kent.

[Armpie]

Earlier in the morning Martyn could not kickstart his bike in the mud.  I took his bike and gave him my XT with the welded engine.  Someone earlier tried to weld a crack in the head, but did not do a good job.  Imagine a new bike with a welded head, done in the backyard?  Well you could do it with a XT.  So every 3-4 hours we had to put about 500m oil in.  The oil did not do much good to the looks of my one boot.

It was here at Khubu where our patch to the tire decided it was the end.  It was the end of my bike trip.  We loaded the bike on the back of the Ford.

But the rest of my trip was to no extent less successful.  To travel the ugly pan approaches, the muddy pan inlets and overgrown tracks of Botswana in a 1970 Ford F250 V8 4X4 with a Botswana rally champion was to say the least, adventure-full.  The rest of the photo's were taken over the bonnet of the bakkie.  The first 35km we did over the pans up to the f&M fence, then we turned south along the fence as we came, and the last 35km we went on the national dirt road past Mmatshumo to Moriti.  My Ingilse family came here to ride.  The last day they did.  And hard.  Without to many stops.  At a stage I said to Pierre, "I think Peter is taking strain.  Do you think I must take over from him?"  "No he will not quit in front of his sons".  So the remaining two XT's and the quad continued.

 

[Armpie]

So at about half past two we reached Moriti.  Here we packed everything over onto my trailer, said our thanks and good byes and set off for Elephant Sands.  On the way I lost two new Jerry cans when the bracket got lose on the very bad dirt road.  At Elephant Sand we camped for two nights.  Tracey's ashed were scattered at the pan in front of the lodge.  As it was strewn, a huge bull came out of the veld and walked straight to where we were just standing.  He walked up to the point, 10 meters away from us, turned towards us and stared at us for 15-20 seconds.  Then he turned away.  Strew as bob.  Tracey was there.


The next morning we went home and aT 1800 we were back in Pretoria.

Conclusion:  If you want action, you can ride a bike, do not have one, or do not want to ride the 850km on it to get there, hire one from Pierre.  BUT be warned, it is old machines.  The youngest one was a 1985 model.  They break, but Pierre should have one spare.  The incident with the patched tire should however not happen.  That is a basic.  Huge fun it however remains.  Elize is a real host and makes you feel like bush is your home.  She also arranged the stay at Elephant Sands.  Great service.   And Pierre is a brilliant guide and a real bush machanic.  He knows the pans like the palm of his hand.  Pity he could not ride with us later in the trip.  

Contact: Jean Kruger, she and her husband Andries owns Moriti Adventures 00267 9170 9764 or Elize van der Bol 00267 7636 7030  Pierre and Elize are also on Facebook at   Pierre Elize VanderBol

 

[YamaV]

lekker avontuur!!!  :drif:

 

[Armpie]

Nog 'n paar foto's

Hierdie Cruiser is ge-rigg! Cat en Estelle se trokkie


Kamp op die panne naby Mmatsumo





Bos mekeniek op sy beste.  Hy kry hulle gewoonlik reg.



Kole gooi.  Warm kole met 'n graaf in die lug.  Maak mooi foto's



Sipho Cox



Bek-en-klou hek oppas is harde werk.  Gelukkig is daar 'n fiets om herstel te word, so die eentoniheid is bietjie gebreek



Veilig terug in die stoor