I took a "guide" up the Sani Pass and would have given a million dollars to take my motorcycle up it. To make matters worse halfway up right before getting into the switchbacks a BMW GS800 came up and passed us! I was a serious hater then. Great pics DevildogLt
Going back in time a bit now. Africa and a booming twin...enjoying 2 of the best at the same time...sublime. The Eyetallian girl is now gone, but the memories remain. We destroyed a few rears exploring our countryside together. Going past the Grootfontein dam, taking the meaner through the lower parts of Natal, via Transkei to Umtentweni. Typical Eastern FreeState
AfricaWim thanks for the kind words. I am hoping to see the northern parts of Namibia next year. I will just have to 'man up' for that trip though. It is not as simple as the Southern parts of Namibia. Richtersveld is another great part.
Wife and I were in Namibia and Botswana just a year ago. Fabulous trip, especially suited for people who don't want to be surrounded by other people. Alas, in a rental Nissan but in certain areas I was happy to not be on two wheels. The pic of the road on the way to Walvis Bay reminded me of the dust up we were in for an hour.... Had some fun in the Nissan, though. I took this sign as an 'okay' to kick it around. [/url][/IMG]
Was reading your trip report and remembering a couple of trips I made to Mali several years ago and realized that if riding as a passenger counts, I've actually been riding on a motorcycle in Africa. I had met a local trader, entrepreneur at a restaurant in Mopti where I had my first ever Nile perch (fried in chunks) and drank local water by accident ( a common practice was to reuse bottles for locals and I was inadvertently handed one). Didn't die or even get a bit ill but I was surprised. Back to the motorcycle. I had eaten at this café several times and expressed an interest in some blankets and other souvenir type stuff and the waiter introduced me to the trader guy. We walked to his shop and when he saw what I was looking for he said he had more stored at his home. I wound up on the back of his motorcycle as we rode through the city and its many cramped streets, lanes and alleys on the way to his warehouse . Pretty neat experience being invited to tea (a big deal) and seeing the city from the rooftop.
1st post! Spent a year and a half in SAfrica. Bought my first bike there, an old and wonderfully unmuffled xl185 which I rode for not-even half a year before I had to sell it when I left. Lived first in Wildernis, then Hoekwil, beautiful riding out there, including the old George-Knysna road: kaaimanrivierbridge by jestragon, on Flickr and Montagu pass. montagupass4 by jestragon, on Flickr montagupass1 by jestragon, on Flickr
Sweet, those 185 were bullet proof. I had one like yours just in reds. I see you are still in Africa, where are you now??
Quit posting these pics...you are making me homesick! Fortunately I have been blessed to have been back to SA 3 times in the last year....every time I go home...I never want to leave.This sickness is getting expensive...but well worth it! Have many fond memories riding in Lesotho....April 2012 my Dad & I went back to Lesotho & retraced our tracks that we had ridden 19 years earlier...the Road from Butha Butha had just been tarred to Oxbow....in 19 years the I guess the Chinese had completed it to Sani & with their shitty workmanship it was back to gravel again...the damn road didn't even last 20 years.... I would love to spend some time at Afriski .... Ride safe! John
Yeah, I miss that little bike. There's a lot of 125s here, XL, DT and suzuki TF and a million chinese clones thereof. I currently live in Guinea Bissau, underneath Senegal. (beautiful riding to be done, pics will be posted soon in day-tripping forum) And I just had bloodypusjunk the volume of a golfball squeezed out of my left hand, so I'm not riding for a while
Not to get too off topic, but they are REAL nice cameras, I'm thinking of getting one to stand in for my bulky dslr.
