London to Capetown and back (KTM 640 ADV and AFrica Twin)

[dont.crash.it]

From 25-jan-2010

So sad I wouldn't buy any of the tat in his shop

[dont.crash.it]

Stayed at "bikershome" a couple of nights. Can't recomend it enough. Peter is a top bloke and his family are so friendly. Guarantee you will leave with a ton of great information, and mechanical and logistical problems promptly fixed (visas, spare parts etc). You'll also be entertained and very well fed.

http://www.bikershome.net/

view from the roof







converting my bike into a three wheeler (forks out, but left spare tires strapped to the sides. Topped up lost fluid and fitted gaiters.)

[dont.crash.it]

great wiring at this camping ground, electric trees


Purty at night


woo hoo


cheeky little scammers - Ride their bike about till it runs out of gas and then get the tourists to top it up



I'm getting the hang of my SLR


Met these Fullas on the road, they'd been at bikers home and knew Hans who me and Si were meeting up with later



not a bad spot for lunch




tired and off to sleep, dunno when I'll next have 'net access!

[brothernath]

hey bro, lovin' the updates & photo's - sounds like you lads are having an awesome time but isn't there an unwritten rule about getting a tattoo in every country ??? Mum would love it !!! : )

[kiwipeet]

Originally Posted by dont.crash.it

The trip from Marrakesh to Ouarzazate was awesome. The time went by pretty quickly. The road reminded me a little of the gourge near Gissy where I grew up. Was a long stretch just rolling on and off the throttle and up and down a gear through the sweeping bends. Chilled out ride... was serene, blissful even.

Couldn't have been happier if I was floating in shallows of the Mediterranean on a sunny day, being gently felated by a beautiful woman. Awesome.

that happy huh...
Great photo's and writeup so far Mike. Keep it coming.

[Ange.of.all.trades]

Hey Mikey, I really love your last photo... a beautifully captured image and composition of a natural occurrence which would normally just look like lets face it... some rocks!! I can appreciate the contrast of the crispness in the foreground melting away into the far off trees... Great perspective, 8/10!!

One might say you have even managed to find the exact same rock that inspired Salvador Dali's painting, 'The Architectonic "Angelus" of Millet'.... astonishing!! The resemblance is supranormal! Check it out:

http://en.easyart.com/art-prints/Salvador-Dali/Millet's-Architectonic-Angelus-50401.html

[DaveyDave]

Nice to see another Gooner on the boards! Shame about Chelsea the other night huh?

I'm loving you updates so far mate, it looks like you having a blast. I'm just starting to plan the same trip for 2012 so really keen o see how you go.

[dont.crash.it]

Originally Posted by DaveyDave

Nice to see another Gooner on the boards! Shame about Chelsea the other night huh?

I'm loving you updates so far mate, it looks like you having a blast. I'm just starting to plan the same trip for 2012 so really keen o see how you go.

The ktm is going great, is awesome on the dirt roads even loaded up. Hit the right speed and the corrugations disappear, shame the potholes don't as well though. Get good at spoting them though, and the places they're likely to be.

Have to say I've found everything touratech pretty shoddy. Stitching falling apart in pannier liners, racks snapping and all the paint falling off (within 700 miles of new). I noticed gear like boots and sleeping bags I bought elsewhere where 150% of the RRP. So when I got descent discounts, Touratech was almost twice the price. Kinda guessing most of their gear is twice the price for the quality. Oh well when things break, its easily stitched and welded and reinforced. For the money it should be much much better. Simon's metal mules, and my Wolfman tank and tail bags are the business though. Absolutely brilliant.


Have hooked up with another couple of bikers too. Hans is the same age as me and Si and rides a F800GS. Peter has a 1200GS and has been all over the planet over the last two years (coming up to 100,000kms). The bigger GS is an awesome bike but a handful on the dirt roads, especially fully loaded up. Peter is carrying a injury so didn't join us on the last dirt road and took an alternative route on tarmac.

Swapped bikes with Hans and rode his F800GS the other day. Brilliant engine, has no character though (like the whole bike) but is fast enough to hoon on tarmac and gets astounding mileage. I have 25.5 litre tank, and he has 16 litres, but gets a bigger range. Noisey exhaust and some bike bling and maybe Hans will grow to love it? Maybe BMW will tweak it with a Dakar version and perfect it?

enough bike chat, will upload some pics

[dont.crash.it]

We met Hans in Morocco and planned to meet him and Peter later on the road


Our bikes lined up


Si and Pete


Hans posing and showing his true self, Peter is disgusted


chur


Free camping spot in the Western Sahara at night
(oh yeah, of course we got rained on one day, wtf!!!)



Self portrait, damn hot. (Reached maybe 45 Celsius in Mauritania later on)


Time for a stroll. Mines drift in the sand as it can run like water it is so dry and fine.

[dont.crash.it]

First pic from Mauritania at our camping ground in Nouadhibou


its an old aprilia owned by an English bloke Nigel. He supports a charity that realised a bunch of bikes is more effective than one 4x4. Check out riders for health http://www.riders.org/



Uncanny


Again, uncanny


more camels


lads


camping on the roof of a hostel (Auberge Manata) in Nouakchott
My tent is like a drum - who needs a geodesic tent eh?



hmm, simon does maybe
(although my tent poles have snapped on two ocassions...)

[Ange.of.all.trades]

Dude!! I caught you online!! How's it all going? Great picture of Pete with the camel! I hope you guys are having a great time. Get photo's up more often if you can... It's very boring here at work etc so looking forward to seeing more!

[dont.crash.it]

sand, water, sun and all that good stuff


All the loaded fishing boats get side on in the surf to unload


low in the water


A loaded boat in trouble. All the locals spring into action


everyone helping the fishermen?


Nope! Any dropped fish is fair game, so half the people are fishing and half are cleaning up the "scraps". Could be 20% of some catches I think.

Dude with his spoils


unloading a bit less dramatically


Is this a fish?


Yeah, think its a fish.. best check its teeth.


Heading back out


I miss the office, hur hur (sorry Gemma)

[dont.crash.it]

Originally Posted by Ange.of.all.trades

Dude!! I caught you online!! How's it all going? Great picture of Pete with the camel! I hope you guys are having a great time. Get photo's up more often if you can... It's very boring here at work etc so looking forward to seeing more!

its great eh!!! check out the fishing pics. We had beer last night, cold glorious beer. To tell the truth, after 6 hours on a dirt road an icy cold soft drink was the best thing I've ever tasted

[Bowes]

Just read this in one sitting, amazing! Thank you for giving me a stunning afternoon of reading this adventure. Narrative, pictures are awesome I will follow closely for more.

[dont.crash.it]

Originally Posted by Bowes

Just read this in one sitting, amazing! Thank you for giving me a stunning afternoon of reading this adventure. Narrative, pictures are awesome I will follow closely for more.

Happy someone is looking! Will add a few more pics in a minute.

Mike