OK. This is my photos. So lets hope we get the other pics from the other guys. My photos do not have all the action photos taken with mud and going over the tree in the road. You will have to wait for that.
This is the route that Hennie and I followed. We returned via Zambia while the others went up to Zanzibar. I am anxious to see those photos. And just to jump Stephan before he comment on it: ?It was not that the Capo could not make it to Zanzibar, but rather that the speed with which they were going, cost us valuable experience in not enjoying the scenery and not taking photos.?. Non of the bikes had problems and everything went perfect. I do however think that the Capo surprised all of us in that it went everywhere that the GS?s went. It was comfortable and handled the mud and rocks and stones with ease. I am not an expert biker but not once did the Capo feel hard to control. When we did sand in Botswana, I only put my feet out once or twice. I always knew that the Capo is good in sand but it surprised me how well it handled the mud and other stuff.
One time I took the wrong line through the mud and ended moving sideways for a few meters. But the wait of the bike is well balanced and with no effort the bike stayed upright. A good thing for I was alone and the BM oaks could not capture that moment on film. But it was my fault. And although there were times (90%) that I was shaking, it was more out of not knowing how the Capo would react than a problem with the bike.
I am very impressed with the Aprilia and besides kicking ass on the tar, did extremely good on other conditions. The hardest route was a 3/5 but I recon the Capo would handle 4/5 just as well. Ground clearance was never a problem and going over rocks never scraped the bottom, except going over the tree. But so did all the other bikes (GS) .
So all and all the Capo surprised all of us. I can not say much about the BMW?s, for they have proved themselves worthy a long time ago.
OK. That said, here is the route
We met up at the BJ?s over the highway just after Zambezi (Pta) going north.
I think we slept at just before the Lion & Elephant Motel at Bubi (Zimbabwe). This is a couple of Hennie?s friends, Alf and his wife.
Here we used the petrol from our cans and some bought petrol. Very expensive and amazing that they did have petrol in Zimbabwe. On the way to Harare.
In Moz I did not take photos. I know that the others did. We slept there at the Tete Camping Site (S16 09 19.1 E33 36 01.3). It is a NG Church campsite. Use to be in good condition. But went down the hill. Still a nice place to sleep. On the edge of the township next to the river. I think it is the Zambezi running through Moz.
These photos were taken at a campsite just before Nkhotakota right on the Malawi lake. We stayed in cabins. Very very nice and friendly owners. The guy is from SA and married a French girl.
At Nkhata Bay.
At Mzusu we stopped at a missionary?s house. The purpose of the trip was for Hennie to do training in Malawi. This guy was his contact and leader of the churches (over 70) that they put up.
Here someone is holding a baby.
While the others were too lazy to get up when the baby started to cry. Well, I guess someone riding a Aprilia must have tons of compassion.
At Mzusu?s children orphan place. On the GS is Darryl.
On our way up to Karonga where we would stay for 3 days for Hennies training.
This is where we took the dirt to Liningstonia (S10 36 41.3 E34 06 48.3).
Livingstonia is on top of a high mountain. Some doctor lost his wife due to Malaria and decided to build a missionary, hospital, school and university on the mountain top. Apparently it is too high for mosquitoes to reach (I should have stayed there). Those bloody mosquitoes!
Stephan and Roger at T-Junction.
Darryl and Eugene at T-Junction.
At Livingstonia.
While I took pics, the others decided to leave me. I decided to take a route on my GPS and found them not far away having launch.
This is a view from the top looking down at the Malawi Lake.
Then as we went down we found this tree that fell over the road. I only have 2 pics but Darryl and Eugene took photos as Stephan took our bikes over the ramp that we build with stones. I saw why Stephan King (Touratech SA) is one of the best. Thank you for taking my bike over. I was not in the mood to drop of the cliff. What the pics don?t show is that on one side it went straight down. Stephan would run next to the bikes just centimeters from the drop. I may have nuts, but he got some huge balls! Well, none of us wanted to turn around and do the road back as we came. It was not fun. So we had to go over the tree.
This photo shows the height of the tree. Very exciting stuff. I think this is one of those good Touratch marketing fotos. But wait till you see the ?taking over? photos.
From the other side the tree does not look high, but I recon it was a good 40cm high. Stephan in the front.
While we were negotiating the terrain, Hennie went ahead to Karonga. He used the time to inspect the crops planted by the church for the people of the church.
Other photos were we stayed and when we decided that some of the tin foods need to be eaten.
Sunset over Malawi Lake.
Hennie and I then split and slept at Lilongwe.
Going through Zambia. We slept at Eureka Campsite (S15 30 12.3 E28 15 54.0) just outside Lusaka.
At Livingston in Zambia we met up with 1 guy and 1 girl (engaged) who rode all the way down from Sweden on bikes. She got a Honda Dominator and he a BMW 650 Fundero (or something like that). I was very flattered as they could not stop talking about the Capo and Honda?s. They said that there are close to 5 other people doing the same trip on TransAlps. They did a major service on the bikes before they left and did not replace anything on the bikes. They had 2 sets of tires and according to them it would last until they reach Cape Town.
They say the bikes did not take extra oil, the chains is still going after 24 KM. Nice to meet people that is doing it with what they have. It proves my point that there are very little poorly build bikes out there. O yes, for this I might get hammered, but if the spirit is willing, the bike will follow.
At the Vic Falls. It is wet wet wet. Do not be a hero and go without a rain suit. I was wet into my boots. But very impressive.
At Popa Falls (S18 07 18.7 E21 34 59.1) in the Caprivi Strip.
Ending at Drotskys Cabins Camp Sites (S18 24 54.4 E21 53 10.7) in Shakawe - Botswana.
* And this is my pics. I will submit the other images as soon as I get them from Stephan.
Topic: Zimbabwe/Moz/Malawi/Tanzania/Zanzibar/Zambia/Nam/Botswana (Read 6070 times)
