Author Topic: Capie and Vaalie taken for a ride by dodgy Russian (Read 21921 times)

Xpat · « **Reply #280 on:** May 13, 2018, 08:26:20 pm »

Quote from: Straatkat on May 13, 2018, 07:21:10 pm

... Wish I was there when you crossed the water to lend a hand.
...

You sure about that Bertie? Last time we tried water crossing together we ended up sleeping in a swamp with broken Husqvarna...

Osadabwa · « **Reply #281 on:** May 14, 2018, 07:47:54 am »

Three things stick out from the last few sections:

1) That story about getting caught out in the water. I laughed hard! Over Easter I got stuck in quicksand alone and had to fight my way out, but it was nowhere near as exciting as that!
2) The posh lodge in the middle of nowhere. There is no shame in having a bit of luxury on the trail, but fucksake... your own butler?
3) Pics: It paid off getting up early... the desert is so fantastic in the morning.

Xpat · « **Reply #282 on:** May 14, 2018, 08:52:58 am »

Quote from: Osadabwa on May 14, 2018, 07:47:54 am

Three things stick out from the last few sections:

1) That story about getting caught out in the water. I laughed hard! Over Easter I got stuck in quicksand alone and had to fight my way out, but it was nowhere near as exciting as that!
2) The posh lodge in the middle of nowhere. There is no shame in having a bit of luxury on the trail, but fucksake... your own butler?
3) Pics: It paid off getting up early... the desert is so fantastic in the morning.

Straatkat · « **Reply #283 on:** May 14, 2018, 08:57:39 am »

Yes, but now we re on 500 KTM, you can drown those up to the tank in a river and it still starts with the first try!

Stroke Her · « **Reply #284 on:** May 14, 2018, 09:10:32 am »

Thanks Xpat...all resemblance of productivity this Monday morning is gone

Valley of Desolation...prime Namibian rhino country

. This is the one place on earth that I have been (alone) where you really see how small and insignificant you are...and where you quickly learn if you enjoy your own company as much as you thought you did.

Xpat · « **Reply #285 on:** May 14, 2018, 09:13:40 am »

Day 12 - part 4
(pictures in this episode can be viewed at better resolution here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmjqufPE)

Next 15 years the track followed Hoab river (I have to come back just to explore this river and Ugab in their full length - I couldn't wrap my head around how did I miss this one on my prior trips) south west and I kept my eyes peeled for any sign of pachyderm, especially in a section where the river narrowed down into narrow high bank bed with no easy escape routes available. I have seen plenty of ellie spoor, but again, no luck with the animals themselves. Which was a good thing, as the scenery kept me distracted all the time and I would have probably missed the elephant unless it would high-five me straight on.

Eventually the river opened up and I could relax a bit again:

But then the dense reefs and bushes limited visibility again, making it interesing once more:

Xpat · « **Reply #286 on:** May 14, 2018, 09:18:46 am »

Quote from: Stroke Her on May 14, 2018, 09:10:32 am

Thanks Xpat...all resemblance of productivity this Monday morning is gone

Valley of Desolation...prime Namibian rhino country . This is the one place on earth that I have been (alone) where you really see how small and insignificant you are...and where you quickly learn if you enjoy your own company as much as you thought you did.

Good thing you do enjoy your own company, as you might need to go again (there goes your productivity for another two weeks

), as I suspect you have missed the best part - the one I have shown so far, as you have taken track furhter west that connected to mine only later on and seemed slightly more bland...

Operator · « **Reply #287 on:** May 14, 2018, 09:27:14 am »

armpump · « **Reply #288 on:** May 14, 2018, 09:57:31 am »

Agree your early morning paid off BIG time

Xpat · « **Reply #289 on:** May 14, 2018, 11:57:33 am »

Day 12 - part 5
(pictures in this episode can be viewed in higher resolution here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskB5oLf7)

After about 15 km in the Hoab river, the track turned south towards Brandberg and Ugab river and I hit an open desert for next 70 km. The ever changing nature and scenery of this track is one thing that makes it to stand out from the other routes we have done on this trip (or anywhere actually), with the possible exception of ride from Puros to Sesfontein through Huarusib and Huanib river. So far I have done about 60 km and I have already done 40 km of barren red rock mountains, about 20 km of sandy and green Huab riverbed and now was about to enter open plain desert with views opening dozens of kms away. And there was still more to come...

Turning away from Huab river heading west to the Skeleton NP and Atlantic ocean (I'll be back):

I have lived in Africa for 12 years, travelled it's length, as well as other continents, and yet this is the very first time I encountered a scorpion. And a dead one at that - not much of a consolation for the elusive elephants, but hey - better than nothing:

After short stop at the turn-off, I hit the track heading south towards Brandberg across the open plains that were descending gradually west towards Atlantic:

About noon-ish I stopped and feasted on a Tex bar, before pushing on south:

Eventualy I crossed the plains and reached high ground above Ugab river with Brandberg dominating the landscape behind the river. Just when I thought I saw it all, the landscape changed its colors and came up with whole new set of abstract shapes. This whole area is like something out of Salvador Dali painting or Pink Floyd album cover - in fact I suspect that those people must have ridden through the Valley of Desolation or at least seen the pictures and just plagiarized it:

Zebra hills craddling Ugab river in this section. Basil from Brandberg Rest Camp directed me to this particular track (the one I plotted at home followed different route) and I'm very grateful for that:

Welwitschia and double track heading down to Zebra hills and Ugab further on:

Stroke Her · « **Reply #290 on:** May 14, 2018, 12:06:39 pm »

FFS Martin...STOP IT!!!

Never mind wasting my whole Monday morning...you already have me pondering buying a lighter bike, taking 3 weeks leave that I do not have and cashing in my meagre pension to finance it all.

So really please please STOP IT...you are about to derail my sh%t here

Xpat · « **Reply #291 on:** May 14, 2018, 12:16:30 pm »

Quote from: Stroke Her on May 14, 2018, 12:06:39 pm

FFS Martin...STOP IT!!!

Never mind wasting my whole Monday morning...you already have me pondering buying a lighter bike, taking 3 weeks leave that I do not have and cashing in my meagre pension to finance it all.

So really please please STOP IT...you are about to derail my sh%t here

Take a deep breath - it is going to get worse

. But the end is nigh...

Sheepman · « **Reply #292 on:** May 14, 2018, 12:41:01 pm »

Great report with the best pics

You surely know how to live

Xpat · « **Reply #293 on:** May 14, 2018, 03:02:33 pm »

Day 12 - part 6
(pictures in this episode can be viewed in higher resolution here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskB5oLf7)

Again, just when I thought I've seen it all, Damaraland showed me a finger in the form of starkly beautiful canyon running down towards Ugab river through stripy zebra hills, with colors and shapes changing after every turn. Good thing I'm not into geology - probably still would have been stuck there if I was:

Xpat · « **Reply #294 on:** May 14, 2018, 03:06:01 pm »

I wasn't entirely happy with how the pictures are coming out on WD site (there is clearly some downsizing happening behind the scenes) so I added under each episode heading a link to the original flickr album, where you can view the pictures in higher resolution and better color. There you can go go full screen for best results.

So far I have done it backwards only from day 7 onwards - will add links for days 1 - 6 later on.

Highsider · « **Reply #295 on:** May 14, 2018, 03:09:51 pm »

Fantasical rock formations this close up, just incredible. You see some of this tortured rock strata in Baviaans and Die Hel, but not at this proximity.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

armpump · « **Reply #296 on:** May 14, 2018, 03:35:24 pm »

Nature sure is powerful

Minxy · « **Reply #297 on:** May 14, 2018, 07:18:14 pm »

I started with your ride report last night and did not stop reading until I finished up to your newest update! I have enjoyed every second of your adventure, laughed out loud at your shenanigans, gawked over your 500's and just felt inspired by all the amazing photos. Some of the places also familiar and special to me as we visited them with Honda Quest. Wow I miss Namibia sooooooo much now, there is no other place like it. I do admit though, there was a couple of times riding down the riverbeds (and those damm red dunes near Brandberg...) on the Africa Twin that I was thinking I would have given what to rather be on a 500!

Anyway I know I will go back, hopefully sooner than later and would love to follow your route.

Awesome RR, thank you again for taking the time to share your journey with us

Xpat · « **Reply #298 on:** May 14, 2018, 07:23:04 pm »

Day 12 - part 7
(pictures from this episode can be viewed in higher resolution here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmbM3o6j

Once I reached Ugab reiver, the track followed riverbed for few km west. As usualy I kept my eyes open for any wildlife I may encounter, and again - as usual by now - all I got was elephant spoor:

After few km the track turnes south east away from river and run through the Zebra hills on the other side of river towards D2303:

Eventualy I came out of the Zebra hills and hit the D2303 which was to take me along the southern reaches of Brandberg all the way to Uis about 110 km away. This was basically the end of the good part of the trip. By most adv riders' standards this would still count as full on adventure ride (D2303 is quite remote and sparsely used road that probably doesn't deserve 'dirt highway' slur), but after what I have seen on that day, let alone the prior 11 days, this was just commute and I could chillax reminiscing about what I have seen on this trip. Commute or not - the scenery was still vintage Damaraland though:

I arrived at Brandberg Rest Camp at about 3pm. Bertie, who has returned that day from his three day shoping adventure in Swakopmund, was waiting and after a bite and little nap, we have packed up and loaded the bikes onto the bakkie for return trip to Big Smoke.

Xpat · « **Reply #299 on:** May 14, 2018, 07:34:16 pm »

Quote from: Minxy on May 14, 2018, 07:18:14 pm

I started with your ride report last night and did not stop reading until I finished up to your newest update! I have enjoyed every second of your adventure, laughed out loud at your shenanigans, gawked over your 500's and just felt inspired by all the amazing photos. Some of the places also familiar and special to me as we visited them with Honda Quest. Wow I miss Namibia sooooooo much now, there is no other place like it. I do admit though, there was a couple of times riding down the riverbeds (and those damm red dunes near Brandberg...) on the Africa Twin that I was thinking I would have given what to rather be on a 500! Anyway I know I will go back, hopefully sooner than later and would love to follow your route.

Awesome RR, thank you again for taking the time to share your journey with us

Thanks Minxy

Didn't I read somewhere that you guys are joining Hardy there in June? Maybe this RR can give that extra push in the right direction as I suspect it did to Ri

While most of the routes can be (and has been) done with strong determination on big adventure bike (except maybe Robbie's pass), I doubt anyone apart from superathletes would be able to ride this loop in this time frame on one. That is where the smaller bike is important - to conserve energy and get maximum enjoyment out of the trip. I have seen first hand and described here, how exhaustion can ruin this trip, so the smart move is to go for energy conservation as much as possible, and proper bike is cruicial in that.It doesn't need to be 500/450 bike, your 701 will do just fine.