EC Bash 10 - 14 May 2018: Purple Hooligan Rides Again!

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Ri

Grey Hound
WD Supporter
Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Messages
5,477
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Location
Somerset West
Bike
Suzuki DR650
Prologue:

In 2016 I attended the EC Bash in an SUV, and have since wanted to attend it on my motorbike. Last year I was booked and paid up, but had to cancel on the day I would've left due to ill health in the family.  So when the bookings for EC Bash 2018 opened up, I was one of the first to book and pay. Nothing would stop me this year! I posted notices far and wide to family members to please reserve ill health and death for different dates, and started checking out routes.

Tony the Boney invited me to ride along with him and Odd Dog, and enticed me with tales of the Kamanassie river roads. This suited me, because it satisfied my wanderlust and desire to ride solo (I still had to reach Mossel Bay by myself) but I'd have good company from there. I contacted a few friends and asked for route suggestions to Mossel Bay, with a strong emphasis on gravel. hje phoned with some decent suggestions, and my plans were set.

Then things changed. I was persuaded to join Hardy de Kock's tour to Damaraland and Kaokoland, and things quickly and suddenly fell in place to make this possible. Now the EC Bash trip wasn't just a bucket list item to tick, it was also a test to see how I'd fare in more technical terrain, in terms of coping as well as in terms of endurance. My adrenaline spiked and I was dry-mouthed for the entire 2 weeks leading up to and including the Bash.

The Bash would also be a test for the Purple Hooligan, newly minted, super-tanked and valved as a thank you for being my long-suffering little workhorse in learning to ride. He would be showing off his new colours and sweet, sweet suspension tweaks  :ricky:
 
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