Author Topic: Riding to Cape Town! (Read 3502 times)

Ben Cape Town · « **on:** January 27, 2020, 08:59:30 am »

Morning all, hope you had a cracking weekend!

I'm currently on my way to Cape Town (from London) on my Honda CRF250. Hopefully just under a month out from CT now. Has been quite a ride and gruelling at times - haven't met a single rider to ride with the whole time! Wondered if anyone in the Cape Town area might be interested in riding in with me when I get close (assuming I make it!) That would be absolutely fab and would make my trip. Also wondered if anyone happens to know any reasonably priced shipping merchants to get the bike back to UK. Or, if anyone fancies a 2019 model CRF kitted out for an adventure and fancies buying it I'm all ears too

Hugely looking forward to reaching SA and trying a braai and some good food - I have been missing my steaks

Hope you're all well and enjoying some good riding.

Ben

Herkules · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2020, 09:09:46 am »

Good luck with the trip, are you doing a ride report while you ride? Give us your route down, and tell us more about yourself. I, for one would be able to meet you about 50 km outside Cape Town when the time comes.

zebra - Flying Brick · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2020, 10:05:24 am »

Hi Ben, are you coming down WEST coast of Africa, rather than EAST coast, since seemingly plenty of riders presently doing EAST coast route?

I will dig out the details closer to the time, but there is a company that does bike shipments here in C.T. that is seemingly affordable AND reliable, in case you need to ship it back to the UK.

just f.y.i. Jim, a Brit, did the similar ride 2 - 3 years back, and similar bike, too, and put the sticker of every country he passed through on the front FENDER of his bike, then replaced the fender in CT with a new one, and flew out with a memento of his trip, to put up in his man-cave - nice story!

Safe raiding
Chis

>>Thump°C · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2020, 12:36:08 pm »

All the best for your trip Ben.

Post your expected route and dates through Southern Africa and I'm sure you'll get guys wanting to meet you and willing to ride some of the way with you.

Enjoy

Ri · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2020, 10:06:10 pm »

Welcome and keep us up to date, would be awesome to join you outside Cape Town

EssBee · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2020, 10:02:05 am »

Welcome, Ben, I'm sure your stories will be enjoyed on this forum. Good luck and be safe.

Ben Cape Town · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2020, 11:02:02 am »

Hey guys. Thanks for the messages, much appreciated! Would be fab to ride into Cape Town with some of you guys!

Yes Chis, I am coming down the west side. There are a handful of other bikers and cars around I think but not enough to make it likely to bump into one by chance. I was due to meet up with another rider but unfortunately they got hit by a local driver in Nigeria and ended up being medivaced back to Europe. They will recover though which is good and I wouldn't be surprised if at some point in the future they try to complete the journey!

Putting stickers on his fender was a fab idea of Jim's, wish I'd thought of that

I will cross into SA from Namibia and in a few days should be able to estimate more accurately when that will be. It should be in about three weeks or so hopefully!

It has all been an absolutely epic experience! Some incredible landscapes and wonderful people en route! I am not sure riding in the UK will be quite so exciting after this

I have also had what will probably be my most memorable birthday ever on this trip. I turned 35 the day I crossed from Mauritania into Senegal. I could therefore celebrate with a beer after dry Mauritania, and had some warthogs running alongside the bike as I made my way towards St Louis

Ben

EssBee · « **Reply #7 on:** February 06, 2020, 01:01:56 pm »

We had the pleasure of meeting Jim, and taking him for a little ride in our local area....and also had the displeasure of him falling

and the resulting little injury plagued him thereafter somewhat....

zebra - Flying Brick · « **Reply #8 on:** February 06, 2020, 03:45:26 pm »

There is still time! You visit a shop that stocks EVERY African country's domed stickers (that would be us

), sticker up the fender with each country that you rode through, and spend literally a couple of hundred rand for a NEW fender, and you have a life-time memento of the trip, and a record of every country to traversed!No matter - but do pop in and say hi!CheersChris & Team

Ben Cape Town · « **Reply #9 on:** February 12, 2020, 07:48:56 pm »

All - I aim to reach Cape Town next Sat or Sun (22nd or 23rd). Is that good for people to come and ride in with me? Would be great if so!! Can't believe I'm nearly there

Wow thanks Chris that is great - I will definitely come and get the stickers and do that! It is a brilliant idea and will be a fab memento.

Ha, thanks EssBee. I may have to be careful if anyone offers a ride around their local area in that case

Ben

Ri · « **Reply #10 on:** February 13, 2020, 07:45:57 am »

Would love to join, if my bike is fixed in time. Do you have a route yet? Will there be a meeting point?

Ben Cape Town · « **Reply #11 on:** February 15, 2020, 10:09:03 am »

Thanks Ri.

I will come from Namibia on the main road through Springbok and Piketburg.

I don't know the area but from looking at the map perhaps meeting in Malmesbury could work? On Sunday 23rd Feb around mid-morning. Say 10.30am? Is that good for people? Open to ideas if not as I can be flexible

Kind regards

Ben

VaalBaas · « **Reply #12 on:** February 15, 2020, 11:40:40 am »

Quote from: Ri on January 27, 2020, 10:06:10 pm

Welcome and keep us up to date, would be awesome to join you outside Cape Town

How about stay with us on Saturday and the joiners come pick you up here and take the route to Cape Town.

082 2940403

We are in Gouda. Slightly off route, but lots of roads from here to destination CT

Amsterdam · « **Reply #13 on:** February 15, 2020, 12:22:30 pm »

You can contact these people with options for getting your bike back to the UK - http://www.africanoverlanders.com

Blikkies1 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 15, 2020, 12:29:45 pm »

Yeah VB, was thinking he should detour via a night at Cedarberg Oasis and ride back with a crew the following day.

Kaboef · « **Reply #15 on:** February 15, 2020, 03:31:26 pm »

Also listening and keen to join a group ride thing.

It will be a pity if you slab it to CT on the N7 all the way from Namibia. You need to see the Cedar mountains and the Cape Winelands before you leave. Its a little detour but well worth it.

Ri · « **Reply #16 on:** February 15, 2020, 10:21:31 pm »

Quote from: Ben Cape Town on February 15, 2020, 10:09:03 am

Thanks Ri.

I will come from Namibia on the main road through Springbok and Piketburg.

I don't know the area but from looking at the map perhaps meeting in Malmesbury could work? On Sunday 23rd Feb around mid-morning. Say 10.30am? Is that good for people? Open to ideas if not as I can be flexible

Kind regards

Ben

Do you plan to take the N7 all the way into Cape Town? If you do take a little detour to Gouda and @VaalBaas' place, it's also a good place to meet.

Once you reach Cape Town, are you going to hang around for a bit and see the Cape, or do you plan to head straight back to the UK? Cedarburg is only a few hours away and worth visiting if you like beautiful nature and gravel roads.

Ben Cape Town · « **Reply #17 on:** February 16, 2020, 11:00:11 pm »

Wow thanks very much VB that sounds brilliant!! Definitely keen to do that! A very kind offer.

My timings are a bit tight unfortunately (not helped by losing a few weeks in a town in Nigeria awaiting new clutch plates from UK!) but would love to see some places if I can. Plan to reach CT this weekend but then fly back to London the Thurs night or Fri, so only gives a few days and need to sort shipping etc (or selling if anyone is game). Thanks for the shipping recommendation Amsterdam.

I also have another factor to consider! I was given a chicken in Ivory Coast and have carried it with me all the way to Namibia

At first I thought it was a hen but by Benin I realised was a male, and is now very big and healthy. I have found a place for him near Cape Town if he makes it there but I've been told by several people that I'm unlikely to get him across the border into South Africa. Do you think this is the case, and is there anything to be done about it?! I will try in any case but wondered if anyone has any advice. An odd request I know; doubt many people are experienced chicken transporters

. He's come so far, so a great shame if I lose Roderick the Rooster at the last hurdle!

nicolasbahm · « **Reply #18 on:** February 16, 2020, 11:30:53 pm »

Hello Ben, your trip sounds amazing (specially celebrating your birthday with the wildhogs, and still can’t believe you brought a chicken with you 😂).
I’m leaving Cape Town hopefully this week, but if for some reason I get delayed, I’d love to join and hear more about your adventures. I’m doing a loop on the South and the going to Namibia to Star my way up North in the opposite direction. It would be great to know up to date information about road conditions and borders.
Safe travels during this last week!

Kaboef · « **Reply #19 on:** February 17, 2020, 05:00:25 am »

Haha. A chicken. Awesome.

Dont know about the border. Maybe get him a passport.