Wham Bam Thank You Nam! - Namibia 30 Aug to 9 Sep 2006

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

LuckyStriker

Bachelor Dog
Joined
Jan 24, 2006
Messages
10,160
Reaction score
18
Location
Bellville
Bike
BMW G650 X-challenge
First off let me say this:
The trip was not an expedition nor was it done to prove anything to anyone. It was a simple relaxing holiday to a neighbouring country, the only distinction being that it was done on unsupported motorcycles with no luxuries (fold up chairs excluded!) and a meagre budget.

Although we are totally against drunken driving, we make no excuses for the large quantities of alcohol consumed or for the frequency in which it was taken.

Day 1: (a tale of wine and overlanders)
Wednesday 30 August 2006

Waking up at six was easier than I though it would be. Zanie and I set out on that bitterly cold cape morning and met our fellow riders at the Total garage in Durbanville.

The others looked equally frostbitten and after a brief inspection of each other?s bikes we hit the road.

The machines:

Cyril0234.jpg

Butch rides an 1150GS. The yellow beast stood up well on the trip but suffered some electrical problems later on.

Cyril0235.jpg

Kaboef is the Africa Twin pilot and the bike did extremely well. The AT was the trip?s Swiss army knife since it had electrical sockets galore and an exhaust pipe that could inflate blow up mattresses. A loose speedo cable was the only problem suffered.

img0477ew0.jpg

Ama ride ride?s 1200GS was the pick of the bunch on this trip being the lightest bike. The only malady which befell it was a blown headlight outside Swakopmund.

img0478zr0.jpg

And finally my 12GS Adventure which was the only bike asked to carry a pillion. I had no issues except for a loose screen and missing mirror ? more on that later?

img0479ea3.jpg

(The tellytubbies were most upset when their home was demolished to make way for an interstate bypass)

As I said, the road north was a chilly one but the excitement of the trip kept us warm. We stopped at Piketberg to grab a coffee and check the luggage. All was well and we fell back onto the N7.

img0495yt9.jpg

(Unsure what to do with the rather large octopus nesting on his head, Solly looked at Smoky Joe for advise)

We pulled over near the dam wall outside ClanWilliam and beheld three chaps passing a rather large zol around. I could see Ama ride ride aching for a drag but we decided to forego on the narcotics and get our fix in another way.

img0269cc1.jpg

(The imperial guardsmen were puzzled why a stormtrooper would be aligned with rebel scum on their land speeders)

Around the corner we were pulled off by the traffic department and a contingent of police constables. Each rider had his own inspector poking and prodding the bikes and asking questions. My very own inspector seemed to be the only one completely unimpressed by us and insisted that my licence disc had expired in July until I pointed out that it was in fact valid until July of the next year. He then asked to see my licence card and remarked that the picture did not adequately resemble my face. He let me go with a stern warning and I thanked him for it?

img0512va9.jpg

(Unaware of the dire consequences, Terry pressed the 'launch' button on missile silo 3)

Ama ride ride has a friend who has a most fortunate occupation in a wine distillery outside Trawal. We stopped by this friend and were taken on a tour of the facilities. Every single vat and keg was sampled and we gave our expert opinions on the cultivars while feigning spitting out the wine. When we eventually got to the fortified stuff we were quite raucous and merrily filled our sticky glasses to the rims and swigged them in greedy gulps.
Eventually we were led outside and regretfully informed that no, we could not fill all our water containers and camelbacks with their international prize winning Cabernet.

With soaring spirits we headed north until we encountered two bikes aside the road. A husband and wife team from the UK heading down to Cape Town. He on a 640Adventure and she on an 800GS. They both started out on 640s but one had to be abandoned and she was fortunate to get her hands on the ancient beemer. They planned to sell the Katie in Cape Town and ship the old dear back to Blightie.

img0518ik6.jpg

(Wily E. Cayote was ready this time. Those road runners would not escape his strategically placed boulder again!)

While the lads had a chat to the two intrepid explorers, Zanie and I raced ahead to Kamieskroon to look up old friends. This is a snapshot of Butch, Ama and Kaboef rounding the bend outside town.
The Namaqualand is in full bloom and bright green from recent rains.

p1000597wx9.jpg

(Alfie Cox's first attempt on 4 wheels ended in mechanical disaster and mental breakdown for poor Jute Kleinschmidt) - Picture taken by Butch

After procuring some supplies (booze and tjops) in Springbok we continued with our trek to the border. Outside Steinkopf Ama ride ride and I wondered what it would feel like to be behind a steering wheel of stock car. Nah, give us a bike any day of the week!

img0335nc9.jpg

(Being a big fan of Easy Rider, Ogilvy rode his Honda like a Harley. Much to the DS community's dismay)

Just before the border we turned off towards Bushwacked camp. It is one of several places used as base camps for river rafters and Overlanders. Kaboef was a guide on the river just like Mark Twain of yore (but without the moustache and dandy hat) and organised a great campsite for us.

img0544pt2.jpg

(While the lads planned bike trips and drank hard liquor the women silently and separately formulated plans to subjugate all men and force them to operate only electric lawnmowers)

img0396it7.jpg

(After being refused service at the bar, Adolf started an uprising but could only manage to incite two drunken harlots into action)

Bushwacked campsite played host to no less than four overland trucks that evening. One particular truck contained several boisterous Brits who seemed desperately in need of sexual diversification after being stuck with each other for several weeks.
Four strapping lads on motorcycles seemed an obvious target for their affections but it was Tall-Dark-Handsome Kaboef who spent the rest of the evening evading the passions of one particular Scottish Lass hell bent on boerewors.

Ama ride ride retired early to his bedroll while the rest of us performed for our hosts and drank a brand new cocktail, concocted and sponsored for us by the establishment, called 'Njakker-Woefs'.
Jana the bargirl and Willie the river guide begged us to stay another night but we were anxious to leave the republic and enter Namibia.
 
Top