WeeStrom
Pack Dog
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2009
- Messages
- 244
- Reaction score
- 14
- Location
- Port Elizabeth
- Bike
- Suzuki DL 650 V-Strom
This trip started as an invite from a non-riding (yet) friend, Naude, to join him for a fishing trip somewhere north of Xai-Xai. A quick check with the softness indicated no interest in heat or mozzies, so I was on my own. I sure as hell would have liked to try my old Subaru on the dunes (it has been begging me!), but all that distance for a few zig-zags in the sand was not justified.
Since my friend Naude was going with his bakkie and offered to take some of the gear, the idea of a biketrip soon became very enticing.
I have put close to 70 000km's on my VStrom (650), mostly commuting, and a decent dusty trip was looooong overdue. My lack of off-road experience and a few wobbles on a sandy road near Cullinan had deterred me from proactively persuing gravel roads all this time, and the initial idea was just to ride straight to the fishing spot, minimizing the km's on dirt as far as possible.
I nevertheless looked around for a riding buddy, especially someone with some experience of Mozambique, since it would be my first proper visit to the country. I made contact with Cable Tie, who used to live in Baberton and regards Moz as part of his backyard. Also a keen fisherman and a competent dirtbike rider, he soon convinced me to turn the trip into an extended fishing-roadtrip.
Now, I never regarded my bike as suitable for long distance dirt riding, mostly because of my own skill constraints. I soon found myself browsing the pages of this forum for tips and tricks, and before long my bike sported hand guards, handlebar-raisers and some soft panniers. The raisers opened up a completely new universe of riding, as I have never been able to successfully ride standing on the pegs before (the bike's configuration is not exactly aimed at people over 1.9m tall).
Ideas for the trip started crystallizing, but we specifically did not fix any agenda or make any bookings, so that the trip remained flexible and retained that "not-knowing-what-comes-next" edge.
On the evening of 28 Dec 09 I met Cable Tie at his parent's place in Baberton, where we packed for the next morning's departure.
<img src="https://usera.ImageCave.com/aircraftworx/MozJan2010/Moz%20biketrip%20003.jpg">
The next morning saw us riding into the mountains towards Swaziland. The pass had only recently been tarred and the twisties were exhilirating. Here we stopped next to an old cableway that used to transport asbestos from the mine in Swaziland to Baberton. On my map it is indicated as the longest cableway in the world (70km's or so).
<img src="https://usera.ImageCave.com/aircraftworx/MozJan2010/Moz%20biketrip%20006.jpg">
We arrived at the border just before it opened for the day, giving us time to joke around with the officials who were all there, on time, also waiting for the "official" opening time. Only at the Swazi gate did I get pointed out that my passport had expired - I had packed the wrong passport! They would allow me entry, but I did not expect to be so lucky at the Mozambique border.
A few frantic telephone calls later and my lovely wife had the proper passport booked on a DHL shipment to Matsapa for collection the next day.
We turned right at Pigg's Peak and left at the saw mill, heading for Maguga Dam - our first destination - for some bass fishing. The dam was filled to overflowing.
<img src="https://usera.ImageCave.com/aircraftworx/MozJan2010/Moz%20biketrip%20009.jpg">
<img src="https://usera.ImageCave.com/aircraftworx/MozJan2010/Moz%20biketrip%20011.jpg">
Since my friend Naude was going with his bakkie and offered to take some of the gear, the idea of a biketrip soon became very enticing.
I have put close to 70 000km's on my VStrom (650), mostly commuting, and a decent dusty trip was looooong overdue. My lack of off-road experience and a few wobbles on a sandy road near Cullinan had deterred me from proactively persuing gravel roads all this time, and the initial idea was just to ride straight to the fishing spot, minimizing the km's on dirt as far as possible.
I nevertheless looked around for a riding buddy, especially someone with some experience of Mozambique, since it would be my first proper visit to the country. I made contact with Cable Tie, who used to live in Baberton and regards Moz as part of his backyard. Also a keen fisherman and a competent dirtbike rider, he soon convinced me to turn the trip into an extended fishing-roadtrip.
Now, I never regarded my bike as suitable for long distance dirt riding, mostly because of my own skill constraints. I soon found myself browsing the pages of this forum for tips and tricks, and before long my bike sported hand guards, handlebar-raisers and some soft panniers. The raisers opened up a completely new universe of riding, as I have never been able to successfully ride standing on the pegs before (the bike's configuration is not exactly aimed at people over 1.9m tall).
Ideas for the trip started crystallizing, but we specifically did not fix any agenda or make any bookings, so that the trip remained flexible and retained that "not-knowing-what-comes-next" edge.
On the evening of 28 Dec 09 I met Cable Tie at his parent's place in Baberton, where we packed for the next morning's departure.
<img src="https://usera.ImageCave.com/aircraftworx/MozJan2010/Moz%20biketrip%20003.jpg">
The next morning saw us riding into the mountains towards Swaziland. The pass had only recently been tarred and the twisties were exhilirating. Here we stopped next to an old cableway that used to transport asbestos from the mine in Swaziland to Baberton. On my map it is indicated as the longest cableway in the world (70km's or so).
<img src="https://usera.ImageCave.com/aircraftworx/MozJan2010/Moz%20biketrip%20006.jpg">
We arrived at the border just before it opened for the day, giving us time to joke around with the officials who were all there, on time, also waiting for the "official" opening time. Only at the Swazi gate did I get pointed out that my passport had expired - I had packed the wrong passport! They would allow me entry, but I did not expect to be so lucky at the Mozambique border.
A few frantic telephone calls later and my lovely wife had the proper passport booked on a DHL shipment to Matsapa for collection the next day.
We turned right at Pigg's Peak and left at the saw mill, heading for Maguga Dam - our first destination - for some bass fishing. The dam was filled to overflowing.
<img src="https://usera.ImageCave.com/aircraftworx/MozJan2010/Moz%20biketrip%20009.jpg">
<img src="https://usera.ImageCave.com/aircraftworx/MozJan2010/Moz%20biketrip%20011.jpg">
