lonerider
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2007
- Messages
- 1,906
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Stellenbosch
- Bike
- BMW R1150GS Adventure
Howdy!
Just joined, thought I'd do the polite thing.
BMW F650 ('99 Funduro). Done most of the standard stuff around Western Cape, some further gravel road touring to Douglas and also around Eastern Cape. Now know the limitations of my dear (old) bike, looking to upgrade sometime (soon)!
For those wanting to know - yes, the old Funduro will happily do Baviaans, Die Hel, Ceres-Sutherland gravel, 10 hours a day for 10 days cruising (loaded), and still give 18-10 km/l. Now 67000km, mostly trouble-free.
Only recently got a decent digital camera, photos to follow when they're there.
Hope to chat some more!
Ps. Might not have regular access for a few weeks, forgive tardy replies.
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[20070827] Added the following (from a post made elsewhere), just in case anybody actually refers back to these introductions to see who we are...
Saw the first light of day in a little rural town in the (then) Southwestern Transvaal in the latter half of 1971. Some minor childhood memories of then growing up in Roodepoort before moving back to the farmland to start schooling.
Afrikaans primary school, then on to Bloemfontein for some English education, finally finishing with uniforms in 1989.
Ducked the 2-year conscription thing by going to study first - some Tech (whilst working for JCI) in 1990, then on to University of Stellenbosch to finish Electronic Engineering in Feb 1995 (courtesy of one failed subject to tide me through Christmas 1994). Bought my first bike during my studies - ever ridden an underpowered 125cc through the Cape's winter storms...? Excellent.
Promptly gave up the whole career idea upon graduating, and went to Gough Island for 15 months as meteorologist. Followed that with another 15-month wilderness trip, this time to SANAE as Communication Engineer.
Came back from that looking for work, settled into a mate's start-up ISP for 2 years of on-and-off work. (ISP stronger than ever, my wanderlust just couldn't deal with the growth period...) Managed another (summer) trip to Antarctica (via Chile) during this time.
The Ice grew on me - spent the next 5 summers heading to the Deep South, land of katabatic winds and arid, vast, white landscapes (ice-scapes?). Managed to fit in some humanitarian-type work inbetween contracts - and bought my little Funduro as only form of transport. Happy days!
Settled the wander-lust, established that I need some sort of funding to get the toys I want, and looked for a "real" job. So now I work in the oil industry as an ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) Pilot/Technician - enough free time and okay pay to enjoy life a bit. (Except for the lack of somebody to share all the joys with.)
Next up - a bigger, better touring bike! And whatever other adventures come this way.
Just joined, thought I'd do the polite thing.
BMW F650 ('99 Funduro). Done most of the standard stuff around Western Cape, some further gravel road touring to Douglas and also around Eastern Cape. Now know the limitations of my dear (old) bike, looking to upgrade sometime (soon)!
For those wanting to know - yes, the old Funduro will happily do Baviaans, Die Hel, Ceres-Sutherland gravel, 10 hours a day for 10 days cruising (loaded), and still give 18-10 km/l. Now 67000km, mostly trouble-free.
Only recently got a decent digital camera, photos to follow when they're there.
Hope to chat some more!
Ps. Might not have regular access for a few weeks, forgive tardy replies.
---
[20070827] Added the following (from a post made elsewhere), just in case anybody actually refers back to these introductions to see who we are...
Saw the first light of day in a little rural town in the (then) Southwestern Transvaal in the latter half of 1971. Some minor childhood memories of then growing up in Roodepoort before moving back to the farmland to start schooling.
Afrikaans primary school, then on to Bloemfontein for some English education, finally finishing with uniforms in 1989.
Ducked the 2-year conscription thing by going to study first - some Tech (whilst working for JCI) in 1990, then on to University of Stellenbosch to finish Electronic Engineering in Feb 1995 (courtesy of one failed subject to tide me through Christmas 1994). Bought my first bike during my studies - ever ridden an underpowered 125cc through the Cape's winter storms...? Excellent.
Promptly gave up the whole career idea upon graduating, and went to Gough Island for 15 months as meteorologist. Followed that with another 15-month wilderness trip, this time to SANAE as Communication Engineer.
Came back from that looking for work, settled into a mate's start-up ISP for 2 years of on-and-off work. (ISP stronger than ever, my wanderlust just couldn't deal with the growth period...) Managed another (summer) trip to Antarctica (via Chile) during this time.
The Ice grew on me - spent the next 5 summers heading to the Deep South, land of katabatic winds and arid, vast, white landscapes (ice-scapes?). Managed to fit in some humanitarian-type work inbetween contracts - and bought my little Funduro as only form of transport. Happy days!
Settled the wander-lust, established that I need some sort of funding to get the toys I want, and looked for a "real" job. So now I work in the oil industry as an ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) Pilot/Technician - enough free time and okay pay to enjoy life a bit. (Except for the lack of somebody to share all the joys with.)
Next up - a bigger, better touring bike! And whatever other adventures come this way.
