Gael back in Africa.
- Thread starter Drumacoon Lad.
- Start date
The wandering Irishman!!
Great stuff. Almost as good as going out myself. Keep it up.
Great stuff. Almost as good as going out myself. Keep it up.
Thanks for the comments, it's good to have a few people on board early.
The comment about the "air of prosperity" came from a feeling we both had, as 2 Irishmen who live in England and don't tour through Central Ireland that often. I left Ireland over 50 years ago and holidays would be to relatives or a tour of the coast. It was a revelation to see the good quality roads and smart towns in the midlands. Hope that tyre got you home OK John.
I'll try and post a bit more later.
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The comment about the "air of prosperity" came from a feeling we both had, as 2 Irishmen who live in England and don't tour through Central Ireland that often. I left Ireland over 50 years ago and holidays would be to relatives or a tour of the coast. It was a revelation to see the good quality roads and smart towns in the midlands. Hope that tyre got you home OK John.
I'll try and post a bit more later.
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Many of you will have followed Simon(simondippenhall) and my trips around Africa in recent years. I returned to UK on March 11, 2020 having completed a 12,000 mile trip from Congo to Tanzania via South Africa on a Suzuki EN125(partly documented here (https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/516136-In-search-of-Father-Jack ). Simon and I arrived in Namibia in September 2019 and he headed north, then up the east coast as far as Sudan and took a ferry to Saudi, then rode to Isreal via Jordan, completing a round trip of Africa. He then loaded his bike on a ferry to Greece, flew to Greece and rejoined the bike, to ride to Motorcamp in Bulgaria. His bike has returned to UK recently and I helped deliver it to Steptoe this week, to have it serviced in preparation for furthers travels. Simon's trip
from Cameroon onwards is documented in this link where I make a cameo appearance again for a few countries https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/491947-Gael-warning-in-the-Congo .
You will now notice I'm diverging from the title temporarily and if the odd meander is not your thing, then maybe this is the not the Ride Report for you. However if you stick with it, we'll get back on track, eventually. I once had a job where I had to explain difficult problems to customers. My predecessor gave me one piece of advice, which was that I should not be a slave to the whole truth, but what ever I said I needed to leave a path back to the truth, just case that later proved necessary. So with your agreement I'll adopt a similar approach here.
As we all experienced, the last 22 months has probably been the strangest in our lives. The UK entered lockdown soon after I returned from Africa and motorcycling for any reason was discouraged, as deemed risky and as we may put the emergency services under further strain if an accident occurred. So my 2 wheeled outlet was via push bike, whether MTB on local trails, electric bike for longer trips, then a road bike as I got fitter. Things eased for a period in the summer of 2020 and an excuse for a trip presented itself and also chance for the Simon and Jim team to reunite. My family have a house in France and because of lockdown in Ireland, they where not able to visit the property, so I volunteered to ride down there and tend the garden. I had an R1150R which needed to have its legs stretched and Simon had his trusty R1200RT. The 1150 had its legs truly stretched keeping pace with the RT, but we covered the 610 miles, including Channel crossing to arrive in time to shop in the supermarket and have a stroll around the small town of Argentat on the banks of the Dordogne. We spend an enjoyable few days, cutting the grass and shrubs of the overgrown garden and visiting local towns.
Photos below show the condition of the French garden when we arrived, the gardner, the gardners surveying their work and one of the 3 trips to the dump, then a stroll to take in a view of Argentat and the Dordogne.
The next day a cycle to nearby Beaulieu and then an outing to Rocamadour to meet two French biker friends who were touring the area.
Finally a view of the finished garden.
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love the traditional Braai seen in so many french and Belgium gardens as I ride past them
Having found the grave more quickly than expected we were able to revise our itinerary and get on the road more quickly. I left the graveyard in good spirits and rode North with Simon leading. Simon mentioned a stop as we put on our helmets and all I heard was "green welly", without understanding I followed unquestionably. Simon's wife's family have connections in this area, so I deferred to his local knowledge. The views along Loch Lomond were predictably spectacular and we stopped at one point to take in the atmosphere.
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Riding further on, we approached Tyndrum and Simon pulled into a carpark dominated by motorbikes. This was my introduction to the famous Green Welly Stop I'm sure known to Scottish bikers. We had a good look at the bikes and over a snack we considered where we may rest our heads. We found a neglected but cheap hotel in Tyndrum, and in walking distance of a good fish and chip shop and we were content. The fish and chips did not disappoint and we enjoyed them sitting outside in the fresh air. Next morning we mounted up and continued north. Our next destination was the Corran ferry and on the way we rode through the stunning beauty of Glencoe. We had to stop, to fully take in the magnificence of the scenery.
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Reaching the ferry we crossed easily and rode along the shores of Loch Linnhe towards Strontian. We stopped a few times along the way viewing some of the places Simon was familiar with, from family visits, before, stopping at Strontian for lunch.
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Afterwards we continued west along another narrow twisty road and were glad to have been following a local car, which gave us a clue to the upcoming corners. We passed Glenuig and turned east towards Fort William in pouring rain. We were aiming to spend the night in Tomintoul and had a cold and damp ride ahead. We pulled into the carpark of the Glenavon Hotel, Tomintoul and were amused at its old fashioned style. Faded grandeur is not quite appropriate for the Glenavon, as I not sure it was ever grand, but it had a certain old fashioned charm and the staff were very welcoming. When we got to our room, we decorated it with our wet clothes. After dinner in a local restaurant we were able to sit by an open fire and reflect on another great riding day, despite the rain.
Next day we had a short ride north east to Portsoy, the venue for the Scottish GSer annual get-together. The event was hosted by Northern Jock and we had booked into the "Sail Loft" and surprisingly it had been a sail loft, which had undergone a modern conversion. We had a room to share upstairs and on the found floor there was a large kitchen, sitting room and shower and toilet facilities. Sadly the only toilet was on the ground floor, but we managed. The setting was great, with the campsite set around a bay, directly on the sea shore. There were a range of motorbikes and campervans, some towing motorbikes. Our roadbikes stood out from the more adventure orientated BMWs but not as much as the little Honda 125cc Monkey bike. The Monkey bike was a delight and attracted a lot of attention.
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Next day we had a short ride north east to Portsoy, the venue for the Scottish GSer annual get-together. The event was hosted by Northern Jock and we had booked into the "Sail Loft" and surprisingly it had been a sail loft, which had undergone a modern conversion. We had a room to share upstairs and on the found floor there was a large kitchen, sitting room and shower and toilet facilities. Sadly the only toilet was on the ground floor, but we managed. The setting was great, with the campsite set around a bay, directly on the sea shore. There were a range of motorbikes and campervans, some towing motorbikes. Our roadbikes stood out from the more adventure orientated BMWs but not as much as the little Honda 125cc Monkey bike. The Monkey bike was a delight and attracted a lot of attention.
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The weekend was very informal and blessed with authentic Scottish weather. People walked around the site admiring bikes, chatting and assessing the skills of new arrivals erecting their tents. On the Friday evening we dined at the hotel, while on the Saturday the hosts organised a BBQ for all, beside the sail loft kitchen. As Simon and I had been riding for a couple of weeks, sometime in rain, we ducked out on the Saturday ride-out, waving the riders away in the rain. We then visited the ancient harbour, as the weather closed in and of course Simon thought it perfect for a swim.
The atmosphere and food at the evening BBQ was great, giving everyone a chance to meet and chat. Motorbikes and trips were discussed as food and beer was consumed. As we planned an early start on the Sunday we didn't stay too late and the festivities were still in full swing as we headed for bed.
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The atmosphere and food at the evening BBQ was great, giving everyone a chance to meet and chat. Motorbikes and trips were discussed as food and beer was consumed. As we planned an early start on the Sunday we didn't stay too late and the festivities were still in full swing as we headed for bed.
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Simon and I had agreed to travel separately the next morning but both had opted to do the trip to Hampshire in one shot. The Gold Wing has the clear edge when it comes to motorway riding and I was content to plod along at my own pace.
We woke to overcast skies again and Simon was well gone by the time I left before 8:00. I headed off and although not raining, the misty air had dampened he road. With 600 miles to go I was not hanging about, but I was reminded of the damp conditions on a couple of corners, so moderated my speed a bit. I later learned that Simon encountered a local on this stretch of the road, a pigeon, which did some damage to the plastics on the bike but the impact was more serious for the pigeon.
Once I got to Aberdeen I was on dual carriageway and happily there was no sign of the bicycle tour, which was starting from Aberdeen that morning. My bike handles motorways quite well too and my job is just to point it in the right direction and not fall asleep while using the cruise control. I stopped for a fill up and a coffee around Carlisle and chatted to a couple of bikers. They asked where I'd come from and when I said near Inverness they said, "well hopefully not far to go", and were shocked to find I still had 300 miles ahead of me. Luckily I can sit in the saddle for hours, as can Simon, and we were both home before 6:00 PM.
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We woke to overcast skies again and Simon was well gone by the time I left before 8:00. I headed off and although not raining, the misty air had dampened he road. With 600 miles to go I was not hanging about, but I was reminded of the damp conditions on a couple of corners, so moderated my speed a bit. I later learned that Simon encountered a local on this stretch of the road, a pigeon, which did some damage to the plastics on the bike but the impact was more serious for the pigeon.
Once I got to Aberdeen I was on dual carriageway and happily there was no sign of the bicycle tour, which was starting from Aberdeen that morning. My bike handles motorways quite well too and my job is just to point it in the right direction and not fall asleep while using the cruise control. I stopped for a fill up and a coffee around Carlisle and chatted to a couple of bikers. They asked where I'd come from and when I said near Inverness they said, "well hopefully not far to go", and were shocked to find I still had 300 miles ahead of me. Luckily I can sit in the saddle for hours, as can Simon, and we were both home before 6:00 PM.
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It was great to have managed a bike trip in these pandemic times and to share it with Simon. While we love exploring foreign places, we were both enthralled at the beauty of Ireland and Scotland. The trip helped us to explore the limits of these two roadbikes and realise they coped both with Irish boreens and twisty Scottish roads. It was also a pleasure to meet and share stories with so many fellow members of his GSer forum, many of whom were readers of our ride reports, including those in Africa. This may be the point when I should remind myself of the title above and talk about my plans to return to Africa.
You will remember that the bike I bought in Congo and rode to Tanzania, I donated to a charity at the end of the ride. This donation had some significance to me, as the charity was the same missionary organisation that Fr Jack had been a part. There was another practical benefit in donating the bike, as it concluded my ownership of the bike in a tidy way. It is not easy to get permission keep a bike in an African country for more than perhaps 6 months, so keeping it long term in Tanzania would not have been possible. After returning from the trip and during lockdown, I used to fantasise about still having a bike in Africa, that I could return to and explore further.
This idea germinated and I wondered if it may be possible. I had read lots of stories of the difficulties foreigners have had in registering a vehicle in South Africa and therefore not being able to keep it there. I then saw an Itchy Boots video on YouTube(highly recommended) where Noraly flies into Joburg, buys a second hand bike at a dealer and gets help from the dealer to apparently have it registered. Seeing that it appeared possible to register a bike in my name, encouraged me to investigate further. For anyone not familiar with Itchy Boots here's a link to the start of her Africa travels:- https://youtu.be/k3tXaBCxtWA
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You will remember that the bike I bought in Congo and rode to Tanzania, I donated to a charity at the end of the ride. This donation had some significance to me, as the charity was the same missionary organisation that Fr Jack had been a part. There was another practical benefit in donating the bike, as it concluded my ownership of the bike in a tidy way. It is not easy to get permission keep a bike in an African country for more than perhaps 6 months, so keeping it long term in Tanzania would not have been possible. After returning from the trip and during lockdown, I used to fantasise about still having a bike in Africa, that I could return to and explore further.
This idea germinated and I wondered if it may be possible. I had read lots of stories of the difficulties foreigners have had in registering a vehicle in South Africa and therefore not being able to keep it there. I then saw an Itchy Boots video on YouTube(highly recommended) where Noraly flies into Joburg, buys a second hand bike at a dealer and gets help from the dealer to apparently have it registered. Seeing that it appeared possible to register a bike in my name, encouraged me to investigate further. For anyone not familiar with Itchy Boots here's a link to the start of her Africa travels:- https://youtu.be/k3tXaBCxtWA
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I didn't know any main dealers in SA but I did know one in Namibia and I wondered if I bought a bike in Namibia it would be possible to register it in my name and store it in Namibia. Simon and I had stored our bikes in Namibia for 6 month during our African trips but had to pay temperary import duties, which were never refunded. I asked my friendly dealer if a bike could be registered in a foreigners name in Namibia and he assured me he had arranged it in the past. Based in this positive information I looked around for a bike.
I signed up to various Namibian bike sales sites on Facebook and waited. I was looking for a 250cc bike, as I'd seen the benifit of having a light bike which was also economical to run, but this time I was looking for a bit more power than my 125cc Suzuki, and a bike which was more capable off-road. After some time I saw a Yamaha XT250 for sale in Namibia, a few years old and with low milage.
I enquired of the seller where he was located and he said Windhoek. I then asked where the bike had been serviced and he told me it was in Yamaha Windhoek, this was fortunate, as this is the Namibian dealer that I know. I'd had my little Suzuki EN125 serviced a couple of times by Tommy in Yamaha Windhoek. I asked the seller to take the bike into Tommy and if he said the bike was OK, I'd buy it. Tommy checked out the bike and we agreed a deal. Later, in watching Itchy Boots, Noraly's Honda developed a fault in southern Namibia and she rode 500km north to Windhoek, to have it fixed by Tommy, such is his reputation as a mechanic in Namibia.
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I signed up to various Namibian bike sales sites on Facebook and waited. I was looking for a 250cc bike, as I'd seen the benifit of having a light bike which was also economical to run, but this time I was looking for a bit more power than my 125cc Suzuki, and a bike which was more capable off-road. After some time I saw a Yamaha XT250 for sale in Namibia, a few years old and with low milage.
I enquired of the seller where he was located and he said Windhoek. I then asked where the bike had been serviced and he told me it was in Yamaha Windhoek, this was fortunate, as this is the Namibian dealer that I know. I'd had my little Suzuki EN125 serviced a couple of times by Tommy in Yamaha Windhoek. I asked the seller to take the bike into Tommy and if he said the bike was OK, I'd buy it. Tommy checked out the bike and we agreed a deal. Later, in watching Itchy Boots, Noraly's Honda developed a fault in southern Namibia and she rode 500km north to Windhoek, to have it fixed by Tommy, such is his reputation as a mechanic in Namibia.
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Looking forward to hearing more about the XT when you get there Jim!
Jim, great build up and as said before not even a teeny weeny bit jealous 
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Easy now guys, still a week to go
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I’ve really enjoyed your other trips and I’m following this one with equal enthusiasm.
With the bike bought I then pursued the plan to have the bike registered. The dealer gave me the name of a guy who could arrange it. This gentleman started discussing registration with the authorities in Windhoek, the initial answer was not encouraging, so he escalated to management. Sadly the answer did not change and I was told it would not be possible to register the bike in my name in Windhoek. This was a low point, as I now owned a bike in Namibia but apparently could not register it there.
I discussed leaving the registration till I got to Namibia and hoped that being there in person could change the decision, and was encouraged by the Windhoek dealer that this may work. It now seemed my best option but I wasn't confident this plan, so chatted to Simon. He wondered if the Yamaha dealer in Swakopmund could help. So I called the dealer directly and he assured me registration was possible in Swakop, even if not in Windhoek. I also put the question out on the Overlanding Africa page on Facebook and again was assured Swakop was a good place to register a vehicle and that Windhoek registration department were difficult. Lastly I contacted a friend of the Windhoek dealer, a guy who runs a vehicle storage centre near the airport and he said he could get it registered in my name, also in Swakop. I was now feeling quite relived and the project seemed back on the rails, so I started making plans.
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I discussed leaving the registration till I got to Namibia and hoped that being there in person could change the decision, and was encouraged by the Windhoek dealer that this may work. It now seemed my best option but I wasn't confident this plan, so chatted to Simon. He wondered if the Yamaha dealer in Swakopmund could help. So I called the dealer directly and he assured me registration was possible in Swakop, even if not in Windhoek. I also put the question out on the Overlanding Africa page on Facebook and again was assured Swakop was a good place to register a vehicle and that Windhoek registration department were difficult. Lastly I contacted a friend of the Windhoek dealer, a guy who runs a vehicle storage centre near the airport and he said he could get it registered in my name, also in Swakop. I was now feeling quite relived and the project seemed back on the rails, so I started making plans.
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The bike would need to be fitted out as an adventure bike and I could not rely on finding the parts and equipment in Windhoek. In fact the dealer told me he could not source a rear rack and pannier frame for the bike. The XT250 is not sold as a new bike in UK, nor do I believe in Europe, however they are sold in the US and there is a thriving community. The XT250 owners run a thread on Adventure Bike Rider forum with a lot of tips and information. I trawled through this thread for equipment recommendations. Most of the
suppliers are in the US, with high shipping and customs costs. A lot or shipping has taken place in the last few months and I now have a large part if my dining room floor covered with equipment for the African bike.
Those readers not interested in motorbike accessories, could pass this section...
So I have a rear rack and pannier rails from Happy-Trail which are strong and substantial. I've a screen from Parabellum that is recommended. I decided on soft pannier bags and was fortunate to find a set of Walter Colebach's Magadan panniers by placing a wanted add on this GSer forum, thanks to Archie Adv. I also wanted a top box for convenience and security and a Givi Trekker aluminium topbox came up for sale on GSer. Kitting out a bike, that you don't know, which is 5,000 miles away, is not an easy task, but I learned a little when I did this on the little Suzuki in the Congo a few years ago. However I'll not know how successful I've been till the parts are fitted to the bike.
One feature with this bike is the small fuel tank of 9.5 litres. My last Africa bike, the little EN125 Suzuki, had a tank of 14 litres which allowed me to ride for many hours without a fill-up. So I'll need some extra fuel with the XT250 and have got a 2L Touratech can and intend to mount it on the inside of the pannier frame on the opposite side to the exhaust. I wasn't sure if there would be enough clearance between the can and the wheel, and put a question on the XT250 forum. The reply I got, was an offer to phone me to discuss. I then got a call from New Zealand from an XT owner, originally from Hampshire, who did some measurements on his bike and reassured me the petrol can could be mounted successfully. The length some bikers will go to help others, astounds me at times.
I'll also have a couple of 1L fuel bottles which will fit into the pockets of the panniers when I'm in a fuel restricted area. I plan to navigate with BMW Navigator 6 GPS, which has Tracks 4 Africa(T4A) maps loaded, thanks to a good friend, with a Navigator 5 as backup. I have lots of other bits to fit to the bike, but this technical section is getting too long already. However, I will bring my Garmin Inrange tracking and SOS device for security. More on rigging out the bike when I get there.
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suppliers are in the US, with high shipping and customs costs. A lot or shipping has taken place in the last few months and I now have a large part if my dining room floor covered with equipment for the African bike.
Those readers not interested in motorbike accessories, could pass this section...
So I have a rear rack and pannier rails from Happy-Trail which are strong and substantial. I've a screen from Parabellum that is recommended. I decided on soft pannier bags and was fortunate to find a set of Walter Colebach's Magadan panniers by placing a wanted add on this GSer forum, thanks to Archie Adv. I also wanted a top box for convenience and security and a Givi Trekker aluminium topbox came up for sale on GSer. Kitting out a bike, that you don't know, which is 5,000 miles away, is not an easy task, but I learned a little when I did this on the little Suzuki in the Congo a few years ago. However I'll not know how successful I've been till the parts are fitted to the bike.
One feature with this bike is the small fuel tank of 9.5 litres. My last Africa bike, the little EN125 Suzuki, had a tank of 14 litres which allowed me to ride for many hours without a fill-up. So I'll need some extra fuel with the XT250 and have got a 2L Touratech can and intend to mount it on the inside of the pannier frame on the opposite side to the exhaust. I wasn't sure if there would be enough clearance between the can and the wheel, and put a question on the XT250 forum. The reply I got, was an offer to phone me to discuss. I then got a call from New Zealand from an XT owner, originally from Hampshire, who did some measurements on his bike and reassured me the petrol can could be mounted successfully. The length some bikers will go to help others, astounds me at times.
I'll also have a couple of 1L fuel bottles which will fit into the pockets of the panniers when I'm in a fuel restricted area. I plan to navigate with BMW Navigator 6 GPS, which has Tracks 4 Africa(T4A) maps loaded, thanks to a good friend, with a Navigator 5 as backup. I have lots of other bits to fit to the bike, but this technical section is getting too long already. However, I will bring my Garmin Inrange tracking and SOS device for security. More on rigging out the bike when I get there.
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Nice to meet you in Leanne Jim
Yourself & the long fella did very well on your ‘unsuitable’ bikes
I’ve an XT225 (Serow) in the garage & have often thought it’d be a great bike for the likes of Africa. I think you’ll really enjoy the 250.
Safe travels, looking forward to following along
Yourself & the long fella did very well on your ‘unsuitable’ bikes
I’ve an XT225 (Serow) in the garage & have often thought it’d be a great bike for the likes of Africa. I think you’ll really enjoy the 250.
Safe travels, looking forward to following along
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