Berts Mali Mission III Progress

[DavidHale]

Well, they've gone! As promised I'll keep everyone updated with their progress, but first a bit of background for those that don't know about this.

Bert is a slightly mad demi-frog (his words, not mine! ) who has taken it upon himself to Save Africa - well, an orphanage in Mopti, Mali. A couple of years ago he went there on his 650 Dakar and dropped off a few packets of paracetmol (well, a bit more than that, but you get my drift...). Here he is on the first trip:

Then he bought a Toyota 4x4 thing and did it all again. Raised a bit of money here, but largely self-financed that trip, and took a decent amount of drugs and supplies to Mopti.

And now he's gone! He managed to raise a fraction over £6000 which was an incredible amount in a short space of time! Huge thanks must go to Paul BHT for allowing him to use this site and to the Tosserdom collective for their unstinting generosity! So there's Bert, a truck full of essential medicines and riding their bikes with him are (Fil) Schiannini and Johnywave - the chap who generously donated the survival weekend auction prizes.

I don't know their exact schedule, but I'll keep you all updated with their progress as I get it.

 

[garfield]

brilliant....can't wait...our own Long Half Way Down....

 

[DavidHale]

brilliant....can't wait...our own Long Half Way Down....

Well, he is only half the height of most of us.

 

[Baron von Munchausen]

Is that a chain drive convertion on his GS ?

Did think of developing something like that myself but decided to go for a fluid drive unit off a Kassbohrer omnibus.

pretty well maintenance free and can be adapted for FWD as well

Harley Davidson initially showed some interest but declined in the end because the system isn't idiot proof.

 

[Lord Snooty]

Bon voyage!

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy! Way to go Bert and the guys

Bon chance mes amis! Wishing you a speedy and safe journey.

 

[Bert]

Happy Xmas to a whole bunch of GR8 Tossers

Hey Ho
Down the road the we go. Both the superior 1150 Silver machine and the Fab F650 are still eating my dust
Both boys a bity frozen in Spain but nowt a paella could not fix.
Gr8 thanks to Sam Manicom for lending us his heated grips John says a Muchas Gracias cos it was a little cold.
All well and spirits high Fil John and I wish you good eggs a Happy Xmas and Merry New Year


.....Now will someone please hold that camel still!

ooppps there is a bit of worrying news.... http://fr.news.yahoo.com/ap/20071225/twl-mauritanie-france-touristes-attaque-1be00ca_1.html
let us hope that the culprits have been nailed.

 

[Bert]

MISSION III IS A SUCCESS !

It gives me great pleasure to let you all know thet the mission was safely delivered (despite some searches) into the hands of Moussa Coulibali in the SOS Village in Bamako.We had to go there due to time constraints. Mopti was another 1285 Kms and would have taken another 3 days.
Both villages share as they did last year so we decided this was the best alternative. More details when we get home.
A HUGE thank you to all of you who have supported this mission.

We are looking for a fork seal for Fil's superior silver machine and hope to find one. As it is a telever it is less of a problem more of a nuisance.

Then it is the run for home and fresh showers and our own loos which we all miss!!!!

 

[st247]

It gives me greqt pleasure to let you all know thet the mission was safely delivered (despite some searches) into the hands of Moussa Coulibali in the SOS Village in Bamako.
We had to go there due to time constraints. Mopti was another 1285 Kms and would have taken another 3 days.
Both villages share as they did last year so we decided this was the best alternative. More details when we get home.
A HUGE thank you to all of you who have supported this mission.

We are looking for a fork seal for Fil's superior silver machine and hope to find one. As it is a telever it is less of a problem more of a nuisance.

Then it is the run for home and fresh showers and our own loos which we all miss!!!!

Well Done

 

[Bert]

update

15th Jan
We are in Cadiz having John´s F650 sortedf by BMW
I am having a plexiglass side window made as mine is smashed
Then he head up north again heading for home.
Fil, John and I all well if tired.
Met the Scoots Crew in on the Western Atlantic route and shared banter and a cuppa.
Also collected their beer and spirits!! as they were headed to mauritania where these are a no-no - but all still in toyo !!
They were all well and in high spirits.

Piccies soon
all the best to everyone
Bert Fil John

 

[Bert]

Back Home

John, Fil and I have all returned to our nests
It does feel good to finally sit on one's own loo!!
Fil was the trip's photographer but here are my humble piccies to add a little colour to it all.
I
t was great to meet up with the Scoots crew in the desert and to relieve them of their beer and brandy! well they were about to cros sinto mauritania and I couldn't,in all good conscience, let them take a risk with their booze on board
So the brandy and beer came our way!
(hee hee...works every time!!! )
Seriously though, the Mauri customs hut was choka with booze confiscated from a French load of 4x4's

Pics
Me as a happy bunny- mission accomplished!
Fil giving it some out of the sand
and John having a gr8 time

 

[Bert]

few more pics

New Mauritanian border

'must balance this load better!!'

On the way

 

[Bert]

Xmas

We did have some Xmas pudding and custard to celebrate Xmas..which was spent waiting for visas for John.
Still, I had caught a 'flu-type' bug and was out for the cont in Rabat where we stayed for 4 days .
Then John caught it so we towed the F650 for a couple of days.
Whatever that bug was , it was a bar-steward as we had a real hard time shaking it off- lasted almost 4 weeks

 

[Norrie]

Hi Bert

Well DONE to all concerned

Good to know that yer all home in one piece after another successful mission
bet the Toyota didn't miss a beat either.



Schultz

 

[Bert]

Hilux was fine

Good old Snowball did a grand job.
There was a head-scratching moment when she would not start after a fuel filter change. Weird, could have been an air lock but I just replaced the whole unit as I was carrying a spare and the problem was solved (pfffew!!)
and off we went after the obligatory local bread and my 'secret weapon' spread (Nutella- don't leave home without it!) to perk us all up.
Now all I need is to get a new passenger window and new winscreen-
and get her back to Toyota for a good look-see. but not before I repaint the inside of the cargo area which got rather scratched (as last time)
All these goods and jerries bouncing up and down have changed the white paint into red scuffs and some bare metal.
No worries- brilliant vehicle

BTW Mystic.. YES my bed felt brilliant and my back was very grateful to find it again!
Thanks Garfield! Love that Kilt- very smart

 

[mystic]

Really well done the three of you! Never mind the toilets, I bet your beds feel pretty good as well!

Just read your post on the HUBB/Sahara Forum re. experiences in Mauri .
Doesn't sound like a barrel of laughs. Hope things become a wee bit more friendly before I pass through.

 

[garfield]

welcome home everyone....

 

[sparkplug]

A huge thanks to all who supported us both with cold hard cash and with soft warm wishes. I'm going to send Bert all the 'thank you' pics as he knows who gave what - I've included just a couple here but it's very far from a complete thank you.

So here goes a few pics:



This selfless humanitarian mission being taken solemnly and seriously by Bert

 

[sparkplug]

The ostentatious frontier building arriving in Mali

 

[sparkplug]

Lovely flowers but just look at the tree bark. I swear even the thorns have spines here...

 

[sparkplug]

It's a KTM bike shop Jim, but not as we know it.