Thanks Aidan…did show the dimensions to the supplier I was pointed to but he couldn’t think where I would get them
@NeilDD that’s a very kind offer
. From past experience of sending parts to African countries, and being stuck in customs, I think my best plan (if I cannot find such bearings in Conakry or Freetown may be to find a competent mechanic to strip and regrease these ones). Thanks!
. (And of course the notchy steering added another fun dimension!).
The mosque is still not quite finished (although in use) and the supervisor went to some lengths to explain it was “formellement interdit” to allow visitors to…and then insisted on showing me in, riding boots and all (..I did offer to remove them!) so I could have a look.
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Now in Kindia in SE Guinea after a 280 km day when I did twice the distance I originally planned having been warned by all that the first 140 kms to Mamou were ‘tres difficile”…..as indeed they were but the CRF did a great job both through the red clay road building works and the twisty fast mountain roads.
Poor signal so no pics yet but imagine beautiful green mountains and fast twisting roads. That’s the good bit. Then imagine twisting and contorted baked mud or (even better) the good people who take the trouble to water down the dust to give a suitably slippery surface.
So very pleased to have made it all the way to Kindia, potentially my jumping off spot to Sierra Leone border tomorrow.
A good outcome from a day which started with me debating whether to stay in Labé resting another day, having didn’t last night intermittently voiding the entire contents of my digestive system.
So I woke tired and trepidatious, concerned my normal “go to” of Imodium wasn’t having any effect .
I decided to have a cup of tea and some croissant for breakfast and see how that went…the croissant was inedible so had half an omelette.
Eventually I decided to head off, big roll close to hand, knowing that Daliba (90 kms on) was a possible stopping place if things got too much.
Any way I got into a rhythm, chose a suitably speedy moto taxi rider and hung behind him, eating dust but having a relaxing ride through the very varied conditions.
Long story short, by 11 :15 am I had done the fearful 140 kms that everyone warned about.
So I pulled into Mamou and had a cold Coke at a Total station, pondering over my front tyre which seemed to have lost pressure. Dug out my little electric pump and it did a great job of getting the tyre back to rights (but to be actively monitored!).
Then I quizzed various people about the quality of the next 140 kms to Kindia, tomorrow’s planned stop.
To a man they said the roads were good tar with no potholes (a first for Guinea, I thought) “but there were lots of bends”.
At this I grinned and decided to go for it as Mamou had poor lodgings, I couldn’t eat as I wanted my digestion to recover so rather than sit around there I fired the mighty CRF into life
Less than 2.5 hours later after a magnificent hoon on pretty good roads with fabulous bends of all description, I was in Kindia…and not feeling too bad. The brain was well exercised as motorcycles are pretty much ignored by cars so you need to ride defensively.
I am also about 90% red murram dust
Now to work out my entry plan for Sierra Leone as I have a couple of different entry points to choose from.
Watch this space @Wapping all being well tomorrow we will be encountering English (or an interesting variant there of) in Sierra Leone, despite its Spanish name.
Anytime- I know how hard comms can get in remote spots. If I can do some 'crunching' for you- no worries@Treb thanks for all your suggestions.
)
I have splashed out on some good accommodation in Freetown for a couple of nights where I will plan my peregrinations in this country…well ahead of any vestigial schedule I had so pity not to see a bit of the country en route to Liberia.
The incredible Dust Man….abd even more made its way inside
