Gael warning in the Congo

[Drumacoon Lad.]

Cheers guys, I'll continue to show what we see and give names when I can.

The time spent on the Okovango Delta was rich and intense, and at least for me, took some time to readjust to the "mainland". I went to stay at a Backpackers Camp, in Maun for a couple of days and Kit and Simon joined me there later. The place itself is interesting as it overlooks a large pool in the river where we saw our first hippo, before going to the Delta.

Backpackers is an interesting place. A camp, with setup tents and a camping area. It is located by a pool in the river, outside Maun, where we have seen a hippo and I herd hippo in the pool from my tent.

The pool is by a damaged bridge which is supposed to be the oldest in Botswana, and these kids are on the way home from school. I'm doing a bit of trip planning keeping an eye on the river. No crocs while we were there but we did see a big reptile. My tent had a 2 tree en-suite but no roof, interesting in the rainy season. These weaver birds were doing some repairs just by my tent.
Kit spotted this 2 meter reptile emerging from the river.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

Racist...

Lost my Quinten. Not a comment I welcome. You may have time to edit and remove.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

We all left Maun this morning heading east. The road started great and the Suzuki was purring along with ease. Once we'd covered 50km we pulled over to arrange music to play through the helmet speakers. I sorted mine out and was about to leave, with Simon to catch up as we'd done many times before. As I pulled out I noticed Kit was off the bike and Simon had his helmet off. Something was not right. Simon came up to me and explained the ignition key was stuck in his ignition.

I got off and had a look, applied WD40, but no success. The key would turn the ignition on and off but not rotate to engage the steering lock or come out of the ignition. It had rained heavily over the last few days and rain may have got in to the switch. Simon's only option was to return to Maun and seek help and maybe advice from BMW in Windhoek. There was nothing I could do to help, so continued to Gweta, hoping Simon could follow when the problem was sorted.

After Simon turned around the good road got interesting, firstly with potholes, then wildlife, warthogs and antelope. Then some bigger wildlife appeared.

The first elephant watched me closely from the edge of the Bush about 50 meters from the road. The second one was an old one, with a missing tusks and got frightened by a truck passing too close. The third Elephant was on the edge of the road, not moving back as I approached, finally he was just 10 meters away and flapping his ears and snorting. When he lunged I decided it was time to leave, but those few seconds, so close to this fierce elephant were priceless.

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[Deleted account 210609001]

Lost my Quinten. Not a comment I welcome. You may have time to edit and remove.

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Sincere apologies for any offence. Just seemed to me like the birds on the tree had been segregated.

I'm too late to remove the post. MODERATORS can you remove that post please as I don't want to be misunderstood (and the quoted ones).

Thanks.

 

[simondippenhall]

So while Jim was grappling manfully with heffalumps, Kit and I rode back to Maun where thanks to iOverlander I soon found myself in garages-land...

The problem we were trying to solve was the refusal of the key to exit the ignition barrel. As due to the negligence of two of my otherwise wonderful helpers in Africa, 2 of my three keys had gone missing and this was the only one! So I could not refuel, remove panniers, access the tools or remove the petrol tank!) Hence the decision to turn back.

By a series of referrals we found ourselves at the third workshop Taurus Batteries (only 300metres from the first we tried).

There Tim (whose mother is a retired nurse in Glasgow. He hopes to visit her as he 'wants to experience winter'. I tried To manage his expectations!)

Multiple applications of lubricant didn’t seem to have any effect. We were in the process of tapping in a car ignition switch to see if that would work as a replacement (after I confirmed through Google the 1150 key had no security chip thank heavens) when my umpteenth go actually removed the key.

So now the hunt for a key cutting shop with appropriate blanks, eventually found down a sandy lane. After a repeat visit (keys didn’t work first time) I now had 3 keys that would open fuel and panniers, albeit only one that worked for ignition where the barrel is definitely not 100%}

But security is not my main concern so I can now leave the key in the ignition if it jams. I don’t think I have ever locked the bike in the entire transit of Africa so not thinking of starting now.




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[simondippenhall]

Tim trying to suss out how to solve the stuck key problem whilst my pillion looks on

Next door was a business which converts containers into little offices or dwellings

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

Good news Simon. Another mini adventure. And the elephant wasn't that special, oh actually it was! Hope you see some tomorrow.

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[Two wheels good]

The problem with the ign may be one troublesome wafer. Easy to remove the barrel using the end of a paper-clip. Identify the problematic wafer and remove it. I did this to cure a notchy ign.
Just take care not to lose a wafer or the titchy springs when you remove the key from the barrel. And note the order of the wafers.

 

[simondippenhall]

Hey Two wheels good!

Appreciate a few more specifics on the ‘easy to remove’ technique as I have spent a good part of my llife struggling with things others found ‘easy’




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[Posh Pete]

Simon: sounds like you will be ok with your extra keys but, just in case, I think the ign switch is in two parts. The upper part is the lock which contains the wafers. The power part is the electrical switch. Getting access to the lock may well require the top yoke to be removed BUT if all else fails, you should be able to access the lower part by scraping off a blob of red paint on the plastic which hides a grub screw. Removing this allows the lower part to be dropped away from the lock. This should allow you to jury rig a by pass "hot wire" to activate the ignition. I'm sure someone will be along to correct / add to this!

 

[Two wheels good]

Hey Two wheels good!

Appreciate a few more specifics on the ‘easy to remove’ technique as I have spent a good part of my llife struggling with things others found ‘easy’

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Simon
There's a "pin hole" on the ign housing. AFAIR on the FRONT, midway position vertically - about key length. This is where the paper-clip is inserted.
Insert paper-clip in hole with the key in the lock, steering lock unlocked. Grip key and slide the barrel out.

One of the wafers holds the barrel in the housing. The paper-clip is depressing the wafer to allow the barrel to be removed.
(Sorry for delay. Dinner-time here in the grey damp north)

[Note correction ] Pin-hole on the FRONT of ign housing.

 

[Northern jock]

Simon
There's a "pin hole" on the ign housing. AFAIR on the FRONT, midway position vertically - about key length. This is where the paper-clip is inserted.
Insert paper-clip in hole with the key in the lock, steering lock unlocked. Grip key and slide the barrel out.

One of the wafers holds the barrel in the housing. The paper-clip is depressing the wafer to allow the barrel to be removed.
(Sorry for delay. Dinner-time here in the grey damp north)

[Note correction ] Pin-hole on the FRONT of ign housing.

Anyone got an 1150 Haynes manual or equivalent that can be photographed and posted? Always easier to follow photos

Enjoying the updates, Maun is a great frontier town, nice feel to it. Where are you heading now - SA?

 

[Two wheels good]

Nothing in Haynes - but I found this!
Note another correction - it states the ign should be ON to remove barrel. Once the barrel is removed you can operate the ign switch with a screwdriver.
It's the same routine as removing key barrels to re-key panniers. Nothing complicated.

 

[simondippenhall]

After today’s ride East across Botswana to Nata. the bike is definitely looking ‘adventurous ‘


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[simondippenhall]

We are definitely getting into the rainy season in these parts.

At our hostel at Old Bridge, Maun, a couple of days ago



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[tuftywhite]

Great pic.

 

[Drumacoon Lad.]

While Simon and Kit were back in Maun getting the key sorted, I stayed in Gweta. The little round hut in Gweta Lodge was cosy and at a reduced price because of the rains and the outside bathroom, and it did rain! Next day I rode to Nata and met this guy on a bicycle who had ridden from Egypt. Hats off to him and I thought I was doing something adventurous.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

The decision whether to go via Nata was a classic trip problem to untangle. We were told there was accommodation in Gweta(200km) but possibly no petrol. There was accommodation and fuel in Nata, 300km from Maun. However the road was bad about 35km from Nata, sometimes impassable. If we took this road, found no petrol in Gweta, then found the road was impassable, we may not have enough fuel to return to Maun. What to do! So the plan was ride to Gweta and see if there was fuel, if not, we could ride back to Maun safely. As it happened, there was fuel in Gweta, the road was passable, so we got to Nata.

At Nata the access to the lodges was in the middle of some roadworks which were delightful to ride during and after rain. In selecting between two lodges had the opportunity to ride the roadworks twice, as can be seen by the state of my boots and bike. Kit and Simon joined me later, sadly not having seen elephants on the way. They of course had the pleasure of the roadworks, but not as much pleasure as me.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

In the late afternoon we took a tour of the local bird reserve which, also had some animals and some great but threatening skies. The reserve was on a Pan, a massive plane which is a dried up lake. The thunderstorms were all around us deciding which one would come our way. The threatening skies were not kidding and we got thoroughally soaked when the storm hit us, in an exposed viewing vehicle.

Anyway the birds are, insect eating chat, pretty flamingos and grey headed gulls.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

Next day we set off north for Kasane which gave us the possibility of visiting Victoria falls. This is why we were so keen to take the road from Maun to Nata. We were told the road was good buut potholed, and so it proved. We also heard that we may see animals as this road went through a game reserve.

As we skipped breakfast Kit had bought us all large buns to have along the way. When discussing when to stop, on our helmet comms sets(Sena), Simon said he did not want to have to share his bun with an elephant. I suggested to him the elephant would not want to share but to have the whole bun.

This road had an unusual feature in that it provided for planes to land, and parking was forbidden. Look closely at the road past the sign where a van is parked an an elephant is crossing. I can forgive the elephant but the other guy! There were picnic areas with big warning signs and I believe my bun is in my hand.

After this we saw more elephants. I love the one crossing the road past the 'Watch out for elephants' sign.

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