Namibia_October 2008

[GS_Rafiki]

Hello all interested thread viewers, and welcome to my trip report on Namibia_October 2008.

Intro:
For the past 8 years I have had to travel to Namibia on business, and choose between a quick in and out flight, or taking 10 to 14 days and going there the 'long way...'

Anyway, common sense prevails, all other commitments are canned, postponed, swept under the carpet, forgotten about or ignored.

The choice of transport has been Landrover 110 Defender Td5, HCPU or CSW. And unforgetable trips they where, including desert climbing at the Grosse Spitzkoppe, Damaraland elephants tracking, vast wilderesses visited, etc.

The common factor is the great thirst which all this vigerous activity brings upon the encumbant traveller. and Namibia produces amongst the worlds best lager beers, which can be found almost everywhere.

Paradise.

So, this year the choice of transport is the R1200GS Adv, complete with some Touratech extras to make the bike more suitable for the conditions. Preperations included a worthwhile visit to Country Trax's offroad rider training centre at Amersfoort, in Mpumalanga, where under the instructions of the legendary Jan du Toit, off road riding skills are taugh, practised and learnt, and hopefully, mastered. The test was about to begin...

It took a year to get this trip together, and departure set for 05h00 on the 15th Oct 08.

Next: Logisics, route and timing...

 

[Aidan1150]

 

[GS_Rafiki]

Logistics, route and timing...

The logistical requirements were simple, as overnighting in B&B's, small hotels or camping are the choices. This would not need too much gear. Apart from a small collection of suitable tools, tyre repair kit, and compressor, I carried a MSR Pocket Rocket, titanium mug, small gas canister and Coca tea.
Food consisted of energy bars, rehydration powder, Isotonic Game for mixing inna 3L Camelback. I carry 6 litres of water in a MSR Drom bag.

One 2man Ferrino mountain tent which allows space for bike gear, Therma - and a Ridgerest mats, my +5deg C fartsack and a bivvy bag.
The weather for the region I ride through is dry...But I still carry my wet weather outer shell. The Rallye 2 suit is perfect for this trip.
Some water & dust poof bags contain a change of clothing, wicking fabics by local mfgr. Capestorm. My Pofadder and the GoreTex inner liner for the Rallye 2 jacket will take care of cooler temperatures along the skeleton coast.
Everything is disributed in 2 GS pannier inner bags, an Ortlieb water/dust rpoof bag, and my tankbag. I carrry odds and sods in my Camelback mule on my back.
For extra protection I wear a Leatt Neck brace.

The Route takes me as far west as the first days travel allows. Because it's +-17xxkm to Windhoek on tar, I keep my Tourance tyres on. At Windhoek, on day 2; I arrange with BMW to supply and fit a new set of TKC's.

Then I head south-west off the tarmac, into the Khomas Hochland towards the Naukluft Mountains. I will only find tarmac on the last km's into Swakopmund.
I intend to head south later, only meeting tarmac at the t-junction of the Keetmanshoop - Luderitz road, in a weeks time.

 

[GS_Rafiki]

Let's get going...

So, at 05h00 on 15th_Oct I head west, the looong road to the Ariamvlei border crossing into Namibia. All going well, I aim to be at Grunau this arvo.

I make it to Grunau, and next morning start into a cold mist, heading the 600+km to Windhoek.

The weather clears quickly, and it gets hot!

Approaching Windhoek, some change in scenery, hills with corners...

 

[wully]

 

[GS_Rafiki]

Onto gravel...

In Windhoek I ditch the Tourances, which are at their end, and have TKC's fitted. I get to speak to the chap that does the vehicle recoveries for BMW in Namibia, and find out his business is rather a good one. Plenty of GS riders get onto the local dirt roads with to much ego, and wipe out. The road conditions are treacherous, always changing. And the medical emergency recovery often hours away. A crash will have serious consiquences, so caution is required.

After a visit to Joe's Beer House and a good nights rest, I'm off towards the SW, heading for Solitaire.

As I'm still bedding in the new TKC's at normal op pressures, my initial venture onto the somewhat sandy dirt road is done at an easy pace.

The temperature gauge shows 34deg C, and the D road turns out to be reasonably good to ride, onto Remshoogte pass.

6 Litres of water carried in the MSR Drom bag, you don't have to boil it for tea...

The TKC's are definetly the choice of tyres in these conditions. I've dropped the pressures to 1.5bar, and the GS feels at home in these conditions. Remshoogte has lots of tight corners, with roller coaster wash-outs that require lots of focus from the rider. But I'm starting to have fun, sliding the back end through the bends, and getting my rythym with the bike.

Soon I reach the t-junction.
It's hot, I'm thirsty and Solitaire has all I need to finish of a good days riding.

Fuel, shade, cold beer, food...

 

[rocks]

Lovely place

I loved Namibia. The country is great. Bloody hot mind..
Love to ride it, but was on 4x4's last time there. Around the Huab.

Thanks for the lovely photos, its wet and cold here, so nice to see some sun shine..

 

[GS_Rafiki]

Onto Swakopmund...

Crossing the Tropic of Capricorn, just before Gaub canyon.

The road varies between looong straight stretches of gravelly/sandy piste, with windy bits as it drops down into these canyons. Kuiseb has a bit of tar for a km or so...
Then turn off onto the D road heading north along the Namib Naukluft NP, which is remote, no traffic and some tricky sandy stretches.

129km to the Swakopmund Brauhaus...

The last shady camelthorn tree for the next 100km... it's 38deg C, and any springbok or oryx is standing in whatever shade there is. Not at all easy to photograph from the back of the GS...

 

[GS_Rafiki]

Rest up in Swakopmund...

Swakopmund greets me with cool, shady accomodation. I will rest up, it's sunday. For the next couple of days I will chill, do some work, visit the Brauhaus and prepare for the return journey.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Namibia is on my fantasy to do list. Keep the report coming!

 

[SeanC]

Great pictures! Keep them coming!
Sean

 

[(RIP) Nakambale]

Excellent! Keep it coming

I was thinking about your trip when I was riding up in gale force winds and pouring rain yesterday.

1 week today and I'll be flying out to Namibia, your pictures bring back memories of last year's trip

look forward to reading about the rest of your trip

 

[GS_Rafiki]

Back to Solitaire...

Solitaire has fuel, shade, and very cold beer. 300km from Swakopmund, but it'll take up to 6 hours off-road riding.
For +-80km there are no trees, but the landscape changes, soon it looks like this:

Back on the road to Solitaire, another fine view of the approached to Khomas hochland. I turn right a couple of hundred metres from here and head in a southerly direction.

In Gaub canyon, I find some shade, but the heat coming off the rocks shows up as 47deg C on my temp readout. My GS Rallye boots are hot, and I have to apply some corn plasters to my little toes. The feet swell, and the boots don't give much. After several hours of standing on the pegs, my feet are not very happy. The rest, and the corn plasters help. Onwards...

Once at Solitaire campsite, I'm happy to chill for the rest of the day. This time no tent required.

Time for a cold Tafel...

 

[GS_Rafiki]

Excellent! Keep it coming

I was thinking about your trip when I was riding up in gale force winds and pouring rain yesterday.

1 week today and I'll be flying out to Namibia, your pictures bring back memories of last year's trip

look forward to reading about the rest of your trip

Yes, I can only imagine the cold water seeping into your rider suit.
but soon you'll be warming up your bones in the Namib, and you'll might be lucky to experience rain there as well. Do drive carefully, though.

Cheers

 

[GS_Rafiki]

Solitaire to Betta...

So, where woz I? Oh, yes...Solitaire to Betta. Betta lies several hours to the south, with fuel and a campsite. As I am not in a hurry, a short stage will have me drinking ice cold Tafels inna shade at Betta sooner...

Soltaire where I refuel, drink real coffee, scoff down the apple crumble, take a humongoes sh*t, because my gut's feels a little friendly this am. I guzzle lotsa water, and head of.

Traffic is not to hektik. The odd tour bus/van full of krauts/poms/ or other assorted tourists. Oh, and there are several graders out there, keeping the road in shape, although they just spread thicker sand over the holes, where the actual compacted surface has worn away. You have to keep you wits about you here. The road conditions are always changing.

At Betta no need for a tent, as this shady arrangement does the job well. Only after the sun drops, do I hear a million mozzies buzzing around me, but the 80% deet repellant keeps them away.

So with an ice cold Tafel Lager in hand, I contemplate another hard day in africa....

No need to worry about my garden to much...

Ahhh.... what a view. I like my back yard. Hmm.
But tommorow takes me along the D707, according to some experienced adventure riders, the classic route to take. Remote, sandy, long and scenic...
Looking forward to this.
Cheers...

 

[Tractorpilot]

Wow

More!

Lovin it

TP

 

[yamonda1]

 

[(RIP) petcul]

Nice one

 

[Chrisvh]

Fantastic report.

 

[GS_Rafiki]

D707 to Bahnhof's Hotel, Aus

Early the next morning, I depart Betta, and mentally prepare myself for the D707. 123km of remote dirt road, skirting the Namib Naukluft NP. There will be lots of sandy bits, and I'm not that great with my Adv on sand. But so far, so good, because having just enough load on the back, will help keep the weight off the front wheel. The sandy bits so far went well, the Adv dances around quite a bit, but you just gotta relax, and "stand up, look up, and open up" is all it takes... let her dance.

After turning off onto the D707 I find the water tank, which features in a number of trip reports elsewhere. No need to cut the grass...

One of my favourite trees is the camel thorn, which grows in the driest of places. I marvel at these magnificent trees, they look like they where here when Moses wozn't. They give shade and I take in the vistas, feeling a little cooler than the 46deg C on my comp.

What seems as miles and miles of f*ck all, is really a paradise for anyone interested in natural stuff, i.e. flora & fauna, all of the above.

Mountains onna left, dunes onna right. Hmm, wonderful views.

Still a long way to go. I'm drinking isotonic fluids from my 3L Camelback, everytime I stop.

In the shimmering distance I make out an approaching vehicle.

It turns out to be a couple from Antwerp in Belgium in a Nissan x-trail on a self drive safari, who are kind enough to take this pic of me on my Adv. We exchange courtesies, and the conversation turns to beer. The missus shakes her head and walks off, as the husband and I discuss the distinguishable qualities of lager over stouts, as the sun beats down on our heads, and the surrounding air resemble the inside of an oven at full setting. We shake hands, wish each other bon voyage and go our seperate ways.

The last 30 or so km's to the t-junction are firmer, and I let the big GS cruise at a somehwat faster speed. I reach the turn off to Aus, and sit in the shade of the road sign, chowing a energy bar. My Camelback is nearly empty. It's been a long, sandy and very testing D707, but I did it with out any drama's. I'm chuffed.

The view from the shady terrace of the Bahnhof's Hotel in Aus.

What a relief! I had a great day on the GS, and now I sit hear guzzling down ice cold Hansa draught, I prefer the Lagers. Cheers!