It’s like drinking a dozen RedBull’s, you are suddenly wide awake and have to concentrate like hell while the sun is busy boiling your brains. While riding I thought to myself, I am sure this is the devil‘s home, when camels succumb to the terrain it’s really not a good environment for people. How the tribes survive here is an absolute mystery. The homes resembles a squatter camp more than anything else, and there’s no water here, except lake water and that is salty.
It’s quite different to riding sand or any other thing we have ridden anywhere else, it’s like riding on fist-size marbles in a hollowed out track and still trying to avoid the sharp-edged rocks. Then there’s the size,some are smaller and more of them, or bigger sizes and they throw your front wheel all over the place. Riding out of the track is impossible and dangerous. Slow going is a no-no, you have to keep the speed to at least 30km/h or even higher. That increases the risk of falling and this is NOT the place to drop a bike.
Photo taking became almost impossible, when the going is good you need make up time and when the terrain is bad you work hard to get out of it. At one stage I stopped for a photo and with the weight of the bike on the loose stones, it is quite a balancing act, Elsebie dropped the bike. I did my best to explain to her in my calmest voice that at this place you do not drop a bike, whatever you do, do not drop a bike.
Rocks always and I mean always, win the fight with a bike’s engine casing or sump or whatever lever you need to use when negotiating rocks. I knew she already had that worked out for herself when we first rode into the lava field, and to try to recover a bike from here will be no easy feat, the terrain was really tricky but also good fun to ride.
Heeltyd Speeltyd, this is why we love riding bike!
No sudden braking, you just do not stop, feeling like ABS that’s ON on a dirt road, it’s even difficult to walk on the rocks.
That afternoon late we reached Shady Palms Campsite. We debated long when last we felt so tired and had so much to drink without visiting the toilet. We each had about 1.5l of beer, 1.5l of water and .5l of soda before going to bed! Like at so many other camp sites the staff at the campsite was so friendly and eager to please. We had some fresh fish from the lake, chips and coleslaw for dinner.
The next day we took a ‘rest-day’ and tried to explore the town, BUT the heat was unbelievable, even with the wind blowing. This almost forgotten town is mostly getting its income from the organized over lander groups travelling from Marsabit via North Horr. It’s an oasis in the desert, lots of palm trees and home to three different tribes of people.
We had to laugh, when the manager at the campsite told us there are showers with hot water! Well up to now we got used to cold showers because that’s all that campers get at campsites. Well the irony of it was there were only one tap, and they got their water from the hot spring behind the camp and the water was hot, but there were no cold water tap. In 40’ degree heat we had a shower which was great but it was hot!
We asked around for some fuel and a guide told us he can spare us some 15L, which we gladly accepted. The Dakars are not really very fuel-efficient when doing these kind of technical terrain. We also refilled our water and were set to leave for Sibiloi the next day.
It was really a great stay at Loiyangalani!
Sibiloi was waiting for us!
Hi Julle !! Wow, this is one part of your route that I have missed and still dream about doing someday. This is good stuff and respect for having the balls to do it. For now, i think, I will read your story and look at your great pictures. This is awesome !! Well done and good luck. I have a feeling your trip through sourthern Ethiopia is going to be even better !!! Cheers my Lanies.
Wow, thanks for posting this! I met a couple in Togo last year who had done this route two up on a 1200 but now i get the picture. Well done and keep traveling safely!
sjoe, dis harde ry daardie…ek ken daai hitte…selfs die gom in jou skoene smelt….eks is so beindruk met julle , wow!!
Fantasties!!! Hi Michie en Els. You guys look buggered. It must be hot as hell. Only for the brave… Some roads we did in the Richtersveld and Namaqwaland looked the same, stones all over the place and very sandy. Good luck and enjoy.
Hi Guys
thanks for the links. Hectic stuff this Africa thingie. You are having the time of your lives. Enjoy!!
Where are Harry and Linda?
My aardrykskunde onnie het hierdie dinge op skool vir ons probeer leer maar kon net ‘n F uit my kry.
As jy terug is stel asb vir die skool ‘n silabus op. Baie interessant.
Guys, well done! and thank you for sharing. Interesting architecture of the villages. Probably much cooler than you would imagine Michnus. It is interesting to observe how the “hospitality” industry is presenting itself at the various places that you have visited.
Lekker julle outjies. Always a stunning read. Mich, what is your total kilo’s completed up to now and are the Heidi’s still coping? Strongs with the remainder of this fab trip.
Donder. EK kry sommer warm hier waar ek sit!
So Mich – wanneer het jy agtergekom julle moet nou aan die regterkant van die pad ry?
BAIE nice fotos, ten spyte van die moelike omstandighede om dit te neem! Jou ‘ride report’ sover is BAIE goed geskryf – ek sien uit na die volgende hoofstuk.
Veilig ry!!
Hi Linda and Harry, I – We totally enjoy following you on you quest. What is the quest? Proving that you are better build than a BMW Dacota or figuring out what / who breaks first. You are real getting me worried since Pia has similar family genes, living with her is a wild ride too. But so far we managed to stay clear of the lava rock fields. How ever you are totally successful in proving in showing that there is fantastic beauty at all levels, but somebody has to go and look. (and live to tell about it)
Thank you Wim and Pia.
I dont seee liomda anywhere here… is she behind a rock or over the hill or swimming in the water, or just having a hot shower?? I am sooooooo impressed with youguys… what courage, perdeverance and stamina, what courage and joy and savoir vivre…
;lots of love . pia
Heidie’s doen verbaasend goed, ek sal nie sommer ander bande gebruik vir die trip, hulle handle alles wat ons al gery het. My eerste stel het so 17000km gehou, maar by gese, daar was geen genade vir hulle nie. party mense ry Egypte tot CP net op teer teen 80km/h dan hou enige band.
Hennie ek het nie veel beter gedoen met Aardryksunde nie!
Living the dream!!! Julle is ysters!!
Michnus, jy kwyn weg. Jy sal meer bier moet drink china! 🙂
Nice post Michnus. Glad to see you guys are still going strong.
Hey Els, you go girl!!
Nice report. Thanks.
Hey M and E. Just been catching up on the last few posts. I am still DAMN jealous but hope the two of your are enjoying every minute of this fantastic journey. I am certainly enjoying reading about it. Be safe and Enjoy!!!!
Great posts! Been waiting for this section to come up. Happy trails!