There’s no official border crossing, we made our own based on the GPS. We were seeing forward to Ethiopia and some Injera and beers, but for now we still had to get out of Turkana and to Omarate, the first town in Ethiopia. Little did we know we would get a load more adventure for the day.
The coffee was brewing while we packed up the tent and stretchers. We weren’t talking much both of us were busy with our own thoughts as the days riding were still going to be on the difficult side of interesting.
The first piece out of Koobi Fora is sand and with the bikes warmed up, we stormed into the sandy field next to the sand road. Soooorrrrryyy Kenia for riding off the road in your game park and buggering up the veld but it’s either that or we would have struggled through the sand till mid-morning.
By now it became quite a lot of fun riding the rocky roads, skills got sharpened up in a jiffy, progress were good and we were in good spirit chasing down some of the dry pans that formed next to the lake. The bikes were keeping up well, and for once when they had to work and not drop us they came through.
The GPS shows small turns and curves on the track in Tracks4Africa, those are the places we knew we would be slowed down by rocky hills. The big ‘baddy’ was an insignificant little curve on T4A. A few bikers in the past spend some time in the extreme heat trying to get over with loaded bikes, nearly killing themselves in the process.
Riding this terrain for the last few days taught us it will only be a short piece and should bottom out in the valley where the rocky road would be easier to ride. There were a few more but we cleared them quickly. As we got closer to Illiret the terrain and road turned into a great little rolling double track that was banked enough to carry some speed through the corners. Zebra’s and some other big buck were trotting away as we past them.
Congratulations. You both rock, but especially Elsebie!
Michnus I’m sure Uncle could’ve kept himself busy in that mop for at least a week =)
Epic!!
jislaaik Michnus nou so lekker gelees, mens raak sommer weggevoer!!! mooi bly
Really Michnos & Elsebie ‘my hart was in my mond’ reading this account. love to hear how friendly people generally are. We had our daughter husband children and grand father from England here in SA and they observed the same here.
Damn epic stuff. You should really spend your evening writing a book about the experience. I will definitely buy a signed copy by both riders.
Enjoy and be safe. We (Jameson 3) are leaving for NAM in 3 weeks, just can’t wait!!!
I enjoy following your reports – keep it up. How did you eventually cross the river? Was there a bridge?
Mooi man! Maak my sommer lus vir opklim en ry! Dankie vir die lekker skryf, en fotos!
Hardcore travelling stuff !!!! Wish I was there…
MIch – in photo no 15 – on whose shoulder were you sitting there?
MIch – in photo no 15 – on whose shoulder were you sitting there? (joke)
This trip remains to be very hard and to the core!
hahaha jou grapgat! 🙂
Hi julle – soos altyd, dankie ook vir Turkana 3 – wat vir my net ongelooflik bly is hoe geseënd julle tot dusver is en die oorweldigende vriendelikheid waarvan julle getuig. Geniet die res vandie reis
Hi julle 2,
Update bietjie die planne vir die future.
Where are you storing the bikes and when will you return to carry on with the trip?
Only reading the stories of the remaining 50% of the group is not fun.