Sub-Sun's or Who needs luggage...

when flying with Mango... looking back at the day all I can see is the humour and beauty of the day. Boarded and ready to go... sans luggage...
M got me to the airport on time, I checked in and said "There... that's my luggage booked in, now it's your problem"... and Murphy smirked an evil smirk! I will let the reader use their imagination what happened when I got to Cape Town... it was not pretty. But I digress...

The flight was awesome, some say it was bumpy but they have never flown in a single engine plane coming in for a landing at Marydale in the Northern Cape... that is bumpy!

The clouds were awesome and as we took of the Captain mentioned that it had started snowing in Bloem Zoo! and that it was 2degrees C... We almost had wall to wall cloud all the way, some breaks in the cloud gave us amazing sights. This was at 13:00 as we passed over Van der Kloof Dam.
Van der Kloof dam as a pool of quicksilver.
There were even more amazing things to be seen as we winged our way over the seemingly endless sea of clouds...
Sub-Sun on the starboard... an APOD picture!
banking to Port for Cape Town approach...
Braking with reverse thrust after touchdown...

Table Mountain through the window after being reunited with my bags...
Thanks Chris
The Green won my heart...
After selecting some kit and a top box with the help of Jan, Graham and gang opened up a celebratory beer to toast the Beast, then Chris dropped me off at my digs at Spook and Erica... the most delightfull hosts a tired traveler could wish for. Thanks guys! The bike would be prepped next morning and Graham would get the paperwork done so that we could get out on the highway...
So off to bed it was to dream of things to come... but I first read the first chapter of Charlie Boorman's Race to Dakar... The book on the bedside table, inpiring me to keep working on my 2T2 dream. He and Ewan McGregor are busy with the Long Way Down, riding from John O'Groats to Cape Town... Dream Big Guys!
"The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage."
Mark Russell (1932 - )
Day 1 of 12 Days with Shrek

Good to go, ready to do some crossing off...

Of things on my Wishlist, may add some later too! Just on 12 hours and I get on the plane to Cape Town International for the great KLR Adventure...

My list of things to do:
Bungeeeeee! - If I get time this trip
Buy me a CS650 Beemer - Bought a KLR650 instead!
Discover a Comet - Saw Comet McNaught, just as good as discovering one!
Do a skydiving course - maybe later...
Get a Dress Kilt, Clan Campbell
Kiss the Blarney Stone - See T2T

Pat a Great White on the snout - I may just do that this trip!
See a Snow Leopard in the wild - See T2T
Smell a Volcano - See T2T
Spend a day with a Silverback - See T2T
Taste the Dead Sea - See T2T
Walk the Via Dolorosa - See T2T
Witness a Supernova Done! Not what I expected but just as spectacular... read the blogs...

My list of Natural Wonders to visit:
Amazon river - See T2T
Ngorogoro - See T2T
White Sands - See T2T
Ayers Rock-Uluru
Witsand - Soon...

My list of Countries to visit:
Alaska - See T2T
Angola - 2008
Antartica
Argentina - T2T
Canary Islands
Falkland Islands - See T2T
Guernsey - See T2T
Kamchatka Peninsula - T2T
Namibia - 2008
Patagonia - The great T2T adventure, being planned!
Oz
Scotland - See T2T
Tiera del Fiego - See T2T


My list of Stuctures to visit:
Ankor What - See T2T
Macchu Picchu - See T2T
Tajh Mahal - See T2T
The Pyramids - See T2T
Castle Stalker - See T2T

My list of Cities/Towns to visit:
Alice Springs
Buenos Aires - See T2T
Brisbane
Cooper Pedy
Edinburgh - See T2T
Monaco - See T2T
Nome - See T2T
Sidney
St Petersburg - See T2T
Cape Town - On my way!
Windhoek - 2008

My list of absurdities:
Become President of SA or any other country for that matter! Me? a politician?
Build a car that will do 0 > 100 in 3 seconds flat using water as fuel...
Clone the Pope.
Design the smallest OS posssible that will kick MS's butt.
Live long enough to see my great, great, great grandkids.
Make a Dirty Harry sequel.
Play drums in a Rock Band.
Teleport to Mars.

Actually when one see's how many will be crossed off with this trip the T2T is looking more and more do-able.
I am going to document this trip and maybe get it published, if that works the Ops GOF trip would sell as well and that may just get the finances needed for T2T! Think BIG!
Just 12 hours to take off!
Wish me luck!
"Life changed after that jump...I'd suddenly stepped to the highest level of daring, a level above even that which airplane pilots could attain." Charles Lindbergh (1902 - 1974), describing his first skydive

Checklist

Pilots and rally drivers use them, so do us bikers;
Here are all the things I am lugging along...The stuff on the table and the jacket and top on the chair...
Here it is all packed and around 12 Kilos, 8 shy of the 20 kilo max Mango allows. Phew! All according to the Checklists, except a few things that need washing or collecting from the chemist tomorrow. I have to get antihistamine tablets... me and bees and bikes... we have a history of having contact in the weirdest places, anatomically speaking.
However my most important thing on my checklist is to tell the kids that I love them and thanks for letting their crazy dad do insane things.
Thanks L, but I think I will leave your IPod for now... I would love some music on the road but I first have to relearn riding a bike and concentrating... Avril Lavinge and Girlfriend will have to wait till I get back, as well as the Now Cd's for that matter.
"That's what college is for - getting as many bad decisions as possible out of the way before you're forced into the real world. I keep a checklist of 'em on the wall in my room." J. Jacques, Questionable Content, 01-04-07

Check the weather...

321 Cape Peninsula, Boland/Grabouw & SW Cape Coast to Cape Hangklip
Saturday, 23 JunPartly cloudy, rain tonight (30%).Wind : Strong NW, reaching gale force in places along the coast.Maximum Temperature in Cape Town 18deg C and Paarl 20.
Sunday, 24 JunCloudy with rain (80%).Wind : Strong NW, gale force in places along the coast.Maximum Temperature in Cape Town 16deg C and Paarl 16.
Monday, 25 JunCloudy with rain (80%).Maximum Temperature in Cape Town 15deg C and Paarl 15.
Tuesday, 26 JunShowers, abating from afternoon (60%).Maximum Temperature in Cape Town 13deg C and Paarl 12.
Wednesday, 27 JunNo Rain.Maximum Temperature in Cape Town 15deg C and Paarl 15.
Thursday, 28 JunNo Rain.Maximum Temperature in Cape Town 17deg C and Paarl 17.
Friday, 29 JunNo Rain.Maximum Temperature in Cape Town 19deg C and Paarl 18.
That looks good for next week. Hope the weather holds and gives me a chance to do some good rides. I hope all I need to wear for riding will be Boots, jeans, shirt, gloves, helmet and this great jacket from Shift Racing...

The XC is great and feels very comfortable. Got it in XXL to give me some room for a warm layer yet is still quite snug. Gave my gloves a good dose of polish today, letting them spend some time in the sun to absorb all the dubbin followed by a last coat of black before rubbing them up. I am surprised how good they look for 20 odd year old kit, good leather never rots. I will have to get a tape measure to measure my head and the kids to get the right helmet size... I hope I can get one that matches my final colour choice, which is leaning ever more greenward.
However the kids must decide what helmet colour they both want. On the other hand I may go for a colour that will catch the cage drivers attention.
Since I have gone into "bike mode" I notice that I am driving with more anticipation and being more aware on the road... can only be a good thing.
"All of us could take a lesson from the weather, it pays no attention to criticism." North DeKalb Kiwanis Club Beacon

Way cool...

Now blogger can upload video from your PC! Still in beta though but I will give it a bash...

This was from a aussie source, will research the credits sometime.

Tip to Tip or T2T for short...

While reading about other people's trips with their KLR's I had this insane idea...



To ride from the tip of Africa to the tip of South America to see what Patagonia looks like and then back via a slightly diffrent route... Now I need sponsors and traveling companions. You have to dream big they say!
How about this quote... sort of sums my idea up to a T...
"I wanna hang a map of the world in my house. Then I'm gonna put pins into all the locations that I've traveled to. But first, I'm gonna have to travel to the top two corners of the map so it won't fall down." Mitch Hedberg (1968 - 2005)

Green or Blue...

the deal is on but I still have to see the bike "live" before deciding what colour... So far I am impressed with Helderberg Kawasaki. Thanks Jan and Graham... hope those broken bones heal soon bru... (Graham had a prang last weekend, breaking both clavicles.) I will make a commiseration call if I can to him when down there next week.

I am still waiting for the local Quaks to call, my spies inform me they have 4 bikes on the floor... I hope they have them still when I get back. I mean what is up with them not returning my e-mail/sms/personal query regarding the bike. Is my cash not good enough? Or do they think this GOF is wanking their chain!

I have also joined KLR650.net, this forum for this model is a treasure chest of tips and tales, great bunch of riders that love their Thumper Beast. Although the older model owners seem to be a tad green with envy with the 2008 model.

I also dug out my old kit... the gloves still fit, my summer pair needs some attention to the seams and the other just needs a good dose of dubbin to losen them up, the heavy winter ones are still perfect, just right for this trip. The tank bag I made for my Z750 should work just fine and my rain mittens are still ok but alas the rain boots are all gummed together. So all I need now is Helmets and a rainsuit and we are good to go. This is going to be a long weekend!

This song has been in my head all week as well...
Motor bikin' - motor bikin' - motor bikin' - motor cycling
Moving on the Queens highway looking like a streak of lightening
If you gotta go go gotta go motor bike riding

Listen to me and I'll tell you no lie
Too fast to live too young to die
I bought a new machine today say
It takes your breath away.

Motor bikin' - motor bikin' - motor bikin' - motor cycling
Moving on the Queens highway looking like a streak of lightening.

Oh baby won’t you come with me
I'll take you where you want to be

Well here I am again I'm dressed in black
I got my baby she's a riding up back
A we're doing about ninety five
Whoo it's so good to be alive.

Motor bikin' - motor bikin' - motor bikin' - motor cycling
Moving on the Queens highway looking like a streak of lightening
If you gotta go go gotta go motor bike riding

Motor bikin' - motor bikin' - motor bikin' - motor cycling
Moving on the Queens highway looking like a streak of lightening
If you gotta go go gotta go motor bike riding

Motor Biking by Chris Spedding... yeah baby, Let the good times roll!

"Never say never, for if you live long enough, chances are you will not be able to abide by its restrictions. Never is a long, undependable time, and life is too full of rich possibilities to have restrictions placed upon it." Gloria Swanson (1899 - 1983)

Thanks Dad

Today was fathers day so I took my Dad and the rest of us for a slap up lunch at the Bush Bub at Bains Lodge... We both gazed in wonder as we watched the kids fooling around with their latest electronic gizmos... I must be getting older and wiser.
Luv Ya Dad! even though you do not use a computer and will not read this.
Going on for 80 and he can still weld a mean bead!

"The words that a father speaks to his children in the privacy of home are not heard by the world, but, as in whispering galleries, they are clearly heard at the end, and by posterity." Ricther

Where I want to chill a while...

watch some whales and run some passes before heading back to the daily grind a month from now.
If all works out I will be flying Mango and returning 2 wheeled via Route 62, then via the Eastern Cape to KZN and back via Maloti route or I may even do a round route via some northern provinces... time will tell. I may even blog if I find a net connection.

I have 5 routes planned so far...
Brown, 1000k around the Cape.
Green, Route 62.
Blue, to my Boet via Maloti route then to Mapumalanga via Red.
Red, to my Boet via Wild Coast then Klerksdorp and back home via Maloti route.
Yellow, back home via Witsand and Kimberley.
I still have to plot out the exact roads and work out exact distances... but it any one should be fun.
So to the words of the immortal hit from Steppenwolf...
BORN TO BE WILD
From the 1968 release "Steppenwolf"
Words and music by Mars Bonfire

Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure
And whatever comes our way
Yeah Darlin' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

I like smoke and lightning
Heavy metal thunder
Racin' with the wind
And the feelin' that I'm under
Yeah Darlin' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

Like a true nature's child
We were born, born to be wild
We can climb so high
I never wanna die

Born to be wild
Born to be wild
"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost." H. Jackson Browne, from P. S. I Love You

White lines are for sissies

I may be generalising a bit but 9 times out of 10 when some lunatic passes on the white line they have GP at the end of their registration... the sun washed out the picture and I had to snap very hastily to catch this act of senseless audacity!
This guy just made it past the Army Samel and the oncoming 18 Wheeler... we just braked and said a prayer that we would not get caught up in his stupid games. I hate that we have this type of behaviour, these drivers think they can pass anything as long as the other driver pulls over the yellow line.
I think passing another vehicle like this even when you do not cross a solid line should be prosecuted. One should only pass on the dotted if and when it is safe enough... drivers should not go left over the yellow either if the centre line is solid!
In fact the law actually states that driving over the yellow for long distances is an offence! The yellow line and road shoulder is there to pull over in an emergency or to give way under unusual circumstances, not for every Tom, Dick and Harry that flashes their lights to pass!
Anyhow... I survived another trip to Qwaqwa... once I have relaxed and gotten the nerves settled I may continue blogging...
"They're funny things, Accidents. You never have them till you're having them."
Eeyore, Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne