Day2 - Leg5 - Bots+Zim - Tree Stop

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com, in particular a short series on the Botswana and Zimbabwe - Giraffe tour we attended during July 2011. Check out the plans and route for the trip here.

• Check out and "like" our Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/Africa4Adventure.MotorbikeTours
• Check out our Blog site: http://africa4adventure-motorbiketours.blogspot.com/
• Check out the main website: http://www.africa4adventure.com
• Follow us on twitter @Africa4Adventur

More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.

http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/tour-routes/all-summaries 
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/reserve-menu-item
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/events

This section of the route in Botswana on the way between Nata and some kilometers before Kasane, is a massive 140km odd section of road works. They are building a completely new road next to the old road to allow the traffic to flow and frankly because the old road is unable in all likelihood to be recovered. The problem is the old road is it is a typical narrow two lane road built for a few light vehicles on sand.

However this road has become the main trucking route up north and massive 18 wheelers pound this little road, built on soft sand, all day. Consequently huge sections of it have broken away to the extent where you are not sure if it is actually a tar road or not. Potholes that giraffes and elephants could hide in. To avoid the chipped edges, the trucks drive in the centre of the road so two on-comming trucks makes for interesting battles of nerves!  Of course as a bikers you are much lower in the pecking order and a few times tend to have to really make use of the off road ability and head off into the sand and grass.

We needed a break after a looong ride on this road, so we stopped under a tree to relax and tell our war stories, of potholes missed, trucks missed, etc. Fortunately we were now over the worst and all in one piece!

Tree Stop after a long hard road - in need of shade

Slowly they arrive

Good place to change rods in the on-coming traffic!

More arrive

Nearly off the map already

Doggie still tying down his kit!

Big tree on the side of the road - old road left - new road right

KaaaTooM

BeeeEeM - see the new bigger wider road being built in the background

Day2 - Leg4 - Bots+Zim - Doggie tie downs

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com, in particular a short series on the Botswana and Zimbabwe - Giraffe tour we attended during July 2011. Check out the plans and route for the trip here.

• Check out and "like" our Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/Africa4Adventure.MotorbikeTours
• Check out our Blog site: http://africa4adventure-motorbiketours.blogspot.com/
• Check out the main website: http://www.africa4adventure.com
• Follow us on twitter @Africa4Adventur

More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.

http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/tour-routes/all-summaries 
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/reserve-menu-item
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/events

Doggie was busy earning himself BIG beer fines for that evening, because every 10km or so, he had to stop and save all his kit from falling of the bike. The culprit was the sleeping bag (ex army issue from the 70's or 80's) and the huge spare either full or empty petrol cannister, both of which were flapping around and almost getting in the wheels!

After the third or fourth attempt we all decided to try and step in and help him tie the stuff down. Doggie came close a few times to just throwing the sleeping bag away, and cursing and whipping the bike with the tie downs! One of the interesting memories of the trip for all of us anyway.

Doggies stop number three or four

Same stop different view

Time to get some curios as little presents to take home

The Wimpy - real clean and tidy surprise for breakfast compared to what we were expecting

All the bikes parked outside the Wimpy

The Open road

Sorting out Doggie again!

This was on a stretch of bad old road while they build the new road to the left

All of us stepping in to save the kit and Doggies temper!

Day2 - Leg3 - Bots+Zim - Trees 'n dips

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com, in particular a short series on the Botswana and Zimbabwe - Giraffe tour we attended during July 2011. Check out the plans and route for the trip here.

• Check out and "like" our Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/Africa4Adventure.MotorbikeTours
• Check out our Blog site: http://africa4adventure-motorbiketours.blogspot.com/
• Check out the main website: http://www.africa4adventure.com
• Follow us on twitter @Africa4Adventur

More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.

http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/tour-routes/all-summaries 
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/reserve-menu-item
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/events

We left Francistown and were heading up the main north artery through Botswana at this stage towards Chobe and Kasane, having to make good time as we knew we were approaching some pretty hectic roadworks further up the road. We were also aiming to make about 560km today.

One thing we noticed was how many foot and mouth control dips we had to pass through, which was making the bikes get really dirty from these white chemicals we had to ride through or have sprayed on them, with the dust then settling on the moisture.

The trees also start becoming a real feature once you get this far north. Wonderful boababs. We saw so many that I'd like to have stopped and pictured but we were pushing the pace so didn't stop as often as we should have.

Getting ready to ride the dip juice

Fantastic trees all over the place as we head north

One of the beautiful Boabab trees on the side of the road

Heading through the chemical again as we prevent foot & mouth spreading

A few large trucks on this road going north

The boyz taking a small breather for a bit before continuing

These machines are built for this - no doubt - take it in their stride

Oops - has someone lost their number plate?!

Day2 - Leg2 - Bots+Zim - Dumela Coffee

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com, in particular a short series on the Botswana and Zimbabwe - Giraffe tour we attended during July 2011. Check out the plans and route for the trip here.

• Check out and "like" our Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/Africa4Adventure.MotorbikeTours
• Check out our Blog site: http://africa4adventure-motorbiketours.blogspot.com/
• Check out the main website: http://www.africa4adventure.com
• Follow us on twitter @Africa4Adventur

More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.

http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/tour-routes/all-summaries 
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/reserve-menu-item
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/events

Our initial plan for the day was for everyone to meet at the entrance of the Dumela Lodge where we had stayed for the night, once finished packing and once we were all ready to leave. About four of us made it there, and were waiting for the others when the very friendly lady owner of the lodge came over and offered us some coffee before we left. It was an offer we just couldn't refuse given that it was a little cold and we needed as much coffee as we could get from the night before!

We sat and had some coffee, thanked them for their wonderful hospitality and for putting up with us the night before so gracefully, and then left looking forward to what the day would bring now that we were nearing the wilder more game reserve parts of Botswana.

Some parked out the front of the reception area

Some waited at the gate

Getting pictures of the lodge sign and us there at the gate

Then the Coffee offer which was fantastic

This was the place we stayed at in Francistown - Can recommend it

Ready for the day ahead

Looking forward to what to day brings

Where are the last two? Still sleeping?

Coffee then the road

Day2 - Leg1 - Bots+Zim - Wakey Wakey

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com, in particular a short series on the Botswana and Zimbabwe - Giraffe tour we attended during July 2011. Check out the plans and route for the trip here.

• Check out and "like" our Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/Africa4Adventure.MotorbikeTours
• Check out our Blog site: http://africa4adventure-motorbiketours.blogspot.com/
• Check out the main website: http://www.africa4adventure.com
• Follow us on twitter @Africa4Adventur

More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.

http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/tour-routes/all-summaries 
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/reserve-menu-item
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/events

Having only got to bed at about 2am, trying to get going again at 7am sharp was a little bit of a challenge in our hungover states! It was also a little nippy which wasn't any sort of encouragement to crawl out of our extra blanketed bed either. We kick started ourselves with some coffee, packed and then got going slowly. A fresh morning, but we knew the sun would soon warm it up to a pleasant temperature.

Morning! Check out how cold it is - you can see the steam off the coffee

We stayed in very nice tented accommodation for excellent rates

Two people to a room

CharlieG getting ready in his jocks

A little cold in the middle of winter in a tent but very comfotable

Sun starting to pop out

Just love the African bush first thing in the morning

KTM pic and tent

KTM pic and owner, not quite woken up yet!

Day1 - Leg8 - Bots+Zim - Beer & Sleep stop

This is the daily blog from Africa4Adventure.com, in particular a short series on the Botswana and Zimbabwe - Giraffe tour we attended during July 2011. Check out the plans and route for the trip here.

• Check out and "like" our Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/Africa4Adventure.MotorbikeTours
• Check out our Blog site: http://africa4adventure-motorbiketours.blogspot.com/
• Check out the main website: http://www.africa4adventure.com
• Follow us on twitter @Africa4Adventur

More South and Southern African motor cycle tours on our list of tour route summaries are available, where we explore these sorts of motorcycle tour routes. Just choose one of our events and reserve yourself a place on one of the future motorcycle adventure safari events.

http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/tour-routes/all-summaries 
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/reserve-menu-item
http://www.africa4adventure.com/index.php/events

After having riden 700km and crossed one border post, it had certainly been a long day. Fortunately it was all on tar otherwise it could have been even harder. We got to our Dumela lodge in Francistown after asking around and getting lost for a bit but finally arrived and headed directly to the bar. As usual, the first night everyone went large. First night syndrome. We laughed and joked till all hours and then finally went and found our much needed beds.

Fill all the tanks for tomorrow

Stopped in some side street trying to figure out where to find the lodge

Kieran

Loekie

We were thirsty enough to drink for Africa

And so we did!

Jokes were flowing thick and fast from the outset

Before dinner team pic

After dinner - way into the evening

At 12:30 they gave us another half an hour before closing but we carried on till about 2am