Enduro Africa

2007 will hold fond memories for all, but none more than for Keith as he embarked on his Enduro Africa adventure, starting with months of planning and fund raising right through to successfully completing his expedition. During his trip Keith kept a diary, below is exactly what he wrote and hopefully will give you an insight into his thoughts and feelings.

Arrived in Johannesburg. 10degrees and pouring. Very quick change for flight to Durban.
Arrive Durban, 24deg!!! Sunny.
Coach trip very interesting, shanty towns, very small houses people walking even adjacent to main roads.
Very green.
Lots of trivial jobs, porters, man directing to correct pump at petrol station etc. Soil bright orange, strange trees and birds.
Arrive at hotel at 3pm so travelling 26 hours, Hotel great but had to wait for luggage in extra van. Unfortunately first experience of Africa is broken-in-to bag but nothing missing as only socks and pants in that bit.
Security fences and electric fences around all decent houses, definitely a country of haves and have-nots.
Bikes waiting for us in the garden on arrival, much bigger and chunkier than they look on the web.
First “Do” at 4pm, Breakie at 7 for 8 O’clock start
Met Adrian and had our briefing sitting on the beach when we went to get fuel.
Briefing very good, friendly and inspiring.
Not much of a party last night, everyone knackered. Dinner excellent but English, Roast beef.
Set alarm (with help) for 6am!!! Nice to be in a clean bed. Woken by text from Sophie and then Bonnie at 12.20ish but then slept well.
Breakie great, weather dull but warm, setting fantastic. Bags packed in van by 7am, put sticker on bike and rearing to go. Managed to get 2 ½ ltrs of water in my 3 ltr bladder.
Sitting on cliff surrounded by palms with exotic birds singing and huge waves crashing below. Africa drum music, live in background.
Jim who I shared room 106 with last night is really nice bloke.
Missed the dolphins by 10mins this morning. Hotel awash with people cleaning and sweeping everything but the only black person eating in the restaurant was the one e brought with us.
Just ½ hour to the off now. The SA guides are really great fun and some extremely experienced off-roaders plus we have a Doctor, Jacque, who was on last year’s trip and the first person to break a bone!
Can’t believe I’m here
SUNDAY
What a day, lots of road works, Bikes at first really poor. Brakes didn’t work., engine tight.
Rode mainly along the coast (to our left so going south).
First off road was really dusty, visibility about 20 feet or so, and very light powdery sand taking front wheel away.
We are riding in the “1000 valleys” which we could see as we came in to land at Durban.
First crash was one of the SA experts who totalled bike and almost himself when he hit an 18” step at about 50-60kph and just stopped dead, before cart wheeling down the hillside.
One of the green team also ended up in a ditch. The dust was so bad his sweeper rode straight past so he had to drag his bike out and catch up. Would you believe we stopped at a Wimpy Bar for lunch!!
Ridden through fantastic valleys and many rivers. Lots of smiling waving people. Lots of sugar cane this morning Banana plantations this afternoon. 236km got us to our stopover. Lots of cabins in a hilly park with monkeys and exotic birds all around.
Went for a swim in Indian Ocean, lovely and warm but big surf. Very exhilarating and described as being in a large salty tumble dryer.
When I came back from swim my bike was gone. Not a nice feeling. Luckily another had been left by prankster so I rode this back to the bar, sat for 1½hours talking to a bloke complaining about my bike being nicked then it turned out it was his bike I’d ridden back on in exchange but he denied all knowledge.
Had a great meal, after the “Dick of the Day” award was handed to the crasher, BBQ lamb, pork, borroworst (beef sausage) with porridge is called mealybum apparently. Had another couple of beers then back to phone home and another early night, knackered but happy. Actually had quite a few beers without realising it leading to a stinking hangover the next day.
TUESDAY
I’m sitting in wet clothes having just had to put on what got soaked yesterday.
It started well, nice and sunny but hazy so warm not hot, lovely tarmac ride through villages, wonderful countryside (didn’t have breakfast due to feeling sick from too much drink. Had bad hangover all day). After fuel stop we headed off road and to the first difficult river crossing and climbs, difficult is relative! Going well but getting hotter and hotter. Sun now strong and no shade, eventually we split for the high road (easy) or low road (difficult) and even with the still ever present hangover I went for the difficult one.
I can’t describe it adequately. We went down a sandy slope 300-400yrds long, 50-75 degrees from vertical. Most of the time both wheels were locked up and I was skiing down. Once down we had to go all the way as we couldn’t get back up.
Through a couple of rivers and then a killer climb, Loose boulders and rocks, wicked thorn bushes and so steep. We rode, fell, pushed our way to the “top” feeling good only to find another harder climb only now it was raining and hailing violently. The dusty trail up now became a muddy river going down. I had stopped to put someone’s chain on so when the storm broke I didn’t have my waterproofs with me!
The next three quarters of an hour we all struggled to get everyone up as bikes were continually dropped. If you stopped going up you just slithered backwards until a boulder or thorn bush stopped you. I can’t explain the enormous experience in the time I have. When we got to the top we were all completely exhausted and completely elated.
After refuelling we had a 40km ride in the dark on slimy clay roads to get to our accommodation. This was flat out all the way and exciting to the point of being scary. We arrived as heroes and I’ve never enjoyed a hot shower and soft bed so much. Dinner was lovely, soup, roast chicken and so-on.
Breakfast this morning was eaten with whales breaching in the sea just outside the window.
Due to the humidity all the wet clothes from yesterday are still wet and I’m now getting into them for more!! (room 305 Jim)
UNIT 9 WED Mark, Jim, Johnny Me
Came round a corner and there’s a cow pissing in the middle of the road, 5 legged dog round another corner. Jumps and Potholes.
Fantastic day yesterday, lot’s of interesting tarmac and fantastic dirt roads. Pace much hotter. Same 4 at the front now Shaun, Jim and me with Johnny just behind Adrian. Only one river crossing yesterday and I managed to “Harvey” Shaun.
Wonderful scenery, went into a hut, used the mealy maize grinder. Everywhere you stop people appear from nowhere, smiling and happy. Hut was 15’ diameter fire in centre. Earth floor, Thatched roof.
Food basic but good last night, nice piece of beef.
Great fun in bar, played pool and laughed a lot.
Memory of day is everyone grinning like idiots every time we re-grouped and the 5 legged dog!
THURSDAY
What a day yesterday, up for breakfast we all had to queue ages for then a spoke tightening session with oil top up for good measure. Then off to the “Hole in the wall”. Stunning scenery and great rides over green hills with a few climbs and steep drops but not too bad. Some good dirt road stuff then a stop at a general store for drinks and snacks, it was a bit like the store in the Walton’s or a little house on the prairie. Had my first “Off” on the rise with hidden bump in but stayed with the bike and struggled up un-aided. Bought sweets at the store but as everyone was giving them out I hung on to mine and gave them to a group of wonderful smiling kids in a tiny village further on.
Crossed a bridge where women washing their clothes and two beautiful babies sat in green washing up bowls having a bath.
After lunch stop with snack van we split into two groups with the usual suspects going for the low road. On the first serious climb I got up OK but then had nowhere to go as bikes were already using up all the flat bit. I slid down backwards and then got thrown right over the back of the bike when it hit a rock, landed on my head and right shoulder blade. Thank God for body armour! Picked up bike, Shaun was right behind me in same predicament.
No choice but to ride on asked Doc for some pain killers and took them with some Diclofenac.
Very painful to hit bumps now so ride mainly with left arm-hand doing all the work standing on the pegs.
Ride continued OK when pills kicked in mixed with adrenaline. Went down tiny track through undergrowth tunnel, slippery rocks going down and slippery tree roots going up until eventually came to large river after going through several smaller ones.
Not only was this too deep to ford, the ferry that we were relying on no longer exists.
The next two hours were spent getting 4 bikes at a time across a fast flowing river in a small rowing boat. We started with paddles but eventually found enough rope to tie boat in centre and pull back and forth.
Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians meant this took a long time and several failures to get right.
I crossed on the last boat and managed to keep feet dry right up to the last moment. Got off boat in shallows then stepped in a hole and instantly filled me wonderful waterproof socks.
Now we had to ride on sand which was so difficult and sapped the power of the poor little engines.
From then on it was an unbelievable ride in the dark over the veldt.
Fording rivers, climbing steep hills, going down severe drops. Occasionally we would loose people and have to stop and re-group listening for horns or engine noise. Often bikes would run out of fuel and a plastic water bottle was used to take a little from other bikes to get them going again.
People were getting genuinely scared. Travelling at speed you could no longer tell the difference between a clump of grass and a rock which would take your front wheel away. As well as running low of fuel others were out of water and starting to struggle.
The relief when we finally arrived was enormous but I was in pain and feeling very sick. I couldn’t eat my supper and went back to my room and had a long hot bath. (Room was more like a bungalow with traditional thatched roof) and then collapsed. Johnny and Mark helped me to my bed and then I just hurt and felt sick.
KOBI INN
Awoke this morning feeling very weak and sore. Missed breakfast. Went to see Doc at 10.30 but not much he can do except give me more pain killers. Tried a sling but as much as it eased my shoulder it hurt my back more. Probably connective tissue damage but could be fractured ribs and/or shoulder blade. Took pills then went for lie down and missed lunch too!!
Felt better this afternoon, got bad stomach but ate most of supper. Got lovely text from Bonnie and spoke to Sophie. Texted Sam earlier to wish him Happy Birthday and Sophie said he had received it.
Hosed Bike down this afternoon and cleaned the air filter. Topped up the fuel and checked things over. Forks were twisted.
All gear packed and riding gear laid out for morning so going to sleep now at 11.30, 6am start coming up!! Tomorrow we ride THE GORGE!
FRIDAY 3 NOV
Woke just before dawn, felt fine but took two of Doc’s green pills straight away then rested for a while.
Breakfast was good but fast then we set out for the gorge. It was not as bad as some bits we’ve done but tough all the same. Lots of off road riding today, ups and downs with several river crossings and some more sand. I finally got on top of the sand today and it was great, flat out in second just skimming the surface.
Grey team working well together today.
Called in at school that had been built by money donated by mountain bike race through the area. We found nearly empty buildings with just a few bits of broken furniture. We are going to try to fund kitting it out to complete the job.
Stopped at an amazing store gain for lunch. Wonderful kids again. Ended up arm wrestling them on the floor and bouncing them on my knee to glorious giggles. Would happily have brought some home with me.
More excellent riding to a ferry across the river Kai (hence Transkai) where I bought some beads and then a short ride to accommodation.
One more broken collar bone just before ferry in Yellow team. Shaun had an “off” in a pot hole and clouted his side quite hard and Alan caught his foot in a tree root and wrenched his ankle.
SA guys not good at fitting tyres without pinching tubes. We’re getting through a lot of them and we no patches.
Called S and B from hotel balcony at Morgan’s Bay. Sharing with big Jim again.
Ride today just long and difficult enough to be another fantastic day. Beautiful scenery, ferry ride, sand skimming and buying presents from lovely African ladies all great.
SATURDAY
Long dusty gravel road to start day after great breakfast, Morgan’s bay hotel very spread out, a collection of small two storey buildings connected together.
Views over sea fantastic as ever. After fuel stop we visited small engine museum with engines from 1800s up for generators, pumps etc. great old fella in museum who started various ones up for us.
Lunch was picnic at a golf club, very nice then off for a superb run through a forest. Much of it was plantation and some of it cleared but roads were soft red-brown clay, very twisty with ups and downs.
I almost hit a puff adder which I didn’t see.
Lots of very fast dirt road stuff today.
We had our first two punctures so we had to show Adrian how to fit a tyre without using levers so as not to nip the tube. (He was very impressed!)
Went through an area that Garry said could be Texas and we saw a tortoise 50cm long and some smaller ones.
Still no broken bones in our team, only us and the reds left and they’re not going quick enough to break an egg! (just kidding Reds).
Arrived at Port Alfred at lovely hotel on harbour. Had good dinner but beef a bit tough and in bad by 10 as knackered.
It was a long day of over 310kms some on tar but mainly fast dirt track. Borrowed bat charger off Allan so phone will be OK till end of trip. Called Sophie and Garry.
SUNDAY Last day riding
Just cornflakes for breakfast as feeling a bit grim in the stomach. Not too far to ride today so we said we’d take it easy to avoid injury.
As soon as we were on fast gravel roads again it was flat out!
High pastureland this morning with long straight or mainly straight tracks. No big drops or climbs but some good potholes. Good section of lowland dairy country with sweet smells that somehow reminded me of my childhood.
Very tiring 2-3km of pure sand roads had me up on top, flat out in 4th gear. It was great but very scary.
Arrived at game reserve and quickly you’re onto Landrover for swift tour to see Giraffe, Wildebeest, Impala, Warthog, Ostrich and Lions.
Had seen Rhino earlier as we rode through a different reserve.
That was the slowest ride of the week at 20kmh to keep noise down so we might see some animals. Saw Zebra and many antelope.
After short but great safari we had lunch in a wonderful corral with a circular thatched wooden building enclosing an enchanting spot with a Braai.
Game Stew, beans rice, carrots and ginger sponge with custard for pud, Great spot for lunch and rest and fortunately a great toilet too!
Fast road work into town to meet police escort.
Much jubilation at the achievement but green team then managed to crash twice on way into hotel even managing to take out their own returned member who had rejoined with a broken collarbone to make the ride in!
For first 15mins at Hotel we just congratulated each other and enjoyed the occasion. On way to pick up key the swimming pool looked so inviting I dived in still in all my gear, it felt so good.
Everyone a bit “flat” now but it should be a good party.
Party a bit slow.
Some good speeches from Nick and especially Mike but I think everyone’s just a bit sad it’s over.
There were some nice. Wall hangings, hand painted, for sale (£60) so the grey team bought on for Adrian and one for Doc and we all signed the back then had our own little presentation. They have both been so inspirational and great fun we will miss them very much.
Lots of e-mail address swapping going on, didn’t drink much but sat around with the gang till quite late laughing till it hurt which is very easy at the moment.
LAST DAY (OR NOT)
At last a lie in.
8pm start for Breakie at 7.30 before taking bikes to Mikes place for crating up. On this very last short trip I run out of fuel! Jules fills a bottle I find in the hedge and we carry on.
Once back we all pack up, well everyone else packed whilst I slept and then took bags to reception.
Spent last few minutes in bar where I had a very nice burger and then we drank a few rounds of “poison dwarf”. I have no idea what they were, just small glasses full of different coloured liquid in layers which slipped down very nicely. Had a short swim but pool was quite cold.
Got on bus to go to Port Elizabeth airport where on arrival we learn that the J.B. to London flight has been cancelled. We were all bossed to a very nice hotel where tempers got a bit thin but I ended up in a lovely suite with Robert.
Slept well then just a bit of Breakie before getting back on shuttle for airport.
Checking in very straightforward. Had a coffee and cinnamon bun with Jim and Jim and then on to flight.
Plane only half full so had double seat to curl up on and slept some of the way. Awoke to look out at incredible scene of Sahara Desert, just sand forever rippled like the tide just went out. Stunning.
Incredibly there was a settlement right in the middle of nowhere, the circles made by the irrigation booms quite clear amongst other more irregular traditionally watered areas and buildings scattered around a few roads leading to nothing. Shortly later the terrain changed to more rugged mountains with more clouds.