Africa with Charley Boorman

Good morning riders!

2012 edition will be arriving here..

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=820227

Enjoy! ;-)


Cheers,
aproape

I have received numerous messages from you FF's about finishing this ride report. I appreciate all the positive feedback, and I am on a mission to deliver the final two days of our trip. I have been sorting through photos, journals, and videos in an attempt to give this RR its proper finish. Thanks for following along!!

Alright...let's get back to the RR. Our ride today took us along the Caprivi Strip, which is the wettest part of Namibia. It is a little slice of green wedged in the middle of a sea of beige desert and sand. All of the riders had realized that the most scenic riding was now behind us, and we were all looking forward to the last big attraction...Victoria Falls.

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It was our second to last day, but surprisingly no one seamed worn out or ready for the ride to end. Nearly two weeks in, and we were all just as excited and energized as we were on the first day. Even my roommate Tim, who took a spill on a sharp corner and fractured his vertebrae, was in excellent spirits and wanted to keep the party going. Now that I think of it, he also had a concussion and was on massive pain killers... so his perception might have been slightly altered.

We packed up our gear that morning, and I took it all in one last time. This lodge was stunning...I thought to myself that I would someday like to return here with my wife...or girlfriend! Today's ride was an easy one, 260 km of which only 30 was gravel. I rode along side my good friend Adam the entire morning, until I had the complete shit scared out of me.

I wish I had it on video. I had just turned off my GoPro. Adam and I were cruising down a desolate gravel section, sided by side with barely 4 feet between our bikes. I was totally in the zone, just enjoying the ride along the river with my mate. Out of nowhere, a rider split the gap and rode right in between us at twice our speed. He barely had a foot to spare on each side. All I remember is seeing this zebra skin helmet scream by in a trail of dust. Adam and I each almost lost it trying to recover from the apparent ambush. Here we were, the second to last day on the easiest section of the trip, and I almost got taken out by fucking zebra!! Had I been a little closer to Adam, it would have been a catastrophy. We quickly caught up to the rider and our adrenaline was flowing. I wanted to rip his helmet off and scream at him. We all pulled over and it was our good friend Mark. We couldn't stay mad for long. He was just having the time of his life, and his smile was infectious. He agreed to go on his merry way, and we agreed not to cut his fuel line, set his bike on fire, and feed him to the lions. Pretty fair deal I thought.

The last couple of km's to the Mazambala Island Lodge were sandy as hell. I am talking about 6-9 inches of deep powdered sugar.

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We all had a hell of a time getting through it, but it was well worth it. We parked the bikes at the edge of the water, posed for some photos on some old military vehicles, and were then treated to the most amazing entrance to the lodge.

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We actually boarded a boat and took a 15 mile ride through what appeared to be the equivalent of the Everglades.

It was like a scene Fantasy Island. We arrived at the "boat dock" and were greeted by Andre, the owner. He was a well dressed 70 year old man who was extremely proud of his little oasis. After quite a shower and a few beers on the look out tower, we boarded the boats again for a river safari.

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To tell you the truth, I almost didn't go. I had been on 3 previous safaris on this trip, and I thought I had seen it all. I quickly realized how ridiculous I was acting. Here I was in Africa, turning down the opportunity to go out on a river safari. I kicked myself in the ass, sucked it up, and jumped on the boat. It turned out to be my favorite safari of the trip.

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Adam, Charley and I sat up front drinking, chatting, and taking pictures. We got so up close and personal with the animals it was frightening. At one point, our boat was charged by a male elephant.

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He was trumpeting and flapping his ears, and then he made a false charge. We all shit our pants and our guide quickly fired up the engine on the little boat and we took off.

The sunset this night was glorious.



It was everything you would expect from an African sunset. It was the epitome of African perfection! I remember just sitting there watching the sunset and trying to live in the moment. It was like watching life in perfect HD on the biggest screen possible. I so badly wanted to absorb the tranquility of that moment and bottle it up for later. My mind was completely at ease. I still dream of Africa...

GP, thanks for the latest installment. Stunning sunset picture. I have a buddy heading over to that area in 2 weeks for his "dream hunt". Not my thing anymore... hunting, but he will be staying with me in Denver for a night layover on his way to S Africa. I will show him your report/pics. It must be fun reliving this while posting. I still go back and spend time reliving my 3 weeks in Nepal back in 2009. Each pic puts my right back there again. Each year that passes has me yearning to travel like that again even more.
Cheers!!

+1!!

What part of Denver? I grew up in Colorado, just outside of Aspen in the Roaring Fork Valley. Despite all my travels, it is still my favorite place on the planet.

And yes...it has been energizing to finish this RR. I have been going back through all of the photos, and I was amazed at how each photo and journal entry took me right back to that exact moment. I know that I will return to Africa, but I will do so on a solo trip. Being part of a tour was a great way to dive into the African experience and get my feet wet, but I long for more of a raw experience. I am getting ready to launch out on the Utah Backcountry Discovery Route this summer, and then Australia next year. Just me and a few of my mates riding, camping, laughing, and of course drinking! That's my style. Thanks for following along!

GP

Living in the S. Denver area now with my wife and family. Originally moved to Breckenridge Co in '98 and lived the ski bum life for 7 years. I love the Aspen area as well. Have done a couple multi-day backpacks in the Maroon Bells Wilderness Area and spent many Bourbon soaked nights at Margies and McNamara huts.

I'm sure you mentioned it somewhere in your report but what part of AZ are you in. My in-laws just bought a home in Green Valley, outside of Tuscon, and will be spending Feb-April there each year. I'm sure I will fly the family down and ride to meet them at some point. If you're close I'll let you know my plans, maybe next year.
mJ

I had a little free time this evening and put together a quick video highlighting the Mazambala Lodge which I spoke about in my last RR. This place was truly amazing, and the river safari was nothing short of spectacular. Looking back, I wish I had more still video of the evenings and the safaris. Most of my footage was shot with a GOPRO mounted to my helmet during the actual rides. I know how POV footage can get old really fast. I got tired watching my own footage!



<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H451VrlDMvM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

http://youtu.be/H451VrlDMvM

Give me shout when you are heading down to AZ. I am in the Scottsdale area and there are some amazing tracks around here. Green Valley is a great launching point for rides down to Baja!

I was sorting through photos and came up on a collection from the Overland Expo last year in Flagstaff. This expo is nothing short of inspiring and is guaranteed to make you want to quit your day job and wander aimlessly around the planet. A big highlight for me was meeting the legendary Ted Simon. He possesses a calmness and confidence about him which can only be achieved from decades of wandering. He is a true adventurer.

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My buddies Tim, Jimmy, and Billy all flew into Phoenix for the event. Tim arrived from New Jersey, Jimmy from Seattle, and Billy from the UK. It was great great to reunite with the three of them and ride again.

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They rented bikes locally and we took the long way up to the Expo. One can easily drive the Interstate between Phoenix and Flagstaff in under 2 hours if you are in a hurry. Our route was 297 miles mostly off road and took nearly 9 hours. A much better option.

We launched from my home into the 105 degree weather and descended into the Apache Trail. This follows the Salt River Canyon as is meanders along the Saguaro, Canyon, Apache, and Roosevelt Lakes. We then headed into the mountains to the quirky little town of Young, Az.


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From here, we hopped on Forest Road 300 and rode along the majestic Mogollon Rim above Payson, Arizona. A stunning ride with dramatic views and great twisties. Finally, we jumped on Lake Mary Road to end up at the Expo at Mormon Lake.

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The Expo itself was quite a spectacle. There were numerous venders offering every service and luxury imaginable for the serious overlander. I was envious of some of the rigs these people had. We are talking about vehicles in excess of $500,000. I was immediately drawn to the earth Roamers and the Sportsmobiles. Those beasts are the bomb!

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Until I hit the jackpot, I will stick with my 2 wheeled setup. It can get me anywhere I need to go and costs less than $20 to fill up.

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Numerous bikes were on display including BMW and KTM. All the tire vendors were there showing off their new rubber. Classes and clinics were ongoing throughout the day and included first aid, rollover techniques, and riding techniques. Rayhyde put on a great demo for Dual Sport riders and had participants ride their bike along the man made course with hill climbs, whoops, and jumps.

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I decided to suit up and give it a shot. A fun little course!

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The group stayed at the Monte Vista in downtown Flagstaff. This quaint hotel is in the heart of Flagstaff and is quite the scene. The lobby bar has been a gathering place for weary travelers for decades. Like usual, we stayed up late, drank too much, and suffered the next morning.

The next day, Tim and Jimmy headed out to check out the Grand Canyon while Billy and I wandered the Expo.

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That evening,Billy decided to camp out at the expo and froze his ass off. I believe the temp dropped down into the high 20's. I decided to opt for more luxurious accommodations and stayed at a friends house in town.

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Billy woke to find this ugly little FF staring back at him!

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We headed back to the "Valley of the Sun" the next day. Our route home did not include any gravel roads, but it was just as much fun. The temp steadily climbed from 50 degrees back up to over 100 degrees.

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It is hard to act manly when you are posing next to a pink jeep!

From the expo, we dropped down into Sedona along the Oak River Canyon. This provided miles of twisties through a deep canyon. We then proceeded to the historic ghost town of Jerome AZ...the wickedest town in the west. We had a great lunch at a restauratnt overlooking the valley, and then blasted off for another long section of fast twisties before arriving back in Phoenix.

My wife and I are going to attend the EXPO again this year in Flagstaff. We are going to camp out this time and soak it all in. Billy Ward, who is Charley Boorman's tour manager, will be there with a stand this year. I am still waiting on final confirmation as to whether Charley himself will be there. If you are in the area, stop by Charley's and Billy's booth and share your story. We will all be camping out, riding motorcycles, drinking beer, and sharing stories. It should be a great weekend!

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Just wanted to say that your reports are superb. Amusing and inspirational. Thanks for taking the time to post all the images and movies. Stay safe.

Awesome report! Charley has a great thing going there, and hope he expands it. The guy really took off with this whole adv thing in the right way. I'll be in Flagstaff as well I hope to run into you. I'll be the guy with the GSA that has a German flag on the panier with Arabic writing, sure I'm the only one of those running around.

I appreciate the feedback. I try to keep the RRs entertaining!

Feldjager, I look forward to meeting you at the Expo as well. Swing by the booth and meet the gang. Are you camping out as well?

Thank you for sharing these ride reports. Very inspiring indeed.

Thanks for following. I have done some amazing rides in TN when i used to live in Nashville. Beautiful area!

Just came across this RR today. As reading through and looking at pics, I saw a familiar face. In post 232, I am pretty sure the guy decked out in the black suit (w/ yellow stripes) is an old university friend, Matt. Haven't seen him in years but keep current on his great bachelor life adventures.

Your are correct. It was Canadian Matt. I didn't really spend much time with him on the trip, and I'm not sure where he is now. Small world though!

They had a link to Charlie's web-site about a ride in Africa this year. You follow the link and he has a link to this report on his page. Pretty cool.