Triumph over buracracy!

I had a Hell of a time getting to the right person to get my SA purchased bike registered in my name. BUT, if you are ever in my situation (foreigner on tourist visit (no long term Visa) and buying a SA motorbike) go straight to Lydia in Room #17 at the Roodepoort Town Hall (police part) and ask her to help you get a SA Identification document and register your bike. She is competent and fast at getting the job done -- and a friendly pleasant lady too. You will need to find someone with whom you can take up residence while you are in SA - they can provide proof of their residence and an affidavit that you live with them. It involves a bit of paperwork, but Lydia knows how to make it work.

So, now I can legally ride about on my bike and cross borders too.

Today we went for a ride toward Sun City, but stopped for breakfast about 2/3s of the way there and then decided to return to the dry comforts of Michelle and Andy's home as it rained most of the way there and back. But, tomorrow Pat and Christianne and I go. Kruger National Park here we come.

The adventure begins.

First report from Africa

It is early on Sunday morning March 20, 2011. I have spent one night at Thapelo’s (with his brother Andile, great guy!) then moved here to Andy and Michelle’s a few miles away for a couple of nights when Christianne and Patrice arrived from Québec – more room, an invitation, and this is where the bike is being prepared for the trip Up Africa. The Black guy in the Braai (African BBQ) picture is Jaki, a Ugandan transplanted here by several years. He is the guy I bought the bike from. He is very tall, soft spoken, funny, and interesting (Professor of Economics/Political Science/Psychology). Very sweet friendly guy. He used the money I paid him, and a lot more, to buy a new Yamaha Tenere which he says he has not yet had a chance to ride off very far on.

I brought a lot of stuff to put on the bike before embarking from Johannesburg on the great adventure – center stand, pivot pegs, pannier boxes and rack, … and a bunch of electrical gadgets. Andy is the mechanic that Jaki found for me.  After we met, he invited us to stay with him and his wife Michelle.

So far, without exception, South Africans of all cultures and colors have been exceptionally friendly, open/candid, hospitable, and laid back. Thapelo (our first Couchsurfer host – look it up at http://couchsurfing.com) had to leave town on business on day one of my arrival. I still have to meet him. But, his brother Andile was a wonderful host and very informative, funny, open about all our discussions – political, racial, historical, personal…. Andy and Michelle are also very friendly and hospitable – and he is a terrific mechanic. He says that now my bike is “the most tricked out Suzuki in South Africa” and it looks good. Except for my helmet cam which I still haven’t figured out how to mount, I’m pretty much ready to go equipment wise. I also still have to sort out the registration and Carnet de Passage for the rest of Africa. Pat’s bike arrives at airport tomorrow.

I’m having a Hell of a time trying to figure out how to communicate with anyone electronically/digitally. Got my new GPS maps for all of Africa yesterday. But, my iPhone doesn’t work here unless I’m in a wifi situation which I’m not almost all the time and even then I think it would cost too much to use it – I can’t get it clearly understood. So, yesterday I got a new phone and SIM card to use in Africa – today I stopped at a gas station and bought some minutes then I can text and phone locally without spending very much at all. I suspect we will be ready to leave here by Wednesday.

I’ve met several biker guys and talked a lot about bikes and traveling in Africa. The food here seems to be good everywhere, but too much meat for my own taste. South Africans of all colors seem to have embraced the end of Apartheid (almost universally) and the country is growing fast and is “Pot of Gold” attractive for hard working aggressive Africans from all over Africa -south of North Africa. Lots of immigrants and people trying to make it here. Black people from lots of places in Africa come here; kinda like poor Mexicans that come to USA - same motivations and energy.

After talking with some Black South Africans – who also embrace the changes since the end of Apartheid and feel hopeful for their own futures here, I think it will be a long time before a White South African (about 8% of the population) becomes President again here. The past abuse of the Black population will take generations to overcome; but, it will happen someday. Socially there is total integration here, culturally not as much, economically not so much – but it’s all coming on, politically not so much because of history and cultural and economic differences. But, “the change” is working toward a very bright future for people of South Africa and no one would want to go back to the “good ole days”.

We have not watched TV or heard the news since arriving here; well we have watched snippets of the World Cup Cricket Tournament which EVERYONE in South Africa is passionate about! So, I’m not sure how the nuclear situation is unfolding in Japan or if Gaddafi is still a mad man or what else might be happening in the wider world.

All for now. In a few days time, I hope to have something adventurous to talk about.

South Africa is Hot!

Arrived yesterday flying in from Seattle to Dallas to London to Johannesburg - 40 plus hours with 3 hours sleep and several movies. It was hot here yesterday, but perfect today. We are working on the bike - adding some gadgets. Patrice and Christianne arrive later tonight.

More later.

Almost ready to depart for South Africa

We had a wedding last week - it ended with funny glasses! - now I can go. My youngest daughter - not really so young anymore - finally got married. I got both a new son and a new 12 year old grandson out of it! Both great guys. A fine time was had by all.

Yesterday, I took my newly made up patches in to the local shoe repair guy yesterday (his very long reach sewing machine is the thing for sewing them onto the back of my riding jacket) to be put on. There are three of them. One is Asalem Alekum written in Arabic script, one is “an African Traveler” (I'm told its a sort of African joke saying for people like me) written in Swahili, and the third is a logo of the Lummi Nation (where I live). It will be a different look as I'm walking about!

I’m starting to finally pack up my gear. I’ve married my two pannier boxes – picture - so I can ship them as one piece of luggage on my flight and I bought an old very big suitcase from the thrift store to put lots more stuff into for a second checked bag. I’ll carry on a third bag and my helmet – hope everything fits. The bike awaits me in Johannesburg where Patrick (the guy I bought it from has kept it for me). I sent Patrice, the other bike, three dry bags to put with his crated motorcycle - with the tent, sleeping pad and bag – picture.

I hope I really take the time and energy to put videos and words on it from time to time.I am about to click on buying a helmet camera http://pointofviewcameras.com/contour-gps-hd-camera-megapack.html – hope that works. With lions and snakes and God knows what, it will be an adventure for sure; best if not my last!

I’m still looking for a little tool set for the bike – most likely, still lost in my shop.

In any event, I've got my plane ticket and I'm nearly packed up. I’m about ready to depart. Anxious to get started.

Got plane tickets today!

Arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa on March 17th at 7AM after flights from Seattle to Dallas to London. Long ride between two other fat people (usually where I end up), but I'll live. Then, head for Egypt! Wish me luck....

I'd like to figure out how to generate an interest in following our adventures in Africa next year - starting in 4 months time!

I would especially like to be able to generate some money for "do-gooder" projects along the way. I'm sure we will run into any number of opportunities to buy some stuff or otherwise be helpful to orphanages or hospitals or schools or…. Even in South Africa alone there are more than 1,000,000 HIV orphans - heard it on the radio just the other day.


It would be nice to have even just a few hundred extra dollars to offer up whenever the opportunity to do something good along the way presents itself – especially if the dollars have other people’s names on them! I’m sure many such opportunities will pop up – they did on my South American trip a couple of years ago and that continent isn’t suffering from widespread HIV, warfare, or natural disasters like Africa.

So, what I have in mind is setting up something like the following which I copied from an Australian guy riding a bike from Sydney to London thru the Middle East - he made it!


His blog included something that looked like this:

"Pay your support!

Right, there’s no point just doing this for the sake of seeing a man die on a moto, we may as well make some money for some poor fly-blown orphan along the way. Following is a sponsorship link with all proceeds going to good causes along the way. So give large, give generous, because if we raise enough then just maybe I’ll get on the telly! (Which he did when he got to London!)

Click this link to sponsor me giving it all away during the trip.

And, if you have a website we would be pleased to offer you a link on this page once you have pledged your donation.”

I don't know how to set up something like this. If you or anyone you know would like to “get er done”, please go to it - and let me know. Thanks, Tom 

Just returned from a little ride around in the Rocky Mountains

My friend John from Derry, Northern Ireland came to visit three weeks ago. He had previously bought a 1993 BMW K-75 and it was waiting in my shop for his return. I took my 1997 BMW R1100RT and away we went on a ride: Custer's Waterloo, Yellowstone, Bear Tooth Pass, Deadwood, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Tetons, Dinosaur Monument, Arches, Antelope Island (in the Great Salt Lake), Bonneville Speedway (had to try a short ride on salt!), San Francisco, up Highway 1 then 101, and on back home again. Almost 5,000 miles in 12 days; then John went home again to rest up. Great ride - big country! There are still lots of antelope and deer playing out there on the range, and buffalo, elk, and a few more "wild animals". But, no elephants, giraffes, or lions -- until next year.