Aussies go Riding in Africa with Alfie Cox

[KTM05Member]

Hi Guys

Is it appropriate to post a ride report about a trail ride that a group of us did in Africa??

:dry:

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[GregMember]

Hell yeah knock yourself out story away

TB

[glennMember]

you have my blessing

[Mick DMember]

Waiting Waiting… It wasn’t with a group called Team Rat was it???

[glennMember]

team rat got eaten on the trip mick :woohoo: :woohoo:

[KTM05Member]

OK here goes ……. I will split the report over a few posts so it doesn’t get too big.

I’m not sure exactly how it all started but you all know the kind of yarns that are told at the compulsory post mortem, after a great days trail riding. And the bigger the pile of empty beer cans, the more adventurous the yarns become. Well that’s probably where this crazy idea started. When someone asked “So where are we going for our next ride?”, and another contributes “Lets do the Paris Dakar run”. Well we didn’t head off to Paris but we did agree that we should head off to Africa for a ride in the remote African countryside.

Normally these outrageous plans fade in direct relationship to the level of soberness the next morning, but this time the idea didn’t go away …….. so we decided to make it happen and to realise the dream.

One of our trail riding group knew Alfie Cox from the days when he was racing the enduro scene in Africa, including the infamous Roof of Africa Rally. And he had been to the Transkei region on holiday in recent years, and while there, had commented on the area being “trail riding heaven”. So a few phone calls and a years planning, and a year to save our dollars, and we were flying to the trail ride of a lifetime, an eight day Adventure Tour in South Africa with Alfie Cox as our guide.

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More to come …….

[KTM05Member]

Day1
After the long flight from Australia (via KL), the Legendary Alfie Cox of Paris-Dakar and Enduro fame meets our Aussie group of seven riders – Brett, Nev, Gordon, Peter, Charlie, Brian and Ross, at the Durban airport. At last the dream has become reality but we still find it hard to believe it is happening.

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After brief introductions we all climbed aboard the KTM Transporter with an eight-bike trailer in tow (a site to behold for us trail-riding enthusiasts). We head out of town for the five-hour trip to the Hole in the Wall resort in the Transkei. With the Esky well stocked and Alfie’s ability to keep the Mercedes cruising at a great pace, the destination was reached in no time at all. A couple of emergency stops were needed for Nev who had a touch of Bali belly, contracted during the stop over in Kuala Lumpur.

As we drove through the land of the Xhosa people it felt like we had taken a step back in time. The Transkei countryside is truly unique with the thatched roof, round mud huts dotted around the hilltops and the occasional towns with volumes of sidewalk vendors.

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More later …..

[Mick DMember]

Good yarn so far, looking forward to the next instalment.

[KTM05Member]

Day1 (continued ….)

Our accommodation for the next four nights was a townhouse sited on a hill above a white beach bay with views across the coastal cliffs and the Indian Ocean. This was to be our base camp for three days of riding in the Transkei.

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On arrival, the race was on to claim your ride for the next week from a selection of 200, 400, 450 & 525 KTM’s. After much jostling everyone was happy with their well prepared bike of choice.

With still an hour to go before sunset we set out on a quick ride to the Hole in the Wall lookout and to catch a glimpse of what was in store for us for the next few days.

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The scene was set for our amazing adventure, with Xhosa villages dotted around on rolling ridges and grassed headlands dropping vertically into the sea, with not a fence in sight anywhere.

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Day2 next …..

[KTM05Member]

Day2

Despite the effects of jetlag still lingering, the boys are all fired up for the first days riding. The weather was perfect, the ground was damp and riders briefing consisted of “Lets go”. Alfie led the way towards the promised land, dropping down to the beach and heading north.

Helmets cannot conceal the smiles as we blast along narrow trails on the edge of huge cliffs dropping into the sea, over grassy hills, crossing flowing creeks – and no dust!! We are continually greeted by waving locals as we pass the Africans in their mud huts in the remotest of places.

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Every now and then Alfie throws in a couple of challenges to keep the heart rate up and to make sure the action was recorded on video for entertainment purposes. The first grassy open hill climb of the day catches out Gordon, much to the delight of everyone including the local Africans, who always seem to appear from nowhere. The carnage continued for a few attempts, with technical assistance from Alfie in the form of “That’s not the line I said”, “Rev it”, “I said first gear not third” and “Don’t listen to me then, I know shit”.

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Technical hill climbs, deep creek crossings and knarly drop offs were all conquered with varying amounts of dignity. Alfie commented that “you guys are the most competent group that I have had” and as a result the challenges got more intense. We were also covering the route at a quicker pace than normal so Alfie found a few extra interesting detours to slow us down. Alfie’s ability to assess each rider’s capability enabled him to provide us with the type of riding to suit our experience levels and still provide us with all the excitement and adrenalin that only he could put together. He really knows his way around the numerous tracks and trails that present themselves.

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More to follow …..

[murph the surfMember]

Shit hot adventure so far boys, keep it comin :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:
Cheers
murph

[KTM05Member]

Day2 ….(continued)

Lunch stop was at the local hotel, in a little fishing village called Anchorage. Enough time was allowed for a great seafood lunch on the verandah with views over the beach and the Indian Ocean. Whales and dolphins were spotted as we relaxed at this beautiful spot.

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The afternoon’s ride headed inland bringing us up close and personal with the Xhosa people as we rode around their huts and along the interconnecting village trails. Everyone seemed excited to see us, with lots of waving and smiles all round.

Just as we start relaxing Alfie leads us along a rocky creek with a steep rocky exit. Another adrenalin challenge and opportunity for the true Aussie spirit to shine, namely “Kick your mate while he is down” (only if he is not injured though). The struggle of bikes and bodies was, as usual, recorded on tape.

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A splash of fuel at a roadside bowser at Coffee Bay and we were ready to hang on for the haul back to the Hole in the Wall resort. Charlie became the biggest loser in the puddle-jumping race for home, being in the wrong place at the right splash. “Who needs enemies when you have mates like this”.

No sooner had we dismounted the KTM’s, than the “bike master” (local hired help) was washing and preparing them for the next day. And before we had cracked the first Millers beer the maid was washing our riding gear. Is this the life or what? Relaxing with a beer, taking in the stunning ocean views while conducting the post mortem on the day’s ride. And this was only the first day of riding!!! A short walk down to the resort restaurant for the first of many great meals here.

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Day3 next …..

[KTM05Member]

Day 3

We awoke to the sound of surf rolling into the bay and looking forward to another day in paradise. The overnight rain must have put the fear into Charlie as we found him out the back, squaring up his 525’s knobby with a bread knife. And of course the occasion had to be recorded on tape for future evidence.

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The creeks were flowing well this morning so dry boots were not an option. The first crossing of the day resulted in a cracked casing on the 200 after Brian hit a large rock and pushed the pipe guard mounting into the engine. Alfie quickly repaired the problem with epoxy metal and we were on our way again.

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This day we were headed south along the coastline high grassy ridges. Alfie led us down some great technical drop offs, descending from grassy ridges to the rocks on the shoreline. One in particular got the adrenalin going. A narrow goat track up and over large boulders with a seven meter drop off to the rocks below, had us worried, with only Alfie and Brett staying in the saddle the whole way down. The rest walked and slid the KTM’s down the section but were elated to hear Alfie say “you guys are the first group ever that got through that section without my assistance”.

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Once down on the beach some well earned circle work and a bit of drag racing was compulsory, with Alfie displaying his skills with spiralling power slides and first gear wheelies.

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Somewhere along the trail Gordon had one of those ‘gumby” get offs, which resulted in a broken toe on his gear change foot. Not much you can do about broken toes so we carried on.

A hill climb through a rain forest provided the next entertainment of the day with many ‘billies’ being boiled. Peter high sided into a thorn bush part way up the hill, bringing applause and the mandatory verbal assistance from the group.

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More to follow …..

[murph the surfMember]

Man, if :silly: :woohoo: :woohoo: I only had the coin to do such a ride??
Yeh looking forwrard to the rest of ja story, Rasta Man :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[dennis da menaceMember]

fooly excellent…

living the dream boys :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

this is now on the bucket list

[Author]

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