Douala, the city that never sleeps (at the weekend)

I wanna go here, too...

Channelling Grant Johnson

There are routines to be practised. Today we did two - both crucial in different ways.

One popped bead...

Using the tools and techniques recommended and demonstrated by Grant Johnson of Horizons Unlimited fame at the summer '18 HUBBUK event, their annual four-day long-distance motorcyclists' convention/seminar/training camp, Angelika and I this morning popped the bead on my old tubed wheel. This is the seal that keeps the tyre secure on the wheel rim.

This is, to use my son Thom's favourite phrase, a non-trivial task - motorcycle tyre beads are not meant to break easily. But following Grant's coaching, we were patient, taking an incremental approach and just the right amount of Fairy Liquid (the bikers' tyre-removal lubricant of choice) we did the job in the morning sunlight. Who'd-a thought it, but we're turning into proper bikers.

The tools - as recommended - are BeadPro bead breakers, and Buzzetti trye levers. Great kit.

Another great piece of design is the Jetboil. Crucial for a different reason, it's going to ensure the early morning boost we'll both need for a happy start to each day! :)

Today we had our first JB cuppa.

The Jetboil, jetboiling

Two panniers, one top-box and a tank bag...

There's a limit to how much luggage you can take on a bike. And here it is. There's no room for more.

The packing practise room...

From left to right: Angelika's pannier, Simon's pannier, tank bag, top-box (mostly filled with camping stuff).

Big jobs

First, weight the back of the bike

In terms of the mechnicals of the bike, this was the big one. Angelika (pillion rider par exellence and now co-mechanic supreme) and I put the new tubeless tyres on the new tubeless rims and replaced the 'old' tubed wheels with the new ones. That's easier to say than to do. But we did it in one long day in Dave's garage. It was the last main challenge in the bike preparation.

We're both rather pleased with ourselves. It means that, should we need to change a tyre in the bush, we know we can.

Then take the new wheel...

Well, we're doing our best!

Damn!

No, not the wonderful multiple-award-winning album by the superb Kendrick Lamar...

Multiple-award-winning album

... but my response to this...

May asks for Brexit delay to 30th Jun

In the light of the impending suspension of Article 50 I thought we'd get away before whatever kind of shit hit whatever kind of fan.

Seems we won't.

Lagos!

I came across this graphic short-story / cartoon strip just recently. It's vibrant, colourful, exciting and we're planning to visit. It's exciting.

Click on the pic and take a trip to west Africa.

And for the next course, sir...

The last significant job that has to be done on the bike is to replace the tubed wheels/tyres with tubeless. They would be much easier to mend in the bush.

First Angelika and me will put the new tyres on the the new wheels then replace the old wheels with the new. Sounds simple. Well, we may have to do it in the desert, so we need to practise.

New tubless rims...

... and Pirelli tyres

Work proceeds...

I have been undergoing the not-entirely-natural-for-me process of converting myself into a facsimile of a competent mechanic. It is with an uncomfortable awareness of how awkwardly I have been making this journey that I proudly present my latest batch of achievements - in the form of modifications to the bike. (Still can't get those bloody fork seal covers off, though!)

Sump guard (& centre stand & radiator guard)

Sump guard close-up (it's a beaut, eh!)

Rear brake fluid reservoir protector

Wiki Voyage

I've just discovered Wiki Voyage - one more valuable resource.

Wonder why it took me so long.

Here you can find the truth about Nordkapp.

And interesting facts about Cape Agulhas.

And other things that are of relevance to our trip...

Countries we may visit

If the trip happens as planned, we'll visit the following countries / principalities / states / republics / oblasts (no, me neither):

	Germany
	Denmark
	Sweden
	Finland
	Norway
	Estonia
	Latvia
	Lithuania
	Kaliningrad
	Poland
	Czech Rep
	Slovakia
	Austria
	Switzerland
	France
	Spain
	Morocco
	West. Sahara
	Mauritania
	Senegal
	Mali
	Cote d'Ivoire
	Ghana
	Togo
	Benin
	Nigeria
	Cameroon
	Gabon
	Congo
	DRC
	Angola
	Namibia
	Botswana
	South Africa

That's 16 in Europe and 16 in Africa. Heck!

We'll need a few more visas for Africa (10) than Europe (1). And, because there won't be a Brit on the bike (Irish and German, of course), **exit won't make a difference to that!

The Trip Travel Algorithm

80/40 miles per day + 80 days

This is The Trip Travel Algorithm, the formula for success for our journey - call it a trip philosophy if you like. It's the way we're going to travel, it's a psychic place.

Read on - it'll make sense...

The Model

Eighty miles per day. That's what I (the pilot and blogger) reckon is a good average for relaxed touring on tarmac. During fifteen years touring in Europe I came to the conclusion that a trip always seems to have the right ratio of riding and resting, moving and mooching, traveling and touristifying if you're doing about 80 miles per day - across the journey as a whole.

Of course, that can mean riding for 240 miles on one day and then staying in the destination for three nights. In fact, that's the 'ideal' model this idea is based on. But it can also mean doing 500 miles in a day (heavy going!) and staying six nights in the place you arrive in. Or you can do a series of short days; 80-120 miles (can stop for a leisurely lunch!), stay overnight and do the same again the following day. Or whatever.

In short, you can mix it up.

On a bad day...

Africa

However, from Senegal to Angola there may not be tarmac and the 80 miles per day might be an optimistic target. The roads will probably not allow the daily distance within a reasonable time. And we've been advised many times to avoid riding in the dark.

So, from Dakar (Senegal) to Matadi (border DRC/Angola) - appx 4000 miles - the aim is to average 40 miles per day. Same philosophy, more modest mileage.

300 Days

On this basis, to make the distance from London to Cape Town via Nordkapp (Norway), Helsinki, Warsaw, Munich, Milan, Barcelona, Gibraltar then Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, DRC, Angola, Namibia, Botswana while taking in St Petersburg and The Victoria Falls en route and reaching our most southerly point at Cape Agulhas, will take roughly 300 days. Give or take.

+ 80 days

However - and here's the good bit -  we actually have a total of 380 days for the trip.

So we'll be able to apply the 80/40 formula - and still have a further 80 days to use as we see fit. Resting, eating, drinking, dancing, musicing, chatting, meeting, digressing, mending, recovering, detouring, sunbathing, backgammoning and many, many other gerunds.

Who knows what m'lady A and her pilot will do?😮😃

We're very excited. What do you think?

Cape to Cape

What sparked this journey (apart from my long-time desire to do a big bike trip - and Angelika's foolhardy willingness to join me) was the idea of travelling from the northernmost point of Europe to the southernmost point of Africa on a motorbike. It seems to me it would pique anyone's enthusiam.

(There's the small matter of a London to Nordkapp ride first.)

From here (Nordkapp in the Arctic Circle)...

Nordkapp

To here (where the Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean)...

Cape Agulhas

Well, it seems an obvious target. And as I once wrote, you're a Long Time Gone.

Those who help (Africa)

Big mentions to three wonderful organisations/people who are giving us great help in putting this thing together.

HORIZONS UNLIMITED

Long distance motorcycling for dreamers and doers.

Its founders, Grant and Susan Johnson are friendly, down to earth and super role models, having done (it seems) several round the world motorcycle journeys. What they don't know, etc, etc. M'lady A and I met them at the HU convention last summer. Everything we needed to know in one weekend of presentations, seminars and beer.

I've been a member of this community since 2001, reading the posts, marvelling at the trips that real people are really doing to real places. Folks who are open to meeting others, who aren't afraid of the unknown, trusting that people are essentially good and that it's only by getting out there and meeting them that you'll fully appreciate this. It's been an inspiration to me and its bulletin board (HUBB) contains all knowledge regarding the above.

WEST AFRICA TRAVELLERS FB

Chloe Grant aka CREER aka Kira seems to have appointed herself  travel ambassador for west Africa to the world. She's marvellously helpful, turning up on several bulletin boards and always being willing to offer advice, tips and ideas to those willing to venture to the part of the world where she now works and lives - always vigorously encouraging people to go there.

She founded the West Africa Travellers site and it's already proving to be a fabulous help. It's only if you're going somewhere as different as this region is to me and Angelika that you fully appreciate the value of input from those who are actually there.

We're hoping to meet Chloe en route.

iOVERLANDER (app)

This is a new one to me. Just today, on both of the above sites, I came across this app. It's used extensively by travellers and is free to download and use.

I haven't quite figured it out yet, but I think it'll give us info - on the road - on camp sites, refuelling places, etc and, I think, will prove invaluable.

Check it out and make a contribution - Jessica and Sam run this thing from their own pockets. We're nothing if we're not a community - pay a little back!

Thanks all!

Hmmm...

It's en route. It'll be a year before we're there, though. Let's see...