So, I am hoping this is the correct section in which to post some pics of my 50th birthday celebrations, which involved a 12-day, 3,000 kms gravel road tour following the Garden Route in South Africa.

Earlier in the year, I had persuaded my wife that instead of her planned trip to Oz for my 50th, where would go "site seeing", what we really needed to do was to hire some XT660's and ride out into the African bush!

My first step was to purchase an identical bike to the one's we'd be hiring/riding in SA, namely the XT660z Tenere and that's where my love affair with this two-wheeled tractor (no offence meant) began.

My wife had held a bike licence since 1992 but had never actually ridden to any great extent. This was fixed by putting her on a back to biking course and I knew that would either "kill or cure". Luckily for me she came back all smiles and couldn't wait to swap her moped sized Kawasaki ER500 learner bike for the huge in-comparison; XT660.

So all was going to plan and then I decided that my 23 year old son and his mate should come and take part, in this once in a lifetime adventure too. Not normally a problem, except that neither had a motorbike licence! That led me to thinking that if they were having lessons, then an old mate of mine from the 250cc two-stroke days should come and get some lessons too. Plus why not invite a contact from my old motor-sport days who lives in Oz to fly to SA and join us!!!

After months of planning, with brand new licences, the group looked like this;
1. Me - No off-road experience but been riding bikes since my FS1E.
2. My wife - Inexperienced road rider, with no off-road skills.
3. My son - Inexperienced road rider, with no off-road skills.
4. My sons mate - Inexperienced road rider, with no off-road skills.
5. My mate - Inexperienced road rider, with no off-road skills.
6. My Oz mate - Lives on a 5,000 acre farm, rides dirt bikes!! (show-off).

When I looked at the stats, I decided that my wife and I should take part in an off-road riding course in Derbyshire -( http://www.adventurebikewarehouse.co...roducts/ORT001)

When I look back I thank god that we did, as this was to prove the most important �150 I've ever spent. Youngsters have no fear of dying and so I knew they'd muddle through and my mate? Well he'd have to man up...

The plan was we'd fly down to SA, meet a guide with 6 x XT660's including luggage panniers and then head out into the wilderness for the next 12 x days staying at a mixture of farm houses and small town hotels.

When we arrived there were 5 x Yamaha's and 1 x BMW. My old biking mate couldn't jump for the BWM quickly enough, not because he thought they were better but because he is 5' 6" and hadn't brought a step-ladder to get on the XT!

So, here we go:

Note all the nice, clean, new equipment? All the gear....


The trip started off with an easy tarmac section


Our trip started near to where The Long Way Down ended






We turned inland away from the sea and the gravel roads rose up to meet us. Here's some general riding shots.

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There were some 28 water crossings of various length and depth. Here's the wife about to get wet!


A typical lunch stop


Quite some scenery


My god when it got hot, it got hot! 30 degrees.


A typical nights accommodation.

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After a day getting wet on the outside, there's nothing better.


One of the last hand-pulled ferries in Africa


Remembrance Sunday at 11am, somewhere in Africa!


A mosquito net, not for the mossies but to keep the rather large wall spiders away!




Nearing the end..

I'd have posted some more but reached my limit.

I hope you like the pics I've uploaded and I really recommend that if you ever get the chance to visit the gravel roads of SA, you jump at the chance!

All the riders coped remarkably well and it was quite surprising how quickly the standing riding style was adopted, even at 90mph! One spill on the last day in soft sand resulted in a damaged screen but otherwise the trip was awesome! My son has now decided that he no longer wants a "road rocket" but an adventure bike instead. My wife has got me looking for an XT for her and I was blown away by the sheer grunt of the XT. We're off to the Pyrenees later this year and I can't wait!

Great forum, the sheepskin seat cover tip really saved my life, or was it arse? Either way, keep up the good work.