Finally, my list of “Stuff to Do” is getting shorter… But then again, so are the days !!
I’ve had the lid on my right hand pannier changed to face forward, as it was catching on the handle of my Top Box. I have also had a 25mm rubber pad added onto the underside of my side-stand. Since fitting the Ohlins shocks, the bike stands a few inches higher, and as a result, when it is on the side stand, it leans a few too many degrees towards the ground… Being a little “vertically challenged” this poses a slight problem for me, especially when the bike is loaded !! Jerking it off the side stand and into the vertical takes some doing…and can result in a few rounds of physiotherapy, or so I found out !! My cousin Steve, he of Ton Engineering, once again came to the rescue, and we spent an industrious Saturday morning sorting this out….the bike, not the physiotherapy….!! That took a few sessions of gentle ministrations with the physio, a charming Indian lady who sported a number of interesting tattoos… But I digress….
I bade Steve a fond and final farewell, and then rode off into the heart of downtown Johannesburg to look for replacement cables for my cameras, and afterward, went to visit my good friend Stefan, to do all the necessary copying, scanning and laminating of the various documents I will be needing for my trip. Stefan and I have known each other for close on 40 years, went to school together, hiked and climbed mountains, scuba-dived, sky-dived, caused untold havoc and generally been a bad influence on each other in all that time ! I was also re-united with Stefan’s sister and his mother, who I had not seen in more than 25 years !! Crazy how time passes us by… Stefan and his wife Janet are about to sail off into the blue yonder, on board their catamaran, “Just 4 Fun”, and they cast off exactly one month after I begin my own journey, and will be cruising the Indian Ocean for the next year or so. Good luck, guys !! If you’re in South-East Asia in 2011, we’ll hook up !!
I have collected all the spare parts I intend taking with me, and sorted out all the tools and camping gear I will need. This with the help of Francois, owner of Silverton Midas, who stocks a vast range of biking accessories and camping gear – everything a biker needs for a long trip, can be found at Silverton Midas. For a one stop shop for your next trip into the countryside with your beloved bike, visit their website here….
I have also had THREE separate sessions with the dentist… Two of them in one day, which left me wondering just when my face was going to slide off my skull… I advised the dentist that it usually took a larger than normal dose of Novacaine to deaden my gums, and she took my advice to heart in a big way… I received a hefty jab in the right jaw in the morning, after which she filled a cavity, and then a few hours later, when I returned for my second round of torture, I got another dose in the left jaw, upper AND lower, after which she worked on various problems which she had diagnosed the afternoon before… I am certain that my lips, nose and left ear will return to my head in due course, but for the time being, they have gone walkabout… But apparently, my teeth are now in good shape….. So far, no news on my missing lips, nose and ear….
I have finally decided on the clothing I will cart with me, and have worked out into which pannier or bag everything should go… This was not an easy task, and ensuring that the heavier stuff gets loaded as low down on the bike as possible, while making them easily accessible when you need them, takes some planning… Being the eternal optimist, I have naturally placed all tools and spare parts at the very bottom of my panniers… I figure that what you can’t see, won’t bother you…. Hope springs eternal !!
I have also marked in the route I will take on the first few days of my journey, and this can be seen on the Google Map on the home page. I know this is jumping the gun a bit, but I had seven spare minutes a few days ago, and decided to “fiddle” a bit….
If the rest of this week goes smoothly, I should be ready to rock by the weekend !!
Leave a Reply