Left looking for sunshine, found it and its hot.Tuesday the 4th Feb.
Woke at six and got ready then packed the bike. The owner and his wife came along to say goodbye and wanted a photo of me and the bike to go on the wall of shame or it could have been fame not sure. Did my posing bit and then went in and had breakfast, got an extra portion of voers, great. Said goodbye and paid the bill to the others, put gear on and headed out. There were the barmaid and Nico who also wanted a photo for the same reasons, famous now. Did that and headed off down the dirt, muddy road.

The muddy road to escape on. Sussed it, shut your eyes and let the force be with you.

Decided to try and get through the storm to some dry weather the other side of it 200km south.
Did a quick circuit of the dam, nice view from the bridge if you could see and headed west towards Warrenton, dry and nice smooth tarmac. Turned Left towards Kimberley and watch the black clouds and lightening get closer and closer and darker and darker, 120km/h no more. Stopped and put on the waterproofs and kept going, I actually chased the rain down the road for a bit, dropped to 60 but caught it up and it was hard. Visibility 15 metres, could see the next dotted line in the middle of the road. No where to pull over I could see so slowed right down, hazards on and main beam with the spots. White cars kept appearing out of the murk, thankfully on their side of the road, many with no lights on. Saw a slip road for a petrol station so turned in and filled up. Waited and watched the storm literally head off down the road in the direction I wanted to go. Stopped for a coffee. Oxford Bone Drys did brilliantly.
Headed off through Kimberley on the N12, not a straight road but several poorly signed left and right turns. Potholes full of water so had to play that game again and finally out on the open road. 80Km to Hopetown and rained all the way, heavy. The fields were flooded in semi desert and the storm gutters on the road side like raging torrents, Lightning and thunder all around and once lightening landed on some rocks not a hundred yards away, felt a tingle but could have been nerves. Kept going in it for two hours, Bone Drys let go in the normal spot between the legs and bottom half was wet and cold for a while. Got to hope town and rain stopped so pulled into a One Stop for petrol and food. Dried out waterproofs and packed them away.
Took this looking back, where had the storms gone?

Got on bike thinking a good ride will dry me out and decided on Victoria West for the night only 200km away and it was 2 O’clock, 6 hours to ride about 300km??? Started raining about 50km later so stopped and put waterproofs on again and the heavens reopened; Only short this time and into brilliant heat and sunshine. Now I sweat, thought just keep going. An hour later rode into the campsite called Paradise Accommodation. Tent up and dried everything out great.
Others turned up and camped next to me, whole site and I could hear their telly. Then someone else arrived and parked even closer, nice big site and they want me to protect them or something so I just and laid in tent reading.
Seven o’clock laying in tent rain starts, drip, drip the fly is touching the inner. Had this tent for years, used in all weather and never happened before. Pulled shorts on and went out, had not put pegs in properly so redid it in the rain and climbed back in, no drips but me trying to dry myself off. Idiot.
Spot the droopy fly sheet.

Wednesday the 5th February.
Woke up and made a cuppa and decided to ride the R63 across the Karoo, 350km and maybe no petrol but three towns so figured one or more would have a filling station. Rolled out the tent to go wash and shave and all the campers start chatting, offered me coffee and spent the next three hours talking setting the world right. Then out comes the video and they want to video me packing the bike and do an interview about the trip??? Did a sixty second chat, short and sweet to the camera and they finished off videoing my departure. Rode down the wet muddy track thinking keep it together, not the time to throw it along the road. Managed and headed into town for petrol.
Knew it was going to get hot, not a cloud in the sky and the Karoo, (could have used it to practice lunar landings) so bought 4 litres of H2O. Headed out towards Loxton (had petrol so filled up), great road, smooth and sweeping bends with amazing views as you went over passes.
Could not stop singing Get You Kicks On Route 66 (my version was 63).

North towards Carnarvon and the long straights started after a few twisty roads, stopped there for petrol as well thinking great I can make the end now. Headed out, temperature 45 on the bike and starting to overheat, went to take a drink and had done the two litres in the Camelback, quarter of the distance done and Midday. Swapped water bladders and headed for Willston, One twenty Km away, More long straights then a pass of sorts, and into town. Filled up and discovered the other two litres were gone so went and got another four litres and topped everything up. Only 35 degrees in the petrol station. Headed out round some nice stretches and then hit the longest straight ever with wins that came from all directions, dust devils to throw you around and the up a pass with nothing but rock and stone, thermometer got into the 50s and just kept drinking as it poured out of the pores. Pulled into a layby to swap water bladders again and decided next sleep spot was mine. Had to ride another forty Km to Calvina for that.
It is the hardest ride for a while and all I did was 398km in the heat. Yesterday I managed 522 in the storms.
Good news, Had abrilliant ride, the sun is shining and right outside my window is one of the famous African water pump windmills, rattling and going pshhhh t, pshhhh t, pshhhht, Great been watching it and listening it for over an hour.
Day at the museums tomorrow. The bike clothes are a bit ripe so will have to give them a dip in fresh clean water, or get someone else to do it while I am out.
Thursday the 6th
Great museum, full of local history and artefact’s, day well spent looking at how they used to live and travel. Back to pack and get ready for tomorrow morning.