Looking for 3 Madmen (or Women) - MTB in Koakaland

[T_Boss]

Im looking for three riders to join our team on an absolutely crazy mission in October. This is a a proper Adventure. There is no hard and fast itenerary, and plans may change once or twice during the course of the week.

 

The Day of Arrival, and day of departure are however gauarnateed and hopefully thats enough to let you plan.

 

We will be flying in to Swakopmund, and will then be transferred by Road into the Koakaveld. The main objective will be to ride Mountain Bikes across the infamous Van Zyls Pass. From our brief research,  I cant find any record of anyone actually doing this, but having done it with 4x4's and motorbikes myself, I am pretty certain it is possible. 

 

Along the way, we will also look for a few other great riding opportunities in the Koakaveld. 

 

Once we have conquered van zyls, we will start to make our way South Again, exploring riding opportunites throughout the dry river beds and dry desert landscapes that make up this harsh but beautiful landscape. 

 

We will have two local guides with us to make sure we dont get too lost, and a support crew carrying camping gear, food and spares/tools. 

 

There will be a Sat Phone on Standbye for emergencies at all times. 

 

We dont know how far we will ride each day, and we may from time to time run into dead ends, and need to use the support crew to get us across unridable sandy stretches. We dont know where we will sleep each night, but we will have tents, we will have bedding and we will have food. 

 

I cannot gaurantee much, but I can Gaurantee you the most remote, and incrdible riding of your life. 

 

We have strictly only got space for 3 extra riders with us, and you need to be confident in both your fitness and technical riding ability, or you will not b able to fully enjoy this trip. 

 

Dates are 19-25 October 2020. As mentioned above, those are the only truly fixed plans. We will fly from JHB to Swakopmund early morning on the 19th, and we will fly out around midday on the 25th. 

 

Cost will be R12250.00 pp, and this includes your return airfare, all ground transfers, all meals, but excludes alcohol and compulsary travel insurance. 

 

If you are keen to join, you will need to pay a deposit of R6125.00 to secure your spot. Once deposit is recieved, you will get confirmation of your plane tickets within 24 hours. the balance will be payable by the 1st of October. 

 

This is not being advertised on our website, and is not available for online booking. To book one of the three spots, please contact me on 0632202895 or email taun@adventurelogistics.co.za.

 

This is going to be an unbeleivable adventure.

[T_Boss]

Komoot seems to think this will be an easy MTB ride for all skill levels.... I say lets put it to the test.

 

It seems a little absured to trave all this way for 15km of riding..... dont worry, we will do a lot more than that.

 

[MudLark]

Isn't October going to be an incredibly hot time of year out there?

[Kranswurm]

Isn't October going to be an incredibly hot time of year out there?

Its fine then.Anyway they are not exactly climbing Everest

[ChrisF]

Isn't October going to be an incredibly hot time of year out there?

 

From a weather perspective ..... probably the best time for such a ride.  Alternatively around Easter weekend ... then the roads are way too busy ....

 

January and February your tires will melt .....    

 

 

TBoss maybe a just a bit out of your way .... but we LOVE the Namibian Valley of a thousand hills 

 

 

 

 

Sounds like an AWESOME trip !!!  

[T_Boss]

Yea, October is warm, but not unbearable, and we will also ride van zyls early morning.

 

JANUARY/February is the hottest time of the year there.

 

Winter would be ideal, but Covid kind of made that impossible.

 

On the other days, when we scouting around, we would obviously also spend the heat of the day in the shade, probably drinking beer

[MudLark]

TBoss, straight question. You're not by any chance the Taun B from the 4x4community forum who in 2015 or thereabouts abandoned a paid for tour party he was leading out in the sticks on the pretext that he was going to fetch firewood?

 

See for example here: https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php/217599-One-Last-Hurrah/page2?p=2728136#post2728136

 

Just received: "I regret to have to inform you I will not be returning to camp. I am on route back to Gauteng with a crisis to attend to. Please enjoy your evening and make the best of the rest of your journey. I will send out an email tomorrow to explian myself in detail, and to ask for your details in order to refund you in full. Sorry. taun"

We are sitting in the bush, after receiving the message above. 5 vehicles with 12 people on what was meant to be fully catered trip. So, we've clubbed all our food together for the night and have to plot tomorrow.. Thanks so much Taun, you told us you were going to get firewood.

Edited June 25, 2020 by MudLark

[Super Sywurm]

TBoss, straight question. You're not by any chance the Taun B from the 4x4community forum who in 2015 or thereabouts abandoned a paid for tour party you were leading out in the sticks on the pretext that you were going to fetch firewood?

 

See for example here: https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php/217599-One-Last-Hurrah/page2?p=2728136#post2728136

 

Just received: "I regret to have to inform you I will not be returning to camp. I am on route back to Gauteng with a crisis to attend to. Please enjoy your evening and make the best of the rest of your journey. I will send out an email tomorrow to explian myself in detail, and to ask for your details in order to refund you in full. Sorry. taun"

 

We are sitting in the bush, after receiving the message above. 5 vehicles with 12 people on what was meant to be fully catered trip. So, we've clubbed all our food together for the night and have to plot tomorrow.. Thanks so much Taun, you told us you were going to get firewood.

Interesting.....

[Shebeen]

TBoss, straight question. You're not by any chance the Taun B from the 4x4community forum who in 2015 or thereabouts abandoned a paid for tour party he was leading out in the sticks on the pretext that he was going to fetch firewood?

 

See for example here: https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php/217599-One-Last-Hurrah/page2?p=2728136#post2728136

 

Just received: "I regret to have to inform you I will not be returning to camp. I am on route back to Gauteng with a crisis to attend to. Please enjoy your evening and make the best of the rest of your journey. I will send out an email tomorrow to explian myself in detail, and to ask for your details in order to refund you in full. Sorry. taun"

 

We are sitting in the bush, after receiving the message above. 5 vehicles with 12 people on what was meant to be fully catered trip. So, we've clubbed all our food together for the night and have to plot tomorrow.. Thanks so much Taun, you told us you were going to get firewood.

Taun is not a common name.

I believe in second chances, but there would have to be some very good explanations before I would give this guy any money.

 

 

The fact that he can't even spell the name of the place he wants to take you is also quite a concern.

Edited June 25, 2020 by BikeHub Plus

[MTBeer]

not sure he's going to admit it if it was him.

[MudLark]

Everyone, I want to be quite clear: I am not making accusations, simply asking the question. I had no interest in the matter referred to on the 4x4 community. I have no axe to grind with anyone. I simply recollected the issue that I had read about on the 4x4 community and so thought there might be a connection (the same first name and clearly the individual who is posting here has travelled these areas in a 4x4). If there is indeed a connection, then I think the people here have the right to know about it. At the same time, one should bear in mind that the event referred to on the 4x4 community is – at least as far as I know – a "once off" that occurred and quite a long time ago at that. A lot of people liked that Taun individual on the 4x4 community very much and it seems that he was an asset to that community; somewhere something went wrong and he got himself into financial trouble and dealt with it in the wrong way. Life happens and we all get wiser over time.

[T_Boss]

Everyone, I want to be quite clear: I am not making accusations, simply asking the question. I had no interest in the matter referred to on the 4x4 community. I have no axe to grind with anyone. I simply recollected the issue that I had read about on the 4x4 community and so thought there might be a connection (the same first name and clearly the individual who is posting here has travelled these areas in a 4x4). If there is indeed a connection, then I think the people here have the right to know about it. At the same time, one should bear in mind that the event referred to on the 4x4 community is – at least as far as I know – a "once off" that occurred and quite a long time ago at that. A lot of people liked that Taun individual on the 4x4 community very much and it seems that he was an asset to that community; somewhere something went wrong and he got himself into financial trouble and dealt with it in the wrong way. Life happens and we all get wiser over time.

 

Hi Mudlark. Yes, That was me. A very unfortuante incident that I had hoped to have put behind me. 

 

It was a long time ago, and there was a serious of bad choices that lead up to that moment. I assure you lessons were also learnt. 

 

Everyone directly involved and affected by that incident was re-imbursed in full, a long time ago too.

 

I hope that this response is seen as sufficient, and it will be the last I saw about this in an open forum. If you are or were directly affected by this back then, and feel that you are still owed anything please feel free to contact me directly to discuss this further.

[MudLark]

Thank you. No, I was not personally affected but I had linked this adventure to a friend of mine and we were interested in it but I decided to back off because of my concerns about your past. However, your dealing with it frankly says much for you. Also, I clearly remember that many people were surprised at the time as they thought it out of character for you. We all make mistakes and heaven knows I have made my share of them as well. I wish you well in your endeavours and it may well be that I yet have the pleasure of joining you on one of your adventures. If so, I will tell you who I am.

Edited June 25, 2020 by MudLark

[T_Boss]

not sure he's going to admit it if it was him.

 

One of the lessons learned was that there was nothing to be gained from hiding the truth. I am and have admitted to being the person memtioned above, but that is the last I am going to say about on open forum.