This is the awesome 1550 mile (2500km) route in South Africa that I and 100 or so Enduro Africa recruits will ride in November 2008 to raise money for Riders for Health (and in my case) NUMAST Welfare Funds.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
The Enduro Africa Route
This is the awesome 1550 mile (2500km) route in South Africa that I and 100 or so Enduro Africa recruits will ride in November 2008 to raise money for Riders for Health (and in my case) NUMAST Welfare Funds.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Total Raised So Far
So far I have received corporate donations totalling £2,600 from:-
Nautilus UK £1000
OSM £1000
Norbulk Shipping £500
Anglo-Eastern (IOM) £100
And personal donations totalling a further £1000 from: -
Edmund Brookes
Robert Woods
The staff of the Chamber of Shipping
Russ Garbutt
Carl Husain
Chris Rogers
Peter Duncan
Bringing my current total to £3600 with 23 months to go - only another £16400 needed to reach my target!
A big thank you to all those who have helped thus far.
Nautilus UK £1000
OSM £1000
Norbulk Shipping £500
Anglo-Eastern (IOM) £100
And personal donations totalling a further £1000 from: -
Edmund Brookes
Robert Woods
The staff of the Chamber of Shipping
Russ Garbutt
Carl Husain
Chris Rogers
Peter Duncan
Bringing my current total to £3600 with 23 months to go - only another £16400 needed to reach my target!
A big thank you to all those who have helped thus far.
The Yamaha AG200
This is the trusty Yamaha AG 200 that I will ride for 1550 miles through South Africa starting in Port Elisabeth and ending (hopefully) in Port Alfred.
The AG200 is basically a bike built for farmers and, so far as I am aware, is not readily available in the UK. The bike is a single cylinder 4-stroke of 199cc and has a 5-speed gearbox and is capable of pulling the skin of a rice pudding (just). Bore and stroke is 67mm x 55.7mm and it weighs in at 112kg carrying 10 litres of fuel.
Over 100 of these bikes will be donated to Health workers in Africa and be maintained by Riders for Health. Please support my challenge by making a donation using the link in the sidebar to the right. Thanks.
The Casualties 2006!!
Today's edition of MCN has a double page spread on the November 2006 Enduro Africa event. If you neeed any proof that I have set myself a stiff challenge check it out (3rd Jan edition). Apparently, virtually everyone fell off a some point even ex-world motorcycle racer Randy Mamola. Most of the riders came away unscathed but some had some serious injuries including 4 broken ribs; a punctured lung; a broken right arm; a broken right tibula and fibula; a broken left collarbone (check - done that twice already and my scaphoid); a broken right shoulder and a broken left ankle. Nine guys did not complete the challenge!
Saturday, December 30, 2006
RIDERS QUICK FACT
A sustainable reliable maintenance system for four and two-wheel motorised vehicles means that health delivery is never undermined by vehicles failing, however harsh the conditions.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Recent donations
Apologies for neglecting my blog these past few weeks. There has been further good news on the fund raising front with donations coming in from Nautilus UK member Russ Garbutt and in a personal capacity Edmund Brookes of the Chamber of Shipping and also Robert Woods from P&O.
In the Isle of Man Anglo-Eastern have offered support and the staff of the Chamber of Shipping had a quiz night and donated the proceeds. I've tears in my eyes. I am overwhelmed by the generosity of you all, thank you!!
I hope I will not let you all down and actually manage to complete the challenge in 2008. By all accounts it is an extremnely tough event and my New Year resolutions include (a) losing weight (b) getting fit and (c) getting some off road experience in. Wish me luck!
In the Isle of Man Anglo-Eastern have offered support and the staff of the Chamber of Shipping had a quiz night and donated the proceeds. I've tears in my eyes. I am overwhelmed by the generosity of you all, thank you!!
I hope I will not let you all down and actually manage to complete the challenge in 2008. By all accounts it is an extremnely tough event and my New Year resolutions include (a) losing weight (b) getting fit and (c) getting some off road experience in. Wish me luck!
Monday, December 04, 2006
News from the 2006 tour
MCN’s World Superbike reporter Michael Guy is currently on tour with the first Enduro Africa expedition, with 164 other fundraisers. Here’s his latest update courtesy of MCN: -
"Three days in, 550 miles covered, four casualties
From the beach of Port Elizabeth on Day 1 we're now located 9,000 ft up in Tiffindell, South Africa's one and only ski resort.
The ride here has been momentous, it started at 4.30 this morning when we saw lions in the game reserve we were staying in and even after that incredible start the rest of the day hasn't been an anti-climax.
After some initial road work we were soon riding through remote African villages over 50 miles away from the nearest town.
The people are poor and their houses are small made of a mixture of wood, bricks and corrugated iron, but their smiles are the biggest you've ever seen.
The enthusiasm in their faces and sparkle in their eyes makes up for the fact that you're entire body is aching and it doesn't matter if you're the first biker to ride through the village or the hundredth and thirtieth, their reaction is still the same.
We soon leave the locals behind and start to climb the air gets colder and thinner and the Yamaha AG200 and I start to wheeze.
At 8,000 ft with another 1,000 ft to go the road gets even steeper and for the first time on the trip we're using first and second gear, you can usually pull away in third!
Unfortunately the number of riders is starting to dwindle and apart from obvious bumps and scrapes there are now four people out of the Enduro.
Day two saw the first victim out with four broken ribs, day three was carnage with a broken shoulder, broken wrist plus some other serious knocks that required ice packs and stitches and today the latest casualty is out with a suspected broken foot.
Apparently the going gets tough tomorrow and the first 15 miles are reckoned to take two hours because it's not a road its a trials section – we're up a 4.30 for a 6o'clock start."
"Three days in, 550 miles covered, four casualties
From the beach of Port Elizabeth on Day 1 we're now located 9,000 ft up in Tiffindell, South Africa's one and only ski resort.
The ride here has been momentous, it started at 4.30 this morning when we saw lions in the game reserve we were staying in and even after that incredible start the rest of the day hasn't been an anti-climax.
After some initial road work we were soon riding through remote African villages over 50 miles away from the nearest town.
The people are poor and their houses are small made of a mixture of wood, bricks and corrugated iron, but their smiles are the biggest you've ever seen.
The enthusiasm in their faces and sparkle in their eyes makes up for the fact that you're entire body is aching and it doesn't matter if you're the first biker to ride through the village or the hundredth and thirtieth, their reaction is still the same.
We soon leave the locals behind and start to climb the air gets colder and thinner and the Yamaha AG200 and I start to wheeze.
At 8,000 ft with another 1,000 ft to go the road gets even steeper and for the first time on the trip we're using first and second gear, you can usually pull away in third!
Unfortunately the number of riders is starting to dwindle and apart from obvious bumps and scrapes there are now four people out of the Enduro.
Day two saw the first victim out with four broken ribs, day three was carnage with a broken shoulder, broken wrist plus some other serious knocks that required ice packs and stitches and today the latest casualty is out with a suspected broken foot.
Apparently the going gets tough tomorrow and the first 15 miles are reckoned to take two hours because it's not a road its a trials section – we're up a 4.30 for a 6o'clock start."
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