For me WordPress [...]]]> Day minus 1, Sat, Jan 32, 2017 First of all … Sorry!  It’s been a 1-1/2 year since I last posted on this blog.  Most of you got the “Year in Planning…” and a few received the “’11.5% Beer & Schloss Heidelberg” wayward post with nothing it it.

For me WordPress is quite complex.  Just changing the weather links took a couple hours.  So the first post had many errors.

1.  Approx 20 addresses were no longer active. Another 20 requested additions or address corrections.

3.  The Satellite Tracking did not work and several helpful folks reported that error.

2.  A “draft” post from 4 years ago “’11.5% Beer & Schloss Heidelberg” was accidently published.  It was an empty title that was never used but my fat fingers somehow activated it.  Once I saw it went live, I tried to cancel, abort, kill but a few of you got it and did send me a note that there was nothing there except an error message.

4.  There will be typos.  No time for photos or proofing!  I’ll add photos later.

I hope all the above have been fixed. As a reminder, this is a blog about riding a motorcycle from Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt (GCC2017), a 9,000-mile motorcycle ride up through South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt.

Sun-Tue, Jan 8-10, 2017 – Emirates Economy

Cape Town was a 29-hour Emirates flight from LAX.

15.5-hours from LAX to Dubai

3.5-hour connector layover

10.0-hour flight to Cape Town

Emirates made the flight as confortable and an “Economy” could be.  The flight left LAX Jan 8 evening and landed Cape Town Jan 10 mid-morning.  In 2015 I spent 60+ days with fellow 2015 Silk Road Adventure rider, Patrick Owen.  He met me at the airport.  The weather is very warm!  Almost hot!  Patrick and I had a similar riding style (conservative and steady) so we often ended up riding together.  He is an ex-hang glider, paraglider, ultralight, and gyrocopter pilot.  And he has walked the Way of St James twice!

Communications from Helge is solid.  He reports “Yes, our container (motorcycles) are in Cape Town, South! Tue-Thu, Jan 10-13 – Mind & Soul R&R

Start and End Location: Llandudno Beach

Lodging: Patrick’s place

Money Exchange Rate:  R1 = $0.0443 USD; $1 USD = R13.459

Gas/Fuel:         Unknown

Patrick and his family opened their home to me.  It was a warm welcome to Cape Town.

I had a great visit with Patrick and family!

Patrick showed me the areas outside Cape Town.  Cape of Good Hope, Table Mountain Nat Park, the most southwestern most tip of Africa, Boulder Visitor Center (African Penguins), the huge wine country north of Cape Town.  And we had fun comparing our many Silk Road memories.

Wed-Thu, Jan 13-14 – Exploring Cape Town! Start Location: Cape Town Waterfront

End Location: Cape Town Waterfront

Lodging: Protea Hotel Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge

Money Exchange Rate:  R1 = $0.0443 USD; $1 USD = R13.459

Gas/Fuel:         Unknown

I moved into the Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge, to join other Cape to Cairo early arrivals. This was my in-city Cape Town visit.

First I did a “Redbus” tourist loop (R190) around city to see layout then second loop stopped at sites I wanted to see.  Table Mountain gondola station for a ride up to the top (R255).

The Table Mt cablecars had a rotating floor. It rotates 365-degrees while zooming up to the top.

Back on the bus, I got off at Camps Bay where the rich a famous live and frolic.

Later in the day I met GCC17 riders Debbie & Harry Christian & Nick Gudewill.

Today we learn “Yes, the motorcycles are here in customs.  We ride out Mon, Jan 16 to take possession of them.

Day 1, Sun, Jan 15 – Get acquainted and GPS/Sat comm/tracker orientation

Start Location: Cape Town Waterfront

End Location: Cape Town Waterfront

Lodging: Protea Hotel Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge

Money Exchange Rate:  R1 = $0.0443 USD; $1 USD = R13.459

I walked a 5 mile loop from the hotel Waterfront area southeast into the downtown area.  It’s clean and moderately priced.

All the GlobeRiders GCC17 are expected to arrive today!  Everyone attends a 2:00 pm GPS/inReach meeting.

Helge Pederson, tour director, rider

Andy – Local guide, driver, chase vehicle

Harry – Local assistant, rider (guide on vacation)

Riders

1. Aaron Beckord

2. Tom Botz

3. Debbie Christian

4. Harrison Christian

5. Nick Gudwill

6. Joe Harosky – 2016 BMW R1200 GSA

7. Gary Schmidt

8. Steve Smith

9. Dean Tanji – 2016 Honda CB500XA

10. San McCaulley (will join midway)

There is some discussion about riding on the left instead of the right side of the street.  Be extremely careful when entering roundabouts

Helge takes possession of all GPSs and loads the daily “Tracks” and route “Waypoints” and Africa map.  We all use the same map, follow the same Tracks and if required, can use GOTO to the evening’s hotel.

It was confirmed that the container with motos are ready for unload and customs approval.

Day 2, Mon, Jan 16 – They’re here but we can’t get them!

Start Location: Cape Town Waterfront

End Location: Cape Town Waterfront

Lodging: Protea Hotel Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge

Money Exchange Rate:  R1 = $0.0443 USD; $1 USD = R13.459

GPSs are returned.

Original Plan: – Mid morning drive over to custom with moto riding gear, take possession of our motos, reconnect batteries, get all motos running, ride 15km back to hotel and spend the rest of the day re-pack our rides.

Reality: Today we learn “Yes, the motorcycles are here in customs … No we will not be able to take possession of them today!” Through a shipping SNAFU, a certain document from the Seattle shipper was missing and we could not take possession of our motos.  Rats!  This is bad news!  The 12-hour time difference AND the fact that today was Martin Luther Kink holiday in the US — the shipping company was closed.  This is a “Perfect Storm” scenario for not getting our motos and missing the first day of riding.

So to keep the riders from having a conniption, Helge organized a afternoon tour and lunch.

The Cape to Cairo riders and staff inside a picture frame of Table Mountain.

Cape Beach-again Table Mountain in the background.

The Welcome Dinner – after dinner we each introduced ourselves and told why we were here, what we expected to experience.

Day 3, Tue, Jan 17 –The Perfect Storm to keep us from getting our motor!

Original Plan: – Depart before 9:00am.  The first day is a short leg to get used to left-hand driving.  The goal is Lamberts Bay Hotel, Lamberts Bay, South Africa.  268km/167miles.

Reality: Because of the “Perfect Storm” no motos released today!  Lucky for us the hotel had enough rooms for us to remain in the Breakwater Lodge.  Most of us did not have to change rooms.

At 11am the staff organized a auto tour up to Signal Hill to see/hear the noon cannon.  There was a paragliding launch site with 2 dozen paragliders on top but it was blowing downwind!  Lunch was out at Table View beach.

News came at 4:35pm we depart at 8am tomorrow to be at the container depot at 9:00am to free our motos.

These travel glitches happen.  All adventures have changes, revisions and roadblocks. All the riders are very understanding and the though of moving tomorrow has big grins on everyone!

And if you’re going to have problems, have them at a quality hotel with all the associated conveniences!

Tomorrow, riding in the left lane!

Our goal will be Springbok, an estimated 575km/357mi.

PHOTOS: If you want to see the photo’s full-size, click the photo, it isolates to a new page and click it once again.  Use browser’s “back” to return to blog.

CURRENT LOCATION:  Upper right corner is my Delorme inReach Explorer satellite tracks provided by SPOTwalla.  When activated, it provides a real time track of my travels.  The tab “All-Star Motorcycle Circus & E” opens for more options.  “Adjustments” enables the viewer to select more days of the tracks. The tracks are archived back to my arrival Cape Town, South Africa, January 13, 2017. Use the zoom slider on the left to open up the map to see our entire route. The two tabs in the upper right “Map/Satellite” switches the map illustration with satellite photos.

GlobeRiders has it’s own BLOG “Cape to Cairo LiveJournal”  There is a complete description of the excursion, rider bios, updates of the ride, and an active satellite location link. ]]> http://www.allstarmccircus.com/?feed=rss2&p=4977 13