Africa

[Woolly]

OK, ONLY 6 weeks to go, I've decided to stop hijacking the LT toolkit thread, and start a new one - our American friends have been harping on about CCR since the end of the last one, so I'm allowed my little rant.

Basic idea - it's a tadge nippy in the poor impoverished NE of England at the moment, so we decided in a drunken stupor (we being 2 other bikes (plus one more)) will go and see some desert(Sahara) type sand before our early summer trip to Eastern Europe/Russia in late May, early June.

The plan is simple - set off in mid April, - ride from Darlington to Portsmouth (bout 300 miles - longest leg of the trip), get the overnight ferry to Bilbao, ride down through Spain to Algeciras in about 2 days(only bout 600 miles, but should not be rushed), Get a ferry from Spain to Morocco ( 1.5 hour crossing, ferry every 1.5 - 2 hours), then ride down through Morocco to the Algerian border, & see some real sand dunes - in the Erfoud/Mazooka type area, get back to Spain, and call in in Portugal on the way back (should get at least 3 additional countries on my LT 'country count'!!)

Simon Charles is doing a similar trip from ?Malaga? to Morocco, a couple of weeks earlier. - No doubt we'll all keep you bored (updated/interested) with our exploits..... (watch this space....).

[dshealey]

OK, ONLY 6 weeks to go, I've decided to stop hijacking the LT toolkit thread, and start a new one - our American friends have been harping on about CCR since the end of the last one, so I'm allowed my little rant. -------


So, you are starting the Euro version of CCR, CDR? Camel Drivers Reunion?
:D :D

[Woolly]

I know when I get back, my sheep friends will not be speaking to me ... tooo many Camels, Goats & Kids. ;) :p :D - seriously, though, the miles you guys can put on in the States is unreal - in the UK, we can cruise all day at about 100mph (as long as we don't get caught) - we'll have to drop this by 20-30mph in Spain, and if we can average 40-50mph in Africa, we'll be doing well.

BTW...

- if you fire up Google Earth, then magnify the elevation, tilt the map (so you're looking at riders view, not 'birds eye view), you can actually 'ride the route' (scenery/view wise) - try it on a route you know, and it is highly impressive - I've 'ridden back' through the 'High Atlas (mountains)', and it gives you an idea what to expect.

[dshealey]

----- - seriously, though, the miles you guys can put on in the States is unreal - in the UK, we can cruise all day at about 100mph (as long as we don't get caught) - -------. If you ride in the UK at 100 MPH all day, how many times will you have circled the country? :D

In the US we can put a LOT of miles on in a day, but mostly in the western half of the country. It gets more crowded as one progresses eastward of the Mississippi, and especially in the northeast, which is quite similar to the more crowed portions of the UK.

Certainly in the likes of Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and the western half of Texas, there are miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles. I know, been there, done that. :D :D Leave San Diego, ride 80-90 MPH for 18 plus hours, only stopping for fuel, and we are HALF WAY across the US!

Good luck on your trip! Sounds like a lot of fun. Would love to do that one myself.

[Woolly]

If you ride in the UK at 100 MPH all day, how many times will you have circled the country? :D



...sorry - meant to say - you can cruise at 100mph, but soon run out of land :(

[beemerlt]

Basic idea - it's a tadge nippy in the poor impoverished NE of England at the moment, so we decided in a drunken stupor (we being 2 other bikes (plus one more)) will go and see some desert(Sahara) type sand
Hope it's warmed up by April. I spent one cold winter ('78/'79) working in the Algerian Sahara. We actually had SNOW (although it didn't lie).

[meese]

...sorry - meant to say - you can cruise at 100mph, but soon run out of land :(You mean until someone sits in the right (inside) lane at exactly 65 mph and refuses to pull left. :( Sometimes I miss the UK motor ways, and sometimes not. At least here we can just go around them.

And the Iron Butt Association is now documenting rides from Land's End to John O'Groats. Made me wish I did that as an all-in-one ride, instead of separate trips.

Enjoy the Spain/Morocco/Portugal ride. That's another one that got away from us . . .

[simoncharles]

Wooly, how is the insurance situation going ?.

I'm going from Tarifa, having travelled down from Mallorca, via Valencia.

By the way, you can make better average times here than in the UK.
Set the cruise control to 139 kmh (87mph) and the law will ignore you. Anything over 140 and you can get done, although the legal max is 120.

[Woolly]

... still looking like I'll have to pick up insurance at the port of entry - still non the wiser as to what it actually covers you for? - probably third party only.

[simoncharles]

Wooly,

I have checked the above with a friend of mine who owns a company that organises 4x4 and motorcycle trips all over the world.

I have been twice to Morocco and once to Tunisia with him, and he knows his stuff.

Here is what he said:
You CAN buy insurance at the border, but it is not cheap, is only 3rd party and generally does not include roadside or medical assistance.

He, like me, cannot understand why your normal company will not or does not want to insure you there, as the Green Card supplied by same will do so, for no extra cost.

His recomendation: if you want a worry free trip with full coverage, change insurers.

[Woolly]

Hi Simon, I've tried a couple of companies, even BMW Motorrad insurance, and they all say 'no' to Morocco, except for BM who will provide cover if you are on one of their organised tours. I shall have to keep looking.

[simoncharles]

Maybe this could be of help.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/country/morocco/

I use Mapfre, never had a problem.

[Woolly]

... changed my insurance to Carole Nash - now fully comp for Morocco..:):D - only 14 days and counting .....

[c00k1e]

... changed my insurance to Carole Nash - now fully comp for Morocco..:):D - only 14 days and counting .....

Would be very interested in a trip report = how much ois the ferry across to Tunis?

[Woolly]

Would be very interested in a trip report = how much ois the ferry across to Tunis?

...Algaceras to Cueta (this is Spanish enclave, similar to Gibraltar). The ferry is about 60 euros for an open return, and they run every 90 minutes, so no real need to book.

[simoncharles]

Wooly,
I´m not going now, as more important things have cropped up.

Two friends of mine have just come back after spending 10 days there on their GS 1200´s together with wifes, one of whom had never been on a bike before.

Best holiday ever is their opinion.

[rmg08057]

Sorta reminds me of the old story...

US cattle rancher talking to an Australian farmer......
Why, where I come from, I can ride a horse all day and never see the end of my ranch!

Australian station owner....
Yeah, right, where I come from, we have horses like that too....

[pozo_izquierdo]

- if you fire up Google Earth, then magnify the elevation, tilt the map (so you're looking at riders view, not 'birds eye view), you can actually 'ride the route' (scenery/view wise) - try it on a route you know, and it is highly impressive - I've 'ridden back' through the 'High Atlas (mountains)', and it gives you an idea what to expect.

Hey Woolly,

could you explain how you do the Google map tilting? I have magnified the map but I find no "button" or anything to determine the tilt angle or similar.

Regards

[Woolly]

Hi Ari - I have tried to attch a screen dump showing the Tilt reset button & tilt down slider - I am using V3.0.0616 - the view is of Helsinki Sea front looking North - Mountains are more impressive!!



http://www.bmwlt.com/gallery/files/9/3/4/3/google.jpg
http://www.bmwlt.com/gallery/files/9/3

[meese]

Hey Ari,

Google Maps, found at maps.google.com, is a website that provides maps, directions, and satellite images in your web browser.

Google Earth, found at earth.google.com, is a downloadable program that runs on your PC and accesses the map data on the web. It has a lot more features than the website does.

[Malki]

And superb it is too, I just flew up the rivers of the Grand Canyon on www.earth.google.com, not on my bike of course :D

[Malki]

@ Woolly - I'm insured with Carole Nash and they will not cover me for Morroco - I'm off on a ten country tour in August - I had a huge claim last September when I off'd in Holland, and think they have limited me to 2 companies...you know the name of your actual insurer? I'm covered for all mainland Europe, just not Africa, which appeals to me.

[Woolly]

...Norwich Union, which is bizarre, as I approached them directly, and they would not cover Morocco, and yet on the reverse of my certificate from Carole Nash, it definately states 'Morocco' on the Green Card section.

[Malki]

Worth a phone call on their 0800 number just to be doubly sure...you don't want any of the crap that I had last year...old posts.
0800 298 5511

wish I was going with you.. :D

Just paid my insurance renewal today....by phone...now burying my head in a bottle of the finest Scotch you can imagine.

[pozo_izquierdo]

Hey Ari,

Google Maps, found at maps.google.com, is a website that provides maps, directions, and satellite images in your web browser.

Google Earth, found at earth.google.com, is a downloadable program that runs on your PC and accesses the map data on the web. It has a lot more features than the website does.

Thanks guys!

I was indeed using just Google Maps and did not realize that this Google Earth is a totally different thing.

Now it works!

Regards

[Malki]

Enjoy it, and in particular, go to Africa, and zoom in on those little red planes...you get some nice up close photos of the wildlife.

[Malki]

Of course Iraq and Iran are of superb Quality...wonder why that is??

Joking aside, try Barcelona, superb quality..I even found my house on the Island of Mallorca....seems the grass needs cutting :rolleyes:

[Woolly]

...now burying my head in a bottle of the finest Scotch you can imagine.


.... Laphroaig Distillery Strength :abduct:...(also useful for taking oil stains off driveways :eek: )

[Woolly]

...just got back from the Western Sahara - un-describable - awesome - brilliant etc. ... shall do a write-up & some piccies soon.