Senegal adventure

hotaction

hotaction

Geologist by day, Rockstar by night
Hey everyone!

A crazy thought crossed my mind the other day... I work in rural Senegal as a geologist and on May 22nd I'm scheduled to fly back to Canada.
Normally on the 22nd in the morning the company would fly me back to Dakar where I'd catch my flight home that evening.

My crazy idea... Get a motorcycle and ride to Dakar to make my flight! Apparently by bus its a 14h journey, by car its more like 12h and by bike its somewhere in between. The roads are all shit and the bikes around here are super cheap and sometimes in half decent working order.

I've seen lots of cheapo chinese knock-offs and a few Hondas. All from the 70s, 80s and 90s, some have been hacked and customized for practical uses like carrying wood, more people than you can count on one hand etc etc... However, I have run into a few bikes that were in really nice running condition!

My plan is to seek out a bike that is in as good condition as possible... Work on it till I have to leave then take as many spare parts, tools as I can and ride into Dakar to make my flight. I'd send my luggage on the bus the day before and pick it up from our Dakar office when I got in tuesday evening.

I'm wondering what I should pack for such an unpredictable journey, I've been advised to bring spare spark plugs, tire repair kit and gas.

If the company allows me this could be an adventure of a life time.

HotAction
 
A tool kit is never a bad idea.

What bike are you thinking? Maybe something like a CR250M?
 
We'll see what I can get my hands on in terms of bikes!

I don't think the selection will allow me to be picky. If it runs smooth, if the price is right... I'll have to take it.

Definitely a tool kit, I didn't mention it cause I thought it was inferred hahaha..

R
 
Aloha - I think that's a killer plan. Sure something might go wrong, but there you go. Sounds like you'll have time to get the bike sorted, so it should be no problem. I'd get a Japanese bike.
And what do you do with the bike once you get to Dakar? Sell it? Keep it? If you plan to return for work, you can keep it there and ride it back.
As for stuff to bring - is a GPS an option?

Hope you can make this happen. Keep us posted.
 
Never been to west Africa, but many of the bikes I've seen elsewhere on the continent are Indian-made Bajajs. They're actually not terrible bikes. Alas, there are few--almost zero--true dirt/dual-sport bikes of any kind out there. It's odd but true. I think because it's harder to ride pillon (or three) and the bikes are taller than many riders feel they can handle.

My advice is to buy the most common bike you can find, whether you like it or not, so that parts and service are more available along the way should they be needed. They're all going to be the same anyhow...low cc, single-cylinder, horribly-suspended streetbikes, with ugly bulbous plastics on anything made in the last 5-10 years.

Should be fun to do, as long as AQIM isn't an issue between you and Dakar. Assuming French (or English) isn't commonly spoken in the countryside? Do you speak the local lingo?


I am guessing the road is dotted with the usual small roadside villages which can sell you food, water, a place to rest, etc? You'll want water purification gear (bleach is fine) in case you can't get bottled. Emergency shelter in case you need it, although I wouldn't plan on camping for security reasons. Signal and communications gear. Water, spare gas? Shouldn't need too much in the way of food, just something in case you need to tide yourself over in event of emergency.
 
Thanks for all the advice... Agent X I'm familiar with what your saying... I just thought they bikes were Chinese? I've been seeing lots of "Supers" and "Konking" and other weird bike brands.

I've been with the company here since October. I speak French fluently and I'm learning local dialect every day... My day to day work includes wandering around in the woods, I encounter locals regularly... stumble on villages that arent on our maps and thru fields that weren't there last year.

I'm not super worried about the food/water/rest situation... Definitely thinking of Plan b should the bike become a write off somewhere along the way...
Since I'll be on the only road between the capital.. Dakar and the East part of the country.. I'm sure I'll find a minibus heading my way... In an hour or so of waiting around? Hopefully less...

I've got a blog : SenegalFTW.wordpress.com, if this goes through I'll probably post a detail account on there.

Since I'm only off for 1 month, I'll be back in Dakar June 20th. The bike would stay with a colleague of mine in Dakar... I'd put it up for sale in Dakar with a firm asking price... Since I don't mind holding on to it to ride when I return in June.

As for a GPS, as a Geologist... I'll have one with me but it's not really necessary... The roads aren't mapped like they are in N-America.


HotAction
 
hotaction said:
Thanks for all the advice... Agent X I'm familiar with what your saying... I just thought they bikes were Chinese? I've been seeing lots of "Supers" and "Konking" and other weird bike brands.
Click to expand...

In your neck of the woods they may all well be Chinese; my experience is mostly central Africa...Burundi/Rwanda/Congo. I think the sikh and other Indian populations in Central Africa have a lot to do with the choice of available bikes.

Bon courage!
 
Oh man...I really hope this works out for you! I really wanna see pics and read a bad ass adventure report! ;)
popcorn.gif
 
AgentX said:
In your neck of the woods they may all well be Chinese; my experience is mostly central Africa...Burundi/Rwanda/Congo. I think the sikh and other Indian populations in Central Africa have a lot to do with the choice of available bikes.

Bon courage!
Click to expand...

I was in Burundi looking for gold 2 years ago in Muyinga! Where and when were you in Burundi?
 
hotaction said:
I was in Burundi looking for gold 2 years ago in Muyinga! Where and when were you in Burundi?
Click to expand...

Was in Buj from 2008-2010...working on a security gig for one of the international organizations. We visited the artisinal gold mines from time to time.

Odd how much gold passes through the comptoirs in Buj, given the low yield there, eh?
 
Yes, very odd!

Are you familiar with Flemish Investment? They are based in Toronto. That's who I was doing exploration with. The country manager was a guy named Bruce Milne

HotAction
 
I'm just a knuckle-dragger...that's way out of my circle. But I met a lot of cool people in Burundi.
 
With regards to my adventure, I dont think its going to happen guys.

I just found out this morning (informally) due to budget cuts, I'm being laid off.

Back in Canada May 22nd latest.

Since I'm out of work and no more money coming in as of June, I'm not going to go and buy a bike here just to ride once... Even though they are dirt cheap... Its just not in the cards at this time.

:(
 
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