The journey begins from Abuja
All set to go. Log O with Zuma hill in the background
Arrived at Chicken Republic eatery in Zaria after a morning of strong crosswind riding.
Bixx, cooling off.
Laughing Fotodadi
KK in touareg mode
The Zaria crowd gathers to admire the bike(r)s
Fuel stop at Funta en-route Gusau in Zamfara state.
Bixx and Funtua kids at AP Filling Station, Funtua
Modified 2009 Raleigh vending bicycle with 28" rear wheel and 19" front wheel with light alloy wheel cover.
CBR600 F4i
Meet up with Mo' Ducati and Argungu riders at Funtua.
Funtua town comes out to cheer
Log O and Bodie, after a very decent and brave gentleman's rock climbing attempt.
L-R: Master, Fotodadi, Bodie, KK, Orags and Bukakila (kneeling), all enjoying the decent moment.
L-R Standing: Busakila, Master, Fotodadi, Log O, KK, Ranti. L-R front row: Bodie, Bixx
The rocks at Funtua
Inyang a.ka. Master
Road stop, arid plains in the background, enroute Gusau
Orags, at a photo op.
Bixx, catching a pose.
Sokoto, early morning departure, heading for the Niger border at Illela. Honda VFR 800
Argh, but that tyre needs some air first.
Fotodadi and Orags, ready to hit the desert roads.
Finally arrived the Nigeria-Niger border crossing at Illela. Very nice, friendly and helpful officers there.
Yeah, time to strike a 1960's pose.
Orags & Log O, brothers in arms beside a 50cc Honda
Bixx & Log O at Illela border.
Awaiting Immigration Clearance.
Kawasaki Concours C14
Still waiting, having a chit-chat.
Another tyre pressure check while at Illela border ...
Fotodadi (centre) struggling with the dust
After 2hrs riding to the border, 2hrs of border crossing, over 3 hours detention by smiling Gendarme to clear us while at Birnin-Koni in Niger and 2 hrs semi-offroad desert riding with ambient temperature of +52 deg C, we arrived our fuel stop and had a meagre lunch at 5.30pm. Still approx. 240km to Niamey.
Last fuel stop, approx 140km to Niamey, 7pm.
Finally arrived Niamey 9pm, out to resturarant at 11pm, Log O vanely attempting to translate french menu to 11 hungry, fatigued bikers.
Bodie the rabbit's look says it all... What the heck is this guy talking. WE WANT FOOD.
What a day it has been... A very decent gentleman.
Salvation in our hands.. FLAGGGG!!!!!! The prefered beer.
Finally Ranti's spirit is lifting.
Not these guys' spirits though. If looks could kill... Rabbit and Busakila.
Inyang trying to entertain us with some Efik dance rythym.
Bixx finally settling in his elements at a Niamey night club on a Monday night. Some things we could get away with.
Okiki the Busakila finally settling down.
Orags in tha club at Niamey.
The drinks start to flow.
Niamey in daylight, preparing for the next road assault. Destination Ouagadogou.
Departure for Hotel Tenere, Niamey.
Fuel stop at Total Station, Niamey. Lunch shall be just 'down the road' from the Niger - Burkina Faso border.
Midway point between Niger - Burkina Faso border, boys just monkeying around. Notice distance to Ouaga.
2 - Bros
Taking a shot at the Niger side.
Time to move on, we need to eat.
Fotodadi and Ranti. Still full of energy.
Feedidee with his ORIM-1 Yamaha, the single-pannier (sidebox) bike with Inyang taking a last pose.
At the Burkina Faso side of the border in Kanthiari town, Bixx charging his mp3 player using solar power. Yeah right!
At Kanthiari Poste Police Frontiere, its hot, its dry...
Boy are we tired.
Very tired.
And exhausted...
Dehydrated....
Extremely thirsty....
But feeling good.
Inyang the Masters thots: These boys are looking really tired and hungry. Lunch is just down the road.
Ranti the Control, trying to put some logic to the lunch spot just down the road.
I need food!
Finally past immigration and jeepers, CFA 689 per litre of petrol (@NGN 200/Ltr)
So two days later, after 150km to restaurant 'just down the road' from the Burkina Faso border, some grass cutting, 3 hours detention again by a BF Police Command, @200km to Ouaga, flat tyres, argument with goat, some night riding, two fun nights to refresh at Ouaga, we prepare to hit the road at dawn. Destination, Kumasi in GHANA.
Burkina Faso - Ghana border at Paga town.
KK: I ain't saying nothing, I mean nothing.
Clockwise from Left: Log O, Fotodadi, Feedidee, Bodie & Bixx, waiting for lunch at the border while processing our travel documents.
D & G
Foooodddddd
Fuel stop, arrived with 1 litre of petrol in the bike. Was running on petro-fumes. Longest stretch without any gas station, or was it?
Real name, Fidelis, aka Feedidee, aka Baba'Ibadan
Still waiting for Osa the King, Bodie the Rabbit and Bixx. Apparently they took a wrong turn and were headed east for about 30km in direction of Togo instead of south to Kumasi.
Orags: No more humour, totally fagged out.
While covering the rear, Fotodadi had a flat. Took 3 patches and over 1 hour to fix it and continue . Arrived Kumasi town 8pm.
Its dawn again, leaving Kumasi for Accra. Shortest travel distance for the trip. Circa 200km. By this time, Inyang had left the group to attend to urgent matters in Lagos.
So, a day after the shortest distance, which happened to be the longest journey, broke into many small groups, all got disconnected, lost, missing, nerves frayed, tempers high, bad roads, high temperatures. Tempers were boiling off the chart. After a lot of screaming, shouting 'LISTEN TO MEEEE', and 'NO NO NO NOOO', hanging up of phones, we did eventually regroup in Accra, found a very decent and affordable hotel, thanks to Ghanaian biker Walter who saw us on his turf and stopped to chat. A true bikers friend Walter is.
The fun is back on with the Rabbit showing us his thing.
Orags, burning out everyone's eyes with his McLaren F1 team colours. Ouch!
Sunrise at the Sunlodge Hotel, Tesano Accra. Wonderful hotel, clean tidy facilities and good swimming pool. Will definitely go back there again.
Orags with Maureen (L) and Allison (R). Lecturers at the Accra university, guests at the hotel.
KK + Fidelis with hotel staff. Size does matter!
Gone offroad during the hill climb, every road seems to go only further up. Which way do we go, left?
Ok, its a democracy. Lets discuss.
Whatever!
Say what you want.
Time out!
Laugh on guys, journey never start.
No turning back.
The hillside. Beautiful twisties going up the hill and starting the descent.
Quite a view.
Ah ha, the notorious hairpin. Potential demise for a C14 but that did not happen.
More of the hillside view.
Markey, another GH- biker. Really cool blokes out there. Chilling by the volta river. Speed boats, pedal boats and jet skiis available.
Markey, up close and personal.
Fidelis, enjoying the view, waiting for lunch.
GH biker with a Honda trails bike.
Arrived at Lome, Flag beer available again (seems like a popular francophone beer). Two bartenders on the night beat.
Correct!
Nothing do you!
