Enduro Africa 2008 |
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    Endurance events to raise money for charity are seldom going to be easy and it soon became clear that the Enduro Africa event was not going to be any different. The Event was held on the Wild Coast riding from Port Elizabeth, North to Durban a distance of 2,400 miles with few road sections. Over 80 adventurous motorcyclists from all walks of life, left normality to take on this challenge. The conditions ensured that all riders were tested to their limits. It meant, the participants had to dig deep, to overcome the energy sapping heat and the long days of exhausting riding which left the body and the mind running on empty.  They don’t call it the wild coast for nothing.We rode off-road every day from dawn to dusk. We took on mountain passes, deep gorges with step assents and descents, only to be met by river crossings that were deep, full of boulders and slippery. And there were also forest sections with soft conditions under foot that meant that every bend and turn was unpredictable and hazardous. Then there were the beach sections that looked so appealing until the bike gets on the soft sand and starts to swerves unpredictable leading to falls that happen in the blink of the eye.
Africa has this ability to take people out of their comfort zone, but add days of relentless riding, over terrain that is challenging, demanding and unforgiving, in conditioned that were hot, that sapped the energy from you,you, then you have an event that I am glad that I have done but may reserve judgment if asked to do it again.
Through the kind support of friend and colleagues we raised just short of £5,000 for some of Africa's poorest people.
Thank you to you all.
 Chris (Still in one piece)
Article by Chris Coates
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Additionally there were the relentless dirt roads, these sections were ridden at speed, as fast as the Honda 230 CRF’s would go, these sections had there own issues, they we ever-changing from rock to sand, to ruts, to huge puddles that were deep and unpredictable and the dust got everywhere. Hours were spent looking into a fog of dust that obscured the road conditions and any potential hazards that might be on the road. These came in many different forms from being attacked by geese, to cows, with contempt in their walking out into the road. Then there were the other users on the dirt roads that would emerge out of the dust, travelling at speed with little regard for motorcyclists and very much struggling with the dubious mechanical condition of their vehicle and the appalling track conditions.
Accidents did happen and people were hospitalised on a regular basis. The talk each night would be about who was missing from the days riding. One-person rode at speed into a cow, others crashed and even with all the body amour and protective clothing people ended up with broken limbs. This was not an event for the faint hearted. 
