Aventura Sahara 2009

aventura (Spanish) = adventure (the activity, the motorcycle, the immediate experience)
Sahara (Arabic origins) = the greatest desert (wikipedia)

time, distance:
3.5 weeks, 7 000 km (+ 1 100 km ferries)

countries passed:
DE > CH > FR > MA > Sahara > ES > GBZ > FR > DE

cities passed:
Frankfurt am Main DE > Geneva CH > Lac de St. Croix FR > Sete FR > Nador MA > Midelt MA >
Erfoud / Sahara MA > Ourzazate MA > Marrakech MA > Essaouira MA > El Jadida MA > Casablanca MA >
Asilah MA > Tanger MA > Tarifa ES > Gibraltar GBZ > Barcelona ES > Lyon FR > Frankfurt am Main DE

Click map thumbnail to see zoomable google map
with toggleable waypoints and GPS track logs.







Klaus Hildner:
"This was my personal Paris – Dakar
— though without Paris, and without Dakar,
and I rode in a different direction,
but sometimes tentionally rather than intentionally."

© 2009 by Klaus Hildner

Table of Contents

Note:
This is still raw material and work in progress.
Expect this to be better developed, modularized and digestable by mid-October-2009.
See timestamp and hash at footer for changes.

External Content
A Few Photos | More Photos | A Few Videos | More Videos
Twitter Diary | Annotated Diary: Day 01 | Day 02 | Day 03 | Day 04 | Day 05 | Day 06 | Day 07 | Day 08 | Day 09 | Day 10 | Day 11 | Day 12 | Day 13 | Day 14 | Day 15 | Day 16 | Day 17 | Day 18 | Day 19 | Day 20 | Day 21 | Day 22 | Day 23 | Day 24 | Day 25 | Day 26
Luggage and Equipment: Side frame bags | Rucksack | Tank rucksack | Left BMW alu case | Swiss army fuel bottle | Post case | Left top bag | Right BMW alu case | Yellow Ortlieb bag
HOWTOs: Crossing Water | Drinking Water | Laundry | Food | Offroad Navigation | Offroad Riding | Overtaking | Safety | Van | Motorcycle
Personal Insights
Famous Quotes: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance | Voyage Voyage | Easy Rider
The Big Picture
Legal

External Content

google maps GPS track log | facebook | twitter | youtube

webcam: the KlausKam
location: www.hildner.de/pos

A Few Photos

More Photos

More photos here.

A Few Videos

These have been recorded with:
Gorges du Verdon / Lac de St. Croix


the COMARIT ferry in from Sete, France, into Nador, Morocco


GSA is superior to Unimog! — When these guys finished, I crossed with the GSA.


camping in Ourzazate


dried sand from crossing the flooded roads


Moroccan flag


Moroccan tagine, still boiling.


Marrakech confectionery offers


Marrakech low altitude flight.


the CMGT ferry out from Tanger, Morocco, into Algeciras, Spain


practicing to fly the kite in 8s between 10 and 12 in Tarifa


couple passing with the usual "thumbs up" and honking, then myself giving a leaving honk at BMW Motorrad Service Algeciras


never sure if the camera dies at me — it then did on the way home in Southern France


twitter: 31. GSA at N36.14994 W5.34906, alt. 6 m, 26 oC - speaker msg at me: DO NOT PARK ON THE RUNWAY - K-3:18 AM Sep 21st from txt
Message occurs at 1:10 m:ss during the video. Next vehicles were two jets taking off -- slightly more subsonic than the GSA.


Passing an Osbourne bull after Gibraltar.

More videos

More videos here.

"Aventura Sahara" youtube playlist

Twitter Diary

twitter.com

Timezones might be GMT-8?

clients:

abbrevations used: Reverse chronological order (with the exception of multi-SMS posts). 

   1. Down to 67.7 kg body weight due to ramadan + islam (no food, no alcohol) -- and just ran 36 km. | http://tinyurl.com/yd45l8c 9:41 AM Sep 27th from web
   2. I favorited a YouTube video -- MVI 0964 http://bit.ly/T5ghR 2:44 AM Sep 27th from Google
   3. http://twitpic.com/j90o2 - geen locatiehwy 1:17 PM Sep 26th from TwitPic
   4. http://twitpic.com/j90ax - geen locatiea3a5 1:15 PM Sep 26th from TwitPic
   5. http://twitpic.com/j8axy - geen locatiebadminton - ju mao qiu 11:03 AM Sep 26th from TwitPic
   6. I uploaded a YouTube video -- MVI 0964 http://bit.ly/T5ghR 12:34 AM Sep 25th from Google
   7. I uploaded a YouTube video -- MVI 0971 http://bit.ly/XtzWS 12:24 AM Sep 25th from Google
   8. the "Aventura Sahara" GPS track log on google maps: http://tinyurl.com/yeuuy5f 3:22 PM Sep 24th from web
   9. @omigapun the best and cheapest printing companies are those that have to disguise a 2ndary business copying banknotes in the back office 12:01 PM Sep 24th from web in reply to omigapun
  10. Back in Offenbach, back online via everything. Next travel will be with HTC Hero/G3 + probably netbook, as most camp sites have free WiFi. 11:16 AM Sep 24th from web
  11. http://twitpic.com/ixe75 - geen locatiedouble ply and silk 3:39 AM Sep 24th from TwitPic
  12. In the office. 3:38 AM Sep 24th from HTC Peep
  13. Passed STR and FRA rush-hours on A8, A5, A3. Aventura Sahara ends in Offenbach at 23 987 km. Inshallah. 1:29 AM Sep 24th from HTC Peep
  14. www.hildner.de/pos - my near time location but phone off now for 3 hours - DO NOT BLOG AND DRIVE 11:01 PM Sep 23rd from HTC Peep
  15. @Kay: BOSCH - Bourne 2 and 3, the sniper out of the ad 10:58 PM Sep 23rd from HTC Peep
  16. http://twitpic.com/iwxzp - geen locatie202 km to go for Offenbach, then Fidelity 10:47 PM Sep 23rd from TwitPic
  17. http://twitpic.com/iwwge - geen locatieBosch at str 10:27 PM Sep 23rd from TwitPic
  18. km 9:40 PM Sep 23rd from HTC Peep
  19. Leaving Holzheim for Offenbach at 23 726 9:40 PM Sep 23rd from HTC Peep
  20. Alive and at my parents place, eating Zwiebelkuchen. Back to Frankfurt early tomorrow. 10:09 AM Sep 23rd from HTC Peep
  21. 495 km to go - ETA 0715 - K- 6:09 PM Sep 22nd from txt
  22. iAdios, mi amor N340, adios AP7! Now at N43.71241 E4.13185, 29 oC - forcing routing without CH, so 940 km to go via Karlsruhe - K- 9:52 AM Sep 22nd from txt
  23. Steppenwolf - Peter Fonda, Harry Haller - motor running, busco aventura, GSA dancing divinely - K- 3:12 AM Sep 22nd from txt
  24. In DE: GSA bei 22 306 km - abends mit Leffe blonde begruesst worden - schnuckelige Straende wie immer - fahre Tarragona ab 1200 Uhr, autoroute 1 400 km, 1:12 AM Sep 22nd from txt
  25. Holzheim an ETA 0600 Uhr - Andechser suchend - K-1:12 AM Sep 22nd from txt
  26. N41.12957 E1.30673, 22 oC, alt. 2 m, changed hemisphere - landed safely - K-3:36 PM Sep 21st from txt
  27. N38.72906 W0.93884, alt. 564 m, 18 oC - after food, nearly fell asleep and lost lane several times - took 5 min nap - now eating bullet gunpowder for rem 11:25 AM Sep 21st from txt
  28. aining 400 km - K- 11:25 AM Sep 21st from txt
  29. Bacon y queso y coffee at N37.23108 W3.66793, alt. 591 m, 28 oC - 16 months old BMW Tankrucksack main zipper dead - delicate plastic Barbie style, design 6:51 AM Sep 21st from txt
  30. ed to break - K-6:51 AM Sep 21st from txt
  31. GSA at N36.14994 W5.34906, alt. 6 m, 26 oC - speaker msg at me: DO NOT PARK ON THE RUNWAY - K- 3:18 AM Sep 21st from txt
  32. Anette, congrats for SAP finance cert - 2 day, 2 500 km reentry ahead - K- 4:10 PM Sep 20th from txt
  33. , ¿flatline? and a final Voll-Damm doble malta back on camping - slept 4 hour - playa chica was nice, played frisbee twice along waterline at 28 oC - rea 4:02 PM Sep 20th from txt
  34. r wheel slip in the evening but was lucky - K- 4:02 PM Sep 20th from txt
  35. In the morning, was running 8+ km barefoot on amazing beach to nearby Tarifa lighthouse and back to burn last nights 2 Mohitos, 2 Heinekens, 2 Coronitas 4:02 PM Sep 20th from txt
  36. GSA at 21 170 km and fuel maxed at Repsol - launch time is T-9 hours - will briefly visit Gibraltar runway, then burn up autopista to camping in Tarragona - K- 3:43 PM Sep 20th from txt
  37. Again Playa Chica (nomen est omen), facing Africa and speed ferry bonsai tsunamis - TODO: buy kite with chicken loop release - K- 6:12 AM Sep 20th from txt
  38. icontrast - K- 5:02 AM Sep 19th from txt
  39. Last evening: Best sunset ever - Caspar-David Friedrich doubled - costa de la luz - es verdad - local did not belinve this is here and now - Canon SX1IS, 5:02 AM Sep 19th from txt
  40. In DE: Montag Tarifa-Tarragona 1 100 km, Dienstag -Holzheim spaet 1 300 km, Mit. -OF spaet, Don. - Fid frueh - K- 4:19 AM Sep 19th from txt
  41. Playa Chica at N36.00838 W5.60683, alt. 1 m, 22 oC - K-3:28 AM Sep 19th from txt
  42. N36.03290 W5.57609, alt. 166 m, 21 oC - GSA looking back at Africa - try to kite surf next - K-5:46 AM Sep 18th from txt
  43. GSA stripped off gas tank in search for CAN bus :o) 4:18 AM Sep 18th from txt
  44. Tarifa - wow - bunte Nacht - K- 3:50 PM Sep 17th from txt
  45. Violating all of ramadan, islam, vegetarism and dont-start-drinking-early in a trad. bar across BMW on N340 - have iamon jamon but miss a Penelope - at l 5:30 AM Sep 17th from txt
  46. east beer is freshly tapped CruzCampo - K- 5:30 AM Sep 17th from txt
  47. GSA officially BMW serviced now - but will stay here until tomorrow to await 1 400 EUR of clothing as Hein Gericke fell apart, then up N340 and AP7 - K- 3:10 AM Sep 17th from txt
  48. GSA at 20 912 km and 2 500 km home - heading for Tarifa At-Med crossing, then BMW Servicio si possibile - K- 12:11 AM Sep 17th from txt
  49. Salewa Sierra Micra set at N36.04233 W5.63107, alt. 2 m - had octo tappas y cerveza fria and mucho more for less than 5 EUR in Tarifa - K- 4:22 PM Sep 16th from txt
  50. N36.15270 W5.45448 - 22 oC - found BMW Motorrad Service - now going 25 km down to Tarifa, back here tomorrow - K- 2:12 PM Sep 16th from txt
  51. N35.79087 W5.80316, alt. 6 m - embarking IMTC for Algeciras - got my 5 EUR fake Croqs stolen in Tanger - beep beep - K- 8:47 AM Sep 16th from txt
  52. Assets realtime location: N35.78397 W5.81289, alt. 43 m, 28 oC - status: alive, armed, unwounded, talkish - chasing Bourne and a medina rooftop - K- 5:55 AM Sep 16th from txt
  53. Yesterday was thumbs up day - first rinsing a boys bleeding nose with camelbak water in el-j, then on the way out many cars incl. police, cheering at tec 1:51 AM Sep 16th from txt
  54. hno - K- 1:51 AM Sep 16th from txt
  55. Ignoring Ramadan w/muesliespresso - leaving Asilah for Tanger, maybe Ceuta at 20 808 km - just hope Algeciras BMW service is BMW Motorrad service, too - K- 1:40 AM Sep 16th from txt
  56. MSR XGK is crap - inefficient always-full-blast plastic pump cooker - will get SnowPeak - love the JP understatement of their Ti gear - K- 5:28 PM Sep 15th from txt
  57. Survived Casablanca traffic - bed at N35.49960 W6.01310 - 40 km to Tanger, 90 km to Algeciras - K- 2:30 PM Sep 15th from txt
  58. N33.59587 W7.6279, alt. 28 m, 24 oC - traffic is hell, not going for Ricks Cafe - ContourHD filled up with Regenwasser - try to get out city alive - K- 9:26 AM Sep 15th from txt
  59. N33.25652 W8.50248, alt. 13 m, temp. 24 oC - Portuese cisterne - Rrregenwasser - Heil //:-=( - K-5:29 AM Sep 15th from txt
  60. Awful place and left jacket in the rain outside - booting brain w/water and bread, then muesli-espresso on roaring coast - GSA at 20 308 km - heading El- 12:48 AM Sep 15th from txt
  61. Jadida, Casablanca, Tanger - @Kay: Bourne 3, Matrix style medina rooftop chase - this is real, notsomestoryinanewsppr - K- 12:48 AM Sep 15th from txt
  62. N32.7329 W9.04319 elev. 2 m, temp. 23 oC - will use hwy out of El-Jedida and switch GPS and suspension back to onroad mode - K- 4:25 PM Sep 14th from txt
  63. N31.49744 W9.73265, elev. 92 m above Atlantico - GSA at 20 049 km and not dropped yet - now heading N to DE, not S to ZA - K- 7:28 AM Sep 14th from txt
  64. Leaving Marrakech for Essaouira / Atlantic ocean - GSA at 19 867 km - will visit El-Jadida and Casablanca - K- 12:07 AM Sep 14th from txt
  65. www.lerelaisdemarrakech.com - extending my stay until tomorrow - Ali Baba + 1 thief (me) - K- 5:15 AM Sep 13th from txt
  66. My good neighbor is a Hells Angel and rode his pre 1950 Harley Davidson panhead down the hwy here but finds it too 'tough' to cruise to downtown - je sui 2:40 PM Sep 12th from txt
  67. s son petit taxi :-) 2:40 PM Sep 12th from txt
  68. Little Montezuma caught me, and I knew it - last nights unordered salad besides the returned butter with the fly inside struggling 4 life - K- 3:52 AM Sep 12th from txt
  69. My year 2009 Hein Gericke Tuareg pant disintegrates by itself just 500 km after having seen a blue turban - K- 5:29 PM Sep 11th from txt
  70. In DE: Zelt bei N31.70748 W7.98967 - GSA bei 19 715 km - bleibe wohl 2 Naechte, dann Casablanca - Ceuta - Algeciras - Gibraltar - Allaaah akhbaaar - K- 11:36 AM Sep 11th from txt
  71. Ascend in rain from Atlas was tough - wet down to the skin at low speed + alt. 2 000+ - 1 400 m at 15 - 17 oC - dried up driving standing for max airflow - K- 10:26 AM Sep 11th from txt
  72. N31.63031 W8.01585 - alt. 460 m, 31 oC - GSA has landed - shift in perception - medina + traffic very complex - K-10:18 AM Sep 11th from txt
  73. Leaving Ouarzazate for Marrakech at 19 497 km - parking downtown for breakfast is hypnotising as landing a helicopter *g* - K- 12:33 AM Sep 11th from txt
  74. My tent is my castle at N30.92327 W6.88706, GSA at 19 481 km and nearly superior to Unimog when crossing rivers :o) - K-2:08 PM Sep 10th from txt
  75. r hole in the desert - K- 10:16 AM Sep 10th from txt
  76. Temporarily seeking shelter at OilLibya station at N31.28321 W6.05519 - thunderstorm - crossed flooded streets and nearly fell into an unmarked 10 m wate 10:16 AM Sep 10th from txt
  77. Stopover at N31.53023 W4.49973, alt. 864 m - unusual rock shapes - K- 3:46 AM Sep 10th from txt
  78. Leaving Merzouga for Ouarzazate, crossing Atlas back via Vallee du Dades / rue N10 - GSA at 19 109 km - desert sunrise was cloudy with raindrops - K- 12:45 AM Sep 10th from txt
  79. Mindboggling tradit. hotel at N31.08128 W4.00685 with WC and shower - desert starts in front of door - sur les dunes du Sahara *sing* - K- 10:13 AM Sep 9th from txt
  80. GSA at 18 834 km - getting gas maxed, total 33 + 5 l - have packed 5 l extra water - about to cross Atlas first time - K- 3:17 AM Sep 9th from txt
  81. Leaving Midelt - yesterday short rain, now grey sky - found tradit. food place at N32.68233 W4.74340 - today in the evening: sand dunes at Merzouga - K- 1:32 AM Sep 9th from txt
  82. Am in hotel in Midelt at N32.68172 W4.74270 - had impressive stone deserts today - sand dunes at Erfoud tomorrow - K- 2:15 PM Sep 8th from txt
  83. N34.23862 W3.30899 - AFRIQUIA :-) - I assume the world soon has sky + satellite-facing ads - K-7:27 AM Sep 8th from txt
  84. Doing cold wash laundry and packing up for Oudia, Guercif, Midelt - people talkkish, staring, waving, police friendly - GSA at 18 279 km - K- 12:40 AM Sep 8th from txt
  85. N35.08411 W2.21886 - safely camping near Algerian border, going south to Atlas tomorrow - traffic as expected and did drive 50+ km at night - K- 2:48 PM Sep 7th from txt
  86. N39.95030 E1.56084 - 663 km to go at 40 km/h - I am in the cabin - open ocean - passing Ibiza ES - K- 4:34 PM Sep 6th from txt
  87. N43.40450 E3.70326 - embarking on COMARIT - GSA at 18 100+ km - 1 078 km = 26 h across to Nador MA, W hemisphere - K- 2:24 AM Sep 6th from txt
  88. GSA is at 18 K km now - maxed motor oil from 25% to 75% - brake pads ok for another 16 / 8 K km front/rear - relaxi 2day, ferry 2morrow - K-12:23 AM Sep 5th from txt
  89. I am on mobile +49.176.66690305 - SMS only - in case some1 wants 2 msg me :-) - K- 12:51 AM Sep 4th from txt
  90. 5 km beach run, now espresso, rice, octopus - found Leffe triple beer - then relaxi on tens of km of plage - K-12:28 AM Sep 4th from txt
  91. Nord nach Tangier, dann Algeciras ES - K- 3:13 PM Sep 3rd from txt
  92. In DE: Nehme Faehre Sonntag ab Sete FR 1400, Montag an Nador MA 1800. Kurs Sued: Atlas ueberqueren, bissi Saharaoasi, Marrakech, dann West zur Kueste und 3:13 PM Sep 3rd from txt
  93. In Sete, a girl bumped her car into the GSA and destroyed my CH army alu bottle mounted on the rear - case mount is OK - K-3:03 PM Sep 3rd from txt
  94. Tent at N43.32232 E3.55959 - cosy hippie camping - eating pizza from a mobile Peugeot J7 bakery - K- 11:04 AM Sep 3rd from txt
  95. Leaving Lac de St. Croix for Sete at 17 582 km, 26 oC - K- 1:13 AM Sep 3rd from txt
  96. W. Gibson, Pattern Recognition, p137, on 911: ... the exploding fuel burns with a tinge of green that she will never hear or see described - K- 12:40 PM Sep 2nd from txt
  97. In the French alps, the BMW R1200GSA did well: under combat cargo load, drank 4.5 - 5.2 l / 100 km at 15 - 25 oC, avg 5.0 l, avg 60 km/h - K- 10:45 AM Sep 2nd from txt
  98. Camping sur Lac de St. Croix, tent at N43.79614 E6.24332 - already did the Verdon Canyon - 27 oC - K- 10:18 AM Sep 2nd from txt
  99. N45.06430 E6.40788 at 2 652 m, 16 oC - K- 3:39 AM Sep 2nd from txt
 100. Leaving Modane FR for Gorges du Verdon at 17 237 km - K- 12:54 AM Sep 2nd from txt
 101. ... Rock 2 hit SUV right before me on left wheel - pulled out and fled - K- 11:16 AM Sep 1st from txt
 102. Tent at N45.19393 E6.66259 - today, after Beaufort had rock come down 25 m ahead - stopped - rumble from uphill ... 11:12 AM Sep 1st from txt
 103. Slow and lonely at N45.69506 E6.63494 at 1 618 m - K- 7:23 AM Sep 1st from txt
 104. Leaving Geneve CH for Chamonix-Mt. Blanc FR then Lac de St. Croix/Gorges du Verdon at 16 921 km - K- 12:41 AM Sep 1st from txt
 105. N46.24538 E6.19222 - K- 11:47 AM Aug 31st from txt
 106. Leaving Goeppingen DE for Geneve CH at 16 372 km - CERN - beginning of the WWW + end of the world - K- 4:35 AM Aug 31st from txt
 107. Leaving OF for GP ¡16 180 km - K- 9:27 AM Aug 30th from txt
 108. N50.092548 E8.747535 - test gateway DE - K- 4:52 PM Aug 29th from txt
 109. Test Motorola V525 via SMS gateway UK - K- 3:56 PM Aug 29th from txt
 110. when posting GPS coordinates via SMS, replace comma , by dot ., then copy/paste into google maps to visualize my position 3:47 PM Aug 26th from web
 111. http://twitpic.com/f79ox - geen locatiemfp 1:06 AM Aug 25th from TwitPic
 112. http://twitpic.com/f3b36 - geen locatietemp 1:06 AM Aug 24th from TwitPic
 113. http://twitpic.com/egtl8 - geen locatietemp 7:19 AM Aug 19th from TwitPic
 114. VW goes for a dive, and world economz decides for a W rather than a V 6:56 AM Aug 19th from web
 115. http://bit.ly/4mmHBc -- the same route I am commuting ... adds an exciting new perspective to it 11:03 PM Aug 18th from web
 116. met google streetview camera car w/MB100 on B455 at N50.212504 E8.538094 today, met ~3 months ago w/GSA on A661 at N50.132849 E8.724174 10:29 AM Aug 18th from web
 117. test sms gw uk - n31,632419 w8,008434 - k- 4:49 AM Aug 17th from txt
 118. test sms gw de - n52,518669 e13,376101 - k- 4:47 AM Aug 17th from txt

Annotated Diary

Work in progress.
Draft notes are set in italics.

Day 01: Sunday, 30-August-2009

 107. Leaving OF for GP ¡16 180 km - K- 9:27 AM Aug 30th from txt

Leaving D-63069 Offenbach am Main, DE, for D-73037 Göppingen, DE, to visit my parents.
The Adventure starts, the ignition system being provided by BOSCH.

In the evening we clean off the old and readjust and stick a new adhesive strip for the helmet camera towards its rear; I had originally not been aware that the helmet for its aerodynamics and my physiology is sort of tilted down by 30 degrees during wearing and driving, though seat position is quite different on GSA (upright) vs. K100 (leaning down).

It is important to use its two lasers for initial calibration of the orientation: One just looks relaxed and straight ahead, identifies a spot, and then makes the lasers hit precisely that, whilst remembering which mountpoint that would translate to.
So the new mountpoint later when watching the videos confirms to be a perfect fit, and I continue to improve the overall setup before my return ride by threading cable binders through the helmet's ventilation exits and into its snap mount to secure it in case the high tech velcro or the sticker would let go (e. g. on hitting an obstacle like a bird, opening the System 5 helmet too far, or the constant wind pressure), so it would still dangle and not be lost.

The picture documents the first Berber astronaut I encountered a week later in low orbit, wearing an identical form of that helmet and feeding on solid forms of carbohydrate (bread, in that instance).

Day 02: Monday, 31-August-2009

 105. N46.24538 E6.19222 - K- 11:47 AM Aug 31st from txt
 106. Leaving Goeppingen DE for Geneve CH at 16 372 km - CERN - beginning of the WWW + end of the world - K- 4:35 AM Aug 31st from txt

Leaving Göppingen DE for CH (Switzerland).
I first take highway A8 westbound to Karlsruhe, then dive down the A5, direction Basel CH.

Going through Swiss customs makes them aware of my helmet camera. The dialog goes like "is this a camera?" — "yes, it is off"; they take it easy.

I put down some 40 CHF for a 1 year subscription and the sticker for using Swiss highways. Subscription starts at month November or so, but payment is not linearly reduced — one always pays full, and the change for the EUR is in CHF.
A customs officer curiously watches as I pull out disinfective spray to clean the windshield and place their Warhole-like sticker besides the blue/white A3A5.de highway sticker.
On the way back, I intend not to use them but French autoroutes.
The Swiss roads are just too small for a hyperjump and their topology too killing complex, besides their efforts with the tunnels and bridges, and excellent road conditions, with the exception of the rock slide that could have smashed me 2 days later and 7 m off.

During the day, more remarks hit me regarding the camera. The answer is "yes".
Further questions are in the direction for what it is used, and I feel like Marvin the paranoid android:
"Marvin, what are you doing in the car park?"
"Parking cars, what else, dum dum?"

In the evening, I end up in Geneve, CH, looking for shelter. Downtown all signs point to 3+ star hotels.
I resist to check into the Beau Rivage, room number 317, and take a hot bath, as I do not want to replay the Barschel theme, though I do not feel Russian agents on my trail.

When I am about to disappointedly leave the city for Chamonix, I see a triangular tent icon and a "6 km" distance marker along Lac l'Alman.
I follow and end up right on a nice little campsite by the lake Geneva.
GSA is landing on a fresh meadow with ducks walking nearby.
I set up the Salewa Sierra Micra, factory new, having been in hot hold for 5 years, for the first time during this journey, and can confirm it is the complete package and nothing missing at all.

Day 03: Tuesday, 01-September-2009

 101. ... Rock 2 hit SUV right before me on left wheel - pulled out and fled - K- 11:16 AM Sep 1st from txt
 102. Tent at N45.19393 E6.66259 - today, after Beaufort had rock come down 25 m ahead - stopped - rumble from uphill ... 11:12 AM Sep 1st from txt
 103. Slow and lonely at N45.69506 E6.63494 at 1 618 m - K- 7:23 AM Sep 1st from txt
 104. Leaving Geneve CH for Chamonix-Mt. Blanc FR then Lac de St. Croix/Gorges du Verdon at 16 921 km - K- 12:41 AM Sep 1st from txt

The journey south is uneventful for a long time, with the exception of my first defect shortly before reaching 17 000 km:
GSA signals "LAMPF", which must mean "front lamp" and is an H7 that burnt out. First tempted to postpone the exchange for the amount of daylight, I realize that I am steadily going through tunnels of various length, so I peek into the Tankrucksack and am surprised to find an H7 and not the usual H4. The exchange as such requires a Swiss army knife and takes less than 10 minutes.

During the day, I encounter the typical mountain roads with turns and take my time to stay on the road and not slip off and fall into a valley. After all I am packed with an estimated 80 kg of luggage.
The weather is slightly rainish sometimes, and temperatures vary with altitude.
I set the motorcycle to read the temperature and the GPS to show the elevation; beyond 2 000 meters things tend to be different.

At around 4 PM and going downhill in turns, the two cars in front of me stop.
A rock, roughly half a meter in diameter and I would guess 400+ kg in weight, had just rolled down some 20 meters ahead of us. I call it "rock 1" for ease of identification.

Whilst we stand still, I hear a low rumble. With the helmet on, I am not absolutely clear about directions, but as it gradually gets louder and gravity usually works one way only, it must be coming from up left and going down right, having me standing curiously in the center, and trees sparsely growing all around us preventing clear vision.
My brain starts to consider the alternatives:

  1. To turn and go back up would take a bit of time in the absence of a rear gear.
  2. Going ahead might expose me to the center of the disaster with higher probability if it were to follow a Gaussian distribution or whatever.
  3. Getting off the cycle and hiding behind the SUV right in front of me could be a bad idea if it is hit by whatever comes down.
  4. Decide dynamically in the last moment, ready to abandon the motorcycle, and entirely unsure about the magnitude of things — stone vs. rock vs. land slide.

So I play the Russian roulette part and await the inevitable.
Rumbling at low frequency, volume increasing.
Flash back to 20 years ago: 200 tons of Schuler press hanging from the ceiling, slowly and majestically swinging towards me: Deadly cold, unstoppable motion.

When it finally shows up, rock 2 then is of the same build as the previous. It hits the SUV on ground level at the front wheel without causing it to tumble over and not pushing it over the edge. An estimated 1 : 5 mass ratio. For me it would have been 2 : 1, and full exposure.
That must have happened 7 meters in front of me.
Not waiting for more audible feedback of a potential rock 3, I pull out, take the turn, pass the obvious crater that rock 1 had torn, and go down-down-down until I feel safer and take a break, adrenaline level subsiding slowly.

The next few cars passing do not include the SUV, but I am confident it is only damage to the wheel or axle, not the people inside.
Cars going uphill seem to have already been warned; some go slowly.
I talk to one and am pale enough to make him turn round instantly.

Day 04: Wednesday, 02-September-2009

  96. W. Gibson, Pattern Recognition, p137, on 911: ... the exploding fuel burns with a tinge of green that she will never hear or see described - K- 12:40 PM Sep 2nd from txt
  97. In the French alps, the BMW R1200GSA did well: under combat cargo load, drank 4.5 - 5.2 l / 100 km at 15 - 25 oC, avg 5.0 l, avg 60 km/h - K- 10:45 AM Sep 2nd from txt
  98. Camping sur Lac de St. Croix, tent at N43.79614 E6.24332 - already did the Verdon Canyon - 27 oC - K- 10:18 AM Sep 2nd from txt
  99. N45.06430 E6.40788 at 2 652 m, 16 oC - K- 3:39 AM Sep 2nd from txt
 100. Leaving Modane FR for Gorges du Verdon at 17 237 km - K- 12:54 AM Sep 2nd from txt

Gibson, NSA, and 911: shutter speeds, resolution, white balance, smell of carbide

year 1998 BMW brochure?

Day 05: Thursday, 03-September-2009

  91. Nord nach Tangier, dann Algeciras ES - K- 3:13 PM Sep 3rd from txt
  92. In DE: Nehme Faehre Sonntag ab Sete FR 1400, Montag an Nador MA 1800. Kurs Sued: Atlas ueberqueren, bissi Saharaoasi, Marrakech, dann West zur Kueste und 3:13 PM Sep 3rd from txt
  93. In Sete, a girl bumped her car into the GSA and destroyed my CH army alu bottle mounted on the rear - case mount is OK - K-3:03 PM Sep 3rd from txt
  94. Tent at N43.32232 E3.55959 - cosy hippie camping - eating pizza from a mobile Peugeot J7 bakery - K- 11:04 AM Sep 3rd from txt
  95. Leaving Lac de St. Croix for Sete at 17 582 km, 26 oC - K- 1:13 AM Sep 3rd from txt

missing the ferry   guessed the ramp correctly, and see it going out behind the fence
4 day turnaround

Day 06: Friday, 04-September-2009

  89. I am on mobile +49.176.66690305 - SMS only - in case some1 wants 2 msg me :-) - K- 12:51 AM Sep 4th from txt
  90. 5 km beach run, now espresso, rice, octopus - found Leffe triple beer - then relaxi on tens of km of plage - K- 12:28 AM Sep 4th from txt

lots of moon photos

Day 07: Saturday, 05-September-2009

  88. GSA is at 18 K km now - maxed motor oil from 25% to 75% - brake pads ok for another 16 / 8 K km front/rear - relaxi 2day, ferry 2morrow - K- 12:23 AM Sep 5th from txt

yet another moon night (full this time) but with fewer photos

Day 08: Sunday, 06-September-2009

  87. N43.40450 E3.70326 - embarking on COMARIT - GSA at 18 100+ km - 1 078 km = 26 h across to Nador MA, W hemisphere - K- 2:24 AM Sep 6th from txt

the sleeping cell phone ... boarding

Day 09: Monday, 07-September-2009

  85. N35.08411 W2.21886 - safely camping near Algerian border, going south to Atlas tomorrow - traffic as expected and did drive 50+ km at night - K- 2:48 PM Sep 7th from txt
  86. N39.95030 E1.56084 - 663 km to go at 40 km/h - I am in the cabin - open ocean - passing Ibiza ES - K- 4:34 PM Sep 6th from txt

entering Marocco and customs — about an hour, sweating in protective clothing
"can't believe we are doing it, Charly" — no goose skin feeling on my end when touching African ground — purely rational

doing the silly German thing: pockets full of EUR cash, looking for an ATM, getting a maximum of 600 MAD (Maroccan Dirham; less than 60 EUR) out of an ATM nearby; phishing risk
GPS to offroad, some 20+ km direct line to camp 1
buying dry bread, it is turning night, high beam driving and at around 80 km/h
surprising road conditions (missing markers, ending lanes, heavy pieces left on the road)
other map would have had camp sites; not seeing any neon signs for hotels or pensions / herberges
camp 1 is precise to the meter near the oceanline, and there is one truck, no fence or obvious infrastructure, and two people grilling on the street, however reminds me of the scenery in "Black Hawk Down" along with the burning rubber, so I decide for Zaphod's "computer, get me out of here now, maximum probability".
I back out eastbound. Camp 2 is another 30+ km night drive. It does not seem to exist any more.
I ask people: Something is another 15 km eastbound   said to be hotels.
briefly considering to find a lonely spot and sleep in the sleeping bag without tent, hiding the motorcycle, but then opt for a last drive, as I do not feel tired yet
When getting nearby (after 20+ km), I realize this is also where another camping is.
I detect westernized infrastructure, and camp 3 is closed.
Camp 4 nearby is also closed, but they happily open it for me. 2+ hours, 80+ km of night ride odyssey ends.
End of season holiday town. People staring at the GSA and friendly.
High walls towards the road, however probably more open towards the rear, and more than one person on the facility but low fluctuation and relaxed habits. I get the key to the facility in exchange for my national ID, waive parking and sleeping in the bathrooms for the smell, set up the tent outside, leave the alu cases back, and ride out for dinner 500 m down the road, sharing it with two cats that I need to scare off temporarily as otherwise they would jump on the table.
Carbonated water, chicken, vegetables, and I think I have a salad.

Day 10: Tuesday, 08-September-2009

  82. Am in hotel in Midelt at N32.68172 W4.74270 - had impressive stone deserts today - sand dunes at Erfoud tomorrow - K- 2:15 PM Sep 8th from txt
  83. N34.23862 W3.30899 - AFRIQUIA :-) - I assume the world soon has sky + satellite-facing ads - K-7:27 AM Sep 8th from txt
  84. Doing cold wash laundry and packing up for Oudia, Guercif, Midelt - people talkkish, staring, waving, police friendly - GSA at 18 279 km - K- 12:40 AM Sep 8th from txt

First real drive — can I do it in this terrain and under the given circumstances?

Yes.

Hyperjump — I can drive long distance, complex topology and even at night and keep with my most optimistic guesses about risk and distance.
Tens of km of stone desert at night. High beam, 80 km/h.
Watching out for very few road holes, bumps and misplaced rocks.
Helmet visor down even during heat and daytime, however no impacts — no animals, no sand, no stone, nothing. Not even crashing into a bicycle.

Approach: Do difficult first (rue national + mountains in), easy later (highway + coastline out).
Do not drive the white ones (no pistes).

Midelt is ugly. Road condition on approach, mudholes in downtown and no sidewalk.
The yellow sports shirt, the shoes on sale in the dust, the crowd, the preacher / politician, "Afghanistan", "Apache".
The begging eyes. The traditional food place. "My hotel", 70 vs. 80 Dirham, the German geologist, the GPS.

Day 11: Wednesday, 09-September-2009

  79. Mindboggling tradit. hotel at N31.08128 W4.00685 with WC and shower - desert starts in front of door - sur les dunes du Sahara *sing* - K- 10:13 AM Sep 9th from txt
  80. GSA at 18 834 km - getting gas maxed, total 33 + 5 l - have packed 5 l extra water - about to cross Atlas first time - K- 3:17 AM Sep 9th from txt
  81. Leaving Midelt - yesterday short rain, now grey sky - found tradit. food place at N32.68233 W4.74340 - today in the evening: sand dunes at Merzouga - K- 1:32 AM Sep 9th from txt

the door, the desert

Day 12: Thursday, 10-September-2009

  74. My tent is my castle at N30.92327 W6.88706, GSA at 19 481 km and nearly superior to Unimog when crossing rivers :o) - K-2:08 PM Sep 10th from txt
  75. r hole in the desert - K- 10:16 AM Sep 10th from txt
  76. Temporarily seeking shelter at OilLibya station at N31.28321 W6.05519 - thunderstorm - crossed flooded streets and nearly fell into an unmarked 10 m wate 10:16 AM Sep 10th from txt
  77. Stopover at N31.53023 W4.49973, alt. 864 m - unusual rock shapes - K- 3:46 AM Sep 10th from txt
  78. Leaving Merzouga for Ouarzazate, crossing Atlas back via Vallee du Dades / rue N10 - GSA at 19 109 km - desert sunrise was cloudy with raindrops - K- 12:45 AM Sep 10th from txt

Tough day 1/2.

Day 13: Friday, 11-September-2009

  69. My year 2009 Hein Gericke Tuareg pant disintegrates by itself just 500 km after having seen a blue turban - K- 5:29 PM Sep 11th from txt
  70. In DE: Zelt bei N31.70748 W7.98967 - GSA bei 19 715 km - bleibe wohl 2 Naechte, dann Casablanca - Ceuta - Algeciras - Gibraltar - Allaaah akhbaaar - K- 11:36 AM Sep 11th from txt
  71. Ascend in rain from Atlas was tough - wet down to the skin at low speed + alt. 2 000+ - 1 400 m at 15 - 17 oC - dried up driving standing for max airflow - K- 10:26 AM Sep 11th from txt
  72. N31.63031 W8.01585 - alt. 460 m, 31 oC - GSA has landed - shift in perception - medina + traffic very complex - K-10:18 AM Sep 11th from txt
  73. Leaving Ouarzazate for Marrakech at 19 497 km - parking downtown for breakfast is hypnotising as landing a helicopter *g* - K- 12:33 AM Sep 11th from txt

I am expecting a nice ride into Marrakech for the 2nd hop across the Atlas mountains, however after passing mud brick houses and oases and gaining height, things change:

Rain starts, road gets more slippery (could be the mud), visibility goes low, and it gets cold, then there is more rain, and I need to slow down to a speed that exposes me entirely to the waters. I get wet down to the skin and do a quick status quo check — wrap up equipment watertight, and decide I can handle it without seeking shelter, as it is only a mere 120 km into Marrakech which at worst is a 3 hours drive.

People besides the road are trying to sell exotic stones and rocks, and in mid-flight one catches my attention to a degree where I nearly go straight out of a curve and into the sky.
I have a deja vu of a Cuban highway where — crusing at 100+ km/h — (then blasted) people were trying to sell fruits to me, me being the only car on that road for a while, and then a farmer with an ox turning in right in front of me.
Ignore them.

At one point I find myself at 2 000+ meters, temperature down to 15 oC, encountering a crashed car (probably went into a truck and was pushed up the mountain), and — I think — an entire piece of the road missing though the valley 500+ meters below is still there.
And no bumps, just curves, a bit of mud flooding when passing villages with clutch pulled anxiously, opposing trucks, turns, varying altitude, and rain — lots of rain.
I manage to keep the fog out of my helmet shield and my glasses somehow dry.
Trucks — though I am loaded like one, I am still faster downhill than those old vehicles I pass, however from the awfully scratchy noise of their brakes I can tell that most of their brake shoes have long gone, and some go so slow that I believe they entirely rely on their motor brakes and a strong religious belief.

At 1 500 meters and below things get better, and temperature goes up to 17 oC.
I keep going, perception running at fullest attention.
The one thing I do not worry about is the motorcycle — it is at peak performance.

When the rain finally subsides, I keep driving for another 15 minutes, remain in 3rd gear and stand up to get maximum air intake to dry my clothing quickly.
It feels like a mechanically engineered version of google maps flying, only very low, and clouds and landscapes changing quickly. I watch the horizon for weather changes.

In the afternoon, I then land the GSA in a mountain village, put it on the lateral stand and feel super almighty.
With my clothing and between the donkeys it must look quite exotic as usual.
I buy a few pieces of fruit and rinse two apples from the disinfected water sack on the rear of the cycle, then snap the knife open to cut them in pieces — they are super eco as they seem to contain more than one worm each.
I strongly believe to hear the word "Ramadan" in a complaining tone. It must have originated from a nearby parallel universe.
Then I fix the charger with adhesive tape. I am on rechargeable batteries, 50+ GB of non volatile storage and no need for Kodak Gold.
I talk to nobody, ignore everyone staring, and hit the road again, brain set to full automatic flight.

The ride into Marrakech then feels even greater.
I fly, standing on the motorcycle, looking down at the world from 2 meters high, the warm wind around me at a pleasant speed.
The streets are busy like in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and I somehow first end up on the edge of the Medina.
This is different from what I have seen before.
It feels like I am a bee in a beehive, carefully buzzing through streets that are grown structures for hundreds of years.
Maybe I am not a bee but a spaceship, but that would be the Cuba feeling — this is all not decoration, this is real, and it has been like that for a very long time.
Cuba at night was black and white like a year 1940ies movie for their street lamps — Marrakech does have colors, and the audio track has been awarded Unesco world heritage. | wikipedia

When I had left from Frankfurt, I had measured the direct distance to be 2 477 km.
For formal reasons, I now bring it down to 0 km at the central station, switching my brain to "I made it, and I made it nicely, now relax", push all the other thoughts out in a 15 min break at a gas station across, and then head over to a camping nearby; it happens to be the one a French camper had recommended in Ourzazate that morning.
There is still daylight, and it is beautiful and again all different.
It does not take too long until I find a drawer for it — this must be the Arabic version of San Francisco.
People in motion, all friendly, and the next day I will go shopping for a tie with a flower motif.

Marrakech — the food place, the fly in the butter, the salad

Day 14: Saturday, 12-September-2009

  66. My good neighbor is a Hells Angel and rode his pre 1950 Harley Davidson panhead down the hwy here but finds it too 'tough' to cruise to downtown - je sui 2:40 PM Sep 12th from txt
  67. s son petit taxi :-) 2:40 PM Sep 12th from txt
  68. Little Montezuma caught me, and I knew it - last nights unordered salad besides the returned butter with the fly inside struggling 4 life - K- 3:52 AM Sep 12th from txt

Day 15: Sunday, 13-September-2009

  65. www.lerelaisdemarrakech.com - extending my stay until tomorrow - Ali Baba + 1 thief (me) - K- 5:15 AM Sep 13th from txt

terms: medina (old town), suks (craftsman stores in the old town where you watch people working)
mosque: with a long French e at the end
The organized-ness of the Suks: Grid, numbers, and probably sales taxes. Not really magic.
Lighting and awareness of intellectual theft (lamps).
The stores. Not really seen craftsmanship. However the "cooking basement" with the chopped off cow legs.
Taking control of the snake — like taking control of a motorcycle or a cannula — no worries if I do it myself.
The snake man operating my camera like a pro.
The hiddenly recorded videos   need to do captures.

Day 16: Monday, 14-September-2009

  62. N32.7329 W9.04319 elev. 2 m, temp. 23 oC - will use hwy out of El-Jedida and switch GPS and suspension back to onroad mode - K- 4:25 PM Sep 14th from txt
  63. N31.49744 W9.73265, elev. 92 m above Atlantico - GSA at 20 049 km and not dropped yet - now heading N to DE, not S to ZA - K- 7:28 AM Sep 14th from txt
  64. Leaving Marrakech for Essaouira / Atlantic ocean - GSA at 19 867 km - will visit El-Jadida and Casablanca - K- 12:07 AM Sep 14th from txt

Day 17: Tuesday, 15-September-2009

  56. MSR XGK is crap - inefficient always-full-blast plastic pump cooker - will get SnowPeak - love the JP understatement of their Ti gear - K- 5:28 PM Sep 15th from txt
  57. Survived Casablanca traffic - bed at N35.49960 W6.01310 - 40 km to Tanger, 90 km to Algeciras - K- 2:30 PM Sep 15th from txt
  58. N33.59587 W7.6279, alt. 28 m, 24 oC - traffic is hell, not going for Ricks Cafe - ContourHD filled up with Regenwasser - try to get out city alive - K- 9:26 AM Sep 15th from txt
  59. N33.25652 W8.50248, alt. 13 m, temp. 24 oC - Portuese cisterne - Rrregenwasser - Heil //:-=( - K-5:29 AM Sep 15th from txt
  60. Awful place and left jacket in the rain outside - booting brain w/water and bread, then muesli-espresso on roaring coast - GSA at 20 308 km - heading El- 12:48 AM Sep 15th from txt
  61. Jadida, Casablanca, Tanger - @Kay: Bourne 3, Matrix style medina rooftop chase - this is real, notsomestoryinanewsppr - K- 12:48 AM Sep 15th from txt

Day 18: Wednesday, 16-September-2009

  49. Salewa Sierra Micra set at N36.04233 W5.63107, alt. 2 m - had octo tappas y cerveza fria and mucho more for less than 5 EUR in Tarifa - K- 4:22 PM Sep 16th from txt
  50. N36.15270 W5.45448 - 22 oC - found BMW Motorrad Service - now going 25 km down to Tarifa, back here tomorrow - K- 2:12 PM Sep 16th from txt
  51. N35.79087 W5.80316, alt. 6 m - embarking IMTC for Algeciras - got my 5 EUR fake Croqs stolen in Tanger - beep beep - K- 8:47 AM Sep 16th from txt
  52. Assets realtime location: N35.78397 W5.81289, alt. 43 m, 28 oC - status: alive, armed, unwounded, talkish - chasing Bourne and a medina rooftop - K- 5:55 AM Sep 16th from txt
  53. Yesterday was thumbs up day - first rinsing a boys bleeding nose with camelbak water in el-j, then on the way out many cars incl. police, cheering at tec 1:51 AM Sep 16th from txt
  54. hno - K- 1:51 AM Sep 16th from txt
  55. Ignoring Ramadan w/muesliespresso - leaving Asilah for Tanger, maybe Ceuta at 20 808 km - just hope Algeciras BMW service is BMW Motorrad service, too - K- 1:40 AM Sep 16th from txt

three elements: Al, Ti, Au
The box is a Deutsche Post aluminum one, used to transfer cash money (PA Mainz = post office Mainz; Geldsammelstelle = money collection point). I used it as my mobile kitchen. It is extremely robust.
The mug is 600 cc SnowPeak titanium. I have scratched off their branding to make it look more unimpressive. I can hand it over to people, strong and lightweight, and they just would not know what it is.
The coin is one fine ounce of Zuid African gold, coined with the profile of Mr. Kruger, inventor of a national park the same way that Goethe invented roads. It's my 3rd level backup currency (which goes in the order of credit/debit, cash, gold, and theft).

the biggest typo ever ... Lord of War would have fix it fixed in realtime

EU immigration — 1 minute.
Sniffing dogs, the customs lady curiously touching the side bags.

Doing the 5 extra km and establishing visual contact with the BMW Motorrad Service showroom on the N340 -- OH YES
tappas then (octopus hot, octopus cold, olives, fish, bread, cerveza, and below 5 EUR)
then curving the N340 south and finding the camping down in Tarifa — windy — and tent up shortly after midnight

Day 19: Thursday, 17-September-2009

  44. Tarifa - wow - bunte Nacht - K- 3:50 PM Sep 17th from txt
  45. Violating all of ramadan, islam, vegetarism and dont-start-drinking-early in a trad. bar across BMW on N340 - have iamon jamon but miss a Penelope - at l 5:30 AM Sep 17th from txt
  46. east beer is freshly tapped CruzCampo - K- 5:30 AM Sep 17th from txt
  47. GSA officially BMW serviced now - but will stay here until tomorrow to await 1 400 EUR of clothing as Hein Gericke fell apart, then up N340 and AP7 - K- 3:10 AM Sep 17th from txt
  48. GSA at 20 912 km and 2 500 km home - heading for Tarifa At-Med crossing, then BMW Servicio si possibile - K- 12:11 AM Sep 17th from txt

Back to European infrastructure: Considering a short time at BMW, the heading up for Tarragona, so packing up completely.
Once at BMW Motorrad Service in Algeciras ES and having talked things through, changing plans:
Spending a relaxed day at their facilities right on the N340 national road on km 107.4 (counted from the southern tip), for the 20 000 km inspection.

The N340 is running from Jerez de la Frontera up into Barcelona and these days accompanied by autovias and autopistas like the AP7. I did long-distance cycling on the Tarragona leg during two other vacations.

I am having tappas grandes y dos cervezas in a bar across the road (including jamon that hangs on the wall and reminds me of the movie with Penelope Cruz), and afterwards a nice sleep on the blue ALDI mattress in a place as clean and organized as a dental studio. Robert M. Pirsig himself would have been pleased. What more do you want, Phaedrus?

My Hein-Gericke Tuareg pants have disintegrated within 4 months, despite the fact that I lost weight and did not wear it with the inner pants, i. e. no stress at all on the fabrics.
I try the BMW Rallye 2 Pro clothing right out of their "GSA China" commercial. The jacket weighs an estimated 3 kg, and the pants come with 180 degree knee protectors plus the hip protectors installed. It should be a EU size 50 jacket and size 52 pants which they order from Madrid ES to be here tomorrow, along with the complete Thorx tool package, the BMW tzip roll for the rear with quick snap locks, and the 12 V outlet to be drilled into the tank cover.
That is roughly 1 200 + 100 + 100 EUR in clothing and hardware. The next day on checkout, they will do Visa, though I had asked for a cash rebate.

BMW showroom, Touratech

"Grazien". Staying longer!

Day 20: Friday, 18-September-2009

  42. N36.03290 W5.57609, alt. 166 m, 21 oC - GSA looking back at Africa - try to kite surf next - K-5:46 AM Sep 18th from txt
  43. GSA stripped off gas tank in search for CAN bus :o) 4:18 AM Sep 18th from txt

Day 21: Saturday, 19-September-2009

  38. icontrast - K- 5:02 AM Sep 19th from txt
  39. Last evening: Best sunset ever - Caspar-David Friedrich doubled - costa de la luz - es verdad - local did not belinve this is here and now - Canon SX1IS, 5:02 AM Sep 19th from txt
  40. In DE: Montag Tarifa-Tarragona 1 100 km, Dienstag -Holzheim spaet 1 300 km, Mit. -OF spaet, Don. - Fid frueh - K- 4:19 AM Sep 19th from txt
  41. Playa Chica at N36.00838 W5.60683, alt. 1 m, 22 oC - K-3:28 AM Sep 19th from txt

Shot roughly from N36.034564 W5.626054.

Day 22: Sunday, 20-September-2009

  32. Anette, congrats for SAP finance cert - 2 day, 2 500 km reentry ahead - K- 4:10 PM Sep 20th from txt
  33. , ¿flatline? and a final Voll-Damm doble malta back on camping - slept 4 hour - playa chica was nice, played frisbee twice along waterline at 28 oC - rea 4:02 PM Sep 20th from txt
  34. r wheel slip in the evening but was lucky - K- 4:02 PM Sep 20th from txt
  35. In the morning, was running 8+ km barefoot on amazing beach to nearby Tarifa lighthouse and back to burn last nights 2 Mohitos, 2 Heinekens, 2 Coronitas 4:02 PM Sep 20th from txt
  36. GSA at 21 170 km and fuel maxed at Repsol - launch time is T-9 hours - will briefly visit Gibraltar runway, then burn up autopista to camping in Tarragona - K- 3:43 PM Sep 20th from txt
  37. Again Playa Chica (nomen est omen), facing Africa and speed ferry bonsai tsunamis - TODO: buy kite with chicken loop release - K- 6:12 AM Sep 20th from txt

Day 23: Monday, 21-September-2009

  26. N41.12957 E1.30673, 22 oC, alt. 2 m, changed hemisphere - landed safely - K-3:36 PM Sep 21st from txt
  27. N38.72906 W0.93884, alt. 564 m, 18 oC - after food, nearly fell asleep and lost lane several times - took 5 min nap - now eating bullet gunpowder for rem 11:25 AM Sep 21st from txt
  28. aining 400 km - K- 11:25 AM Sep 21st from txt
  29. Bacon y queso y coffee at N37.23108 W3.66793, alt. 591 m, 28 oC - 16 months old BMW Tankrucksack main zipper dead - delicate plastic Barbie style, design 6:51 AM Sep 21st from txt
  30. ed to break - K- 6:51 AM Sep 21st from txt
  31. GSA at N36.14994 W5.34906, alt. 6 m, 26 oC - speaker msg at me: DO NOT PARK ON THE RUNWAY - K- 3:18 AM Sep 21st from txt

Day 24: Tuesday, 22-September-2009

  22. iAdios, mi amor N340, adios AP7! Now at N43.71241 E4.13185, 29 oC - forcing routing without CH, so 940 km to go via Karlsruhe - K- 9:52 AM Sep 22nd from txt
  23. Steppenwolf - Peter Fonda, Harry Haller - motor running, busco aventura, GSA dancing divinely - K- 3:12 AM Sep 22nd from txt
  24. In DE: GSA bei 22 306 km - abends mit Leffe blonde begruesst worden - schnuckelige Straende wie immer - fahre Tarragona ab 1200 Uhr, autoroute 1 400 km, 1:12 AM Sep 22nd from txt
  25. Holzheim an ETA 0600 Uhr - Andechser suchend - K-1:12 AM Sep 22nd from txt

Day 25: Wednesday, 23-September-2009

  21. 495 km to go - ETA 0715 - K- 6:09 PM Sep 22nd from txt
  20. Alive and at my parents place, eating Zwiebelkuchen. Back to Frankfurt early tomorrow. 10:09 AM Sep 23rd from HTC Peep

Day 26: Thursday, 24-September-2009

  13. Passed STR and FRA rush-hours on A8, A5, A3. Aventura Sahara ends in Offenbach at 23 987 km. Inshallah. 1:29 AM Sep 24th from HTC Peep
  14. www.hildner.de/pos - my near time location but phone off now for 3 hours - DO NOT BLOG AND DRIVE 11:01 PM Sep 23rd from HTC Peep
  15. @Kay: BOSCH - Bourne 2 and 3, the sniper out of the ad 10:58 PM Sep 23rd from HTC Peep
  16. http://twitpic.com/iwxzp - geen locatie202 km to go for Offenbach, then Fidelity 10:47 PM Sep 23rd from TwitPic
  17. http://twitpic.com/iwwge - geen locatieBosch at str 10:27 PM Sep 23rd from TwitPic
  18. km 9:40 PM Sep 23rd from HTC Peep
  19. Leaving Holzheim for Offenbach at 23 726 9:40 PM Sep 23rd from HTC Peep

Back to GP via Woick, Leinfelden-Echterdingen.

Thoughts be sorted in

240D vs. B52:

"Many 240Ds remain on the road today some 30+ years later, a testament to the quality and durability of the original design and robust mechanical bits and famously overengineered OM616."
vs.
"Even while the Air Force works on new bombers scheduled for 2018 and 2037 it intends to keep the B-52H in service until at least 2040, nearly 80 years after production ended."

Luggage and equipment

Motorcycle: BMW R1200GSA, year 2008 model
R1200 = 1200 cc, 2 cylinder boxer engine
GSA = Gelaende-Sport-Abenteuer = Offroad-Sports-Adventure (larger tank, protective frame)
Accessories: aluminum cases, ABS, electronic suspension adjustment, theft protection system Tires: Continental Trail attack (90 % road tires; next time: Wunderlich snowchains for traction in the sand desert)

Side frame bags

clothing: Rucksack
  • LoweAlpine Hammerhead
  • Camelbak Unbottle 100 (3 l bladder hydration system)
  • Platypus Nalgene foldable bottle (2 l)
  • Micropur tablets, 1 per liter (killing bacteria + long-term preservation)
  • cash money, international ID with immigration/emmigration stamps, motorcycle technical papers, insurance green insurance for motorcycle (covering Morocco), customs declaration for motorcycle, national and international health insurance

    • Tankrucksack

    Sitting on the tank, temporarily secured with a Targus Defcon alarm.

    Left BMW alu case

    Secured by solid metal reinforced interior frame, BMW unified locking system, and the alarm of the motorcycle.

    Swiss Army 1.5 l fuel bottle

    (www.armeebedarf.de)
    Bottle needs to have a seal that indicates tampering with contents.
    Will refill bottle with engine oil rather than gasoline for next trip.

    Left Deutsche Post alu case

    Bottle and box mounted with M8 stainless steel ring screws and 24 mm stainless grommets, and a non-stainless snap hook.
    The screws (about 4 EUR each) are actually more expensive than the individual equipment they keep in place.

    Left top bag

    Right BMW alu case

    Protection: see left BMW alu case.

    Huge yellow Ortlieb bag

    Secures itself at two points, plus one belt around the copilot bars.
    Next time replaced with BMW TZIP bag. Garmin Venture eTrex Cx GPS with CityNavigator Europe and offroad waypoints for Northern Africa via google maps
    Ortlieb water bag
    Tatonka toiletry bag, outdoor towel (www.woick.de)

    items lost and destroyed:

    bakshis paid: before leaving:

    HOWTOs

    Crossing Water

    Drinking Water

    Laundry

    Food

    Offroad Navigation

    Offroad Riding

    Yamaha XT600 Fahrtechnik

    Overtaking

    Safety

    Van

    Variomobil = modulares Wohnmobil und Transporter sample pix from ebay:

    Motorcycle

    I intend to buy another motorcycle for the van:

    Personal Insights

    French Mediterranean coast is as close to a beautiful mixture of Northern Africa and the Caribbean as it can get.

    Marrakech could be the Arabic version of San Francisco.

    Tarifa is a super hot place — during the day at Playa Chica, during the night in the old town.

    I need a KTM 400 LS/E military version, a kite surf equipment, and a larger truck — preferrably a maxi 4x4 Mercedes-Benz or Iveco.
    And I need snow chains for the motorcycle for the next desert instead of the Metzeler Karoo that might wear out too quickly.
    I have Zuid-Afrika and Tibet/China on the radar.

    After just seeing it, kite surfing will be my sport just as badminton is. Elegant, sexy, three-dimensional!

    Smoking could be illegal in Germany because the brewery industry can be taxed, and it gives a certain amount of control and accountability. Gras however grows like weed, and it gives the power back to the people.
    Same argumentation for me about nuclear energy: What if it were given to the people instead of the big, corrupt players like Siemens?
    Could end up in your neighbor having his basement melt down, could also yield a mass technology and the spread of radiation sensors (alpha, beta, gamma) and a world that is aware of this extra risk.
    These days, we have camera, electronic compass, GPS, tilt and acceleration sensors in a mobile phone — so why not add a Geiger-Mueller-counter? Would also help to measure your exposure on the beach!

    German highways are the most dangerous in the world for the lack of a general speed limit.
    With speed cut down to 110 or 130 km/h, flow is more continuous and far less aggressive.
    And the old insight: The Americans have the right to own weapons, the Germans the right to own a dangerous car.

    William Gibson has subtle doubts about the CNN style plot of 911, and the nature of the explosions in particular.
    Pattern recognition, perception, and suggestive media.

    Camp sites do have free WiFi.
    UMTS flat rates are affordable.
    Google maps works for me as it would for a bomber pilot.

    A sudden shout can help in many situations, e. g. to get rid of people, to get attention, and to be more instant and perceivable than a bicycle ring or a honking horn.
    It has to be a pulsed, heavy one that you use during hitting in martial arts, i. e. a sudden volume increase that would pass the filters in voice-cancelling headphones.
    Best issued straight at your opponent (car, person, dog) at short distance.

    Depression is a big market for the pharmaceutical industry, and it puts people in suspended animation, as does TV.
    The opposite of depression is aggression.
    Agression is healthy, or as Douglas Adams put it.

    Wonder if the orange jacket in Bourne Identity (when Jason is disembarking the vessel) is an extremely worn MA-1.
    Wonder why in Bourne Ultimatum the agents in Waterloo station get briefed on screen 1 for Simon Ross as the reporter, but they do not know Jason Bourne, moving around freely — as he is presumed to be dead and therefore his identity not briefed to the fresh staff?

    Famous Quotes

    Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

    You see things vacationing on a motorcycle in a way that is completely different from any other.
    In a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're used to it
    you don't realize that through that car window everything you see is just more TV.
    You're a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame.

    On a cyle the frame is gone. You're completely in contact with it all.
    You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.
    That concrete whizzing by five inches below your foot is the real thing,
    the same stuff you walk on, it's right there, so blurred you can't focus on it,
    yet you can put your foot down and touch it anytime, and the whole thing,
    the whole experience, is never removed from immediate consciousness.

    Robert M. Pirsig

    more quotes

    Voyage, Voyage

    Sur le Gange ou l'Amazone,
    Chez les blacks, chez les sikhs, chez les jaunes,
    Voyage, voyage
    Dans tout le royaume.
    Sur les dunes du Sahara,
    Des iles Fidji au Fujiyama,
    Voyage, voyage,
    Ne t'arrêtes pas.
    Au dessus des barbelés,
    Des coeurs bombardés,
    Regarde l'océan.

    youtube

    Easy Rider

    "Get your motor running, head out on the highway, looking for adventure, and whatever comes our way."
    Steppenwolf — intro scenes

    "Come on Joe, it's checkout time!"
    Peter Fonda — kicking his buddy, leaving the camp

    "He wouldn't know what it is."
    Peter Fonda — having the low tek hippie pour gas into the $$$ tank

    "You do your own thing in your own time ..."
    Peter Fonda — to the religious American farmer with the Mexican wife and the many children

    "Yeah ... I am hip about time, but I just gotta go ..."
    Peter Fonda — "gone by the wind" leaving excuse for the hippie camp

    youtube

    The Big Picture

    Legal

    If you use this material elsewhere, then please set an appropriate and expressive hyperlink back.
    Do link generic, do not link deep, do not embed transparently, do use meaningful keywords.
    Example: <a href="http://www.A3A5.de/sahara" alt="Sahara adventure" target="_blank">Sahara motorcycle adventure in year 2009</a>
    Subject to automated monitoring, prosecution and manual execution, though not necessarily legal one, in any way.

    © 2009 by Klaus Hildner, www.hildner.de

    last updated: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:22:54, content hash: 6ca8f76a1d984764fc5ef0d6cddbb20b
    . . . . . . . . . .