We ’ ve had flat tyres , snapped bolts , broken spokes and so on , all as a result of continuously pushing our fully loaded 701 Enduro machines to the limits . But when you know your equipment , you know which things are most likely to go wrong . There is no road assistance in the Sahara Desert , so you have to try and anticipate what you might require .
It is a matter of making informed choices , as we really prefer to travel light . It makes the ride so much more fun . So we carry a spare tube , tyre patches and a few spokes , but we won ’ t carry tyres or extra rims . In exceptional cases where these might need to be replaced , we have to wait a while for them to arrive from Europe .
We also try to calculate when things will wear out and have them ordered or shipped to a certain destination . There isn ’ t too much variation in chain and sprocket wear and an oil change every 10 000 km is also pretty predictable . Over the years , we have learned to limit our packing list to the bare minimum , while still being prepared for the most probable issues .
And then there is that need for freedom , of course . It is a substantial aspect of the project and we feel like being over-prepared would just compromise that freedom of movement . You want to learn , adapt , find creative solutions and re-plan when unforeseen things happen . It ’ s just an essential part of travelling .
DID YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANTED TO GO , OR DID YOU TAKE THINGS ONE COUNTRY AT A TIME ? TALK US THROUGH THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS THAT HELPED YOU DECIDE WHERE YOU WOULD HEAD NEXT . HOW HAS THAT INFLUENCED YOUR PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING TRIP ?
When you leave on a one-month trip , it ’ s easy to plan ahead . What sights do you want to visit , which routes can you take , where can you camp , or stay in a hostel or cheap hotel ?
That is not an option when travelling for several years . In 2016 , we left Belgium and planned to ride to Morocco in a straight line . It would take us a day or three , maybe four , to get there . But because of torrential rains and freezing temperatures all over Europe , we zigzagged for a full two weeks before taking the ferry across the Mediterranean . That was a real eye-opener ; we would have to take it easy at times . So we lived from day to day , following a rough direction . Some places could not be skipped , because we needed to arrange visas for the next country for example , or there was a mustsee tourist destination . But most of the time , we would look at the map over breakfast , then decide what
ON THE PEGS // PAGE 40