Goodbye Khartoum - The Rough Guide to Roads - 12 March 2002
Flight from Khartoum
No border boredom for once
So, there we were desperate to escape from Khartoum. The weather had been heating up since we got to Sudan. Now hitting the high thirties, the highlands of Ethiopia were becoming more and more inviting.
The run across from Khartoum to Gedaref was fast and uneventful. It's a long time since we've done a long haul and so the 240 miles in scorching heat were not that enjoyable. Our arrival at Gedaref was confused by our need to change money, buy petrol and camp simultaneously. The solution was simple - camp at a petrol station that could also change cash. Actually, this was an inspired move. The usual hoards of foreigner watchers obviously found the prospect of hanging around on a petrol station forecourt less than appealing.
We had a good nights sleep and woke ready for the next rough road challenge. We had had mixed messages about the road over to the Ethiopian border. Rumours of new roads that we could take the bikes but not the landy on contradicted other sources. It seemed that everything was going smoothly as we exited Gedaref on a beautiful piece of tarmac. It wound up the hill past the builders merchant market that displayed thatch and timber for walling amongst a range of all local products.
As the tarmac ended, we looked down a bit of reasonable dirt road and were mightily relieved. We checked with a guy by the side of the road to ensure this was the right road and he confirmed our bad fortune. We should have turned off the black back by the builders yard. Retracing our steps and turning off where indicated by a helpful motorcyclist, we were directed through the town tip much to our dismay. Locals along the route kept assuring us that we were on course. Eventually, a wide strip of corrugated gravel road appeared.
For initiated off-roaders, some explanations of road conditions may be needed.
- Corrugations - on hardcore roads, vehicles begin to set up a rocking backwards and forwards motion that begins to set up ripples in the surface. With continued use, the ripples become deeper until driving over them causes a huge pounding on the suspension. Driving strategy is to speed up. After a certain speed is reached, what is happening is that your vehicle is flying over the dips and just flying from crest to crest. Although comfort is increased, and possibly less damage done to your steed, it must be appreciated that as the wheels spend so little time on the ground, grip is not what one would really hope for.
- Sand -
- Shallow - on a hard base, sand is not really too much of a problem. Steering becomes a little vague, but grip is ok. Sensible speeds can be maintained without problems. Regrettably, rocks hiding in the sand cannot be seen and can have a nasty jarring effect. (Particularly to small wheeled vehicles like Scully's)
- Deep - grip is obviously the problem here. Slowing down allows the front wheel to sink in and slows down progress rapidly. Hitting the gas is the only answer. Where plenty of other traffic has been through, there are deep ruts which a bike fights with, trying to climb out the side with disastrous consequences. Unrutted soft sand is simply a laugh, open it up and snake around to your hearts content shouting yee - hah.
- Dust - finer than sand and having almost no effect on handling and grip, but sends huge clouds up which make it impossible to see if you are driving in convoy. Rocks again tend to lurk underneath.
- Mud - approach with caution. There is no way of knowing how deep, slippery or sticky it is until you're in there.
- River crossings - wait for a local to go through and keep a close eye on their wheel to gauge depth and obstructions. Wait for another if need to be come by a safe route
Along side the rough road, locals had meandered off into the wilderness on either side and we soon discovered that following these was far more comfortable and we cracked on at a fair old pace. Later, a new road was being built and it was possible for the bikes to whack along the top while Stevie kept up with a hot piece of driving on the dust roads.
No major incidents along the way had us arriving at the border town of Galabat on schedule at about 3 o' clock. Formalities were over in double quick time on the Sudan and Hippy had the chance to nip off and get rid of our currency on foodstuffs at the local market.
The border police were pleasant and easy going. The market entertained me by saying that that if I wanted potatoes they were better in Ethiopia, you must bare in mind that the said Ethiopia is 2 metres away. I was bemused how the soil can change so radically in such a short distance.