RIDE TO ROOTS, a motorbike for Africa
 

Hi mates,

Ride To Roots, this is my new project.

I'm very interested to discover Africa. I have been in Morocco a few times, and I found its people incredible. I have the impression that Africa represents the mirror of the world, because people of this continent still being humble and sharing basic values. Of course, there are some places in conflict, but I'm sure that these wars don't represent the true essence of Africa; it's a reflection of interests of a crazy world.

I'm tired to read newspapers and watch them whenever news about the world we inhabit. I need to travel to Africa to learn about this great continent and to better understand this world.

The Rider To Roots website was launched one month ago and we started to promote the project through Internet. The main objective of this project is explore Africa alone by motorbike, from Barcelona to Cape Town, and finally donate the motorbike to Riders For Health organization on my arrival.

I'm promoting the project from:

1. Our project website: Ride To Roots | Viaje en moto por África
2. Facebook: Ride To Roots | Facebook
3. Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ridetoroots
4. Moterus (the spanish social network only for bikers): grupo motero ride to roots - moterus
5. Several motorcycle forums.

I'm focusing on Spanish language but I expect to publish the web in English soon.

I'm working to get BMW, Yamaha or KTM, to be involved in the project and make a donation of a motorcycle. This bike would make the journey.

I'm working to get more sponsors to afford the trip and to make the maximum donation to Riders. For the sponsors, I offer advertising and the opportunity to collaborate with Riders for Health.

Another important aspect of this project is my diary (the diary of this journey). I will write and publish an eBook about the trip. I want to contrast the African style with Western style, where people have lost their most important values.

My girlfriend and I own a small Internet company, and we are experts in internet applications development and marketing online services. Through the Ride To Roots website we want to pre-sell the eBook (in Spanish language, and I'm looking for an English professional translator to develop the English version) so that buyers will be direct collaborators of the project.

Sale Benefits of the eBook will be allocated to the project, mainly to expenses like petrol and maintenance during the journey.

I will travel with camping equipment.

We have several sponsorship options to help us get the bike ready to have maximum guarantees for the trip. Also, I took classes on keeping the bike, to handle mechanical problems and perform bike maintenance during the trip. Everything will be defined as soon as the sponsors come into the project.

Riders is a credible and trustable organization, and they are supporting this project. I want to speak about it openly because people should know the aim of this trip and project.

I have noticed that many people in Spain do not know Riders. I'm looking forward to this project because of the following:

1. Understand Africa
2. Speaking of relations between Africa and Europe through the diary of this journey.
3. Help improve usefully, directly and through the Riders for Health.
4. Promote the activities of Riders for Health.

The trip is programmed for October 2011, and I anticipate it will last about three months.

Any show of support and contributions are welcome.

Thank you!!!

Uh, let me guess: Other than your visits to Morocco, which are part of the Maghreb region and culturally very different from sub-Saharan Africa, you probably have not visited any other countries on that continent - is that correct?

I think you might find it very enlightening to perhaps first make a trip to some of the countries that you plan to visit without a motorcycle, just to get a feel for the place. For example, maybe go to Sierra Leone, or Liberia, or Côte d'Ivoire, or Nigeria for a week or so and have a look around.

If you have not visited any sub-Saharan African countries prior to heading down there with your motorcycle, you might encounter unforeseen surprises and disappointments.

This trip report here on the HUBB will give you a bit of a perspective on the difference between Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo: Lubumbashi to Kinshasa.

Hello PanEuropean,

thanks for your advise.

Correct. As I said I have not visited any countries of Subsaharian Africa. This is one of the reasons for this trip.

Well, it's not a trip only to get fun by bike. Could make the journey using local transport, as I have already done by the Middle East, Central America and Europe. I find it interesting to make this trip on a bike, I have enough offroad and onroad skills to go there. This is not a problem for me, and I'm sure I'll see many unpleasant things.

I know there are differences between Morocco and Subsahara countries. Sierra Leone and Liberia are not in my plans now. You can see my route in the Ride To Roots website (La Ruta | Ride To Roots).

Hi Soma; just to be clear.....you're asking for money from people, and asking for a free bike from a manufacturer for this trip, because you have not yet visited these African countries, where they are "humble" and still have "basic values". This is an impressive view, to say the least.

You tell us it's not only for "fun", this trip and you say it is "interesting" to do the trip by bike. I'm sure you're right there.

My best wishes on your fundraising.

Hi Cami;

I don't need another bike because I have three bikes:

1. BMW R1200 GS Adventure, 2007: Every day, long trips, Offroad,.. all
2. Husqvarna TE410E, 2001: To practice Enduro.
3. Vespa TX 200, 1998: For sale.

Well, it's easy to understand it. Just only need to read my presentation without so much distrust. Maybe my english is not 100% correct, but I'll try to explain better:

I want to know Africa and write a jornal trip focusing on contrast the African style and the Western style. (Equipo | Ride To Roots)

There are a lot of charities organizations in Africa. Many of them show the hypocrisy of the world we live in. I have good feelings with Riders For Health and trust them initially. I was invited to see their work. This is a part of Africa, charities, and I want to know also this part.

The idea of this project is to get money from those who have money. It's important to get cooperation of the brands because it's a way to accept some responsibility for what happens in Africa (we are all responsible), and in a world where economic power seems to play the biggest role. The motorbike will be for Riders For Health and all funds from the rest of the sponsors too. I will not get the bike free (it would be great!), but in exchange for advertising on the internet media. This is my work.

I have on pre-selling the trip journal (ebook). People how buy now the ebook collaborate with the project. This money will be used to help me get to Cape Town with the motorbike. People is free to do it. Could it be otherwise? (Colaboradores | Ride To Roots)

I'm a sporsor of my project, developing the website and promoting it through internet. Also searching sponsors to get the most money. (Sponsors | Ride To Roots)

I've always wanted to visit Africa, and there are different ways to do it. I have decided on this way because I want to provide help, and I think this is a good way to start. It is certainly not sufficient.

I hope now everything is clearer. But, if it is not clear yet, I'll try again to explain better, It's part of the project. ;)

Thanks for your comment, Caminando!

Thanks Soma. I think I understand your post and project very well actually; you describe it very clearly. and I wish you the best of luck. Your English is excellent, better than some native speakers.

I mentioned the free bike because you wrote that you would ask Yamaha and others to donate a bike which you would then give away, after your trip is ended and you have looked at all the things you want to see and visit. I sincerely hope you will get a bike from one of these companies; they may find that your publicity is useful to their sales.

I can't fully agree that in Europe etc people have lost values ( after all, you are asking these same people to give you money) , values which are still found in Africa. I invite you to look at the history of post-colonial Africa, for example Cote d'Ivoire, Rwanda, Congo, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and many more. In fact, I met many African refugees in Madrid recently and had interesting talks with them. But after your trip perhaps you will be able to confirm your views, which I will be happy to read about.

I look forward to hearing in the future about your project to know Africa, to raise awareness in Spain, and also your good success in getting cash and a bike, as well as all the places and people you visited on your travels around Africa.

Gracias a la vida!
Buen viaje!

Well, I hope to visit a lot of places and meet a lot of people. I think I deserve it. Bring all these things in a project and achieve all the objectives requires effort. Nothing is free, it's always necessary dedication. But I decided to do it this way, because I have hope that everything will go well and that will help me and others. I'm happy to do it.

Yes, I've read about post-colonial Africa. There are a lot of politics and many outside interests. I see everything I read with a certain distance.

I live in a part of the Catalan coast where there are many Africans, especially from Senegal. When I travel by train many times I talk to them, also to people from Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. The economic crisis in Spain is serious. Over 20% of the Spanish population is unemployed. Now people, in Spain, are beginning to worry about things that had already forgotten. Before, worried if they could buy all the things they wanted ... a good house, an expensive car, the latest in technology ... Now many people are beginning to worry that their children can eat every day. The act of eating is a core value.

Why is the plundering of resources in Africa? It be that all this technology that produced and consumed in rich countries, is due in part to the theft of the resources of the second largest continent.

So I think that Africa has much to say. I'm not talking politics, I mean people. There is much to learn from that continent.

The collaborators of the project know that. It means something that people involved in this. It's also significant that major brands will help with money to Riders for Health. This doesn't fix the world, but it helps to be aware of some things. It's only one more step.

I'm sure I may talk about many things when I've known Africa by myself.

Thanks for your good wishes!
Visca la vida! :thumbup1:

Hi, all.

I´ve been working for Riders for Health trying to make them more popular in Spain.

News Details

After my last African trip I did my best writing articles in the media, editing a video and their story and project are part of my last book Un millón de piedras

There are few of those Riders stories

http://www.miquelsilvestre.com/image...0en%20Moto.pdf

Moto aventura - 3 Miquel en el Sur de África

[url=http://www.viajesalpasado.com/riders-for-health-africanas-en-motocicleta/]Riders for health: africanas en motocicleta

Interesting thread.

Not sure how exactly the peoples of Africa benefit from your adventure. Sounds like a simple "jolly" to me. Nothing wrong with that of course except the rest of us normally pay for this from our own pocket.

What I don't understand is why someone like me would want to pay for your "jolly" when I'm still saving up for my own?

Perhaps like you I should design a website and organise my trip as a charity event. That way I can get some mug to pay for it....

Nevertheless I wish you well.

Stay safe.
:mchappy:

Well kentfallen, like everyone else, you are free to do and think whatever you want. But, maybe you don't understand this project. It's not only "my trip". I also I have to pay my bills, but this does not stop me to organize a project like this or do other things.
I might be working to have more money for me, however I spend many hours to this project. I do it because I prefer it.
I invite you to check back to read the whole thread, maybe you'll understand better. ;)

Anyway you can help by publicizing the RTR project through Facebook, twitter and other forums.

Thank you!

personaly, I think the most appropriate way to provide any kind of support to Africa is just to visit places ad spend your money there, particularly with village shops and traders. This helps to promote commerce, entrepreneurship and injects newmoney into the region.

There is a great deal of free aid, money and western services being injected into Africa which only benefits the charity workers, NGO organisations and deprives Africans of the opportunity to do things for themselves - hence they never get the start they would wish to build thier own economies and catch up.


Not knocking your plans by the way, good luck to you, and hope you get a bike! (by the way, might be worth bearing in mind the kind of bike you take if you plan on donating it - you may be leaving them an expensive problem if it's a BMW, Yamaha or KTM, spares/tyres may not be obtainable?)

Thank you eightpot for your comment.

The big problem is the looting that Africa suffers from the major international powers. Africans are not stupid or are overdue, they are simply overwhelmed by the global economic system (as in the rest of the world) established throughout the world. Africa is a clear reflection of that state is the world we live, a world based on money as the main value.

The bike will be sold or auctioned in South Africa and the money will go directly to RfH.

Hi somaLEE,

Good luck with the planning and the journey when it happens! Respect and a smile go a long way down the west side of Africa (and a few French lessons will also help!).

Wrt the choice of bike: there's a KTM dealer (Toni Togo) and great mechanic (Didier) in Lome, Togo. Other than that, you'll find Yamaha in Douala, Cameroon - thereafter it's a long way down to Namibia/South Africa for a service.

If I were to do the trip again I'd probably do some work on the sub frame of my XR400R so that it can take some luggage and an extra can of fuel. Very seldom can you ride as fast as fuel injected bikes can go and often they can be a bit heavy for the more adventurous places.

There are lots of Chinese and Japanese made bike is west Africa - I'd go for something simpler than the 'marketing machine' brands.

Whatever bike you choose or receive in the end, you'll have a great adventure!

PM me anytime.

Hi Gottoride! I'm sorry for the delay but last months I have been a lot of work and I forgot some things, like take a look at this post!

Well, in principal I'm planning the Est side itinerary, but I'm thinking about doing the complete turn to the continent. It depends on the Libya situation...

It would be nice to do the trip with my BMW R1200GS Adventure.

Thanks for your help!!!

AH! The Ride To Roots english version website is online!!!! bier
http://www.ridetoroots.com/en

REV'IT! Sponsor of Ride To Roots
 

Today has arrived the equipment offered by REV'IT! to sponsoring Ride To Roots project.

Thanks REV'IT! :thumbup1:

REV'IT! sponsor of R2R! | Ride To Roots

Hi SomaLee,

First, your trip sounds really great, at least as much as other trips many "hubbers" tell us about in this forum.

I think the people replying to your thread completely understood your point, being the only difference the way you expose your aims and the reasons to undertake it. Being Spanish myself, I would say that we are decades behind Germans, Brits and others in this field, so your trip itself and the charity point are far more unusual in a Spanish context and may even appear in the media with a heading like "from Barcelona to Cape Town on two wheels to raise money for the poorers" (if you report the news yourself, of course), something that wouldn't happen in the UK unless you are Ewan McGregor or you live in a very small town and send it to the local paper.

I will quote Christ Scott, incredibly insightful writer and veteran member hrere, in Overlanders' Handbook (amazing, as all his books, I cannot emphasize it enough):

"[attracting sponsorship] is an idea many overlanders toy with, ostensibly for the very tangible appeal of getting free stuff, but more profoundly, I suspect, as a means of validating or -when it involves charitable causes- justifying the journey".

And it is completely understandable, a nice way to avoid -especially in Spain now, in the middle of a deep economic crisis- to avoid hearing "this guy is just nuts", since you will be raising money and nobody would dare to criticize that. However, the vision of other people here regarding your thread is also understandable and I might also share their pragmatic view. Enough room for all, fortunately.

So, have never been myself in Subsaharan Africa (yet), I wish you all the luck with the trip, the project and the fundrising.

I have only one question: if you travel solo, who is going to play Charlie Boorman's role in your story in the ebook and youtube videos???!!! Forget it, just stupid Andalusian easy humour.

HUBB is definitely the place to ask anything about motorbikes and travels, since people here know so much that one tends to feel small and read answers thinking "wow, still so much to learn from these guys".

Take care and all the best luck,

Esteban

Well, Esteban... if all my Andalusian friends had the same sense of humor than you, probably I would never go to drink beer with them... ;)

I'm not trying to imitate anyone, just I make my way. The sponsors? Check out the Ride To Roots website... for me it's clear. This is a:

- Marketing project (It's my work from 15 years ago)
- Trip to know Africa and write about the situation of our world from there (values, societies, people)
- Know and visit the Riders for Health projects in Africa and help with publicity and raise money for them.

I know, there are lot of people very experienced. Every day I try to see the most interesting part of the people and I've respect for all. Should it be otherwise?

I'm pleased to announce the sponsorship of Redverz with its fantastic tent! :thumbup1:

Redverz Gear sponsors R2R with a spectacular tent | Ride To Roots

Thanks Esteban for your best wishes. I wish you the same.

Cheers!

Riders for Health at the BMWRiders 2011
 

The last weekend I was at the biggest annual BMW official event in Spain, raising funds for Riders for Health:
Riders for Health at the BMWRiders 2011 | Ride To Roots

http://www.ridetoroots.com/sites/def...s/P1000535.jpg

I give up, man. You are making a great JOB.

Congrats for all the sponsors, marketing is your field. You've got lots to teach and I've got even more to learn.

Enjoy the tent (and have a safe trip).

PS: Once again, next year/thread resolution will be "read more, write less", I'll try harder.

This is not a competition to see who is the wiser. Sarcasm is a waste of time.

Thanks for your good wishes.

Mainly as a result of problems in Libya and the difficulty of getting Egypt from Europe, I've decided to travel down the West african coast from Morocco to Cape Town. More miles, more gas, more borders, more everything! Itinerary | Ride To Roots

No sarcasm, nor cinicism, just what I felt/thought. I'd say I was quite nice in my first post (I stuck up for you, if you didn't get it), but it seems the joke about "your C.Boorman" was out of place for you. I insist: I have more to learn than to teach; your case seems to be the other way around. Anything wrong about it? I do not like to compete, nor to get into arguments, sorry, so good luck, good trip and good bye.

You are wrong Esteban. I must learn much more and share all what I know, without proselytizing. I'm not best than others. If you want to contribute something positive always welcome. :thumbup1:

Live healthily!

My home in Africa
 

This is my new home! I'll took the Series II Expedition Tent to Africa! First pitching:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...20271211_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...57188585_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...85087861_n.jpg

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Vaccines for travel to Africa
 

Vaccinated!

Yellow fever, meningitis, polio, hepatitis A, typhoid fever and colera. All at the same time! jeiger

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...31166131_n.jpg

I never understood these sponsored trips to be honest. In my humble opinion "western people" are aware enough of Africa. There is not much need for new books and journals from someone who will have all the equipment, food, clean water and convenience in the world.
Africans don't need you riding to South Africa. No need to spend on petrol and equipment. And if you still want to ride across Africa, just say so... don't be making up excuses for it.

I for one am not on your side. I think you are just wasting your time. Good luck! Zoltan

Wow Barothi, your message is not very optimistic! Take a look what you've written, is not very realistic.

I don't think that the "Make a Difference" forum is what you're looking for.

I hope that over time you develop a more positive attitude. It's much healthier ;)

Thanks for your comment!

Cheers,
Eduard

Bike travellers event
 

A week ago I participated in special event organized by IMM in Son Servera, Mallorca.

IMM Rent & Tours and motorcycle travels | Ride To Roots

http://www.ridetoroots.com/sites/def...jpg?1320500974

Gone a bit quiet here........oh well....

Hey Cami! My friend! :)))

I'm in Barcelona for a month after five fantastic months in Africa! I'm a lot of things to do and one of them is make some report in english for the HUBB.

You can check the Ride To Roots website and the facebook page for pictures!
Ride To Roots | Viaje en moto por África

Take a look to my new article in the last BMWRiders news:
Nigeria, ¿un país peligroso?

GASSS!

This is in Cape Agulhas!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...60047253_n.jpg4https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...43322736_n.jpg

Congrats for arriving to the southernmost tip of Africa, it must have been a wonderful trip. It's conforting to see that you and your BMW made it til the end in one piece.:thumbup1:

You said that you could have done this trip in public transport or any other means, that it's by chance you make it on a motorbike, since the trip to Africa mainly had a more cultural/sociological/anthropological approach (I don't want to sound technical, it's only I don't know the right term) or in other words that you wanted to get to the roots of humanity in Africa to better understand the current world, the motto of your project. To cut short, I'd be pretty interested in your conclusions about this second and less visible part of your trip, if time allows.

Regards,

Esteban