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Route Abuja to Yaounde? Route Abuja to Yaounde?
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  #1  
Old 17 Apr 2010
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Route Abuja to Yaounde?
Currently in Abuja, leaving for Yaounde Sun or Mon.

But not sure best route, through Nigeria but probably more relevant is the way into Cameroon. Ekok/Mamfe seems the obvious way, but am I right in thinking this is horrendously muddy? Thinking maybe Abong/Nkambe as I'd like to do at least half of the loop north of Bamenda (is it worth it?).

I'm on a 1200 so could do without TOO much deep mud!
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Old 17 Apr 2010
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I came through Ikok/Mamfe about a month ago which turned out to be the last dry day before serious rain started (it is rainy season now). I was in a landy, left Ikok at 7am, in Mamfe at 1pm including the border.

It then rained for 8 hours overnight. 3 Spanish tried to come through the next day in a Seat minivan and took 4 days to do 7km before conceding defeat and paying 300,000CFA to get a truck to get them to Mamfe. The truck also got badly stuck. A Lithuwathian on a small Kawasaki got through ok, slowly, slowly with plenty of soft falls (no speed).

So dry is easy, wet presents serious problems.

On a bike you will have to push through the mud and water, there are a few steep hills, but you won't get hopelessly stuck, nor be in Mamfe at 1pm!

Google others experiences and you will get an idea: Chris Bright etc

The first 30km is the worst, it gets easier from there...
ekok mamfe road - Recherche Google

I hope your enjoying the Sheraton anyway ;-)

PS: Within the next two years the road will be sealed by the way - well, according to the Chinese I spoek with in Mamfe anyway. Plans for a highway through to Accra etc. The road to Bamenda from Mamfe is being upgraded/sealed now.
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Old 18 Apr 2010
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Thanks Yak.

So I guess I'll have to give the Ikok/Mamfe route a shot - but my bike is NOT a lightweight Kawasaki! But sure I can do better than a mini-van...

But it would be nice to know whether the entry point north of the "ring road" is do-able, not just to avoid Ikok/Mamfe, but because I hear it's nice.

I'm not at the Sheraton actually, camping or otherwise, I'm in a more modest hotel where the President of one of Abuja's bike clubs stays :-) Getting a bit too "at home" though! Probably hit the road early Tuesday.
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Old 18 Apr 2010
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If I remember correctly the ring road crossing isn't really a crossing and involved a boat across the river etc etc. It would be doing it the hard way in the rainy season, maybe not the best combination, but I'm happy to look at the pictures of you struggling to do it ;-p

Google the names as I found a blog of some who went through there.... and I may be talking bollocks on that one ;-)

Say Hi to the bikers club guys - was at the Sheraton when they bought a bike of a Spanish guy a month or so ago.....
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Old 19 Apr 2010
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OK, think I'll settle for Ekok then in that case!

Guess the bike was a white XR600 off a guy who got malaria AND typhoid(?)? It turned up here y'day...
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Old 19 Apr 2010
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"Guess the bike was a white XR600 off a guy who got malaria AND typhoid(?)? It turned up here y'day..."

Yes, that is the chap - the final straw was having malaria and typhoid and then the Nigerian policemen pulling him over with a machine gun pointed at his face (they entered too far south, near lagos etc). Quite rightly he thought I could be smoking dope on the beach in Barcelona instead of this ;-p

His friends have managed to get their Seat Minivan to Ponte Noire the last I heard - 4 days to do 7km on the Ekok/Mamfe road. Ended up paying 500 Euros to get a truck to come and get them out, putting the Seat on the back. Truck got badly stuck coming to get them, turning around and going back. I backed up their video files on my laptop. Reminds me (in a black humour way) of the line in a Faith No More song: "It's always funny until somebody gets hurt, and then it's just hilarious!"

They really suffered on that road, the guy who bailed in Abuja made a good decision ;-p

Enjoy!
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