Kirsten Peck and her husband Darrell Peck have an agreement. Every decade birthday they get to pick what they want to do. For their fiftieth, Darrell chose a Mexican vacation; Kirsten opted for a two-month vacation that included a month in Africa and Renedian’s Victoria Falls to Cape Town.
She got into riding in an off-handed way after her husband and then eleven-year-old son picked up trail riding. She got tired of them being away all day so when her son outgrew his bike, she took it over. And loved it!
“I love the combination of physical and mental challenge. It’s complex. You have to manage the emotions and mental piece to make it work. At the same time, it’s very peaceful in your helmet and the views are beautiful. It’s a wonderful way to be with your family.”
“Africa had always been on my bucket list, so for my fiftieth, I decided to marry it up with motorcycling. I had two years to plan and used the time to make sure I had enough road experience for the tour.
Kirsten Peck Dare To Take On The African Landscape
Reading Rene’s The University of Gravel Roads piqued Kirsten’s interest in seeing Africa’s big animals as well as learning more about the ethnology. Once there, she was surprised at the diversity of cultures and scenery.
“It’s amazing how rapidly and frequently the geography and scenery change. We’d be in a desolate area of Namibia, ride 100 km. and be in the lush countryside around Stellenbosch, South Africa. The vineyards reminded me of British Columbia. We’d ride further and be into more open country and trees, evocative of Out of Africa.
“The magnitude of the sand dunes in Namibia was staggering. Darrell and I work out every day and like to be on the move. We took our shoes off and ran the 180m right to the top. I’m afraid of heights and the dunes just fall off on one side, however, my mind adjusted after 100m. The 360deg view from the top was stunning, like we were out in the middle of nowhere.
Different Cultures Through Stories and Conversation
“My most emotional memory was the more than hour-long conversation we had with a gentleman running a stall at the market in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. He talked about the country’s history and transition from Rhodesia, how they’d gone from wealth to abject poverty. He and his family were making the most of a bad situation.
“When he asked if we had zebras and lions in Canada, I tried to explain our grizzly bears and moose. It was heart-warming to share stories of culture and community.
“Every time we stopped at a gas station, once people got over the shock of seeing a woman on a motorcycle, they’d want to learn more about Canada. Always, they wanted to make sure we were enjoying Africa, and practice their English.”
Kirsten and Darrell added time to the beginning and end of their trip to round out their time in Africa to a month. Welcome awaited them wherever they went. Both are vegan, and their one challenge was finding good vegan menus, especially in more rural areas.
“People consistently conveyed an inner sense of peace, appreciation of family and gratitude for community. We’ve lost some of that here. It was their path to happiness. What could be more important?
Photo credits: Kirsten Peck
