Rick Lobley on tour with Renedian from Victoria Falls to Cape Town
When Rick Lobley, his wife Pat, and two other couples decided to join Renedian Motorcycle Tours on the Victoria Falls to Cape Town tour, they knew they’d be in for something completely different.
“I was fifty when we bought a Harley-Davidson,” says Rick. “We’ve ridden west and south to British Columbia and down to the Black Hills, been up to the Yukon and in 2017 six of us went on the Three Flags Ride (a six-day endurance event through parts of Canada, United States, and Mexico). We’ve travelled to Ireland.
“Being on your with with Renedian was a great opportunity to see and ride in places we’d never been to. I didn’t have a particular desire to go to Africa but our friends did and we went along. We thought it would be nice to go places where there aren’t a lot of people, to ride where you can look around and not worry about the traffic.”
Why they love traveling — answering through this tour as an example
Rick Lobley’s first and biggest surprise was landing in Victoria Falls at the start of the trip. “I thought we’d be landing in a rain forest jungle but the area was closer to a desert. It was beautiful but not as heavily forested as I expected.”
It didn’t take long for him to get used to riding the BMW 1200GS although the sand was a challenge at first. “After you’ve been on it a while you get the hang of it. Pat chose to ride in the support vehicle during those sections which made it easier for both of us.
“The diversity in wildlife intrigued me. We don’t have elephants, giraffes, or zebras in Alberta. The wide variety of terrain, from jungle, to desert to farmland, was pleasant. The landscape changes an incredible amount in a short distance.
“Some of South African farmland could have been in Alberta. The wide-open spaces with grain and dairy farming is something we’re used to, but the ostrich feedlots were different.
“The desolation of the desert surprised me. Although it looks there’s not much happening, the sand moves all the time.”
He enjoyed the views from the heights, like Swartberg Pass. Several of the passes were designed by Thomas Bain, a South African engineer and road-building pioneer. Between 1848 and 1888 he was responsible for planning and construction of more than 900 km. of roads and mountain passes. Rick has worked for an oil company and in oil field construction for twenty-five years. He appreciates how challenging Bain’s job must have been.
“The scenery and design were stunning, with mountain roads winding between rocks and fields of flowers. A lot of the passes in Alberta and British Columbia aren’t really that high. In Africa, you’re close to the peaks.
“I used to think I traveled to different countries to see the countryside and interesting sites. I’m finding I am equally or more impressed by the people we meet and the passion they have for their country, their area, or job. From Cindy at the Victoria Falls Hotel to our guides in the Okavango Delta to business owners in Namibia and South Africa, we met amazing inspirational people wherever we went.”
Photo Credits: Rick and Pat Lobley
