Robert Noel

AGE: 44

MARITAL STATUS: Married to Alex

PROFESSION:

I have been in e’Commerce and Information Technology related businesses since 1996. I am currently responsible for new products and services at Blue Label Telecoms where I have been for the past 5 years plus.

BIKE:

BMW R1200GS

Named – ‘Dr J’ (by my wife, Alex)

I also own a BMW 1200C which is called ‘Mr H’.

Short for ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’

DR ‘J’ – WHY?:

  • Perhaps it represents a concept of the dual nature of my life “outward respectability and inward rebelliousness; yearning for adventure, freedom and wide-open spaces.”
  • Addresses the inner conflict between the practical need to conform and the rejection of conformity in favour of the call of the wild!
  • That I have the split life of the BLT Product guy week in, and the adventure biker week out!
  • What ‘the machine’ brings out of me…and a new voyage of self-discovery.

MOTTO:

“Four wheels move the body; Two wheels move the soul…”[Page Break]

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING MOTORCYCLES:

I rode infrequently as a youngster on the mines and on the farm. I rode 50’s, 125’s and 250’s; never a 1200 cc. I purchased my 1200 GS in Jan 2009 and rode it when I could, on some Friday’s to work, and on some weekends. I committed myself to Cape to Cairo in June of 2010 and have completed over 16,000 kms since then.

WHAT RIDING EXPERIENCE HAVE YOU GOT:

  • BMW Rider Academy K53 Course
  • BMW Rider Academy Refresher Course
  • BMW Rider Academy Proficiency Course
  • BMW Rider Academy Advanced Course
  • Johannesburg to Clarens
  • Johannesburg to Parys
  • Johannesburg to Howick and surrounds
  • Tours for Africa – Puncture repair course
  • Tours for Africa – Ride the Dump Off-Road Training
  • Tours for Africa – Ride Africa Off-Road Training
  • Tours for Africa – Ride the Crater Off-Road Training
  • Tours for Africa – Namibia Recce Run 5600 kms (9 Days)
  • Personal – JHB to CPT, via the Karoo, Route 62 and back 3900 kms
  • Tours for Africa – Breakfast Run 1000 kms
  • Tours for Africa – Weekend camp outs
  • Tours for Africa – Malawi Recce Run 5400 kms (11 Days)
  • Tours for Africa – Technical maintenance and repair training

WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE RIDDEN IN ONE DAY:

  • Was – Johannesburg to Howick = Approx. 480 kms
  • Now – Johannesburg to Windhoek in 23 hours = 1860 kms

WHAT ADVENTURE MOTORCYCLE TRAVEL HAVE YOU DONE ACROSS THE SA BORDERS:

  • Namibia Recce Run – South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe
  • Malawi Recce Run – South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO BOOK ON THE CAPE TO CAIRO 2011:

  • To grow myself through a life changing experience
  • To see more of Africa and its people
  • To experience this adventure with an organised, safe and professional outfit
  • To meet and share challenges with new people
  • To live life…and add to my ‘bucket list’!

WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL FEELINGS ABOUT THE LIFE CHANGING UNDERTAKING YOU ARE EMBARKING ON:

  • At times it still feels surreal
  • I can’t wait to tackle this adventure to the best of my ability and endurance
  • I am excited at the prospect of taking on a challenge of this nature
  • It is doing me the world of good to focus my energy on this instead of always just work

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS:

  • I think it is going to be really hard-going at times
  • The Simean Mountains and the Nubian Desert will be as hard as what they will be magnificent
  • Given the mix of ‘strangers’ and pressured circumstances I think we are going to face some real trials and tribulations in our interactions and individual and collective hardships
  • I expect to miss the structure and comforts I am used to in my daily lifestyle; and especially my wife!

WHAT ARE YOU FEARING THE MOST AND WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM THIS EXPERIENCE:

  • I sometimes question my ability to endure and concentrate over such long daily distances
  • I fear the consequence of injury on the trip getting in the way of me completing this goal
  • I fear my bike breaking down mechanically and preventing me from me completing this goal
  • I am expecting to grow immensely in a new-found belief of my capabilities on a motorcycle
  • I expect to learn new lessons regarding how to interact with people under these conditions at this stage of my life
  • I wish to raise funds for important and credible charitable causes
  • I expect to do more significant things with my life in future