RobC ... "The end of the road!!"

Dear family, friends and blog readers,

This blog entry will be a little different from the normal chronological postings. Exactly one week ago, on Sunday the 13th of February, while driving south from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, I had a fluke accident, landed on the rough blacktop and ended up with a couple of scraped arms, some sore bones and ligaments, and unfortunately a dislocated thumb that also sustained a compound fracture of the distal phalanx (tip of the thumb). The thumb tip was also punctured, creating the possibility of sepsis (infection) in the splintered bone, and the risk of amputation. That diagnosis led to the conclusion that my motorcycle trip was finished, just a little more than two months before our scheduled termination. I could either sit it out here for a month or go home, heal and resume normal life with my family. Together with my riding partner and my wife I opted for the latter and will fly to the US tomorrow night, Monday the 21st.

You will be reading the details of the accident and the incredible events in getting medical attention for me in the normal chronological blog postings. We eventually wound up down here in Johannesburg, South Africa, 1200 km (750 miles) south of the site of the accident, to have my bike repaired and prepared for shipping to the US. While waiting for the bike to be repaired we took advantage of the location to do a three-day Safari in the world-famous Kruger National Park, home to the Big Five: Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Cape Buffalo and Elephant. It was a marvelous trip (despite some of the aches and pains and early risings) and it put a nice exclamation mark on RobT's and my adventure in our attempt to circumnavigate four continents in six months on two motorcycles.

 Rare picture of both Robs at a canyon on the way home from the Kruger National Park

RobT will resume the route going north by himself via Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania to Kenya, where he may be nearing the end of his six-month leave, and ship his bike home from there. You will be reading about his adventures in this blog and I, for one, will be following him closely. He was a great partner on the road and during our off-the-bike times. We had many incredible riding adventures, interesting meals, varying sleeping quarters, conversations and social times together. It is very hard for me to walk away from this epic trip and to terminate prematurely, but as the doctor here in South Africa said, "The Big man upstairs is trying to tell you something!" So, I am glad I have my life and I am looking forward to being with my family again and to dream about other destinations to explore.

I look forward to seeing many of you and sharing adventures and pictures with you and I may even chime in on this blog from time time to add a comment or to edit my partner's shady Canadian English.  :-)

Rob Croese
rcroese@sbcglobal.net  or  robcroese@gmail.com