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Mali - Gambia - Senegal - Mauritania - Morocco - France - Switzerland
In the US, USDA would put the butcher in jail for putting the meat on his car, but in Mali, it's normal!


Monday

9/26/2011

I completed to revamp the french version of the story "Arctic Circle Canada".

I am glad many (not all) you appreciate my video about F1.

Jean-Louis will have his second (out of 3) operation tomorrow.

I will go back on the road very soon.


It took me many hours to revamp "Arctic Circle Canada" and
I needed serious refueling (beside peanuts) like these 6 eggs sunny side up on top of a plate of spaghetti.


Sunday

9/25/2011

While staying at the auberge of Mopti to watch the F1 Grand Prix of Singapore, I entirely revamped the story "Arctic Circle Canada" to match the new format layout with full pages images etc... It revives me many memories that I have marked in my heart!
Don't miss the "Safety Equipment" it's hilarious !!!

As hilarious but not recommended for people allergic at peanuts, I just put a video online about the F1 - GP of Singapore today, with a warning: Sensitve Material !!!


Thursday

9/22/2011

Since yesterday, we have big storm with heavy rain, I came back to Mopti waiting for the blue sky.


Tonight it's fried fish at the menu.


The livestock market of Fotama has goats and cattles and I saw many transactions that day.


Monday

9/19/2011

Jean-Louis' update: When Jean-Louis arrived at Munich's airport Saturday at 11:50 am, Marc, his friend surgeon, drove him in his new Porsche at 156 mph (may be he wanted to get the stone pass by JL's fear ?), directly to the hospital. After a few tests, he was in the operation room that afternoon to install a tube to bypass tthe stone and liberate the kidney that was already infected. Sunday he was out of the hospital at Marc and Susie's house being feeded like a pig by Susie's gastronomic art of the table. September 27, Jean-Louis will have an other operation to destroy the stone with a "Mini Jack Hammer". A week later, he will have the last operation to remove the bypass tube.


Photo this monday: I think it's time not to worry about Jean-Louis anymore but me who is eating only rice !!!
Also, don't be fool by this photo, Jean-Louis can only screwed Susie's gastronimic dinner (here the desert).


Sunday

9/18/2011

I am leaving now.

 

I did not go too far, I was stopped by the market of Somadougou.

I love walking the markets by my problem is there is no place to seat and relax and most of it is under a very hot sun!


These are all dried fish.


Saturday

9/17/2011

News from Jean-Louis: he made it to Munich and is now at Marc's hospital in good hands.

Yesterday, I asked to see the taxi that was going to ride the 400 miles to take him to Bamako, I did not wanted to see him leaving in a trash-car. It was one of these classic Mercedes, the body was clean, so was the inside, the tires were more than good, for me the car passed the smell test. After 300 miles the cooling water was gone, they had to refill several time and they arrived just on time for Jean-Louis to get his plane. The rest of the trip was uneventful, Jean-Louis was of course uncomfortable was he was not in excruciating pain.

 

As for me, I had a last lunch with Flo, then I did my welding on the support of the highlight that is also supporting the bottom part of the windshield.

I will go on the road tomorrow.


The car taking Jean-Louis to Bamako looked good but after 300 miles the cooling water was gone !!!


Friday

9/16/2011

THE STONE IS GONE... because Jean Louis in a plane for Munich !!!

 

Let me explain you how it happened: Marc a very good friend of Jean-Louis is chief surgeon of a hospital in Munich Germany. Based on the X-ray we send him yesterday, he highly recommended to Jean-Louis to came immediatly at his hosptital in Munich and have a proper treatment. Jean Louis listen to him and this morning, we managed to get him to Bamako by car (8 hours) and take a plane tonight to arrive tomorrow saturday in Munich.... and this how i lost the stone but i lost jean-louis to do so !!!

 

Jean-Louis will came back when the problem will be resolved. I am going to try to get an extention for his sidecar in Mali, if not I will bring it to Burkina Faso. In any case, I will be on the road tomorrow.

 

I was able to get an extention in Mali for both our sidecars until October 31.

That mean I don't have to worry about Jean-Louis' sidecar, it will stay here in Mopti until his return and I can go my own way during that time.

I saw I have to do a couple of welding  on the support of the front highlight, I will do that tomorrow.


Thursday

9/15/2011

The last few days, we had several visit at the Mopti's hospital for Jean-Louis' kidney stone.

It is now official, we saw the stone on the UIV X-ray.

It's a big one but it does not obstruct totally the ureter and it has the shape of a drop of water so it should travel easily to evacuate naturally... one of these day!

Under his medication, Jean-Louis does not suffer any more and can eat and live normally but he was warned that the day he will evacuate the stone, he will definitely know it !!!


Tuesday

9/13/2011

Jean-Louis woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible pain on the right side of his belly. I will pass all the details, but we were at the hospital first time in the morning and the conclusion was a kidney stone. As we all know, it hurts like hell. It took a few hours for the pills to be effective but since yesterday afternoon he is not in pain anymore even if he is still uncomfortable.

The experience of the Malian's hospital was quite something but Flo who is a French nurse (medallion below), came to visit us and confirmed we were doing the right thing.

Don't send flowers but saucisson sec (french saussage) would be greatly appreciated !!!


Jean-Louis got lucky, his X-ray machine was designed for bikers !!!


Thursday

9/8/2011

We arrived at Mopti.



We miss you, the Bamako crew:  Zakaria, Isabelle, Mariam, Ado, Ciss, Sidi et Flo in medallion


Wednesday

9/7/2011

While Jean-Louis was sitting in my sidecar, going to a machine shop to fix the support of his trunk, he noticed a clear whistle that we learned was coming from the drive shaft cross of the 2 WD on the sidecar wheel side.

We were at the right place and spend the day taking care of replacing the faulty drive shaft cross.


Our mecanics of the "machine" shop invited us to share their meal.


Tuesday

9/62011

Yesterday, we were very rusty on our sidecar but today we are doing much better.

On the road, we are doing a few adjustment on the mecanic and we need a little welding on Jean-Louis' rear trunk support.


Monday

9/5/2011

Third attempt, we are leaving Bamako

 

We made it, we left Bamako and drove to Segou.


Sunday

9/4/2011

Sunday am, we are leaving Bamako.

 

Not so fast, Lorraine just got the letter from the French retirement, she has to filled a 15 pages document and I am helping her to do it this afternoon, so we will leave tomorrow am!


Saturday

9/3/2011

It's lunch time and we are leaving Bamako.

 

Well, it did not happened that way. As we were ready to leave, I saw a problem on the drive shaft not connecting properly on the flector.

I had to dismount the final drive, and move a clip on position #3 (and not #1) to have the correct position. By 4 pm, it was done so we will leave tomorrow morning.


As we were ready to leave, I noticed the rear shaft not positioned correctly on the flector !!!


Friday

9/2/2011

The maintenance on the sidecars is done, we packed the sidecar and will start riding north to Mopti tomorrow morning.


Thursday

9/1/2011

Yesterday, we visited 5 RTW (Round The World) motorcycles travellers who happened to meet separately at the auberge "Sleeping Camel" just a few blocs from ours. Four of them are riding North and Julien is riding to South Africa.

 

Cick on the orange links below to follow their blogs:

 

- Margus and Kariina, Estonia, 3 years on a BMW 1150 GS.

- Henry, South Africa, 1 year on a BMW 650 GS

- Gonzalo, Portuguese, 2 years on aBMW 1150 GS

- Julien, French, started for a 3 years ride on a Yamaha Super Ténéré.

- Martin, German, 3 years on a Yamaha Ténéré 660.

- Jean-Louis, French, on the road on a Ural sidecar !!!


RTW (left to rigth) Jean-Louis, Jullien, Gonzalo, Henry, Margus & Kariina and Martin in medallion.


Monday

8/29/2011

We had a big day schedule today but when we wake up, it was pouring rain!

We waited a little and went on Jean-Louis' sidecar to get my visa for Mali (I did not know but the temporary i got at the airport expired today). That went well, I will get my passport back at 4pm.

Then we went to the Yamaha dealer and Kauder replaced the 2WD command inside the final drive with no problem.

Then the great news, Lorraine had the appointment with the French Prefecture to finalized her "Titre de sejour" in France (comparable to the green card), it all went well, she got approved and left with her titre de sejour in her pocket. Lorraine is now legal in france and consequently she now have the french health insurance in place... just for in case, congratuation Lorraine !!!


Kauder was very comfortable changing the axel activating the 2WD inside the final drive. Thank you Kauker.


Saturday

8/27/2011

I got a few parts from the Ural team USA, thank you so much Madina and Ilya.

This weekend, I am doing the maintenance on my sidecar.

Jean Louis went to visite the Dogon Country (north east of Mali) while I was in france, he is preparing the photo to do a story very soon.


The gear shift spring with it's axel inside the gearbox became soft and will need to be replaced... one day!
The lever and the axel activating the 2WD on the final drive is totally loose, I will replace them monday...


with a mecanic from Yamaha I met Friday, his father had an Ural in the past.


I will also change the large nut holding the front wheel bearing that is not holding anymore.


Friday

8/26/2011

We got the extention from the custom for our sidecars to the end of september.


During the 3 weeks I was in France, 1/2 gallon of water went in my air filter during the tropical rain storms.


Thursday

8/25/2011

No problem on the flight to Bamako, Jean Louis was at the airport.

This morning we are working on the custom extension for our sidecar in Mali and I will pick up my sidecar from the Mission where I left it.


Wednesday

8/24/2011

This is it, I am at the Orly airport on my way to Bamako...

Lorraine and I had a very nice time together visiting people we love (but if we did not visit you does not mean we don't love you).

Yesterday was administrative day for Lorraine's paper work. Her titre de  sejour retirement (lorraine worked at the Casino de Paris and the Paradis Latin for almost 5 years) and her french health insurance... it's all on it's way, slowly but surely!

I am very curious to learn what Jean Louis did during that time !!!

 

PS: Jean Louis all the emails I am sending you are coming back to me as "Returned". I hope to see you tonight at 1:00am at Bamako at the airport, if not, I will go directly to the auberge.


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