Mountain biking in Namibia - have you ever done it?
One of the hardest and most strenuous mountain bike races is the Desert Dash in Namibia! Riding it is a dream for many passionate mountain bikers. Some start with less demanding races and start by riding smaller local races. This is the case with Barbara Staps, who rode a small race during her time in Gobabis. But let’s start from the beginning…
Volunteer in Gobabis 2015
In 2015, Barbara Staps spent 6 months in Namibia to do a voluntary service at steps for children and to help the children and young people in Gobabis helped with school and homework, organized games and parties and implemented other ideas.
She also made the holiday season in Namibia more enjoyable for the steps children together with her fellow volunteers – with a Holiday Club.
In her spare time
In her free time at the weekend, she was active in sports and asked around in the community: Yes, there were also smaller mountain bike routes that she could ride with the locals and not just the Desert Dash. She didn't need to be told twice - because just like Ronny, Barbara also likes to ride cross-country. And back then, through the Namibian desert!
Barbara reports how she came to ride a mountain bike in Namibia by chance:
"There was a poster in the supermarket in Gobabis: 'Gobabis MTB Race' - I immediately thought that I could take part. I had ridden a mountain bike a few times before, but never seriously and never in a race. So it was a bit of a crazy idea. But it all took on a life of its own when I was able to borrow a mountain bike - just like that! The trust and friendliness blew me away. And then they took me straight to training! From then on, I rode with three like-minded people at least once a week through the red sand around Gobabis - sometimes even racing against wildebeest and gazelles.
#Funfact:
By the way, camel thorns also damage tubeless tires…
The race itself was a very exciting experience; my goal was to somehow reach the finish, I have achieved this – with only one wet foot, keyword “floating bridge".
II cycled a lot in Gobabis, almost every day to school, to go shopping, to the library, etc., all on a trusty, half-rusty bike that had foam under the tires instead of air. A bike that the project always made available to volunteers. And just for fun, on a "real", borrowed MTB.
It was always a strange feeling: in Epako almost nobody owned a bike, let alone a modern mountain bike. So it was an absolute privilege, something I would have loved to have for the children and young people of Epako.
I then did some research and found out that steps had already brought a container of bicycles to Namibia in cooperation with the local initiative BEN (Bicycle Enpowerment Namibia). There was also a workshop in Gobabis, but it was no longer running during my stay. So a lot had happened long before my short time in Namibia to make bicycles available locally.
from left Janna and Lisa, our steps volunteers from 2015, on the bike – in the middle of Gobabis.
Unfortunately, during my 6 months in Gobabis, I was unable to work on this project close to my heart. I am therefore all the more pleased that Markus and Ronny not only want to use "their" race to highlight the fun and beauty of cycling, but also to draw attention to the foundation and its facilities in Namibia."
Still committed
Barbara is still committed to our steps children - she organized workshops for other former volunteers here in Germany, gave her own children a guardian angel sponsorship when they were born (which means they are probably among the youngest guardian angels in our guardian angel community) and, together with other volunteers, took part in the Airport Race in Hamburg as a steps team for steps for children to raise awareness for our foundation.
During her time in Namibia, Barbara received a visit from her current husband, Ronny. He is also an enthusiastic mountain biker. He stayed for a few short days in our guesthouse in Gobabis. Of course, he also visited our steps facility and had a look around.
This year he is bringing steps to the Alps together with another enthusiastic mountain biker. The red steps jersey will shine on the seven-day tour. We wish Ronny and his fellow biker friend Markus lots of fun, endurance and success.
steps in the Alps
520 kilometers and 17.215 meters of altitude in 7 days. In July, steps will be supported by Ronny Staps and Markus Kaiser.