A ONE-LEGGED paraplegic has completed an epic 1500km motorbike ride from Botswana to Cape Town while lying on his stomach.
Battle-scarred Rhodesian bush war veteran Dale Collett – who was paralysed from the chest down during a daring Selous Scout raid into Mozambique in 1976 – told the Saturday Dispatch he had decided to do the trip to raise funds for terminally ill children in Botswana and to visit his Cape Town-based sons John and Seth.
“It was fun; you cannot believe the feeling of complete freedom you experience riding a bike.
“Riding with the wind in your face is much better than sitting on a chair in an office all day.”
Describing the ride as a “personal challenge”, the 63-year-old debt collector said besides being a wheelchair-bound paraplegic he also had limited use of his left arm after suffering irreparable tendon tears in his shoulder.
A highly decorated soldier who won several medals – including the second highest award for bravery in then Rhodesia – he was left paralysed during a military operation in 1976.
The Karoo-born adventurer, who went to school at Kingswood College in Grahamstown, said he was eagerly counting the days until he hit the road for the ride back to his smallholding homestead in Botswana next week.
“I had my left leg amputated two and a half years ago after I broke it badly, so to complete this ride back home to Gaborone would be very satisfying for me.
“Being on the road has been a life-changing experience.”
Collett clocked up hundreds of kilometres a day riding a specially modified Chinese knock-off of a classic World War 2 BMW motorbike and sidecar – lying flat on his stomach.
He says he is constantly asked to pose for photographs with strangers.
“Everybody was so supportive. I only started riding like this recently but now that I’ve started I don’t want to stop.”
After all the challenges he has faced in life, Collett said he did not fear hitting off into the unknown on his bike.
“No mate – no fears whatsoever. Absolutely none. What’s to fear?”
Collett hopes to raise R100000 for the Ray of Hope home for ill children in Botswana.
He also wants to use the ride – and the trials and tribulations of his life – to re-invent himself as a motivational speaker.
“The big problem in life is that very few of us take the bull by the horns. Get on the bike and ride!
“Stop dreaming about it, just do it.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za
Disabled biker advises: grab life by the horns
Battle-scarred Rhodesian bush war veteran Dale Collett – who was paralysed from the chest down during a daring Selous Scout raid into Mozambique in 1976 – told the Saturday Dispatch he had decided to do the trip to raise funds for terminally ill children in Botswana and to visit his Cape Town-based sons John and Seth.
“It was fun; you cannot believe the feeling of complete freedom you experience riding a bike.
“Riding with the wind in your face is much better than sitting on a chair in an office all day.”
Describing the ride as a “personal challenge”, the 63-year-old debt collector said besides being a wheelchair-bound paraplegic he also had limited use of his left arm after suffering irreparable tendon tears in his shoulder.
A highly decorated soldier who won several medals – including the second highest award for bravery in then Rhodesia – he was left paralysed during a military operation in 1976.
The Karoo-born adventurer, who went to school at Kingswood College in Grahamstown, said he was eagerly counting the days until he hit the road for the ride back to his smallholding homestead in Botswana next week.
“I had my left leg amputated two and a half years ago after I broke it badly, so to complete this ride back home to Gaborone would be very satisfying for me.
“Being on the road has been a life-changing experience.”
Collett clocked up hundreds of kilometres a day riding a specially modified Chinese knock-off of a classic World War 2 BMW motorbike and sidecar – lying flat on his stomach.
He says he is constantly asked to pose for photographs with strangers.
“Everybody was so supportive. I only started riding like this recently but now that I’ve started I don’t want to stop.”
After all the challenges he has faced in life, Collett said he did not fear hitting off into the unknown on his bike.
“No mate – no fears whatsoever. Absolutely none. What’s to fear?”
Collett hopes to raise R100000 for the Ray of Hope home for ill children in Botswana.
He also wants to use the ride – and the trials and tribulations of his life – to re-invent himself as a motivational speaker.
“The big problem in life is that very few of us take the bull by the horns. Get on the bike and ride!
“Stop dreaming about it, just do it.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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