Lesotho - Solo Ninja Training..

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Yefimovich

Race Dog
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
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Location
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Bike
BMW R1200GS
Its baffling how, the moment I so much as see a photograph of a mountain range and particularly a mountain pass I’m overwhelmed with an immense sense of yearning and a terrible longing, the call I feel for the mountains has to a primal one. Perhaps my soul resides somewhere deep in a mountain range and the only time I can have some sense of purpose and a feeling of being whole is when I’m exploring them.

So as with most aspects of my life, thorough ride planning has never been a strong suite of mine, therefore its should come as no surprise that the simple act of rereading Groenies ride report changed my ride to Mozambique to a ride to Lesotho. I hastily bought an AA motoring map of Lesotho, built some Pooratech Panniers and Fitted a Dunlop D606 tyre. On the Thursday before my departure I loosely planned a route, to enter Lesotho at Ficksburg, ride to Katse, then follow the roads vaguely aiming for Sani Top. Attention would be paid to getting there, accommodation etc, as and when the need arises.

I would be carrying 10L of Fuel along to compensate for my terrible habit of badly timing my fuel stops, surprisingly they became essential through no fault of my own! Also, I had installed 12V outlets to my XT for a small air compressor and cell phone charger, I also packed spare tubes and some tools.

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The Branding!  :eek:
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My Sparkly new Pooratech Poverty Series ™ XT ™
They would prove to be single use, disposable panniers!

After leaving Pretoria at about 07H00 and an absolutely tedious ride on the N3, then on to Kestel, Bethlehem, past Fouriesburg and on to Ficksburg I finally reached the border at about 12H00, stopping numerous times for fuel, smoking, drinking etc.

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One of the Fuel Stops

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My first glimpse of the Mountains, Oh joy! It really is amazing, the sight of the glorious mountain ranges immediately stripped away the tedium of the journey thus far and I could feel myself slipping into journey/holiday mode, the memories of monotony and tedium of the capital slowly starting to fade.

My border experience was surprisingly painless, quick efficient service! I was quite amused at the “Toll” gate upon entry into Lesotho, a little structure with the immense barring power of a boom which was apparently permanently in the open position, no matter, I was in the Mountain Kingdom! I paid the R20.00 with a Huge Smile on my face, I had arrived, its here!

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At the Border.

I then slowly made my way through the little border town of Maputsoe and turned toward Leribe. Here I struggled a little to find an ATM, which I eventually found at the local Shoprite! With a fist full of cash and an incredible feeling of anticipation I hit the road following the road signs toward Katse Dam.

I was stopped at a jolly roadblock, complete with fast food vendor, where I was asked to produce my license, my first reaction was “Run!” but I realised that I did in fact have one and even more surprisingly I had it on me. Crisis in a Lesotho prison averted!

The road from Leribe wasn’t flat for long and soon I was enjoying long, sweeping bends, growing steadily steeper, the sweeps starting to alternate with the odd hairpin, heaven! I then sped through a village (I think it was called Pitseng?) in a valley, rounded a mountainous corner and voila!, I was at the foot of  the most spectacular tarred pass id ever seen!

With a light heart and a heavy hand I started the climb! I nearly overcooked it on one occasion when some loose gravel in the apex had me clutching my heart. Periodically the steel tips of my boots would kiss the tarmac, like a kick in the head this would bring me to my senses and I would approach the next couple of corners with a little more restraint, inevitably the child that I am would overpower the adult that I pretend to be and I’d be back to boot scraping madness!

I got a little worried that the brakes may start fading and get me into real trouble, so I stopped for a ciggy (or maybe I just wanted to have a smoke and used the brakes to justify it to myself) and a few Pictures:

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I adored the endless waterfalls all over the place!!

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Self-Timer at work, note the Hair has gone!!

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I eventually rode on, grinning all the way like a Hobo who had found the secret to turning leaves in to banknotes, taking it all in: the breathtaking, bite-the-back-of-your-hand beautiful views, the refreshing mountain air, the steadily dropping climate while the sun blazed down upon me! Magnificent! I stopped again for some photo’s, leaving the road and riding up a little hill on the side of the road:

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I continued the climb, still smiling, and eventually reached what appeared to be the peak of the pass. I hastily stopped and pulled off to the side of the road once more to catch a glimpse of the road that had given me so much pleasure and taken me and the XT higher than we had been before:

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Posing Again! Tsk tsk!

I felt a little foolish when I eventually started riding again and came across a view point! Oh well!  :biggrin:
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