HHHusky
Pack Dog
Major Tom (DRZ400), HHHusky (TE610) and Dieter (DR650) took a few days off from their families to go an explore Lesotho, the plan being to trailer the bikes to Harrismith, and then do a circular route through Lesotho via Sani Pass. We left Pretoria at 3:30 am on Saturday morning, met up with Dieter in Joburg, and made it to Harrismith by around 9:00. Bikes were loaded and checked, ready for 3 days of adventure
Then into town for some last minute shopping, and we left a bit later than planned. To make up time we stuck to tar (R74) all the way to Winterton, from where we took to gravel. We had some spectacular views of the Wagendrift Dam and Boesmans River valley
Then the DR picked up a puncture, but we were prepared
Major Tom took control, and soon we were on our way again, but by now it became obvious that we werenâ??t going to make it to the top of Sani today, so the pace slowed down and we enjoyed some excellent scenery.
When we got to Himeville at around 17:00 we found the whole town totally pissed and hanging around outside the Himeville Arms. They had no rooms available, but the nice lady at reception phoned around and organized us a room at Sani Backpackers. At Sani Backpackers we enjoyed this stunning sunset while offloading the bikes
After offloading we went back to Himeville Arms for dinner and a few beers, and the bar was still pumping when we left. The room at Sani Backpackers was for two people, so by the time the bikes were offloaded and the spare mattress brought in things got a bit cozy
Next morning bright and early we were on our way to the top of Sani, but the weather looked crappy as everything was covered in dense fog
As soon as we started climbing into the hills the fog disappeared, and we were rewarded by some spectacular views. As we made our way to the border we passed several 4x4â??s, and then a Kia driven by two ladies. Crazy, but at least we later found out it was a rental â?? they got a lift from the police station to the top of Sani! Next surprise was a red BMW (325, not a GS), and no surprise they had ripped half the sump out. Turned out not to be a rental, so no sympathies there ??? Formalities at the border post took about fifteen seconds (we had well rehearsed plans to explain the missing number plate on the TE and the DRâ??s missing license disk), but the paraat policeman did not even look at the bikes
Then Sani Pass proper started, and our first stop was this stream crossing where a few months back Major Tom destroyed his top box when he unexpectedly launched his GS while chasing Shark up Sani Pass (they were on their way back from the bash and were several hours behind schedule.) Methinks he was very very lucky to have survived that with no serious damage to him or bike
The pass is spectacular but easy riding
with plenty scenic spots along the way
Only towards the top did things became a bit more interesting with lots of melted snow making for slushy mud on the steep hairpin corners
At this stage Dieterâ??s DR started misbehaving and cutting out due to the altitude (and maybe, just maybe the fact that heâ??d left the choke on), and too many kickstarts at altitude started sapping his reserves
So with a fresh rider on the DR we made it safely to the Lesotho border post. We had a quick double ice and coke at Sani Top, and enjoyed the spectacular view down the pass, watching all the 4x4â??s slowly work their way up. So much easier on a bike! The scenery was beautiful, with the whole area covered with a light dusting of snow
Now we took the A14 into Lesotho, and soon started climbing the Kotisephola Pass, and reached an altitude of 3250 m
The weather was bracing to say the least.
We passed the highest spot in Southern Africa (a little hill to the side called Black Mountain Summit 3340m), and then headed down the pass, where things warmed quickly
Next stop was Mokhotlong to re-fuel, and here we bumped into Nick who had come up Sani solo on his Chinese 200cc, and was on his way from Joburg to PE. Respect!
Because we were running a bit late (again!) we decided to follow the A3 to Thaba-Tsheka (rather than an obscure track I found on T4A (to be explored next time)), and Nick joined us for this portion of the ride. This is a beautiful gravel road winding up and down the valleys, with some wonderful views. At some stage a convoy of GSâ??s passed us going in the opposite direction, and these guys were obviously in a hurry. At Thaba-Tsheka Nick headed towards Maseru, and we took the road towards Katse. Arses were getting sore and we were riding into the setting sun, but we finally got to Katse just as the sun dropped behind the mountains. After exploring the accommodation options (including some rooms behind the main shabeen â?? also rentable on an hourly basis), we decided on camping as the only option. Setting up camp in the dark was a lot of fun. Not.
Starters of cheeses and crackers, followed by pasta-from-the-packet, all washed down with some red port (thanks to my lovely wife)
What the hell is that!
I would love to say that we were absolutely shattered (which we were) and that we crashed into bed and slept like logs (but we didnâ??t.) A combination of misbehaving equipment (although I must say my inflatable fashion lounger worked very well), aged bodies and frisky weather meant that not much sleeping happened. Plenty grunting, swearing and farting was however heard â?? sounded like a pod of hippos. I was also worried about our planned route for the next day. Just before settling in for bed we had discussed the next dayâ??s route â?? we were either going to take the easy tar route along the A25, or tackle the far more challenging Kao mine road. I knew very little about this road, other than what I had read on the forum, and it seemed that depending on rider ability, bike, and weather conditions, this could be a very challenging ride â?? especially in the â??upâ? direction in which we intended to go. The decision was largely left to Dieter, as he was still finding his riding legs after many years out of the saddle, and he had limited technical riding experience. The DR was also not very happy at high altitude, and with a misfiring engine and its considerable weight it was destined to be a handful. But Dieter wouldnâ??t have it any other way, and insisted we take the road less traveled, and I must admit that I spent most of the night worrying about whether we were doing the right thing â?? Urban Worrier Forever!
Early the next morning we packed, and were on your way by 7:30, and headed north
along the A25. This road provides some spectacular views of the Katse Dam
At Ha-Lejone we stocked up on emergency rations in case we got stuck on Kao (bully beef and beans â?? the hills are alive with the sound of farting), and I was left contemplating whether I shouldnâ??t consider trading the TE for some more appropriate mode of transport
From here we headed east along a gravel road hugging the Senqu River, and soon we hit some steep uphills and downhills, but with plenty encouragement and advice Dieter soon settled down. Then followed some pretty deep river crossings, and we crossed the Senqu several times. Given the TEâ??s poor wading ability I was very nervous, but in preparation I had duct-taped closed the lower air-box intakes, and it worked well.
The DR was a treat to watch crossing the river, as it would erupt into a cloud of steam each time it hit the water. Then we got to the Kao mine settlement, and time for a final smoke break and pep-talk
Then the fun started
The first half of the Kao road has several of these long rocky climbs, which were an absolute blast. Dieter however struggled with the DR, mainly due to the engine stalling whenever the revs dropped below 5000rpm. So Major Tom gave it a bash, and that was the last we saw of him. The DR has long gearing, so first gear at 5000 rpm translated into about 25 km/hour, and it was an awesome sight to see Major Tom blasting up these rocky climbs with the barking and backfiring DR â?? no problem. His pig riding experience obviously paid off, but seriously, this was one impressive display of riding ability.
Dieter switched to the DRZ (methinks he does not like the TE much), and although things started slowly he soon gained confidence and completed the rest of the ride with no further assistance.
After several of these rocky climbs we reached the snow-sprinkled heights at around 3000m
But Major Tom was on such a high he bliksemed up a hill to the side of the track with his DRZ to reach the highest point of the day â?? avatar heaven.
We traveled further along the slush-covered track through some alpine wetlands, with some more utterly breathtaking scenery, and plenty muddy bits and stream crossings to keep you on your toes (or on one occasion on your arse, no names mentioned)
We got to the A1 at around 14:00, after leaving Kao at 11:00 â?? 3 hours of adventure riding heaven. We then headed north along the A1 (a large pothole with some tarred bits inbetween), over Tlaeng Pass at 3251 m
Our original plan was to overnight at AfriSki, but we still had many hours of light left, and decided to keep going. Then we went down the Moteng Pass, and the knobblies got a good workout as we all did our best Valentino Rossi impersonation through the bends
Again ignoring the deceptive distances of the Lesotho roads, we decided to take the gravel road east to the Monantsa border post, with the plan to get to Witsieshoek Mountain Resort before nightfall. This road however just would not end, as it wound its way along the Caledon River (which is the SA/Lesotho border.) At many places you could have driven straight across the river into SA, but that would have sent us in the direction of Clarens, so we kept going, and the road began meandering through some stunning Clarens Sandstone formations, with many stream crossings and steep climbs. As the sun started setting these sandstone formations were bathed in the most beautiful light, but it now became apparent that we were not going to make the border post before it closed, and we started pushing harder â?? with me nearly ending up at the bottom of a gully while fiddling with the GPS. Finally we crossed the Lesotho border (marked by a rusty broken boom lying in the grass next o the road), and entered the Monantsa Pass. Suddenly the sun was gone as we entered the pass, and the fog reappeared. As I crossed a stream I looked up to see the mother of all climbs rearing out of the fog. I geared down and nailed it, and went bouncing up the rutted climb into even denser fog, barely making it to the top. Here I waited, and waited, and after what felt like hours I saw Dieter and Major Tom coming through the fog. Dieter had got into trouble on the steep climb, and Major Tom had again swapped bikes, and wrestled the DR to the top. We slowly crawled through the ever denser fog, and finally up ahead we saw the gates of the SA border post. Very firmly locked with a big sign indicating the border closes at 16:00. It was now 17:30. We were finished, and just sat there on the bikes staring at the locked gate, and contemplating a nights camping in this very inhospitable spot. Then we saw a movement at the guard hut, and much shouting and pleading later my faith was restored as a friendly policeman came and unlocked the gate and let us through, with no mention of passports. Viva!
What followed was the scariest hour of my life as we tried working our way through Phuthaditjhaba rush hour in the dark, with dogs, donkeys, cows, cars and taxies all trying their level best to kill us. Once we started climbing towards Witsieshoek the fog reappeared with vengeance, and we crawled our way to the top, and arrived at 19:00 after being in the saddle for almost 11 hours. A warm bath, a few beers, a hot dinner, and a sense of real achievement. And here is one for the ladies. Note the custom sock-drier on the left.
Next morning was cold and misty, and we took about an hour to get all our protective gear on, only to find that by the time we reached Phuthaditjhaba we were riding in glorious sunshine.
Nice easy ride back to Harrismith, some clean clothes, and a general feeling of achievement and well being. Especially well done to Dieter, who started as a novice and ended up beating Kao.
Thanks Kao-boys for a memorable ride.
860km, moving ave. 46 km/h, 18 hours riding
Then into town for some last minute shopping, and we left a bit later than planned. To make up time we stuck to tar (R74) all the way to Winterton, from where we took to gravel. We had some spectacular views of the Wagendrift Dam and Boesmans River valley
Then the DR picked up a puncture, but we were prepared
Major Tom took control, and soon we were on our way again, but by now it became obvious that we werenâ??t going to make it to the top of Sani today, so the pace slowed down and we enjoyed some excellent scenery.
When we got to Himeville at around 17:00 we found the whole town totally pissed and hanging around outside the Himeville Arms. They had no rooms available, but the nice lady at reception phoned around and organized us a room at Sani Backpackers. At Sani Backpackers we enjoyed this stunning sunset while offloading the bikes
After offloading we went back to Himeville Arms for dinner and a few beers, and the bar was still pumping when we left. The room at Sani Backpackers was for two people, so by the time the bikes were offloaded and the spare mattress brought in things got a bit cozy
Next morning bright and early we were on our way to the top of Sani, but the weather looked crappy as everything was covered in dense fog
As soon as we started climbing into the hills the fog disappeared, and we were rewarded by some spectacular views. As we made our way to the border we passed several 4x4â??s, and then a Kia driven by two ladies. Crazy, but at least we later found out it was a rental â?? they got a lift from the police station to the top of Sani! Next surprise was a red BMW (325, not a GS), and no surprise they had ripped half the sump out. Turned out not to be a rental, so no sympathies there ??? Formalities at the border post took about fifteen seconds (we had well rehearsed plans to explain the missing number plate on the TE and the DRâ??s missing license disk), but the paraat policeman did not even look at the bikes
Then Sani Pass proper started, and our first stop was this stream crossing where a few months back Major Tom destroyed his top box when he unexpectedly launched his GS while chasing Shark up Sani Pass (they were on their way back from the bash and were several hours behind schedule.) Methinks he was very very lucky to have survived that with no serious damage to him or bike
The pass is spectacular but easy riding
with plenty scenic spots along the way
Only towards the top did things became a bit more interesting with lots of melted snow making for slushy mud on the steep hairpin corners
At this stage Dieterâ??s DR started misbehaving and cutting out due to the altitude (and maybe, just maybe the fact that heâ??d left the choke on), and too many kickstarts at altitude started sapping his reserves
So with a fresh rider on the DR we made it safely to the Lesotho border post. We had a quick double ice and coke at Sani Top, and enjoyed the spectacular view down the pass, watching all the 4x4â??s slowly work their way up. So much easier on a bike! The scenery was beautiful, with the whole area covered with a light dusting of snow
Now we took the A14 into Lesotho, and soon started climbing the Kotisephola Pass, and reached an altitude of 3250 m
The weather was bracing to say the least.
We passed the highest spot in Southern Africa (a little hill to the side called Black Mountain Summit 3340m), and then headed down the pass, where things warmed quickly
Next stop was Mokhotlong to re-fuel, and here we bumped into Nick who had come up Sani solo on his Chinese 200cc, and was on his way from Joburg to PE. Respect!
Because we were running a bit late (again!) we decided to follow the A3 to Thaba-Tsheka (rather than an obscure track I found on T4A (to be explored next time)), and Nick joined us for this portion of the ride. This is a beautiful gravel road winding up and down the valleys, with some wonderful views. At some stage a convoy of GSâ??s passed us going in the opposite direction, and these guys were obviously in a hurry. At Thaba-Tsheka Nick headed towards Maseru, and we took the road towards Katse. Arses were getting sore and we were riding into the setting sun, but we finally got to Katse just as the sun dropped behind the mountains. After exploring the accommodation options (including some rooms behind the main shabeen â?? also rentable on an hourly basis), we decided on camping as the only option. Setting up camp in the dark was a lot of fun. Not.
Starters of cheeses and crackers, followed by pasta-from-the-packet, all washed down with some red port (thanks to my lovely wife)
What the hell is that!
I would love to say that we were absolutely shattered (which we were) and that we crashed into bed and slept like logs (but we didnâ??t.) A combination of misbehaving equipment (although I must say my inflatable fashion lounger worked very well), aged bodies and frisky weather meant that not much sleeping happened. Plenty grunting, swearing and farting was however heard â?? sounded like a pod of hippos. I was also worried about our planned route for the next day. Just before settling in for bed we had discussed the next dayâ??s route â?? we were either going to take the easy tar route along the A25, or tackle the far more challenging Kao mine road. I knew very little about this road, other than what I had read on the forum, and it seemed that depending on rider ability, bike, and weather conditions, this could be a very challenging ride â?? especially in the â??upâ? direction in which we intended to go. The decision was largely left to Dieter, as he was still finding his riding legs after many years out of the saddle, and he had limited technical riding experience. The DR was also not very happy at high altitude, and with a misfiring engine and its considerable weight it was destined to be a handful. But Dieter wouldnâ??t have it any other way, and insisted we take the road less traveled, and I must admit that I spent most of the night worrying about whether we were doing the right thing â?? Urban Worrier Forever!
Early the next morning we packed, and were on your way by 7:30, and headed north
along the A25. This road provides some spectacular views of the Katse Dam
At Ha-Lejone we stocked up on emergency rations in case we got stuck on Kao (bully beef and beans â?? the hills are alive with the sound of farting), and I was left contemplating whether I shouldnâ??t consider trading the TE for some more appropriate mode of transport
From here we headed east along a gravel road hugging the Senqu River, and soon we hit some steep uphills and downhills, but with plenty encouragement and advice Dieter soon settled down. Then followed some pretty deep river crossings, and we crossed the Senqu several times. Given the TEâ??s poor wading ability I was very nervous, but in preparation I had duct-taped closed the lower air-box intakes, and it worked well.
The DR was a treat to watch crossing the river, as it would erupt into a cloud of steam each time it hit the water. Then we got to the Kao mine settlement, and time for a final smoke break and pep-talk
Then the fun started
The first half of the Kao road has several of these long rocky climbs, which were an absolute blast. Dieter however struggled with the DR, mainly due to the engine stalling whenever the revs dropped below 5000rpm. So Major Tom gave it a bash, and that was the last we saw of him. The DR has long gearing, so first gear at 5000 rpm translated into about 25 km/hour, and it was an awesome sight to see Major Tom blasting up these rocky climbs with the barking and backfiring DR â?? no problem. His pig riding experience obviously paid off, but seriously, this was one impressive display of riding ability.
Dieter switched to the DRZ (methinks he does not like the TE much), and although things started slowly he soon gained confidence and completed the rest of the ride with no further assistance.
After several of these rocky climbs we reached the snow-sprinkled heights at around 3000m
But Major Tom was on such a high he bliksemed up a hill to the side of the track with his DRZ to reach the highest point of the day â?? avatar heaven.
We traveled further along the slush-covered track through some alpine wetlands, with some more utterly breathtaking scenery, and plenty muddy bits and stream crossings to keep you on your toes (or on one occasion on your arse, no names mentioned)
We got to the A1 at around 14:00, after leaving Kao at 11:00 â?? 3 hours of adventure riding heaven. We then headed north along the A1 (a large pothole with some tarred bits inbetween), over Tlaeng Pass at 3251 m
Our original plan was to overnight at AfriSki, but we still had many hours of light left, and decided to keep going. Then we went down the Moteng Pass, and the knobblies got a good workout as we all did our best Valentino Rossi impersonation through the bends
Again ignoring the deceptive distances of the Lesotho roads, we decided to take the gravel road east to the Monantsa border post, with the plan to get to Witsieshoek Mountain Resort before nightfall. This road however just would not end, as it wound its way along the Caledon River (which is the SA/Lesotho border.) At many places you could have driven straight across the river into SA, but that would have sent us in the direction of Clarens, so we kept going, and the road began meandering through some stunning Clarens Sandstone formations, with many stream crossings and steep climbs. As the sun started setting these sandstone formations were bathed in the most beautiful light, but it now became apparent that we were not going to make the border post before it closed, and we started pushing harder â?? with me nearly ending up at the bottom of a gully while fiddling with the GPS. Finally we crossed the Lesotho border (marked by a rusty broken boom lying in the grass next o the road), and entered the Monantsa Pass. Suddenly the sun was gone as we entered the pass, and the fog reappeared. As I crossed a stream I looked up to see the mother of all climbs rearing out of the fog. I geared down and nailed it, and went bouncing up the rutted climb into even denser fog, barely making it to the top. Here I waited, and waited, and after what felt like hours I saw Dieter and Major Tom coming through the fog. Dieter had got into trouble on the steep climb, and Major Tom had again swapped bikes, and wrestled the DR to the top. We slowly crawled through the ever denser fog, and finally up ahead we saw the gates of the SA border post. Very firmly locked with a big sign indicating the border closes at 16:00. It was now 17:30. We were finished, and just sat there on the bikes staring at the locked gate, and contemplating a nights camping in this very inhospitable spot. Then we saw a movement at the guard hut, and much shouting and pleading later my faith was restored as a friendly policeman came and unlocked the gate and let us through, with no mention of passports. Viva!
What followed was the scariest hour of my life as we tried working our way through Phuthaditjhaba rush hour in the dark, with dogs, donkeys, cows, cars and taxies all trying their level best to kill us. Once we started climbing towards Witsieshoek the fog reappeared with vengeance, and we crawled our way to the top, and arrived at 19:00 after being in the saddle for almost 11 hours. A warm bath, a few beers, a hot dinner, and a sense of real achievement. And here is one for the ladies. Note the custom sock-drier on the left.
Next morning was cold and misty, and we took about an hour to get all our protective gear on, only to find that by the time we reached Phuthaditjhaba we were riding in glorious sunshine.
Nice easy ride back to Harrismith, some clean clothes, and a general feeling of achievement and well being. Especially well done to Dieter, who started as a novice and ended up beating Kao.
Thanks Kao-boys for a memorable ride.
860km, moving ave. 46 km/h, 18 hours riding
