S
shark_za
Guest
I left a little late on Wednesday and had to contend with rush hour traffic in JHB, it didnt bother me as I was on my way to go and enjoy riding across the little mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
I definately overloaded the bike, took a bit too much stuff with me and the bike was not handling as well as it should have.
I hit the N3 all the way to Harrismith, dual purpose riding is about being able to do both tar and dirt. I was out of Harrismith by 10H30 after having the customary Nandos, through the middle of town and out the other end to hit the first dirt.
Scenery was typical of the Free State right here where it borders Natal.
Flat with mountains in the distance
I followed this dirt road for a few kilometers and then turned left onto the approach to Bezuidenhouts Pass.
Well if this is a pass, not many people pass down here. The track was quite overgrown but I could still make out the route and follwed if for another few km's.
The conditions of the approach
The scenery was getting much better and instead of mountains in the distance I started riding between them
I passed an unlocked gate and was greeted by the pass decending the same escarpment that Oliviershoek, Van Reenens, Normendien, etc passes go down.
Only difference was this one needed to be taken a little slower than the others. I would have loved an unladen bike or a proper dirt bike for this bit.
I was alone out there and there were no people for miles, lovely!
Some of the pass was tricky and specially so with the loaded KLR.
This took me a little longer than I planned so in Bergville I let JonW know via SMS (no answer on the phone) I was running a little late and I headed for the N3 again to race to Mooi River.
Shooting the tollgate I arrived in Nottingham road at the arranged meeting spot to find nobody was there.
Cell phone on... 11 voicemails later and I heard Jon had headed to Himeville already.
So I turned around and took the Loteni road to Himeville myself, the time was around 14H30 by now.
The scenery on this road was also something else, but I was riding fast and didnt really have time to take awesome pics like the ones bmad did.
I did stop for a short bit to have some water and check cell messages , the typical scene along this road.
One thing about this, and as it turned out it was the same all through Lesotho, was a lot of blind rises that almost always turn at the top.
I almost went plowing on one occasion and was almost high sided when a slide suddenly gripped and asked me to slow down.
I got word from Jon that he was heading up the pass and best I make it before 16H00 as it closes then.
I twisted the throttle and rode like someone trying to make the cutoff time in some race, arriving at the Border at about 15H59. JonW was there, he has even arranged for them to keep the place open for me for another 15 minutes if I didnt make it in time. 8)
Formalities done and we rode up the pass, even taking it really slowly had us at the top in short time. A bike is really the implement of choice for riding up there.
Even so, we could take it easy and enjoy the scenery. I was my first time up the pass and JonW says the conditions were pretty mild for Sani.
I could not comment, the road was average with a few sections of exposed rock but nothing to write home about. Nothing like Bez Pass thats for sure.
The shadows were long at this time of day, the pub was calling.
Must have a pic with the sign !
At the top we went to the bar and had a few Maluti's, not a bad beer at all.
We met an American and his Australian g/f and ended up going to the backpackers lodge and having a Braai with them, American style.
Thanks to Ben and Mel for sharing thier grub, we appreciated it.
I did a B double E double R U N back to the bar and returned with a backpack full of the golden nectar for our consumption.
We spent the night listening to stories about thier travels (7th year on a Round The World yacht trip) and then went to bed.
Day 2 to follow...
I definately overloaded the bike, took a bit too much stuff with me and the bike was not handling as well as it should have.
I hit the N3 all the way to Harrismith, dual purpose riding is about being able to do both tar and dirt. I was out of Harrismith by 10H30 after having the customary Nandos, through the middle of town and out the other end to hit the first dirt.
Scenery was typical of the Free State right here where it borders Natal.
Flat with mountains in the distance
I followed this dirt road for a few kilometers and then turned left onto the approach to Bezuidenhouts Pass.
Well if this is a pass, not many people pass down here. The track was quite overgrown but I could still make out the route and follwed if for another few km's.
The conditions of the approach
The scenery was getting much better and instead of mountains in the distance I started riding between them
I passed an unlocked gate and was greeted by the pass decending the same escarpment that Oliviershoek, Van Reenens, Normendien, etc passes go down.
Only difference was this one needed to be taken a little slower than the others. I would have loved an unladen bike or a proper dirt bike for this bit.
I was alone out there and there were no people for miles, lovely!
Some of the pass was tricky and specially so with the loaded KLR.
This took me a little longer than I planned so in Bergville I let JonW know via SMS (no answer on the phone) I was running a little late and I headed for the N3 again to race to Mooi River.
Shooting the tollgate I arrived in Nottingham road at the arranged meeting spot to find nobody was there.
Cell phone on... 11 voicemails later and I heard Jon had headed to Himeville already.
So I turned around and took the Loteni road to Himeville myself, the time was around 14H30 by now.
The scenery on this road was also something else, but I was riding fast and didnt really have time to take awesome pics like the ones bmad did.
I did stop for a short bit to have some water and check cell messages , the typical scene along this road.
One thing about this, and as it turned out it was the same all through Lesotho, was a lot of blind rises that almost always turn at the top.
I almost went plowing on one occasion and was almost high sided when a slide suddenly gripped and asked me to slow down.
I got word from Jon that he was heading up the pass and best I make it before 16H00 as it closes then.
I twisted the throttle and rode like someone trying to make the cutoff time in some race, arriving at the Border at about 15H59. JonW was there, he has even arranged for them to keep the place open for me for another 15 minutes if I didnt make it in time. 8)
Formalities done and we rode up the pass, even taking it really slowly had us at the top in short time. A bike is really the implement of choice for riding up there.
Even so, we could take it easy and enjoy the scenery. I was my first time up the pass and JonW says the conditions were pretty mild for Sani.
I could not comment, the road was average with a few sections of exposed rock but nothing to write home about. Nothing like Bez Pass thats for sure.
The shadows were long at this time of day, the pub was calling.
Must have a pic with the sign !
At the top we went to the bar and had a few Maluti's, not a bad beer at all.
We met an American and his Australian g/f and ended up going to the backpackers lodge and having a Braai with them, American style.
Thanks to Ben and Mel for sharing thier grub, we appreciated it.
I did a B double E double R U N back to the bar and returned with a backpack full of the golden nectar for our consumption.
We spent the night listening to stories about thier travels (7th year on a Round The World yacht trip) and then went to bed.
Day 2 to follow...
