Lesotho - an epic ride of note !!!

[Grootseun]

Awesome report plottie...

read adventure stuff...not like the shit you see on TV...

ride on...

 

[LostDOG]

Lostdog, do it with me on the way to the bash?

Unfortunately not going to the bash. I need to save some pink slips for a while. 

 

[skillie]

Fantastic report...

 

[Trailrider]

Great report!

 

[michnus]

If I can add just some bit of expert advice here, take it, leave, whatever.

You guy's were going way to slow down there, remember, stand-up, look-up and open-up!! You guy's buggered it up because you were going to slow!
8)

Aaaaargggg, I don't want to see this, it hurts my eyes, I don't want to sit here in the office, I want to ride there

 

[LostDOG]

If I can add just some bit of expert advice here, take it, leave, whatever.

You guy's were going way to slow down there, remember, stand-up, look-up and open-up!! You guy's buggered it up because you were going to slow!
8)

Aaaaargggg, I don't want to see this, it hurts my eyes, I don't want to sit here in the office, I want to ride there

Mich, I agree, wherever possible that is the rule. I will not even try tell you that the compexity is more than you see in the photo's. I didnt take photos whilst getting my bike down, so what you see is probably the more reasonable sections.
The problem with the decent is that the road is washed away where there are no rocks, and under the rocks is mud. To stand up, open up and go is not always easy when you realise that once you are going you will not stop easily. The drop-offs on the sides are enough to scare anyone. I did the open-up-thing going uphill, easy peasy japaneasy! Down, eeiishh!

 

[LostDOG]

Hind-sight is 20/20 vision: Here's what we should have done.

Paid porters aka: local herd boys, to carry kit down. Then we would have decended with lighter more balanced bikes. The kit makes the bikes diffcult to stop and heavy once they start toppling. Next Time!

 

[LuckyStriker]

how about locking up the rear and feathering the front brakes?
would that have worked?

 

[LostDOG]

how about locking up the rear and feathering the front brakes?
would that have worked?

Thats essentially what I aimed to do, the trick being to have enough momentum to go over a bigger rock and then quickly be able to get into that "scenario" again. It's farking difficult to control such a heavy load and stop it before moering off the side of the mountain.

 

[shark_za]

I guess if you just used capable bikes like 640 Adv's it would not have been an adventure.

 

[michnus]

I am just talking BS ;D

Maybe what would have worked well was to go slower? ;D

 

[LostDOG]

I guess if you just used capable bikes like 640 Adv's it would not have been an adventure.

Perhaps.

I have come to realise that my expectations of the 950 may have been a bit high, I need to tone down the technical expectations of ME on my 950. But, the 650 / 640 class still dont blow my hair back. I dont think my ideal DS bike has been made. I wait with baited breath for the 690 ADV.
Again, DS kit is heavy. I need to start following the ULTRALIGHT movement in hiking and aligh my Kit to that.

 

[michnus]

Lostdog, I don't know the abilities of the group. Would you say more skills would have helped if at all?

 

[LostDOG]

Lostdog, I don't know the abilities of the group. Would you say more skills would have helped if at all?

Yes, more skill will always help. But there are no real "practice" grounds for this type of stuff. Just go there and do it.

 

[SGB]

Great to read the story and see the pics.  The wet weather certainly did not help, having wet black soil under the rocks does bring a different dimension.  That trip is great fun on plastic bikes, even up the hill.  But that German engineering you mention early on must have lost some of it's elegance along the way. >

The skill question came up earlier:  Riding skill does always help, but it is also demoralizing to watch a good rider easily negotiating something I battle with. ;D  It causes me to make stupid decisions and my nose ends in the sand.  It is probably more important to match the skill of the group more or less, otherwise the lesser skilled has a hard time.

Your timing was good too, it is a bit of a hassle when the river is full, takes some time to cross on the boats.  And me and the 990 on the same boat is not a good idea, so it takes 2 trips.....  In winter it is VERY cold and snow is always a real possibility.  Best time is end of winter once it has warmed up a bit, but before the rain starts.

Respect!  Well Done - truly epic ride! O0

 

[luke]

Amazing report. Repect

 

[Frankie]

great pics - brings back some painful reminders ;D

 

[shark-za-se-baas]

I guess if you just used capable bikes like 640 Adv's it would not have been an adventure.

If you're so capable, why don't you go there with your new little toy and show us all big boy.

 

[letsgofishing]

Respect to you guys - those paths look bloody awful - well done!

 

[wino]

SPIRIT!! amongst the rider group and those that helped them!  :salutsee, you have me typing in capitals!)