Wayne Duck
Race Dog
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2011
- Messages
- 957
- Reaction score
- 348
When my son Bradley turned 16 and passed his learners I bought him an almost new Honda XR 250 Tornado and started teaching him how to ride.
He was a fast learner and soon we were able to leave the confines of the local soccer field and take on some longer rides away from home. As he was not 18 yet, and therefore illegal to ride anything larger than a 125cc, I had my local sign shop copy the XR250 artwork, replacing it with XR125 decals…none of the roadblocks we subsequently were stopped at ever picked up on this!
So, after about 1500 km’s of local day rides (and a few minor offs) I thought it was time for him to tackle a longer trip with me…I decided on taking him back to where he had been born, the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. When we had left there (for Namibia) Bradley had been just 4 years old so did not remember anything about the place.
I had some work colleagues that were keen to come along in their Hilux and Landy and, because this was to be Bradley’s first long ride, I welcomed them…great to have a backup vehicle for just in case! They would meet us in Fouriesburg, as would my brother and his wife from Amanzimtoti (on their Dakar 650). Right, enough background, let’s ride!
Day one: Sun City to Parys 248 km’s
I had broken this journey into short, bite sized pieces as I wanted to minimize the risk of my son losing concentration and having an off! We rode a zig zag route trying to do as much gravel as we could to Parys where we stayed overnight in a B&B.
The XR can only maintain a steady 90 to 100 km/h on the tar but on gravel that is plenty fast enough…it is actually quite amazing on gravel and rougher dirt roads.
Ready to leave home
Day two: Parys to Fouriesburg 252 km’s
After breakfast we hit the road…a little to literally! We had only travelled a few kilometers and Bradley had his first off of this trip! As he turned into a street the front wheel washed out on the loose pebble stones that pile up at intersections. He was okay, just a bit of a roasty on his elbow and hand and a torn glove. The bike was starting to collect some character scratches. All patched up and motivated again we set off, again zig zag through the Free State gravel roads to Fouriesburg where we met up with the rest of the group.
Gravel and flowers in the Free State
Day three: Fouriesburg, Caledon Border, Ox Bow, Afri-Ski, Mokhotlong, Taung, Masai Lodge 270 km’s
Early up and through the border at Caledon we head up the mountainous route towards Mokhotlong. The XR250 managed really well up and over the high Khalo la Lithunya Pass, 3236 meters above sea level, quite remarkable.
Before Mokhotlong we turn right onto the Sani Top road and then right again onto the road that eventually would get you to Thaba Tseka, but we’re not going there yet. At Taung we take a left towards Sehonghong but stop before we get there to overnight at Masai Lodge.
Group pic at the Caledon Border
Lunch stop
Masai Lodge
Day four: Masai Lodge, Sehonghong, Matebeng Pass, Ramatsiliso’s gate, Matatiele, Mt Fletcher, Naude’s Nek, Rhodes 341 km’s
The route from Masai up, over and down the Matebeng Pass towards Sehlabathebe National Park and Ramatsiliso’s Gate is an amazing one. I recommend to everyone that has not done this, and who rides a DS bike, to put this on their list to do soon!
Top of Matebeng Pass
After clearing the border back into S.A. Bradley had another lapse of talent and nearly went down the mountainside! Ah well, thankfully rider and bike were physically ok, but Bradley had got a huge fright and his confidence had taken a beating. I asked that the rest of the group go ahead and meet us in Matatiele so that I could ride slowly with Bradley to rebuild his confidence. For the next 20 to 30 km’s he was very slow but, after a KFC lunch in Matatiele, he was on top form again (o:
The sun had set before we had got to Rhodes…the twisty pass roads in the dark was another new experience and learning curve for my son!
Day five: Rhodes, Wartrail, Lundean’s Nek, Tele Bridge Border, Mohale’s Hoek, Malealea Lodge 222 km’s
This is another truly spectacular route enjoyed by all.
My son with his uncle on his right and dad on his left
Day six: Malealea, Roma (via the “back” route), Mohale Dam, Thaba Tseka, Katse Dam Lodge 291 km’s
The road leading up into and through the hills from Malealea to Roma is a bit of a track in places and not used by many vehicles, but easily done on a bike. The two four wheeled vehicles with us also managed without any problems. Roma to Thaba Tseka will be all tar soon, sad! But it is soooo much fun to “superbike” it along this brand new road…the twists and turns are highly addictive and you carry on for what seems like forever!
25 years ago - who won that year?!
Day seven: Katse Dam Lodge, Leribe, Fouriesburg 172 km’s
This all tar route is legend for its continuous twists and turns, I don’t think there a straight section of more than 500 meters! My son had a lot of fun chasing dad up and down all the passes!
Just before Buthe Buthe my son had his last fall (of this trip!)…and this was right at a Police roadblock! I’d come to a stop and then I heard a loud metal on tar scraping sound and he and his bike came sliding past me towards the policemen!!! These policemen all came running to help him up, asking if he was okay and all looking so worried and concerned…I was quite surprised but at the same time so impressed. I got the impression that they thought that it was their fault he had fallen! Anyway, apart from a bit of embarrassment Bradley was good to go and the bike, well it was quite characterful by now!
Day eight: Fouriesburg to Sun City 477 km’s
The friends in the Hilux and Landy and my brother and his wife had not stayed the night at Fouriesburg, opting to head for home the day before. Bradley and I enjoyed a slow and steady trip through the Free State’s gravel roads into the North West and arrived back home in the late afternoon.
2 250 km’s…quite a ride for a newbie!
My son had done me proud but, more importantly; he was full of pride in himself for completing this trip. Adventure rides are about travelling to and though wonderful, off-the-beaten-track places, but they’re also about getting yourself and your bike back from these places safely. Overcoming the odd mishap, and perhaps a bit of pain, but not giving up, builds character. As I have learnt in my life so far, there is absolutely no substitute for experience, and he sure got heaps of this during these eight days and 2 250 km’s!
Here are the links to my other ride reports:
Off to Mpumalanga and a bit of Swaziland
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=120446.0
Zimbabwe May 2012
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=102344.0
Rides with my son / daughter – A short collection
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=104992.0
A bit of Free State and Eastern Cape
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=117650.0
21 days through BotsNamZamZim two up May 2011
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=106761.0
Scooter ride around Sun City
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=121459.0
…and then we got high! (21 passes through Eastern Cape and Lesotho)
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=125097.0
He was a fast learner and soon we were able to leave the confines of the local soccer field and take on some longer rides away from home. As he was not 18 yet, and therefore illegal to ride anything larger than a 125cc, I had my local sign shop copy the XR250 artwork, replacing it with XR125 decals…none of the roadblocks we subsequently were stopped at ever picked up on this!
So, after about 1500 km’s of local day rides (and a few minor offs) I thought it was time for him to tackle a longer trip with me…I decided on taking him back to where he had been born, the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. When we had left there (for Namibia) Bradley had been just 4 years old so did not remember anything about the place.
I had some work colleagues that were keen to come along in their Hilux and Landy and, because this was to be Bradley’s first long ride, I welcomed them…great to have a backup vehicle for just in case! They would meet us in Fouriesburg, as would my brother and his wife from Amanzimtoti (on their Dakar 650). Right, enough background, let’s ride!
Day one: Sun City to Parys 248 km’s
I had broken this journey into short, bite sized pieces as I wanted to minimize the risk of my son losing concentration and having an off! We rode a zig zag route trying to do as much gravel as we could to Parys where we stayed overnight in a B&B.
The XR can only maintain a steady 90 to 100 km/h on the tar but on gravel that is plenty fast enough…it is actually quite amazing on gravel and rougher dirt roads.
Ready to leave home
Day two: Parys to Fouriesburg 252 km’s
After breakfast we hit the road…a little to literally! We had only travelled a few kilometers and Bradley had his first off of this trip! As he turned into a street the front wheel washed out on the loose pebble stones that pile up at intersections. He was okay, just a bit of a roasty on his elbow and hand and a torn glove. The bike was starting to collect some character scratches. All patched up and motivated again we set off, again zig zag through the Free State gravel roads to Fouriesburg where we met up with the rest of the group.
Gravel and flowers in the Free State
Day three: Fouriesburg, Caledon Border, Ox Bow, Afri-Ski, Mokhotlong, Taung, Masai Lodge 270 km’s
Early up and through the border at Caledon we head up the mountainous route towards Mokhotlong. The XR250 managed really well up and over the high Khalo la Lithunya Pass, 3236 meters above sea level, quite remarkable.
Before Mokhotlong we turn right onto the Sani Top road and then right again onto the road that eventually would get you to Thaba Tseka, but we’re not going there yet. At Taung we take a left towards Sehonghong but stop before we get there to overnight at Masai Lodge.
Group pic at the Caledon Border
Lunch stop
Masai Lodge
Day four: Masai Lodge, Sehonghong, Matebeng Pass, Ramatsiliso’s gate, Matatiele, Mt Fletcher, Naude’s Nek, Rhodes 341 km’s
The route from Masai up, over and down the Matebeng Pass towards Sehlabathebe National Park and Ramatsiliso’s Gate is an amazing one. I recommend to everyone that has not done this, and who rides a DS bike, to put this on their list to do soon!
Top of Matebeng Pass
After clearing the border back into S.A. Bradley had another lapse of talent and nearly went down the mountainside! Ah well, thankfully rider and bike were physically ok, but Bradley had got a huge fright and his confidence had taken a beating. I asked that the rest of the group go ahead and meet us in Matatiele so that I could ride slowly with Bradley to rebuild his confidence. For the next 20 to 30 km’s he was very slow but, after a KFC lunch in Matatiele, he was on top form again (o:
The sun had set before we had got to Rhodes…the twisty pass roads in the dark was another new experience and learning curve for my son!
Day five: Rhodes, Wartrail, Lundean’s Nek, Tele Bridge Border, Mohale’s Hoek, Malealea Lodge 222 km’s
This is another truly spectacular route enjoyed by all.
My son with his uncle on his right and dad on his left
Day six: Malealea, Roma (via the “back” route), Mohale Dam, Thaba Tseka, Katse Dam Lodge 291 km’s
The road leading up into and through the hills from Malealea to Roma is a bit of a track in places and not used by many vehicles, but easily done on a bike. The two four wheeled vehicles with us also managed without any problems. Roma to Thaba Tseka will be all tar soon, sad! But it is soooo much fun to “superbike” it along this brand new road…the twists and turns are highly addictive and you carry on for what seems like forever!
25 years ago - who won that year?!
Day seven: Katse Dam Lodge, Leribe, Fouriesburg 172 km’s
This all tar route is legend for its continuous twists and turns, I don’t think there a straight section of more than 500 meters! My son had a lot of fun chasing dad up and down all the passes!
Just before Buthe Buthe my son had his last fall (of this trip!)…and this was right at a Police roadblock! I’d come to a stop and then I heard a loud metal on tar scraping sound and he and his bike came sliding past me towards the policemen!!! These policemen all came running to help him up, asking if he was okay and all looking so worried and concerned…I was quite surprised but at the same time so impressed. I got the impression that they thought that it was their fault he had fallen! Anyway, apart from a bit of embarrassment Bradley was good to go and the bike, well it was quite characterful by now!
Day eight: Fouriesburg to Sun City 477 km’s
The friends in the Hilux and Landy and my brother and his wife had not stayed the night at Fouriesburg, opting to head for home the day before. Bradley and I enjoyed a slow and steady trip through the Free State’s gravel roads into the North West and arrived back home in the late afternoon.
2 250 km’s…quite a ride for a newbie!
My son had done me proud but, more importantly; he was full of pride in himself for completing this trip. Adventure rides are about travelling to and though wonderful, off-the-beaten-track places, but they’re also about getting yourself and your bike back from these places safely. Overcoming the odd mishap, and perhaps a bit of pain, but not giving up, builds character. As I have learnt in my life so far, there is absolutely no substitute for experience, and he sure got heaps of this during these eight days and 2 250 km’s!
Here are the links to my other ride reports:
Off to Mpumalanga and a bit of Swaziland
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=120446.0
Zimbabwe May 2012
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=102344.0
Rides with my son / daughter – A short collection
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=104992.0
A bit of Free State and Eastern Cape
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=117650.0
21 days through BotsNamZamZim two up May 2011
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=106761.0
Scooter ride around Sun City
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=121459.0
…and then we got high! (21 passes through Eastern Cape and Lesotho)
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=125097.0
:thumleft:
