Lesotho easy ride (I said). Yeah right!

[LeonDude]

Lesotho easy ride (I said). Yeah right!

As many of you know, this ride (for me) was about getting a monkey off my back. Lesotho had sent me home hurting in ’07, and I have been wanting to go back ever since.

Thanks to all those who joined in for the ride, and a big special thanks to GundaGunda for organizing the GPS track.
The riders were

Malibu
Smithey
JohnST
Pistol and MS? (Did I get one right? Let me know if it’s wrong someone! )
Cave Girl
GundaGunda
Li
Jules
JustBiking
TravelGravel
LeonDude
Zagser (LeonDude’s wingman)
Ok I seem to be missing someone here, own up who’s the mystery person please?

Things started off with a brekkie in Clarens. Everybody had decided that they would do the tweespoor over Heuwelkop, and oh boy was that a huge mistake that I’m ever so glad we made. The bikes were very tired from Friday’s trip and having naps all over the place. I haven’t got pics of bikes resting, but maybe some of the other riders can help me out here.

Without further delay, here are my pics of the easy ride through Lesotho (Yeah right!)

The next image that greeted me was a KTM feeding in the long grass. How it got there I do not know, but I saw some mirrors being stowed away. Go Smithey!

Some more scenery

This next shot is special for me. This is where I went off the road on my way to the national bash in 07. With Zagser holding my bike upright (yes, the gradient was bad), I took a few minutes to check out the possie and compose myself. Suddenly I was very very nervous about going on, but that feeling quickly made way for a new feeling – I was going to try this again, and if need be again, until I got Lesotho done!

Some more scenery. I hope the others took more photies than I did, because I was concentrating on my riding. (Wonder why?)

Back at camp, and a photie of my trusty old steed Basterbrak. The bike has still got the green tank that Lesotho made her wear, but now Lesotho is not a monster anymore, it is a beautiful place that I will probably visit often in the future.

Thanks for sharing this ride with me!

LeonDude.

 

[DeonDj]

Good on you Leon :ricky: Broke the dragons back, I'll be waiting I also want to do that road. :ricky:

 

[Malibu]

Was a fantastic ride Leon, thanks for the all the planning... I really had a wonderfull ride!  :thumleft:

 

[wooly bugger]

Cool one LD and well done with the Monkey!

Sandman, Crop Sprang, Shakes and yours truly did the same trip in reverse direction. We met up with your crowd whilst we were helping JohnST with his front tyre (and his over-enthusiastic use of the tyre lever).

It was my 1st trip off-road and I crapped myself gelyk-vol a number of times! I was lucky that I never came off despite the fact that I had snot-crap tyres on my brom-ponie! But I came close, very close, to seeing my arse without a mirror.......

Sandman had a few chuckles on my account!

 

[Dakota]

Well done LD glad you conquered Lesotho…  :ricky:

 

[zagser]

Hey LD.

Ai, those photos make me wanna go back and do it again!

This was my first not-so-easy-tweespoor-illegal-alien trippie, and I LOVED it!  :ricky:

I will post a few pics of this route tonight, but am already contemplating doing that route again, only this time in reverse!
Going down the pass was fun, going up should be even more fun.   >
(Just need to wait for my new heidies to be delivered)

Thank you for organising this LD, and for 'tracktor man' for the route planning.

 

[Cave Girl]

LeonDude, Zagser, GundaG, Jules, Thanks so much for all the help in picking Delila up, taking her down steep very scary hills through ice cold water and in general making my ride fantastic, I have never been so scared - jumping out an areoplane is simple compared to riding through Lesoto.
I had such a great time - really sorry I lost my camera and didn't get to take any photos. Lesoto was so beautiful.

Also a quick THANKS to Misty, Escape & Sandman for a great ride down to the bash and back home - Some great roads!!

To all who looked after me at the bash - Around the fire (Milkybar you rock) and on the ride I really appreciated it and had a jol of note.

 

[wooly bugger]

LeonDude, Zagser, GundaG, Jules, Thanks so much for all the help in picking Delila up, taking her down steep very scary hills through ice cold water and in general making my ride fantastic, I have never been so scared - jumping out an areoplane is simple compared to riding through Lesoto.
I had such a great time - really sorry I lost my camera and didn't get to take any photos. Lesoto was so beautiful.

Also a quick THANKS to Misty, Escape & Sandman for a great ride down to the bash and back home - Some great roads!!

To all who looked after me at the bash - Around the fire (Milkybar you rock) and on the ride I really appreciated it and had a jol of note.

Oom Jaap found your camera!

 

[shark_za]

Well done boet, having a fear and getting over it is braver than doing the same thing fearlessly.

 

[GundaGunda]

R.I.P. Leon's Demon

Great stuff mate.

 

[zagser]

LeonDude, Zagser, GundaG, Jules, Thanks so much for all the help in picking Delila up, taking her down steep very scary hills through ice cold water and in general making my ride fantastic, I have never been so scared - jumping out an areoplane is simple compared to riding through Lesoto.
I had such a great time - really sorry I lost my camera and didn't get to take any photos. Lesoto was so beautiful.

Also a quick THANKS to Misty, Escape & Sandman for a great ride down to the bash and back home - Some great roads!!

To all who looked after me at the bash - Around the fire (Milkybar you rock) and on the ride I really appreciated it and had a jol of note.

Always a pleasure!  :thumleft:

I admire your courage, persistence and endurance!

 

[edgy]

Awesome ride!
Well done :thumleft:

 

[roxenz]

Great ride by looks of the pix!  Congrats LeonDude!

 

[iep_kruger]

heyta......what a boy'tjie

 

[blazes]

Nice one Leon :thumleft: Takes some doing and hanging in there to do what you did. Know a lot of people who would not even try to overcome something like that. Well done.

 

[jburger]

Leon, well done.  :thumleft:

Also thanks for the planning. It was a great ride

 

[TravelGravel]

Hey LD

Good on you. You may have had the courage to face this, but what was even more courageous was the time and effort you took in preparing for the trip. It means you were facing the demon for much longer than just one day. You are a Legend!!  :thumleft:  :thumleft:  :thumleft:

Thanks also for the chats around the campfire while all the other late risers were stilol asleep or babeleering. 

 

[iep_kruger]

just an afterthought,,,

judging by the photos i see lotsa tar roads and easy gravel roads

or were they really scary places on your out trip

(mud,sand,loose gravel or rivercrossings???)

show us those pics,,,,

 

[LeonDude]

Thanks all, and thanks to Adventurer for pointing out the error in my dates, it was 07, not 97. My bad, now fixed.  :thumleft:


Malgat, the tar road pics were taken on route to heuweltop. Make no mistake, even though they are tar they are still spectacular to ride, the scenery is mind blowing. As for the twisties...  >

Those other pics you are after, check Malibu's pics in the FS bash RR. I was far too busy concentrating on getting through Lesotho to take many pics, I'm hoping some other's will help me out here.

 

[Smithey]

just an afterthought,,,

judging by the photos i see lotsa tar roads and easy gravel roads

or were they really scary places on your out trip

(mud,sand,loose gravel or rivercrossings???)

show us those pics,,,,

Dont let the dirt fool you, it made me kiss it twice. If you wanna be dumb you gotta be tough  :ricky:

At least 5 stream crossings and lekker dirt on the route.

Lekker pic of me in the grass Leon  :imaposer: ma leg is still killing me from getting trapped under the baggage plate.

You bashed that route and a demon is expunged  :thumleft: