Lesotho - Finding a route over Seven Summitz

[Michiel]

About three years ago I met a gentlemen Mr. Glover. It was at The Haven hotel in the Wild Coast
on the evening before my first Sea to Ski. Heard the name before as he had ties to the Roof of Africa
as well. I kinda took a liking to the man at first sight. He smiled a lot, had a little bit of a nervous twitch
and talked fast yet VERY clearly. So much so he doesn't need a microphone or bullhorn to speak to a crowd.

Mr. Glover made an impression on me that evening that lasts till this day. His approach to extreme enduro
and the way he handle his clients/entrants. He printed the abbreviation TTFU on some arm bands and told
the riders not only to wear them but to indeed Toughen The **** Up. A little like the religious kids at school
wearing bands with the abbreviation WWJD?. (What Would Jesus Do?)

Here was a man I thought that shared with me the purist notion of keeping route ratings, well..., pure. If I
pay R5K to enter an extreme enduro event I bloody well want it to be EXTREME! Understand?

Mr. Glover does.

Read my RR's on them Sea to Ski events here:

2013 - https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=135679.0
2014 - https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=160834.0

So it was with great interest that I learnt Mr. Glover was in the process of putting together another event,
this time in Lesotho.

 

[Michiel]

Losper and I warmed up to Mike in the months that followed so he understood that we are able
and willing to put in time to help. It all payed off last weekend when we indeed accompanied Mike
and Scott to recce ride the proposed 2015 Seven Summitz route. It has to be said that Losper put
in a hell of a lot of time and expertise on Google Earth to help Scott to get a route together over
terrain that has never seen a bike before.

As expected all didn't go as planned and we didn't manage to recce the whole of three days worth
of Seven Summitz route but we did bag the best of it.

I will write up a little report with the ususal dash of pictures over the next few days. Here is the video
so long. 

[flash=700,420]https://www.youtube.com/v/wmtK9xA0zxc&feature=youtu.be[/flash]

 

[Patrol]

Dit lyk baie lekker...julle het goons van titanium om daar te ry dis nie maklik nie

 

[Michiel]

Lesotho kan nogals 'n scary plek wees. Ek het natuurlik oor die jare 'n groot hoeveelheid respek gekry
vir hierdie Berg Koningkryk, sy mense, sy weer en die landskap. Niks in Lesotho is om onderskat te word nie.
Dit is wel so dat indien jy die regte gereedskap vir die werk het dinge net soveel maklikker is.  :ricky:

So ver as wat onbegaanbare terrein betref kry 'n mens nie 'n beter ponie as hierdie een nie. Lank lewe David!  :thumleft:

 

[Hitman]

Subscribe!!  :sip:

Cool vid! Mooi so Michiel!!  :thumleft:  Dankie vir die deel!!

 

[Michiel]

It all started with a mad drive to Afriski at night and in the rain with a loaded van pulling a trailer with
4 bikes on it. Mike turned out to be as daring a driver as he is an event planner. Losper looking relieved
we made it so far. On our way in Lesotho we were detoured as they are working on the road. With the van
being front wheel drive and the road steep loose gravel we almost didn't make it.





With the rain and nightfall it suddenly turned cold and inhospitable so the luxury accommodation at Afriski
came welcome. We settled in with anticipation of some long days ahead of us.

 

[Michiel]

The next morning saw some final touches to the bikes, breakfast and off we were with great excitement.







Really cozy restaurant they have here.

 

[Michiel]

The usual group photos as the start to any big adventure demand.



Leaving Afriski behind. From here on I will mostly be behind the camera so no more of me then.



30min into the day and the views are breathtaking.



Ooop. Losper and I.



Some really awesome riding commenced.



No captions needed.

 

[Michiel]

And then we, 'er Mike, decided the route will change from what was Google plotted so it will now go down this valley.
Took us a good couple of minutes to slide our way down this one. Really steep!



Beautiful too.



Ok, this is the last one of me and the best damn bike in the whole world. No more of us from here.



Blanket washing.



Down in the valleys for the first time we started one after the other river crossing.





First refuel for the day and some bike maintenance.

 

[Xpat]

Nice ride!  :thumleft:

Keep it coming.

 

[JustBendIt]

A W E S O M E !!!

Keep it coming please

 

[2StrokeDan]

Michiel en vriende lyk na die soort ouens wat n man in n lokval kan inlei. :eek7:

 

[Losper]

We called this downhill section "Parachute-pass" and it is one seriously steep pass. It is about 1km long and it probably took us about 30min+ to descend.
In this picture we are about halfway down.

 

[adv]

I am so jealous right now.

Vok.

 

[White Rhino]

Rock on Machiel & Losper!  Mike's a legend! The Camel man - the real deal :thumleft:

 

[DirtyTeNeReLess]

excellent. Mr Glover aka Mike is a legend, bat **** crazy but a legend. looks fantastic keep it coming!

 

[DRAZIL]

as per normal, absolutely awesome pics, vid and ride
thanks  :thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[Michiel]

Michiel en vriende lyk na die soort ouens wat n man in n lokval kan inlei. :eek7:

You're invitation is still standing. 

 

[Michiel]

With the afternoon well under way there was a sudden air of urgency and Mike hurried us along.
Still in sight of the refuel Mike insisted we tackle an impossible looking ascent because as he explained
there has to be some spectator value for the back-up drivers too.

More scenic riding followed as we made our way to Katse.





Then we stumbled upon an unusual piece of riding along a road under construction. No pictures unfortunately but trust
me, it was like Ertzberg for a couple of k's with steep sand slopes and massive rocks all on the side of a huge mountain.



Katse at last. With a successful day behind us we looked forward to settling down with cold drinks.

 

[Michiel]

Day two was and will be the big one. Katse provided warm and comfy lodging over all too soon
as Mike was on a mission very early. The business of route recce takes longer than riding a known
track and we have a long way to go.

Leaving Katse behind we ascended an endless mountain path. Up and up we went. It just didn't stop.



Exiting riding right from the offset. Lesotho is spectacularly beautiful!









Here is a twist for you. Day 2 marked not steep ups or downs, though there were plenty of those, no, it turned out
to be a river crossing mania with drowned bikes left, right and centre.







Losper drowned his bike twice, I drowned David once and so did Mike and Scott their bikes.