Lesotho quicky, another Losper epic (updated 7Jul)

[m0lt3n]

The house minister allows me one trip a year, and it's 2020 so motif, alibi, cause and effect whatever its called... It was time...

And who knows, the year barely started, maybe I can get two trips in 2020.

Yeah, I am domesticated like that.

Anyhow, Losper was helpful as ever with a great track, bikes were loaded and Friday after work we set of to Bethlehem. Myself with the newly refurbished 1190 and Pieter with a dandy 690. He was new to the group/Lesotho so super excited, to the point of not sleeping well. The rest of us slept well cause we knew what was coming...

We slept over in Bethlehem at Henk, a 990, and Johann also joined also on a 990. If you mention anything other than 990 to these guys you are going to have to explain what you are talking about, there exists no other bike... (they did great though, again)

Losper warned us that we can expect full days so we set off early to the Maseru border post. Immediately exciting Bethlehem we hit mist, which I haven't experienced in a while, lekker wake up call to focus, and then shortly after another wake up call.... That I am out of my bubble, this weekend we will be RIDING, there will be no 'conserving nobbies and doing 110kmph' on this trip. This will be a short RR, RIDING was the theme of the weekend, not taking pictures.

Through Maseru we went a bit in on tar where after in typical Losper fashion you just turn off on this random single-track to nowhere. Shortly after technical riding started,and the first incident, first of many, occurred.

We had to descend down a steep bank, I went through and thought we should probably start taking pics or vids, and immediately Pieter decided to make the vid worthwhile, and missed his footing and fell down the embankment. I will load vid later. It was a big fright actually, but fortunately there was another single tract at the bottom of the incline so he could just guide the bike to that and rejoin us. Very good thing, there was no going up that embankment.

Soon after there was some more tar before the next technical piece came. I could tell I was not riding fit, but was still having great fun.

Attached is a screenshot of the route.
Don't try to just go without the track though, there is a lot of instances where you will get properly stuck if deviating just a little.

 

[Chrisl]

Sub :thumleft:

 

[m0lt3n]

Eish I struggle with videos!

I was next to have a fall, I can't remember the first though, just a tumble,but the second fall I do remember... A little ego bust. We were on a steep descent of a mountain pass, and Henk wasnt going as fast as he normally does. I remembered from previous trips he had a mind lock about steep descents and I proceeded to overtake him... And promptly washed out in front of him when my foot snagged on the rear brake. Ego in check I didn't overtake again.

Anyhow, first day was great, some minor challenges but nothing to crazy. We got near Semonkong lodge around 15:00 to have a look see at the Waterfall, but entrance was R100 pp and R50 for locals. I had a good laugh when Johann let rip in Sotho on why we can't pay local rates. The security guard was not expecting that, and we got local rates.

It was also great to ride to the viewpoint, and not hike and sweat like some other tourists we saw.

From the Waterfall we rode a back route to the lodge with some tough Rocky bits and descents. Johann had a fall, but he does not take well to falling, and frustrated he soon fell again, and again, he had lost his mojo. Later at the lodge we found the sight Glass on the rear brake booster had fallen out. There was no brake fluid. Fortunately a easy enough fix with a cable tie after buying some brake fluid in town.

 

[m0lt3n]

A video!

[youtube]https://youtu.be/PoROb_weOKg[/youtube]

 

[2StrokeDan]

Beautiful!!

Hoe val daai een ou in die bosse in...... :imaposer: :imaposer: :imaposer:

 

[Noneking]

Mooi pics!

 

[rubiblue]

Awesome.

 

[Rexc-w]

Ek kyk graag!

 

[Jackol.]

Thanks M0lt3n! Good write up so far.

Henk and Johan sounds like they may have gained some wisdom.  Maybe you should listen to them and join the 990 club... [emoji1787][emoji23][emoji1787][emoji23][emoji3516][emoji109][emoji106]

I am looking forward to the rest of the write up!!!

Sent from my SM-N970F using Tapatalk

 

[m0lt3n]

I have to finish this ride report!
I may have waited for, and since received an insurance pay out before finishing this report, I may also deny this statement if asked about it...
I may also be busy buying a 990 at the moment.

but anyhow
Sunday morning we had a long day ahead of us, problem was breakfast was available and there is just something about that served breakfast the morning of a ride you know will be tough and epic. You savour it and end up waisting a bit of time... we did not get away as early as we should have.

So the great scenery started again soon after leaving the little town and we were having a ball again. Only to have the drama start with our first breather stop, basically an hour's ride in.
Johann pointed to my radiator leaking oil. I also noticed it the previous day but thought its from one of the many water splashes, I have also never before had cooling issues of any sorts on the 1190. Upon closer inspection it seemed like the leak was in the middle of the radiator, at the bracket. We commenced stripping to fill up the radiator (crap 1190 design needs tanks off to get to coolant tank) while Pieter our handy genius started with some quickset Pratley steel or something to see if we could stop the leak.
THe field patch was unsuccessful so we set of again. Not before pranking Johann....

So Johann has had some bad luck with his 990 recently, mostly due to a well known highly respected KTM dealer screwing up the servicing and not winning at troubleshooting. Johann has been giving them way to much money for some not so worthy workmanship and wasn't to happy...so I proceeded to close the fuel tap on his one fuel tank. I figgered it would be funny seeing KTM being blamed again if he were to run out of fuel a few hours later, I did not figger he would call it a day due to us being so far behind schedule now and turn around and high-tail home. We may have forgotten to open the tap again, and he may have had a not so nice day after that...
The good thing here....he is not a Wilddog and still don't know it was me  eepwall:

Damn tedious to sort photos taken so long ago. But here is some of the roadside repair. With the 2 musketeers on the way to fetch some extra water from a stream we just passed

 

[m0lt3n]

The place where we slept.

I like Lesotho accommodation, not very expensive, basic but enjoyable.

We met a very friendly lady here, good looking playing with her son outside. I missed my own children then. We chatted a bit with her, Australian.
Turns out she and her husband immigrated to Lesotho from Australia. Something to do with farming dagga being legal there. It also explained why she had such a nice smile

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Gotta do this soon.

:thumleft:

 

[Losper]

mOlt3n, we are waiting for the rest of the story, again!! :biggrin:

 

[m0lt3n]

ai man ek kry nie die vids aan mekaar gelas nie.
watse program gebruik jy? Iets op android?

 

[Losper]

ai man ek kry nie die vids aan mekaar gelas nie.
watse program gebruik jy? Iets op android?

Ek sukkel ook daarmee, jy sal 'n "expert" moet vra.

 

[m0lt3n]

I managed to stitch my own videos together, but a lot more due that the others took.
(a mission, the app only works with two vids at a time)
I will continue with the story later, still a lot of drama on the last day...

[youtube]https://youtu.be/jCm7WBYyVv0[/youtube]

 

[Tman21]

@Losper wat is die updates in terme van die grenspos?  Eks wil graag 'n dirtbike ride gaan doen!

 

[onderbroek]

@Losper wat is die updates in terme van die grenspos?  Eks wil graag 'n dirtbike ride gaan doen!

Losper kan dalk meer duidelikheid gee. Maar ek moes onlangs n tegnikus oor die grens kry. En moes n official invite van die kontrakteur in Lesotho kry.

Ek moet ook oor gaan binnekort maar moet ook eers uitnodiging kry

 

[Tman21]

Thanks Onderbroek!

Anyway,  @Motlon, sorry vir die Hi-jack.  Lyk na 'n eerste klas trippie daai :thumleft:

 

[Losper]

@Losper wat is die updates in terme van die grenspos?  Eks wil graag 'n dirtbike ride gaan doen!

Losper kan dalk meer duidelikheid gee. Maar ek moes onlangs n tegnikus oor die grens kry. En moes n official invite van die kontrakteur in Lesotho kry.
Ek moet ook oor gaan binnekort maar moet ook eers uitnodiging kry

Ek praat op 'n weeklikse basis met mense wat "weet"  en hulle weet ook nie, so ons wag maar
Op hierdie stadum kan mens slegs oor die grens gaan vir belangrike werks doeleindes en selfs dan is dit 'n moerse storie tov toestemmings briewe ens, ens.

My gevoel is dat dit op die vroegste September kan oopmaak maar selfs dit is baie optimisties geskat, vir al wat ons weet gaan dit toe bly tot einde van die jaar.