The Blind Date in Lesotho
- Thread starter Dustdevil
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Dustdevil
Race Dog
Originally the plan was to stay at The Trading post in Ramabanta. Just before I left home I received an e-mail form them telling me they have a conference and were quite fully booked.
I decided it would be a better plan to aim for Roma on the first day, cutting the route much shorter and giving us more time to take it easy on this lesser known part of the trail.
We managed to get through these parts with no real headaches and before long we were on faster gravel roads that have recently been resurfaced.
I patiently stuck to an easy pace as the surface is very smooth and slippery and I did not want Nita to ride at speeds she did not feel comfortable with.
Once we hit the tar it was a short ride back down to Roma and for a last bit of adventure for the day I decided to follow the old road into Roma.
It crosses an old bridge and the path soon becomes manageable by horse and by foot only.
I traveled down this way last year November and had a pillion on the back so I was sure it would be manageble. As we approached the first houses the road disappeared up 'n small hill and around a corner. As it disappear out of sight around the corner it looked quite rutted from a distance and I stopped to have a good look. I told Nita to wait for my signal before following me.
As I approached the rutted section I realized it was way worse than what I imagined. I had to round the corner on a steep camber and then directly after I need to blip up some huge step ups and loose rocks.
This was not going to work but in a last crazy moment I thought a will keep my momentum as it could be difficult to turn my bike around in the narrow track. If the back wheel looses traction on the camber I was going to end up amongst the large rocks at the bottom of the nearly 1 meter rut. It would take more than a horse to get the heavy HPN out of there again so with hind site I was foolish to attempt riding this when there was a perfectly good road only a few hundred yards away.
As I cleared the last of the loose rocks I looked behind me and saw disaster approaching, Nita took my success at getting through as her cue to give it a go as well. Brave girl.....I started to look for a place to park the bike but on the slopes and loose rocks it won't work. I pulled a bit forward but the bike leans over dangerously looking like it is ready to fall over. Nita has gone down and I needed to move the bike once more, I pull it of the center stand onto my foot and lost my balance dropping it in any case. Instead of simply leaving it there for the time being so I could rescue Nita, I first recover my bike and pushed it to a saver more level area.
By this time Nita have been recovered from under her bike by a helpful local. The TW was standing at the bottom of the rut.
The bike is a lot lighter and without to much effort I managed to wrestle it to the top of the rut. It bucked and jumped as I try to nurse it up the big steps and over large loose rocks. TW's were made to go over this kind of stuff.
The rut not looking at all too intimidating in this foto;
The top of the rut looking into the opposite direction;
Fortunately Nita only had two small bruises and the bike had a scratch on the topbox mount. The Coyote saddlebag handled the abuse dished out by the rocks quite well as there was no sign of where the bag took the impact.
The lesson learned......don't follow Altus when he tells you to wait, and leave your bike till someone can help you pick it up. After dropping the bike the first time Nita immediately tried to pick it up herself on the camber and slipped dropping the bike on top of her the second time.
We covered the 300 yards to the Trading Post Lodge and could relax after the first days ride. My throat felt the signs of a cold coming on and I was ready to just take it easy for the rest of the day.
Nita impressed me in a real special way. She was tired as this was a very long day for her. She have never ridden this kind of distances in the past. Her shoulders and arms were a bit stiff from the riding but I am sure she must have been tense at times as some of the steep down hill sections were littered with loose ruble and were badly rutted.
She still had a smile on her face and she was clearly ready for more after a good nights rest.
I decided it would be a better plan to aim for Roma on the first day, cutting the route much shorter and giving us more time to take it easy on this lesser known part of the trail.
We managed to get through these parts with no real headaches and before long we were on faster gravel roads that have recently been resurfaced.
I patiently stuck to an easy pace as the surface is very smooth and slippery and I did not want Nita to ride at speeds she did not feel comfortable with.
Once we hit the tar it was a short ride back down to Roma and for a last bit of adventure for the day I decided to follow the old road into Roma.
It crosses an old bridge and the path soon becomes manageable by horse and by foot only.
I traveled down this way last year November and had a pillion on the back so I was sure it would be manageble. As we approached the first houses the road disappeared up 'n small hill and around a corner. As it disappear out of sight around the corner it looked quite rutted from a distance and I stopped to have a good look. I told Nita to wait for my signal before following me.
As I approached the rutted section I realized it was way worse than what I imagined. I had to round the corner on a steep camber and then directly after I need to blip up some huge step ups and loose rocks.
This was not going to work but in a last crazy moment I thought a will keep my momentum as it could be difficult to turn my bike around in the narrow track. If the back wheel looses traction on the camber I was going to end up amongst the large rocks at the bottom of the nearly 1 meter rut. It would take more than a horse to get the heavy HPN out of there again so with hind site I was foolish to attempt riding this when there was a perfectly good road only a few hundred yards away.
As I cleared the last of the loose rocks I looked behind me and saw disaster approaching, Nita took my success at getting through as her cue to give it a go as well. Brave girl.....I started to look for a place to park the bike but on the slopes and loose rocks it won't work. I pulled a bit forward but the bike leans over dangerously looking like it is ready to fall over. Nita has gone down and I needed to move the bike once more, I pull it of the center stand onto my foot and lost my balance dropping it in any case. Instead of simply leaving it there for the time being so I could rescue Nita, I first recover my bike and pushed it to a saver more level area.
By this time Nita have been recovered from under her bike by a helpful local. The TW was standing at the bottom of the rut.
The bike is a lot lighter and without to much effort I managed to wrestle it to the top of the rut. It bucked and jumped as I try to nurse it up the big steps and over large loose rocks. TW's were made to go over this kind of stuff.
The rut not looking at all too intimidating in this foto;
The top of the rut looking into the opposite direction;
Fortunately Nita only had two small bruises and the bike had a scratch on the topbox mount. The Coyote saddlebag handled the abuse dished out by the rocks quite well as there was no sign of where the bag took the impact.
The lesson learned......don't follow Altus when he tells you to wait, and leave your bike till someone can help you pick it up. After dropping the bike the first time Nita immediately tried to pick it up herself on the camber and slipped dropping the bike on top of her the second time.
We covered the 300 yards to the Trading Post Lodge and could relax after the first days ride. My throat felt the signs of a cold coming on and I was ready to just take it easy for the rest of the day.
Nita impressed me in a real special way. She was tired as this was a very long day for her. She have never ridden this kind of distances in the past. Her shoulders and arms were a bit stiff from the riding but I am sure she must have been tense at times as some of the steep down hill sections were littered with loose ruble and were badly rutted.
She still had a smile on her face and she was clearly ready for more after a good nights rest.
JACOVV
Race Dog
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Mooi man - mooi. Hoe moet ek nou verder werk??
Hoop als werk uit aan die einde.
Hoop als werk uit aan die einde.
White Rhino
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Altus, nothing like separating the wheat from the chaff quickly :mwink:
BiG DoM
Desert Dog
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White Rhino said:
More like seperating the chaff from the bike :ricky:
White Rhino
Race Dog
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BiG DoM said:
:imaposer: :imaposer: :imaposer:
Hel ek like die storie :thumleft:
the ant
Race Dog
sub :thumleft:
Dusty Rusty
Grey Hound
Heimer said:
O aarde!
Nee, kom ons hou liewerste my die engelse "sweet" 
Pote
Pote
Lyk my Heimer ken van swiets dra in sy sakDusty Rusty said:Heimer said:
O aarde!
Dustdevil
Race Dog
White Rhino said:
:
Hi all
I’m Awert, aka Juanita, DD’s date, all the way from Pretoria.
I’ve been following DD’s Ride Report from the beginning and he kept me up to date with his postings and also suggested I should join. . So here I am !!
Just to ad my 2cents worth about our initial meeting @ The Cabin. .
“In the parking lot of The Cabin I dismount while the bike is still rolling. This being the more graceful way to get of a fully loaded bike with long travel suspension”.
So. . as I parked my vehicle, I saw DD dismount in this way and I thought to my self. . Jaaa Windgat !! One day you’re gonna loose your balance and in return loose your front teeth . . . But, yeah, impressive move ! :
So he took his helmet off and we embraced one another and said our uncomfortable “Hello” . . and guess what I saw. . One front tooth missing !!
Aha !!! My evil mind went along with a Devilish Grin > > !
Despite that, he is still a very attractive man and I was still eager to get to know him on a more personal level.
Now, I'll sit back and enjoy the report with you guys. . .
I’m Awert, aka Juanita, DD’s date, all the way from Pretoria.
I’ve been following DD’s Ride Report from the beginning and he kept me up to date with his postings and also suggested I should join. . So here I am !!
Just to ad my 2cents worth about our initial meeting @ The Cabin. .
“In the parking lot of The Cabin I dismount while the bike is still rolling. This being the more graceful way to get of a fully loaded bike with long travel suspension”.
So. . as I parked my vehicle, I saw DD dismount in this way and I thought to my self. . Jaaa Windgat !!
One day you’re gonna loose your balance and in return loose your front teeth . . . But, yeah, impressive move ! :So he took his helmet off and we embraced one another and said our uncomfortable “Hello” . . and guess what I saw. . One front tooth missing !!
Aha !!! My evil mind went along with a Devilish Grin >
> ! Despite that, he is still a very attractive man and I was still eager to get to know him on a more personal level.
Now, I'll sit back and enjoy the report with you guys. . .
- Joined
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Welcome and at the same time I think you both have a lot of guts venturing to put your hearts out on your sleeves here. :thumleft:
Malibu
Bachelor Dog
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AWERT said:Hi all
Im Awert, aka Juanita, DDs date, all the way from Pretoria.
Ive been following DDs Ride Report from the beginning and he kept me up to date with his postings and also suggested I should join. . So here I am !!
Just to ad my 2cents worth about our initial meeting @ The Cabin. .
In the parking lot of The Cabin I dismount while the bike is still rolling. This being the more graceful way to get of a fully loaded bike with long travel suspension.
So. . as I parked my vehicle, I saw DD dismount in this way and I thought to my self. . Jaaa Windgat !!
So he took his helmet off and we embraced one another and said our uncomfortable Hello . . and guess what I saw. . One front tooth missing !!
Aha !!! My evil mind went along with a Devilish Grin >
Despite that, he is still a very attractive man and I was still eager to get to know him on a more personal level.
Now, I'll sit back and enjoy the report with you guys. . .
I'm super impressed with your horses... that one pic posted is magnificent!
Real wow!
White Rhino
Race Dog
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Nice way to enter to biking foray Juanita - welcome :biggrin:
I'm not 100% sure but maybe I spot a little clue to the outcome :ricky:
I'm not 100% sure but maybe I spot a little clue to the outcome :ricky:
Veldbrand
Grey Hound
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Bevange en welkom AWERT!
Ek het nog heel tyd gehoop hy hou jou in die loop oor als wat hy van julle kwyt raak maar nou gaan dit lekker raak.
Dis 'n great storie en mens weet nie waantoe dit gaan nie maar ou DateDevil die doring hou ons op onse tone.
Soos RobC ook se, dit vat moed om so eerlik op 'n ope forum te wees en ek laaik dit kwaai.
Nog, bring nog.
Seblief.
Ek het nog heel tyd gehoop hy hou jou in die loop oor als wat hy van julle kwyt raak maar nou gaan dit lekker raak.
Dis 'n great storie en mens weet nie waantoe dit gaan nie maar ou DateDevil die doring hou ons op onse tone.
Soos RobC ook se, dit vat moed om so eerlik op 'n ope forum te wees en ek laaik dit kwaai.
Nog, bring nog.
Seblief.
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Pote
Stem saam!! En baie welkom op die forum :thumleft:Veldbrand said:
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