Lesotho Adventure 3: Ramabantha to Semonkong

Lesotho Long weekend adventure 3: Ramabantha to Semonkong
49 km
1452m vertical ascent

After yesterday's long day, it was just a short distance from Ramabantha to Semonking. The road is in great condition - recently tarred, very little traffic and no potholes.

I love the Drakensberg in Autumn - everything is green, but the bulk of the summer thundershowers is over and it's not too cold yet. Same must be true for Lesotho - everything is green, with patches of pink cosmos scattered inbetween.

There's only one 'hill' between Ramabantha and Semonkong - as far as a 1468m ascent can be considered a 'hill'.

The last bit of uphill on the only climb for the day was so steep that the taxi had to engage 'low range' to get up there - zig-zagging his way up the hill. I was glad I was on the TW and not on a mountain bike.

We would have time to explore the waterfall the next day, so we ignored the signs pointing to the waterfall and went straight for Semonkong. Hardy was disappointed that the old bridge over the Maletsunyane river (that becomes the falls a few km downstream) was replaced by a shiny new one. The old one looked more interesting ...

To get to the lodge, you go through Semonkong's 'CBD' and then an interesting little road shared with donkeys and horse-riders.

The campsite at Semonkong is way more rustic than the one at Ramabanta. It was also a lot busier - while we were the only campers at Ramabanta, Semonkong's campsite was full. This was the only campsite where we booked in advance, and we were glad we did so.

If you're ever in Semonkong, ask at the Lodge's restaurant for Elizabeth, the blanket lady, and see if you can arrange a blanket tour (R65-100 pp, depending on how many people). She's a great source of info about Basotho blankets, but even more so about the history, stories and culture. The local store has tuna, cheese sauce, rice and pasta and basic vegetables, but if you're planning to braai, maybe consider bringing your own meat. If you're braaiing, ask at the restaurant if you could buy a flat round bread to go with supper.

Lesotho Adventure 2: Katse to Ramabanta

Katse to Ramabantha: 241 km

Vertical ascent: 5787

Mountain passes: Many

Views: unlimited

From Katse it's a magnificent dirt road to Thaba Tseka. It's about 60 kms, and took us about 2 hours. There are no major mountain passes, just mile upon mile of dirt road, very green grass, green hills, green fields and a taxi or donkey cart every now and again. Parts of this road reminded me of that dirt road that goes into Vuvu when you do Ride2Rhodes (mountain bike); some of it reminded me (probably more accurately) of some of the roads we mountain biked on the Trans Lesotho. 

We filled up at Thaba Tseka, and then continued on tar, mountain pass after mountain pass. 

Quiet road, the odd truck, donkey cart or a few sheep. You're either on the way up a mountain, or down it. On one of the passes (Mokhoabong Pass?) we stopped for droewors and Easter eggs (Happy Birthday Rogue!) 

After that, more mountain passes. Think Franshoek pass, and when you get to the bottom, another Franschoek pass, and then another one. All day long. 

Then there were more mountain passes. Cheche pass, Likalaneng, Past Nazareth, over Blue Mountain pass, Bushman's pass (not sure about the order?). 

On 'God Help Me' pass we stopped for more droewors, to top up the TW's fuel, and to check distances to the next fuel station. 

Doesn't matter how pretty the roads, if you're not used to travelling by bike, you'll be tired after 210 kms - which was roughly when we arrived in Roma. Hardy filled the Honda's tank, and then it was another 30 km or so to Ramabantha. The road to Ramabantha is a bit ... more rural, shall we say, than the lovely tar road that we've been on - but then you enter the colonial lawns of Ramabantha - wow! Lovely campsite, friendly staff, cold beer, beautiful lawns and oh, those showers!

We set up camp, enjoyed the local beer, and then got the braai going. 

I haven't been a biker for all too long (it's about 4 months since I got the learner's and learnt where the gears are and how to work them) ... and I haven't bike-toured all that much ... but this was easily one of the best days I've had on my bike. 

March Lesotho Trip 1: Golden Gate to Katse

Day 1: Golden Gate to Katse Lodge. Around 220 km.

The TW's tank capacity is 7 l. On a good day that could be around 210km, but 170 km is probably more realistic. On the previous weekend-trip to Katse Hardy carried a small jerry-can with fuel to top me up. We bought fuel from a cafe just above the Katse lodge to ensure that there's enough fuel to get the TW back to Fouriesburg.

Hardy wasn't too excited about carrying the jerry-can around again, so we toyed with the idea of taking the bakkie with. Within half an hour after mentioning this to Eisbein, his and Rogue's air tickets were bought: they were coming from Cape Town to drive the bakkie for us. The TW is a bit too slow for safety on South African highways, so plan was to drive the bakkie (bikes at the back) to Golden Gate, and ride from there.

 I picked them up at the Gautrain station, and then started making our way to Golden Gate. At Reitz my GPS led us astray, so we missed Bethlehem and, consequently, the opportunity to get supper. It was dark and very wet when we arrived.  Hardy already pitched the tents, and after supper (coffee, Simba chips and droewors) we went to sleep with the sound of rain through the night.

We woke up to a beautiful misty and very green Free State.

The rain subsided and we quickly packed up. After a short detour through Clarens, we were on our way to breakfast in Fouriesburg, where we were also going to fill up both bikes, the bakkie and the Jerry can. 

About 10 kms outside of Fouriesburg the TW sputtered a bit ... and then some more. And then cut out. We only rode 130 since the last time we filled up ... but that did include the ADA DP1 training course ... I switched to reserve, but a few kms further the tank was really empty. The bakkie drove off to Fouriesburg to get fuel, and we were on the road again.

If you're ever in Fouriesburg, stop at 'Die Plaasstoep' for breakfast.

Caledonspoort border post is just over 10 kms from Fouriesburg. Once you're out of Butha-Buthe, the roads are quieter and it was great being outside. Lesotho was very green.

The Mafika Lesiu pass must be one of the prettiest in the world - I'm sure Eisbein felt ever so slightly jealous that he was in the bakkie and not on a bike. And the mountains were full of water - at some point Eisbein and Rogue (in the bakkie) could see 19 waterfalls from the same spot.  

We stopped at a viewpoint just below the top of the pass.

The TW was not impressed with the last few 100 metres of this pass. It sputtered and hickupped, but once over the top (at 3090) and on the downhill, it was happy again. You get your first glimpse of the Katse dam soon after you've crossed the highest point of the pass, but if you're not used to riding it's still a long way (50 or so) of twisty turny roads to the lodge. 

We checked out the campsite above the dam wall, then proceeded to the Lodge for sundowners on the stoep (ice cold Maluti beers and popcorn) and supper (try the almond trout).

The lodge was fully booked, so we went back to the campsite above the dam wall to pitch tents for the night.

Not a noob anymore :)

Hrdy got me an ADA Dual Purpose intermediate course for my birthday. I was a bit nervous about the 'intermediate' part of the course and made him take me out on some single track in the 'Southf' the Saturday before the course - just to get comfortable with take-offs and landings. The outing started like this:

Get on bike, Ride 100 meters till stop street and stop.
Stall bike.
Check and change gears and start bike.
Stall bike again.
Check gears and start bike,
Stall bike again.
Over Siri (our intercom system): "Hey Sweetheart ... is first gear all the way up, or all the way down?"

In the end we did manage to ride some singletrack ... and fell off only once.

So the training weekend arrived. It was a pleasant ride to the training centre in Hartbeeshoek ... luggage all on Hardy's bike to encourage the TW to go just a tad faster.

Over the two days there were lots of  'look-ma-no-feet' riding, tight circles, emergency stops, clutch-control, slow rides, cones, up and down short steep hills. By the time we got to do some singletrack the balance on the bike was almost natural and the feeling almost as fun as on a mountain bike.

Singletrack. Weight on the outside peg! Look up and through the corner! Elbows out!

Night ride! I'm comfortable mountain biking at night - but my nightlight is helmet-mounted and shine where I look. It was strange to have the light shine where the handlebars are pointing rather than to where I'm looking.

Morning exercises on day 2

I always felt slightly out of my comfort zone with the exercises we did, but in the end the order in which the different exercises were presented made a huge difference so that by the end of the course when we got to the sand-riding, the short jumpies and the bunny-hops I was confident enough to attempt it and get some air (What? I can't even bunny hop my mountain bike on demand!).

And now I guess I'm not a noob anymore :)

Harties Weekend Adventure

Had a whole lot of credit available on one of these discount voucher sites ... so instead of allowing it to expire, I found a 2 night stay at a guest house in Hartbeespoort dam. We didn't need to pack tents or sleeping bags, so the TW travelled light while Hardy's Honda had to carry all the luggage in his new Dakar soft panniers.

Since I still wasn't safe for traffic-riding, we decided to take the Friday off and wait for traffic to calm down before venturing on the still-busy roads.

Stopped for melktert at Tan' Malie se winkel. The Braairestaurant-idea sounds like something I'll try one day: You pay a fixed amount per head for salads, cutlery and crockery, pap (!) and bread. Buy the meat per cut, and then they provide the hot coals so that you can braai it to your liking. Lovely setting.

Had to go past the dam wall on the way there. Made Hardy go over the dam wall again on Sunday morning before heading back. South Africa's own Arc de Triomphe,

Inside the Harties Arc de Triomphe

The place where we stayed provided breakfast, but Nescafe is not coffee - so we ventured over to the Jasmyn Plaasstal and surrounding restaurants for proper coffee Saturday and Sunday morning.

Visited local attractions like the Cable car (beautiful views, and cold beer at the top). We found a 'shortcut' back from the cable car to the plaasstal.

The work organised us two full body massages for all the overtime I worked in January. So on the way back we had to detour past Mangwanani. Nice dirt roads - except that I missed the call to warn us of the flooded river crossing.

We walked it first, then Hardy rode through, and once over, guided me through. Had to cross the river again about 2 hours later.

Didn't like the traffic on the tar road past Pelindaba, but Hardy was riding behind me to keep the Sundy afternoon traffic a bit off my tail. The last bit of tar from Lanseria home was long - not used to all the traffic - but a great weekend and a place I'll definitely visit again by bike.



  

The TW's first weekend out: Camping at Katse

Three weeks after I got the learners it was time for the TW's first weekend trip. The 2 GSes that would accompany us rode there on Friday, but since the TW is a very new noob, we loaded the bikes on the bakkie and drove to Golden Gate late on Friday night.

The 55 km ride from Golden Gate to Fouriesburg was the longest I've ever been on a bike - and that was just to breakfast. (Die Plaasstoep - go there if you're in the area)

After we filled up (including the jerry-can for the TW's small tank) it was a small hop to the border.

Riding through Butha-Buthe was a bit of a challenge for my non-existing car- and people-dodging skills - but once we were outside town, it was a beautiful ride.

The tarred roads were in beautiful condition -  recently tarred and with little traffic and no heavy vehicles. The roads are quiet. Vehicles from the front are sometimes in the middle of the road, but not too fast - around every corner there may be a few sheep or a donkey-cart in the road. Enter the Bokong nature reserve, and then on to the Mafika Lesiu pass - which surely must be on every biker's to-do list.

Towards the top of Mafika Lesiu the TW was reduced to first gear, because it's so steep and because the top is just over 3 km altitude. We stopped at the look-out point just before the last stretch up the pass.

Soon after this pass you get the first glimpse of the dam. The ride was beautiful, but the day was getting long ... The total distance for the day was around 230 km - way more then the 20 km that has been my longest distance on a bike before this. 

We checked out the campsite above the dam wall, then went to the lodge for sundowners and supper. 

After we packed up camp on Sunday morning, we went back to the lodge for breakfast, then started making our way home.

The GSes had to go all the way back to Gauteng ...

while the Honda and TW just had to go back to Golden Gate.

Already trying to find available weekends to repeat this!