I set off on a solitary mission up to Underberg at 6 on Monday morning to stay in our cottage at Bushman’s Nek and do some training. First up was a ride into Lesotho via Sani Pass. I have always been drawn to Sani Pass and I love the beauty and enormity of the climb. My love must be due to some flaw in memory recall, because the 8km climb at a gradient of 10% up to over 2800 meters, over a stupidly rocky and rough surface, can only be described as brutal. It does have a special beauty though, and I hope they never get to tar the road as planned. From there it was into Lesotho and over another brutal 5km climb aptly called Black Mountain (reaching 3200 meters – where you can’t breathe!). I rode down the other side of the hill a bit, and then it was back over and down the massive descent from the top of Black Mountain to Sani Pass Hotel (3200 meters – 1700 meters). About 2:50 up, and 1:10 down! 4:40 for only 84km – but with 2400 meters of ascent.
In the evening in was dinner and recovery at our rural, isolated little cottage, and I dutifully drank some red wine to assist with the recovery process.
Day 2 I rode from our cottage to the Bushman’s Nek border post (about 15km away) and got the necessary permit and passport stamp to go into the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg\Sellabathege Park and Lesotho. The trails in the park were lots of fun as they wound next to the scenic Ngwangwane River. The trail then started climbing rapidly and I had to carry my bike over lots of the rougher sections. I was lucky to find a Basotho horseman in his blanket who led me on the trail to the top of the mountain range, and the outer edge of the park. Him, his 2nd horse and grey donkey where great companions, chasing away a rather scary and large group of baboons, and all amazing adept at climbing rocky slopes I had never imagined a horse could summit. After a brief stop at the lodge at the top (a definite high altitude training spot for the future) and a quick look at the awe-inspiring view, it was down some adrenalin pumping singletrack all the way to the bottom. My Garmin 305 saved me and I used it to follow the route I had come up on, as this time I was without my tour guide. After a quick check in at the border post and refuel at the local farm store, it was back to the cottage after another long 4:40 of awesome riding.
After another great evening by the fire at the cottage and swim at the river, it was back to civilisation early Wednesday morning with some good altitude training in my lungs.
In the evening in was dinner and recovery at our rural, isolated little cottage, and I dutifully drank some red wine to assist with the recovery process.
Day 2 I rode from our cottage to the Bushman’s Nek border post (about 15km away) and got the necessary permit and passport stamp to go into the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg\Sellabathege Park and Lesotho. The trails in the park were lots of fun as they wound next to the scenic Ngwangwane River. The trail then started climbing rapidly and I had to carry my bike over lots of the rougher sections. I was lucky to find a Basotho horseman in his blanket who led me on the trail to the top of the mountain range, and the outer edge of the park. Him, his 2nd horse and grey donkey where great companions, chasing away a rather scary and large group of baboons, and all amazing adept at climbing rocky slopes I had never imagined a horse could summit. After a brief stop at the lodge at the top (a definite high altitude training spot for the future) and a quick look at the awe-inspiring view, it was down some adrenalin pumping singletrack all the way to the bottom. My Garmin 305 saved me and I used it to follow the route I had come up on, as this time I was without my tour guide. After a quick check in at the border post and refuel at the local farm store, it was back to the cottage after another long 4:40 of awesome riding.
After another great evening by the fire at the cottage and swim at the river, it was back to civilisation early Wednesday morning with some good altitude training in my lungs.
Sani Pass
Top of Sani Pass
A rocky switchback on the trail
My Basotho trail guide
A rather high and rocky section of the trail
I knew a blog was in future... after watching your brother do my blog assignments it was inevitable. Looks great Pete, nice one.
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