Clarens/Fouriesburg 5 December - 7 December 2008

Richard H wrote:...Can't find the Country Inn or Meiringskloof on Mapsource...?

Any ideas of location....?

The website for Meiringskloof is attached below:

http://www.meiringskloof.co.za/gen_info/Gen_info.html

DaveS wrote:

....tap, tap, tap....waits patiently.

My leave for the Friday is already approved.

tap...tap..too. will you approve my leave too???

DaveS wrote:. . As long as we don't have to slow down too much for you.

Second thoughts:
It's ok.. The safest way: my pace . . graciously.


OK. Booked! Looking forward!

Tel. Fouriesburg Country Inn: +27 58 223 0207

Ok Back up vehicle organized...LeRoy, you owe me one

Excellent thank you Danie - having the back-up vehicle sorted out so early is excellent as that is normally and issue to get sorted. So the following people have confirmed to going:
Dot & Dave (Dot cancelled)
LeRoy & Elsabe
Perske & Hermien
BMW - Marius & Dani (Cancelled - posting on page 5)
Johan & Trudi
Andre & Sandra
Henk
Alun (New Member)
Willem & Maria Nordeje (New Member)
Richard Hussey ???????
Willie Nel
Kobus J
Peet Erasmus (2)
Johan Senekal
JC Steyn
Kobus Jacobs
Will add the names as more people wake up and decide to join us. LeRoy

BMW = Dani & Marius

Leroy
Johan does not know yet, but we will be joining you.
Johan & Trudie

PS: Seeing that Dani has a new faster bike, will you please wait for me???? Still on the best 650.....just a bit slower than hers.

LeRoy Olivier wrote:Excellent thank you Danie - having the back-up vehicle sorted out so early is excellent as that is normally and issue to get sorted. So the following people have confirmed to going:
Dot & Dave
LeRoy & Elsabe
Perske & ?????
BMW - Actual names would be nice here and numbers

Will add the names as more people wake up and decide to join us. LeRoy

Perske = Danie, Hermein and Mine (Mine will be in the car with oupa and ouma)

BMW wrote: .. you know i can delete your message!!

Once you see us (me and my bike) you will do anything to be seen with us.

[quote="Perske"]

DaveS wrote:


tap...tap..too. will you approve my leave too???

Of course - tell your boss to phone me.

Lesotho is notorious for flying stones. Will each biker please pack a stone to return the fire!

We know there has been incidents in this regard in the past - reason behind it was probably people not sticking to the speadlimits and being disrespectfull to the locals. So - we will be keeping to the Speadlimits and also will be keeping an eye on the locals. LeRoy

At this point in time we are 12 people and 9 bikes. What i cannot fathom at this point in time - all of the confirmed people are old club members, proficient tourers - where are the new members ?????????. This is a ride - not a race. Hope to see a few new names and faces soon. LeRoy

tj wrote:Lesotho is notorious for flying stones. Will each biker please pack a stone to return the fire!

and not without reason.

This was posted on Think Bike by Denver Biggs from Auto Alpina

"I refuse point blank to go to Lesotho again....was there yonks ago with the Rat Club and my ex-g/f and I got hit by stones - thankfully we had the right gear on and got hit in padded areas, but it could've got nasty...
I decided to give them another go at the beginning of the year and went with BMW Club Central again - one of the guys in front of me got stoned and three guys on the road ride ended up coming down after a stone throwing incident..... "

Bike SA also reported not too long ago about 2 bikes that were set on fire after the riders came down in Lesotho

Not good - makes one wonder if it is worth going there? Have heard many such incidents on other forums.

Ok - Katse is not cast in stone - we can replan and do another route there - maybe rather do al the small sighseeing roads in the Golden Gate National Park. Just a thought, can be decided on later. LeRoy

I spoke to the Lesotho tour people and they are doing this tour once a month without incidents. It may be worth wile to contact them for advice.

Do you have their contact details. LeRoy

LeRoy Olivier wrote:Do you have their contact details. LeRoy

It is on the Lesotho tours ad. The one on the top of the home page.

The stone throwing cannot be blamed on disrespect and speeding.

We have over the past years visited Lesotho frequently, albeit in 4x4's and everytime experienced the stoning. More so in the ButhaButhe vicinity, and usually in the slow areas where speeding is not possible due to the dense traffic and pedestrian numbers

It is usually youngsters that do it and it is just typical of people from Africa who does not allow the sun to shine on others, especially those "others" that come to your place to spent money there!

They are just plain selfish criminalist inhuman beings!

But I'm still positive to a visit to Lesotho!

Katse Dam is always a favourite, but to go there and back from Vriesburg and twice through the passport control in one day is asking too much. You cannot enjoy the scenery and also make your destination in time. The road pass to Katse includes a tarred road that is asking for 2nd gear travelling for extended periods in a car. So much so for a bike.

If a tour into the Katse Dam Wall can be arranged then this has to be included some way or another.

335km roundtrip for the day.

Possible to sleep over somewhere inside Lesotho? Then we are in for it!!

Up to the damwall and back is 380km's - believe it can be done. The club did a similar trip a few years ago and all went well. in 2006 the club did a weekend run to Drakensville, at the bottom of the Oliviershoek Pass. 2 of the members accompanied the rest of the club to the breakfast venue in Fouriesburg, the same venue we are now staying at. They then went on to Katze dam, and got back to Drakensville before 17:00. Will see about the tour into the Katze Dam Wall, and post any developments in this regard on the forum. Regards and hope you join the ride. LeRoy

Thumbs up for the dam wall tour.

I was part of the construction team of the roads around the dam. I was fortunate enough to spend a weekend there about 1 year after the finishing of the dam wall. The dam was 100 % full at the time which exceeded all expectations. I missed out of the dam wall tour as i think it was introduced only later. The dam wall is close to 110 m high which will make a dam wall tour incredible.

The distance and time to travel there and back should not be a problem.

Can't wait

The ride planning detail has been compiled and will probably be posted in the next few days. The nitty gritty detail iro the Dam Wall tour will be conveyed to those that have confirmed attending the ride. Regards. LeRoy

Just a quick idee - should we stretch this trip to a 4 day trip and sleep over at the Katse Lodge - will al those that have confimed still be going. Including the damwal tour in the Katse Dam itenary might make the Saturdays program a bit full. Any comments on this - providing we can get accommodation there and change our existing bookings at the Fouriesburg Country Inn??????. LeRoy