I once again got off to a early start, at sunrise, from the Mantsebo Guesthouse after a good night sleep. I met a very nice American couple with their South African guide at dinner the previous evening. The guesthouse was very nice and as it was not in the centre of town quite peaceful. This was the first night where I did not bring the bike into the room.
It was a short ride to the top of the hill to the Sani Pass intersection. On the way up I need to stop to check something. When I looked back there was a magnificent sunrise. Sometimes it pays to not be focused on our targets and slow down, look back and see what is behind us, it can be very motivating 🙂 .
The previous night I had had a light, but very good, lentil soup and bread dinner. As I left before breakfast also did not eat anything. I noticed that the little container shops were closed, then I realised it was Sunday and I would not be able to buy anything to eat. I had one energy bar left to get to my days target of 46km and 1300m ascent.
The road was tarred the whole way. Initially it was mainly downhill with short ascents. It soon switched to uphill with short descents and then to a very long and gruelling uphill with very steep climbs of 1:6 (17%). The route followed the Sehonghong River valley with spectacular views on both sides. There were numerous cascading waterfalls of various sizes on both sides. On the valley slopes there were some sheep and cattle herds with their shepperds.
I soon started to battle up the hills pushing the steeper sections. Near the top I heard a vehicle approaching and slowing down when it was almost next to me I heard shouts of encouragement, and realised it was the american couple that I met the day before. I explained in very few words that if I stopped I would not be able to start again. I must have been above 3000m and realise now that it was the altitude and not only my condition that was making me feel so out of breath.
hortly before the summit I saw a bearded vulture flying overhead, below it there was a herd of sheep and it followed as they moved away from the road.
I was very pleased to reach the top at 3240m above sea level. I cycled to the “photo point” and saw there was a wonderful couple, from Leribe, that I fleeting met the guesthouse the previous afternoon. We had a long chat and took some photos which we exchanged. The best parts of the trip was not only the landscape but also the wonderful people that I met along the way. I had more intense contact with the locals in Lesotho then any other traverse that I made.
After a short rest I started my descent. The excellent, and luckily, tarred road wound its way down with sections of 17% descent. I was a little worried about my brakes and managed to keep my top speed below 80 km/h. All of a sudden I had energy again and had no problem cycling up the short ascents as I had dropped to below 3000m asl. I did not realise it at the time that it was the altitude that gave me my energy back.
The road leveled out and soon arrived at Masoba Soba Guesthouse at 12:00. I chcked in and the first thing that I said is can I eat something, I was starving having only eat one Chimpazee Crunchy Peanut Energy bar, drank 500ml of Isotonic drink and numerous litres of water. The fish and chips really went down well.
Masoba Soba Guesthouse was basic but all that I needed: good food, hot water, a comfortable warm bed and some electricity. There were a couple of sheppards and a young man who worked at the guest house came accross to where I was checking my bike. I was surprised at how good all of their english was. The young man who worked at the guesthouse plucked up the courage to as if he could ride my bike. He could ride but you could see he was a novice. Later on I found some dry rations in my pack and gave them to one of the shepperds explaining how to prepare them.
I then put new brake pads on my front brakes in preperation for the Sani Pass descent the next morning.
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