Monday, 21 March 2011 17:30
Rain sweeps Lesotho
Ongoing rains on the eastern seaboard and intererior of Southern Africa have created testing conditions for the participants in the inaugural Trans Lesotho Mountain Bike Challenge which starts at the foot of the Bokong Pass in Lesotho on Wednesday 23 March 2011.
The riders will need to deal with high altitudes, flooded rivers, muddy conditions and the threat of further rain.
The first day of riding will take participants over two mountain ranges as they head up to the headwaters of the Mohokare (Caledon River) and the village of Libono which overlooks the mountains in the southern section of the Golden Gate National.
On a day where riding consists solely of cattle tracks, Thursday sees the participants battling thin air and as they take on the difficult climb up through the Makhoakhoene range to the high point of the ride at 3,000 metres. Although the air will remain thin, the rest of the day consists of a gradual descent alongside the Tselhanyane River to the Oxbow Lodge.
Friday sees the challengers continue on cattle tracks that run down alongside the larger Matiba Matsoa River (“the River of Black Pools”), which feeds into the Katse Dam, established as the centre of the Lesotho Highlands Water Scheme providing the water which is the life blood of the Gauteng industrial complex. The riders will need to negotiate four crossings of the Matiba Matsoa which is currently swollen by the ongoing rains. The day’s ride will end in the village of Motete.
Heavy rains are forecast for Saturday the final day of riding, which sees the Trans Lesotho Challengers continuing along footpaths to the headwaters of the Katse Dam and then alongside the extensive waters of the dam to end their ride at Orion Katse Lodge overlooking the 110 metre high Katse Dam wall.
Over the four days of riding, the 2011 Trans Lesotho Challengers will climb a total of 6471 metres over 206 kilometres.
The Trans Lesotho Mountain Bike Challenge is hosted by the Freedom Challenge and the Lesotho Durham Link to mark the launch of the Trans Lesotho Mountain Bike Trail, a public fully serviced mountain bike trail running down the length of Lesotho. More details are available at www.freedomchallenge.org.za/trans_lesotho
Freedom Challenge
David Waddilove
+27 (0) 84 567 4152
david@freedomchallenge.org.za
Add comment
