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Date: 2024-02-06
Departure From: Karnmelkspruit River Resort
Departure Time: 06h40
Destination Name: Little Rock Resort (Ladybrand)
Arrival Time: 15h00
Total Travel time: 08:20 hours
Weather:
Clear Skies
Departure Temperature: 14.5C
Peak daytime temperature: 33.5C
Odometer Reading (km):
Start: 140286
End: 140664
Total Distance: 378
Average Moving Speed: 56.7 km/h
Gravel Distance: 214.4 km
Gravel / Tar Ratio: 56%
Passes Travelled: [7]
Passes Travelled: [7]
1. Benjaminshoogte Pass [Tar]
2. Grondnek Pass [Tar]
3. Wintersnek Pass [Gravel]
4. Balloch's Pass [Gravel]
5. Lundean's Nek Pass [Gravel]
6. Dulcie's Nek Pass (R393) [Tar]
7. Kommissiepoort Pass [Tar]
Trip Summary:
Trip Summary:
It drizzled a bit during the night. I was woken up due to the baboons barking at 05h00. Due to the thunderstorms in the area, I decided to skip Jouberts pass. This cut about 3 hrs ride from my day so I decided to follow the route to Ladybrand via Lundean's Nek Pass and along the Lesotho border. Last time I did Lundean's Nek pass was in 2013 with my brother-in-law.
What a terrific pass. Terrific scenary, with a touch of technical riding skill. Once you get to the river on the Lesotho side, the gravel road is terrible with corrugations, potholes and washaways.
Ballocks Pass
Lundeans Nek Pass
Top of Lundean's Nek Pass
After descending Lundean's Nek Pass, I stopped at a junction to check my GPS. As I put my left foot down, the foot did not touch ground and the bike leaned over beyound recovery. I had stopped and my left foot was over a pothole. I crossed the road and I asked a lady, Precious, who lived in the house at the junction for help. I removed the luggage and she helped me put the bike back on it's tyres.
I continued along the Lesotho border following the Telle River that weaves it's way through this mountainous area. The gravel road eventually intersected with the A24 / R393 tar road. I continued along the R393 and Dulce's Nek Pass to R726 away from the Lesotho border. The road passed through a number of rural villages. Soon after the Zastron Bridge, I turned North onto a gravel road. This road followed the Orange River (Makhaleng river) along the Lesotho border for a while before heading West and taking me to Wepener. The veld was looking fantastic and dams looked full.
So the lesson was not learnt
Terrific Scenary
Rural Villages
Telle River
Gravel road to Wepener
I drove through Wepenar and stopped for an ice cream break. The town has declined further since a previous visit. I continued along the R26 to Hopetown. What was once roads in the residential area of Hopetown are now overgrown with weeds. I could not find my way to the gravel road that should have taken me back to the Lesotho border road, so I return to the R26 to Ladybrand. The R26 tar road is atrocious, however there is hope as people were filling the potholes with sand to reduce the impact.
I arrived in Ladybrand to a significantly deteriorated town since my last visit when my sister still lived there.
The tar roads have serious potholes and some sections had become gravel.
I checked in at the Little Rock Resort.
Little Rock is located on the edge of town against the southern mountains and is within easy walking distance of the town centre.
Christoff welcomed me and showed me around.
This is a tidy and well maintained resort. This is out of season period and therefore I was the only camper.
What a lovely place. It has a lovely restaurant and camping facilities, chalets, swimming pools and animal farm.
Lizzy was the waitress and Bar Tender on duty and was really terrific.
Little Rock Resort Camp Site
Little Rock Resort Restaurant
Little Rock Resort Camping Area
Extra Days in Little Rock:
Extra Days in Little Rock:
I spent 2 extra days in Little Rock Resort to update the WEB site and do laundry.
Part of the extension was to relax which included a 2.1km walk to the Spar Retail shop in Ladybrand centre to buy coffee.
The town infrastructure is bady maintained yet there are some very nice homes and a sense of successful businesses. I assume it is another one of those towns where the local municipality has failed it's citizens.
The Route:
The Route:
Landmarks travelled passed:
Telle Valley
Poshulihoek
Wepener
Hobhouse
Ladybrand
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