Baboons pass, Lesotho, Africa
- Thread starter Uys
- Start date
The stretch before the big rock:
The victory walk - Bruce Willys style, we turned out to look like a bunch of Dorks:
We are going up there:
Building road:
******!! Did we not just start down there?
They worked hard!! not one puncture between 7 vehicles, but we did have two de-beads
The victory walk - Bruce Willys style, we turned out to look like a bunch of Dorks:
We are going up there:
Building road:
******!! Did we not just start down there?
They worked hard!! not one puncture between 7 vehicles, but we did have two de-beads
Rocks, Rocks and more rocks.
And then I got stuck.....
And in the process I bent my Panhard rod....
This this was the end of day one, and we had to look for a spot where 7 cars would fit in, which is also flat enough to make camp. The road was the only option, and somehow we weren't to worried about oncoming traffic.
nice cup of "Boere troos" (farmers comfort) before we got going on more potent stuff
Some were tired, but didn't want to miss the action.
And then I got stuck.....
And in the process I bent my Panhard rod....
This this was the end of day one, and we had to look for a spot where 7 cars would fit in, which is also flat enough to make camp. The road was the only option, and somehow we weren't to worried about oncoming traffic.
nice cup of "Boere troos" (farmers comfort) before we got going on more potent stuff
Some were tired, but didn't want to miss the action.
Last edited:
The night was freezing and we didn't feel like showering before going to bed. Early next morning we rose and had good old fashioned shower! We carry a 20litre gas/22V geyser with a 12V pump that deliver water at 4 bar that, I build into a portable box, on all our trips.
Since there weren't to many spying eyes, we decided to trade the cubicle for a shower with a view..... Yip! Starkers! In Nature! Can this get any better?
Some of the members of the group got bored and took a couple of nice photos:
And then back to reality! We had a long day and wanted to finish today so that we can drive to a couple of Waterfalls tomorrow. We we started...
With this:
About two hours later, the first of a couple of breakdowns for the day caught up with us. See that small patch of corn in the background, that is were we camped last night.
The Hilux's left frot wheel fell in love with the right... the attraction was something else...
So we all got underneath and started fixing the Lux.
The tie rod got bend when Nico bounced the SASed Hilux over a rock. He drove it to a place where it was "relatively" flat so that we could fix it. A quick pull with a ratchet strap and we were on our way. For about 10m. When it bend again. The rule in our group is:We never leave one of our own behind! So myself and Andre decided to carry on and find a nice breakfast spot, leaving them behind.
The rest also left Nico and came for breakfast, since he was alone he had no other option that to drive the crooked eyed Hilux to the top of the hill to fix it there. See, e didn't leave him alone in the end.
We had a breath taking 360 degree view from the top,
and while we admired it, Nico and christo got cracking on reinforcing the tierod with a highlift jack ladder and other misc stuff Christo carries in the approximately 250kg worth of spares ont eh back of his Ford.
By the time they finished this, we finished our breakfast and got going.
Since there weren't to many spying eyes, we decided to trade the cubicle for a shower with a view..... Yip! Starkers! In Nature! Can this get any better?
Some of the members of the group got bored and took a couple of nice photos:
And then back to reality! We had a long day and wanted to finish today so that we can drive to a couple of Waterfalls tomorrow. We we started...
With this:
About two hours later, the first of a couple of breakdowns for the day caught up with us. See that small patch of corn in the background, that is were we camped last night.
The Hilux's left frot wheel fell in love with the right... the attraction was something else...
So we all got underneath and started fixing the Lux.
The tie rod got bend when Nico bounced the SASed Hilux over a rock. He drove it to a place where it was "relatively" flat so that we could fix it. A quick pull with a ratchet strap and we were on our way. For about 10m. When it bend again. The rule in our group is:We never leave one of our own behind! So myself and Andre decided to carry on and find a nice breakfast spot, leaving them behind.
The rest also left Nico and came for breakfast, since he was alone he had no other option that to drive the crooked eyed Hilux to the top of the hill to fix it there. See, e didn't leave him alone in the end.
We had a breath taking 360 degree view from the top,
and while we admired it, Nico and christo got cracking on reinforcing the tierod with a highlift jack ladder and other misc stuff Christo carries in the approximately 250kg worth of spares ont eh back of his Ford.
By the time they finished this, we finished our breakfast and got going.
Ok, so all the cars were running and we had no issues.... except maybe for the D3 that had some issues to get through that very very simple easy flat obstacle in the previous post. But other that that, no problems.
And then all of a sudden!! Check the travel on this stock standard Fortuner of mine! Ghee, they the guys at Toyota really know how to optimize suspensions for offroad conditions.
The only problem here is that the wheel tends to pull the fender flairs and wheel arch liners straight of the vehicle. Or is that really the only problem? NO! A Further in depth investigation revealed a broken panhard rod on the Fortuner. Oi!
And the D3 definitely didn't perform as it should.
So it was time for a in depth discussion on our current position.
Yip!! We discussed the latest FHM models, politics and the Flyhalf for the the Rugby world cup in November in New Zealand.
Then we got working on fixing the problems.
Removing the Panhard rod(s)
Now if only we had a piece of pipe to join the two pieces with. Like a high lift jack handle, but we may need the jack again later. But wait.... Nico's cannot be used later on. Yes, that's the piece of pipe we are looking for.
We got working on the repair.
Some sawing:
hammering:
and welding. Welding? Yes, welding. No, we do not carry welders along, but batteries, we've got plenty of those. Jumpers? Yes sir! Glasses? Next time!
for now, there sunglasses in series will have to make do!
two batteries were just to weak to get a decent arc going.
Three worked like a charm, 1900A and 36V behind the rod did the job!
I even stacked some coins, we almost.
And back it goes!
And then all of a sudden!! Check the travel on this stock standard Fortuner of mine! Ghee, they the guys at Toyota really know how to optimize suspensions for offroad conditions.
The only problem here is that the wheel tends to pull the fender flairs and wheel arch liners straight of the vehicle. Or is that really the only problem? NO! A Further in depth investigation revealed a broken panhard rod on the Fortuner. Oi!
And the D3 definitely didn't perform as it should.
So it was time for a in depth discussion on our current position.
Yip!! We discussed the latest FHM models, politics and the Flyhalf for the the Rugby world cup in November in New Zealand.
Then we got working on fixing the problems.
Removing the Panhard rod(s)
Now if only we had a piece of pipe to join the two pieces with. Like a high lift jack handle, but we may need the jack again later. But wait.... Nico's cannot be used later on. Yes, that's the piece of pipe we are looking for.
We got working on the repair.
Some sawing:
hammering:
and welding. Welding? Yes, welding. No, we do not carry welders along, but batteries, we've got plenty of those. Jumpers? Yes sir! Glasses? Next time!
for now, there sunglasses in series will have to make do!
two batteries were just to weak to get a decent arc going.
Three worked like a charm, 1900A and 36V behind the rod did the job!
I even stacked some coins, we almost.
And back it goes!
Last edited:
Andre apparently had a talking tot he D3 while we were repairing the panhard rod, and her locker and TC is now working again. So we set off into the great unknown again. Well, It wasn't really unknown, we knew exactly what was ahead, more of this:
and more:
and then some more:
more:
at some point a man has to take his shovel for a walk into the field.
I was happy to report afterward that the fruit sticks did their job!
And then we got to it! The climb that tested us, and our vehicles. The one that was planted there by panel beaters to catch out unsuspecting and innocent overland travelers like us.
I realize it doesn't look like much one here, but wait until you get to the real thing. It took us 3 hours to get all 7 vehicles through this 300m rock garden.
Planning the approach: (well actually laughing at Nico and Christo who had some difficulty to make it)
The two SASed vehicles:
Eventually we all made it. But it was getting dark and we had another 4km to go. So we weren't going to finish today, and had to make camp again.
and more:
and then some more:
more:
at some point a man has to take his shovel for a walk into the field.
I was happy to report afterward that the fruit sticks did their job!
And then we got to it! The climb that tested us, and our vehicles. The one that was planted there by panel beaters to catch out unsuspecting and innocent overland travelers like us.
I realize it doesn't look like much one here, but wait until you get to the real thing. It took us 3 hours to get all 7 vehicles through this 300m rock garden.
Planning the approach: (well actually laughing at Nico and Christo who had some difficulty to make it)
The two SASed vehicles:
Eventually we all made it. But it was getting dark and we had another 4km to go. So we weren't going to finish today, and had to make camp again.
stolenheron
Explorer
awesome
Tucan viajero
Adventurer
Fantastic!
Liking it more and more as it progresses.
Liking it more and more as it progresses.