Cattle Post Roads

In a previous post, I talked about cattle post roads. One reader asked for pictures, so here they are.



1.
In this first picture, we leave the gravel road (which is to the left) in order to enter the bush. The journey to the cattle post we are traveling to takes approximately 1-1.5 hours, and then another 1-1.5 hours to get back to the gravel road. As I will describe in a later post, the gravel road is actually treacherous and maybe more dangerous than the cattle post road.

2.
This is the beginning of the cattle post road. It is actually fairly easy to drive on, since there are many cattle posts in this area, and so other trucks and carts also use it. It is fairly narrow, so that when you are driving branches will scrape against the side of the truck.

3.
A rocky outcropping on the cattle post road. You need to slow to a crawl here.

4.
The color of the sand changes, and the bushes become a bit more dense.

5.

Trouble. A muddy stretch. It is very difficult to go through these, even with the 4x4 engaged. So you need to leave the road (see the path to the left). But that is also dangerous because there are tree stumps that can puncture the tires.

6.

The first actual cattle post on the road. This is what the Batswana call a kraal. I surprised this little guy who was getting a drink of water.

7.

Our destination ahead.