Eastern Cape

Our spectacular country picture by Sarel van Aardt

stunning, thrilling, exhilarating, brilliant

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Offroad tour through a wild part of the Eastern Cape, including some spectacular dirt passes.

Forum discussion on this thread.

 

Ek het as plaasjapie in die Ooskaap grootgeword, in die omgewing van Fort Beaufort.

 

My eerste vyf jaar op die plaas Kroonkop/Grashoek (S32  41.509 E26  47.427) in die Mancazana vallei (Juanasberg), oos van die dorp. Die volgende paar dekades op die plaas Rietfontein (S32  52.386, E26  36.735) in die Gardenersdrif gebied, wes van die dorp.

 

‘n Tyd gelede het ek daar gaan toer om te sien wat geword het van daardie wereld wat ek 10jaar laas gesien het.  Die eerste dag was ‘n toer oor Hogsback, Michelspas en die Katbergpas.

'''Katberg – ‘n Kat met Kloue''' Ek het grootgeword in hierdie omgewing en baie stories gehoor van noue ontkomings in die Katbergpas – destyds die enigste padroete tussen Fort Beaufort en Queenstown. My pa het my vertel dat hulle op ‘n keer in digte mis oor die Katberg pas gery het. My Oupa het bestuur en my pa-hulle moes weerskante van die kar loop en teen die deur tik sodra die kar te naby die afgrond beweeg. Die bestuurder kon nie sien waar die pad se rand is nie! Sedertdien is die nuwe teerpadpas gebou en word die ou pas gladnie meer onderhou nie. Van daardie tyd af het die ou Katbergpas my gefassineer en wou ek self gaan kyk hoe dit daar lyk.

The trip planned for Sept 2008 and postponed due to our son managing to impregnate our daughter-in-law and granny-to-be needing to visit and talk babies (baby Ryan was born yesterday 20 Apr), eventually came to fruition on 9 March this year. Pity one cannot plan the weather since a large part of the trip was unfortunately spoilt by it. It was a beautiful windless morning with an unusual sunrise. Sunrise Our partners in crime on the second bike are from Sedgefield and since they had not experienced Tradouw or the Country Pumpkin, we met up at Buffeljags BP filling station

2009 Baviaanskloof Rough and Ready Group pick on the top of the 4x4 route on a private farm. Rony our leader was confused when he should be rough and when ready? The first night I must tell he slept in all his gear, boots and all as he worked and partied so hard he wanted to be first dressed and ready the following. The reason I loved the tour was because it was so informal. morning. Tired listeners during the mornings briefing from Rony

OUTREACH WILD COAST 2008 Led into the Dwesa Nature Reserve by Geoff Russell and his merry men and women to do a deed that I think was quite special and needs to be mentioned as one story with in another. This good will deed made Giz,I and I'm certain all the others in our group to experience that nice fuzzy feeling inside your tummy when you do something good for your fellow mankind. At the initial briefing at Geoff's home he informed us that the last time he was in the Dwesa Nature Reserve he was guided through the nature reserve by a delightful young local man who was dressed in civilian clothes.It was then and there that Geoff decided to do the following.