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What
a great day we had, we met at the One Stop just outside of Johannesburg where everybody was busy having a nice Wimpy "blekfast"
Wimpy still got to be the best value for money!
We went on from there in Convoy to Berakah, where we met the rest of our group and after a quick driver briefing we got on our way. Although rated as one of the top tracks, which it certainly is, it was not in very good condition, and there was an awful lot of low lying tree branches which was difficult for the higher vehicles and an awful lot of loose rock. The first half we got done in good time and had a good "nosh" under the "big tree" which is always a welcome respite from the heat, and a really nice picnic area., this being after Elephants trunk, a really steep ascent and descent which is pretty nerve wracking for the first timers but they all coped extremely well and then onto the log bridge, which is my pet hate, but we made it, then of course Felix and Jenny in their little Suzuki that has the chassis breadth of a gnat now attempt this log crossing, Jenny just about having a fit having begged Felix not to do it, but we all know Felix, across he tootles at a snails pace admittedly with literally two inches of tyre on each side of the inner log, too say we all watched this lot with baited breath is putting it mildly, and a huge side of relief when Felix drove off the log bridge with a huge grin on his face and poor Jenny with a face a whiter shade of pale!!!
We
then set off on the "extension" to the trail which you are warned is heavy going, but of course you will get the odd clutz who
tries to do it in a 2 x 4 which we discovered later as we all bunched up with a recovery going on with two vehicles that had broken down,
one Land Rover couldn't engage low range, and the other had slashed a fuel line going over a particularly sharp piece of steel bridge!!!
Very careless!!!! We knew where he had split his fuel line as it was a particularly nasty piece of the track that had not been maintained at
all and quite honestly is a vehicle hazard, we did however bring it to the owners attention after Kit thought it was much easier to demolish
it, one obstacle sorted., be it as it may that he demolished it by driving over it at the most peculiar angle, but got over safely and the
remnants of the obstacle are probably still there to tell the tale!!! Then we hit a snag, so Base 4 road building team came into play, there
is a certain section that was well and truly churned up with packing rock having been dispersed in all directions by the two vehicle that
got themselves stuck, and it was impossible to "climb" the large rock steps without some form of support, so the "chain
gang" got to work, and with much muttering and passing of rocks we all got over safely and finished the track in good time to have a
quick breather before we set off back to Johannesburg.
Thanks to all of you that were on the trail for making it such a fun time, and we hope to see you all again on the next outing.
Mike Stockton
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