Dear Members As a rule I don't watch movies but last weekend I watched Braveheart and his quote "Every man dies but not every man lives!" really got me thinking. How many people actually live life to the limit. A friend of mine always says "Sleep when you are dead!". 4x4 Offroad Adventure Club offer so many opportunities with outings and the Interest Groups that there is no reason why you cant make lots of friends and enjoy life to the full. There is NO other 4x4 Club in South Africa that offers the amount of outings that we offer or additional activities such as the Interest Groups, Breakfast Group and Social Calender. Our members profile shows that we are different to other clubs! The club has been very active already and a lot of the activities for the early part of the year have been a resounding success. Welcome to our newest members: Chris and Juanita Dorrington Trevor and Sheilagh Dorrington Werner and Liezl Vivier Francois and Johlene du Bois Karel and Jenny van den Oever Martin Rohland Brenden Falk Corne and Erika Smal Philip and Lesley's Bike Accident I am pleased to report that Philip and Lesley are almost 100% recovered. Herewith Philip's email. Hi guys. I just want to thank the many people who have either responded to the intitial report or who have telephone or sms'ed us. It is incredible what a bond exists between 4x4'rs (and bikers). All your wishes and interest certainly helped us to get back on our feet again. Lesley's skin graft has been a tremendous success. Although the wound will fill out, she will always have an indentation in the flesh below her left knee. After 4 weeks at home, she is back at work. My grazes and bruises have all healed, but the broken rib and ankle fracture will still take a while. At least I have been able to get to work all this time, which could have been a killer for a self employed person. Bloody hell broken ribs are sore! I'm looking forward to riding again in about a month's time. Once again, many thanks from both of us - amongst all the negative stories we hear these days, you have helped restore our faith in human nature. Philip Scott. Club Meeting - 15th March We will be hosting another great club meeting on the 15th of March at Outdoor Warehouse. We have Great speakers, Awesome raffle prizes, Boerewors Rolls and refreshments. Time: 7pm Cost: R20 per person (includes a raffle ticket) What Members say about 4x4 Offroad Adventure Club From Clive and Linda Lucas Early in 2006 my wife Linda and I decide to venture into something a little different to keep life interesting and the adrenalin running. A couple of ideas were debated and finally the agreement was to get out and view more of our special countryside, meet the people and photograph the experiences. The first challenge was finding a suitable vehicle to support our current lifestyle and meet the demands of the countryside. After much debate and going in well over our budget we decide upon the then relatively locally unknown VW Touareg. An off-road driving course for Linda and we were set to meet the African challenges. The only thing remaining now was where to go and only having one friend with a 4x4 he suggested joining the 4x4 club. From our application to today we have treasured everything about the 4x4 Offroad Adventure Club. Our first trip out was to Babylonstorin near Malmesbury with Russell de Wet and what an experience that was for all of us. With an unknown vehicle on his trip cautious Russell was nervous. We proved to him in the first hill climb we could stick with the best and had our colours by the end of the day. From there on we have never looked back going on as many trips as we can follow especially Russell, into uncharted territory and finding the most amazing places. The other thing that has always impressed us is the same caliber of people we meet and socialize with on all the outings. What was important to us was too meet like minded folk who have the same respect for the outdoors and others that we have. The only negative comment I can make is that we have far too little time too play. Why cant the week ends not be longer and the weeks shorter? Hi All, Marilyn & I (Joe) relocated back to Cape Town ± 10 years ago after a wonderful 7 years in PE, where we had a very active informal 4x4 club. (Been driving actively since I was 12, now 39.) ON arriving back in CT, we needed to quickly find a similar group of active 4x4 members. While going through a GETAWAY, I saw a small article/advert by a 'Greg van der Reis'. Well my friend, as they say, the rest is history.... The clubs' informal philosophy has always remained the same, simply and basically put, ... normal people, regard for the environment, having fun, education, helping, training, having fun, learning, exploring, family orientated and again having fun. Having been one of the first members, it has been wonderful to think back to how many people we have met, through the club, over the last 9/10 years. Some of them remain personal friends today, some have moved on & some remain as casual friends (always time for a quick 'hello', chat, lot's of laughs & cheers, see you in a year again). No hang-ups, no nonsense, just genuinely happy to see you again. Due to the wonderful fact of nature of 'like-attracts-like', the type of people in the club has remained the same. Normal and lekker, gewone mense. Most of the folks are professional business people, entrepreneurs, business owners, or just good folks with good basic principles. Over the last 10 years, Marilyn & I have had many personal & business challenges, the biggest was definitely becoming parents & raising 2 very active little '"Joe's". (Brad & Bosvark, oop's sorry, ... Connor) Due to these challenges, we might not be as active as in the past (leading trails virtually every weekend), but we have elected to remain members. Why, I don't know. Maybe because we believe in what the club has to offer & because of the fantastic people that make up the club. You the members, are the club, not one individual. What you put in, you will get out many times over. Be the leader, stand up & be counted. Make a difference. To the next 10 years, I pledge my support & friendship to you all. Regards, Joe, Marilyn, Bradley & Connor du Buy 44444-WP (Papa Joe) "I can't wait for the weekend !" Hi Greg I started "offroading" in about 1996 when I got a Nissan 2400 Hardbody 4x2 double-cab bakkie. Prior to this I has explored the dirt roads of the Western Cape in my Volksie Golf which had taken quite a beating from the corrugations, potholes and yumps and I felt really bad about this beating. The Nissan was built to handle the rough. Late September 1998 my wife, Shirley and I, loaded up the Nissan and on our todd headed north up the coast. No experience at all but had read a lot of the 4x4 books on how to tackle the bundu - a real "Camel Adventure Man" in the making with some the gems of advice of Andrew St Pierre White tucked in the recesses of my mind and the recall button stashed well away. First night was spent at the near ruins of the Honderklipbaai camp site with a fierce SE'ly wind howling, so pitching a tent wasn't considered, and we slept in the bak of the bakkie. Had to park with the bull bar touching the wooden fence because I feared the wind would blow it over. So blooming cold we hit the sack within 20 minutes of the sun setting. Next day headed passed Koingnaas and up the scenic Messelpadpas to wards Springbok. Visited the ruins of the old prison on the pass. Reckon the river bed below the prison would make a nice bush campsite if the wind is making life unpleasant on the coast. Spent the second night at the guestfarm "Brandkaros" on the banks of the Orange River about 20 kms upstream from Alexander bay. Very lekker spot - green lawned campsite, cool swimming pool and reasonably priced. Then headed up to the Richtersveld/Sendlingsdrift after visiting the "Wondergat" on the left about 12 kms before Khubus. Entering the Richtersveld parrk we visited Potjespram (which I didn't like due to the mining activity and terraces across the river) and headed for De Hoop through the fine clay dust patches and down the Kook River. On arrival at De Hoop I parked at the ruins of the old farm house (only the chimney left - the rest of the house was made of river reeds!) and sussed out the area. Eyed a very nice spot to pitch camp about 100 metres upriver. Drove to the spot and turned round to reverse down the slight incline to my plek. I had walked the sand and it was firm underfoot so I wasn't concerned. Some 3m from the intended parking spot, yep you've guessed correctly, the wheels sank through the top layer and wham stuck - very stuck in soft stuff! Being the amateur I was, my tyre pressures were still about 2,5 bar!!! Being about 15h00 the temperature was 40 plus degrees so I decided to postpone the vehicle recovery and set up camp instead. In those days I had an old, heavy canvas side tent. The wind was blowing so while Shirley held the tent pole upright I hammered in the pegs. No sooner was the first pole stayed and we were starting on the second pole when the flogging canvas pulled the first set of pegs out. At about this stage I realised I was getting heat exhaustion and knew Shirley was in no position to handle an emergency on her own. So I very casually said lets have a break and sat down in the shade of the nearest tree and asked Shirley for the water bottle. A good couple of "sluks" and a dousing over my head stopped the heat exhaustion and a few minutes later when I felt a bit stronger I fell into the river clothes and all. This was a good cure. Collected a couple of beers from the ice box (no fridge in those days) and a bottle of wine for Shirl and we headed for the nearby rapids where we sat in water up to our chests for a couple of hours until the sun went behind Rooiberg. Then built a twee spoor road of rocks back to firm ground and drove out of the sand. No reducing tyre pressures!!! I only had one of those real "El Cheapo" compressors that St Pierre White says converts noise to heat and takes about 40 minutes to raise a tyre from 1 bar to 2. A man could get very dronk pumping tyres. This done we decided to sleep in the bak again - I had a full lengthmatress covered platform at the top of the wheel arches. I remember waking up in the small hours of the night and seeing a light which appeared to be a torch coming down the mountainside on the opposite side of the river. I wondered who was mad enough to be trotting round in this rough country at night before drifting off to sleep again. Next time I woke the lights were all around us - fireflies!!!. Having experienced soft sand I decided to use the tracks away from the river to explore the rest of the park. Loved it. The silence is amazing and the night sky a delight with satellites in the early evening and millions of stars in the night sky. After touring the Northern Cape - Augrabies to Kuruman, Vryburg, Kimberley and the Karoo national Park at Beaufort West we returned home. So after the sand experience I decided I needed to take some positive action to expand my lack of knowledge and experience. There was an outdoor exhibition at the Velodrome in Bellville in 1999 and needing to look at kit, etc Shirley and I went. There were a number of 4x4 clubs manning stands. I remember the 4 Wheel Drive Club and the 4x4 Offroad Adventure Club. Got chatting to the members at the best club and the repartee and friendliness was evident. The Club appeared efficient so I applied to join. When asked by Darryl Lampert what I drove I ventured only a Nissan 2.4 double cab. And so for the next few years I attended vehicle driver training outings and the odd easy trail and the Atlantis dunes. Amazing what a 4x2 will do with a bit of momentum and tyres at 0,7 bar! Got stuck a few times too but a snatch strap works wonders. The likes of Greg, Alan Goodway before he crossed the Vaal, Steer's Hannes Le Grange, Bob Howard, the aforesaid Darryl and his pal Mark and probably a good many others that I have forgotten or whose names I can't remeber were a great help in giving me some expert advise and encouragement. Eventually bought a 1992 Hilux 2,2 D/C with 160 000kms on the clock from a pal who emigrated to Aussie and had to learn how to drive a 4x4. The first trip was the West Coast beach trip from Hondeklipbaai to the Olifants river a 3 night, 4 day trip with Geoff Russel - I didn't even know how to get inot 4 wheel drive - phew! Steep learning curve. Some of my favourite trails were the southern Richtersveld, Buffelspoort and Anysberg where on a winters day you can se tomorrow. Mont Eco has some splendid tracks and views too. Since the early days I am amazed at the quality of members and guests who have done trips. English or Afrikaans speakers doesn't seem to matter. Everyone is friendly and helpful, tolerant of others and their foibles. This has not changed over the years and is due in no small part to Greg and the club's guides. Also no doubt the sharing of mutually enjoyed activity helps. Have made some friends from members who have been on trips too. Now that I am retired would be interested to get together with other retirees to do some touring/exploring during school term times and not bound to school holidays. Would like to explore Baviaanskloof, Botswana and Namibia at some stage so if there are any like-minded souls that are interested let me know. In deference to my aged Safari Ferrari (Hilux) and the cost of fuel I travel at a sedate 80-100 kph which gives to opportunity to enjoy the views this splendid country has to offer. Email johnarmstrong@telkomsa.net or 076 780 3414. John and Shirley Armstrong Hi Greg, Susan and I feel the club is an awesome club and at the moment is most likely our no.1 form of relaxation, spare time activity and socializing. We have met some really great people through the club and have made a lot of good friends, I think mainly because we share similar interests. I cannot think of anyone in the club who we cannot get along with. Whats really lekker is that everybody is prepared to help his co-travellers, whatever the situation. Any rivalry that takes place is usually all in good spirits and you never feel pressurized to "perform". There is really nothing that I would say that I don't like about the club. Maybe we could have more club meetings , although I realise that it is not easy to arrange venues, speakers. etc., etc. and do appreciate the efforts of the club commitee members. If it were not for my limited time due to my work, I would like to have been more involved in the organizing part of it. We will definately remain active members of the club as far as attending outings, etc. are concerned and am always prepared to help out where we can. Regards, George & Susan Warren What we have done Since the 8th of January 2007 we have advertised and/or run the following outings Midweek Madness January Boegoeberg Richtersveld Lamberts Bay Dunes Valentines Party Botswana/Namibia Botswana Diamond West Coast Malgas Fishing Weekend 24 Rivers Hike Midweek Madness February Bird Watching/Camping Trip Zimbabwe Long Haul Kruger National Park trip 4x4 Breakfast Run Riebeeck West Klein Tafelberg Bush Medical Course Club Meeting Zimbabwe Longhaul #2 Pella Trip Interest Groups - Bike Group Paarl Ride Franschoek Ride Laaiplek Ride Muldersvlei breakfast Run Zonkwasdrift Ride Interest Groups - Photographic Group First meeting of the year Interest Groups - Quad Group Atlantis ride Klipheuwel ride Members Page Come on members....send your details and a family photo to Russell for inclusion on the members page. Greg