Hogsback and the passes

[4ePikanini]

I have many more pictures of you guys. Will try and post today.


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[Mud Dog]

Thanks Marius, please do (I didn't take too many myself).

[4ePikanini]

I have uploaded all my pictures (good and bad ones) here

https://plus.google.com/photos/10275031 ... pwa&sort=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Grab the ones that you like.

[Haboob]

Hi Marius, What are the chances of getting the original sizes of the pictures taken?
I would appreciate if you could get them to Andy then I will get yours and his from him(Andy)
Thanking you in anticipation.

[4ePikanini]

I live out of town and very seldom go into town. If it's not many, PM me your email address with the file numbers you want and I will e-mail them one by one.

Full res is not much better as the camera is only a Canon 300D. One of the first Canon DSLRs.

[Haboob]

I wanted them all. I have a tablet that I cannot download from, so will not be able to transfer them to a memory stick, from where I play/view them on a photo frame. :evil: If you PM me your address then I could maybe pass your way, if it is not too far out the way and come loaded with a memory stick. I am from the BC (before computers) times so do not know how it works with out the little nozzel to fill up with parafine. Otherwise I can wait until you eventually get to EL and drop them off with Andy...

[Hilux 1]

very nice pictures, looks awesome. definite a must do on my bucket list

[Oupa Stig]

Yup, my bucket list also for sure!

[jvt172]

Nice. Wish I had been there.

[Haboob]

We were hoping that Jurgen would be able to make it...
Andy I will also be wanting your pitches please...

[Mud Dog]

I still have to off-load them from the camera - not too many, but I'll post them here. Marius, didn't you take some video clips?

[4ePikanini]

Dylan took videos. I have only grabbed a few.

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[Mud Dog]

Sheesh! It's already been over a week! Cannot believe how quickly the time has passed - seems like the days are getting shorter instead of longer! Only just off-loaded the pics from the camera now! As I said, not too many, but here goes all the same.

By the time the first arrivals pitched (Edge and Marius), I had already got ourselves organised and cut the grass around the house and got a fire going. The weather had been threatening all afternoon but held off until much later when Edge and Tony wanted to braai, which they then had to do in a light to moderate drizzle. It seemed that everyone had retired early due to the miserable weather, except for Edge / Viv, Tony / Annemarie, myself and Sheridene ...... after their tummies were satisfied and a couple of refreshments later, the KWT guys wanted to talk!

Tony, still with his disposable plastic poncho

Edge, Viv, Sher and Annemarie (from L to R)

IIRC, I think we managed to retire before midnight ..... just! The next morning greeted us with the light drizzle still falling, but by the time we had finished our breakfast it had abated. Everyone gathered and we were able to set out on the trail at the planned time, after a quick pre-trail briefing and adjustments to tyre pressures.

(Some pics 'borrowed' from Marius.) Geez! I look angry!

Edge ....

Some random pics Marius took around the cottage. The mist was lifting and it looked more promising except for the heavy dark clouds over the valley ...

We were nine vehicles in all, Wade and my SFA's, Dylan, Brad, Ben, Edge and Tony's ("new") Vigo's, Jason's Defender and Marius' Taureg. Our first way point was atop a hill at the microwave tower from where one could normally get a nice scenic view of the first pass we were about to drive (Michell's Pass). It was pretty misted over but suddenly as if on cue, it lifted in the 15 mins we were there, to afford a reasonable view.

Once in the pass, the views were obscured by trees and shrubs along either side, but at one point they opened a 'window' where we could see the road near the bottom of the pass.

Seems as if Marius had the same idea and took a similar pic ...

The old pass mostly followed the ridge of a spur and judging by the closeness of the contour lines, would have probably afforded some great views to ether side it it weren't for the overgrowth (we had to chop a few branches that overhung the road in places).

In the lead were the only two SFA's and they cruised down the only 'rough' section with ease, but we had to hold up for the guys that lacked a bit of ground clearance. Not much 'road-building' was needed, but we found a more suitable spot for a rock that had been dislodged by my axle.

Marius and the Taureg managed OK with a bit of direction, the only real drawbacks being ground clearance and a stiff suspension whilst 'jacked up'.

Dylan's very modified Vigo had no trouble at all, while the Lexus V8 burbled along at an idle ....

Jason's Defender .....

The rest of the guys coming through .....

Jason

Tony

Ben

Down on the valley floor ....

Getting close to Seymour ....

The relative quiet was suddenly shattered by the sweet roar of the Lexus being gunned

Beyond Seymour, the Old Katberg Pass, was not too spectacular, and the Devil's Bellows Pass didn't give us the view we expected (obscured and misty). This, one of Marius' pics ....

We had made better time than anticipated and it was too early for our planned lunch stop, so we discussed our options and decided to carry on as planned to the tar road and do the Nico Malan pass. We would have lunch at the Kat River Dam.

The expected inclement weather had mostly held off (someone was smiling over us) and the views down the Nico Malan Pass were great, but being a tarred road with some traffic and nowhere to pull over, we just cruised through and no-one it seems thought of taking any pics on the move. However, by the time we reached the Kat River Dam, the drizzle set in again and we all had a quick lunch. Still with time on hand, we discussed our options .... we could circumvent the bottom of the Hogsback mountains and come up through the normal Hogsback pass, thus making it 5 passes in a day, or go back up the Michell's pass. The latter posed a more exiting prospect, and that's the way we decided to go.

This time, going up Michell's I took up the rear, (hoping that someone would take some pics of ourselves. ) This is what I got .....

These from Marius ......

No sooner had we got through the pass, the drizzle that had let up again, came back with some back-up and it started to rain properly .... amazing how it had worked out so well for us.

Back at the cottage, the group, all safe and sound.

The planned braai was going to be a problem in the rain, but thankfully Dylan arranged with the B&B down the road where he was staying to allow us to have it under cover of a carport there. A bit cramped, but that didn't bother us at all.

A fitting end to a great day! Thanks again to all those that attended, it was awesome having you all there!

[4x4BEES]

That looked stunning

[Hilux01]

Looks like a great trip, looking forward to the rest

[Mud Dog]

Looks like a great trip, looking forward to the rest

I added the rest in above (from image 9909)

[Mud Dog]

The Sunday morning breakfast turned out to be a case of each doing their own thing as some wanted to get going early with own agendas, but it turned out to be a beautiful day, so after the guys said their goodbyes and left, we cleaned up, packed up and spent some time browsing in the village.

Nicole and Mark still found a bit of time to horse about between getting packed up ........ Kids! :roll: ... wish I had their energy!