Another Successful 4x4 Drivers Course
Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 1:03 pm
African Offroad Academy (Western Cape) presented another successful training course this past weekend at Klein Tafelberg in the Sandveld near Redelinghuis. This was a corporate training event and the attendents are all employees of the Nature Conservation Corporation (NCC). Last weekend Anton and Dirk were up in Mabalingwe to train the Gauteng ouens of NCC there. Attending that training course was our own Jonno (Toybox) of mean green Legendary Lexus fame. Also a successful course if I understand Anton and Dirk correctly. Judging by the photographs and video-clips you guys had a proper jol up there Jonno. 
Anyway, Back to the WC training.
Kaspaas was packed and ready on Wednesday already, and at the stroke of noon on Friday we left CT all along the N7 towards Piketberg. After a fuel stop at Swartland 1-stop we drove fairly slowly (100km/h) compared to last Saturday when Coenie and I were doing low flying to get to Citrusdal.
Once we hit Piketberg we stopped for a quick wildspastei (driving slowly makes me hungy, and you) and there I saw, to my horror, that the fuel cap was missing. Bummer, because after searching high and low through all the shop in Piketberg no replacement of any description could be found. I ended up buying an Isuzu fuel cap and duct taped it over the hole, just so that no gunk gets into the tank. Luckily my AOA colleague Paul Weskus, who was also attending the training, could organise an emergency replacement from Velddrif.
After setting up camp and a field kitchen class started at about 18:00 and went through to about 21:00. In this time we covered all the environmental topics and some of the more technical modules. Dinner was served and after a few liquid refreshments and some marshmallows in the fire everybody turned in ready for an early start on Saturday morning.
Saturday morning kicked off with coffee and rusks at 07:00 and class continued at 7:30 until about 11:00 when brunch was served. After brunch we tackled some high speed braking demonstrations and then the guys and girls got to show the stuff on the trail. It was a lot of fun with learners having a go in Kaspaas and RooiKoos (Paul Weskus's very neat red Hilux LTD) up the challenging sand tracks and some scary rocky ascents and descents. It is VERY scary sitting in the passenger seat of Kaspaas with somebody else at the wheel and I experienced some "life flashing before my eyes" moments. We concluded the practical driving with a recovery demo with Anton digging his Hilux in deep and Kaspaas doing a perfect kinetic recovery demonstraing the proper use of recovery points, bridals, lanyards, kinetic strap and shackles.
That evening everybody was chattering away about their experiences of the day and wathcing a slide show of their performances. Sunday morning I had tro break up camp early as we had a lunchtime appointment in Durbanville to attend at 12:00, so Anton and Paul completed the last formalities like the formal exam and a few practical assignments with the learners.
Kaspaas was flying home again, and at 11:00 we arrived in Durbanville with plenty time for a quick cup of coffee before our appointment for lunch. The training weekend was a roaring success and I think everybody who attended had a great deal of fun and learned a lot.
Here are a few pictures. I know Paul and Anton took more, so asseblief Paultjie, laai joune ook hier op, toe?
Anyway, Back to the WC training.
Kaspaas was packed and ready on Wednesday already, and at the stroke of noon on Friday we left CT all along the N7 towards Piketberg. After a fuel stop at Swartland 1-stop we drove fairly slowly (100km/h) compared to last Saturday when Coenie and I were doing low flying to get to Citrusdal.
Once we hit Piketberg we stopped for a quick wildspastei (driving slowly makes me hungy, and you) and there I saw, to my horror, that the fuel cap was missing. Bummer, because after searching high and low through all the shop in Piketberg no replacement of any description could be found. I ended up buying an Isuzu fuel cap and duct taped it over the hole, just so that no gunk gets into the tank. Luckily my AOA colleague Paul Weskus, who was also attending the training, could organise an emergency replacement from Velddrif.
After setting up camp and a field kitchen class started at about 18:00 and went through to about 21:00. In this time we covered all the environmental topics and some of the more technical modules. Dinner was served and after a few liquid refreshments and some marshmallows in the fire everybody turned in ready for an early start on Saturday morning.
Saturday morning kicked off with coffee and rusks at 07:00 and class continued at 7:30 until about 11:00 when brunch was served. After brunch we tackled some high speed braking demonstrations and then the guys and girls got to show the stuff on the trail. It was a lot of fun with learners having a go in Kaspaas and RooiKoos (Paul Weskus's very neat red Hilux LTD) up the challenging sand tracks and some scary rocky ascents and descents. It is VERY scary sitting in the passenger seat of Kaspaas with somebody else at the wheel and I experienced some "life flashing before my eyes" moments. We concluded the practical driving with a recovery demo with Anton digging his Hilux in deep and Kaspaas doing a perfect kinetic recovery demonstraing the proper use of recovery points, bridals, lanyards, kinetic strap and shackles.
That evening everybody was chattering away about their experiences of the day and wathcing a slide show of their performances. Sunday morning I had tro break up camp early as we had a lunchtime appointment in Durbanville to attend at 12:00, so Anton and Paul completed the last formalities like the formal exam and a few practical assignments with the learners.
Kaspaas was flying home again, and at 11:00 we arrived in Durbanville with plenty time for a quick cup of coffee before our appointment for lunch. The training weekend was a roaring success and I think everybody who attended had a great deal of fun and learned a lot.
Here are a few pictures. I know Paul and Anton took more, so asseblief Paultjie, laai joune ook hier op, toe?
- Paul doing some tyre deflation
- Kaspaas taking a rest
- The scenery
- Snacks on the mountain
- Some more snacks
