Hilux 4x4 Forum

Looks awesome, when time allows I'd love to stay over at Hogback and explore, I saw a few hiking trial also.

Edge and Vivian enjoying the cold mountain stream .... looks like they're doing the Madiba Shuffle!

Me thinks its the effect of those man size "apple bottles" he was sipping on

There are many hiking and mountain bike trails up there ..... more than you could complete over a two week stay and hiking every day. The Amatola trail alone is about 6 days.


The Amatola Hiking Trail

Few trails can compare with ( the Amatola Hiking Trail), which takes its name from the Amatola mountain range in the Eastern Cape. The main six-day route alternates between beautiful indigenous forests, grasslands and patches of pine plantations and passes through an area rich in history. Outstanding features of the trail are the numerous waterfalls and inviting swimming pools tucked away in the enchanting forests. Although there are some strenuous climbs, efforts are always well rewarded with stupendous views. The best time of visiting the Amatola is end of October.
Ref.: http://www2.dwaf.gov.za/webapp/RecreationEC.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Anyway back to our excursion ....

Once we got moving again, we crossed the stream and entered an indigenous yellowwood forest. Many of these ancient trees were enormous by yellowwood standards, and were undoubtedly already in existence when Jan van Riebeeck landed at the Cape. Standing majestically proud and tall above the canopy, sporting their beards of moss, they are a sight for any nature lover to behold. Didn't do much in the way of pics .... and those I took were on the move .....



And then it happened ....... one of those giants had fallen across the trail!



Turning back crossed our minds, but it wasn't a good option ...... time was now seriously against us. There was no way we could move that bugger and the trail was fairly well wooded on both sides, but armed with just Dylan's and my pangas, we cut a new path around the base of the fallen tree. Again I didn't think of taking pics until we were through, concentrating more on the task at hand. As I came through Dylan took my camera to get some pics of Edge coming through .... he had slightly smaller wheels and suspension not raised very much if at all, so we were a little concerned. I pulled up behind Dylan's van and went back to see how Edge was doing. This is where things went a bit pear-shaped for me .... the damper on my outing. I hadn't pulled the hand brake up fully and my van rolled forward into Dylan's, damaging his tail-gate .... not too bad, but still damaged and it pains me that another should have suffered at my hand. Gracious as Dylan was about it, I still feel awful about it.
Anyway, Edge seemed to have got hooked up a little in the newly created bypass, but not too bad and he got through unassisted.



From there we had no further hassles and it wasn't much further before we emerged from the forest above some rural villages. We made our way down through the villages along some bumpy tracks before we joined up with a gravel road that after a short distance led us on to the Sandile dam ...........

....... (as seen from above in this image).

Sandile dam .....



Edge coming up over the dam wall .....


The spillway .......


We stopped there for a while to take pics and discuss our way back. There was a trail that would lead us back to our starting point, but the tar road wasn't far and it was already mid afternoon, so we opted for the tar road home. Packed up, saw Edge and Dylan off and then went on to visit Swambo's cousin before hitting the road back to East London. The sun was already setting on the way home .... a fitting end to an enjoyable weekend (besides the bumper kissing), and being out there with like minded friends that are additionally 'salt of the earth'.





Thanks guys for joining us!

Great report Andy. Thanks for a great week-end. Your wife can sure talk the hind leg off a Donkey. Luckily Tumelo was not there on Saturday, otherwise he would have limped back to Josie on three legs. Thank goodness Tony (First Geer) was not there, otherwise our ears would still be ringing. Thanks to all who attended. Nice meeting the families of all. Thanks Dylan for providing the braai wood & for being up early enough to boil the coffee water. If I knew how thirsty I would be the next day, then I would have squeezed in an extra two drinks, before Andy chased me to bed. Thanks to Tumelo(Donkey) for transporting the rims for me. Thanks to Donovan (DonS) for arranging the transport with Tumelo. Tony is well on the recovery road & now wants the next GTG to be arranged(Just give us chance to wash the mud off the vehicles from the last trip). Wade(Fourth Geer), we all hope you have a speedy recovery. You are still young & tough enough to get through it. Hope you get out of Hospital soon. Hope the whole Geer Box behaves before the next trip, then they will also be allowed to attend these functions(though we would probably all have to get a long way from civilization). Andy & Dylan, I would appreciate the photographs that you people took. If you can get those from Dylan, then I will fetch them from Andy in East London. I will also bring the pitches/pictures(photographs)to you, that we taken by Viv. ...Thanks again.

Edge ..... post some of those pics here! ...... If you can't manage, ask Tony to help you ..... if the two of you can't get it right, just ask Viv!

Sebata wrote:Thanks Andy for making sure we struck our best pose :evil: ......... Ladies, the proof is out now.... so it did materialize after all... ?... It's a pity I can't figure out how to attach pics using IPAD... Damn fancy gadgets anybody that knows how please rescue me.... Thou I'm no LR driver

Tau, just save them to your PC as jpeg files .... then post them here!

Tony & I are both on the R-grade when it comes to computers, that's why he wanted to be there so that you could give him some pointers. I have not yet seen the pitches taken by Vivienne

Thank you once more for a detailed trip report, I see we missed out on the fun. Next time. To all those recovering I wish you a speedy one so that you get to share Christmas with family.

Just out of interest, would it have made any difference to winch the tree out of the way? If there was a winch, that is.

Donkey wrote:Thank you once more for a detailed trip report, I see we missed out on the fun. Next time. To all those recovering I wish you a speedy one so that you get to share Christmas with family.

Just out of interest, would it have made any difference to winch the tree out of the way? If there was a winch, that is.

All three vehicles are fitted with winches and all three at the same time would never have moved that trunk .... it's about a metre thick and probably weighs a lot more than all three vehicles combined. If one had a decent chain saw one could have cut it into manageable sized pieces and moved it .... would have probably also taken a lot longer than cutting a new path under those particular circumstances as there were only saplings, brush, vines, undergrowth and some low hanging overhead branches to clear. Took us no more than about 15 mins to clear with two determined pangas .... 20 mins tops.


Edge, resize and mail the pics to me (800x600 pixels if you can) .... I'll post them on your behalf.

Hi guys. Great trip report,pity I wasnt there,a few klippies and coke with ME giving the orders I would have had Edge and company make piecemeal of that stump.Anyway there will always be another time.Wade is doing well and should be disscharged from St Doms hospital tomorrow if all goes as planned.A great change in lifestyle as far as he is concerned will take place.I insist on the two wheels getting sold and so ,hopefully, he will be more active doing the 4 x 4 thing once he is strong enough.Thanks once again for prayers and thoughts iro my and Wades incidents in the last few days.Cowboys dont cry.

Well I have finally managed to find some time to sit behind the puter for a bit. It was a great trip! Thanks to everybody. Andy for forgetting the keys, Edge for his insight into the truck rigging thing. This man can show you a thing or two about kitting a vehicle for overlanding. Vivien must really love him though
It was great getting out again even if just for a bit and it stood me in good stead for this past weeks work. But thank the Lord above we are closed now until January.
I will upload what pics I have. I did not take to many and my wife was more interested in the scenery.

AM Racing wrote:Well I have finally managed to find some time to sit behind the puter for a bit. It was a great trip! Thanks to everybody. Andy for forgetting the keys, Edge for his insight into the truck rigging thing. This man can show you a thing or two about kitting a vehicle for overlanding. Vivien must really love him though
It was great getting out again even if just for a bit and it stood me in good stead for this past weeks work. But thank the Lord above we are closed now until January.
I will upload what pics I have. I did not take to many and my wife was more interested in the scenery.

Edge, don't you have any pics to post?

Andy, you are quoting Dylan but asking Edge for photos...

(Sorry, couldn't resist that one! ;) )


-F_D

I'm actually asking them both .... Dylan first and the yawn pic ..... then Edge

Well done guys, thank's for the report and pic's and jokes etc

nice report, thanks