As with most things, it all started with one question. "Are you guys up to the challenge to present an Advanced Drivers (US254154) training course?" This lead to the nodding of heads and a lot of uhmms and ahhs and we decided to take up the challenge. How difficult could it be?
After lots of deliberation, planning and head scratching we came up with the concept of a Boot Camp, where we take the participants out of their comfort zones, and put them in the bush. They were then expected to perform some challenges in teams of 2, 4, 8, or all together depending on the challenge. We also made use of certain outsiders to share their specific expertise and to add value to the training course. All this while covering the outcomes required by US254154 - Advanced 4x4 & Offroad Vehicle Operator.
Initially we aimed at recruiting 16 participants, and we had more than 16 at one stage, but due to some late cancellations we ended up with 15 entrants, making the team splits a little tricky. Luckily there was an 18 year old innocent by-stander who volunteered his services as a stand-in, and he enjoyed himself no end! A full blooded off-roader was born!! His dad needs to watch the keys to his brand new blue Fortuner.
After about 3 months of planning, admin, emails, meetings and negotiations the big day finally arrived on Thursday 10 November, when Anton, Steph and I hitched the trailers and left for Klein Tafelberg. Finally it was here, we were excited, and there were a few butterflies, but we looked forward to a good weekend. :wink2:
When we arrived, we were surprised by Dirk, who was supposed to join us late Thursday night returning from tour in Namibia, but somehow he managed to get back earlier. We immediately got settled in, started setting up the venue and scouted the trail to identify points where we would have our special stages on the trail, as well as the night navigation stage after dark.
Friday morning came and the participants started arriving from about 10h00. By 12h00 it was time to kick-off and we started even though we missed Shawn and Tinus, who only departed Cape Town International at 09:30, and made a detour to Piketberg for Tinus to acclimatise. They finally arrived, and by that time the first stages were already in full swing. Shawn had a bit of catching up to do, but that was handled in a jiffy.
Admittedly the programme started off a bit slow with boring class-room sessions, and even more boring camp inspections, but after about 2 hours the pace picked up with the tyre change, and night drive briefing. By the time the sun started its trek to the other side of the globe it was time for the teams to display their bush cooking skills. 2 teams, 4 potjies, and a whole lot of ingredients saw us chowing down on a chicken curry pot, a chilli con carne pot, a curry mince pot, and a chicken-ala-king potjie. Auntie Val was very worried about her cooking skills in the bush but her team's potjie was very tasty indeed. These guys can cook, and i would spend time with any of them in the bush, without worrying that I'll go hungry.
When it was nice and dark, (21h25) we split the participants into teams of 2 and designated a navigator and driver for each team. Night navigation was the name of the game, and the aim was to navigate around a part of the trail with the use of a road book, and find 2 hidden 10-digit numbers along the way. As this was an exercise in safe night driving the fastest time did not win the event, but there was a target time set up by us for the teams to try and match. Needless to say, the time was only known to the crew, and not to the teams. The team consisting of Carlo (d) and Allan (n) took 22 minutes to complete the task while Doron (d) and Petrus (n) made it in 11 minutes with lots of dust and much roaring of V6 Fortuner engine. The winning team (Rentia(d) and Adrian(n)) made it in 13min and 55sec. Only 5 seconds off our time of 14 minutes. On completion of this task at about 23h30, the guys and girls had a drink around the camp fire before they went off to bed for an early start on Saturday.
Saturday started off with coffee and rusks at 06h30, and lectures at 07h30. Tinus stole the show with an outstanding advanced recovery presentation, the likes of which was never before seen in Africa. After that we were ready for the trail, and for the surprise emergency stages.
On the trail we got everybody up the first long steep sand track with Kaspaas following behind. About 30m from the top, Kaspaas came to a halt, dug in deep, and I called for assistance. We were stuck in such a position that a one car recovery was not possible, because of the distance, the twistiness of the track, and the fact that there was no traction for any vehicle to pull away against the gradient. I got out, and sat down on the side of the track, and let the guys do their thing... Petrus, Carlo, Allan and Doron managed to link 2 cars together, and then hooked up Kaspaas, and with a quick tug or 2 got me up and over the top. The guys did the entire thing by the book. 100% for the task!.
As we approached a very steep decline, Auntie Val's Hilux popped a tyre off the rim! Next surprise challenge. The team had to stabilise the vehicle, chock the wheels and brace it with the help of Wynand's Hilux. With the help of an air jack they managed to jack the vehicle up and change the left rear tyre without the vehicle moving an inch. Safety, safety, safety! Well done, the team earned 100%.
From then on we drove all the way up to the picnic spot where we had lunch, and a briefing on the rocky trail that lay ahead. On the rock trail we started of with guiding the vehicles down a particularly tricky section. Everybody got the opportunity to guide a vehicle down, and all participants made the grade!.. Well done!
There was also a particularly steep rocky descent where a team was identified who had to do an assisted descend, with 2 vehicles helping each other to get down safely. This was also completed successfully. The rest of the trail was done without any further surprise challenges, and it was almost dark when we got back to the camp. Steph, our chef for the weekend, and her helpers had a killer braai ready for us when we arrived. After a quick hand-wash we chowed down on braaivleis, salads, toasties and other nice stuff.
The day took it out of the guys and after a short prize giving where everybody got a prize for something they did during the weekend, and a few thanks you's from the organisers, most of the guys went for a shower and off to bed. Petrus and Stuart were some of the first casualties. Thanks to Rupert Mansfield from Barloworld Toyota Kuils River for sponsoring the mystery prizes for the event. Auntie Val was so high on adrenalin that she was one of the last to go off to bed at about 01h00 on Sunday morning.
The sound of rain on the tent woke us up on Sunday morning bright and early, and we got started on a relaxed day, with lots of admin. We also had a high level Bush Mechanics lecture presented by Allan Venter (CEO of AEW Auto), followed by a Bush Medics lecture by our own imported Stuart Bull. Both these guys put lots of time into their presentations, and it showed. It was informative, to the point and taught a lot of people a few things they never knew.
After breakfast there was time for the formal exam, and once that was done, the rain dissapated and we gave the guys time to break up camp. Once that was done, there was time for a quick good bye and a group photo, lots of hand shaking and hugs etc etc and everybody went home. We all had a fantastic weekend of hard work and learning, and we are looking forward to doing it all over again!!
The group:
Facilitators:
I think I will have to have a little chat with Thinus 
