On Friday morning we set off in no particular direction. We had packed some provisions, clothing and basic camping kit but no destination. All we knew was that we wanted to braai (Barbecue) somewhere other than at home.
So we headed toward the Boland and I suggested we get some wine for the evening from the farm Doolhof near Wellington.
Wine bought, we headed up their 4x4 trail and joined Bainskloof Pass. Once there I suggested a quick detour through the plantation to show my wife where I sometimes come with my bike for some 'sight-seeing'
The fire trails are rough and a regular sedan has no chance to get up here (unless it's an Avis rental).
We stopped frequently to show the little one interesting things and to snack on padkos.
My wife is a botanist and here she shows our daughter the difference between moss and lichen.
The fire trails aren't particularly hard but a small vehicle like the Jimny helps because some of the turns are pretty tight and it saves you from having to make three-point turns.
4H does it for most of the pass. Two-wheel drive causes the wheels to spin on the loose surface
Groenberg in the immediate background. Rumour has it that Groenberg is an ancient, extinct volcano and that a small caldera is still visible at the top. I don't know if it is true. It seems unlikely in the tranquil Boland.
In the distant background is Paardeberg and the start of the Swartland.
Now and then you have to step out of the vehicle to roll small boulders out of the way.
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In the distance; Paarl Mountain and its town at its feet
Some paths are overgrown and branches will scratch the sides of your car so just close your eyes and accept it.
Occasionally we happened on a fallen tree. There was no alternative other than driving around it.
I guess I could have winched it out of the way but avoiding the obstacle altogether was easier and safer.
No axle twisters but some nice rocky sections that will lift a wheel here and there.
Rarely did I need to engage 4L, it was only to avoid relying on the clutch for the descent.
But enough playing. We were starting to salivate over the thought of a braai and we still had no idea where we would spend the night. So we set off to Ceres to consider our options and have a light lunch.
My wife suggested we head off to the Karoo and find a place with an expansive vista.
Alarm! I forgot to fill up the tank in Ceres. It was already below the halfway mark when we left home and there was no way we could reach bigger towns like Calvinia and Sutherland, the co-op at Op-Die-Berg was closed for the long weekend. We either had to turn around and go back to ceres (which would be a real shame) or we could head up the Swartruggens Road and get some fuel from the Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve.
The latter made most sense
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Unleaded at R12.50 per litre was horrific but at least we didn't drive a diesel with the punishing price tag of R15.00 per litre.
Fuel was pumped out of barrels into buckets, and them pumped into the Jimny. It was a laborious process that took ages.
My daughter found a playmate to while the time with
A next Errol Tobias?
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The Swartruggens rift is the transition or barrier between the Karoo and the Cederberg biomes.
It has the typical rock formations of the Cederberg but just a kilometre or two away, the Restios gave way to Soutbos and other flora of the Karoo.
There are lots of little paths if you slow down and look out for them
We eventually found our spot for the night. An old trapkraal near the Swartruggens Road, not too far from Katbakkies Pass.
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We quickly pitched our tent and started a fire before the last of the daylight left us.
It was chilly so we huddles in front of the fire watching embers falling between our feet. As usual my daughter was mesmerized by the fire and would not take her eyes off it. We battled to get her to bed and eventually allowed her to fall asleep on our laps in front of the fire.
The moon arose late but in spectacular fashion. I set the shutter speed on 30seconds and painted the outside of the trapkraal store with light from my headlamp while the fire lit the inside of the store in a beautiful red glow. The light from my iPod playing soft country oldies added a hint of blue.
After putting the little one to bed, my wife and I sat up until the wee morning hours, drinking wine, listening to music and talking about all sorts of things.
The next morning:
It was a cold night despite the cloud cover. The three of us had to sleep close together to share our warmth.
"Hoe koud is die windjie en skraal"
But now it was time to pack up. We didn't have a lot to pack and were done in no time at all.
But first some play time for Miri
We allow her much, thinking it is better that she learn through exploration rather than us telling her what can and what cannot be done.
We obviously keep a close eye on her, in case she steps on a snake or falls off a dangerously high rock. I little scrape here and there won't do permanent damage though, so we allow it to happen.
Soon we headed down into the Cederberg valley and stopped briefly at Boplaas, the home of famed South African poet Boerneef.
"Hoe koud is die windjie en skraal, en blink in die doflig en kaal. So wyd as die Heer se Genade. Lê die velde in sterlig en skade" Winternag may have been written by Eugene Marais but I think Boerneef must have understood the words even better than Marais, living in this bitterly cold valley.
There are a myriad of farm roads criss-crossing the valley near Op-die-Berg.
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Miri admired the swallows nests hanging from the Weeping Willow. My wife and I were tempted to harvest some of the Waterblometjies growing wild in the slow flowing Houdenbeks River, but we didn't for fear of the Boer shooting at us with his double barrel.
I love my Jimny. It's small and slow but it's perfect for our lifestyle and philosophy.
On our return journey we took a quick detour through the Groot Winterhoek Valley before descending Gydo Pass.
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Thank you
My name is LuckyStriker and short trips can be almost as much fun as Epic Journeys.
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