Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2016 i Go! Drive & Camp

We enjoy having fresh salad with our meals, and you don’t always get fresh salad in the bush. Because I have my own hydroponic garden, I got the idea to take some of my cultivated salad with us when we go on holiday. For those who don’t know, in a hydroponic garden, the plants’ roots hang in a solution full of nutrients. The most important thing is that the plants are in the water and that they can’t fall out or that the container can’t fall over. I used two containers that fit into one another (photo 2). Do this: Place the two containers into each other (photo 3). Measure the difference in height between the two containers. In my case, the difference was 18 mm. That means that I…

Johan Rothmann, an enthusiastic 4x4 traveller, bought a Toyota Hilux when he retired and kitted it out to be completely self-reliant when he and his wife go travelling. Towards the end of last year, the couple stayed over at their daughter’s home in Pretoria while preparing for a trip to KwaZulu-Natal and Lesotho. “We did the last shopping run on Friday 6 November and almost completely packed the bakkie. We wanted to be ready to leave very early the next morning. “I parked it in front of my daughter’s garage on the Friday night, in a walled backyard behind a heavy steel gate. Their suburb – Die Wilgers in Pretoria – is a quiet area with regular neighbourhood watch patrols.” But when Johan went outside on the Saturday morning at…

When I think back on the TV ads for the Toyota Hilux in the eighties, I remember the bakkie portrayed as a tough work horse – bearded men carrying bales of hay or diesel drums on the back, or playing kamikaze with a Brahman bull in a field somewhere. But the Boere beards and khaki hats gradually made way for clean faces and neat collar shirts. There was “even” a woman behind the wheel in a leafy suburb, a talking boxer dog... and mountain bikes on the back. But the latest Hilux ad, screened at the local launch, summarises the evolution of this vehicle best: Three young boys sit outside their school, bragging about whose fathers’ Hilux is the strongest. Their dads don’t haul water tanks or sheep trailers around,…

When the first Raptor kit for the Ford Ranger hit the market, we were amazed that such a simple and inexpensive modification could have such a big impact on a vehicle’s appearance. We retail the kit for about R11 250 and that price gets you a completely revised front grille, a wicked looking bonnet scoop, and one badass looking Ford Ranger. But, like a tray of hot cakes, these kits have sold faster than you can say “knockoff” and now the so-called Raptor-look is about as common as a white Corolla with “My Family” stickers on the back. It’s a pity, because we’d just bought a Ranger as a company car and were less than enthused about the same old Raptor kit, so we added a few extras. Well, actually……

With miles and miles of beautiful landscapes, river deltas, salt pans and game parks, Botswana has a lot to offer tourists. You can’t really say you’ve experienced the king of the beasts until you’ve stared deep into the eyes of a giant Kalahari lion – while it’s prowling around your ablution facilities! And at Mabuasehube you can lie in your rooftop tent and watch the animals drink water on the pans. That’s if they don’t also pay a visit to your camp site. On the other hand, the Tuli Block, located on the eastern border of the country, is famous for its rock formations. It’s also a paradise for birders, who can tick species off their lists from a boat cruising along on the Chobe River. Even better news is…

Nico and Danette Hesterman of Bonniedale Holiday Farm in the nearby Outeniqua mountains are a mine of information. For advice on traveling through the Swartberg region, contact them on info@bonniedale.com or visit www.bonniedale.com CANGO MOUNTAIN RESORT www.cangomountain.caravanparks.co.za Info@cangomountainresort.co.za Tel 044 272 6075 OU TOLL HOUSE, BOTHASHOEK HUT, GAMKASKLOOF COTTAGES AND THE SWARTBERG 4X4 TRAIL must booked through Cape Nature www.capenature.co.za Tel 044 203 6300 KREDOUW OLIVE ESTATE AND COTTAGES www.kredouwfarm.com admin@kredouwfarm.com Tel 0766130535 WELTEVREDE FIG FARM AND GUEST HOMES www.figfarm.co.za weltevrede@figfarm.co.za Tel 023 5411229 KRUISRIVIER GUEST FARM www.kruisrivier.co.za Tel 044 213 3788 MATJIESVLEI ACCOMMODATION AND 4X4 TRAIL www.matjiesvlei.co.za matjiesvlei@telkomsa.net Tel 073 174 1028 ARISTATA CAMP IN SEWEWEEKSPOORT www.7weeks.co.za bookings@7weeks.co.za Tel 083 611 0645 BOSCH LUYS KLOOF LODGE, RESTAURANT AND 4X4 TRAILS www.boschluyskloof.co.za boschkloofpnr@telkomsa.net…

There is a piece of conventional wisdom that says: if you don’t own a winch, you should go driving with someone who does. And with good reason. A winch is a very handy tool to have if you need to be recovered, as long as you know how to use it properly and have bought one that’s right for your application. In this article we’re taking the guess work out of buying and using winches. HOW DOES A WINCH WORK? A winch is basically a spool on an axis with a cable wound around it. The spool is powered by gears which are turned by an electric motor. The electric motor usually gets its power from the vehicle’s battery. WHY A WINCH? If you travel alone and want to explore…

THE QUESTION I’ve got a few questions regarding suspension systems. Firstly: What’s the difference between a suspension lift and a body lift? Secondly: I’ve heard people say that a suspension lift can’t increase the ground clearance of a 4x4; so, what’s the point of fitting one? Thirdly: Some suspension companies offer various duty packs, from light and medium-duty, to heavy-duty. Which one should I fit to my Hilux if I do go this route? And, lastly: Which suspension system is best? THE ANSWER LET’S ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION: What’s the difference between a suspension lift and a body lift? Generally speaking, a suspension lift refers to any suspension modification which results in an increase in chassis height. An example of this would be the fitment of aftermarket coil springs that…

AN ALPHABET OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE A-Z: PLACE NAMES OF SOUTH AFRICA By Ann Gadd PUBLISHER: MAPSTUDIO PRICE: R250 A few years ago, my wife and I did a 4x4 trip with my family through the Transkei. The best part was doing it in my dad’s Patrol. But a close second was a guidebook of place names that my stepmom had taken along. As we drove, she cut up the kilometres with all sorts of interesting facts and stories on the places we passed through that she found in the guide book. Did you know, for example, that Lusikisiki gets its name from the sound the wind makes as it drifts through the grass? A-Z: Place Names of South Africa is such a book. With great care and a sharp eye,…

Sometimes I have the scariest nightmare. It usually goes like this: We’re on our way to the Namibian border in a fully-packed Land Cruiser. We’ve already been on the road for two hours and the sun is just starting to peak over the horizon, which means that it’s time to take out the padkos. Suddenly I panic. Who packed the padkos in? Because I can’t find it anywhere. Then I wake up in a cold sweat, grateful that it was just a bad dream. The truth is that when we go on a trip, almost a whole day is spent carefully preparing the food for the road. That’s actually where the holiday starts. Eastern kebabs (enough for 6 small kebabs) INGREDIENTS: 500 g beef sirloin, cut into blocks of 2…

Head to the hills! Willem van der Berg THE CEDERBERG Why this part of Southern Africa? Once you’ve been to the Cederberg, you’ll always long for its rough sandstone, the isolation between its valleys, the fresh air and the clean mountain pools. And you’ll always be planning to go back. What was the highlight of the trip? Feeling like we were disappearing a kilometre at a time on the road toward Algeria. And then knowing that we had disappeared altogether between Matjiesfontein, Eselbank and Wuppertal. Were there low points or problems? Yes, my friend Pieter’s scowl after we almost got washed away by a very full Doring River. The water was rushing over our feet inside the bakkie! His speech, in which he told me to “stop f****n rushing into…

How does it work? Alcohol suppresses your central nervous system. In small quantities – one or two beers – your inhibitions (the part of your brain that says “my 4x2 bakkie with only diff lock can’t tackle a grade 5 route”) start to be compromised. In larger quantities you start to lose coordination and become increasingly irrational in your thinking: “maybe my 4x2 bakkie could actually do that grade 5 route!” If you drink even more, you could end up in a coma or find yourself experiencing respiratory problems. (We’re not talking about bad snoring at night – Jaco.) That’s why I firmly believe that you should never consume alcohol if you intend to drive a 4x4 later. Wait until you’re done driving, hide the keys, and then you can…

Leon is an electrician from Krugersdorp whose love for the open road has taken him around Southern Africa on numerous occasions. “We have driven from Johannesburg through the Kalahari, Namaqualand and past Addo to the Gariep Dam. We’ve been to the Richtersveld three times, where my mother-in-law celebrated her 70th birthday and we had some lekker cake,” he says. Apart from that, Ou Grote has taken them through Botswana, Kaokoland in Namibia to Victoria Falls and up Sani Pass. “I like the bush life, because it takes you away from the rush of the city. And there is often no cellphone signal controlling your life!” says Leon. Naturally, Ou Grote is indispensable when they tour. That’s why Leon modified this Cruiser to be their home-away-from-home on the open road. Where…

JEAN PIERRE DE VILLIERS: Any of the pans in the Mabuasehube area of the Kgalagadi – Bosobogolo, Mabuasehube, Lesholoago, Mpayathutlwa, Monamodi or Khiding. JAN VORSTER: The Makgadikgadi pans, especially if you can get in and out without getting stuck. It’s the best view of the Milky Way and the sunrises are just as beautiful. PIETER SCHOEMAN: Elephant Sands is also really good and very, very laid back. DION DU PLESSIS: Guma Lagoon. WALTER AND MARTHA SÜLLWALD: Guma Lagoon camp. It’s like an oasis in its sandy surrounds. We love photography and the views over the Okavango Delta are lovely here, especially at sunrise.…

THE BEST TIME TO GO The Cederberg is a winter rainfall region, and then the rivers can flood, which means that you won’t be able to get through. The Doring and Biedouw rivers in the Biedouw Valley are notorious for preventing people in this way. Spring is usually beautiful and there are flowers to see, especially in the Biedouw Valley. Summers are dry and hot. Autumn is cooler and usually dry. ROAD CONDITIONS From Op-die-Berg, Citrusdal and the end of Pakhuis Pass everything is gravel road. In winter the roads can get muddy and in dryer seasons there is bad corrugation. But the roads are designed for any vehicle with good ground clearance. You don’t need a 4x4 for the road between Matjiesfontein and Wuppertal as well as the old…

We were sitting around a fire late one Saturday night last year at the evergreen Woodlands near Francistown, Botswana and our long-awaited trip was finally starting to feel like a reality. The next day we would finally be on our way to the Matobo and Gonarezhou national parks! The mercury, which had peaked at 40°C that afternoon, quickly warned us that we’d let ourselves in for a hot tour of Zimbabwe. But the heat couldn’t dampen our excitement for the unknown which lay ahead of us. Our group consisted of four Land Cruisers, a Navara and a Ford Ranger. Our tour leader was Chris van Niekerk of Bluerhino Safari’s. For most of us, it was our third or fourth tour into Southern Africa with Chris. Quickly across the border The…

Rebellie Game Farm has long been one of the top trail destinations in the country. This is not just for its 4x4 challenges but also because of the great accommodation and beautiful scenery. The game farm is an easy drive from Gauteng but rest assured, once you hit the trails, “easy” won’t be one of the words you’ll hear too often in your vehicle. Up the mountain At 2 200 m above sea level, Rebellie’s Mountain Trail is one of the highest in the country. Soon after arriving at the farm, I pointed my wheels in its direction with Lucas accompanying me as a guide and road builder (guides like Lucas are available if prior arrangements have been made). The Mountain Trail is an “out and back” route that starts…

PHOTO OF THE MONTH FRUIT OF AFRICA Simonet de Villiers Canon 60D and Canon 24-205 mm lens (Settings: f/4.5, 1/500 sec, ISO 100) “I’m mad about the bush. I take loads of nature photos, but I also enjoy taking shots of the people of Africa – especially children. We saw this beautiful woman in her colourful clothes with mangos on her head, near a village called Sitoti in Zambia. When I saw her standing in the perfect position, I immediately took this photo from the car.” VILLIERS SAYS: In some ways, people are easier to shoot than animals. You can climb out and walk closer, ask them to smile and move around them for better lighting. But capturing an excellent photo like this one, where the person looks 100% natural,…

This particular incident was a big oops. One day, my wife, Jessica, and I, decided to take a little drive to see the soya bean plantations on our remote farm in the north-eastern Free State. The farm has beautiful, rocky outcrops with springs that run through them, and there are some lekker places to go drive. Our four-year-old son, Johan, was with us, and I drove next to the tracks in order to stay out of the mud. But before we knew it, our Cruiser landed itself in a puddle of thick mud, up to its doors! I had to try get the vehicle out, because there is no cellphone reception on the farm, and our nearest neighbours are about 15 km away from us. Jessica (who was very negative)…

THE AMAROK IS A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING In response to Kobus Erasmus’ letter in Drive Out #97 “Is the Amarok a ‘soft’ 4x4?” I just wanted to add the following. I have a 2014 Amarok 8-speed 4x4. I’ve already driven 77 000 problem-free kilometres, which includes towing and grade 3 and 4 routes. My Amarok has Seikel “field and forest” suspension. This lifted the ground clearance under the bash plate to 218 mm. I also swapped the 255/60R18 Pirelli ATR tyres at 60 000km for 265/65R18 Hankook Dynapro ATM tyres. Now my ground clearance is a whole 237 mm. Other than that, my Amarok is standard. I find that the stability on a gravel road is so good that I very seldom activate the “off-road” function. Regarding Kobus’ reference…

The latest generation Ford Ranger (T6 PX) is a great bakkie. Nonetheless, as with most vehicles, it does have a quirk or two. I often come across standard Rangers with a slight shudder after a suspension lift. In our experience, this kind of shudder is caused by the angle at which the rear prop shaft is operating. Let me explain. Single or double? The Ranger has a two-piece rear prop shaft with three U-joints (universal joints) – one attached to the gearbox flange, one in the middle and one at the end, attached to the rear differential flange. The prop shaft is suspended from the chassis by a rubber mounted bearing hanger just ahead of the centre U-joint. Many vehicles only have a single-piece prop shaft with two U-joints. But…

UNDER THE BONNET Engine: 3 litre, in-line four cylinder, turbo-diesel Power: 130 kW @ 3 600 r/min Torque: 380 Nm @ 1 800-2 800 r/min Transmission: 5-speed auto Top speed: N/A 0-100 km/h: N/A Fuel consumption: 7,9 litre/100 km OFF-ROAD INFO Chassis: Ladder frame Transmission: Part-time four-wheel drive, high and low range, diff lock, electronic stability control Suspension: Independent front, solid axles with leaf springs rear Tyres: 255/65 R17 AT Fuel tank: 80 litre Ground clearance: 220 mm Wading depth: 600 mm Weight: 1 920 kg OWNERSHIP Service interval: 1 year/15 000 km Service plan: 5 year/90 000 km Warranty: 5 year/120 000 km Price: R563 500…

HERE’S WHAT TO EXPECT: DAY 1 We meet 55 km north of Grootfontein and spend our first night in a bush camp near a Bushman community. Your tour guide will elaborate on what lies ahead while you enjoy a good dinner. DAY 2 After breakfast we do a walk with Bushmen from the community to experience the way they live. Then we make our way on a sand track to Sikeretti, our camp in the Khaudum National Park. This rustic camp is unfenced but has toilet and shower facilities. DAYS 3 AND 4 The next day we head for Khaudum Camp where we’ll stay for the next two nights. Our days will be spent doing game drives to numerous waterholes, enjoying herds of elephant, birdlife and the scenery. Khaudum is…

Tell us about your dream holiday WHAT WE WANT FROM YOU: Tell us about your dream holiday in no more than 400 words. And don’t be shy, let your wanderlust take over! Write it in paragraph form – in other words, not in SMS language or telegram style. Because we’re excited to hear where you want to go! A beautiful photo of you and your family on holiday will increase your chances of winning. Besides the brand new set of off-road tyres that you can win, the winning story will also be published in Drive Out. HOW TO ENTER: Send your story of more or less 400 words to editor@driveout.co.za. Make the subject “Apollo tyres”. The competition closes on 30 April 2016.…

WHY SHOULD I GO? Great trails, wildlife and accommodation. Trail distances: Mountain Route: 12 km (2,5-3,5 hours); Kloof Trail: 10 km (4-5 hours). Maximum vehicles: No limit. Do I get a map: Yes. Will my car be scratched? Unlikely. Should I take the running boards off? Yes. Should I take a compressor? Yes. Can we have a braai en route? Only at the picnic spot on the Kloof Trail. Can I turn around halfway? Yes. Can I see game?Yes, there is a lot of game such as black wildebeest, eland, zebra, grey reedbuck, springbok, blesbok, mountain reed-buck, jackal and baboons. AROUND THE TRAIL Best time to go: All year round. The countryside looks better in summer, but the Kloof Trail will present tough challenges in the wet. Can I take…

“His hair was spiked up with gel so that it looked like a firecracker had exploded on his head.” I recently saw a video of a springbok ewe that charged at a cheetah with her horns. She used her body to keep the predator at bay because the cheetah got too close to her offspring. Because when the adrenaline starts pumping, animals can do some pretty strange things. Humans do too. Take for example the two men I bumped into in the men’s toilets at the Mopani rest camp in the Kruger National Park. It was a warm summer’s day when we drove through the gates of Mopani. I climbed out of the car and walked over to the men’s bathroom. I had a pressing need, and to my relief…