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Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:01 pm
by HenriSteyn
Like
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:05 pm
by Mal Hannes
looks lots of fun!!
Isolation is horrible especially while this is happening!
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:10 pm
by KurtG
Hope you recover quickly Mal.
If it’s any consolation, we saw another Amarok cruise up the mountain and he did perfectly well. The JAC on the other hand really struggled on one section, but after I showed him the right line he got up.
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:13 pm
by HenriSteyn
Apologies to my group for not seeing the damn dam.
Not sure how much we missed out on.
Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:05 pm
by Mad Manny
OK, my report:
Interlude:
An outstanding turnout (we had 21 wanting to attend, but only 18 managed to attend).
Most of us met at the Sasol Pinehaven. Convoy drill from there weren't great, but it was OK.
Eighteen vehicles arrived at Noble Village. One guy couldn't get his vehicle ready in time, one ran over time on a house move & one, in a sign of the times, has tested positive for Corona.
I was very impressed when Sable Ranch had people (Marillie & Wian) ready to receive us.
They were very friendly & very helpful. Wian even gave me his number which was a great help when we thought we'd got lost...
A very nice touch.
Once we'd checked attendance & dispensed with formalities, our Chairman did a spot check on one vehicle.
This will be done from time to time to make sure that, if you wheel with 4x4 AG, you have the necessities.
Andreas checked for the spare, jack, wheel spanner & recovery gear.
As we'd dropped from 21 to 18 I decided on two groups of 9 rather that the 3 of 7 - this worked well.
The Route:
The route starts with a quick River section & then you go through a tunnel under the road to Sable Ranch.
There you start with a very big man-made obstacle course/play area & then head up the mountain.
The views once you get up are stunning. From a 4x4 point of view the mountain section is not very challenging.
But Sable Ranch is more about a day out & getting away, enjoying the sights etc. It is NOT a hard core 4x4 venue.
There were many hikers - many. On top of the mountain area few nice Picnic/Braai spots - but as it was only around 10;#0 & as hikers were there, we decided to Braai at the end.
The trip back down towards the Thatch house is steep & technical. I enjoyed it.
You then head to the tunnel & can play in the obstacle course/play area again.
The trail was a bit short & easy for us - but it is very dry - that place will be a bit more challenging after the rains.
Impression:
Sable Ranch is a great venue & a great place for a family day out. In time the greenery will return, the track will be abit more challenging & Noble Brewery will be open.
So definitely go there in about February, March or April next year.
It is NOT a hectic 4x4 venue, but it has potential & they can add to the route.
A previous group had a few challenges there 3weeksago & had to cut tyres - but I think that was skill-based. We had no issues.
Also I see signage has been added & it's amongst the best I've ever seen.
We only paid R100 per vehicle (Henri negotiated a discount), but they should charge around R150.00pv.
So it was great value for us.
Make a note of Sable Ranch.
If you want something heavier - The Gorge (where we had the 2019 AGM) is 700m away.
Or drop the family at Sable Ranch, pop off to the Gorge & then come back for a venue for a Picnic.
There a lot to do in that area.
Thanks:
Thank you to all those who attended.
Thank you to Hendri for arranging.
Thank you to Cornell & Shaun for leading the groups.
It was nice to see many guys, like Mike Defterous etc who I haven't seen in months.
Also, guys like Dawid (in his Mog) Wooky & Rechard - who I haven't seen in years.
It was also nice to Slender Ant... a remarkable transition.
It was also nice to have Derick Slowgrove (RedRover) attend his first event as anew Club member...
Conclusion:
Clearly one winter & lock down is over we are going to see great turnouts.
The Club is as strong as ever & clearly rearing to go...
PS: You guys must ALL get Radios!!!
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:19 pm
by Mad Manny
HenriSteyn wrote: ↑Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:13 pm
Apologies to my group for not seeing the damn dam.
Not sure how much we missed out on.
From the Windmill you go down &left The dam is there.
A short walk from the Windmill.
You only need to go there if you want to picnic there.
But it was pretty full of hikers.
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:41 pm
by AndreasR
Great day out at last and nice to see all the faces. Thanks to Henri for organizing the event. Manny’s Report is spot on. I would just like to reiterate his comment about the hikers. In time they need to separate the 4x4 trail and the hiking trail. It’s not safe or fair for either party.
Hannes. Sterkte. Get well soon.
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 7:35 pm
by Mal Hannes
Thanks all for well wishes.
I was really grumpy all day, I was looking forward to the day.
Glad you had a good day.
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 8:45 pm
by Paul#25
To the guys that were enquiring about radios for their vehicles, go have a look in the radio section here on the forum. There have been a good few discussions on the merit of the different options. Most your questions have probably been answered in one of the threads there.
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2020 7:35 am
by CornellMans
Hi there guys
From my side also thank you for an awesome day.
I really liked the professional manner in which the day was conducted. Everything was well organized and executed. I really enjoyed my first outing with the club after becoming a member.
This was an excellent outing with anybody and everybody willing to help where needed. Met some pretty awesome guys.
Although it might not have been much of a challenge for you guys, it had a few hairy spots for me - in a stock Everest. I'll start looking at new tires and maybe a slight lift so I and do more stuff with the club. Still proud that I made if through and kept up with the rest. Even went over Everest again from both sides.
And yes I need a radio.
Will start saving up for my lifetime membership moneys.
See you guys at the next outing. If the trail seems too tough, I will still pay to join, but might opt to ride shotgun with someone and then focus on photos and video footage of the outing, so we can maybe put together a video report of each outing.
Cheers
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2020 2:32 pm
by BushWacker
Merci Boucoup ‘Enri mon ami !
It was a great day out & cleared the coke
and rust out of all my cylinders !
I was weary that a sharp rock / shard would
nail one of my tyres as we made our way up the dry rubbly mountainside.
Breaking the 20 vehicles/maybe 30 folk up into 3 groups also worked well and the pre-eminent Alpha team were of course exemplary...
... good radio coms and all straight forward,
... though not sure the Omega Channel 4 was as peaceful on air ... ?
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2020 5:06 pm
by Mad Manny
BushWacker wrote: ↑Sun Jul 26, 2020 2:32 pm
Breaking the 20 vehicles/maybe 30 folk up into 3 groups also worked well and the pre-eminent Alpha team were of course exemplary...
Chas, if you were there you would have HEARD me say that we were EIGHTEEN vehicles as 3 guys could not make it.
Chas, if you were there you would have HEARD me name the 3 guys who could not make it.
Chas, if you were there you would have HEARD me say why the 3 guys could not make it.
Chas, if you were there you would have HEARD me say that we were therefore going to break into two groups of 9 vehicles.
Chas, if you were there you would have SEEN that we broke into two groups of 9 vehicles.
Chas, if you had READ my report above you would have read that we broke into two groups of 9 vehicles.
Chas, change your hearing Aid Batteries.
Chas, update your spectacles prescription.
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2020 7:07 pm
by Saxj
As regards the signage, I'm a bit confused...
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2020 9:40 pm
by BushWacker
Mad Manny wrote: ↑Sun Jul 26, 2020 5:06 pm
BushWacker wrote: ↑Sun Jul 26, 2020 2:32 pm
Breaking the 20 vehicles/maybe 30 folk up into 3 groups also worked well and the pre-eminent Alpha team were of course exemplary...
Chas, if you were there you would have HEARD me say that we were EIGHTEEN vehicles as 3 guys could not make it.
Chas, if you were there you would have HEARD me name the 3 guys who could not make it.
Chas, if you were there you would have HEARD me say why the 3 guys could not make it.
Chas, if you were there you would have HEARD me say that we were therefore going to break into two groups of 9 vehicles.
Chas, if you were there you would have SEEN that we broke into two groups of 9 vehicles.
Chas, if you had READ my report above you would have read that we broke into two groups of 9 vehicles.
Chas, change your hearing Aid Batteries.
Chas, update your spectacles prescription.
... told you ... I dont listen to Channel 4 guys,
dont you all know this ... ?
etc !!!
Re: Sable Ranch 4x4 Hekpoort Saturday 25 July
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2020 6:34 am
by LesseW
Stay off the booze Chas, you need a strong immune system to fight Corona