4x4 ACTION GROUP YEAR END FUNCTION 2021

[Flipside]

First Heidelberg offramp is blocked, a truck is on its side in the offramp , use the next offramp please
Jacobs Str

[Anthony Forgey]

I'm definitely joining for the 4x4 driving

[Flipside]

[Shane]

Hope you guys are having a blast!
Please post pics.

[Mad Manny]

OK, since no one else has posted, here is my review/report on the 2021 YEF @ Sionbergh:

I. Spoiler Alert!:
The Freestaters drank with wanton abandon - read on to get the low-down on that!

II. Preamble Trepidation:
I had heard Sionbergh was somewhat 'Verkrampt' & seeing how inflexible they were with arrangements, I feared the worst.
Luckily this affected Wessel & not me, but was I justified in my concerns? Read on to find out.

III. Back Ground:
Each year we try out do the previous year ito attendance, but with everything going on, we realised this was unlikely.
We also had to move the YEF forward 2 weeks & this brought it into exam season, which was also not ideal.
Also, without consulting us, the HNIC of Government decided to call an election on 1 November, 12 days before our event.

2018 Olifants River Lodge YEF - 20 members attended.
2019 Bush & Buck YEF - 23 members
2020 Tava Lingue - 28 members
2021 Sionberg - 21 members

Andreas would have been there (in fact he booked & paid) but then got a great opportunity to do a trip to Zambia.
Henri Steyn also had to pull out as he is under massive pressure to move to Mossel Bay having sold his house faster than anticipated & then being away for 5 weeks thereafter.
Paul had the knee ops & therefore could no longer attend (or walk).
Unfortunately & sadly, Martin could not attend as his mother passed away the day before the event.

So attendance, given the circumstances, wasn't too bad, remember, in the past year, 3 members passed away & 4 have left the country.

IV. The Weekend:
Friday
I used WAZE (because I'm wise) left home at 13:48 & arrived 62 minutes later (what a pleasure!).
Others didn't use WAZE & hit big traffic.
But I was (nearly) the only person who went through a Stop-Go at some Roadworks.
I say nearly because that &#%@+?/* Chas was in front of me & his lumbering 130 couldn't go over 50km/h.

I arrived but had to tell the little EinsatzGruppenFuhrer from Sionbergh that I will NOT camp where he showed me, but rather a nicer spot with shade next to Sueanne and Kells.
Through the afternoon I told him a further 3 times that he needn't show our members thier spots as we were one club & as long as we stuck to our area (the block between the road & dam & the church & the Hall wall, it was all good.
The little storm trooper eventually called the GrosserQuadbikeUberFuhrer, who came to enforce the law, but I told him the same thing.
Others also told them we all were one happy family so strict enforcement of the Nuremberg laws was not required. Eventually they got the hint...

But let me tell you, the place is lovely, thick lush lawns, massive willow trees giving great shade to most stands, a lovely dam, a sandstone bridge leading nowhere, a Sandstone chapel & the nicest cleanest ablutions. Unsurprisingly the showers were large & well thought out.

Friday we braai'ed & kuiered, largely, as usual, near Bugger's camp spot.
Was a tad chilly from 20:00 with a cold breeze.

Saturday
Everyone was up early, as was the Sun!
Some of us left for a 4x4 outing at Heidelberg4x4 - the place has been dramatically improved, but mainly caters for bikers.
The always on form Flipside had a bad day. Firstly getting a flat on his recce & then leading us astray.
But a nice, albeit slow, 4x4 outing.

The others chilled or went shopping or swam etc.

In the afternoon we set up the hall, the Freestaters streamed the Rugby (with NZ losing to Ireland & the Boks beating the Scots, SA is back at #1).

After the group photo & while the fires were burning, we started the formalities.

The tables were beautifully decorated by Monica & team.

The ladies made lovely side dishes, Wessel's wife (Elana) had made a lovely sous for the pap.

It really looked good!

Unfortunately I forgot to press 'Start' on my state of the art ChangHong Automatic Pap maker.

Wessel gave a brief recap of the club in 2021 & then he & I gave a brief overview of the year's events (12).

I then issued the two Trophies, these were both sponsored by Andreas.
The 1st, the Club Spirit award, which was given to Bushwacker last year, was awarded to Bugger.
He was the 3rd highest attender this year (he attended 8).
He arranged the DVR trip.
He always gets the kuier going, keeps the fires lit & creates a nice crowd vibe.

The 2nd Trophy, the Rabbiddog Memorial Attendance Award.
This goes to the person who attended the most events over the previous 12 months.
Avon, at 10, attended the most (beating me with 9 & Bugger with 8).
A worthy winner.

Wessel & I then issued 28 Strafdoppe, which we did in a sarcastic 'Best of..." format.
The members then nominated others to finish off the last few doppe.

Wessel then gave a closing speech & then announced he was stepping down as Chairman.

The fires were nearly ready & everyone prepared to braai & the kuiering began.

I realised I needed to press start & rushed in to do so, but the first people to eat got no pap.

The Freestaters (& Wessel) enjoyed themselves until nearly 02:00

I wisely hit the sack at 22:30

Sunday
We got up, packed up slowly & by 09:00 I was ready to roll.
Many had left, those with kids were at the pool.
The Freestaters were nursing headaches.

Conclusion:
A really successful YEF, the Sionbergh people are a bit verkrampt, but on the plus side, its a lovely clean & well run venue.
After Herr EinsatzGruppenFuhrer realised we wanted to be left alone, we never saw them again and it was all good.

Well done to Wessel & all those who, like Monica & Wessel's wife, assisted him.

Finally, I'd like to thank Wessel for everything he did for the club over the past 10 months - we appreciate it. Thank You!




Below, photo of is lined up and waiting for Flip at Heidelberg 4x4.

Photo of part of the campsite....

[LesseW]

Thanks Manny for this nice report, you summed it up nicely. If I may add some points and give thanks to:

- all the ladies that helped my wife with getting the salads and other foods made on Saturday
- to Monica for taking the initiative to decorate all the tables, also for helping us to clean the function hall on Sunday
- This was my first YEF where I saw the kids running around and playing together, at first I thought some of the attendees might get irritated with the kids running around screaming but I was wrong, the attendees instead took part in the Kids' fun which was nice to see. We need to see more of this.
- The strafdoppe had me a Manny laughing already while we wrote them down, if we had a third bottle of shooter we would have thought out more straffdoppe....
- Thanks to Henri for assisting in getting this YEF venue, the management is strict but it ensures a good experience for all campers. (I am glad though that I do not have to hear these words anymore "Wessie, kom gou hier ons moet praat" or "Wessie, ek sluit die saal todat jy vir my wys julle het ten volle betaal" - We paid in full by the 5th already they just did not check their bank account)
- Thanks to the Free Staters for wanting to ensure we drink EVERYTHING on Saturday night to celebrate the YEF, my wife was not too happy with me for drinking her two bottles of Red Wine and neither was my liver...


This YEF had a good turn out if we take in mind the amount of attendees that could not make it anymore last minute, with COVID and the havoc it created in peoples' finances this was actually a great turnout.

until next year!

[Kells]

Nice reports guys but let’s tell the truth… both Manny and Wessel were already intoxicated by the start of the event so we missed Andreas as those two had none of the tact that Andreas has! We laughed more at those two, who were like naughty little boys, than we did at the actual strafdoppe

This YEF certainly had a different vibe to last year but it was really a great one, I noticed a lot more mingling with both adults and kids.

The venue really was lovely but I most certainly would not go again. The woman even went to count the people in the pool as only ten were allowed at a time. AND the shop closed before closing time which was the time all of us wanted ice for the YEF. I’m pretty sure they closed so we couldn’t drink… but don’t worry… we showed them!

Thanks for a fun one guys!

[Iron]

My first YEF with the club ,

I would like to thank everyone who made this happen as I really enjoyed all the company .

I found the venue to be very clean and comfortable ( i did not have any experiences with the EinsatzGruppenFuhre fortunately )

Was a great place to take the kids and this is the aim.

the 4x4 outing was for me just great and the highlight was ending off with the big dogs and staying on to climb up the side of the ridge with Avon and Ant .

wishing everyone a safe , peaceful festive season .

[Iron]

.

[Mad Manny]

Buggers Photos...
There are of the Formalities and Strafdoppe...


Bugger & Dirk with gay abandon...



Iron won a pack of Braai Spices in the 'My Ride & I' competition which he donated to the Club as gifts...


Wessel pouring (most of) the Strafdoppe in the shooter glasses (& some on the table)


The beautifully decorated tables...

[Mad Manny]

More of Bugger's pics...

[Mad Manny]

The Trophies....

Avon's Rabbiddog Memorial Attendance Award






Buggers Spirit Award

[Bugger]

Thanks for my "PA" Manny for Posting some of my Pics.

Yes I was one of the First to Get it from the "REGERING VAN SION" as I parked my Autovilla 3 Feet outside the
camping Block to the Back.
I ask if I was over to another Campsite and answer were no but the Car go there
I said but this is my CAR and yip I just said Im not moving and have to stand in the SAND as there were a large Patch of lawn missing.


Yip Also Enjoyed the YEF first time out with "JUNIOR"" the Green SJ
small fuel Issues but good for what I intend using it for behind my Autovilla and bus for
Transport.

Yip Saturday night Kuier around the Fire was Good untill Dirk Jinks it
By saying there were not a Breath of Wind as the Smoke went Straight up in the Air

His words were not even Cold and the Wind was howling all over
maar ons het nog steeds lekker Gekuier soos in die Ou Dae

Had to Leave Early Sunday morning unfortunately but all Good

[Panda]

Thanks to Wessel and his helpers the venue and facilities was stunning.

It was good to see the old faces and some new ones.

The function was nice and a good escape to the difficult 2 years we all endured.

With all these ''Big'' Events there is a lot of planning and arranging going on behind the scenes that most do not see or even know about, with that in mind it was disappointing to see that by 12pm on Sunday the camp was empty except for me, Ninja and Avon. We then went swimming and left just before 1pm. I suggest we do something like a group brunch in the future to stop the mass early exodus. Yes there were a few with other commitments that I understand and respect.

Another niggling issue I noticed is that unlike in the older days where people helped each other set up camp every one was just focused on themselves there were no camping comradery like the past and we need to change that.......

[Mad Manny]

Another niggling issue I noticed is that unlike in the older days where people helped each other set up camp every one was just focused on themselves there were no camping comradery like the past and we need to change that.......

If you don't wake up with a pounding Babalaas you don't need help setting up.
I take it Babalaas Burger refused to help you pack?