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Carnage Canyon - 18 to 21 March 2022

Open Events arranged on the Forum that are not Club Events
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Bugger
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#76

Post by Bugger »

So as the lighties would say

Nog net 3 slaapies :D
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#77

Post by Bugger »

Rock sliders sorted with Highlift jacking points fitted on the sides

With side recovery points

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#78

Post by Bugger »

Upgraded Drag link installed and spare Tierods
Old draglink tied down on the roof rack if needed
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#79

Post by Bugger »

This tool and white gold

Go together...
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Martin de Jager
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#80

Post by Martin de Jager »

Goof luck guys, this is going to be a tough one.
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Mad Manny
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#81

Post by Mad Manny »

Martin de Jager wrote:
Thu Mar 17, 2022 6:52 am
Goof luck guys, this is going to be a tough one.
Most Extreme Martin, Most Extreme....
"No one ever got stuck - in mid air!"

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#82

Post by Bugger »

20220317_202738.jpg
Woolf need to load the Cooler then we can leave early
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#83

Post by BushWacker »

… maybe a splash of nitromethane in the tank ?
... Famous Fiver VoorLoper ...
... Veni Vidi Vici ...

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#84

Post by Mad Manny »

Manny's Report:

What an AWESOME weekend!!!

If you missed it, you missed out - BIG TIME!

This report will be broken into 4 parts:

1. Back Ground & the Trip there.

2. Saturday

3. Sunday

4. Summary & Thanks
"No one ever got stuck - in mid air!"

2010 Fortuner D-4D 4x4 'Fearless'
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Mad Manny
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#85

Post by Mad Manny »

1. Back Ground & the Trip there.
This trip was in the planning for over 6 months, this Thread is nearly 5 months old.

Carnage Canyon is the brain child of Ron of Traction 4x4. He looks like a slender Father Christmas & again, delivered the gifts.

I will start a different Thread about the Carnage Canyon 'venue', but for now all you need to know is:
* It is only been going for about 12 years.
* This was the 1st trip in over 2 years.
* Less than 24 people have ever made it to the end (The Beach).
* In most groups only a fraction of the vehicles make it to Dead Dog Gorge, let alone all the way to The Beach.

Well, after months of planning & the 'behind the scenes' activity few are aware of (or appreciate), the weekend arrived & we headed off.
Despite being a long weekend, traffic was light & the drive up was pleasant.

Anxious Anton was on my case from early, so we left Honeydew an hour earlier than I wanted. As a result we arrived at the meeting point nearly two hours early.
We refueled - I must say, the staff at the Total Energies in Kgotsong must be the most friendly & helpful I have ever met.
We refueled, deflated & then got some slap chips & rolls for lunch.

We were standing at the side of the Total when a pump attendant saw us & offered to bring us chairs & a table, he arrived with 3 plastic chairs & even cleaned them!
We had just finished eating when Bugger & Woolf arrived in his Toe-Rag pulling Tiny Tiger on a Trailer.
Then, in rapid succession the rest arrived.
Then The Great Ron arrived on a bike.

Angelique had notified us she was running 15 minutes late so we decided to wait, but then she said it was going to be more like 30 minutes.
Now at this point I must point out that the US Marines have a motto
"Leave no man behind"
But we are the 4x4 Action Group, not Marines - so we headed off & gave Angelique the turn-off co-ords.
The group then headed off slowly & finally got to the river crossing before the camp clearing at around 16:00.

We crossed the river, bid Ron farewell & started setting up camp.

Ron & his team had done a mammoth task of clearing the thick thorn bush & cutting a camp area.
44gallon dustbins were dotted around & two mobile (space shuttle) toilets were set up.

Angelique and Grant arrived a little later.

Fires were lit & everyone settled in.

Late (? 20:30) Dylan (Nomad) arrived.

100% perfect turn-out.

Impressive!

"No one ever got stuck - in mid air!"

2010 Fortuner D-4D 4x4 'Fearless'
2006 Conqueror Conquest 'Gearless'

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#86

Post by Mad Manny »

Manny's Report:

2. Saturday
THE day had arrived. This was it. The day of Carnage Canyon - the toughest Trail in South Africa!

By 07:00 everyone was rearing to go. We lined up & waited for Ron's return.
Then we crossed the river & drove a few Km to the bridge & waited there.
Then we went to the start & dropped in the river & waited a bit more for Ron there.
Finally we heard Ron's Cruiser screaming past towards camp & despite Bad Habit's best efforts with sirens, revving the big Hemi & hooting, we couldn't attract Ron.
We decided to press on - I went through the plan, the rules, the ethos & spirit we expected.
Japie outlined the requirements of Off Course 4x4 (Youtube Channel) & they headed off!

I will let the competitors give the 'action reports' as I then drove back, with Woolf to the bridge, Armandt (Asjas)'s wife joined us there.
In less time than expected the ten came into view, the Hemi Growl clearly audible.

Ron arrived, looking fresh & ready for sports!

The first major obstacle is 'The Gate Keeper' the 1st four vehicles (Bad Habit, Wookey's SJ, Tiny Tiger & Armandt) got through quickly & easily.
I thought it was going to ho well but... the rest struggled - albeit less than what I saw in 2017.

Angelique's Sahara began squirting ATF, she & others fixed the pipe whilst I drove to Kgotsong to get another 2L of ATF.
They only had five 500ml bottles on the shelf, I took 4 x 500ml & they promised to restock from the storeroom.
Damn the staff there are helpful.
With the ATF in, Angelique pressed on.

Once everyone was through, Ron, Mrs Armandt & I went by road & found an entrance to the river, we waited there for the convoy to arrive.
This was about a Km from the Gatekeeper.
We waited.
And waited.

I will again let the competitors fill in the details.


It was clear the Ten had found themselves a challenge.

I gave up waiting & headed back to camp. A turf war between two troops of baboons provided afternoon background sound...

Woolf came walking in & gave us an update, then, later, the Ten slowly started pouring into camp.

Day One of Carnage Canyon done, with minimal drama & only the slightest of damage, minor things like Trolly Fan bending his pipe bumper into his tyre.

Saturday night resembled the scene in the Gaulish Camp after a victory in the Asterix & Obelix comics: Fires & festivities all over.

I made a massive dent in Buggers bottle of Whiskey.

We had set up an awesome shower tent (largely Bugger & Woolfs combined set-up) a Jerry can next to the fire, which provided 4 liters of water in Woolfs garden insecticide-type pump.
You pomp it a few times & have a stream of hot water from the hand held shower pipe.
It's actually difficult to use all 4 liters...

Finally to bed at around 22:30.

But I believe a few carried on until late! :shock: .
"No one ever got stuck - in mid air!"

2010 Fortuner D-4D 4x4 'Fearless'
2006 Conqueror Conquest 'Gearless'

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#87

Post by Mad Manny »

Manny's Report:

3. Sunday
Day Two of Carnage. The BIG day.

The guys formed up in the river outside camp.

I handed out gift bags to each driver.
The Gift Bags were from Maxxis & were arranged by Off Course 4x4, I added a few gifts (caps etc) from the 4x4 Action Group.
There were also nice Off Course 4x4 stickers, including a Off Course 4x4 Carnage Canyon Sticker.

The guys then headed off at 08:00 sharp!

Just to give you an idea of how tough Carnage is;
I left camp at 09:00 - an hour after the Ten had left.
I walked for 18 minutes (albeit, using the road where possible).
After 18 minutes I met the middle group - who had been driving for 1 hour 18 minutes!!! :o

I caught up & walked with Ron, Gert & Ron's son, we eventually got to The Beach (the End) at 10:30.
Riaan (Bad Habit) & Bugger (Tiny Tiger) were there, swimming in a dam. They had made it in 2 hours.
An amazing achievement!

Ron & Flip walked up the canyon & we headed back to assist others.

We found the Suzuki Group (Armand, Wookey & Dylan) a few hundred meters from Dead Dog Gorge.

Unfortunately, the terrain from Dead Dog Gorge to the Beach is NOT great for smaller vehicles.
Wookey had (wisely) decided to call it a day there - but that;s further than most competitors ever get.
Dylan stubbornly tried a bit more, but it was proving hopeless.
I suggested that all efforts be put into getting Armandt Toyota powered SJ pickup to the end & then try get Dylan up.
Dylan, wisely & bravely, conceded & the youngster pressed on - getting Armandt to the end.
The first two SJ's (although neither were Suzuki powered) to ever make it.
Well Done Bugger & Armandt.

We then started heading back as we were worried about the last group.
This was Angelique's Sahara, Muller's Rubi, Trolly Fans Safari & the Cruiser80 & Patrol of Off Course 4x4...

We found the a few hundred meters befor Dead Dog Gorge - they had had a ahrd day - Angelique's ATF pipe kept popping, Alex's Safaro had ripped two tyre valves & Japie was starting to struggle with no lockers.

Japie decided to call, it a day - he had made it, sans lockers, nearly to Dead Dog Gorge.
Later Ant also called it a day as time was against him, Armandt also had to abort, but they had made Dead Dog Gorge.

Remember, DDG is only 100m from The Beach.

Muller's Rubi & then Angelique's (Rubi-fied) Sahara finally got to The Beach.

It was late - they then had the long trek back to camp.

I walked back to camp while Riaan Bad Habit & Bugger Tiny Tiger raced back.
I arrived shortly after them.
Walking is far & away the fastest was to do Carnage! :D

That night there were many fire side stories & much back-slapping.

The Ten had all got to Dead Dog Gorge or beyond.
Five made it to the Beach.
That a massive 50%.
What is most amazing is that there was no MAJOR damage.
I'll give what I think the reasons for this in the summary.

Shower and bed by 22:00.

What an Awesome two days.
"No one ever got stuck - in mid air!"

2010 Fortuner D-4D 4x4 'Fearless'
2006 Conqueror Conquest 'Gearless'

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#88

Post by Mad Manny »

Manny's Report:

4. Summary & Thanks
If you are still reading - well done! :lol:

Summary:
An outstanding event (even if I must say so myself) - 6 months of planning paid off.

Ron was truly outstanding.
If you are reading this & want to do Carnage one day - either Contact Ron of Traction 4x4 in Polokwane or contact me & I'll point you to Ron.

This group did extremely well, I believe (feel free to disagree) this was due to a few factors:
* We set strict entrance criteria (see post one) so the vehicles were all well sorted and very capable.
* The group (drivers, navigators & helpers) were all very focused & knowledgeable.
* The Ethos was on point: No drinking, help one another, assist. It was just a positive. helpful mutually sporting event.

Thanks:
I have many people to thank;
Firstly the Ten competitors, their navigators, helpers, wives & friends - it was just an awesome bunch of people.
You are 24 of the best people to do such an event with.
Secondly Off Course 4x4 for all their help with getting Maxxis on board. It saved the event.
Then, Outlaw Shaun who initially handled negotiations with Ron.
I must thank Jon Wen of Maxxis Tyres for the sponsorship & the goodie bags.

Then finally, a BIG thank to Ron of Traction 4x4. I thank you, I thank you on behalf of the 4x4 Action Group. I thank you on behalf of the Ten & the other 14.
Thank you.

I now invite the others to share their experiences & photos.
"No one ever got stuck - in mid air!"

2010 Fortuner D-4D 4x4 'Fearless'
2006 Conqueror Conquest 'Gearless'

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Mad Manny
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#89

Post by Mad Manny »

We will announce here when the Off Course 4x4 Youtube episode is out.
Armandt of Ross Outdoor Adventures will also release a video, we will advise.
"No one ever got stuck - in mid air!"

2010 Fortuner D-4D 4x4 'Fearless'
2006 Conqueror Conquest 'Gearless'

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#90

Post by Bugger »

20220320_102025.jpg
Bad Habbit - Riaan
Tiny Tiger - Bugger

At the Beach

What a refreshing swim after one Amazing Drive to get to the End of Carnage Canyon 2022 at the Beach
20220320_100617.jpg
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