Country Trax - Intro Offroad Course

Me and Rudi went on this course to better our offroad riding skills with the big bikes
It's only a one day course, but boy is it hard on the body and nerves !

It started at 08H00 on the Saturday in Paarl (Nelson Creek Wine Estate), so we decided to go through on the Friday after work and stayed over.

The ride there was a wet one ! The accommodation was neat and clean. We offloaded everything to get it out of the rain.

Made some 2 minute noodles/tuna for dinner and had just one or two Klippies & Cola
(They warned against heavy drinking . . LOL)

No time to take pics through the actual course, just some pics at breaks

The playground . . . . . wet slippery grass

The lecture hall and surroundings. Beautiful place !

 The course started with theory on safety equipment and the correct off-road riding positions on the bike. The practical exercises was all about balance, body weight placement, throttle/clutch/brake control and practicing this on pull away, emergency stops, plaiting through cones and making U-turns in tight spots. Also did 2 pleasure out rides on the farm.

The instructors Johan and Dirk were super and we gained a lot of confidence with our heavy bikes.

In the end there were a small ceremony and we received our certificates for the course.

I can really recommend this course for anybody that is feeling a bit unsure of themselves going off road with there heavy/big bikes. It's a real confidence booster !

  

A good kalahari hunt

Springbok is my prefered prey.

This time some Gemsbok with deviations had to be culled and I got the opertunity to help out.

The day ended on a high when I bagged a yound Eland bull. It was also a specified cull.

Stocking the grotto

It is the harvest season again, caveman style.

I had the chance to get a young Kudu(kombuis bulletjie) in the north on foot. No roads, so i had to carry it out about 1km. I had to cut it into 2.

A warthog family came charging by while 2 of us were stalking some deer. We saw the dust closing in from a distance so i had chance to get into position before they reached us and managed to get 2.

Our haul after a day on foot in the mountains near Cradock. 

In the mountains in Bean se bos looking for Bushbuck.

A Nyala

I managed to spot a bushbuck high up a mountain in a very dificult spot. Below it was very dense bush and it would be hours of crawling while dragging it behind or lugging it up the almost vertical slope to the top of the ridge where I could carry it down the other side walking upright.

In the meantime my hunting buddy Daan had already shot a bushbuck on the next ridge and I was supposed to go help him carry it out so I took some time to think about it before i eventualy took the shot.

We had to cull some young Springbok.

A lot of work, 9 days walking and stalking so much fun and then some real food as result.

Lazy ride to Agulhas

Rudi finally joined the riding gang and bought himself a BMW 800 GS. His girlfriend Arisna was visiting and we decided to go for a ride/drive to the sea.

Stopped at Stormsvlei for a coffee and breakfast.

Didn't want to leave the fireplace. Lazy relaxed atmosphere and great service from Tolla and his team.

Quick stop at Struisbaai Harbour.

Then off to Agulhas

Walked around the shops and had some lunch. Lekker lazy day . . . .