ALL OUT ADVENTURE

Its all about the adventure, not where you are going but how you get there

Saturday, October 1, 2011

The long walk to freedom

25 September 2011 was a day to remember. Jumping out of an perfectly serviceable airplane might not be every one's idea of fun.

1. Some canopy training

 2. Some PLF's        


 3.Some folding lessons


 4.....more folding lessons



5.Pre takeoff inspections


6 .......more gear checks


7. All set!! Can we go now!


8. All a board, butterflies and all


9. A view from atop


10. All smiles for now

 
 11. Coming in for a perfect landing set up



So, another hobby that I'm keen on continuing doing. Dont know how I'm going to keep on funding all of this? Guess I'll need to get a sponsor for financing all my adrenaline fueled ambissions :)

Getting ready..........Check in!!! GOOOOO!!!!


Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Where there's a will there's a way

It is always so inspiring to me when someone just decides to go for gold and does what he really wants. All of us have some or other list of things we need to tick off the list before we become 30, 40, 50 or before we die. This is a story of a South African that decided to partake in the Rally Dos Sertos, the second longest rally to the Dakar. Here is the story. So sit back and enjoy the read!!

Monday, February 14, 2011

KLR clanners


All in harmony


His the "ONE"


"LUKE, I'm your father"


Having some well deserved lunch

KLR's through Waterberg

Bushveld on a KLR



Its not just a bike, it's a KLR



DS heaven



Everyone taking a quick breather




Have to keep the dust out



KLR's and Naboomspruit

Assen road, Leopard country



Rankins Pass, Thabazimbi





Enjoying the scenery, keeping a look out obviously



Rhino enjoying the shade













Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Magoeba's Kloof

So I'm counting down the days until 30 December to set off again on a spectacular hiking adventure with my brother in law in the Magoeba's valley close to Tzaneen. This is going to take a different approach to a normal hike as he has no previous experience in multi day hiking and is quite unfit and not exactly "build" for something like this. The route is rated moderate to difficult and is 4 days covering about 45km of some technical hiking, with at least no rope work (relief). This week I'll start preparing the kit and setting out our menu so that we do not have to much weight that needs to be carried as my brother in law has already 120kg to drag over the Waterberg. - The Waterberg Biosphere is a massif of approximately 15,000 square kilometers in north Limpopo Province, South Africa. Waterberg is the first region in the northern part of South Africa to be named as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The extensive rock formation was shaped by hundreds of millions of years of riverine erosion to yield diverse bluff and butte landform[1]. The ecosystem can be characterised as a dry deciduous forest or Bushveld. Within the Waterberg there are archaeological finds dating to the Stone Age, and nearby are early evolutionary finds related to the origin of humans - This is surely on of the very few visited areas in our country but to no means the least beautiful. The exitement is progressing as with any adventure and no longer can I contain my enthusiasm. So with this last week before us to swoop by I'm sitting here in my office day dreaming again about being one with nature and my soul cast into the African continent.

Friday, March 19, 2010

T minus 1 day

As one of my buddies said  "240km mountain range, 3 idiots, what can go wrong?" is a statement to concider. One day to go and all is set for us to attempt the Grand traverse route of 240km over 12 days from Sentinel peak to Bushmans nek. A combinations of navigational skills, rock climbing, rope work, ice climbing, bush craft and survivor skills will hopefully gaurd us to some extent but this endevour should not be taken lightly as mountains tend to be very unforgiven when arrogance and ignorance is practiced. Emergency plans have been put in place and a satelite phone for good measure. All that is left is one day and excitement is building and in my own situation a mixture of fear is weaved in between. Bags are packed and ready to go, 23kg I must add and without water. Weather conditions does not look to favour us but as any hiker will tell you that's what it is all about!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Menu and Gear

So the time draws near. Time have been spent on calculating weight and kilojules per meal. Weight saving is the key when doing long distance hiking especially at altiude. Getting the right balane i.t.o energy is also key as you need to put fuel into the body as you'll be consuming in excess of 4000kj a day. I have put together a menu for 12 days with an average weight of 680g/day with an average of 7800kj/day for 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) incl drinks. I must point out that there are many different ways at setting up hiking menus, but this is what works for me and what I want to spend at the end of the day financially towards food (light as possible with max energy)

Example1

                                         Weight                  KJ
Breakfast - Pronutro          150g                     1936   
                  Cappucino       18g                       315
                  Rusks              18g                       500

Lunch      - Tuna                85g                       554
                  Rice cake        18g                       233
                  Energy bar       45g                      767

Dinner     - Mince              150g                     1375
                 Noodles           50g                       722
                 Cappucino       18g                        315

Drinks     - Game              60g                        600
                 Tang                30g                        464
                 Total                642                        7781                          


Example 2

Breakfast  - OatsOeasy    35g                       564
                   Cappucino    18g                        315
                   Biscuits         18g                        285

Lunch      - Cabbanossi    50g                        625
                  Nuts              50g                        1396
                  Energy bar     45g                        767

Dinner     - Panneer curry   300g                     2619
                 Melba toast      50g                        814
                 Cappucino       18g                        315

Drinks     - Game               60g                       600
                 Tang                 30g                       464
                  Total                674                       8764

My total weight for the 12 day Grand traverse on food measures 7.7kg and 12kg on hiking gear totalling 19.7kg excluding the 3 to 4lt water that will be carried every day witch equates to 4.3kg (bottles incl.)
Total pack weight equals 24kg
















The gear in the photo includes the following:
1. Hiking boots
2. Amphibian shoes
3. All weather jacket
4. Down jacket
5. Thermal pants
6. Poncho
7. Rain pants
8. 4 season tent
9. 2 x water bottles
10. Thermalite sleeping mat
11. Ultra light sleeping bag (-5)
12. Coocking set
13. 2 x 470 Gas canisters
14. Gaitors
14. Gloves
15. Buff
16. 4 pairs of socks
17. Trekking pole
18. Splash cover
19. Bathroom stuff
20. 2l Hydration bladder
21. Hat
22. Waterproof bag (food)
23. Hiking pants
24. 4 x Shirts

Anybody that can give some weight saving inputs are more than welcome to give comments and will be much appreciated.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Proposed route for Grand Traverse

I have spent some time plotting a proposed route on Google earth to assertain where would be suitable camping sites on route. I have taken some concideration towards where the possibilities of water and streams might be found to make the best overnight camping possible if weather conditions such as vicious thunderstorms, snowfall etc permits us to do so. Our ideal plan is to achieve an average distance of 25km per day to reach our planned 12 day 260km destination at Bushmans Nek. It must be said that certain days we will probably only do 15 to 18km through certian sections of the trek as terrian plays a major role on how much distance can be done in one day (06h00 - 17h00) It will be expected of us to, at some days have to melt ice, if available, for cooking as some sections does not always provide with water and therefore this unknown factor puts much emphasis on proper route and recourse planning. In this area most of the water in the streams are drinkable and quite fresh, I must say that on previous outtings to the Drakensberg the water was the best I've ever tatsted. So the challenge for us "3 musketeers" is to maintain a constant pace and distance as much as possible with the managing of the weight on our backs for the durations of 12 days in an enviroment 3000m above sea level  with all the different weather situations that the "Draak" is notorius for dishing out.Alas this is not a race but an oppertunity, in retrospeck to do some introspection of oneself and enjoy the experience that very few has accomplished in one of the most spectacular landscapes South Africa has to offer.



Day 1 will start us off at Sentinel car park and take us up to the escarpment to the top of Tugela gourge, past Tugela Falls up to Mount Amery for our first nights camp













 Day 2 will take us from Mount Amery past Ifidi and Icidi butress all along the contours of the escarpmet up to Fangs pass where we will be overnighting for day 2


Day 3 will lead us from Fangs pass past Shepards cave, Hwaqa cave and past mount Neefie towards Pins cave and eventually close to the Mnweni cutback 


Day 4 will guide us on the edge of escarpment to a view of the "Apsotles" , Mnweni Butress, Hanging Valley, where from Mponjwane we will have a spectacular view of Puddings, Cathedral Peak,Bell, and the outer and innder horns where we will end at north peak for the night


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Day 5 will start by dropping down some butresses and the climbing up some valleys again and getting onto the ridge of the butress past twins cave with the Mlambonja valley beneath us and presenting us with a view of "The tooth" where we will camp for the night


Day 6 and we will drop down significantly down to the valley and passing "windy gap" and around Cleft peak and climbing up again to a view of "Organ Pipes" and sleeping presumably at "Windsor castle"


Day 7 will take us through plent of up and downs, left and rights with views of "Sugaloaf kop",  "the Sphinx", "Monks Cowel" and on towards Giants castle for our over night's rest

Day 8 will lead us from giants castle and keeps hugging the edge and looking down the Njesuthi valley

Day 9 will keep us on the back of the butresses with the Giants castle nature reserve on our left and Lesotho on our right. As we head onto our over night spot we will be hugging the high cliffs packed with some snow hopefully and a spectacular view of the Lotheni vallye 3000+ m down below. Its here where we'll probably be presented with the nororius thunder storms of the Malutis. Once we pass the Lotheni rim we will sleep at Redi peak


Day 10 will guide us on the Kwantuba ridge with the Cobham nature reserve below us and the Thabana Ntlenyana plains on our right towards Sani top and the 12 Apostles

Day 11 will take us away from Sani pass and pass the Mshweshwe's finger all along the edge pass Hodges Peak and towards the butress where the view of Rhino peak and Masai fangs will be presented. Down below will be a spectacular sight of Umzimkulu river valley

Day 12 will then lead us off the mountain through some extreme sections and finally towards Bushmans nek border post