cono
Pack Dog
If you were told that myself and the Walkerville Rangers would be doing the Broke Back Mountain Trip, you will be forgiven, if in your mind, you think about the movie with similar name. Reality is the Broke Back Mountain that the Rangers rode on their revving steeds did hurt their butts somewhat, but again not in the way you would be imagining.
Planning of this trip up to Penge has been in the pipe-line for months and has now become an annual event of 4 to 5 days away from home. Similar to the Barberton Trip during June this year, which will be dome again next year.
Day 1: Johannesburg to Penge
The Rangers left early morning Wednesday over Middleburg, towards Penge, which is a an abandoned Asbestos Mining Town. The town, no, the tiny community, is still occupied, but is not a thriving business. Our destination was Oom Piet, a stately gentleman, 88 years of age, who opened his home to us and as he regularly does to visitors to Penge.
I guess the best way of opening up the story of the trip is introducing you to the man who kept us alive during our 4 days, up Broke Back Mountain. I had the misfortune of sharing a vehicle with Kevin, our dedicated and committed Chef. Now, he is no ordinary Chef, he is the world’s greatest Chef. He does not acclaim his status by appearing on TV Shows as he only entertains his best friends. This was our last cilvilised stop, outside Steelport before getting to Penge. Reason for the stop. Kev needed to ensure that he got ice for the cold drinks. And ice he got us. Plenty of ice, actually more ice than you have seen for a long time. I kept wondering, if perhaps there was a sinister motive behind his obsession for ice, like once we got up ontop of Broke Back Mountain, his carving knifes were perhaps to be used, well… to carve some of us up and we would be put on ice, while he perfected his cooking skills. “Dear Friends, tonight for dinner, we will have Claren’s left foot marinated in banana juice, served ontop of Mike’s fingers, sprinkled with Phillip’s grated tongue.”
On arrival at Oom Piet’s in Penge, first thing Kevin done was light up a fire to prepare for dinner. Now, is you did not know Penge, it may be a good time to tell you there is only one road in and now road out and there is also no celluar phone reception, except on the odd occasion, only for MTN users.
Fortunately for me, I was allowed to bunk up with Kevin and Shaun, wait for it …. In the only room with a through-the wall-air conditioner. OK, so now that I was comfy with Kevin and Shaun, I could relax, knowing that surely your good mate would never have me for the first course meal.
Day 2 –Penge and the Oliphants River:
Early morning rise and shine, the fire was burning, the hot coffee was brewing and the most fantastic breakfast served up by Kevin. I could took a head count and all the rangers who should be there were there.
Graham (Dr KLR), Philip (Orange KLR), Claren (Cono), Shaun (Green Bull), Mike (KTM 545), Robin ( ??), Jay ( ??), Danie ( ??) and Kevin (Chef). So far so good, we survived the 1st night out. The usual breakfast chatter took place, like “you bloody snore loud and I did not get any sleep” and then there was the obligatory “ did you know that you fart during your sleep … and you stink” Always with the same old answer “ Kak, you snored the loudest and talk for yourself, I thought you shyte yourself, from the smell come from your sleeping back”.
All good clean fun, with a couple of guys asking can they have another beer. Really some guys, you just cannot take anywhere. We will as far as possible withhold names, to protect these individuals from divorce, embarrassment; parent’s disowning them from inheritances, etc. HOWEVER, there is the saying “A picture says a thousand words”.
KINDLY NOTE: Many photo’s were posed by professional models, only to depict a exciting scenario, for the entertainment value, of you, our valued viewer.
FURTHER NOTE: No person or animal got injured or hurt during the trip.
Nameless person and concerned environmentalist viewing the dry scorched earth on the mountain, we rode up to view the small village of Penge.
Danie and Graham also viewing the dry scorched earth on top of the mountain. Note the green scarf, worn around the next of Graham.
This one is for you – Mike from Burgersfort. We are sorry that you could not join us on this trip, however you were continually in our thoughts and discussions with regard to your intimate knowledge of these mountains and paths of discovery on Broke Back Mountain.
Later that morning after arriving back at Oom Piet’s from a great ride in the surrounding of Penge, we were joined by more Walkerville Rangers. Ross (??), Darryl (??), Andy (??) and John (??) . Bikes were quickly off-loaded from the trailer and we started to kit up for the next exciting ride.
It was time to go and play in the river.
We rode to close proximity of the local village and then the fun really started. The children came down to the river to watch the bunch of old men, play on their bikes in the mud and sand. It was after all a public holiday and eventually the entire village had come to join in the fun and festivities next to the river.
Goodie bags were brought out and sweets, etc were handed out to the children.
Graham, Director of Operations sitting pretty in his chair and his Principle Consultant, Robin, shouting out directions and giving advise to the Actors, who are now seriously engaged with providing the locals with entertainment for the rest of the day.
Darryl, the Lead Actor, who plays the driver of a 4x4, which does not belong to him. Darryl and Andy, (who did not have their bikes) drove in one back-up 4x4 providing moral support and that much needed rescue tonic to keep the boys on their feet for the rest of the day. Jep, Beer, that cool refreshing brew packed into the back of the wagon, safely protected by ice. Lots and lots of ice. Some-where there was method in the madness of Kevin who loaded more ice into his own back-up 4x4, than a mortuary could load up to it’s ceilings.
The day’s entertainment for the now large gathering of the local community on this Public Holiday. Darryl drove one 4x4 back-up vehicle and Kevin the other. As we boys on the bikes were having so much fun driving across the rivers and sandbanks, we thought is only fair, that our 4x4 Back-Up Crew, also had fun in the mud and sand. Darryl, clearly under a large strain of fatigue after driving up all the way from Klerksdorp to join his good mate, Ross, on the trip, managed to get his 4x4 drowned in the river. The wagon sank away fast in the mud. I personally think, the reason for the mishap, was the weight of the liquid supply at the back of the wagon …. And all the ice, to keep the refreshments cool.
Like 2 real Hollywood SuperStars, Shaun and Keving, quickly jumped in behind the drowned wagon , through some mud and water over their clean T-Shirts and shouted to me to take a photo of them, so that they could show their wives back home, it was them who dug out the 4x4, all on their own.
OK.. so they helped a little bit, let’s give them credit. APPLAUSE EVERYONE.
In the background, Kevin’s 4x4 which was used to rescue Darryl’s vehicle, which eventually was rescued by Mike’s 4x4 and then Mike rescued Darryl’s 4x4.
Like said earlier, there really is video footage, which will be posted shortly here or with links to Walkerville Rangers Off-Road MCC Facebook site.
So ended Day 2, with laughing and singing from the local community at Oliphants River. We were entertained by the kids singing Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrica - South Africa's National Anthem
….and wait for it…… you get to hear and see it on video. We even got a rendition of “Uit die blou van onse hemel, Uit die diepte van ons see, Oor ons ewige gebergtes, Waar die kranse antwoord gee,” in Afrikaans. Who said, the old South Africa National Anthem has died. It’s alive and well, living along the Oliphants River in a Village outside Penge. The 24th September 2009, was in fact South Africa’s celebration of National Heritage Day and what better way to celebrate it, with good people and friends.
Night 2: Oom Piet's Backyard and the big storm
Will be updated shortly with storyline and photo's. It get's much more exciting, so please feel free to come back.
Planning of this trip up to Penge has been in the pipe-line for months and has now become an annual event of 4 to 5 days away from home. Similar to the Barberton Trip during June this year, which will be dome again next year.
Day 1: Johannesburg to Penge
The Rangers left early morning Wednesday over Middleburg, towards Penge, which is a an abandoned Asbestos Mining Town. The town, no, the tiny community, is still occupied, but is not a thriving business. Our destination was Oom Piet, a stately gentleman, 88 years of age, who opened his home to us and as he regularly does to visitors to Penge.
I guess the best way of opening up the story of the trip is introducing you to the man who kept us alive during our 4 days, up Broke Back Mountain. I had the misfortune of sharing a vehicle with Kevin, our dedicated and committed Chef. Now, he is no ordinary Chef, he is the world’s greatest Chef. He does not acclaim his status by appearing on TV Shows as he only entertains his best friends. This was our last cilvilised stop, outside Steelport before getting to Penge. Reason for the stop. Kev needed to ensure that he got ice for the cold drinks. And ice he got us. Plenty of ice, actually more ice than you have seen for a long time. I kept wondering, if perhaps there was a sinister motive behind his obsession for ice, like once we got up ontop of Broke Back Mountain, his carving knifes were perhaps to be used, well… to carve some of us up and we would be put on ice, while he perfected his cooking skills. “Dear Friends, tonight for dinner, we will have Claren’s left foot marinated in banana juice, served ontop of Mike’s fingers, sprinkled with Phillip’s grated tongue.”
On arrival at Oom Piet’s in Penge, first thing Kevin done was light up a fire to prepare for dinner. Now, is you did not know Penge, it may be a good time to tell you there is only one road in and now road out and there is also no celluar phone reception, except on the odd occasion, only for MTN users.
Fortunately for me, I was allowed to bunk up with Kevin and Shaun, wait for it …. In the only room with a through-the wall-air conditioner. OK, so now that I was comfy with Kevin and Shaun, I could relax, knowing that surely your good mate would never have me for the first course meal.
Day 2 –Penge and the Oliphants River:
Early morning rise and shine, the fire was burning, the hot coffee was brewing and the most fantastic breakfast served up by Kevin. I could took a head count and all the rangers who should be there were there.
Graham (Dr KLR), Philip (Orange KLR), Claren (Cono), Shaun (Green Bull), Mike (KTM 545), Robin ( ??), Jay ( ??), Danie ( ??) and Kevin (Chef). So far so good, we survived the 1st night out. The usual breakfast chatter took place, like “you bloody snore loud and I did not get any sleep” and then there was the obligatory “ did you know that you fart during your sleep … and you stink” Always with the same old answer “ Kak, you snored the loudest and talk for yourself, I thought you shyte yourself, from the smell come from your sleeping back”.
All good clean fun, with a couple of guys asking can they have another beer. Really some guys, you just cannot take anywhere. We will as far as possible withhold names, to protect these individuals from divorce, embarrassment; parent’s disowning them from inheritances, etc. HOWEVER, there is the saying “A picture says a thousand words”.
KINDLY NOTE: Many photo’s were posed by professional models, only to depict a exciting scenario, for the entertainment value, of you, our valued viewer.
FURTHER NOTE: No person or animal got injured or hurt during the trip.
Nameless person and concerned environmentalist viewing the dry scorched earth on the mountain, we rode up to view the small village of Penge.
Danie and Graham also viewing the dry scorched earth on top of the mountain. Note the green scarf, worn around the next of Graham.
This one is for you – Mike from Burgersfort. We are sorry that you could not join us on this trip, however you were continually in our thoughts and discussions with regard to your intimate knowledge of these mountains and paths of discovery on Broke Back Mountain.
Later that morning after arriving back at Oom Piet’s from a great ride in the surrounding of Penge, we were joined by more Walkerville Rangers. Ross (??), Darryl (??), Andy (??) and John (??) . Bikes were quickly off-loaded from the trailer and we started to kit up for the next exciting ride.
It was time to go and play in the river.
We rode to close proximity of the local village and then the fun really started. The children came down to the river to watch the bunch of old men, play on their bikes in the mud and sand. It was after all a public holiday and eventually the entire village had come to join in the fun and festivities next to the river.
Goodie bags were brought out and sweets, etc were handed out to the children.
Graham, Director of Operations sitting pretty in his chair and his Principle Consultant, Robin, shouting out directions and giving advise to the Actors, who are now seriously engaged with providing the locals with entertainment for the rest of the day.
Darryl, the Lead Actor, who plays the driver of a 4x4, which does not belong to him. Darryl and Andy, (who did not have their bikes) drove in one back-up 4x4 providing moral support and that much needed rescue tonic to keep the boys on their feet for the rest of the day. Jep, Beer, that cool refreshing brew packed into the back of the wagon, safely protected by ice. Lots and lots of ice. Some-where there was method in the madness of Kevin who loaded more ice into his own back-up 4x4, than a mortuary could load up to it’s ceilings.
The day’s entertainment for the now large gathering of the local community on this Public Holiday. Darryl drove one 4x4 back-up vehicle and Kevin the other. As we boys on the bikes were having so much fun driving across the rivers and sandbanks, we thought is only fair, that our 4x4 Back-Up Crew, also had fun in the mud and sand. Darryl, clearly under a large strain of fatigue after driving up all the way from Klerksdorp to join his good mate, Ross, on the trip, managed to get his 4x4 drowned in the river. The wagon sank away fast in the mud. I personally think, the reason for the mishap, was the weight of the liquid supply at the back of the wagon …. And all the ice, to keep the refreshments cool.
Like 2 real Hollywood SuperStars, Shaun and Keving, quickly jumped in behind the drowned wagon , through some mud and water over their clean T-Shirts and shouted to me to take a photo of them, so that they could show their wives back home, it was them who dug out the 4x4, all on their own.
OK.. so they helped a little bit, let’s give them credit. APPLAUSE EVERYONE.
In the background, Kevin’s 4x4 which was used to rescue Darryl’s vehicle, which eventually was rescued by Mike’s 4x4 and then Mike rescued Darryl’s 4x4.
Like said earlier, there really is video footage, which will be posted shortly here or with links to Walkerville Rangers Off-Road MCC Facebook site.
So ended Day 2, with laughing and singing from the local community at Oliphants River. We were entertained by the kids singing Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrica - South Africa's National Anthem
….and wait for it…… you get to hear and see it on video. We even got a rendition of “Uit die blou van onse hemel, Uit die diepte van ons see, Oor ons ewige gebergtes, Waar die kranse antwoord gee,” in Afrikaans. Who said, the old South Africa National Anthem has died. It’s alive and well, living along the Oliphants River in a Village outside Penge. The 24th September 2009, was in fact South Africa’s celebration of National Heritage Day and what better way to celebrate it, with good people and friends.
Night 2: Oom Piet's Backyard and the big storm
Will be updated shortly with storyline and photo's. It get's much more exciting, so please feel free to come back.
