Post by eteen on Dec 31, 2015 13:38:46 GMT 2
Hello readers & enthusiasts alike!
In late August of this year I purchased a 1991 NA-model MX-5 with the intent to restore the car for the coming December holidays and to start off my personal "Have-to-Have" automobile bucket list.
We (my soon to be fiancé) planned a ten day driving trip starting in Pretoria to Cape Town and back.
And so we departed one very early morning as to avoid unnecessary traffic and to be able to relax at our first overnight stop - Graaf-Reinet.
It's a fairly dull road leading towards Bloemfontein, Colesberg and Middelburg (EC), but we discovered a small piece of hilly-curvy heaven just before the R61 off-ramp on the N9.
Later that afternoon on our way going out for dinner, I discovered that I had left the lights on (but put them down). Luckily the Lodge personnel assisted us with great kindness - lending a hand (and jumper cables), I gave the assistant a quick guide to jump-starting a vehicle using cable leads. Trading knowledge for a favor sort of thing. What a lovely place Graaf-Reinet is, same as its residents.
Leaving again early the following morning we passed through Aberdeen, Willowmore and Uniondale on a dry & dusty road, wind as hot as hell. Entering the Western Cape lead us onto some picturesque ribbons of tarmac, then the piece de resistance : the Outeniqua Mountain Pass. You simply have to experience this yourself! That's all about that.
Driving through a buzzing George, we rather decided to have brunch in Mosselbaai, after which we hit the road again heading for the Cape Winelands via the N2 and then the R60 outside Swellendam. We treated ourselves for two nights in Robertson, visiting some beloved vineyards & winemakers in and around the valley. I could write a whole new page about this region, just love the residents and scenery!
On our third leg of the trip we left Robertson behind heading towards Muizenberg. Along the way we passed by Villiersdorp en route to Franschoek and stumbled across yet another winding road - the R45. The experience lasted for about two minutes until we caught up with a tanker carrier, which gave us the opportunity to slow right down and enjoy the scenery. I would love to visit this road again on a quiet day, some bikers would have me agree!
Upon entering Cape Town (Muizenberg to be more specific) we booked into a well situated & luxurious lodge for four nights of relaxation.
Driving in and around Cape Town is not even vaguely similar to Johannesburg or Pretoria. I used to cover 130km per day to the office and back, through two major cities and its traffic which was horrible. Even taking a trip to the Waterfront via the M3 during the December rush was not unpleasant in peak traffic. Just put the roof down and cruise idly by.
A couple of remarkable roads we used during our very brief stay in Cape Town was (only to name a few), the Ou Kaapse Weg leading towards Houtbaai, Main Road/M4 through Kalk Baai towards Simon's Town and Chapman's Peak (of course - of course!).
As a 'Vaalie, I thank the residents and road users of Cape Town for not whining about road congestion or only sticking it to GP number plates. Slowing down, being polite and courteous allows for a pleasant driving experience for all users during the rush.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. I love Cape Town.
Which is one of many reasons why I proposed to the lady of my life in Simon's Town! After sharing the moment quietly between the two of us, we drove up Chapman's Peak to announce our engagement.
Late one morning we left a sunny Muizenberg behind as we headed in the direction of the Breede Rivier Valley, along the way we made a couple of stops - one of which was the Taal Monument in Paarl where we shared ice-cream in the shade then drove on.
The N1 threats its users with some scenic views of vineyards and steep mountains upon entering the valley through the Huguenot Tunnel.
Taking care not the speed limit, one can slow down a little bit and drop a gear or two - the MX-5 makes a good noise in a tunnel (I reveal in fear of sounding like a real 'Vaalie).
One can easily miss the R101 exit due to the scenery, luckily this is something that I learnt a while ago passing through during winter.
Not too far down the road we took a left onto Slanghoek Road - also known as the road that takes you to Ceres.
During our stay we visited some wineries and had to travel to Worcester for dinner, as the restaurants and Bistro's near Slanghoek close late afternoon. We stayed in the valley for two nights and left at 10pm on the second evening after a short sleep, with a long way back home.
A full moon drive that evening, I queued "The Doors - Riders on the Storm" as we left our lodging. Amazed at the bright stars and glimmering mountains, one pair of vary visible stars showed up on the road servitude: They might belong to a wandering Vaalribbok (Vaal Rhebuck) or similar small antelope. This was a braking test like no other - 70km/h to zero, with the chance of hitting some small game in the middle of nowhere. Well, we evaded the crossing antelope with our hearts beating in our thoughts - my legs were numb for a couple of miles, but the MX showed true mettle! Those four disc brakes sure helped.
After filling up in Worcester, we headed home via the N1 again trying to avoid unnecessary traffic - only to run into the worst disobedience of road traffic rules and regulations that I have ever experienced!
To describe the scene; Heading towards Beaufort-West on the N1, starting from Worcester through De Doorns and Touws Rivier,
Hundreds of Maxi Taxi's (Toyota Ses'fikile and alike) fully laden while towing trailers overtook us on ascending hills during a double yellow line section on a single lane highway, three-to-five at a time, heading straight into oncoming traffic, forcing them to pull into the emergency lane in order to avoid a head-on collision!
This showed utter disregard for safety, both their passengers' and other road users' lives. This game of Chicken carried on until we were beyond Beaufort-West. It took us just over five hours to complete the 350-odd kilometer frayed leg of the trip.
After a couple of stops en route, we halted in Colesberg for a quick kip. Not the most comfortable nap that I have ever had, but it helped a lot! The way to Beaufort-West had taken a toll on my nerves.
Further north we had a pleasant trip towards the Freestate, only downside was the heat wave - which was exacerbated by the absence of an air-conditioning unit. We wilted in cabin, yet the little Red kept going strong! We made a brief stop in Welkom to share the news of our engagement with some our relatives (and to take a quick swim).
Only 330km to go on a very hot and dusty road, I was growing aware that the little Red may be wearing a little thin. The transmission tunnel heated up considerably, toasting the cabin. Yet, the engine ran cool as it always does - so we opened up the windows and zipped the rear window down to allow for some proper ventilation. This lasted for fifteen minutes 'till we experienced some well-deserved drops of rain in the Freestate.
Finally home, we unpacked and settled down for a nice glass of wine and a home cooked meal.
I gave the little Red a bath the following morning (Christmas Day) before heading towards the northern suburbs of Johannesburg for a day spent with the family.
All said, the initial idea was to make the car part of the trip instead of using it as a tool for getting us from A to B, and it did so much more than that. It crept into our hearts.
The little Red - the car we first held hands in as a newly engaged couple, that took us safely through a 4000km round trip without letting us down even once, that showed us a spectacular time through some of the most beautiful places.
Here's to a brilliant car!
In late August of this year I purchased a 1991 NA-model MX-5 with the intent to restore the car for the coming December holidays and to start off my personal "Have-to-Have" automobile bucket list.
We (my soon to be fiancé) planned a ten day driving trip starting in Pretoria to Cape Town and back.
And so we departed one very early morning as to avoid unnecessary traffic and to be able to relax at our first overnight stop - Graaf-Reinet.
It's a fairly dull road leading towards Bloemfontein, Colesberg and Middelburg (EC), but we discovered a small piece of hilly-curvy heaven just before the R61 off-ramp on the N9.
Later that afternoon on our way going out for dinner, I discovered that I had left the lights on (but put them down). Luckily the Lodge personnel assisted us with great kindness - lending a hand (and jumper cables), I gave the assistant a quick guide to jump-starting a vehicle using cable leads. Trading knowledge for a favor sort of thing. What a lovely place Graaf-Reinet is, same as its residents.
Leaving again early the following morning we passed through Aberdeen, Willowmore and Uniondale on a dry & dusty road, wind as hot as hell. Entering the Western Cape lead us onto some picturesque ribbons of tarmac, then the piece de resistance : the Outeniqua Mountain Pass. You simply have to experience this yourself! That's all about that.
Driving through a buzzing George, we rather decided to have brunch in Mosselbaai, after which we hit the road again heading for the Cape Winelands via the N2 and then the R60 outside Swellendam. We treated ourselves for two nights in Robertson, visiting some beloved vineyards & winemakers in and around the valley. I could write a whole new page about this region, just love the residents and scenery!
On our third leg of the trip we left Robertson behind heading towards Muizenberg. Along the way we passed by Villiersdorp en route to Franschoek and stumbled across yet another winding road - the R45. The experience lasted for about two minutes until we caught up with a tanker carrier, which gave us the opportunity to slow right down and enjoy the scenery. I would love to visit this road again on a quiet day, some bikers would have me agree!
Upon entering Cape Town (Muizenberg to be more specific) we booked into a well situated & luxurious lodge for four nights of relaxation.
Driving in and around Cape Town is not even vaguely similar to Johannesburg or Pretoria. I used to cover 130km per day to the office and back, through two major cities and its traffic which was horrible. Even taking a trip to the Waterfront via the M3 during the December rush was not unpleasant in peak traffic. Just put the roof down and cruise idly by.
A couple of remarkable roads we used during our very brief stay in Cape Town was (only to name a few), the Ou Kaapse Weg leading towards Houtbaai, Main Road/M4 through Kalk Baai towards Simon's Town and Chapman's Peak (of course - of course!).
As a 'Vaalie, I thank the residents and road users of Cape Town for not whining about road congestion or only sticking it to GP number plates. Slowing down, being polite and courteous allows for a pleasant driving experience for all users during the rush.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. I love Cape Town.
Which is one of many reasons why I proposed to the lady of my life in Simon's Town! After sharing the moment quietly between the two of us, we drove up Chapman's Peak to announce our engagement.
Late one morning we left a sunny Muizenberg behind as we headed in the direction of the Breede Rivier Valley, along the way we made a couple of stops - one of which was the Taal Monument in Paarl where we shared ice-cream in the shade then drove on.
The N1 threats its users with some scenic views of vineyards and steep mountains upon entering the valley through the Huguenot Tunnel.
Taking care not the speed limit, one can slow down a little bit and drop a gear or two - the MX-5 makes a good noise in a tunnel (I reveal in fear of sounding like a real 'Vaalie).
One can easily miss the R101 exit due to the scenery, luckily this is something that I learnt a while ago passing through during winter.
Not too far down the road we took a left onto Slanghoek Road - also known as the road that takes you to Ceres.
During our stay we visited some wineries and had to travel to Worcester for dinner, as the restaurants and Bistro's near Slanghoek close late afternoon. We stayed in the valley for two nights and left at 10pm on the second evening after a short sleep, with a long way back home.
A full moon drive that evening, I queued "The Doors - Riders on the Storm" as we left our lodging. Amazed at the bright stars and glimmering mountains, one pair of vary visible stars showed up on the road servitude: They might belong to a wandering Vaalribbok (Vaal Rhebuck) or similar small antelope. This was a braking test like no other - 70km/h to zero, with the chance of hitting some small game in the middle of nowhere. Well, we evaded the crossing antelope with our hearts beating in our thoughts - my legs were numb for a couple of miles, but the MX showed true mettle! Those four disc brakes sure helped.
After filling up in Worcester, we headed home via the N1 again trying to avoid unnecessary traffic - only to run into the worst disobedience of road traffic rules and regulations that I have ever experienced!
To describe the scene; Heading towards Beaufort-West on the N1, starting from Worcester through De Doorns and Touws Rivier,
Hundreds of Maxi Taxi's (Toyota Ses'fikile and alike) fully laden while towing trailers overtook us on ascending hills during a double yellow line section on a single lane highway, three-to-five at a time, heading straight into oncoming traffic, forcing them to pull into the emergency lane in order to avoid a head-on collision!
This showed utter disregard for safety, both their passengers' and other road users' lives. This game of Chicken carried on until we were beyond Beaufort-West. It took us just over five hours to complete the 350-odd kilometer frayed leg of the trip.
After a couple of stops en route, we halted in Colesberg for a quick kip. Not the most comfortable nap that I have ever had, but it helped a lot! The way to Beaufort-West had taken a toll on my nerves.
Further north we had a pleasant trip towards the Freestate, only downside was the heat wave - which was exacerbated by the absence of an air-conditioning unit. We wilted in cabin, yet the little Red kept going strong! We made a brief stop in Welkom to share the news of our engagement with some our relatives (and to take a quick swim).
Only 330km to go on a very hot and dusty road, I was growing aware that the little Red may be wearing a little thin. The transmission tunnel heated up considerably, toasting the cabin. Yet, the engine ran cool as it always does - so we opened up the windows and zipped the rear window down to allow for some proper ventilation. This lasted for fifteen minutes 'till we experienced some well-deserved drops of rain in the Freestate.
Finally home, we unpacked and settled down for a nice glass of wine and a home cooked meal.
I gave the little Red a bath the following morning (Christmas Day) before heading towards the northern suburbs of Johannesburg for a day spent with the family.
All said, the initial idea was to make the car part of the trip instead of using it as a tool for getting us from A to B, and it did so much more than that. It crept into our hearts.
The little Red - the car we first held hands in as a newly engaged couple, that took us safely through a 4000km round trip without letting us down even once, that showed us a spectacular time through some of the most beautiful places.
Here's to a brilliant car!
!!!!
so now I need to do this trip 
and your post has A LOT of help for me 
) I have hired the Rock Race way this Saturday 24 June, if you would like to come onto the track and use the strip you are welcomed to will be R300 per person.