Olivia does the Cape

[seekingserenity]

Bvudzi and I decided to take a bit of time out this weekend and stretch Olivia's legs a little by playing tourist. Yesterday we had an early appointment in Cape Town - and took the long way home. From Durbanville it was off to the Waterfront, then via Seapoint, Camps Bay and Hout Bay, over Constantia Neck, past Muizenberg and home again to Somerset West.

Olivia did brilliantly! But apparently I was driving her "like a car".

So today Bvudzi showed me how to do it. We chucked the kid and his mattress in the back, packed a tray of brownies in the dashboard and hit the road south over Sir Lowry's Pass. It took a while, but we had lunch in Hermanus, then came back the coastal route via Betty's Bay (big sand dune!), Rooiels and Kogel Baai.

Here's a few pics!

And how did Olivia do? Excellently! Slow, but steady and sure - no overheating, no hassles, and fuel use within what I guess could be called "acceptable" levels - fuel shortages notwithstanding.

[Marc Lurie]

Nice pics Michelle. Looks like reasonable weather too.

Who took the one of you and Bvudzi sitting on the rock? :D

[toppa]

Nice pics Michelle. Looks like reasonable weather too.

Who took the one of you and Bvudzi sitting on the rock? :D

:D


Dint know he was so camera shy, he aint even looking when the piccy was taken :D


CHeers

[Roger Whittle]

Err .... Olivia's bumper appears to be missing Michelle. Anything you should have told us about? :) :)

Smashing pictures - is it always like that in South Africa?

Roger.

[K&S]

Smashing pictures - is it always like that in South Africa?

Roger.

Just about. :)

[Marc Lurie]

Smashing pictures - is it always like that in South Africa?

It's nicer when the weather's good. :D

[seekingserenity]

Err .... Olivia's bumper appears to be missing Michelle. Anything you should have told us about? :) :)

Olivia's bumper is currently sitting right outside my window. I've just removed the last of the rivets before it gets the rusty bolts flattened and taken out, then off to be pimped and "gemotified". See our "Sorting out Olivia" thread.. ;) Lots of work ahead on that thing, it's going to go back on looking smashing. (Came off somewhat smashing too, as a dent in my leg still attests to)

But yes, we did bear in mind that there was no bumper when travelling - just in case we came across a Toyota that needed a rear-ending :D

[seekingserenity]

Who took the one of you and Bvudzi sitting on the rock? :D

We stuck the camera on the truck and hit the self-timer! :D

[seekingserenity]

We've been north, we've been south, and on Thursday it was time to be Up. Before we attempt the Sani pass, I need to know how to drive it in my beast. I've had no experience with those two brightly-coloured levers at gear level, but I do now have an expert on hand to show me the ropes.

Bvudzi and I headed out to a nearby 4x4 trail on the slopes of Helderberg mountain for a bit of instruction and a day of fun. There are two routes - one marked blue (easy), one red (diffucult). We attempted the first red uphill we came to (first pic), but quickly realized Olivia's tyres didn't have the required grip at the back to get onto it! So on with the blue it was. There was a bit of a hairy-scary at the first turn, which required some manipulating to get past, and then Bvudzi decided to try the small red section that cut across to the blue one....

That's the start of it in the second pic - the straight-up bit. Photos don't do it justice! Pics 3 & 4 show the view from the top, and the tracks Olivia made almost not hitting it.... But we did it, and I got back into the driver's seat to further my education and leave Bvudzi to recover his breath.

Mid-way up there's a fantastic viewpoint. We stopped to admire the Peninsula in a howling gale-force wind, and decided to seek out a more sheltered place for lunch. We eventually found it at the top of the blue route, right near the cliff face and at the start of the final red circular trail (unattempted - there was no way we were going to try it as it was very steep and strewn with large rocks, as well as still being damp-slippery from recent rains). It was also the turn-around blue route point, which required some more spotting and obeying (I'm getting there, but I'm stubborn :D). Pic 7 shows the "angle of dangle" involved in getting up the slope backwards in order to turn around.

We headed down the way we'd come up with a view to completing another half-circle mid-way up. It was marked blue, but... well - about half-way down the road kinda disappeared over the slope! It was gingerly down, waaaaayyyy down. But the worst was yet to come. Only one way out - and the one point of the trip where I nearly k@kked myself. The road was near-vertical, deeply rutted, clay-soil-slippery with assorted rocks both loose and jutting out. We walked it, examined it, Bvudzi was sent to spot and direct, I took a seriously deep breath and a small running start, and hit the juice for all I was worth! I didn't see Bvudz. If he had time to give direction, I didn't notice it. I just went up. I thought I was going to either roll, head off into the bush, or slide backwards down into a very very steep ravine behind me somewhere near the top - and Bvudzi says all 4 of the wheels were in the air at one point. But the old girl got up, engine screaming and wheels scrabbling for grip for all she was worth. The rest of the rather steep uphills and bone-jarring ruts/rocks were a walk in the park in comparison! My heart finally settled down about an hour later.

Our final leg led us down through the farm's vineyards. We stopped for a photo op half-way. The final pic is a stitch of the panorama from our vantage point.

There was one more sticky bit getting past a large rock in the trail. One scrape and a few turns of the wheel later we were over it.

Right near the bottom of the route was a nice patch of mud. Bvudzi got into the driver's seat again to show how it was done, and also demonstrated the "crab walk" midway, leaving some lovely sideways slide marks.

(I got my chance to try mud/water today "offroading" across a shortcut between shopping centre and highway - much to the detriment of my brakes for a while afterward, as they got somewhat drenched. Meantime I got an earful about "puddles"... :D )

All in all it was a great day out with a steep (and sometimes slippery) learning curve, but great fun was had. I can't wait to try the next trail! :)

But first we have a bit of a to-do list to sort out. See this (http://www.landrovernet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93378). And add in tyres.

[justMike]

it's good to see the auld girl's got what it takes...

Olivia didn't do too badly either.. :p

<duckin..

[seekingserenity]

You'd better duck! I have a good arm and excellent aim.. :D

[upiker2005]

Nice one Seeking.

(Sounds great fun face)

[Jode]

Err .... Olivia's bumper appears to be missing Michelle. Anything you should have told us about? :) :)

Smashing pictures - is it always like that in South Africa?

Roger.
This time of the year, Cape Town is often under rain (at least, that's what the SA Met office reports via SABC news every night now!).

Cheers.

[bvudzichena]

This time of the year, Cape Town is often under rain (at least, that's what the SA Met office reports via SABC news every night now!).

Cheers.

Don't believe everything you see or hear on the SABC...

[K&S]

Pic 7 shows the "angle of dangle" involved in getting up the slope backwards in order to turn around.



I must admit to being extremely apprehensive of side slopes; have had two very nasty experiences. First occasion the landy lifted both left wheels off the ground and only a quick thinking (and fortunately large friend) hung onto the side of the roof rack and it stayed like that until another spectator joined and brought everything back to earth again and then the other day I leant the landy onto an earth embankment. Fortunately the only damage was to the paint work and my pride. I think I'll have to get one of those stickers that say "If you can read this then roll me over".

[Roger Whittle]

You've had Olivia how long Michelle? And you're telling me that was the first time you challenged her with serious climbs and obstacles?

I've got a Disco II auto I use for work and even I've done terrible things to it. :D About the worst was the off road course at Billing last year - didn't do it this year because I've got a latched SLABS fault that turns off the Traction Control ...... and my model doesn't have a diff lock. :(


See you soon. :)

Roger.

[seekingserenity]

You've had Olivia how long Michelle? And you're telling me that was the first time you challenged her with serious climbs and obstacles?

Yup, 'fraid so. Thing is this - up until now she hasn't had the mechanical vooma to do so! Nor have I had the confidence to attempt it - driving to work and back with various jerks and the fear of things falling apart had me hesitant to venture far from the beaten path. Bear in mind that she only really got back on the road 2 months ago!

But a lot has been sorted out in the last 3 weeks, and I'm no longer handling her with kid gloves. It's time to treat her like a REAL Landy and take her places.

[Roger Whittle]

So, does that mean you and Bvudzi are definitely on the Sani Pass trip? :)

Roger.

[seekingserenity]

Barring (or in spite of) major disaster, it's a definite! Looking forward to it, provided I survive Bvudzi's driver training beforehand... :D

[Jode]

Problem with the Landie (especially coil sprung - like mine, not yours) is they've got a high centre of gravity. We've never rolled, but side slopes are a definite cautionary experience. And friends had a blow-out at 120k/hr which resulted in a roll and two deaths.

Sobering.

Cheers.

[seekingserenity]

One year on - same road. Olivia's looking a little different... ;)

[Roger Whittle]

One year on - same road. Olivia's looking a little different... ;)


Business like, I think is the expression Michelle. :) The aerials look particularly tasty. :D

Roger.

[seekingserenity]

The aerials look particularly tasty. :D

Rog - you a little short of iron in the diet lately? :D

She does look awesome, but I admit I'm feeling that extra weight of bumper, roofrack etc.

[lrswb]

I am sure I saw Olivia this morning around 08h30 between Blackheath and Kuilsriver. I only realised it was Olivia when I was already past her as I was on my way to Somerset West. I didn’t see the driver, but Olivia was striking! :D

[bvudzichena]

I am sure I saw Olivia this morning around 08h30 between Blackheath and Kuilsriver. I only realised it was Olivia when I was already past her as I was on my way to Somerset West. I didn’t see the driver, but Olivia was striking! :D

Hello and welcome to the forums!

That was me driving :D

Did you see the beast on La Belle or on Old Paarl Rd? Was I behind a truckload of very stressed pigs on their way to the abatoir?

[lrswb]

Luckily I missed the beast! Must be after I passed :eek: