pgjonker.co.za

Part 1 of 3

By PG Jonker

Easter weekend, 22 May 2011

Departure

It feels pretty stress free to depart for Gouritsmond without towing the caravan – as we do over December holidays.  This time we rented a house, so no reason to take the mobile house along.  The incidental benefit thereof is that there is no rush to get there to start making camp. A leisurely drive is sufficient.

The teenagers depart some time before us.  A convoy of three cars full of teenagers will meet each other at the Wynland Engen outgoing, to travel together.

The rest of my outfit follows some half an hour later.  Doors locked, windows closed, alarm set, Neighbourhood Watch and neighbours alerted. And off we go.

We travel via Montagu where we need to drop off our second hand bulldog with relatives.  Bully is very happy to go along.  Once she gets wind of some packing going on, she plants herself underneath the vehicle and refuse to move – until she notices her bed being packed in the back of the bakkie.  Even then it takes some planning to catch her.  For some odd reason she does not respond like other dogs when se gets called.  It never ceases to amaze me that so much stupidity can be concentrated in one dog.

There is a festive atmosphere at the Wynland Engen about 10km’s from home where we need to fill up.  Bikers, a convoy of caravanners, taxi’s, you name is.

It is the first of the colder wintry days.  In Robertson a restaurant sports the banner:   “Dros Welcomes all bikers.” Mmm…. Good thinking, nuh?

As you leave Robertson there is a traffic sign indicating that you may not hitch hike.  True to South African nature, this has become the preferred hitch hiking spot.

When we reach Ashton we run into a wild wind.

At Montagu’s Seven-Eleven a lady is merrily licking on her ice cream in freezing wheather.

On the farm the Boerboel and the Jack Russel is very happy to see our bulldog.  Especially the Jack Russel.  If he was a human, he would have been locked up long ago for being a serial rapist.

New roads

After a good breadfast on the farm we hit the road.  Time to try a new road.

From Montagu we travel on the R62 through Barrydale.  Some 16 km’s past Barrydale we turn right on the Brandrivier road.

The gravel road is very good.  The next notice board makes us feel safe.

Over the next 35 km’s we encounter two other vehicles.

Reaching the tar road again, we turned right, and travel through the Garcia pass into Riversdale.

In Riversdale I get lost in my endeavours to find the N2 (no, really).

Now we hit the heavy traffic.  We manage 100km/h, but with a string of vehicles as far as you can see.  Fortunately the guys with the caravans were rather accommodating, making way with their rigs for the rest of us to pass.

And then, by 13h10, we arrive at Gouritsmond.

And the really wonderful thing is, I do not have to pitch a campsite for the next five hours!  The house is there.  The kitchen needs no unpacking.  Admittedly, it felt a bit like cheating to drive past the caravan park and not turn in there.

Ag, it feels good.

Part 2 to follow