Golden City Club Shoot

Saturday and Sunday were two days of eating, drinking, sleeping, dreaming shooting.

The longest shooting days we have ever had.

The heat was extreme and the dust with all the new ranges being build for the SA Champs at Golden City next year left us hot and bothered.

Not enough to take away the sheer joy of shooting.

Ten stages with minimum of 179 shots and we decided to shoot Standard and Production Divisions. That meant twenty stages and loads of ammo.

Richard was once again very accurate but the time plays havoc with the score when we have these jams

I had one really disastrous round where the Range Officer had to unjam my gun it was that
bad.

Sunday was Production Class for us with our CZ Shadow 9mms.

My time improved vastly and once again we learned loads.

One thing that is a great advantage learned today, but took two or three stages to master was that the first shot in Production is mostly double action unless told otherwise in the stage brief. Now we learned that you can half cock the hammer and it is still deemed double action on the first shot.

Much easier when you get the hang of it.

Thanks to everyone that shot with us.

Tori Decides To Sew

Busy As A Bee

Last Sunday Tor got a bee in her bonnet and decided she wanted to sew.

Warren dropped her off and we started with once of the Barbie dolls dresses.

I have only being sewing straight doing my quilts lately so it must be about thirty years since I did any dress sewing.

It didn't turn out too bad and I thought that was the end of her fancy idea.

The Final Product

But no go.

On Wednesday she decided it was a dress for her that was to be done and off we set first to
buy the pattern and material.

Loads of finger pricks, fitting, cutting and sewing and we had a dress to wear.

We did cheat a bit and selected an easy pattern but we are quite proud of our creation.

She decided we will call our collection the "E & V Collection"

I had a super time with you Tor - Thanks.

Golden City Club Shoot

We arrived back from the Namaqualand Flower tour to beautiful weather. Good enough to pack away the winter jackets and jerseys.

Lo and behold this morning we woke up to an icy wind and it is shooting day, so out come the warm woollies again.




 It's the Cape's fault - it is snowing

down there again.

In the end our weather turned out lovely but then again when we start shooting, then the elements are non existent to us.

Once again Richard was very accurate -  just a few jams today. Three full house stages.
My gun is still not feeding properly (not making excuses)and I went through all the teasing of not straightening my arms and having limp wrists.  Richard and I then changed guns and he had had the jams. Whew was I relieved - I wouldn't have heard the end of it.

Thanks Heinrich, Tinus, Albert, Glenn, JP and Erwin - it was good shooting with you and thanks for all the tips.

Once again I had an absolutely awesome time. I always do when I shoot.

Day 7 - Namaqualand Flower Tour

The Last Night at Palmhof - Kakemas

Last night we had everything packed, showered and hair washed because we had to be ready for a 0400 departure.

All on the trip have been very punctual on each morning.

0730 we arrived at Oliefantshoek to breakfast at Gelukdam B & B.

0800 went past the Sishen Mine.
The bulk of Kumba’s iron ore production comes from Sishen

The Huge Flower Postbox - Calvinia

mine, located in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province near the mining town of Kathu. Opened in 1947, Sishen mine is Kumba’s flagship operation and one of the largest open-pit mines in the world. It operates 24/7 and in 2011 produced 38,9 million tonnes (Mtpa) of iron ore.

Flowers Galore to Remembered

Sishen mine has sufficient resources to sustain a 21-year production. Most of Sishen mine’s iron ore was exported, with around 6,2Mt of its production being supplied to Arcelo rMittal South Africa in 2011. All mining is done by open-cast methods, with ore transported to the plant where it is crushed, screened and beneficiated. Kumba is the only haematite ore producer in the world to fully beneficiate its product, made possible through dense medium separation (DMS) and jig technology. The Jig Plant at Sishen mine is the largest of its type in the world. Iron ore products, conforming to different chemical and physical specifications, are produced at this mine.

Homeward bound we pass through Kuruman, Vryburg, Delareyville, Sannieshof, Coligny, Ventersdorp and finally back in Muldersfrift to be collected.
I would love to know how many

The Mad Hatters Tea Party

kilometers we have travelled - Peter should you read this please let me know.
We have had a super time and van tick another two items off our bucket list - flower and Augrabies Falls but  I am going to be very  happy chappie in my own bed tonight
 
Thank you to Riana and Peter for organization and safe travelling.
Thank you to Tilda, my Spook and her sweet sister Christine. Keep making daisy chains.
Thank you to Liza, an absolutely delightful lady.
Thank you to Willie-Willie and Anita, hope you enjoy all you photos
Thank you to Christa and Leisbet - vir jou Liesbet het ek geniet.
Thank you to Nico and Elaine, I am sure we will see you again.
Thank you to Magda, you arrived sad but left with a smile.
Thank you Ilze and Whilda, Richard is saving a half-jack in memory.
Thank you Annette, enjoy your grandkids and your jeripicko when you get home.
It was lovely and we are pleased we did this trip.

Day 6 - Namaqualand Flower Tour

Breakfast at Jakkalswater

Augrabies Falls

Breakfast at 0730 with the young son, Alwyn, preparing our meal. He was very fancy with garnishes of strawberry on the yogurt and orange twirls on the main plate.
We are off to the Augrabies National Park passing through Springbok which is about thirty km from Nabebeep, travelling northeast.
Poffadder which only has a population of 500. No chemist or doctor and all businesses like the petrol station, cafe, etc owned by one family. The town is named after "Klass Poffadder" - a Khoisan gentleman and not a the snake as everyone surmises.
Directly after Poffadder we enter the region known as Boesmanland which miles and miles of vast flat land.

The Gorge on The Orange River

Augrabies Falls

1100 saw us do a pit stop at
The Augrabies Falls is one of the events of this road trip that I have been waiting for.
It is every bit as beautiful as what I expected and more.
The Augrabies Falls is a waterfall on the Orange River, South Africa, within theAugrabies
Falls National Park. The falls are around 60m in height. The original Khoikhoi residents named the waterfall Ankoerebis, "place of big noises", from which the Trek Boers, who settled here later on, derived the name Augrabies.
The falls have recorded 7,800 cubic metres (280,000 cu ft) of water every second in floods in 1988 (and 6,800 cubic metres Niagara Falls of 2,400 cubic metres (85,000 cu ft) per second, more than four times Niagara's annual average, and greater than Niagara's all-time record of 6,800 cubic metres (240,000 cu ft) per second.
(240,000 cu ft) in the floods of 2006). This is over three times the average high season flow rate of
The gorge at the Augrabies Falls is 240 m deep and 18 km long, and is an impressive example of granite erosion.
Our temperature in this part of the country is 34 deg today and all jackets are packed away.
Tonight we are back in Kakemas for our last night of the trip

Day 5 - Namaqualand Flower Tour

The Rolling Countryside of Flowers

This is another 0700 breakfast. What I would do for a bit of a lie in. The meals at Tharrakamma B & B are scrumtious.

The sun is out and the jackets discarded for the day. Good stuff.

On the way to Garies and through the Kners Flaktes.

The Kners Vlaktes is named such because of the layer of stones that cover this area and as you walk you hear a "crunching" sound. This layer also acts like a ground

Kamiesberg Pass

cover for the soil to retain the moisture for the succulents to flourish.

Entered Namaqualand at 1045. This is where we should see the vast fields of daisies. The sun is out and it all looks good for viewing the flowers.

There are rolling fields of Namaqualand Daisies, Vygies and Gazinias whichever way you look.  When you do the flower tour you must take it as you get it. You may see an abundance of flowers or nothing at all. We were told that two weeks ago it snowed and there was nothing to be seen. We were very fortunate.

The Farm Jakkalswater

We overnight on the farm Jakkalswater in Nabebeep. Supper was grilled  lamb chops, chicken and "skilpadjies" (kidneys and liver wrapped in a lard net) Potato salad with rooster koekies (bread dough shaped like rolls that is basted grilled) I did everything except the Skilpadjies

The farm is powered by solar panels, gas and generator so there was no using the hair dryer. Pony tails for us for the mean time.

We all had to make a head gear of some kind to be admitted into supper and as usual we were way behind time as we were sitting chatting - so it was a last minute affair.
It can be confirmed with absolute surety that we will not win the prize for originality.

We are not good at this kind of thing.

Day 4 - Namaqualand Flower tour

0700 breakfast and off on a chilly, windy morning.

Rooibos Factory

We travel east to Clanwilliam past acres of Rooibos. The vegetation is full and lush all the way.

Strassberger Leather Factory

The Rooibos factory in Clanwilliam produces products made from the Rooibos Products range from tea to beauty creams and soaps and loads more. This area  is the only place in the world where this Rooibos grows. It's end product is exported world wide.

Bushman Painting

The next stop in Clanwilliam was the famous Strassberger Leather Factory where hand made
shoes, belts and hats are made. These products are also distributed country  wide.

Clanwilliam Main Road

We strolled through the Ramskop Nature Reserve which had an abundance of flowers and were even lucky enough to find some bushman paintings hidden in a corner of the reserve. It was really chilly and damp so a whole lot of the flowers were not open.

At Ramskop Nature Reserve

We overnight at in Vredendal at Tharrakamma B & B where our hostess Magda looked after us and spoilt us with a seafood buffet of note. We started with fresh mussel soup and then an array of snoek,  prawns, calamari and pasta. Beautiful salad and then we ended off with "Melktert in a Glass"



Looking forward to a sunny tomorrow - don't want the overcast any more

Day 3 - Namaqualand Flower Tour

Calvinia was a very cold 0 deg last night. We

Niewoudt Falls

froze during night with no extra blanket and a cold shower - think positive - nothing is going to spoil our trip. We just huddled extra close.

Niewoudtsville Waterfall

Nice!

Early 0700 breakfast and we are off to Niewoudtville.  There is fog and a slight drizzle which I hope clears before we get to the Niewoudtville Falls.

The rain lifted just long enough for us to walk down to the waterfalls which is a few kilometers out of Niewoudtsville.  Most amazing this underground water gushing out of the sandstone mountainside. You cannot believe that this is still part of the Karoo - it is lush and green.


The Dutch Reform Congregation in

Niewoudtsvill Dutch Reforem Church

Niewoudtville was established in 1885. In 1906 the cornertone was layed. Pews for 500 are made of oak and the pulpit of white Tafelberg Sand Stone. Beautiful.

Kners Vlaktes

At 1315 we passed the border into the Western Cape Province and through the van Rijn Pass into the Kners Vlakte. The rain has lifted slightly so holding thumbs for good weather.

Van Rynsdorp boasts the largest succulent nursery in the world.  The Kokerboom Nursery has a variety of 500 indigenous species.

Oliphant's River Bridge

We are on our way to Lambert's Bay where we will over night.

The Sishen to Saldahna Railway line is 861 km long and crosses the Oliphants River just outside Lutzville via a

Doring Baai

bridge of 1,035 km.




We took the coastal route passing Doring Baai on the way to Lamberts Bay Where we had to pass through a toll gate even though we were on a gravel road. Staying at the Lamberts Bay Hotel and going to enjoy fresh seafood tonight. 

Still a bit cloudy and low temperatures but looking forward to tommorrow

Day 2 - Namaqualand Flower Tour

Breakfast at iKaya

Ouma Mimi's in Kenhardt

I slept like a log last night seeing that on Wednesday night I was so ill. Now I am ready to enjoy this trip.
 
We had an early 0700 start this morning from Kakemus to do breakfast at iKyaya in Keimoes. Looking out over the river, sitting in the sun we enjoyed full breakfast with croissants to die for.
 
In Kenhardt we stopped at Ouma Mimi's which is a little curio shop in the town and also stocked up on something to drink.  All the roads in this town are gravel except for the main road and the houses date back to early 1900.
 
It is a real relaxed day today. We all got to know each other last night so today there is a whole lot of "leg pulling" going on.

1215 saw us going through Bransvlei in the Karoo on our way to Calvinia.

Pink Tulip

Arrived in Calvinia at about 1430 and quickly shopped at the Spar for some snacks for the road because for the next few days nothing in this area is open on the weekend.

Tonight we overnight at the "Blou Naartjie" (Blue Naartjie) which is one of

Elephant Ear

the original building that went up on the church square in 1874 when the town was established.


We are on the verge of the area where the main flower display is and you can already get a glimpse of them along the roadside. 

The parks in Calvinia area are also in bloom. 

"Blou Naartjie"

We had a local guide that took us round the town. She had grown up in the town and knew all the historical stories about the houses and their owners or tenants.

The temperature has dropped dramatically this afternoon and we are looking forward to a Lamb Shank dinner tonight.

Day 1 - Namaqualand Flower Tour

Very Comfy With Aircon

Slept over at Warren and woke up at 11 feeling like a dog with some bug - a fever and a wobbly inside.

He dropped us off at the Sasol Garage near the Silverstar Casino in Krugersdorp. Left Muldersdfrift at 0500.
We are 17 on the tour including Riana and Peter our tour guides.

The Clan

As we passed the different little towns they would share some interesting information about that town with us. So as I remembered bits and pieces, I will share with you.
First stop at 0700 at Colingy for a pit stop and to pick up two ladies.
Went through Sannieshof at 0830 and passed Barbers Pan

The Orange River

along the way. It is called so because of the abundance of barber fish and then some carp can be caught there too. It is 11 km long and 3,5 km wide, at some place it is 8 m deep.
Passed through Delareyville at 0930 and then another pit stop in Vryburg. Vryburg happens to be the biggest producer of beef in the country and is also the 5th largest municipal district in South Africa.
Crossed over the border into the Northern Cape Province at 1050.
Kuruman our next town has some interesting history. In the centre of the town is "Die Oog" (The Eye) which is a fountain that pumps 20,000,000 litres of water a day no matter what the season. This is also where David Livingston stopped when he was fell ill on one of his trips and had to stop over at the Robert Moffat Missionary Hospital. There he met his wife, Mary Moffat - daughter of the missionary, Robert.

The Famous Kilometer of Date Palms

We passed through Olifantshoek at 1345 and stopped for a pit stop - AGAIN. It is a small neat town.
As you approach Upington the farmers irrigate their lands and all because of the Orange River. This is the longest river in South Africa running from Drakensberg Mountains all the way to the Atlantic Sea. The best table grape and raisin as produced here, mainly for export. Upington used to be the the ideal hideout for robbers and thieves in the late 1800. Many sultana farms are also found on the banks of the river. Here you will also find a 1041 meter avenue comprising of 200 palm date trees. They were planted in 1935 and can be found in the local municipal gardens.
Tonight we overnight in Kakemas. Supper was Babotie with rice and salad.

Emseni Retreat

 





A day of quiet in my busy life.
It is food for my soul.

Many things to ponder over and great relief when I just once again realize that I do not have to do life on my own.
How gracious is the Lord to give me the opportunity to attend  this quiet time with Him
Thank you

Golden City Shooting Club

Saturday saw us out at Golden City Shooting Club again.

It's one of my favourite pastimes as you all know.

We had a really good shoot and Richard had some amazing scores.

I think all the finer points with our reloading is being sorted as on Saturday we only had one or two jams.

We shot with some real good shooters and what I love is that the shooters are always more than willing to help you sort out your faults and help you improve.

I need to work on my grip. I start off correct and somewhere along the line - could be with the mag change - I change it. 

Thanks to Peter, Colin and Alex. We loved shooting with you.

Breakfast in Cullinan

Once again I can not believe how blessed we are to be free enough to pursue what we thought were only dreams.
Yesterday on the spur of the moment we decided to arrange our own mid week breakfast run on our Harleys.

I have to get used to the highways and the longer distances so we planned out a route to Cullinan as it is not too busy but would still be a good exercise for me.

We have not been to Cullinan for about 17 years and memories of the town were very vague.

A bit of info about Cullinan:

Cullinan is a small town 30 km (19 mi) east of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The town is named after diamond magnate Sir Thomas Cullinan.

In 1898 Sir Thomas Cullinan was handed a three carat diamond found along a farm fence. He studied the area and came to the conclusion that the diamond was washed down from a nearby hill. Sir Cullinan made an attempt to buy the land from the owner, Joachim Prinsloo, but could not succeed. After Prinsloo's death, he was able to purchase the land for ₤52,000 from Prinsloo's daughter.

 The Cullinan kimberlite was discovered in 1902 and in 1903 open pit mining commenced. The mine was named the Premier mine.
 
On 25 June 1905, the famed Cullinan Diamond, the largest in the world at 3,106 carats (621 g), was discovered by Frederick George Stanley Wells, surface manager of the Premier Diamond Mining Company. It was bought by the Transvaal government and presented to King Edward VII.
The town of Cullinan owes its existence to the diamond mining in this area, much like Kimberly in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.

 We enjoyed lunch at Harrie's Pancakes and once again loved our ride.