Golden City Club Shoot

So it seems like we have fallen off the radar. No such thing...........but in a future post I will

Corne and Fred Taking A Break

reveal all.

As for now - it was doing what we best love.

Saturday was Golden City Club, so with going back to basic and shooting the correct manner on our minds we tackled the course.

No pushing for great times we set about our task.

Can't Wait To Shoot

Eight stages with so many plates it felt like a Steel Challenge at times. Some swingers (which I proudly hit),
plenty shot had to be taken through apertures, shooting strong hand unsupported and a few real far, far mini targets.

We shot with some RO's so we were carefully watched for safety but it all adds to getting used to shooting under any circumstance and getting the experience for greater competitions.

As usual I loved it so thanks to Fred our RO that kept us on out toes, Corne, Hans and Johan.

Pretoria Steel Challenge

Off to church first on Sunday morning - still with a chill in the air.

New Talent on the Horizon

What I enjoy about Steel Challenge in Pretoria is - Everything.

Every time we  shoot Steel challenge in Pretoria we get a tiny bit better because there is always someone with some advise on how to improve.

The smiles and joking, the soup and encouragement all adds up to one of my favourite places to shoot.

Thanks once again Guys for making Richard and I feel so welcome.

                                                    Not Too Shabby Jon

One of your RO's even encouraged Jon's family to shoot. Who knows we might get them hooked on shooting.

Central Gauteng League - Golden City Club

RO Making Sure

Well the cold definitely came and surprised us with it's swift arrival.

Grant Helping Us Chrono

It's Saturday morning and we are padded and gloved up and ready to shoot our second League Shoot.

Some people make me very nervous with their over emphasizing of the safety rules, especially to me - the newby, so I definitely didn't worry about time - as long as I was not DQed.

Still I enjoyed the shoot and our squad was good to shoot with.

I think overall it was a difficult shoot as quite a few shooters came into the club house moaning about having a bad day. Not to worry fellas, they are just gearing you up for Nationals
                                                 Grant Showing Us How

Thanks to Grant, Jim, Heintz, MZ, Ebrahim and Wanda for the day.

Also special thanks to Grant for helping us chrono our ammo.

All enjoy you Nationals!

Harley Ride - Mashadodorp - Home

We are further south now and last night Graskop was pretty chilly. We had to put an extra blanket on during the night even though the wall heaters were going.

Big Swing at Graskop

This morning we decided to set off for Sabie and once again peolpe we chatted to

Schoeman's Kloof Pass

warned about certain roads being very bad
.
Just 10 km into Long Tom pass is a road to Montrose which took us through the Schoeman's Kloof Pass on a magnificent road with magic scenery.

We did our usual coffee and munchies stops along the way and by lunch time we were near Mashadodorp.

The wind was picking up and the cold was setting in and since we had been to Mashadodorp many times we decided to hit the road straight home.

We were beaten about by the wind for the next two hours and had to be super vigilant with all the massive cargo trucks that seemed to suck you in but eventually we drove up the home drive all safe and sound.

More than 1000km behind us - my longest trip ever.

My bum loved my new saddle and I can't wait for the next trip.

Harley Trip - Graskop

Abel Erasmus Pass

This morning we filled up in Tzaneen town and next destination is Graskop.

Richard in the Distance

We followed the R 36 by recommendation because the R526 is apparently very bad.

For the first 30km we couldn't go faster than 60 kmph for fear of the potholes and then the overwhelming amount of taxis that stop any and everywhere on this road.

Once past that we were virtually the only people on the road again and had a magnificent ride over the mountains and through the Strydom Tunnel.

The Abel Erasmus Pass leads from Limpopo into Mpumalanga along the edge of the Blyde River Canyon, and is the gateway to the Panorama Route. From the Olifants River Valley, the Abel Erasmus Pass climbs up lichen-clad mountain slopes in a dizzying series of bends and curves.

We stopped at various lookout points and Three Rondavels and God's Window and then into Graskop to spend the the night.

God's Window

The town of Graskop is perched on a spur of the Mauchsberg at an altitude of 1,493 meters and dates back to 1837, when Andries Potgieter passed through with the Great Trek of the Voortrekkers in search of greener pastures in the north.

In his memoirs he mentions leaving the women folk on a "grassy peak" now know as Graskop, while he went down the escarpment in search of an ox wagon route to Delgoa Bay - now Maputo, Mozambique

Harley Trip - Tzaneen

Richard at Tzaneen Dam

Not sure what Richard Is Doing

A full breakfast at our leisure with the owner of Afrique du Sud joining us and then on the road.
This is the best time to go on a trip when all the kids are at school - the roads are dead quiet.
Our next stop is Tzaneen and what I looked forward to the most was the road through Magoebaskloof.
Reminiscent of a funfair ride, the series of twisting S-bends and hairpins on Magoebaskloof Pass, between Tzaneen and Haenertsburg, rapidly drops 558 metres over 6,5 kilometres, offering plenty of thrills for motorbikers as well as drivers. It’s fringed with pine and eucalyptus plantations, leaving just a few tantalising glimpses of green valleys and Afromontane forests, the most extensive in South Africa after the Garden Route.
The R71 road to Tzaneen meanders casually up the fertile Magoebaskloof Valley for the last 13 kilometres, past avocado orchards and tea plantations. Dark green pines are reflected in the Magoebaskloof Dam on the Politsi River; the ‘beware of the hippo’ sign is no joke and these waters also harbour crocodiles.

Magoebaskloof Pass

Feels like you are the only person on the

Avispark Lodge

planet then you drop into the town of Tzaneen as you ride over the Tzaneen Dam.
I wanted to go back to the top and do it all over again.
We did 220 km which is just what we are aiming to do to get ourselves ready for our West Coast trip.
Looking forward to a steak and good wine tonight and then we will decide where to tomorrow.

Harley Trip - Naboomsruit.

This morning we left home at about 10:30 all packed with this new approach of ours that we

Afrique de Sud - Lovely

have to travel lighter.
We are also learning to slow down on our travels and even if we do just as we did today, that is the way to go.
We did 260km and stopped along the way for a cup of coffee - no hurry.
First stop is Naboomspruit which is now called Mookgophong. I rather call it by it's old name because of all the trees (Nabome) that you find in this area.
We took a drive out to Lekkerrus where the mineral springs are but sadly these places are just not what they were so we decided to travel back to town and find a B & B.
Tonight we overnight with a lovely lady who owns Afrique du Sud B & B. Spacious and comfortable with a lovely breakfast waiting for us tomorrow morning.
Now anyone who knows us will know that the Spur and the Wimpy are not our favourite places to eat but unfortunately that is the only place where we could get a bite this evening.
No worries, we are in the holiday mode and not complaining.
We will decide in the morning where our next stop will be.

CGPSA League of Snippers at Golden City SHooting Club

Joel and Des Taking a Break

Belinda Giving Wolf a Hard Time

At last we took the time to do our league qualifier at Golden
City on Thursday which entitled us to shoot the league match on Saturday.
This was hosted by the Snipper Club and all was super professional with RO's out in their Reds and ready to give us a super shoot.
Thanks Grant, Belinda,Wolf, Archie, Mohamed, Des Joel, Carlo and Erwin - it was  a fabulous day shooting with you.
Also thanks to Goolam and the team for helping us through our first league shoot.