In Passing....
* Farewell my trusted friend
* Cederberg (Chapter 2)
* Tours Updates
* Tech Corner
* Did you know? Doublegees.
* Featured Pass
Listen to an AI-generated discusion of this newsletter:
FAREWELL MY TRUSTED FRIEND
I can count on one hand the number of people that I hold in the highest esteem. Abie Spies was one of them. Even staring death squarely in the eye, the intelligence and calm nature of this giant of a man shone through.
It was with a heavy heart, that I attended Abie Spies' memorial service last week. Abie was one of the first guests to book on an MPSA tour. It was in fact, the inaugural Swartberg Tour. It was the first of many. From client to friend things evolved gently, but steadily. It soon became evident that this quiet, tall man exuded certain qualities one rarely finds in such abundance in one person.
Standing six four in his socks Abie's great love (besides his wife and family), was waterpolo - a sport that he not only excelled in, but remained playing competetively until just over a year ago, attending all the senior tournaments around the country as a respected stalwart. There must have been 50 + of his waterpolo comrades at the service; a sure sign of the respect accorded Abie.
After a successful career in engineering in the field of metallurgy, Abie was able to retire with his lovely wife Yvette. A well read man with an astutely inquiring mind, but never argumentative, a penchant for photography and nature, I admired him greatly for his qualities and approach to life.
After contracting a type of leukemia called MDS two years ago, Abie spent a lot of time in and out of hospitals getting treatments and blood transfusions. Two weeks ago, he made the decision (in his usual calm and thoughtful manner) to call it quits. He kept all his contacts updated as to how things were going via his Facebook page, then posted his last photo with a short sentence:
"We've pulled the plug today and decided to come home to die. My condition has evolved so that the only way to survive at present is daily blood transfusions in a hospital, which is not sustainable or the way I want to spend my last days. It is more comfortable being in my own home. Thank you for all the great friendships, thoughts and messages over the last few months. I am comfortable at home, but my condition will deteriorate so fast, and so I request no visitors"
God Speed. Swim your last swim in a warm ocean of love and respect.
CEDERBERG (CHAPTER 2)
The weather had cleared but it was still cold the next morning. A very respectful 2C. We set our departure time for 08.30 and soon departed Kromrivier headed towards Truitjieskraal and the P1482, where we took the back road from Matjiesrivier through to Eselbank. The temperature increased steadily, as we made good progress to Eselbank, stopping at that ridiculously perfect little thatched cottage right next to the road. Usually there is only a solitary occupant, but on that day there were 2 gents and a lady.
Baas van die plaas / Photo: Wendy Goodenough
As always we drop off some treats and drinks for them and engage in some banter. Jan Titus has lived in this lonely cottage for many years. The cottage is knows as Santjie se Werf or Antie Pienk se Huis en various other names too many to mention here. One thing is certain, there is no shortage of folklore and earthy Cederberg heritage.
The Cederberg was making up for its bad mood the previous day in the form of a really fine spring day with wildflowers nodding at us as we passed quietly by with the bulky mountain known as the Teapot (Cederberg Tafelberg with its spout) standing crisply outlined in the sunshine.
None of the water crossings had much to offer in the form of a challange and soon we arrived at the little hamlet of Eselbank, where around 150 people live in peace with nature. They have a few things, us city folk crave - quiet, no crime, clean air, abundantly clean supplies of water and a simplistic lifestyle. Most of the income earners are part of the rooibos industry; the unique plant that grows only in the Cederberg area. On the final day of the tour, we visited a rooibos and buchu farm, which was an amazing experience, but we'll tell you more about that when we get to that part of the story.
One of he highlights of the day was a visit to the Eselbank waterfall, where the local river plunges virtually straight down an 88m high cliff into a narrow ravine and flows northwards from there, to join the Doring River. The normal place for tourists to view the falls is on the northern side of the village, where vehicles can be parked, followed by a short 50m scramble over rocks and bushes to get a glimpse of the waterfall. The views are left more to the imagination as one has to peer past the lip of the falls. It's not an ideal viewing perspective and is bordering on being quite dangerous. A slip there could be fatal. In earlier years, I had often wondered if there wasn't a way to reach the southern side, where the view of the falls would be far more impressive and much less dangerous.
A few years ago, I scoured Google Earth and found some tracks through rooibos plantations, which would get me to the southern view point. After plotting a range of coordinates, I managed to sucessfully find my way to that spot and immediately decided to include it in future Cederberg tours. This was the first group that experienced the southern viewpoint and they were seriously impressed! Some of the guests with a hint of acrophbia, missed out on the "lip of the ledge" perspectives, but we did manage to get the drone up and film it for you.
For many of our guests, driving the Eselbank Pass was one of the main drawcards for joining the tour. With the elation of the waterfall banked for the morning, the next part of the day, would be the descent of the notoriously tricky pass. We got the convoy into low range and weaved our way between massive weathered sandstone formations, along a narrow, sandy track until the gradients started picking up and the first of the concreted sections made an appearance.
Getting past a vehicle from the opposite direction can be a real problem due to the narrow width and sheer drop offs. It's 'best practice' to scout ahead before committing and also to make a mental note of any spots wide enough to allow passing, as one of you will need to reverse back. This is the responsibility of the descending vehicle/driver.
Of interest is that this pass is also known as the Kerskop Pass. After an interesting chat with retired cartographer Peter Slingsby, I have learned that the "Kerskop" comes from a Christmas Eve ceremony when the locals all walk up the mountain with candles and descend to a lower peak known as "Singkop") from which point they sing Christmas carols and hymns. It must be a moving sight and quite a moment to experience.
We managed to film the pass and you can enjoy the virtual drive via the video below. Its best enjoyed in 4K quality, widescreen with sound.
Wupperthal has recoved well after the devastating fires of 2018, ostensibly caused by locals trying to smoke out a beehive. More than 50 homes and structures burned down. Various NGO's held hands and assisted the locals with temporary Nutec houses which were erected on the sports fields (some of which can be seen in this photo - top left), whilst funds streamed in to pay for the rebuilding of the historically important settlement. The transformation is almost complete. Do visit this village; integrate with the locals; stay at a B&B, but take your own wine as the village is dry - as originally prescribed by the two founding German missionaries.
Professional Demolition International
We stopped in at Wupperthal shoe factory, which has been the economic heartbeat of Wupperthal since the beginning (1830) when the two German missionaries Theobald von Wurmb and Johann Gottlieb Leipoldt, established it as a mission station for the Rhenish Missionary Society and named it after their home region in Germany, the Wupper River valley. Part of their work programme was to teach locals the skills of leather tanning and shoemaking (amongst other things).
They are very friendly and service oriented at the shoe factory and even have credit card facilities available. If they dont have a pair of "vellies" that fit you, they will take your measurements and make them and have them delivered to your home.
Our scheduled lunch break amongst the wildflowers of the Biedouw Valley, turned out not to be a non event, as all the flowers had already wilted, leaving a fairly ordinary looking field in its aftermath, a bit of a disappointment but we've learned to accept Mother Nature in all her whims and ascended to the very steep Hoek se Berg Pass and found a nice large open quarry for our lunch stop with good views.
The Pakhuis Pass of modern times is a far cry from Thoma Bain's original creation, but despite the new pass being smooth and fast, about 90% of it still follows Bain's geometric lines. We were running nicely on time, but almost everyone needed to fuel up in Clanwilliam.
The route back to Kromrivier followed the northern banks of the Clanwilliam Dam which was 100% full and here the wildflowers were smiling in abundance, well satisfying the flower power people.
Nieuwoudts Pass, Algeria campsites (extraordinarily still closed) and the brand new Uitkyk Pass were enjoyed as we took the southern route back to base for another great meal at the restaurant and a great evening around the fire.
Next Episode: Skimmelberg, Die Stadsaal and more jolieteit
TOURS BOOKINGS & UPDATES
We have published the 2026 tours up to and including June. Bookings are now open for the Katberg-Amathole Tour (Feb), Kouga-Baviaans Tour (March), Lesotho (April, already fully booked), and Wild Coast in May (also fully booked). Use the hyperlinks to access full itineraries and pricing. Travel is good for you.(and us).
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24 - 30 Nov 2025 - Ben 10 Official - Fully Booked.
15 - 20 Feb 2026 - Amathole-Katberg Tour
With some new routes added this tour is guaranteed to deliver the goods in abundance.
Think forest trails, hidden mountain passes, wildlife sightings, and charming small towns, all in the comfort of your own 4×4 — with expert guidance every step of the way. Whether you’re new to off-roading or already hooked on the adventure lifestyle, this tour has something for everyone.
- Game viewing in two pristine nature reserves (Fort Fordyce & Mpofu)
- Technical and scenic gravel passes, including the legendary Old Katberg Pass
- Enchanting forest drives through areas few have even heard of
- 2 nights in magical Hogsback
- 3 nights at the stunning Katberg Resort & Golf Estate
- Plus top-quality lodges, inns and hotels throughout the trip
You’ll tick off some of the most spectacular routes and sights in the region, including:
Dewaalskloof Pass, Old Katberg Pass, Fuller’s Hoek Pass, Blinkwater Pass, Katberg State Forest, Hogsback Pass, Wolf River Pass, Nico Malan Pass, Fort Cunninghame, Thomas River Historical Village, Robertson Falls, Zingcuka Indigenous Forest, and many more hidden gems!
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15 - 20 March 2026 - Kouga-Baviaans Tour (Fully Booked)
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18 - 27 April 2026 - Mountain Kingdom Tour - (Fully Booked)
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19 - 30 May 2026 - Wild Coast Tour (Fully Booked)
21 - 27 June 2026 - Great Karoo Tour
After the resounding success of the first Karoo Tour, we have added on an extra day to include a visit to Aberdeen and a new finishing point at the Karoo National Park.
A relaxed, mid-winter self-drive 4×4 adventure through the wide-open spaces of the Great Karoo. We have extended the tour by one day to be able to enjoy the Karoo as it should be. Expect game viewing, big-sky nights, easy and technical gravel, and classic passes, all with expert guidance and a small, friendly convoy.
- 7 touring days and 8 nights
- Excellent wildlife sightings
- Crystal clear night skies and cool, blue-sky days
- Quality accommodation booked for you (invoiced separately)
- National parks: Addo Elephant, Mountain Zebra, Camdeboo, Karoo
- Overnight stops: Addo, Zuurberg Mountain Inn, Cradock, Nieu Bethesda, Aberdeen, Karoo National Park
- Anchor attraction: Bedrogfontein Pass
- Additional gravel passes: Paardepoort, Doringnek Pass, Zuurberg Pass, Bruintjieshoogte, Buffelshoek Pass, Swaershoek Pass, Wapadsberg Pass, Witnek Pass, Kompasberg circumnavigation, Michielshoogte, Oudeberg Pass, Camdeboo Pass, Klipspringer Pass, Pienaars Pass
24 - 30 July 2026 - Swartberg Classic Tour
This is our most balanced tour and our personal favourite. Bookings will open soon.
6 - 10 September 2026 - Cederberg Spring Tour
We will be running a repeat of this tour. It was so perfect, that we are leaving everything exactly as it is. Bookings will open soon.
23 - 28 November 2026 - Ben 10 Official
The offroad masterclass. Earn the badge!
Near Joubert's Pass
For the tours after May, we are happy to reserve a 'first refusal' option for you. Just drop us an email with our request and leave the rest to us.
TECHNICAL CORNER
On most of our tours we have 4x4 owners who have never put their vehicles into low range before. This article will help you understand the how, where and when of making use of this vital feature of safe offroading.
When Is the Right Time to Use Low Range in a 4WD Vehicle?
Four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles are built to handle challenging terrain, but knowing when to use low range is key to getting the best performance — and avoiding unnecessary wear. Low range gearing multiplies engine torque while reducing wheel speed, giving the driver precise control and increased pulling power in tough conditions.
The right time to engage low range is when you need maximum traction and torque at low speeds. This includes steep climbs or descents, deep mud, sand, rocky terrain, or when towing heavy loads on uneven ground. For instance, when driving down a steep hill, low range allows the engine’s braking power to slow the vehicle naturally, reducing reliance on the brake pedal and helping maintain stability. Similarly, when climbing a steep incline, the increased torque helps prevent stalling and keeps all four wheels turning steadily.
In sand or mud, low range prevents the engine from over-revving and allows for smoother throttle control, minimizing wheel spin that could lead to getting bogged. When crossing obstacles like rocks, tree roots, or ruts, it gives the fine control needed to navigate slowly and safely without damaging the undercarriage.
However, low range is not for normal driving. It should never be used on dry, hard, or paved surfaces, as this can cause drivetrain binding and damage. Low range is designed strictly for slow speeds — generally below 40 km/h (25 mph).
In short, use low range whenever terrain demands control over speed, maximum traction, and torque. Engaging it early, before conditions become difficult, can make all the difference between a smooth off-road adventure and getting stuck in the rough. Understanding when to use low range is an essential skill for any confident 4WD driver.
Typical 4x4 low range terrain / Photo courtesy Club 4x4
DUBBELGEES
An interesting photo popped on my Facebook feed that piqued my interest. It was taken along a back road near Perth, Australia. I instantly wanted to know why anyone would need to be cautioned about the Dubbelgees Ahead. Was it some kind of an animal?
It was only when I started reading the comments that the penny dropped.
When we were kids we all (at one time or the other) experienced the pain of standing on those short, sharp three pointed thorns and I'm convinced a plethora od choice expletives sprouted naturally as a result. Natures own little landmines of pain, designed to always land with at least one thorn upright - ready to pierce skin, plakkies and bicycle tyres and if you rode into a field of them, the tube would be a throw-away for sure. The only school shoe that was thorn proof was the Bata Toughee.
The thorns were known by various names around South Africa. Devils Thorns (if you looked at the thorn close up there was the devil's face with the two horns and a goatee), Duiweltjies, Duwweltjies and Dubbeltjies, the lastnamed is the one I knew as a kid. If you say "Dubbeltjies" as an Australian you will immediately realise what a Doublegee is. Now we all know Australia is a nanny state, but to be warned about Dubbeltjies/Doublegees on the road ahead is a luxury South African kids were not accorded. I believe this makes us better rugby players!
So how did this abberation of a word find itself into the Australian language?
The one theory is that when Australian troops were fighting in South Africa during the 2nd Anglo Boer War, they found out the hard way about the 3 spiked thorns and upon returning to Australia, introduced the Ozzie version of Dubbeltjies to the Outback and it stuck! (so to speak)
FEATURED PASS
On our way back from the Cederberg Tour, we had the opportunity to refilm the Gydo Pass to the latest standards. The Gydo Pass was built at the same time as Michells Pass by Andrew Geddes Bain and his team of convict labourers circa 1848. This important pass connected the Warm Bokkeveld with the higher altitude Koue Bokkeveld, as well as the remote, but fertile (and therefore lucrative) Witzenberg Valley a few kilometers west of the head of the pass.
Trygve Roberts ~ Founder MPSA
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do" ~ Steve Jobs.
