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In mid-December 2009 my son and I spent two days camping and four wheeling at Klein Tafelberg in the Sandveld region of the West Coast. We camped at the lovely campsite of Klein Tafelberg. The mighty Jeep did not have any problems at any of the obstacles and did really well in the thick sandy hills. We conquered Heart Brake Hill with the first attempt, the only vehicle to succeed the first time around. The trail consists of sandy sections, some of them quite demanding. Low tyre pressure and momentum are key in making the best of these sections. The rocky trail section, a loop on the main trail, is demanding and in some places very technical. Good ground clearance and gear selection are required. Do not attempt this section with 'soft' 4×4 vehicles such as a Mercedes ML which one participant attempted to do, causing huge demands to the body and two flat tyres. The vehicle eventually needed to be recovered.
We then left via Redelinghuys and Elands Bay to explore the Boegoeberg 4×4 Trail, one of the top 10 rated trails in the Western Cape. We decided not to camp at the normal site at the farmhouse, but rather to spend the night high up in the mountains under the "Rooi Bakkrans" As dusk set in and we started our camp fire we had a beautiful view of the sun setting over the Atlantic ocean. My son remarked that this is an eerie place. When I questioned him about it I realised that he is not used to be alone in the great outdoors - todays children are used to always have people around them. The silence and the loneliness of the outdoors can be intimidating and I just realised again how privilege we are to spend time in such beautiful surroundings. I enjoyed a little single malt whiskey and he even had a puff on one of my cigars which I only used when we go camping. I will never forget the camaraderie between father and son that night under the Bakkrans - it is a memory that will stay for me forever and I hope my son in later life will have fond memories of this night under the starry sky of the Sandveld up in the Boegoeberge. I do not think he realised it that night, but for me it was one of those very special moments in life which I always have treasured.
The next morning we left to complete the rest of the trail, crossing a few small streams and then had a nerve racking descent over large and very loose rocks which prevent proper traction. We arrived safely at the farmhouse and then head home via Citrusdal. It was a memorable few days for father and son - a few days I will never forget. When we arrived at home we got ready to pack to spend the rest of the holiday in Kleinmond.
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