Team Offroad - BootCamp 2015
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 5:38 pm
And so it came to pass. After a long time of not doing it, Team Offroad did it again. We had a BootCamp. What is a BootCamp, I hear you ask? A BootCamp, for those who have not heard of the phenomenon before, is a weekend where normal everyday people get to behave like kids, and learn a LOT about their vehicles, testing themselves and their machines against Advanced Driving Conditions. All this is done according to the accredited Unit Standard US254154 - Advanced Offroad Driver Training, and presented in a way only Team Offroad can do it...
Unlike the past we decided against Klein Tafelberg for one reason, and one reason only... Distance. The distance between KT and Brackenfell makes a quick recce a weekend affair, and transporting all our equipment also becomes a hassle. So we opted for a venue closer to Brackenfell, and we happened upon Welgelegen4x4. This trail offers a lot of the stuff we needed, and wanted, and then some more.... The camping facilities, although very basic, is comfortable and clean, and with the new lapa and braai, built specially for us (or at least we would love to think so) it makes for a very sociable venue in the evenings around the fire.
The BootCamp kicked off on Wednesday evening at Bowtime in Gemini Street Brackenfell, where we got all the "How do you do's" and paperwork out of the way. Everybody was pumped for Friday evening, and getting dusty and dirty on the trail.
On Friday from about 17H00 the guys started arriving at the campsite, pitched camp and got straight into their "bonding session". We divided the group of8 participants into 2 teams of 4 and just to get the friendships and teamwork going we did what South Africans do best... we made potjiekos and ate.. Each team was presented with ingredients to make a potjie, and after about 2 to 3 hours we shared fantastic meal..
Then after dinner, and with full bellies, it was time for the first challenge. There was a chilly breeze, and the moon was not to be seen, so it was nice and dark. We lined up the convoy, did a Driver's briefing, and off we went... up the first hill. Once we reached the top, we regrouped, and one by one the participants were set off 5 minutes apart to drive the twisty and steep 5km route in their own darkness. The route was demarcated by barrier tape and traffic cones, and nobody got lost.
By about 23h45 everybody was back in the camp and lots of excited chatter could be heard as the guys discussed their first night time 4x4 trail drive.. They want more of the same!!
Saturday morning saw the guys up and about at dawn with steaming cups of coffee and rusks. By about 08h00 everybody gathered round for the traditional BootCamp Tyre Shuffle... Lots of strugling and sweating and with much clanking of tyre levers tyres were pulled off the rims, and put back on again. Words like "dropwell" and "bead" and "snotplug" were heard as the guys went about their business.
After everybody worked up a good sweat and got their hands thoroughly dirty, Altis called everybody closer for Brunch at about 10h00. After Brunch we got the convoy ready, briefed the guys on the challenges ahead, and one by one we ascended the trail again. On our way to 4 challenges which kept the 2 teams busy for the whole day.
For more details of the challenges you'll have to come join us on the next BootCamp, but I can assure you the guys were well and truly entertained, tested, challenged and exhausted by the time we got back to camp at about 17h00 in the afternoon. There was winching, there was triangulated winching, there was vehicle stabilisation, driving guided and this thing with the orange cones.... which was very interesting, and took on a life of its own...
Just in time for a quick shower, and a nice braai, put on by the Instructorsfor the benefit of the participants. It wasnt long after dark before the first of the guys sneaked off to bed, thoroughly exhausted after a long day in the sun.
On Sunday morning we had mostly the same routine as Saturday, exceptthat we did some serious kinetic recovery exercises, and after breakfast we left for the dam. Here we got an opportunity to play in the mud for a while.
By about lunch time, we returned to the campsite, muddy, and dirty, to finalise some paperwork, have a quick debriefing, break up camp and say our goodbyes.. All the participants were extremely happy about their BootCamp experience, and wants more of the same. Maybe we'll work out a BootBootCamp? So we all agreed that we want to do more outings, and that these guys are ready for some more challenging stuff....
Watch this space!!
Unlike the past we decided against Klein Tafelberg for one reason, and one reason only... Distance. The distance between KT and Brackenfell makes a quick recce a weekend affair, and transporting all our equipment also becomes a hassle. So we opted for a venue closer to Brackenfell, and we happened upon Welgelegen4x4. This trail offers a lot of the stuff we needed, and wanted, and then some more.... The camping facilities, although very basic, is comfortable and clean, and with the new lapa and braai, built specially for us (or at least we would love to think so) it makes for a very sociable venue in the evenings around the fire.
The BootCamp kicked off on Wednesday evening at Bowtime in Gemini Street Brackenfell, where we got all the "How do you do's" and paperwork out of the way. Everybody was pumped for Friday evening, and getting dusty and dirty on the trail.
On Friday from about 17H00 the guys started arriving at the campsite, pitched camp and got straight into their "bonding session". We divided the group of8 participants into 2 teams of 4 and just to get the friendships and teamwork going we did what South Africans do best... we made potjiekos and ate.. Each team was presented with ingredients to make a potjie, and after about 2 to 3 hours we shared fantastic meal..
Then after dinner, and with full bellies, it was time for the first challenge. There was a chilly breeze, and the moon was not to be seen, so it was nice and dark. We lined up the convoy, did a Driver's briefing, and off we went... up the first hill. Once we reached the top, we regrouped, and one by one the participants were set off 5 minutes apart to drive the twisty and steep 5km route in their own darkness. The route was demarcated by barrier tape and traffic cones, and nobody got lost.
By about 23h45 everybody was back in the camp and lots of excited chatter could be heard as the guys discussed their first night time 4x4 trail drive.. They want more of the same!!
Saturday morning saw the guys up and about at dawn with steaming cups of coffee and rusks. By about 08h00 everybody gathered round for the traditional BootCamp Tyre Shuffle... Lots of strugling and sweating and with much clanking of tyre levers tyres were pulled off the rims, and put back on again. Words like "dropwell" and "bead" and "snotplug" were heard as the guys went about their business.
After everybody worked up a good sweat and got their hands thoroughly dirty, Altis called everybody closer for Brunch at about 10h00. After Brunch we got the convoy ready, briefed the guys on the challenges ahead, and one by one we ascended the trail again. On our way to 4 challenges which kept the 2 teams busy for the whole day.
For more details of the challenges you'll have to come join us on the next BootCamp, but I can assure you the guys were well and truly entertained, tested, challenged and exhausted by the time we got back to camp at about 17h00 in the afternoon. There was winching, there was triangulated winching, there was vehicle stabilisation, driving guided and this thing with the orange cones.... which was very interesting, and took on a life of its own...
Just in time for a quick shower, and a nice braai, put on by the Instructorsfor the benefit of the participants. It wasnt long after dark before the first of the guys sneaked off to bed, thoroughly exhausted after a long day in the sun.
On Sunday morning we had mostly the same routine as Saturday, exceptthat we did some serious kinetic recovery exercises, and after breakfast we left for the dam. Here we got an opportunity to play in the mud for a while.
By about lunch time, we returned to the campsite, muddy, and dirty, to finalise some paperwork, have a quick debriefing, break up camp and say our goodbyes.. All the participants were extremely happy about their BootCamp experience, and wants more of the same. Maybe we'll work out a BootBootCamp? So we all agreed that we want to do more outings, and that these guys are ready for some more challenging stuff....
Watch this space!!
