Posts Tagged ‘mud’

This weekend (10 – 12 June), sees the Outdoor Adventure and Travel Expo in Gauteng.

Our friends at SA Adventure have built a 4×4 track, and you can drive the track at the expo for a tiny donation.  While this track is mainly aimed at the ‘soft roaders’ amongst us, after the recent heavy rains, there is definitely place for the hardcore offroad specialists too!  On our initial test today, I managed to get my Hardbody 4×4 properly bogged down, and thanks to Tim’s guidance, found my way out of the thick mud… eventually.

This year’s expo is at a new venue: Inanda Country Base, close to Midrand. Be sure to check out the directions on the Expo’s web page.

There is a special challenge to all ladies who drive the track this weekend – they will get free membership to the SA Adventure 4×4 Ladies Club!

Below are some videos of a Nissan Murano testing a couple of the more tame obstacles today.

And lastly, the 4×4-insurance.co.za Nissan Hardbody 4×4 testing the gumpoles obstacle.

This past Saturday we and 7 other 4×4 vehicles, did a 4×4 Off-Road Training course at Hennops Off Road Trail, presented by Tim Skelton from SA Adventure. Tim is a great instructor and guide, and he has a wealth of experience of travelling into and through Africa.

Here is a slideshow of the photos taken on the day.

If you participated in Saturday’s training, and would like to download copies of your photos, you can find them here

I strongly recommend this training to anyone who owns a 4×4. Not only is it exciting, as you learn what your vehicle can actually do off-road, it’s also a day of fun in the sun!

And there’s the added bonus, of course: You get a discount on your 4×4 insurance when you have completed an approved 4×4 off-road driving course, such as this.

Recovering your 4×4 safely from mud, soft sand, or any similar situation is not as easy as you may think.

Using the proper equipment, in the right way makes the recovery easier, as well as safer.

Here is a video showing exactly how to use kinetic straps (aka snatch straps) properly, when recovering your stuck 4×4.