If you think driving a 4x4 comes naturally to most people, you’re wrong, reckons Jaco Kirsten. And that includes himself.
To drive a 4x4 is almost like riding a bicycle – you never really forget how to do it. Sure, if it’s been a year since you drove big dunes in the Namib it might take a day or two for you to find your feet. But the basics are the basics. Tyre pressure, momentum, don’t brake, don’t release the accelerator before you’ve reached the crest of the dune... That sort of thing.
But as I’m sitting here, writing my last column for Drive Out, it dawned on me: I might not be the best 4x4 driver, but I know a thing or two more than the average Joe – and it wasn’t always like that.
Almost 20 years ago – those were the days you could still drive on the beach – a friend and I decided to go camp somewhere next to the ocean. He used to be a instructor and lifesaver for See & Sand so I thought that he understood these things.
We had big plans to drive a long stretch past Gansbaai and to then eventually pitch camp. When we hit the first bit of sand, the conversation went something like this: Gerrit: “So, we must deflate the tyres now.”
Me: “Are you sure?”
Gerrit: “Yes, apparently you have to do it for sand.”
Denne historien er fra July 2017-utgaven av Drive Out.
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Denne historien er fra July 2017-utgaven av Drive Out.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The pinch of the pump
In a time where every penny counts, you should be cautious about where to spend it, says Neels van Heerden.
Is the Jimny suitable for overlanding?
He has a theory on whether the Suzuki Jimny is suitable for overlanding, but he is also about to find out for himself, says Mic van Zyl.
Klein-Kariba chronicles
His family has camped so often at ATKV Klein-Kariba that they now consider this popular resort their holiday home, says Roelof van Eeden of Witbank.
So ugly it's cute
Longing for the good old days when vehicles took inspiration from aircraft? Citroën has the compact mobile home just for you.
WHO'S THE BAKKIE KING?
Eight brands, seven categories... and one overall winner. We find out which double-cab bakkie performs best when towing a caravan and off-roading.
Viva, Amarokoroko!
We take a spin through the Western Cape's Cederberg to See if the Ford-built Volkswagen Amarok retains its poshness.
Hook, line and tune
That exhilarating rush you feel when something tugs at your hook and races away with your line is what perpetually draws him back to the angler's paradise, says singer Bok van Blerk.
Discover Dinokeng: beyond the Big Five
The Dinokeng Big Five Reserve is a favourite for weekend getaways, but just past its borders lies an untapped haven waiting to be explored.
Life's a farm in Bonnievale!
Bonnievale presents a unique setting where kids, camping and church come together for a unique family holiday.
Into the heart of the Cederberg
From Duiwelsgat to Heuningvlei, from Wupperthal to the Biedouw Valley. Drive through a world where poet Boerneef's mountain goose sheds a feather and author Jan Rabie's dreamland begins.
