TWK Versekering 2022 SAVVA Toer vir Veteraan- en Noagmotors – Gariepdam
Deur Annemarie Breytenbach
“Experience is the thing of supreme value – Henry Ford” – Hierdie is een van Henry Ford se ‘Famous Quotes’…
Ek deel graag my ervaring as vrou van ‘n Model T Ford motoreienaar wat absoluut een vir die boek was tydens die TWK 2022 SAVVA Toer by Gariepdam. TWK Versekering was slegs een van die borge van die toer in September waar ons so bederf was.
Dit het my wildste verwagting oortref… van die skielike vrek koue (waar ek die Forever Resort se kombers moes leen en soos ‘n Lesotho Local in my man se 1909 karretjie moes sit om myself aan die lewe te hou) – tot met die fantastiese nuwe vriende wat ons gemaak het met die oulike paartjie, Corne en Hennie Marx van Bethlehem.
Links: Die Forever Resort se kombers het baie gehelp teen die erge koue!
En watter voorreg was dit nie om elke aand aan tafel te sit saam met wyshede soos Graeme Wares (82) en Dave Malan (75). Die lekker SHOPPING wat ek saam Louise Farrell in Bethulie Mall se PEP gedoen het om ‘n ekstra kombersie en mussie vir die wind te soek, sal ek altyd onthou. (Thanks for being a great shopping partner, Louise). Die gesels en humor wat om die tafels geborrel het was ‘n lafenis vir my koue bene, om nie eers te praat van die heelike gekookte bord kos met pudding elke aand wat Forever Resort aangebied het nie. Die lekker geselsies saam met Amanda Rosser oor die lewe op die trap van Phillip se Model T in die sonnetjie by die Scrapyard kuier.
Bo: Die lekker kuier saam met Graeme Wares, Dave Malan, Greg Bjorkman en Louise Farrell tydens etes
Dit was nou kos vir my siel! Wat ‘n voorreg om die lewe net ‘n bietjie stadiger te vat, om net ‘n bietjie dieper asem te haal terwyl ons deur die klowe die skoonheid om die Gariepdam teen ‘n stadiger tempo inneem – wat so oulik deur Emil beplan was. Om die gegons van almal se staaltjies en stories te hoor, almal se passie en entoesiasme oor hul karre en die liefde vir die Ou Model T’s….KOSBAAR!… Wat ‘n fantastiese atmosfeer!
Die hartroerende geskiedenis van Bethulie het my hartsnare aangegryp dat ek so bewoë deur die begrafplaas gestap het nadat Trudie met soveel passie vertel het van die gskiedenis en gebeure van een van die drie grootste konsentrasiekampe tydens die Boere en Engelse oorlog…die klein lyfies wat weens hongersnood hul lewens daar verloor het.
“Experience is the thing of supreme value” soos Henry Ford gesê het…
Sjoe en was hierdie toer… nou nie van Supreme Value nie?..Een vir die Boeke. Dankie.
Mens kan nie die waarde in woorde omsit nie…dit was voorwaar ‘n fantasiese experience
Dankie aan elke persoon betrokke met die reëlings..dit was absoluut ‘n experience.
My thoughts and observations on the TWK Insurance 2022 SAVVA Tour, after missing several of the SAVVA National Veteran and Vintage Tours.
By Sandy Casey
After a leisurely trip through the Free State to the Forever Resort at Gariep Dam on Saturday, 17 September, we were able to book into our allotted chalet for the week. Arriving ahead of time was a great idea and we were met by the beautiful purple Wisteria covering the car ports. What a sight to behold!! Braai fires were lit during loadshedding, and mid-braai, down came the rain!
Sunday was leisurely until scrutineering time. My, what a feast of “goodies” for each car –
branded jackets, branded mugs and a lovely bag for the girls, amongst other things! Then a delicious supper and time to catch up with friends, old and new!
Day One:
After a delicious breakfast we lined up with our cars in the rain while the lady taking the photos was standing under an umbrella. The day was a challenge with rain showers on and off, temperatures dropping and the wind was pretty unpleasant. The town of Elliot to the East had had snow over the weekend and we were told by the locals that this icy wind was blowing off that snow.
Regularity was a challenge finding the exact “spot” where to start and end the timing! Wonderful scenery along the way – typical of the Free State grasslands, – we spotted Zebra, Eland, Springbuck and Ostriches in the nature reserve along the way, as well as some interesting vegetation. The route took us to Kuilfontein Farm Stall on the N1 where we were treated to a very welcome log fire and hot cup of coffee – amid loadshedding. From there, an about turn and back the way we’d come, with the weather getting colder with rain and wind. Then lunch at Die Ou Kar Pub and Grill in Bethulie for delicious hamburgers and chips! What interesting memorabilia!!
Above: Some of the cars at the Kuilfontein Farm Stall. Everyone bracing themselves for the cold trip back to Bethulie for lunch.
Above: A beautiful view with some of the cars in front of Die Ou Kar Pub & Grill in Bethulie for a lunch stop.
Day Two:
Colder than day one, but without the rain, although it warmed up later. In anticipation of the cold, we were all geared with extra jerseys, jackets, gloves, beanies and blankets!!
After a lovely breakfast at “De Stijl Gariep Hotel” – sporting a view of the whole dam, we set off for a tour of the inner workings in the dam wall. Very interesting indeed!! Next was the start of regularity, looking for “The single Cactus” on the right side of the road and ending with cactuses on both sides of the road. This occasioned much debate between some purists as to whether a prickly pear was a cactus or not!!
Our route then took us to our lunch stop at H & H Scrap Yard outside Colesburg for “boerie rolls” and coffee. By now the weather had improved considerably. What a phenomenal selection of “this and that” – we even found a part for the Model A that broke a “tie rod” before leaving the resort that morning. After loading all the treasures dug out all over, we made our way back, over the dam wall to the resort and the “Fix It” boys got working on the Model A which was back on the road, ready for the run the next day. A scrumptious hot meal awaited us in the main hall and after several announcements we retired to our chalet to continue our “kuiering”.
Above and Left: Some welcome hot coffee and “boerrie rolls” at H & H Scrap Yard near Colesberg
Day Three:
Sadly, our last day, this took us round the other side of the dam to the DH Steyn Bridge outside Bethulie. At 1152m this is the longest combo road/rail bridge in South Africa and it spans the Orange River. Here we met Trudie with a “heart for Bethulie”, who shared with us the history of the area, the Anglo Boer War/s, and the re-location of the Kampkerkhof which houses the remains of all those who died in the concentration camp in Bethulie.
Left: The moving visit to the Kampkerkhof in Bethulie where local historian, Trudy shared the tragic story with us.
From there we proceeded to “lunch with a difference” at the Old Royal Hotel in Bethulie. What a sight to behold!! On entering the hotel, the long passage and dining room walls were lined from roof to floor with hundreds and hundreds of books, mainly novels. A delicious meal accompanied by music from vinyl records played on an olden day’s record player awaited us in the dining room.
Left and below: The walls of the Old Royal Hotel in Bethulie are all stacked from floor to ceiling with books
On returning to the Resort, we headed to the yacht club to board a boat for a sunset cruise to the dam wall and back. Then “period dress-up” time – what excitement and a feast for the eye!! Well done to all who made the effort!!. We sat down at beautifully laid tables for the gala dinner – ‘lekker braaivleis’ followed by the prize-giving. Well done to all the winners!!
Above: On the last day the weather was kind enough to give us an opportunity to enjoy a sunset cruise on the Gariep Dam.
A huge “thank you” to every sponsor – big or small – and a huge “well done” to each team member for organizing an outstanding event. Thank you for the many hours you put into making this tour a most enjoyable experience! I SALUTE YOU!
Oh and a special “Thank you” for the history lesson included in the route schedule each day – what a good idea!!
Looking forward to the next one!!
Cheers, Sandy Casey
Thanks to our sponsors for making this tour possible
Below are some more photos of the
TWK Insurance 2022 SAVVA National Tour for Veteran and Vintage Vehicles
Above: The organising committee of the tour from left to right: Emil Kuschke; Philip Kuschke (chairman); Freddie Durow; Paul Hoogendoorn and Phillip Rosser
Left: Philip Kuschke thanking Eugene Prinsloo on the left, representing the main sponsor, TWK Insurance
Right: It was good to see a few DJ motorcycles on the tour as well
Left: A tour of the inside of the Gariep Dam wall was an interesting experience
Above: What a beautiful sight. The cars taking over the wet and rainy main street of Bethulie
Left: Adrian Denness’ 1919 Model T Ford in the foreground which he drove all the way from the Paarl to Gariep Dam. The journey took him six days to complete, following mainly back roads. Adrian then also drove back to the Paarl after the tour. Well done Adrian!
Above left: A section of the road that we had to traverse three times during the tour was quite badly pot-holed, something we are not used to seeing in the Western Cape.
Above right: Kobus Botha’s solution to the extreme cold weather on the first day was a plastic bag which proved to be quite efficient in keeping the wind out.
Above: The last day’s lunch was at the Old Royal Hotel, also in Bethulie in fine weather
Left: Some of the ladies showing off their period dress at the Gala Dinner and prize giving event on the last day.
Above: The joint winners of the best dressed couple, Gerhard & Annemarie Breytenbach and Hennie & Corné Marx receiving the trophy from Eugene Prinsloo from TWK Insurance
Left: The overall winner of the regularity sections receiving the SAVVA trophy was Cassie Lourens driving a 1930 Model A Ford pick up
Above: Another beautiful display of the cars at the Gariep Dam wall
Above: One of the DJ motorcycles on the old Norvalspont Bridge
Thank you to all our sponsors for making the TWK Insurance 2022 SAVVA National Tour for Veteran and Vintage Vehicles possible.
