The Greater Trek
The Greater Trek
This ride was done to raise awareness of the great work done by
THE RED CROSS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
These guys do amazing things. We want everyone to know about them and about the amount of lives that they have saved. They see 250 000 patients a year. They even saved the life of one of our rider's daughters life (Chris) with an incredible transposition of the great arteries operation, shortly after birth - She is now 14 years old and healthy thanks to the corrective surgery. Blaze would certainly have died if not for their intervention. Remember them kindly when you win the lottery. Please take just one minute of your time to read about this amazing place on their website.
The Plan and Goals:
After sitting and giving some serious thought to life Chris decided that he needed an adventure. Chris had been trying, for a couple years, to write a book. Every time that he tried to record his words, he realized that his storyline was not great, and would not hold one's attention for that long. So, he needed an adventure, as well as a story. He decided to group these two desires and came up with a life changing, fun and challenging, adventure trip. That would be his story.
The plan was basically to travel to the most Western, Northern, Eastern and Southern points of South Africa - by “Vespa” scooter. It would be a great adventure and he started to recruit a couple of crazy and interesting pals to do the trip with him.
The riders decided that they would like to use this trip to raise awareness for some special cause, whilst having their adventure. Chris has a personal relationship with the Red Cross Children's Hospital, and it was therefore decided to use the trip as a way of spreading the word about the good work done by their cardiology unit in particular - who saved his daughters life with a TGA operation shortly after her birth in 1994. These guys get very little recognition for the lives that they save - We want everyone to know about their work and what they have done for South Africa as a whole.
The concept is, in essence, quite simple. The intention of the expedition was to traverse, via small scooters and sheer will power, the entire distance between the extreme corners of South Africa - Starting and ending back in the Western Cape - a distance of over 9000 km - with emphasis on traveling short distances at slow speeds - over an unbroken 2 month period, starting 31st March 2006. Simple in its concept perhaps, but not quite as simple in practice! This fun and adventurous undertaking had never been done on scooters before.
(From left to right) - Derick Smith (Cape Town Vespa Club), Hein Gerber (Rider), Natalie Earle (Red Cross Hospital Trust) & Christopher Venter (Rider)
To create and promote widespread public awareness of the good work done by the Red Cross Children's Hospital in Cape Town.
To meet and interview some diverse people, from all walks of life in South Africa. To exchange views with these characters and find out what makes them tick. We hope to learn a little about these peoples lives - there challenges - their goals and their dreams.
To go out, find, and enjoy the spectacular scenery and people that this wonderful country, South African has to offer. To then document the trip, write it into a book and basically to have an incredible, life changing, adventure - without killing ourselves - All in the spirit of been proudly South African...
The Sponsors: (There were so many...)
The Red Cross Children's Hospital (The Childrens Hospital Trust)
Vespa South Africa - Vespa LX150 Scooters
Commodore Trading & Shipping - Some Petrol Money
Pick n Pay - Grocery Vouchers
Mr Price - Clothing Vouchers
All Out Lenses - Wiley X Sunglasses
Wimpy - Meals at various branches
Easy Brochure - Promotional Brochures
Supa Signs - Decals for Scooters
Dorme Sac - Inflatable Mattresses
Xupa Xupa - Various Raffle Prizes
LML Scooters (SA) - Rear Rack for Raffle Prize
Mr Farmer Workwear - Rain Suits
Tarzan Shoe factory - Riding boots
Robb Scott - Box of Oil
Spur Mussina - A Complimentary Lunch
Blackwaters Mashie Golf - Round of 9 Holes in Knysna
Green Elephant Backpackers - (Accommodation in Cape Town)
The Farm - (Accommodation & Meals in Ceres)
Gekko Backpackers - (Accommodation between Citrusdal & Clanwilliam)
Suttridge Guest Farm - (Accommodation & Meals outside Van Rhynsdorp)
Namaqua Game Lodge - (Accommodation & meals in Springbok)
Beach House Accommodation - (Accommodation in Port Nolloth)
Kleinplasie Guesthouse - (Accommodation in Pofadder)
Augrabies Backpackers - (Accommodation in Augrabies)
Mazurka Waters B&B - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Upinton)
Griekwa Guest House - (Accommodation in Griekwastad)
Garden Court Kimberley - (Accommodation in Kimberley)
Die Herberg - (Accommodation & Meals in Vryburg)
Hotel Elgro - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Lichtenberg)
Protea Hotel Mafikeng - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Mafikeng)
Angela's Guest House - (Accommodation & Meals in Groot Marico)
Modderfontein Guest lodge - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Rustenberg)
Garden Court Sandton - (Accommodation in JHB)
Villa Palmeira - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Bela Bela/Warmbaths)
De La Vee Guest House - (Accommodation & Meals in Lephalale/Ellisrus)
Inn on Louis Trigardt - (Accommodation & Meals in Louis Trigardt)
The Coach House - (Accommodation & Meals near Tzaneen - Agatha)0
Camp David - (Accommodation & Meals Selati River)
Wayfareres Guest House - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Sabie)
The Hideout - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Barberton)
Ermelo Inn - (Accommodation & Meals in Ermelo)
Anchors Inn - (Accommodation in Piet Retief)
Mvubu Game Lodge - (Accommodation in Pongola Game Reserve)
Kosi Bay Lodge - (Accommodation in Kosi Bay)
Hluhluwe Hotel - (Accommodation & Meals in Hluhluwe)
Bay View Lodge - (Accommodation & Meals in Richards Bay)
Corby Hill - (Accommmodation in Stanger)
Cranford Country Lodge - (Accommodation in Howick)
Sani Quad Tours B&B - (Accommodation & Dinner in Himeville)
Manora Guest House - (Accommodation in Kokstad)
Buccaneers Backpackers - (Accommodation in Chintsa)
Garden Court EL - (Accommodation in East London)
Oak Lodge - (Accommodation in Grahamstown)
Garden Court PE - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Port Elizabeth)
Beach Cabanas - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Jefferys Bay)
The Armagh - (Accommodation & Meals in Tsitsikamma)
Ashmead Resort - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Knysna)
Avenues Guest House - (Accommodation in Mossel Bay)
Groot Vaders Bosch - (Accommodation & Meals near Swellendam)
Cape Augulhas Guest House - (Accommodation & Breakfast in Augulhas)
On the Cliff - (Accommodation in Hermanus)
The Route
We started at the Red Cross Children's Hospital on the 31st of March 2006. We travelled North from Cape Town, up the western side of South Africa until we reach Alexander bay, at the Namibian border, which is the most Western point of South Africa. This is at the mouth of the Orange River - very far away.
We then continued on eastwards through the Northern Cape and briefly ride through the Free State, before cruising into Johannesburg for a pit stop at Vespa SA. After this stop we continued on to the Northern point, which we found near Pontdrif where the Limpopo river meets SA, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
Then down through the eastern Transvaal and around Swaziland, to the Eastern tip at Kosi bay, where South Africa and Mozambique meet.
Lastly through the northern Kwazulu Natal, across the Southern Drakensberg, back to the sea at Port Elizabeth and on, down the length of the coast to Cape Agulhas which is the most Southern point of the country.
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