[cownchicken]

So Mr. Pooks - can't we try "The Great Traverse Extravaganza" on the weekend 27/28th Feb. or 6/7th March.
Have spoken to CapeDoc and we are both free on those dates.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!

[the pooks]

I'm keen for 27/28 Feb 1st choice) or 7 mar (2nd choice). Hope we can muster the troops.

[paddawan]

I would also prefer the weekend of the 27/28 Feb but could always make a plan if it was 6/7 March.

[the pooks]

Re: The Great Traverse Extravaganza

I have now done a statistical stochastic probability analysis of the dates and have decided on the following as it seems to be the date that suits most

Sun 7 Mar 0700 at Kloof Corner parking (bottom of Tafelberg Rd). Bring at least 3 litres of water and food.

Now we still have the weather as an unknown. Here's hoping.

[Discombob]

Why don't you be nasty, and when the other cachers arent looking hide a cache just past the tree climb after Traverse reverse, and then they'll have to go back anothert time to find it

[batsgonemad and his squirrel]

Here is a cache that TVM need to keep an eye on as there is a good chance it will be at the Scottish Mega event, so if they do not trawl the forums can somebody direct this link to them

GCKTK0

[cownchicken]

Are we the only ones pulling our hair out and having sleepless nights counting numbers, looking at rivets and wondering about Orion?

[malo mystery]

cownchicken, on Feb 16 2010, 09:49 PM, said:

Are we the only ones pulling our hair out and having sleepless nights counting numbers, looking at rivets and wondering about Orion?

cownchicken I know the feeling, I have been dreaming or is it nightmaring numbers ( and green and orange letters thanks to Green Eggs and Bacon) for a few weeks now, but through either persistence or luck that is now eventually all over (for the moment), now I just need to do the easy work and go on up to "Puzzle Ridge" and hunt down those number(brain)crunchers. At some stages my brain felt like a bowl of alphabet soup and at other times like those green rolling screens of numbers from the movie "The Matrix"

[Gr8Scot]

I have arranged the use of the Club Function Room at the Ice Station, Grandwest on Wednesday 17 March from 19h00 to 22h30 for a possible Geocaching Event. The venue has a private bar (club prices), comfortable seating, DSTV, etc as well as a great view over the ice rink. I can arrange free skate hire (for the brave souls who wish to be really cool) from 20h00 onwards. The venue also has a fully equipped lecture room with video projector, etc. attached to it, so if anyone would like to arrange a simultaneous Techno Event, please let me know.

I am aware that the time of day may not suit everyone, especially those with children. However, the ice is at it's quietest on Wednesday evenings, so it's a good chance to try out skating without a big crowd. CownChicken, being masters at event planning, have advised that before I go ahead and publish an event, I should get an idea here on the forum how many would be interested in attending. So please post a note if you are, and if there is enough interest, I'll post an event.

[CapeDoc]

gr8scot, on Feb 22 2010, 02:15 AM, said:

I have arranged the use of the Club Function Room at the Ice Station, Grandwest on Wednesday 17 March from 19h00 to 22h30 for a possible Geocaching Event. The venue has a private bar (club prices), comfortable seating, DSTV, etc as well as a great view over the ice rink. I can arrange free skate hire (for the brave souls who wish to be really cool) from 20h00 onwards. The venue also has a fully equipped lecture room with video projector, etc. attached to it, so if anyone would like to arrange a simultaneous Techno Event, please let me know.

I am aware that the time of day may not suit everyone, especially those with children. However, the ice is at it's quietest on Wednesday evenings, so it's a good chance to try out skating without a big crowd. CownChicken, being masters at event planning, have advised that before I go ahead and publish an event, I should get an idea here on the forum how many would be interested in attending. So please post a note if you are, and if there is enough interest, I'll post an event.

Sounds like a great idea!!
I would do what CnC suggested and publish. Rather by guided by the number of "will attend" notes than by the forums. It only feels like 10 or 15 Cape cachers keep any kind of eye on the forums. Speak to FE, there must be a way to cancel an event if there is not enough interest shown on the listing. Having said that, events tend to be better attended than the replies indicate.
I am keen, though the last time I went ice skating it led to another event cache....Capedoc's New Shoulder event cache!

This post has been edited by CapeDoc: 22 February 2010 - 01:34 AM

[tomtwogates]

sounds like a good place for a geocaching quiz evening - in the style of Dbob's - any quiz masters out there - Maybe Goofster as he was the winner last time?

[CapeDoc]

tomtwogates, on Feb 22 2010, 02:34 AM, said:

sounds like a good place for a geocaching quiz evening - in the style of Dbob's - any quiz masters out there - Maybe Goofster as he was the winner last time?

I have heard these are great fun. So yes please!

[cownchicken]

Love quiz nights.
As my other half said in his mail ... if you need help I'll be willing.
Just give me a shout.

[Goofster]

tomtwogates, on Feb 22 2010, 11:34 AM, said:

sounds like a good place for a geocaching quiz evening - in the style of Dbob's - any quiz masters out there - Maybe Goofster as he was the winner last time?

Quizmaster? Me? Are you fearful that I might sweep the prize board clean again, Tom?

[tomtwogates]

Goofster, on Feb 22 2010, 02:06 PM, said:

tomtwogates, on Feb 22 2010, 11:34 AM, said:

sounds like a good place for a geocaching quiz evening - in the style of Dbob's - any quiz masters out there - Maybe Goofster as he was the winner last time?

Quizmaster? Me? Are you fearful that I might sweep the prize board clean again, Tom?

He He

[Gr8Scot]

The event has been published. Thanks for the offers of help received. I'll be contacting you shortly.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...62-d06ebdd60844

Bryan

[cownchicken]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. POOKS!!!!

[cownchicken]

So far the weather looks good for Sunday for the Table Mountain Extravaganza.
Predicted temperature of only 33 ( for us living more towards the Boland, this is not too hot!) Wind only 20kph.

[the pooks]

Yes CnC - all systems go and on schedule. Looking forward to Sunday 0700 Kloof Corner parking. Remember 3 litres of water and broodjies for sustenance. Also perhaps some gardening gloves for those sweaty palms on the chains (I'll bring a pair or two)

PS to Cism - not too much party after the concert - early morning rise and shine.

[paddawan]

Crilkey! Sounds like a bit of a scorcher. Will definitely be bringing plenty of water.

[paddawan]

Crilkey! Sounds like a bit of a scorcher. Will definitely be bringing plenty of water.

[cownchicken]

the pooks, on Mar 2 2010, 11:46 AM, said:

Yes CnC - all systems go and on schedule. Looking forward to Sunday 0700 Kloof Corner parking. Remember 3 litres of water and broodjies for sustenance. Also perhaps some gardening gloves for those sweaty palms on the chains (I'll bring a pair or two)

PS to Cism - not too much party after the concert - early morning rise and shine.

And some sweeties to keep the blood sugar level up!

[besem]

Hey! I'm in Stellenbosch at the moment for a little bit of quality time with my study leader. Of course, I'll take off a few hours on Saturday 6 March to geocache. Any volunteers to join me? The plan is to clear the few caches around Stellenbosch that doesn't require hiking (the fine wines series come to mind), and perhaps head into Somerset West's direction to pick up a few. Too bad I can't join ya'll on Sunday for the Big Hike... unless you promise to have my back at my car by 11am, because my flight back to Pretoria leaves at 13:00!

[CapeDoc]

besem, on Mar 3 2010, 01:08 PM, said:

Hey! I'm in Stellenbosch at the moment for a little bit of quality time with my study leader. Of course, I'll take off a few hours on Saturday 6 March to geocache. Any volunteers to join me? The plan is to clear the few caches around Stellenbosch that doesn't require hiking (the fine wines series come to mind), and perhaps head into Somerset West's direction to pick up a few. Too bad I can't join ya'll on Sunday for the Big Hike... unless you promise to have my back at my car by 11am, because my flight back to Pretoria leaves at 13:00!

Hmm, most of the guys that would take that up are going to be doing the big walk!
Will SMS you.
PS have a look at these for you next Cape Vist. I think these "Puzzle Ridge" cache will appeal to your mathematical mind: Rivet Number Crunch NC2 Dog's Breakfast

[cownchicken]

Sorry - like CapeDoc says Sunday is the 'Big walk'.
We need at least one day over a weekend to see to home maintenance and all the other things that need doing.
Maybe next time you are down here you can give us a shout.

[Stormers]

Sorry Besem, you will be in my home town but I am leaving for Bloemfontein very earlier Sunday morning. I hope you enjoy your morning.

[besem]

CapeDoc, on Mar 4 2010, 01:44 AM, said:

Hmm, most of the guys that would take that up are going to be doing the big walk!
Will SMS you.
PS have a look at these for you next Cape Vist. I think these "Puzzle Ridge" cache will appeal to your mathematical mind: Rivet Number Crunch NC2 Dog's Breakfast

I had a look at Rivet, solved it in 30 seconds flat and had high hopes for the other three... alas, they are unsolved still. But I'll be sure to try to crack them - they remind me very much of the "puzzle triangle" in the Netherlands between Delft, Leiden and Den Haag. There are some seriously nasty puzzles! Have a look at V, Match the Icons, Kris Kras, and many others in the area.

[tomtwogates]

that Williii Carrotte is one mean puzzle man!

[besem]

I got word today that I might be going rock climbing at Silvermine on Saturday... what a good excuse for a bit of caching as well! I've managed to solve "Number Crunch" in the meantime, but the second number crunch and Dog's Breakfast still evade me. I'll bash them again tomorrow.

[CapeDoc]

Going out to Riebeek Kasteel with family tomorrow. I can usually persuade them to do one cache. Any great family caches out that way?

[trevorh7000]

CapeDoc, on Mar 5 2010, 11:40 PM, said:

Going out to Riebeek Kasteel with family tomorrow. I can usually persuade them to do one cache. Any great family caches out that way?

Leopards Lament GCW54W - http://is.gd/9NURs





On A nice little backroad




Trev

[cownchicken]

Thanks to all on the TM Excursion done on a scorcher of a day. Temperature measured out in our part of the Northern Suburbs today - 44deg.
Was really cooking on the front face.
All is well on our side.
Enjoyed it - thanks.

[the pooks]

Yes thanks for those intrepid warriors (capeccr, capedoc, cnc & oceans247) who completed the Great Table Mountain Traverse Extravaganza. We won't mention the name of a certain woos who copped out for nebulous reasons, but given the heat at the end of the day maybe it was a wise woos. The heat was not a problem for most of the day - the whole morning was in shade and all the way to Frodo's journey was more or less on the same contour (hence Traverse). It was only the decent after that that upped the difficulty rating a notch or two, as the heat of the day came in full force, but some of us took it slowly with lots of stops in the shade. We were watching helicopter activity over Platteklip, so can assume some poor sould did not manage the heat that well.

I don't think I have packed so much adrenalin producing narrow ledge walking into one day - at Kloof Corner Difficult I was longing for a bit of terra firma so that I could calm my legs! Thanks once again.

Added: Link to more photos

Here the explorers are at the start of the first section of a three part series - that skinny green line of bushes behind us is where we are going.

This post has been edited by the pooks: 08 March 2010 - 10:47 AM

[cownchicken]

the pooks, on Mar 7 2010, 09:04 PM, said:

Here the explorers are at the start of the first section of a three part series - that skinny green line of bushes behind us is where we are going.

Yo, yo, yo, yo!!! CRAZY! I know now why only one of the team does these crazy caches. Well done to all of you!

This post has been edited by cownchicken: 08 March 2010 - 12:01 AM

[capeccr]

Thanks to everyone who joined us on the TM traverse extravaganza, and to Laurence for the idea of stringing together 3 of the most exciting routes on Table Mountain. Well done to those that were doing the traverse for the first time - there is a good reason for Discombob giving the option of Reverse!

[CapeDoc]

Wow! What a walk that was!
After getting only a few hours of sleep (family sleepover in the Aquarium) we set off bright and early. The up was not that bad in the early morning cool shade. The traverse was amazing beautiful views and had exciting exposure all the way along. The narrow and technical bits were quite exhilarating. Mentally tiring as we needed to watch were ever foot was placed.
The Kloof corner bit was relatively easy except for the two sets of chains. The first was long and quite tiring needing quite a bit of upper body work. Luckily there are spots to rest on the way up. The second "crack" chain just took a lot of guts as it has a long drop into nothing below it and is quite technically difficult. Was very glad to have a length of rope to pull up the day packs, otherwise they would have presented a huge challenge. (The crack that you climb in is too narrow to be wearing a pack).
By the time we hit Frodo's the ledges and sheer cliffs, as impressive as they are, were manageable because we were so used to it by then! The cracks were a spectacular place to get relief from the sun. Climbing down a level after the cracks was nervy enough AND was made more difficult as the rocks were so hot they were difficult to hold onto.
Then came the tough bit. The decent down the steep and loose path of Yellowstone in the blazing heat. With a birthday party to attend Oceans247 and I split off from the other three, trying to get down as quickly as possible. Both of us were nearly out of water and were dehydrating fast. Below us we could see the public loo and knew that we could find a tap with water there. As always the path never goes straight there and the winding path down to Tafelberg road was torture. I have never been so happy to enter a public loo! We made straight for the basins and drank and bathed our heads for ages! I was definitely a bit heat stroked and only recovered an hour or two after taking copious water and sports drinks.
Thanks Discombob for placing the caches that gave us this adventure. It was a fabulous challeng and I certainly have a sense of achievement completing all those caches.
(Note to Capeccr who has done all the bits that make up this walk ON HIS OWN: WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!!)
Thanks for the team for the company and support along the way. (Oceans247 saw it fit to look "watch over me" and offer to carry my pack as we wilted in the sun).

Don't think there will be a next time for me.....!

[paddawan]

Congratulations. Very well done to everyone!

As one of the people who declined at the last moment, I was originally somewhat devastated not being out on the mountain with all of you, but as the day progressed, was very glad to be under the shade and relaxing. Certainly sounded like quite an epic.

[cincol]

Obviously this is a case of horses for courses and I can assure you that THIS horse will definitively NOT be attempting any of those caches - EVER!!! Some people are built for heights and others are not. I battle to look over the side of our 5th floor balcony! OTOH, I can comfortably jump out of a 'plane! Crazy, but that is a fact.

Well done to those who did the climb. It sounds spectacular and I am happy to read about it rather than to do it.

[Henzz]

My nerves is shot just watching the photos Pooks placed on Picasa...
You guys have big brass ones...
Well done to all of you...
You earned bragging rights...

[Discombob]

Hey well done to the brave adventurers, I sure wish I could have been there - although not with that heat actually
Well done to Chicken for doing the whole route with no shirt on too, by the looks of it - how is your tan looking now

[MnCo]

the pooks, on Mar 8 2010, 07:04 AM, said:

Added: Link to more photos

Are these photos not public... if I click on the link I don't get anything and if I look at the albums, there is nothing there either?

[the pooks]

MnCo, on Mar 9 2010, 12:57 AM, said:

the pooks, on Mar 8 2010, 07:04 AM, said:

Added: Link to more photos

Are these photos not public... if I click on the link I don't get anything and if I look at the albums, there is nothing there either?

Sorry MnCo - I had been fiddling a bit and maybe it was just at the time you followed the link. The last time I checked it worked for me, but let me know if it doesn't.

Let me explain. I wanted to show the routes with dotted lines as that would not disturb the image as much but Microsoft Paint does not do dotted lines, so posted the album with solid lines anyway. Then I discovered this really cool software (well someone told me about it - Paint.net - thanks Tony) and annotated the photos with dotted lines, but I think I saved them with the same name as the first annotated photos. However the web album kept showing the original batch, so I made new albums, changed the link, got something working and changed the link back. You might have been caught in the process. I have a better idea of how Picasa and Web albums work but still are not entirely clear on the matter. That is a long answer to a short question.

Edited to add: Album changed from "Unlisted" to "Public". I've learnt something new. Don't know how that happened.

This post has been edited by the pooks: 08 March 2010 - 09:45 PM

[cownchicken]

the pooks, on Mar 7 2010, 09:04 PM, said:

It was only the decent after that that upped the difficulty rating a notch or two, as the heat of the day came in full force, but some of us took it slowly with lots of stops in the shade. We were watching helicopter activity over Platteklip, so can assume some poor sould did not manage the heat that well.

Three people, in three different incidents were airlifted out of Platteklip Gorge on Sunday suffering from heat exhaustion.

So extra kudos to those of you who were part of the Great Table Mountain Traverse Extravangza!

[cownchicken]

Hey Discombob!
Going to miss you at tomorrow nights Pub Quiz Event.
A pub quiz is just not the same without you!

[Discombob]

Hey, stop trying to rub it in

Call me if you have any tricky questions, I'll be the secret team member

[the pooks]

Reading this snippet of information gleaned from research done by Mrs Pooks makes me think things haven't changed much over the years. One person says X. It is referred to the Courts. The Courts says NO. The Person says I don't agree. And then we are back to square one.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Ladies Mile turnoff in Constantia is a familiar landmark,
and the road’s unusual name has intrigued people for generations.
The name can be traced to the 1820s and a lengthly and expensive
court battle between Leonora Colyn and Hendrik Oostwald
Eksteen. The dispute centered around the use of a servitude road
through Bergvliet.
The original subdivision of Constantia stipulated that the owners
of Klein Constantia would be allowed to use the access road
through Bergvliet. This arrangement did not present any problems
to the successive owners of the farms until Hendrik Oostwald
Eksteen (1752-) inherited the family estate, Bergvliet, Eleonora
Maria Coetzer, widow of Lambertus Johannes Colyn (1769-),
bought the estate Sweet Valley – on the far side of Bergvliet - for
one of her sons.
Eksteen must have watched the Widow Colyn drive her carriage
back and forth across Bergvliet with growing irritation. Eventually
he could stand it no longer and had a deep trench dug across
the servitude road. Eleonora Colyn would have none of it, and
reported the matter to the local authorities, who inspected the
road and instructed Eksteen to fill the trench and restore the road.
Eksteen retaliated by taking the matter to court.
What followed was one of the most expensive and petty legal battles
of the 19th century. All of Cape society followed the battle of
wits between two of the Cape’s top legal minds: Advocate Olof
Martini Bergh (Eksteen) and Advocate Johannes Andreas Truter
(Colyn) with a keen interest.
Eksteen’s defence was based on the notion that the Bergvliet deed
of sale allowed Colyn to use the roads on his property, but not to
use the roads to cross the property. Eleonora Colyn did not give
up when Eksteen won the protracted legal battle, and invoked the
right of British colonists to appeal to the King in Council. So the
case went to London, and in 1827 she won the appeal. Hendrik
Oostwald Eksteen was forced to pay all the legal costs of the epic
battle, and to this day Eleonora Colyn’s road is called Ladies
Mile. ”

[tomtwogates]

Thanks for sharing this - had heard the bones of the story before, but this firms it up

[MnCo]

What a fascinating piece of history, thanks Mr Pooks.

I think it deserves a cache somewhere along the road. If there isn't already one in progress, I'll be happy to oblige

[the pooks]

MnCo, on Apr 15 2010, 09:14 AM, said:

What a fascinating piece of history, thanks Mr Pooks.

I think it deserves a cache somewhere along the road. If there isn't already one in progress, I'll be happy to oblige

Yes I'll leave it to you local Capetonians to make a plan cache-wise. I've always wondered why that strange name - fascinating story. One should ask John Maytham of Capetalk whether he knows the origins. I believe he also drives that road in the mornings.

[paddawan]

Very interesting. I love these little snippets of local history. Thanks a lot.