Scenic Drives South Africa - Robbers Pass Mpumalanga

Scenic Drives South Africa. Robber's Pass Mpumalanga.

Robber's Pass connects the little town of Pilgrim's Rest to Ohrigstad, a long tarred road rich in history with a particularly scenic landscape, and one the best drives through Mpumalanga.

Starting in the historic town of Pilgrim's Rest, the birthplace of South Africa's gold rush, with a history of fortune seeking gold miners and robbers to add to the allure of the pass.

Robber's Grave, in the Cemetery above the town, a thief was caught pilfering in another mans tent he was lynched and died and was buried in the cemetery above town. The Robbers Grave is facing north/south as opposed to east/west for the other graves. However he was not the robber after whom the pass is named. Wonder what he was trying to pilfer from the tent ?

The pass was named after some notorious highwaymen. A stage coach was robbed of £10 000 worth of gold and no-one was convicted or even caught. A second robbery occurred in the same spot, 13 years later, for which Tommy Dennison was convicted and jailed. When he returned to Pilgrim's Rest after serving his sentence, he started the Highwayman's Garage. Who said crime doesn't pay?

The pass on the R553, begins on the northern edge of Pilgrim's Rest and leads in a north-westerly direction into the mountains, a distance of 26 km, at an average gradient of 1:5, driving speed is between 40 and 100 km an hour. Summiting at 1790m a rise of 545m above Pilgrims Rest, makes this a fantastic drive, well suited to the MX5, with numerous hairpin bends and sweeping curves, absolute driving bliss best enjoyed top down! At the end of the pass, if you turn left you head towards Lydenburg and if right to Ohrigstad, be warned this road is horribly pot-holed, so best make an about turn and enjoy this ride all over again! Ensure you check out the beautiful scenery on your return trip

Drives like these are like life, it has its ups and downs, twists, bends and turns, but that's the Beauty of it all! Enjoy the pic`s below and you can easily see why this is such a scenic drive!

Please ensure you do this drive in clear weather conditions, pretty hairy if there is mist about!

You will pass some interesting viewpoints along the way, The Morgenzon Plantation famous for the rarely seen wild horses, the Jock of the Bushveld monument, Mount Sheba Nature Reserve, Crystal Springs resort, Alanglade house, which was the mine manager of Transvaal Gold Mines residence.

In order to get to Robbers Pass, one travels through some other spectacular drives. From Lydenburg through the Long Tom Pass into the town of Sabie and onto Graskop passing waterfalls and magnificent viewpoints. Turn off the Graskop road to Pilgrims Rest and a twisty turny stretch of road down into the Pilgrims Rest valley is challenging enough. Stop for refreshments before heading off to Robbers Pass, this is without doubt one of the gems of scenic drives in SA. 

View on to Robbers Pass

Pure driving Bliss!

Ascending Robbers Pass

Descending Robbers Pass

Viewpoint Stop

MX5 Owners club had this fantastic run, way back in 2011, think another one there is due!

MX5 2017

A new effort to broaden the appeal of the MX-5

Having an MX-5 makes life richer and more fun. With this small, convertible sports car, we want to offer even more people a fun-filled life through driving pleasure.

Many people who would love to own a convertible end up choosing a car with a fixed hardtop roof instead. Hoping to share the wonder and thrill that come with putting the top down with this kind of customer, we offered a Power Retractable Hardtop for the first time on the third-generation MX-5. The first and second generations had both offered a detachable hardtop, but with its motor-driven retractable roof, the third-generation model made the joy of open-top driving accessible to a wider range of people and was a hit with customers around the world. With the hardtop version of the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5, we stayed true to our aim of making open-top driving more accessible, but freed ourselves from traditional ways of thinking and took on new challenges in order to create something completely new, the Mazda MX-5 RF.

Beautiful fastback styling and a new kind of open-air feel

The development of the MX-5 RF was a new undertaking that entailed broadening the appeal of the fourth-generation soft-top model, a car that further hones the pure driving fun that has defined the model since going on sale in 1989.

The basic premise of the soft-top model is top-down driving, and in comparison we expect MX-5 RF owners will spend more time with the top closed. So we began development by throwing our thinking into reverse; our aim was a convertible sports car with gorgeous fastback lines when the roof is closed and an exhilarating open-air feel when open. We asked ourselves what it meant to make a driver’s car with a power-retractable roof, ditched the traditional idea of stowing the entire roof and realized styling that further articulates an iconic sports car design. The cabin is luxurious and quiet when closed, and the rear roof produces a completely new open-air driving feel when the top is down. And with the ability to smartly and smoothly transition between the two, the car will provide thrills in any driving conditions. I believe the MX-5 RF is a car that could only have been created at Mazda, where everyone involved in the creative process aspires to take on new challenges. Re-post for details go to:

http://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/mazda-news/2017-mx-5-rf/

MX5 Low Flying Fun Run

Low Flying Fun Run 11 September 2016

Different name, different game. Met at Hi-Fi Corporation in Boksburg. Sue the Travel agent for the day, handed out the special MX5 passports which also contained the clue for the first destination. Joan was the one who guessed the next destination, which was Hi-Flyerz pub and grill. Due to her guessing the clue, Joan was upgraded to First Class. On arrival we were greeted by our Air Hostess for the day, Jodie. The passports were stamped and boarding passes handed out. The boarding passes also contained the next destination.

 Hi-Flyerz is a pub and grill with a difference. Located adjacent to the Birchwood Hotel, it is owned and managed by two ex SAA pilots. The cockpit of the SAA Tafelberg is built into the restaurant and various sections of aircraft are used as bar-counters, lamps and others. This full on Aviation themed pub and grill is a must to visit if you are in the area. The photographs and memorabilia scattered throughout will keep you entertained for a good while. Meanwhile after finishing our boarding drinks, we were guessing our next destination, which was solved by Siobhan, so she too was upgraded to first class. Jodie also collected the Excess Baggage fees from all the pax, which money was to go for the lucky draw at our final destination.

The destination was Market on High, a quintessentially street type market, located on High Street in Benoni. They were all there, from Antiques at Uncle Tim`s to the food market, the nursery, and a multitude of other stalls, plenty to see and do. A visit to the various craft brewery’s also a good idea. As this was our layover leg of the run, a bit of time was spent meandering throughout all the stalls. Made our way back to the meeting place for boarding to our final destination. Eugene was the one who guessed our final destination, and he too was up-graded to First Class.

The final destination was at a Mozambican style restaurant in Sunnyridge Mongo`s, we stopped off there for a lovely wholesome meal, at pretty reasonable prices. The Low Flying Fun Run was concluded with all the passengers having had a pleasant flight, and they would definitely fly MX5 Airlines again. The lucky draw, a bottle of the most exquisite port was won by Mike. The First Class passengers were given slabs of chocolate each. Two of the passengers were fined with a shooter each. The reason they locked their keys in their cars. Well done there Graham and Eugene. The name of the Low Flying  fun run came from the height of the MX5, the Mk1 being the lowest at 1210mm, the Mk2 at 1225mm and the MK3 at a very tall 1245mm. Very special thanks to Sue for the concept and organization of the run, the printing of passports, boarding passes etc. Thanks to Jodie very her very plausible part of the Air Hostess. Thanks to John at Mongo`s and his staff for a very pleasant lunch at his establishment.

This 1st class departure lounge, seems OK!

It`s the left hand seat, the pilot is supposed to be in the left hand seat!

Chair and previous chair

Welcome on board MX5 Zoom-Zoom airlines!

That`s the right seat for the Captain, I mean the left seat ! I mean that`s the correct seat for the Captain!

Captain and the Travel Agent

Flight MK1 departing from High Flyerz

Landed at Market on High! One of these days, we`re going to get all the cars facing the same direction!

Good Thyme, Good time ok!

General view of the market

Food market and at the end Craft Beer!

MX5 Passports, pretty cool!

Clue 1 to get to Hi-Flyers!

Clues 2 and 3 

Passport stamps, left hand side from previous runs,right hand side Low Flying Fun Run ! 

MX5 run to Checkered Flag

MX5 Club run to the Checkered Flag

The Checkered Flag, this hidden gem on the East Rand is definitely worth a visit. Upon entering the Checkered Flag it looks like a normal suburban house, but once entering the property you are transported into a world of motoring memorabilia of note. Each room has a different aspect, housing racing gear, photographs and excellent paintings of the racing stars and their cars of yesteryear. These items are priceless because of their uniqueness. There is also one section housing some very rare motorcycles.

The house leads out into a large storage facility, housing a magnificent display of very collectible motor cars. There are some of the older racing cars, German exotics, some muscle cars, European exotics with a definite slant on the Italians. There is some memorabilia in amongst the display of the cars making the display a lot more authentic feeling. All of the cars on display are in road going condition and are taken out for runs on a regular basis. One could spend an entire day browsing and admiring the display. Another storage facility adjacent to the present one is nearing completion. This will house amongst others, racing cars of yesteryear, an Italian section and also a display area for Die cast miniatures.

After finishing off a leisurely tour, the braai fires were ready and it was all systems go for us to enjoy a magnificent spread, with salads and braai fires laid on by our host, Steve. While sitting down to lunch, talk turned to everything about cars, and I often noticed people slipping off to investigate more and take extra photographs, so as to sort out facts from fiction about the cars and their history. Thanks go out to Steve and company for making this day possible for the MX5 owners club. A truly enjoyable and memorable day was had by all.

The only tools needed for a Braai!

Lucky Draw Prizes!

For the sweet tooth people, Yummy !

The right stuff for the JOB! Just Old Brown!

The Main Race is still on the Braai!

MX5 Indian Cuisine June 0216

Indian Cuisine 12th June 2016

Ladies Run to Laughing Chefs

Ladies Run to Laughing Chefs May 2016

Angela`s Picnic 2016

Angela's Picnic 2016. What a fantastic day! I keep saying this year after year , that it cannot get any better, yet surprise it was once again better. The weather once again excellent and the turnout fantastic. Thanks Rob in his year seventh year of organizing the event. Also Annatjie our chairperson of the MX5 club and Jaques of the Conti Club, great work at marshaling this event. 

Thanks to all those who assisted them at gate, tiring work but rewarding nevertheless.

The donations received at the the gate absolutely overwhelming! The amount of exhibitors who arrive and willingly donate is fantastic. All proceeds going to the Hospice Society Of South Africa. Really I thank you all for your generosity and your participation at this event! I have run out of superlatives to describe this day, yet just suffice to say, that every person at Angela's must have enjoyed the day. 

What a fantastic collection of cars, from vintage to classic to supercars, and all this for a donation to this very cause. Thank you so much Angela Heinz for the foresight to start this event 35 years ago, you must have been a very special person! The exhibitors and public once again had high co-operation levels, with no open fires or boot sales reported.

Next year can only be better, see you all there.

MX5 club -at Angela`s

Angela`s picnic, the place to chill!

MX5`ers at the picnic

Ideal picnic weather, the place to be!

Safety first, fire extinguisher in place!