Pain and pleasure - Aug 24, 2008

The past week has been the most punishing yet for Braam and David, the halfway mark seeing our never-say-die heroes clock up over 1 700km in more than seven merciless weeks of running, hiking and sometimes tumbling heavily.


“We are definitely more exhausted now and towards the end of the day we are tripping and stumbling where we wouldn’t have before,” David confided. “And when we rest on the seventh day, after running six successive days, we are sleeping and recovering rather than simply enjoying leisure time.”

The past week has seen them ramp up from an average of 40km to 45km a day, their latest weekly tally of more than 260km being their greatest accomplishment yet. It is all the more remarkable when you consider that the terrain has become notably more rugged as they follow paths hugging cliffs intercepted by deep gorges, instead of often flat beaches or undulating roads.

From now on ambient temperatures will also climb as the Miles for Smiles expedition goes from winter, to spring and summer.

Look at the latest photographs and you’ll see that both are visibly leaner and fitter than when they started in Oranjemund on July 1 and it’ll be interesting to see the changes by the finish in Mozambique during October.

David’s weight has dropped six kilograms to 82kg although he expects his body to feed on its reserves further, remembering that at the end of their epic Great Wall of China run in 2006 his weight plummeted to 72kg, triggering alarm among the sports scientists and dieticians monitoring his progress from afar.

I’m happy to report that I too have shed weight, in my case an overdue 5kg of fat during six days at the St Francis Health Centre in Port Alfred where I ran, hiked, swam and had daily pampering in the form of massages, steam baths and other treatments.

The main emphasis was on de-toxing and de-stressing in a safe, healthy environment which is what St Francis is famous for, with my annual hydro visit having been delayed by several months when I was commissioned to write the Toyota-sponsored 4x4 book, Masters of Africa.

Admittedly I did feel some pangs of guilt leaving the Smiles team for a week, especially as my role includes scouting ahead for the runners, but I couldn’t cancel again and have returned with my batteries on full charge while the rest of the gang are visibly tired.

I showed an advance copy of the book to some of my newfound friends at St Francis with one couple vowing to buy their own edition when it becomes available and plan a life-changing holiday, possibly of up to a year.

He’s just completed a major work contract and their oldest child is only due to start school in 2010, so next year is their perfect opportunity to explore as a family.

Hopefully other 4x4 owners will find the book as useful.

Masters of Africa

The coffee table book entitled Masters of Africa honours the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 as the pinnacle of 4x4 development and refinement.

It is a celebration of the indomitable Land Cruiser spirit of adventure and the almost infinite possibilities available to 4x4 drivers; from tantalising weekend trails within easy reach of the major cities and tourism routes, to more ambitious explorations of some of the remarkable destinations in Southern Africa.

Masters of Africa also introduces the reader to personalities who have added to the legend of the Land Cruiser, setting their sights on distant horizons and huge challenges, while never settling for the everyday or ordinary in their lives. Inevitably they are also motivated by an urgent need to make a difference, impacting positively on all they meet.

Dr Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota South Africa, said: “My hope is that Masters of Africa will bring back wonderful memories for those who have been privileged to experience vast wilderness areas like the Namib and Kalahari. To others, be they armchair travellers or 4x4 novices, I hope the book provides inspiration and a menu of possibilities.

“Masters of Africa is also a tribute to the Land Cruiser 200, which is the performance yardstick by which others will be judged, both on and off the road, setting new standards in sophistication, safety and quiet comfort.”

Writing the words and taking many of the photographs has been one of my most satisfying projects in many years. It also gave me the chance to get up close and personal with the new 200 in both petrol and diesel derivatives.

Cutting-edge technology includes the innovative Crawl Control feature with the pioneering Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System establishing a world first for Toyota, while the sophisticated 4.5-litre twin-turbocharger V8 Diesel is not only the most powerful engine in Toyota’s entire diesel range, but achieves levels of fuel efficiency comparable to some rival 3.0-litre engines.

It’s quite a car!

Rest Day - Aug 17, 2008

The theory is that Braam and David run six days a week, and on the 7^th the team rests. Well, it rarely works out quite like that and our last rest day was no exception, although there were no complaints.

We camped at the Vleesbaai 4x4 Dune Route, which I voted one of my Top 10 trails in the newly published Toyota 4x4 book, Masters of Africa. So it was obvious that we were going to have some fun here, although that was to come later in the day.

First we had to get one of the Fortuners and the Hilux Double Cab (sporting a new Beekman canopy) to Mossel Bay Toyota for routine services, also fitting two of the vehicles with new sets of all-terrain tyres. The guys and girls at the dealership were great, which has been our experience at all Toyota outlets visited so far on this trip.

While the rest of the support team were running various errands, including a major Spar food shop, I clocked up more than 200km planning the route for the next two days for David and Braam. Sometimes this is more complicated than you might imagine as they don’t always run the same course, David loving to be close to the sea while Braam enjoys bush where he can see the creatures that fascinate him. Eventually there were two distinct routes of near identical length, although David’s was to prove the tougher and slower option.

But I get ahead of myself.

Late afternoon found us back at Vleesbaai, which Riekie and Chrisilda van Rensburg have developed into one of South Africa’s best 4x4 destinations, and certainly one of he most enjoyable.

It was the perfect opportunity to give John, Lunga and Michel a dune driving lesson in a trio of Toyotas and just to make it really challenging we started with our tyres pumped to 1.5 kPA. This kept everybody on their toes and made many sections downright difficult, if not impossible.

Finally we had to power our way up a colossal dune which has seen many egos dented, and much rivalry between the owners of competitive brands. I was last here in a Land Cruiser 200, powered by the formidable twin turbo 4.5-litre diesel V8, which made the climb absurdly easy. This time our dune warriors enjoyed a number of attempts until they clawed their way to the summit with just 0.8 kPA in the tyres. This extends the size of the tyre’s footprint and dramatically enhances traction. Judging by the wide grins all round it was a great end to the day.

Human encroachment

Seizing my opportunity, I decided to hike the 14km St Blaize Trail along the dramatic cliffs between Dana Bay and Mossel Bay. It was superb although I have to admit to being saddened by the weight of the human footprint along this stretch of coastline, with all manner of excess evident in too many holiday homes that are all too grand for the planet’s good. The most obvious is the Pinnacle Point development that is probably heaven if you are a golfer and hell if your passion is preserving a pristine environment. Runner David Grier was behind me on the trail and stopped to ask some golfers: “Did you see an old grey-haired guy come through here?” One was quick to retort: “Would that be your double?” Cheeky! David’s grey hair is clearly no impediment to running the equivalent of a marathon a day.

We have a new team member - Aug 18, 2008

Michel Kabasenghe - Age 29

Michel is a new and very welcome addition to the Miles for Smiles team, taking responsibility for the nutritional demands of the runners and support crew. A chef who served his apprenticeship in Cape Town restaurants, he hails from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo and arrived in South Africa eight years ago as an exile. As well as his culinary skills he brings a wonderfully cheerful and enthusiastic nature, and a readiness to share his passion for football and especially his favourite teams Chelsea and Orlando Pirates. He is also a qualified driver.

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Mini-heroine boost the Smiles team - Aug 14, 2008

Meet Sammy Jo, the youngest fund raiser for the Toyota-supported Cipla Spar Miles for Smiles Coastal Challenge 2008.

The enthusiastic seven-year-old from the International School of Helderberg in Somerset West has raised nearly R20 000 towards Operation Smile South Africa, a non-profit organisation funding corrective surgery for children with facial disfigurements.

Her heroes are extreme athletes Braam Malherbe and David Grier who established a world first by running The Great Wall of China in 2006, and are nearing the halfway mark in a mammoth fund-raising run around the entire coastline of South Africa.

As a special treat Sammy Jo and proud mum Amanda Nortje were invited to join the Miles for Smiles team for a day, travelling in the 4x4 Toyota Fortuner used to scout routes for the two runners.

“It was fun,” Sammy Jo enthused. “David is really nice although he doesn’t really talk a lot to me like Braam does. He’s a chatterbox and he’s like a big child!”

Amanda recalls: “We first met Braam at a holiday camp where he gave a star talk to the children and Sammy Jo volunteered to be a planet.”

Later they followed Braam and David’s progress on the Internet during their incredible 4 218km China epic, responding when the two appealed for donations to the Miles for Smiles charity.

“What can I do to help,” Sammy Jo asked?

“Her initial idea was to sell orange juice outside a major fruit and vegetable supplier which probably wasn’t a good idea, so she decided to sell homemade fairy cakes at school.

“She helped with the baking and started selling to friends and then friends of friends until the cup cakes were in demand for children’s parties, and then for Christmas. R2 700 was raised.”

Braam telephoned Sammy Jo from The Great Wall and told her what a blessing she’d been and how much her effort was appreciated, which encouraged her to come up with another plan.

A bicycle rally arranged by the school at Monkeytown near Cape Town recently raised a massive R15 700, while four Miles for Smiles caps were sold for R150 each, with a fifth cap, featuring signatures from all the team members, fetching more than R1 000 on auction.

Each week she gives her class an update on the progress of the two runners, which can also be followed on the Internet.

The goal of the Miles for Smiles Coastal Challenge, which is supported by Toyota South Africa, is to help change young lives forever by raising R3.5-million for reconstructive surgery for more than 600 children with facial disfigurements.

David and Braam’s daily progress can be charted on the Operation Smile SA website where online donations can also be made. Visit http://www.milesforsmiles.co.za/ and http://www.toyota.co.za/

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All in a days work - Aug 12, 2008

Spending time with Braam and David makes me realise how relative all our goals and achievements are.

For example, completing the five-night, 56km Whale Trail in the De Hoop Nature Reserve would rank as a major achievement for most of us mere mortals, while these action heroes view it as a day-and-a-half challenge.

Its simple arithmetic: their goal is to average a marathon a day, or roughly 42km, so do the sums and you see what I mean. Already we’ve experienced days where they’ve notched up 46 or 47km, and they expect to top 50 on some days. Sometimes, in deep sand or rocky terrain, they have to walk huge sections to avoid the risk of injury and spend up to eight hours on their feet.

Whenever they run big distances they get really excited. “Sometimes I feel like a wild animal, running for the sheer joy of it,” Braam enthuses.

Funnily enough I thought this 40 kay-a-day thing would make my job as an advance scout a rather easy one, savouring awesome coastal scenery at a relaxed pace from the comfort of my Miles for Smiles Fortuner.

Of course, it isn’t always that easy or predictable. Their 42km yesterday took them 10 hours, while I spent almost as many hours and around 250km scouting that route for them the previous day. The practical reality is that cars can’t drive the beaches or the hiking trails, and often have to take huge detours. And some routes that look like a good idea on the map, don’t work out in reality.

But it’s always fun and we’ve met so many great people who’ve helped us.

In the Agulhas National Park we spent an entire day being escorted by section ranger Samantha Schroder, who seems to know every centimetre of the windswept and ruggedly beautiful park and showed us some stunning spots.

The park is probably best-known for its red-and-white lighthouse overlooking Africa’s southern tip, but also boasts around 2 000 indigenous plant species, wetlands that attract thousands of migrant and resident birds, and a rugged coastline littered with wrecks that supports a rich marine and intertidal diversity of lifeforms.

Agulhas National Park celebrates its 10^th anniversary next month with some exciting new accommodation facilities coming on stream by the end of the year. It’s definitely worth a look!

DON’T SHOOT!

While I’ll never understand the billions spent on military hardware and weapons of destruction, it was fascinating to get an insider’s view of the missile testing centre near Arniston, thanks to the co-operation of Willem Burger and Brian Damonse, who was our enthusiastic host.

Twice a year they open the facility to the public and also use it as a venue for an air show every second year. The little boy in me would love to be around for the next public showcase.

MY ‘TO DO’ LIST

Although I’m ticking off a number of places on my personal ‘to do’ list, there is an even longer list of gems I’d like to return to.

I’ve hiked sections of the Hoerikwaggo Trail along the Table Mountain chain, but can’t wait to do the full six or seven-day trek from Cape Point to the Waterfront, which will surely become one of Cape Town’s premier outdoor adventure attractions.

The Whale Trail at de Hoop is another must, and I’ll be happy to allocate the full five nights for this hiking treat, savouring a trail that winds, swoops and soars along a beautiful coast where David and Braam counted more than 60 whales in a single morning.

Forthcoming attractions will include the legendary five-day, 42km Otter Trail in the TsitsiKamma National Park at Storms River Mouth, as well as the Wild Coast Meander a few days later.

Of course, I’m talking hiking here and the driving is no less spectacular. The support crew has sampled some great 4x4 sand tracks as well as magnificent roads like Chapman’s Peak Pass and the Faure Marine Drive between Gordon’s Bay and Hermanus. Yeah, and I pretend I’m working!

BEACH BAN

The craziest thing we’ve seen in recent days were the four young men towing their trailer through thick sand down the beach without the benefit of a vehicle. It turned out that they were attempting to honour the 4x4 beach ban and weren’t about to venture out without their fishing rods and abundant refreshment.

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My interview on YouTube - Aug 12, 2008

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Photo time - Aug 6, 2008

Changing lives - Aug 5, 2008

Changing lives

The message is emblazoned on the flanks of our four Toyota 4x4 support vehicles and in our hearts: ‘Operation Smile - Changing lives one smile at a time.’

The Cipla Spar Miles for Smiles Coastal Challenge is also about the fact that ‘Nothing is impossible’ and that we are all capable of much more than we realise.

I’ve had a lot of time to think of these realities during the past couple of days, and to appreciate how the goals of David, Braam and all the Smiles team are helping us all to lift our game.

I’d had to drop a car off in the Cape Town Waterfront and didn’t have convenient transport back to my base in Kommetjie and so I decided, much to my surprise, that I’d seize the opportunity and hike the 30km home. After all, if our two runners can do 40km and more every day, six days a week, why shouldn’t I tackle this trek, knowing that I’d have all day to do it without the pressure of cameras and a public spotlight?

I got quite excited planning an amazing route that would take me up Table Mountain, either with the Cable Car or up the punishing Platteklip Gorge, across the top via Maclear’s Beacon (the highest point) to some favourite leafy suburbs and on to Chapman’s Peak and ultimately the beautiful Noordhoek Beach to Kommetjie. I figured it would take around eight exhausting but exhilarating hours.

In the end a friend offered a lift that I reluctantly accepted because it would allow me to catch up with writing and emails, but I realised with delight that I now see opportunities rather than obstacles, and was genuinely excited at the idea of a 30km walk. I’ll do it soon!

My ideal vehicle

I’ve been in Cape Town tackling some chores on behalf of the team, among them organising some minor panel-beating on one of the Fortuners that had an unfortunate meeting with a concrete bollard outside the Spar shop in Oranjemund on Day One of our adventure. Shit happens!

In between I’ve loaned ‘my’ gold Fortuner to the team and must say I’ve really missed it.

Recently it was equipped with a lockable drawer system from 4x4 MegaWorld, as well as the fitment of my water tank and Engel fridge-freezer to maximise our comforts while camping. After 60 000km of hard running during the past two years, it has also been treated to a new set of tyres.

My previous Toyota was ‘Baobab,’ the lead Fortuner in the Toyota Timbuktu-Table Mountain Expedition, which sported every imaginable off-road accessory including a rooftop tent, Old Man Emu suspension upgrade and long-range fuel tank. It was awesome but this one’s lighter and nimbler with a more aerodynamic profile that enhances performance and economy. It reinforces my belief that the Fortuner represents the best versatility and value-for-money in this sector of the 4x4 market and is ideal for the wide range of adventures awaiting it during the Miles for Smiles Challenge.

Toyota athletes break 1 000km barrier - August 4, 2008

Capetonian athletes Braam Malherbe and David Grier have got into their horizon-shrinking stride - running a total of 1 000km and averaging a marathon on many days during the Cipla Spar Miles for Smiles Coastal Challenge 2008.


Appropriately the magical 1 000 barrier was passed on one of South Africa’s most beautiful stretches of coastline between Gordon’s Bay and Hermanus, which is famed for its whale watching opportunities.

“It was a good psychological boost to clock up 1 000km,” David said, “Although we are very aware that we have a long way to go and need to pace ourselves carefully for the remaining 2 500km to the finish at Ponta do Ouro in Mozambique.”

While magnificent beaches and spectacular coastal scenery has been a highlight, conditions were gruelling with a howling wind and flying sand. “At times the wind was so powerful that it almost stopped us in our tracks,” Braam said. “But we still managed to clock up around 42km for the day.”

John Horler, a member of the support team, said: “Conditions were hellish and there were times when David and Braam had to cling to the wall alongside the Marine Drive from Gordon’s Bay, just to maintain their balance in the wind, while spray was whipped up from the sea below.”

The runners’ daily progress is registered on the Garmin GPS worn on Braam’s wrist and a satellite tracking device carried by David.

Visit http://www.milesforsmiles.co.za/ and http://www.toyota.co.za/ for the latest information and to make on-line pledges to the Operation Smile South Africa, a non-profit organisation which performs corrective surgery on underprivileged children with facial disfigurements.

Their goal is to raise R3.5-million – about R1 000 a kilometre.