GP vs KZN - BMWFanatics Weekend Away - Synopsis PG8 and Video on page 9

[ZMC]

Glad everyone is back home safe. Looked like an awesome albeit slow trip

 

[Arbee]

Hi Guys,

Picture's and Video's will be available here:

Google Drive Folder

Attendee's:

Upload to this folder, we will then create 1 video combining everyone's footage.

Thanks!

 

[Kish2604]

:ty: :ty: :ty: :ty:

I dont know where to start, the entire weekend was perfect. I cannot pin point an aspect of it that was stands out cos the entire weekend is playing constantly. I keep hearing the constant laughs, the awesome catch ups, the chows and best off all still had the chance to kick off the shoes and put your feet up.

Before i get onto thanking everyone, a stroll down memory lane.

Since taking over the events side, i have been looking for ideas to bring the Fanatics together, the local events are all well and good, but i find that stepping it up a bit and joining 2 provinces will be amazing. We chat among the forum and whatsapp groups, share ideas and advice but we have not met each other. The weekend away is designed as such to get everyone, together. I received an excellent idea, we may not be able to pull it just yet, maybe 2015 or even 2016 to do a Fanatics Road trip to Knysna. But more of that at a later stage...

So, in May 2014, it was discussed and the initial plans were set and we went live. The response i must say was very slow. Infact, we could have had many more people attend but its safe to say, those that went, will be making this a yearly event. I am sure that this event will be a yearly event, i know the 29 that attended will make it happen every year!!!

Roll on to 06-09-2014 4am...

I couldn't sleep, being excited for this weekend for months had me up most of the night. I had created a Whatsapp group for the attendees to communicate on, works sooo good for this kind of trip. First guys up had posted a message, one of which got up at 4am to wash his car.

Roll on to 8am...

KZN and GP members group up at the respective meeting spots. Wait for the stragglers, plan was to depart by 8:30am however KZN departed just before 9am and JHB left at 9am.

We kept in constant communication along the way. You can also track some of the live updates in the Live Update Thread .

The trip from KZN to Harrismith was longer, the guys had to stop once and were forced to stop once. No number-plates was the tune of the moment for a few. Needless to say, first item purchased was a roll of double sided tape as they reached the Engen Bergview. The GP members had waited for about 30minutes for the KZN guys. But all good, it was expected!

Roll on to 12pm...

Nandos and Wrap it up was on the Lunch menu. Some made a big group and sat inside Nandos, others took a take away while some ate at Wrap it Up.

1pm... We line up and depart the pit-stop on route to the Golden Gate Hotel...

Picking the story up from Arbee,

leaving the Engen Bergiew one stop we turned back to the freeway with the entire convoy in tow heading towards Phuthaditjhaba and then towards Clarens, the trip was an approx 70km journey from Harrysmith with long lonely roads and golden brown rolling landscape...

on entering the national park we stopped for another photo op and headed of to the hotel, i must say the sights within the park were amazing with some absolutely national geographic level sights to be seen, some wildlife was also spotted but i am unsure if anyone got a snap of it...

we arrived at the Golden gate hotel and chalets just after 2pm with a swarm of BMW's converging on the reception area, we were greeted warmly by the hotel reception with some of them gawking at the convoy that arrived in their town...

Keys in hand we settled down in our chalets, unpacked and promptly went visiting the neighboring chalets of our mates, by 3pm everyone was relaxing in the braai area where we grouped the garden furniture together and shared a few cold ones taking the beauty of the rather large mountain in front of us...

by 5pm it was time to get the braai going and everyone pooled together some very delectable ranges of meats, sausages and fresh veggies for the big supper... supper eventually finished around 8-30ish and it was time for the first half of the hampers generously donated by Fuzz, Crazy detailer and Ice-chilli designs who sponsored cleaning kits, specially made Key rings engraved with the BMW fanatics logo and license disk holders with the same design as well...

After that was done it was marshmallows on the fire fueled by a massive log soaked in ethanol! lol...this ensured the fire stayed lighting all through the night while we gazed at the beauty of the Clarens feature mountain face bathed in soft light... From here on all i can share is "what happened in Clarens will stay in Clarens" and the night eventually started to wind down around 1-30am by when most of us headed to bed.

fast forward to 7ish the ffg morning and most of the guys who didn’t find out that their beds had electric blankets were up early while the rest of us lazed a little longer... by 8-30 breakfast was being prepped in earnest and everyone enjoyed a hearty meal together reflecting on the previous nights antics... breakfast done, we held the lucky draws for the other vouchers offered by our generous sponsors namely, AXIS Engineered, OCD Detailing, Ice Chilli designs, Crazy Detailer, Fuzz Detailing and a private benefactor. We closed with the vote of thanks to everyone that attended followed by a group picture that was taken by all there present… The guys promptly packed the cars and then we all did cold start videos on all the cars parked outside from the night before, videos are with Abree I suspect…Abree please post when you can! a few more photos of the cars with the hotel as a backdrop was taken and we departed thereafter heading back to the Engen Bergview to get a quick bite and also say goodbye to out GP brothers in arms who it felt like they were going the wrong way… feeling sad that the trip flew by so quickly the KZN bunch then departed for the long journey back home along the average speed prosecuted N3 to Durban while all of us secretly planning the return to Clarens again next year…

many a strong friendship was forged this weekend and it must be said that we are blessed to have made such great friends in our lives…

BMWFanatics @ Clarens 2014! Thank you for the memories!

 

[Arbee]

Abree... lol... looks like its going to stick.

I have the videos, will clean them up and post soon. Ive got 16gb of go pro footage to go through.

Just to add to Kish's closing.

We must have greeted each other a dozen times when we where leaving. Each time we ended up stopping again somewhere to chat or take pics we then greeted again. I think we didnt want to leave each others company. I know I didnt...

 

[Arbee]

They awesome keyring!!

Lots of pics have been uploaded to the google drive box. Have a look through...

 

[Arbee]

Thank You

 

[ZMC]

Is that mud on your key?

 

[Arbee]

Is that mud on your key?

Yes

 

[Peejay]

Looks like dust

 

[ZMC]

Unacceptable my son

 

[Arbee]

Looks like dust

Yeah... its dust. Its a 7 yr old key. Gets used everyday. I have the hardly touched spare in the safe.

 

[Arbee]

Unacceptable my son

Sorry dad... buy me a new key!

 

[Peejay]

:biglol: one that starts a v8?

 

[Arbee]

:biglol: one that starts a v8?

Pj... you know it...

 

[Porra46]

Damn... When you guys hold something like this again please let me know...

I would have hooked up with you guys.

Clarens is 30kms away from my home valley Bethlehem!

 

[Kish2604]

Damn... When you guys hold something like this again please let me know...

I would have hooked up with you guys.

Clarens is 30kms away from my home valley Bethlehem!

Thanks Bud... however its been on the forum for 3 months straight...

till next year for the next one...

 

[bus driver]

my car is on the event pics......im bloody famous:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

[Peejay]

A little delayed bus driver :roflol:

 

[kugs330]

:clapper: was an awesome trip. Enjoying my detailing kit thanks to the organizers was a well planned trip :ty:

 

[Kish2604]

Hi Guys,

I know this is a bit of a thread revival but we have made an after movie with the pictures we had... I hope you enjoy it! looking forward to Clarens 2015!

[video=youtube]