Traverse 06 | Page 49

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be greeted by a massive yellow smiley face sign .
The Cederberg oasis is run by a super friendly and positive chap called Gerrit . He will welcome you like you would expect a long lost family member to be received .
The lodge offers a wide range of accommodation choices . From camping with your own kit , to staying in one of their fully equipped tents or rooms . There is a fully stocked bar and an excellent restaurant . My favourite thing on their menu is the spare ribs . They are the best I have ever eaten . Make sure to get your order in as soon as you arrive , they often sell out . Yes , that ’ s how good they are .
There is also a full ala carte menu with steaks , chicken schnitzels and all sorts of things available . They also do a great fry up breakfast .
Expect the outside terrace to be festive through the evening . There is normally a pile of fellow petrol heads on hand to share dirt and dust stories . I have often arrived to find motorcycles lined up like dominoes right across the parking area .
I recommend a two night stay at the Oasis with your Saturday left open for outrides . Don ’ t miss visiting the Stadsaal caves and if you feel up to riding some more , as I am sure most will be , take a burn across to Wuppertal where there is one of the first Veldskoen factories . These are funky leather shoes that , although are sometimes considered old fashioned ( i . e . think about your grandpa ’ s favourite walking shoes ), many people love . Be brave and make an eclectic choice by buying yourself a bright red pair . These will be well recognised by South Africans anywhere on the planet .
Gerrit is an expert on the local mountains and is a master map drawer for the hiking and climbing enthusiast . He will take great pleasure in sitting down and making sure to show you all the best sites to see in and around the area . I am not going to go into too much more detail here , but will rather stick to my story of getting there and back . I ’ ll leave the local tips to the local himself .
Assuming that you survive the weekend and don ’ t end up passed out in the hammock next to the swimming pool for a week , it will soon be time for you to head back to the city . You could of course take an extra couple of days and head down the mountain from the opposite side and visit the town of Clanwilliam enroute to the West
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