B-Sides and Rarities: A grand escape on South Africa’s touring roads
Whilst most driving stories of touring involve the Franschhoek, Gydo or Outeniqua passes from some pinky-finger-raising-whilst drinking-your-tea car snobs within the car club community (And I stress that is of the minority as the majority of car club members are good guys), there are many B-side roads outside of the status quo, involving both short and longish stretches of asphalt, both city-bound and beyond the borders of the urban fabric that offer varied driving experiences. I’m constantly on the look out to find them and so should you.
One of the many things I rarely get to spend enough time doing is getting into my now 9-year-old Scirocco Mk3 and just heading out on an adventure. Part of that adventure always involves finding some new road trip music, doing all the necessary safety checks (This is where I suggest investing a decent analogue tire pressure gauge) as well as fueling up.
That sense of freedom, after the turn of the key and click of the safety belt, that moment you turn out of the service station and onto the proverbial wide-open road…that’s the the transitional gateway from your old life into a new one. Where all your seemingly mountainous issues fade away into the rear-view mirror as the kilometres tick over and all that you have in front of you is the horizon. This is about that moment. And that moment is where man and machine become one. Ok, perhaps I’m getting carried away here but you get what I’m saying? Right? Ok. Good. Now let's dial it back.
Here’s the thing, so often I see that typical old grey beard mentality of car clubs impose that scenario elitism where you can only enjoy the touring road when you have a Porsche 911, Aston Martin, Ferrari FF or M2 competition. Granted these will offer an extreme experience but they're not the begin and end-all of driving experiences. Heaven forbid you to lobby that a Volkswagen can be a grand Tourer (lower case 'g' intentional) and they might have you shot outside the next breakfast run, execution-style. Ok, here’s the kicker…I like Porsche and Astons just as much as the next pinky-finger-raising-whilst drinking-your-tea car snob but if we’re sliding along the affordability/pleasure scale here anything, even your entry-level Polo TSI, can be a tourer. Perhaps not as grand as the Aston or FF but a tourer nonetheless.
I had a moment two years back when I needed to make my way from the West Coast town of Langebaan to Lamberts bay for a camping weekend, a further 2 hours of a coastal backcountry road separating the two towns, stretching along the coast, splitting the rural countryside and ocean. This was the suggestion of a local neighbour who was additament, pushing the idea that I simply needed to try that route. That route was the R365. Boy, was he right?!
I was in the Scirocco and the weather was moody. A low mist had descended, blocking out the morning’s soft sunlight, greeting my early start. The crispness of the air had awoken my senses, more than a cup of coffee at the local Wimpy ever could. There were no other cars on the road that day. The odd agricultural vehicle scattered along the shoulder of the road, but I was on my own.It was my own private Mille Miglia that morning, passing through the odd town that split my adventure. For those fleeting moments, I was Stirling Moss sans an open face helmet, shifting gears and getting a move along. The Sciroccos dated platform still eager to please. This 133km journey had everything that could tickle the avid enthusiast. Long winding bends, medium rises and sweeping dipping turns and the odd sharp bend to test the alertness. Whilst the views are spectacular along this route, I had no interest other than getting the best of what is an engaging driving experience for what it is.
At the end of it I reached a point where it dawned on me that, with a little bit of imagination, anything can be “the best road you’ve driven on” and that conforming to the status quo of a Franschhoek Pass or Gydo Pass to get your kicks, granted are stellar examples, aren’t the only places that offer an experience. My advice is to get out there and adventure, even if it is in a Polo tsi or a Ferrari FF, no judgement.
Wouldn’t it be great to form a list of these B-side stretches and why they appeal to you? (Drop a comment below)
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