Eendekuil lunch ride

I managed to get Janet up and ready in time to meet everyone at the starting point by 0915, we had been told that we were going to leave at 0930 sharp so there was just time for a cup of coffee from the Wimpy. They never leave at the organised time and the guys all stand around looking at the other bikes and kicking tyres, something that Janet hates.
It was a fresh morning, there was no wind and the sun was shining low on the eastern horizon in a pale wintry sky but we could tell it was going to be a great day. We stood around shuffling our feet and hugging our cups of hot coffee, our breath visible in the early morning air, I've got heated handgrips I'm ok!

Div got on his Honda Blackbird and fired it up at 0950, we followed suit, my engine a quiet burble next to his. Eight bikes and fourteen people surged out of the garage forecourt and onto the R27 then swung a right onto the R45 and Div immediately set up a fast pace, at 150kmh we all thundered along in a fairly tight staggered formation heading towards the rising sun. I love this! I was singing Bob Dylan into my helmet and thoroughly enjoying the cold air and the powerful, surging motorbike - nowhere else I'd rather be.

We swung a left onto the narrow, bumpy R311 for the 22km run to Mooreesburg where we stopped so that those who needed to smoke could do so, also Craig and Monica were on a Yamaha VMax which only has a small tank so they topped up. By then it was warming up and it was very comfortable as we moved out onto the N7, 32kms to Piketburg and we blasted along at between 150 and 160kmh surging past the cages in a tight group.

Des joined us as we rode through the town at the foot of the Piketberge mountain range, perfect timing and by now I was feeling the first hunger pangs, lunch was going to be good. From Piketberg to Eendekuil (say Ian-duh-kale fast) is about 28kms along a very good road at the base of the mountain range and we blasted along as if everyone was in a hurry to get to the hotel.

The hotel owners are also bikers and they have made a lovely hospitable atmosphere to encourage bikers, a good bar which was well supported and good food which went down singing hymns. We spent a very enjoyable couple of hours there and I was pleased to see that there were a good few other bikers already there when we arrived. The lunch was a buffet, nothing fancy but very good value and we found out that the rooms are good and the prices reasonable so we will be back for a stayover.

The ride home was just as good, in all it was just over 300km round trip, nothing much at all for a Sunday ride and I look forward to doing it again. We ended off the day in the spa bath this time looking back over the day and looking forward to the next ride, what a good life it is on two wheels!