Hopefield flower show

I had been notified via sms earlier in the week that the "Meeulanders" Mcc were having a breakfast run on Sunday, a short trip to Hopefield for breakfast at the Hopefield "Lodge" and then a visit to the flower show. Hopefield is only some 70kms away so it wouldn't be too bad if the weather was still crap.

The weather has been really crap lately and Saturday was a case in point, gale force winds and rain so we stayed indoors and I lit a big fire, movies and beer and blankets. By Sunday morning I was suffering from cabin fever!

Sunday morning I was up early, eagerly checking the sky. According to the weather forcast there would not be any rain but as I have said before our weather service seems to be a "non-prophet" organisation! Heavy grey clouds did not bode well for the ride, it was cold too but a jersey under the jacket took care of that, in spite of my protestations and attempts at persuasion Janet opted to stay home and take care of her feet and fingernails, she seemed eager for me to go.

The road was still wet from earlier rain and as I headed for the meeting point at the Engen One-stop it appeared to be raining over Langebaan, I pressed on and didn't get wet and it was so good to be out on the bike. The big red machine felt powerful and responsive, as if as eager as I was do some riding.

I arrived at the garage at 08h50 to find that I was either the first one or the only one there, perhaps the weather had put everyone off and I had not been notified? The time advertised was 09h00 for departure at 09h30, Oh well I would have a cup of coffee and ride back home if nobody else arrived, I stood sipping Wimpy's famous coffee and it wasn't long before others started arriiving.

Two locals on Harleys arrived but left early to meet up with a large contingent of HD riders from Capetown who were also going to the Hopefield show, no doubt there was going to be a procession.

 Willie arrived on his new acquisition, an almost new, mint condition BMW K1300GT - very nice!

Soon there was a fair crowd, the usual suspects, not daunted by the cold, grey conditions.

A gentleman biker, Mike







Daan and Beverley's very nice new Yamaha FJR 1300, only a handfull of motorbikes but a lot of money! Then it was time for some "group therapy";

We set off in our usual staggered formation at a fairly leisurely pace, after all it was only some 40kms to Hopefield so there was no rush. It was a very enjoyable cruise and it wasn't long before we were lining the bikes up outside the Hopefield Lodge.

It seems that the only thing that changed was the word "Hotel" to "Lodge" otherwise it appeared to be exactly the same, strangely though the place was locked and no one responded to our knocking even though we had apparently been invited to have breakfast there. I think it will be a long time, if ever, that they see us there again. We mounted up and rode through town to the showgrounds and as we parked the bikes the first thing I saw was the Castle Lager signs adorning the beer tent, things were looking up!

 We were the first customers in the beer tent, but it was already past 10h00 and the music was good.

Willie showing that there is a soft side to big tough bikers. After a while I decided that it was time to have a look at the indigenous flower display and even though I am not really much into the sex organs of vegetables I was quite impressed.



The display was set up very artistically inside the hall, complete with a nest of Ostrich eggs and some hatchlings, although I did notice that they kept very still - maybe for the photographs?

Once you had viewed the display there was a shelf along the back wall with individual pieces of all of the indigenous species that you could identify, should you be so inclined. Actually it was very well done, time to get another beer and something to eat.

We found pretty much all of the group back in the beer tent - go figure! All engaged in earnest conversation and food.......and drink.

New members of the club, sorry guys I haven't got the names yet but I will get them next time but they are bikers - good people.

Familiar faces? Frank and Div. After a very good chicken burger with mushroom sauce I decided to head for home, it had turned out to be a very pleasant morning with a bunch of good people and I was glad I had gone. After a good fast ride back towards the coast I was reunited with my wife whose fingernails and feet were immaculate, she was sitting out in the back garden enjoying a beer in the pale wintry sunlight, I fetched a cold Castle out of the fridge and dragged a chair out onto the lawn to join her, it's a good life!