2013 Buffalo Rally - part two

I'm lucky, I don't get headaches - I really cannot remember the last time I had one, because if I was going to have a headache Saturday morning would have been the time! Chatter, laughter and motorbike engines - heaven! I stuck my head out of the tent and looked blearily around, it was about 07h30 and everyone was up and about, fresh and ready to go for it.

Some kind soul had been down the road to fetch Frank a cup of coffee, I had to go and get my own. By the time I had had the second one I was feeling better, the weather did not look good, lots of heavy grey clouds around.

It soon started raining and everyone gathered under the gazebos, it looked like it was going to be a stay-at-home day. I had entertained the hope of riding up to Wilderness around lunchtime but not in the rain.

There were occasional gaps in the rain when it looked like it may clear up but then it would start again, not heavy rain but just enough to make things unpleasant, it would continue through the day eventually clearing up in the evening. Unfortunately the mass ride was very thin with only a small percentage of die-hards taking part, I wasn't one of them.
During one of those gaps I took a walk around, I needed breakfast so I headed down to "Rally road" where all of the food and trade stalls were set up.

 I found a nice breakfast burger with cheese and egg that did the trick.

 The trade stalls were well supported, those with awnings got busier as the rain clouds passed over.

As with any rally there were some really nice bikes to drool over;

 A really trick CBX, a very nice job.

The Suzuki Boulevard must be one of the most customised bikes around, this was a really nice looking one.
The day progressively got noisier with bored bikers revving engines or just cruising around the campsite and there was the usual shenanigans in various parts of the site.

 I had another meal later on in the afternoon and we all prepared to head for the main tent where the prize-giving and lucky draw was taking place, everyone had their hopes up for the R100,000 first prize! By around  19h00 everyone was heading for the tent,

Frank found a convenient tree to hold up, he was feeling pretty ragged by then but he can certainly "out-party" most of the younger people, I haven't seen many who can keep up with him.

The prizes were dished out for things like the concours-d'elegance in the various classes, three guys received certificates, R500 cash and free entry to all future Buffalo rallies for having attended 30 consecutive rallies, quite an achievement! Some other guy won R100,000 after which the disco started playing, we hung around for a while but then gradually all headed back to our camp.

 The weather had cleared up nicely with the promise of a good day for riding home tomorrow.

We sat around chatting for a while, this was definitely not a party night though, with a 570km ride I didn't want to be hungover. I got into my tent at around 22h30, there was still a lot of noise though, occasionally someone would rev a motorbike and there would be a reply from a different part of the camp but gradually all of that subsided, I eventually drifted off to sleep looking forward to the ride home.
To be continued..............