Farewell to an old biker friend

At around midday on Sunday we arrived at the Wielhys Pub in Velddrif, the weekend thus far had been rather hectic with a really good music show with Jo Martin at the Alegria Restaurant in Saint Helena Bay on Friday night, then a trip down to Capetown on Saturday to have lunch with my sister.

On Sunday morning we had been able to lie in for a bit, which I seemed to need, the leisurely morning was good for me to recharge my batteries.

It's not far from my house to the Wielhys pub, via the direct route it is only about 40 kms but we left the house at about 11h00 to do a slightly longer loop, I wanted to test my new eye - which by the way hadn't fared so well at pool on the Friday afternoon! Frank won most of the games we played.

The weather wasn't so great, cloudy and with a gusting wind but I needed to ride. We headed around the bay towards Langebaan and then over the relatively new by-pass and up to the R27, so far so good, I can definitely see better.

We cruised up the R45 for 21 kms and hung a left at Hopefield onto the newly resurfaced road that follows the Berg River into Velddrif, that road is now a very pleasant ride and although you can't see the river from the road you can feel its influence as the temperature drops about half way along.

Sometimes it's nice just to tootle along looking at the scenery, we certainly weren't in any hurry and we pulled up outside the pub just before 12h00, the first bike to park but not for long.

The pub has just been taken over by the ex- President of the Clique in Capetown, he has moved to Velddrif and is starting a west coast chapter who will use the pub as there Clubhouse. So you know that the Wielhys is a biker friendly pub, prices are good and they have a small kitchen for burgers etc., it's worth a visit when you ride this way.

It wasn't long before the bikers arrived, Frank and Div and the others crowded into the benches outside the back and got the braai fires going, it was turning into a festive afternoon.

The reason for the gathering was to wish Oom Hans well in his new endeavours, he has been a regular west coast biker for many years, a member of the Christian Motorcycle Association who has attended all of the local events and many rallies and who was moving later in the week with his wife, who is in poor health, to the North East.
Go well Oom Hans, may you keep riding and may your lovely wife benefit from the re-location.

It looked like the afternoon was developing into another biker jol, more friends were arriving but it was time for us to move on. I'm back on my bike and loving it!