The good and the bad

As an addendum to the previous post I want to tell you about two incidents on opposite ends of the "enjoyment spectrum" that occurred, bikers will be able to relate;

I was on my way home on Thursday morning, barrelling along the N2 between Heidelberg and Swellendam, trying to keep within the speed limit and working on the assumption that 140kmh is not too far off. I really believe anyway, that there should be different rules for bikes.

I was thoroughly enjoying myself, the big red machine was purring under me and all was good with my world. The N2 is a nice road, good condition, nice and wide and it undulates and threads its way between the farms, over hills and through valleys when rounding a bend at speed I came up behind about a dozen cars stuck behind two smoke-belching 18 wheelers grinding their way up an incline. The double solid white line proved a boundary to the cars but not to me, they didn't have enough power to take the short gaps but I had plenty and I made use of it, leapfrogging the cars up the hill until I was behind the second of the big rigs.

In the distance I could see the sign indicating a dual lane overtaking area coming up and I flashed past the first of the rigs, as I overtook the second big rig they were entering the double lane and in my rear view mirror I saw the rig at the back pull out to overtake the first one, trapping the line of cars behind as they slowly climbed the hill next to each other (Don't you hate it when these buggers do that?). I had a big grin on my face as I wound it on and blasted away, I didn't see any of those cars again - serves them right for being in cars! I can imagine just how pissed off they were though.

The second incident which was more of an adrenaline surge and which helped to wake me up, occurred as I was approaching the traffic circle just outside of the town of Robertson, local bikers will know what I am talking about.

The circle was clear and I went in, flicked over left and then over right and I was in the circle, suddenly I heard some tires "chirp" next to me, I glanced to my left and saw a big silver mercedes right next to my rear wheel, this idiot cager had just run into the circle from the Bonnievale road and had seen me at the last minute, almost hit me! I gave him a friendly wave and contemplated stopping for a chat but I could see by the way he hung back right through the town that he probably didn't want to talk to me anyway, he learnt his lesson I'm sure but it could have been nasty.

For a four day 1,500km ride that was all I had to worry about, mostly good times.