June breakfast run, cold start!

Three weeks and counting until my retirement, only one week to go as boat driver!

It's winter here in South Africa but you wouldn't think so, okay there's a definite chill to the air and it's cold enough to seriously damage a brass monkey in the early morning, but the days are mild and sunny and we certainly don't have to pack our motorbikes away like many of my foreign friends do.

Take last Sunday as a case in point, it was the first Sunday of the month which is the Meeulander's scheduled breakfast run and the meeting place was the garage in Velddrif, 08h30 for 09h00. We left home at 08h15 for the plus/minus 60km ride and it was cold! 8,5 celsius on my readout and to top it off I was heading directly towards the rising sun for the last 30kms. 

I rode with my helmet open so that I could use the faceplate to shield my eyes from the sun but that made my eyes water from the cold so I took it easy, I still wouldn't have been anywhere else though.

When we arrived Divi (club President) and his lady Carlo and Gerrie were the only ones there, Divi was ready with a bottle of OB's (Old Brown Sherry) to warm the cold riders up and it went down extremely well.

His Harley was set up as a serving station.

 Janet went back a couple of times for the warming liqueur - okay so did I, by the time we were ready to leave Metjie and his lady had arrived but there did not appear to be anyone else coming - all the more for us!

That was it, time to go and only seven of us on four motorbikes - too cold for the rest?
We had a very pleasant cruise past the little coastal village of "Dwaarskersbos" which I think literally means; "Crooked candle bush" but I'm not sure and out on the coastal road which goes to Elands Bay although we were only going about halfway.

Right next to the sand dunes after approximately 20 kms is a charming little place which we had always noticed on our rides but never visited called "Draaihoek";

It is almost a resort consisting of chalets, a house for rent, a conference centre and a central restaurant and bar and very neat and well established, certainly worth another visit.

 The beers were cold in the by then, warming sunlight and we sat chatting while waited for breakfast, just to be clear it was around 10h00 by then!

Breakfast was good if a little pricey at R65 but I particularly liked what they did with the mushrooms, we'll have to go back. They apparently have a "boma" on top of the sand dunes where they cater for groups and there is a wooden walk-way going over to the beach although one would not be able to swim there, the water is bitingly cold throughout the year.

 By the time we got back onto the bikes to leave the temperature had doubled up to a much more pleasant 17 celsius and we headed back, pulling in at the "Skooltjie" farm stall where they sell a large range of home made jams, preserves, biscuits and sweets, to name but a few.

 I had to take a photo of this sign outside, typical of the excellent western cape sense of humour!

Saddle up and head out. We split up in Velddrif, Divi and Metjie heading home, we went with Gerrie for a beer in the harbour after which we cruised down the R27. By then the temperature was a very pleasant 20 celsius and we parked the bike at home at around 12h30. What a lovely day it had been, those that didn't make it, for whatever reason, missed a good one.

Did I mention that I love biking?!

My friend Dick sent me a photo of his recent purchase;

He and Janet also went for a ride that day and he has changed his BMW for this lovely looking Honda Goldwing, I look forward to seeing it.

Stay safe my friends, keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up.