The call goes out! Bikers to unite and bring awareness, calling for an end to farm murders, we ride for Rural Safety and security. Whatsapp and facebook sites come alive, bikers all over the country get their bikes ready and within a very short time 32 separate mass rides are logged in from North to South and East to West. Bikers don't need much of an excuse to ride but this one is close to our hearts.
It was a cold and foggy Sunday morning as we gathered at our starting point, Meeulanders were the first to arrive and eventually we would be thirteen riders. We were soon joined by a good bunch from Megaforce and a couple of non affiliated riders. The coffee from the Wimpy was hot and welcome, we were to leave at 07h00 as we had just over an hour to ride to the official start point in Capetown.
We shuffled around in the early morning cold, our breath visible in the foggy air and then it was time for kickstands up, in staggered formation we roared south down the R27, slowing down through very dense patches of typical west coast fog. Into the outskirts of the city and the fog left us as the sun began warming our bones. At the N1 City car park the bikers had already started gathering.
My fellow club members gathered for a photo, I missed this opportunity as I was off buying a lousy cup of coffee from the nearby McDonalds, I won't buy their coffee again!
Just before 09h00 we listened to a ride briefing, the Traffic Department as well as road marshalls from the "Rod Bearers" a Police bike club would be facilitating the ride, making sure that all intersections would be open to us. At kickstands up there were apparently 200 bikes on the run, although to me it seemed like many more.
The road marshalls and the police did a good job of making sure that the ride stayed together, the leaders set a nice slow pace so that we could make our point, many of the bikes had banners and flags and we certainly attracted a lot of attention. We cruised along and into Stellenbosch where we pulled into a car park for a halfway break.
We chatted to other bikers, stretched aching saddle muscles and then it was time to head off again, it wasn't a long ride but it was slow and concentration levels were high. Every so often the ride would concertina and then open up again and we all desperately wanted to avoid the embarrassment of a slow speed fall down!
We cruised around through the outskirts of Paarl and then in a loop to the Klapmuts area, this is all very picturesque wine farming country and excellent riding, the end destination was wine farm called "Eaglevlei".
Parking for 200 bikes was a bit tight, I don't think they are used to such numbers but the venue was big enough for the riders,
The only problem was the queue for the bar! 200 bikes meant that there was probably as much as 300 people, if not more. Local farmers were scheduled to speak to the riders, my brother Gerrie and I hung around for a while but then decided to go to the nearby Klapmuts Hotel where we could get a beer in peace and quiet.
Look how peaceful that is! We were joined by another biking couple and after a chat and two beers we headed for home. By then the weather was extremely pleasant but it being springtime we were absolutely splattered with midges, bees and butterflies through the farming areas until we reached Malmesbury where Gerrie and I stopped for a late breakfast at the local Wimpy.
After an uneventful but enjoyable and rather fast ride I was home by mid afternoon having done around 420km. Write-ups on the various rides have been positive, I'm sure we have raised awareness but I have to wonder how much good it will do in this crime ridden country. We live in hope.
A big thumbs up to the organisers of the run and to all of the bikers who took part. This is scheduled to be an annual run so we'll see you next year. In the meantime I must wash my bike again!
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