Busy weekend for bikers, tin run and breakfast run

On Saturday morning members of the club gathered at the entrances of the Pick 'n Pay franchise at the Laguna Mall in Langebaan, the Weskus Mall between Saldanha and Vredenburg and at the I.P.I.C centre in Vredenburg and also at the Spar in Saint Helena Bay.

The objective was to persuade members of the public to donate non-perishable food items for distribution to those in need. This is what we call our "Tin Run" and it is conducted annually, usually with great success. Other local clubs do the same on different dates, usually not too soon after one another so as not to put too much strain on public pockets.

This time we struggled. It would seem that people are feeling the financial pinch and definitely did not give as freely as in previous years.

The children love to give (Laguna Mall)

Adrie, Carlo, Frank and Stefanie at IPIC

We had agreed that we would be on site from 09h00 until 13h00 but some packed up earlier because it just wasn't working out.

Sampie, Floors and Elsje at Weskus Mall

Gerrie (photographer) left

I joined the small group out at Saint Helena Bay in front of the Spar where we had some success but still nowhere near as good as previous years,

This old replica attracted attention for us

Myself, Anton, Gerda, friend and Hein

We stayed on site until around 13h00 and then called it a day, I still count the morning as a success because the food that we gathered was still going to feed a lot of people and it was all food that we didn't have yesterday.

This was just from the Spar, this added to what was collected from the others would be handed over to the local Round Table chapter for distribution, well done to all who gave their time and to those non members who helped out, thank you very much.

Definitely the best part of the day was when most of the team got together afterwards at Juffroeshoogte for a couple of well-deserved refreshments and some banter.

Floors and Vice Pres Willie

Sampie

Me and Gerrie

Bronwyn and Rene came from Capetown to support

It was a pleasant day all in all, a little disappointing as far as the donations were concerned, but what can you do? Even bikers cannot force the public to donate.

Sunday was the date for our regular club breakfast run and rain was forecast, I posted the details on the "whatsapp" group and then headed out to our normal meeting place on a chilly and overcast Sunday morning, 16 Celsius as I parked in the space in front of Juffroeshoogte. Hein's Triumph and Willie's BMW were already there.

That was to be it, our youngest member Elsje was traveling with her friend in a bakkie to carry the stuff we were taking along to the "Cool Kidz" safe home, kickstands up at 09h00 and we rolled out along the R27 to Veddrif and I could see the dark grey, heavy clouds hanging over our destination.

The traditional "tea break" stop

Hein and Elsje

More tea anyone?

It was a cold run through to Lambert's Bay and we got a few drops of rain but the indications were that it would only get worse.

The sky's still blue but just you wait!

Fried Hottentot and chips

We were seated in the small "Marylin and Elvis" room on our own, not sure if they wanted to separate the bikers from the civilians but it was pleasant and my food was excellent again.  From there we visited our friends at Cool Kidz and stayed for a bit of a chat but we could see the weather closing in, time to get going.
It was a seriously cold and wet ride home, the rain pelted down and the temperature hovered around the 13 degree mark, we plowed on through the tempest and still I found myself smiling into my helmet, it's great on a motorbike and these are the things that memories are made of.
I said goodbye to my mates and stopped at the "Wielhuis" bar in Velddrif for a warming glass of Old Brown Sherry before the last homeward stretch. I was chilled to the bone by the time I got home but it didn't take long before I was comfortable again.

 This is the fruits of our labour, still an impressive amount of food, much of which was bought by the members and our friends, it will still bring comfort.

An unofficial handover to Eugene, President of the Round Table Chapter, there will be an official handover later when members will get together for a breakfast. Well done to all who were involved.