In the middle of a heatwave, a local cruise and a couple of frosties

We are still experiencing very hot weather here in the western cape, this has limited our bike trips a bit and unfortunately we had to miss the club's February breakfast run but it was a happy occasion because it was a brief visit from my sister who lives in Johannesburg.

I am planning a road trip for us but waiting until the heatwave subsides, probably mid to late March when we will spend a week to ten days on a little bit of a tour, but more about that later. In the meantime I will be studying my maps, yes the paper kind, badly creased, slightly worn but I love my paper maps (with Google as a back-up!)

I have a little black notebook which I bought at a boot sale, it has "F-TYPE" embossed on the cover and although I do not own an F Type the book has become quite valuable over the years with travel notes, distances, places to stay and contact numbers etc. I have already started making new notes in it for the forthcoming trip. If any local bikers want to join in let me know, we will not be camping, instead we will look for self catering chalets or small town hotels - Janet does not camp.

In spite of the heat we decided to go for a local cruise yesterday, I was going to call a book club meeting but left it too late.

We rode through from Saldanha to Velddrif and then turned inland for the 60km stretch to Piketburg. By the time we were halfway along the temperature was already at 37 Celsius and I seriously considered turning back, but what the hell there was cold beer ahead - press on. Apart from the heat it was a nice ride, I kept the speed down to 120kmh.

At the N7 we decided to carry on to Moorreesburg, and stop for a beer at the newly re-modeled or rebuilt (after a fire) "Die Oude Stoep" - and happily the beer was ice cold and refreshing.

The short way back via the R45 and to my utter dismay there was a Stop/Go in operation, I rode down past the queue of cars to the front and we sat in the sweltering heat waiting for the cars to come, must have been almost fifteen minutes before we could get going again.

We blasted away from there once the cars had come past but can you believe it? Ten or so K's further on there was a second Stop/Go. There were no other vehicles there but the "Stop" sign was up and I knew that I would be in for a long, hot wait so I blew through it. The attendant was sitting in  the shade and didn't even bother to get up, normally when I do that they jump up and down and shout unintelligible things!

Halfway down I had to move aside to let about five cars pass by but that is no hassle on a motorbike, there's another item for the "Why bikes are better than cars" list.

Coming in to Langebaan I lifted my visor and Janet leaned in; "Do you want another beer?" I shouted to which she replied in the affirmative, she's a good pillion rider she is.

The Pirate's Bar was relatively cool, fans blowing and doors open and the beers were good and cold and as luck would have it, it was "Happy Hour", we ordered a beer and a glass of wine and got two of each, happiness is.

Langebaan is just about twenty minutes around the bay from home, by then it was about 13h00 and as we passed the "Victorian Times" bar I halfheartedly asked "Do you want another beer?", I did not hear her answer properly but was expecting a "No." anyway so I carried on, as Janet got off the bike outside our house she asked me; "What part of OK did you not understand?"

She's a wonderful biker pillion she is! (Note to self, do not jump to conclusions.)