February was a busy biking month, the weather's getting better

Various reasons for not having posted in a while, and quite a lot has happened, quite a lot of local riding even though most of the time the weather has been almost unbearable hot, especially when one has to don riding gear. I have not posted anything since Valentine's Day, must be the romantic in me?
March usually starts the more moderate weather and so we will surely start riding more.

In the interim we have had a couple of breakfast runs, two Book Club meetings, one of which was unfortunately to attend the memorial service of a young biker who was killed in an accident. Six of us went on a run to Capetown to visit our sister in hospital and Janet and I have done a couple of local cruises, so as I said; quite a lot has happened.
We had nothing on on Sunday 17th so I suggested a ride, as it was hot we decided to stay local and headed through to the "Sand Bar" pub and restaurant in Langebaan, arriving there at about 11h30. We had a beer, I wanted to try their pork ribs but the kitchen only opens at 13h00 (?), we didn't want to wait that long so we decided to go to our old favourite standby, Juffroushoogte. Good choice!

The place was buzzing and the food is consistently good, we sat in the shade and enjoyed our lunch.

A generous portion of spare ribs

Janet's burger was very good

On 20th February Johan joined us for his first Book Club run and unfortunately it was the day of the memorial service for a brother; Vernon Van Schalkwyk who had died in an accident. We took part in the mass ride which must have consisted of at least forty bikes, to the venue in the harbour where he used to work and where a huge crowd of friends and family had gathered. It was obviously a sad and sombre affair.

After the mass ride to the harbour

and we trudge up to the venue

After the ceremony we headed around to the Captain's Cabin for a much needed ice cold beer. Revived and refreshed we rode through to the Phoenix pub for an A.B.F. and split up, heading for home.

2nd left, new member Johan.

Captain's Cabin afterwards

Earlier in the month one of our sisters, Stefanie who has been stoically battling various problems for what seems like ages was rushed to hospital with liver problems and Sampie suggested a group ride down to visit her, six of us met at Juffroushoogte after deciding to make a lunch trip out of it as we could only see her in the afternoon.

We always have a tea break stop halfway

parked up at Eden on the Bay, Blouberg Strand

We went to a well known and very busy restaurant; "Saint's" at Eden on the Bay but I won't be going there again, disappointing food and wine at tourist prices there are far better places than that. We spent some time with Stefanie and Henrico as well as Daan and Bev at the hospital and then had a very pleasant ride home.

Wednesday 27th turned out to be a very nice day so Janet and I went for another ride, this time to the nearby little town of Darling, some sixty odd kilometres away. I cruised down the R27 at the speed limit as we weren't in any hurry and we arrived at the Darling Motorcycle Works just before lunchtime.

According to social media sites it is a popular place with bikers and they do good burgers but unfortunately for us, only on weekends. We'll have to make a plan.

It is a busy workshop doing services and repairs as well as buying, restoring and selling bikes and there were many gorgeous old bikes on the floor for sale, if I only had money! The owner Shane Uren is an old school biker still involved in racing and an interesting guy to talk to. We'll be back!

We went around the corner to Brig's Barn where the burger was only R75 and much better than the one at Eden-on-the-bloody-touristy-bay and the local wine was reasonably priced.
After that a pleasant cruise home and that, my friends was February. Roll on March, we're starting with a breakfast run. Damn it's good to be a biker, ride safe.