Saturday morning I lazed in bed a bit, no plans for the day just the way Janet likes it. I got up around 07h30 and made some coffee then went and turned my computer on. I don't have facebook on my phone, just "whatsapp" so I don't see group notices that are posted on our facebook page until I'm at my desk.
There Rinette had posted yesterday that they wanted to go for a ride to Riebeek Kasteel for a brunch, who wants to go with? Leaving from Juffroushoogte at 09h30. I went through to the bedroom where Janet was still happily contemplating her day; pedicure, nails, tea and "Candy Crush" with maybe a bit of her favourite series on TV later - "Hey Babe there's a ride out to Riebeek for brunch, shall we go?" She said I'll miss my home so I headed off alone, with apologies to Bob Seger.
Under a leaden sky with the temperature at 17,5C I rode through to our meeting spot and as I turned into the gate I could see light rain just ahead, cars coming towards me had their windscreen wipers on. I had a coffee as the others arrived and soon we were nine on five motorbikes roaring out in our customary staggered formation up the R45. It was still grey overcast but there was no sign of the rain and even as we turned onto the road towards Moorreesburg the sky was clearing with the promise of a lovely day.
We were so chilled we didn't even care about the Stop/Go, we rode up to the front of the queue because we can and waited patiently. At least they are working on our roads, not like some of the other provinces in this troubled country of ours.
From there through to Moorreesburg where we pulled into a vacant parking lot next to the garage for a smoke break/leg stretch and while Willie filled his tank we chatted,
From there through to Moorreesburg where we pulled into a vacant parking lot next to the garage for a smoke break/leg stretch and while Willie filled his tank we chatted,
and sipped Anton's fine old brandy from his flask, lovely stuff! I have a flask full of good whisky in my other jacket which I hardly ever wear anymore, hang on...............(rushes off to change the flask over to the leather jacket pocket.)
From there a pleasant cruise, just short of 40km to Riebeek Kasteel and the temperature was just up into the mid twenties with very little wind, really a perfect riding day, all we really needed to make it perfect was a few corners! We parked our bikes in the central square and wandered over the road to "Mama Cucina's", I hadn't been there before so it would be interesting.
Not many people when we arrived just after 11h00 but it filled up rather quickly. They have a rather limited menu and I found it difficult to choose something appealing, they do not serve chips here and I eventually settled for "Pulled Springbok Lasagna" which was rather disappointingly small when it arrived;
Willie is also a big boy and he had the same as me, looking a bit dubious there, Sooi had "Osso Bucco" made with oxtail which he also declared to be delicious.
We had a great time, after all the company makes up for any minor concerns and by the time we left the place was buzzing so maybe it's just me.
We decided to take a different route home so we headed back to the N7 where we said goodbye to Willie and Antoinette, they had family business to take care of in Stellenbosch. The rest of us thundered up the National road some 30kms and turned off just short of the town of Piketburg where Anton pulled into a layby for the leg stretch - and for Sooi to have a smoke.
Sixty km along the very pleasant R399 and soon we were parking up outside the Wielhuis bar in Velddrif for our last dop. We rode home together down towards Vredenburg with Anton and Heine peeling off at the Saint Helena Bay turn off, Sooi and I rode together into Saldanha and that was it, a very good day out on the bike with lovely people. Sometimes these impromptu, unplanned rides turn out to be the best, thanks guys. A 273km round trip.
2 comments:
A nice day out for you. At least the food was good, to have it be pricey, small portions, and then not taste very good would have been much worse.
I am surprised you can carry flasks in your jacket there. In Oregon you cannot have alcohol within arms reach of the driver of a car or rider. So on a bike it has to be locked in the saddle bags or tail bag and in a car needs to be in the trunk/boot or you'll get a ticket if found out.
Most bikers here have a flask in their pockets, as far as I know there is no law prohibiting it and even if there were it would be ignored. We certainly don't get searched at roadblocks anyway.
Bikers here in South Africa are generally a hard bunch, we ride big bikes, we ride fast, most are armed and most are drinkers with a motorcycle problem! Let me hasten to add though that in general the drinking of alcohol is in moderation and bikers know their limits. It's a great biking country.
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