Welcome to 2020, 🎅our Christmas and New Year festivities were awesome. Here's wishing all of you, I think it's twenty or so of you all of the very best for the year ahead. There are going to be some huge changes this year, but more of that later.
Christmas day was a quiet but lovely day and New Year's eve we were with friends, we even managed to see the new year in which we haven't bothered with for a few years. After that on the 4th of January one of our club members, Anton had a "coming of age" (70th) birthday party which was held at a local restaurant and which was absolutely awesome. The whole club was invited and most managed to attend, that party, the camaraderie and the sense of brotherhood set the tone for the rest of the year so we know it's going to be a good one.
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| There's going to be more of this. |
We have already had our first club run for the new year; fourteen club members and six guests took part in our January breakfast run so that really started the year off on a good note. Unfortunately two of our members; Willie and Frank are in poor health and were not able to join us, we wish them a speedy return to good health.
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| l to r; Heine, Gerda, Anton and guest "OuBill" |
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| Johan and Jannie |
As usual we gathered at Juffroushoogte and promptly at 09h00 we walked out to the bikes as Daan was walking in, he usually arrives at the last moment!
We had decided to keep the run coastal and fairly short because of the heat at this time of the year, I personally would not have liked an inland run and this will probably be the same for February as well. The heat is just too intense and if you have to stop for twenty minutes at road works you melt.
Our whole loop was probably just about 180km, I didn't bother to set my trip meter, we headed through some back roads to go past Langebaan, then crossed over the R27 and up the R45 to Hopefield. It was just a cruise for the group comprising ten bikes, we traveled at around 130 to 140kmh just to stay ahead of what little traffic there was.
Just over half way between Hopefield and Velddrif on the now nicely surfaced road that runs along the Berg river, (although you can't see it) there are some grain silos, conveniently directly across the road from which is a large cement parking area. This made an ideal place for the traditional tea break.
Here's me leading the group in, followed by Mike and Barbara, then Gilbert and Roleyn and the others. Soon we were all parked up in a bit of shade, it had been a lovely ride so far.
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| Murray's got some homemade liqueur |
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| "Wild Africa" seemed appropriate |
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| Ladies first |
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| Visitors are not sure what to expect |
We spent twenty, maybe thirty minutes there enjoying a "cuppa" or two, I had to try Murray's homemade Irish coffee which tasted very good too. Then it was a short hop through to Velddrif and down to the harbour in Laaiplek where we lined the bikes up outside "Die Vis Vlekhuis" restaurant.
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| Janet tries to sort her "helmet" hair |
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| Die Vis Vlekhuis |
The restaurant is run along the lines of a typical English pub, you go inside and place your order and then you pay for it and you are issued with a numbered receipt. When the food is ready it is brought to the table; "Number 6?" and you wave your hand to attract the waitress attention. It is an efficient way of doing it and the wait is not long at all, usually long enough to enjoy a beer from the bar next door.
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| A great breakfast for R48 - excluding the beer |
Some people have said they have been disappointed by the place but I have been several times and have always enjoyed it and it is excellent value for money, I have no hesitation in recommending it to you.
Two weeks before myself, Daan, Bev and Murray had been there for an early lunch and my meal; two hake fillets, a portion of lovely crispy fried calamari and a salad cost only R82 ! That is good value and it was delicious. Disclaimer - I do not have shares in the place!
After that breakfast we decided to go to "De Palm" pub in Saint Helena Bay for an A.B.F, it being so hot by then I was picturing a tall frosted Draught beer, the wind was starting to come up as well, this would cool things down a bit but the wind would be unpleasantly gusty by the time we rode home. That was an excellent start to the new riding year.
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