Twelve years I've been writing this blog, now I'm closing it

On Monday this blog was twelve years old, my first post was on 1st June 2008. This month I'll be closing it down, if this is not the last post then whatever I write next will be. I've been battling with poor readership for years and have been on the verge of closing it before but have persisted, but now we're leaving home and hopefully with in the next couple of months we're leaving the country.

I have been very disheartened with poor pageviews. I average 23 views per post and I get very few comments so it seems like I'm wasting my time. Comments are one of the ways by which the blogger can assess whether he/she is doing a good job or not so if you don't get them you don't know.

We are moving to UK so I don't think this format will work and I think that there has been a shift over to video logs or "Vlogs", maybe I'll try my hand at that.

I am seriously going to miss this amazing bunch of people, my family; the members of the best bike club on the west coast (in my humble opinion) the Meeulanders. I haven't said goodbye to them yet and that's going to be a wrench. My brother Murray, bottom row kneeling right is the one who is buying my bike from me and I'm going to hand that over within the next couple of weeks. I was hoping for one more club ride at least but thanks to the damn Chinese that doesn't look like it's going to happen.

 

I am extremely grateful, privileged and proud to have been the President of this excellent club for over two years, that is a memory that I will cherish. 

 

I'm going to miss the characters and the friends at my favourite biker bar; the Phoenix where we played pool every Friday afternoon apart from attending the various biker jols which were held there, I wonder if I'm even going to get a chance to go back to the pub before we leave, it doesn't look like it.

 

Sad times coming up but also exciting times, a fresh start with our family in the UK. My intention is to buy another motorbike over there, whether that comes to pass we shall see. I am not finished with bikes yet. 

I am also particularly going to miss my old biking buddy, everyone's Uncle Frank. 

We go back a long way, had many adventures together. He and I traveled to many rallies together and became well known. If it happened that one of us went alone to a rally we would always get asked; "Where's your buddy?", people were so used to seeing us together.

 The ladies love Uncle Frank and so does he love the attention he gets from them, the ladies of the Meeulander MCC certainly look after him.

Before this ridiculous lockdown nonsense we used to have him over for dinner every Thursday night, we would sit out on my back veranda after dinner chatting and having a drink then the next day we would meet at the Phoenix for a couple of games of pool. It is going to be extremely difficult for me to say goodbye to him.

Of course I intend to stay in touch with the club via the facebook page and of course I will stay in touch with Frank via the telephone. (He is not online nor does he have whatsapp.)

Anyway that's it, I may have another post during this month but whatever happens I'm closing it at the end of the month. A big thank you to the few of you who have been reading this and to those of you who did post a comment every now and then. Cheers! Stay safe.