Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

Sunday dawned, eventually after a rainy, nay stormy night in the Western Cape.

1^st thing Annie said was, “Good, the ride is history after all that rain, lets sleep in, go put some coffee on..”

Today is Sunday 22 August 2010, the BMWMCC off-road ride for beginners.

A quiet slow ride of flat, good dirt roads, mixed with stretches of tar road so riders can relax and let their minds catch up with them before the next stretch of dirt road.

Taking us from Durbanville to Paarl and back. Amazing that just 2 kilos from the centre of Durbanville are gravel roads which can take you anywhere you want.

However a text message from Rusty full of enthusiasm made it clear the ride was going ahead….

I placed a quick post on the club website informing last minute checkers to know that I was not taking beginners on dirt roads in this weather. We would have a tar group and a dirt group and still go to the venue for brunch.

I amplified this by text message to the confirmed riders.

However, the start point proved that there are many people game for anything on a cold miserable wet Sunday.

Everyone opted for the dirt roads, so I made it clear tar was ok and no disgrace to any ego.

But dirt it was.

Trevor even showed up.

Trevor last rode a bike in the mid eighties, not since. He has been visiting dealers, sizing up bikes, was not sure biking was his new hobby, so he took up the invite to meet other riders, ride pillion and see if it fitted him.

The group ended up as 14 bikes and 2 pillions – Annine- Martin’s wife and Trevor.

The weather played ball after the briefing as we left Plattekloof Centre, the B zone, as we changed start points to foil mugglers.

Plattekloof road to Contermanskloof, over Vissershok road (2 kilos of gravel road) and to Adderly road.

Of Adderly at kilometer 17 onto the dirt road through the Spes Bona farm cluster. A short dirt-briefing was held to cover technique and safety briefings.

The pace was not fast, we were  the only vehicles on the road (no shit) and the warming sun raised spirits.

A jink left then right on a short stretch of tar took us onto the Fisantekraal road and immediately the water crossing, some 20 meters across.

crossing the river: Willie let his Dakar lie down in the water and it took a little time to re-start after the dunking.

Dennis on his Zebra 650 make it look easy

but this photo shows .. a little too fast

Martin & Annine wading the river

Hein on his 1150,

Derrick Geary making waves on his 1150GSA

Geoff Kite and his beloved 800

 We then up tp the airfield and on to tar, riding 40 to 40 kph which was in the comfort zone.

At Fisantekraal we ran 9,5 km’s onwards Paarl mountain turning left onto the Ottokuil road, at this smoke break, I let the venue have an eta update and Trevor  shipped over to Rusty’s bike as riding point gave him no exposure to the others.

On Rusty’s bike, if he still was happy then he’d definitely buy  bike.

His ride in mid-field gave him a lot to look at as the Ottokuil took us over twisty-turny to Windmeul Winery. He was also ablae to asses the 650's, 800's and 1200's from close up and seen them cope.

A short smoke break at Windmeul where Rusty let Trevor ride for a few kilos, and he found it all come back to him.

Robin was in his element. At 17, by far the youngest rider.

A kilometer 75 we turned up off tar onto the Jan Phillips Drive, Derrick G leading 6 bikes direct -tar- to Proviant while the other eight bikes and pillions followed me up the mountain.

I was really surprised that eight bikes chose the mountain. This was NOT beginners stuff.

Dry as we had been up to now, the mountain was in cloud and rain and I had warned that the road was snotty with a capital S.

Robin Rathbone has had his learners license a few days, that just means he does legally what he’d been doing illegally, so I reckon half the fun must have gone out of being on public roads.

Jan Phillips Drive, in pelting rain was slippery and we only saw two cars.

We arrived down the mountain in pelting rain to join Derrick and crew at Proviant restaurant on the stoke of 11H00 at kilo 89.

Proviant had put on a wonderful full English breakfast with coffee, and we were all served hot food at the same time- which takes some doing.

The staff were attentative and this venue got the vote.

Brunch was an animated affair, we had a closed area to ourselves, warmed by fresh coffee and some OB’s while heaters dried us out and the shed jackets steamed over chair backs.

It was clear everyone was glad they had come along, sop nat of the nie.

After a lekker brunch we tore ourselves away, donned wet gear and we rode out in a group round agter Paarl, and onto gravel again via other farm roads, now drying out, sunny and wonderfully clean and clear.

The Fisantekraal road was the end point and we stopped to say goodbye.

I was going back on dirt by way of the water crossing, and anyone could go whichever way they wanted home.

Still no rain.

Every bike followed.

We rode the nice gravel and came out at that water crossing, only to find as I crossed it had risen (by 100mm or more).

The 1150, just made it over, but the next 2 following R1200GSA’s waded 12 meters before drowning the motors.

Annie walked her 1200 across the swollen river

Willie has a good ride across

Robin and Bruce, and the ride is now over

For Trevor it was a day of firsts

Lesson learned, the R80GS, 1150’s and 650’s just rode across while we walked the other R1200GS’s across and started them on the other side.

Hein, Martin and Rusty had to remove spark plugs, crank over to expel water from the compression chamber and then restart the bikes. This proved a first for most people and openng a waterlogged motor and clearing was a maintenance session bonus on its own.

Still no rain, we said our goodbyes, thanked each other for an awesome day and then rode off to our respective homes.

Trevor said it was so much more than he ever bargained for,  but he thoroughly enjoyed every minute.

Rain suddenly came bucketing down and we were all thoroughly drenched on our ways home.

Well, it was planned as a beginners ride. Rain changed all that and my thanks to those that did come out and make this such a lekker day- Best fun we could have had and rain did not dampen the enjoyment too much!

You all now qualify as intermediate to advanced riders.

a photo tells 1 000 words

Thanks Kevin for the fantastic photos you took throughout the event and posted on this link.

http://picasaweb.google.com/kevin.vanblerk/BMWClubCapeRide22Aug2010

 Lastly,

To the group that made my day by actually coming out for the event, you made it such a great day.

Everyone rode very responsibly, safely and we have no 'events' to report. No one missed a turning, the group kept together well.

It has been reported though that Russel missed maybe four puddles on the way back, but as he got all 5506 others, 4 is not a bad miss.!!

And Trevor's smile from ear to ear was genuine, not pinned up there.