Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

What would be the best route to take from Noordhoek to Somerset West? I'm leaning towards Baden Powell rather than the N2. The N2 appears to have built quite a crime reputation, especially the area close to the R300/N2 interchange, but not one of the options is completely ideal.

I'll be riding up on my own. Anyone coming from a similar direction that will ride with me? Warning: I ride at the speed limit (which may be frustrating for some).

Zanie,

I really feel the N2 has a bad rap.

I think you are more than ok to come through on the N2, just relax and enjoy the ride.

Baden Powell is a nicer vista but my smart money is on the N2.

I disagree with Andy.  We always take Baden Powell.  Because we live at the foot of Ou Kaapse.  It is a long detour North from there to get to the N2, whereas from Lakeside you get onto Baden Powell at Sunrise Circle.

Andy starts on the N2 and his destination is usually around town, so he has no qualms about the N2.

there you have it from the local. 

Thanks Charles.  She has also meantime a ride buddy to come out with her.... two of them.  

Thanks L!

Met report is great for riding. riding into a head-wind for the morning and a taIl wind taking us home.

Thanks all. I now have 2 chaperones. 

The N2 route is slightly longer distance- and time-wise from my side of the world to Somerset West:

Baden Powell: 57 min, 60 km

N2: 59 min, 73 km

Thanks for organising an awesome ride.  Really enjoyed that. 

Is someone doing a formal ride report or sharing photos?  
 

Hi Bryan, feel free to write up a report, I have asked you all for photos and wil lalso do a report.

Thanks all for the awesome ride.

Respect to Zane for slaying a few dragons and coming on this ride.

Respect to Anton for  Completing the ride- even if on his own bike.

And respect and thanks to Leon for sweeping, for chaperoning  Zane to the start from Noordhoek and for being a great back-up at the rear.

Then to Bryan and Andrew- great to see you have all the right tools n gear, even on a day ride.

Lekker soo thsoe multi-tool Leathermen thingamies so accessible and useful on the trip.

I really enjoyed the ride.

Please send me photos for a trip report.

I would welcome any photos.

I you have any constructive feedback that would enhance future rides, please share with me.

I am not perfect, and never want to be, but I would like to improve on the rider-experience so let me know what we can improve upon.

And lastly, I know you all join me in thanking Anna Marie for her back office work financing a great venue that let sus drop our gear safely close by and gives us individual bills for our food.

Well done Anna Marie.

Great, have a good festive season- Felice Navidad.

This was the most awesome club ride I have attended!

The pace was slow enough - at least at the back, with the most patient sweep(ers)! - for me not to feel pressured, but it was also technical enough to be fun. I like a bit of a challenge, as long as I can do it at my own half-speed. I still seem to be more afraid of your average corner than steep up/downhills with ruts and loose stones. Though I did some fish-tailing on the sand, I never had that heart-in-my-throat feeling that used to be so prevalent in some of my earlier rides. If I had attempted this ride only a few short months ago I think I would have freaked out. Shows you what time in the saddle can do.

Watching the bike MacGyvers was fascinating. I was amazed that Anton's bike could not only be brought back to a functional state, but that he could ride it.

Thanks Leon and Andrew for being my chaperones/sweeps.

Thanks Andy for a great route. I have the gpx file for anyone's who's interested, compliments of my trusty Garmin cycle computer.

Thanks Anna Marie for the venue with the uber-memory waitress, great coffee milkshakes, scenic view and cute goslings.

On a future note: avoid Baden Powell when the world is awake and it is holiday season. It was fine in the wee hours of the morning, but half the Cape was heading home from the beach in the late afternoon. Thank goodness most traffic was against us.

Now I only need to get that damn left-hand-side mirror sorted. This will be the fourth time I've had to repair/replace worn/damaged helicoils/mirror adaptors since July this year (once right-hand-side, 3 times left-hand-side). At least the mirrors are always cheap fixes. Is it just me or does my bike love shedding bits a bit more than the average bike? I spotted a loose spotlight while washing my bike today.

I felt dead-tired and stiff today - probably a combo of cycling on Saturday and biking on Sunday. The biking trip, with the stretch from home to start point and visa versa, was about 440 km in total for me.

Andy, thanks for a lekker day out on the bike. Best medicine for a long year.

Zanie, ek moet saam stem. Ons het teen 'n lekker spoed gery, en ek kon stop om foto's te vat waar en wanneer ek wou. Dit was ook lekker om vir 'n slag nie die enigste persoon vanaf die "deep south" te wees nie.

Hoop ons kan dit so spoedig moontlik weer doen.

I don't believe anyone can say they did not enjoy themselves. Even though we only did 440 km, I was very grateful that I am riding fit.

Ride safe.

Zanie, when you get to technical stuff, just rotate your mirrors inward (you will need the right spanners for this.  Ok, you cannot use the mirrors while they are rotated inward, but at least they won't be broken.

Matthew broke both mirrors on the Jurg se Kaya trip (the glass smashed), so I have a bit of fixing to do also.  We should have done the rotation thing, because he ended up doing the second half of the trip without any mirrors at all.

Hi Charles

I did not fall once. The mirrors literally rattle loose on badly corrugated roads. I usually catch them before they fall off completely (this time the mirror stayed put - it's just loose) and have never had a mirror broken before. When I get home it is usually the case that the thread is stripped.

I do not have OEM mirrors (the originals are residing in my cupboard, because it would cost too much to get the thread fixed on them - one of them also rattled loose), but cheap and cheerful R100 mirrors. These are attached with mirror adaptors. Spring washers are used to try to get them really tight, but my left mirror still likes going AWOL (the right has stayed put for a while now). At least it is a cheap fix every time.

For those who like looking at routes on Google Maps, here's the route:

From the starting point to the lunch spot.

From the lunch spot back.