Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

Call-up papers were sent out to the club at short notice and 8 bikes responded, with a 9th joining us as we were departing the start point.

http://bmwmccc.org.za/relaxed-off-tar-ride-form-durbanville-paarl-sunday-morning-7-august-0

On the 4th August I saw a hole appear in my schedule for Sunday 7th so, I posted an invitational ride for Sunday the seventh.

Cecil and Danie signed their papers and joined up almost immediately followed by Tarryn, who never needs a second invitation to jump on either her bike or cycle to join on a ride, anywhere.

Then Marius, Mike and Rob signed up soon after.

Q signed up at the last minute and Ferdi took pot luck and joined us, as we were about to depart.

 

It was great having a small group of just nine bikes.

A few of us hed never met & we chatted over coffee at the Plattekloof Engen.

Danie, Cecil, Q, and I all came in from the Helderberg!

Crazy that we ride to Plattekloof to join a ride to Paarl!

 

We had a briefing, set tyre presssures, engine mapping and set the bikes up for gravel right there

We de[arted +11.0ºC chill, but the day promised to get much better.

 

Around the back through Contermanskloof road, then on across Vissershok pad (M48) on the Malanshoogte road.

As expected, the ground was covered in cyclists, singles, pairs, small groups, medium and large groups.

I reckon it would be fair to say that we past 100 cyclists at least between Plattekloof and the Spes Bona road as we come off Adderley street.

Amazing.

We ran into thick mist for a while and thankfully climbed out of its chill grasp on Adderley road (M58). Temp sank to 8.0ºC in the mist.

 

This was Isabel and Wendy's first sojourn off tar so we did a comprehensive  10 minute briefing with cyclists coming past every other minute.

 

You know, we take our back yard for granted, but right here in 'burbs, we have so many choices of gravel roads and outdoor activities.

4x4's, SUV's, families, runners, trail runners, dog exercisers, cyclists and motorcyclists were everywhere.

and often we heard the whine of 'bikers' in a hurry to somewhere.

A warm sun cheered us on our way through the farms of the Boland.,

We literally rode from farm to farm, through the farms and farm yards to Paarl.

Our pace was relaxed, moderate and we were well assailed by the farm scents, aromas and  odours all the way.

It reminded me why this is one of my favourite short rides of the W Cape and it s all right on the doorstep.

This trip takes you on alternate a stretches of gravel, then  tar, then gravel then tar etc all the way to the other side of Paarl.

So new-to-off-tar and nervous riders have plenty of periods where they can regroup nerves and relax again.

 

Wow! Everyone took the Mosselbank water crossing in their stride. No one took the alternate route!

Past Mellish station, through the farm and around the Fisantekraal airfield to join the R312. Lukily, this time we did not have a huge feed truck or a herd of cows to compete on road space with.

 

Up to now this was just relaxed and fun. We crossed the R304 klipheuvel road on the R312 and headed for Paarl Mountain.

Just 1.2km shy of the R44, is a cunning turn left onto the Otterkuil farm road network. And this is where the real beauty started.

Just upon riding on, a large raptor lifted effortlessly off a rock and soared off on a wing to survey us from a safe height.

This splendid bit of farm road takes you through the Otterkuil farm opstal, between the farm buildings, the second farmyard we passed through and here passed mama sheep with her brand new twins, still shiny wet & with the placenta just presented.

We left Otterkuil's grain and sheep fields and large piggery moving on to Leeuwenkuil's farm where well disciplined and well groomed grape vines are getting ready to bud. Through their opstal and up onto the road through Caledonville farm.

Lovely roads, lekker riding eventually 9 kms later brings us out onto the R44 which we crossed to Noorde Paarl (R45).

Then off the R45 up Paarl mountain on the Fantastic Jan Philips Drive.

We stopped for a ten minute rest and chat after negotiating the bike gate.

I kid you not, but a bakkie that had to turn back because the gate across the road is locked went right through Paarl, onto Jan Philips drive and all the way back to arrive on the other side of the gate. and then unlocked the gate and drove down???!@!

WTF, we figured it was because the lock was this side of the gate.

This scenic gem of the Cape is closed to 4 wheel vehicles for 4 kilometres to just before the picnic grounds.

We met mountain bikes and people walking their dogs in this section.

The rest of Jan Philips Drive is also just turn after turn offering new views and wow moments of Cape Splendor.

you cannot rush through this, there is so much to savour.

Past the Amphitheatre, Taal monument and down onto Paarl main road.

Then a short 10km ride to Butterfly World on the R44 at Klapmuts.

 

Wendy, Mike, Ferdi and Tarryn after parking their bikes

 

Ferdi and Cecil latching and locking

 

Danie the sweeper, parks and gets ready to afsaal.

 

Mike and Wendy, hungry and ready to kuier

 

 

We parked right on the open apron in front of the restaurant entrance.

Annalise, our waitress as really great, Danie gets fussy over his eggs.

 

Rob and Isobel

 

 

Quentin and Tarryn consult the lekker menu

The menu is really great and a lunch buffet for R68.oo!!!

 

Ferdi has to report in, Cecil is ready to go

 

The R68.oo buffet spread is popular, the restaurant was filling fast as we were leaving.

 

Nice roomy restaurant, I took sme photos and did a quick review on Tripadvisor.

 

 

Thanks very much to the great group for such a lekker ride.

Hope to see you off tar again soon.

Thanks to the group for sharing some photos with us.