Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

 

10-20 September 2016

 

What do you get when you combine 19 awesome people, 15 bikes, 11 short days and 4000km of stunning tar roads on a trip taking us to the most breathtakingly beautiful places in the Northern Cape, Free State, Natal Drakensberge and the Eastern Cape?

A bucket list trip to remember...

See this as more of a photo report.

Some details below...If you haven't done such a trip with the club, do it!

The youngest member was 36, the oldest 70, go figure.

En vat jou sin vir humor saam, jy gaan baie lag!

Thanks for leading the group safely through our beautiful country Geoff! 

I'm sure this can become a yearly trip...wink-wink

Meet the team:

Geoff Russell (R1200GSA)

Noelene Russell (F700GS)

Sarel & Theresa van Aardt (R1200RT)

Garth Hewitt (R1200GS)

Gert Olivier (R1200GS)

Tiaan Greyling (R1200GSA LC)

Schalk Mouton (R1200GSA LC)

Neels & Leonie Kleynhans (R1200GS)

Heinz & Jackie Dõpke (K1300GT)

Trevor Hayes (R1200GS LC)

Jaco (Jakes) du Plessis (R1200GSA LC)

Adri du Plessis (F650GS twin)

Gerhard Koen (R1200GS)

Chris (Mossie) & Marietjie Mostert (R1200GSA LC)

Raymond Hartley (R1200GSA LC)

 

Day 1  

400km to Calvinia Hotel, Calvinia, Northern Cape

Day 2  

600km to Villiera Guest House,  Douglas, Northern Cape

Day 3

550km to Protea Hotel Clarens

Day 4

Rest day in Clarens

Day 5

200km to Inkungu Lodge, Bergville area, Drakensberg, Natal

Day 6

Rest day in the Drakensberg

Day 7

440km to Resthaven Guest House, Matatiele, Eastern Cape

Day 8

440km to Crawford’s Beach Lodge, Cintsa, Eastern Cape

Day 9

Rest day in Cintsa

Day 10

500km to Tsitsikamma Village Inn, Stormsrivier, Eastern Cape

Day 11

550km homeward bound!

 

Now who said ROADIES can't have fun? 

Calvinia Hotel

Villiera Guest House, Douglas

Protea Hotel, Clarens

Inkungu Lodge, Drakensberge

Resthaven Guest House, Matatiele

Crawford's Beach Lodge, Cintsa

Tsitsikamma Village In, Stormsrivier, Eastern Cape

 

MORE PICS TO FOLLOW WHEN I HAVE TIME...

Realised I had a stow away in my pannier when I started packing...

Our 1st stop at Kardoesie, Piekenierskloof

Beautiful VanrhynsPass

Gert Olivier enjoying the time in the saddle!

Captain, my captain!

Meerkatte should always wear protection...as the sign states.

The bar at the Hotel in Calvinia...toe word ons DORS!

Lamb pie for dinner at Calvinia Hotel...yumness!

Dinner was enjoyed by all...cheers Heinz & Jacky!

The famous big red postbox in Calvinia

Railway station in Calvinia

Railway station in Calvinia

Railway station in Calvinia

We depart Calvinia on the Sunday...and Raymond is in good spirit. Always smiling.

The group waiting for Geoff's briefing

Neels Kleynhans checking that all is fine with his trusted steed.

We took a quick pee stop in Williston...vir die dames en die (ou)manne

 

Geoff hou hom weer sterk in Carnarvon 

The famous Blikkies Bar at the Carnarvon Hotel...worth a stop

The famous Blikkies Bar at the Carnarvon Hotel...worth a stop

The famous Blikkies Bar at the Carnarvon Hotel...worth a stop

We arrived safely in Douglas at the beautiful Villiera Guest House

 

Villiera Guest House, Douglas

Bikes all parked neatly...Neels Kleynhans even covered his bike overnight...this group was next level on their discipline.

Raymond...all smiles again...enjoying a cold one on the stoep in Douglas

Geoff and Noelene doing the necesarry to update Facebook with photos of the days happenings. Thanks Geoff!

Tiaan enjoying some of the fine export stuff from his country, Namibia

Tiaan & Raymond enjoying the scenery

The group chillaxing on the grass waiting for dinner. Garth, Tiaan, Adri, Jakes, Schalk,Gerhard, Teresa, Sarel and Leonie

Neels & Leonie relaxing waiting on dinner in Douglas.

We arrived safely in Clarens on the Monday and were welcomed by true Free State hospitality

Noelene could even help herself to some popcorn at reception...

The beautiful Protea Hotel Clarens...built out of sandstone from the local area.

The beautiful Protea Hotel Clarens

The beautiful Protea Hotel Clarens.

Friendly staff at the hotel in Clarens.

The beautiful Protea Hotel Clarens.

No maybe I don't travel that much...but in my life I have never come across an automated pancake machine...die ding gaan die anties van die NG Kerkbasaar se dood beteken. O sonde!

Schalk sampling some of the fresh hot pancakes.

And then we discovered the brewery...unfortunately they closed at 19:00 on the Monday evening...but we promised to be back the next morning when they opened at 10:00 

This bar in Clarens is called Scotch and they only selling single malt whiskeys...what a collection.

They do come at a price off course...at R120 a single for the Bunnahabhain 12.

Sing us a song you're the pianoman...Yip, that's me, entertaining the crowd! 

Interesting whiskey from Japan...just as expensive. But boy, they can keep up with the Scotch.

The morning after..Tiaan, Gert and myself enjoying Town

Boy oh boy...then we wen't back to the Brewery...aha!

 

Tiaan's shoes matches his bicycle...

Some quirky signs in Clarens town

En toe breek alle hel los...

Some more beer tasting...and some more...and some more...

Without knowing it...between the 3 musketeers below and myself...we ended up tipping our gorgeous waitress, Tarryn T bird close to a R1 000!

Tiaan, Gert and Schalk enjoying dinner at one of the local bars.

The morning after...uuurgghhh...

Proof that we did visit Clarens...

Beautiful Golden Gate National Park outside Clarens

Sarel & Noelene enjoying some fine whiskey

Tiaan, Garth & Gert discussing the menu at the brewery...pretty much standard German fare...bockwurst, bratwurst, wieners etc

Die bier het geloop soos stroop! Even the Namibian was impressed.

Garth, Gert, Chris (het Chris al gery? ), Tiaan & Schalk having a good time...maybe too much of a good time!

And then Tiaan & Schalk started showing their finer side...some nail polish from the local chinese store...

We met this friendly little dog in town...and we named him Spyker.

His name explains it all and he is a dog after all. If he was in Cape Town he would have been called something else...like..but let's leave that for another night...

Tiaan putting on his banana suit to try and scare the rain away...

Gert almost had his bike highjacked in Winterton...check net daai laaitie se gun! hahaha

Tiaan, Geoff and Schalk enjoying a drink next to the pool at Inkungu Lodge in the Drakensberg. Wow, this place is stunning!

The chef is close to 70 years old and used to be the main chef at the Champagne Castle Hotel. And he prepared his best for us.

Yummy entree!

Breakfast is served...

Breakfast is ready love!

 

 

We obviously had to sample all of the beers in the fridge...

And we eat again

Some nice calamari with olives & peppadews

Fillet steak with blue cheese sauce...

Proof that we visited the Drakensberg area

The next morning as we were about to leave...the rain started pissing down...it was so bad that some of the people starting moving their bikes before it got blown over...this only lasted for 10 minutes and then the sun came out to play...

God showing off again on our 1st night. Photo taken by Jakes.

 

Jakes & Schalk geniet 'n sundowner op hul cottage se stoep by Inkungu Lodge. Hulle moes al die stout single mans eenkant hou...

Another action photo of the drive through Golden Gate enroute to the Drakensberg.

Fuel stop in Ugie enroute to Matatiele

As Resthaven Guest House don't have a liquor licence we had to support the local Tops. We drank like royalty...G&T nogal met 'n donnerse duur suurlemoen @R5 elk!

If you like proper honest boerekos, then Resthaven Guest House in Matatiele is for you...

Even the breakfast the next day looked like something off a Wimpy menu

Raymond, Trevor, Teresa & Sarel in ligte luim

Jakes, Adri, Gerhard, Raymond and Trevor enjoying the kuier in Matatiele

Enroute to Cintsa from Matatiele we stopped in Maclear for coffee.

Pic of Tiaan, Garth & Schalk (The 3 naughty ones...) on top of Langeni Pass

Tiaan in his banana suit on top of Langeni Pass...connecting Ugie to Mthatha...little did we know Tiaan was prepared for the rains to come...

The evidence of what leather gloves do to our hands from riding in the rain

Action shot of myself and Tiaan on Langeni Pass

The view from our room at Cintsa. If you haven't visited them yet...you should go!

We were treated to a seafood extravanganza the Saturday evening...oh my! Prawns, salmon, mussels, fish, oysters...you name it...we had it.

And some meat as well...

Oysters! Yum!

Salmon filled with more seafood...I miss this place...

Breathtakingly beautiful Cintsa beach!

Proof that we were in Cintsa

The 3 stooges visited the bar again...

This vuilcoke was sponsored by an old varsity pal of mine currently staying in LA in the USA..he saw me check in at Cintsa and phoned them up to buy me a brandy&coke...what a nice gesture!

We had a rest day and decided to go and explore a bit...the destination was Morgan Bay and Kei Mouth...this is the view from Morgan Bay Hotel's stoep.

Some more food!

Kei Mouth

Kei Mouth

Kei Mouth

Proof that we visited Morgan Bay Hotel

Having lunch...again!

Neels & Leonie Kleynhans at Kei Mouth

Jakes admiring Pappa Smurf at Kei Mouth

Tiaan refers to his bike as seun...hy het omtrent vir seun gery op die trip!

Gert looking for his cigarettes...again! hahaha

We left Cintsa heading towards Port Alfred...die gees was effens gedemp...die trip staan toe einde se kant toe

Even Tiaan didn't look too impressed with Beaver Pies...he did however start to develop a bad infection in his leg...van al die rondloop na die breweries toe!

Gert admiring the old cars at Marilyn's Diner in Stormsrivier

Marilyn's Diner in Stormsrivier

And we found the brewery again...oops! Gert, Tiaan & Schalk

Having to say our goodbyes the last night...I hate this part of the trips 

Dinner was, as always with this trip, great!

The bikes parked neatly...

The 3 musketeers off to the bar again...

Sarel ignoring the signs to stay off the bikes...tsk...hulle se moere! 

The pool at Tsitsikamma

Heinz celebrating his 70th on the last night.

Was waaaay too lazy to go and wash the bike myself..so took Pappa Smurf the next day for a bubblebath...

I'm sure I can say on behalf of the whole group that we enjoyed this trip very much. Great new friendships were made, way too much food were consumed, copious amounts of alcohol were gulped down, but the most important part...we were blessed to be able to travel this beautiful country of ours on our beloved brand of bikes. Till we meet again.

VIDEO ADDED, Thanks Tiaan Greyling!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClGT3-DoitE&feature=youtu.be

* Winner of the trip-report of the month award (Oct 2016)