Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

Participated in a BMW Club on tar mid week ride yesterday.  Although 12 riders responded to the invitation 22 turned up.  Twenty guys and two ladies.  Busy ride, we started out from the Winelands Engen on the N1.  First went through Wellington, over Baines Pass where we had our first stop, then the Slanghoek Pass, Du Toits Koof Pass and turned off to Franshoek where we had our second bottom and a much needed bathroom break. 

Baines Kloof was done nice and slowly as we were stuck behind a truck and overtaking was limited due its size plus it was often using more than the left hand side of the road.  Slanghoek Pass is a tar twisty dream for the big BM’s and we all just sailed through at a fair clip savoring the therapeutic sway of taking curves at pace.  Luckily Du Toits Kloof was not busy and we had a speedy passage before veering off to Franshoek.   

So far the weather had been perfect, overcast and cool.  Franshoek pass was tackled with caution as the road was wet in places and there was another stop at the end of the pass by Tierswaterkloof Dam, to don our rain suites as it was obvious that we were heading for wetter stuff.  As I was near the end of the pack I was still busy wriggling into the rain gear when the ride captain took off towards Villiers.  One of the ladies departed just ahead of me and what I thought was our sweep rider was taking a leak in the bushes just behind me.  Just before Villiers the rider in front of me was waiting to make sure that I knew to turn.  I waited for the last rider before leaving to ensure that the group stayed together.  We were now heading to Caledon in light rain. 

We caught up to the 4^th last rider, who was waiting at the T-Junction of the N2.  Three of us turned right back towards Cape Town while the sweeper leapt off his bike just behind us, I assume to don his wet weather gear, as the rain had intensified.  We cruised towards Cape Town with the ride peeling off to Hermanus and I waited just on the off ramp for the last rider for about 10 minutes before he appeared.  With indicator flashing and hands waiving he only noticed me after he passed the off ramp and waived as he continued down the N2.  I met up with what was now the second last rider at the top of the off-ramp bridge and we set off to look for the pack.  Turned right for Betties Bay as we knew that was where we were having lunch.  Luckily the female intuition was well calibrated so my remaining co-rider went straight to the right restaurant even though she did not know where we were eating.  Not sure that I would have located the group. 

Shared a lunch of coffee and a burger, all flavored with and lots of entertaining conversation. 

Appetites sated and a fuel stop for some of the riders, the beautiful and relaxing coastal road to Gordons Bay just flew by with the remaining 12 odd riders that started out after lunch diminishing to 4 as we rode home on the N2, R300 to the N1.

I peeled off at the Jip De Jager off  ramp and refueled the bike at the Welgemoed Engen and myself with a Steers Choc 99 ice cream before going home, cleaning and packing the riding gear in preparation for the next outing and relaxing in the pool, to attempt the impossible, unwinding some more.  

In all 360 Km for the day and a very successful first mid week ride.