Sutherland

Siende dat daar gee “trip report” is vir die “Roadies” se Suterland Winter Trip nie, het ek besluit om dit te skryf. Maar ek is nie so gemaklik in Engels nie, so julle sal maar net tevrede moet wees met Afrikaans.

Vrydagaand 17:00: Die panniers is klaar gepak met elke moontlike warm kledingstuk wat in my kas is. Hulle is klaar vas gesit op die motorfiets.

In order that we are able to get accommodation in Sutherland due to the towns popularity we are planning the event now.

The riders will have the following options :

1) 3 day TAR ride. (This option has been cancelled)

My Biking experience

We all gathered at the Engen garage at plattekloof on a bright and warm sunny Friday morning and after a quick cup of coffee, had a riders briefing and Jeremy kindly offered to sweep for us.
We set off for Worcester on the N1 and arrived there via Du Toits Kloof Pass for a very much needed cup of hot coffee and for some, a “smoke”, as we came over the pass on the Cape Town side, the temperature was around 16c BUT as we approached the short tunnel on the other side, the temperature dropped to 4c.
We then continued on through Robertson, Bonnievale (for me this has always been a fantastic scenic ride through to Swellendam. We then went on the N2 to the Suurbraak turnoff. Just before the turnoff we stopped for petrol and a “smoke break” for those that smoke.

DAY ONE :

I’m still half asleep when I leave home around 7 am , but soon wake up when I enter into a hefty skid on the corner of Koeberg and Plattekloof Road, after riding straight into a solid mass of fresh black diesel. Now this is not entirely my fault, the car in front of me had been going so slowly that it was practically going backward. What else has a girl to do, except overtake the car in the corner? , but then leaving me no time to see the Diesel Devil before it grabbed me. Luckily Freak had given me a set of tappet protectors last month which saves the day , as the one protector ( with a bit of help from the handlebars) takes the entire weight of the fall .The lurking Tow Truck driver helps me pick up the bike and tries to convinces me that the bike must rest. I laugh and tell him no it’s a BMW, they fall beautifully. I am soon on my merry way, thanking God, Freak and BMW’s for boxer engine design.

Planning and arrangements for the [http://bmwmotorcycleclubcape.co.za/bookings-winter-tour-sutherland-off-road-gs-rides-17-19-july-road-18-19-july-off-road various rides are here].

Sat morning, nip in the air, bike packed, refueled and ready to ride……… meeting place Wellington main road, the Gecko Restaurant. This was the start of Group2’s ride to Sutherland. We pulled in at 07:40ish, enough time to meet all the boys and girls and to have the pre-arranged breakfast Rony organised. It’s here that Chris E and Chris T managed the 1st step to the nightmare award. On our rides this award is bestowed on the rider or team who has the biggest nightmare on the day. I’m sure we’ve all been there at some time or another. They started by managing to lose their keys to the bike between arriving and the breakfast table….. Not knowing were they were, we retraced their steps, checked pockets to no avail…..”AH HA! there they are” Chris T it seems packed them safely away in a bag on the top box, well so Chris E tells me.

The club ride Coast to Karoo organised by Geoff was for most of us a GREAT trip.
Last minute cancellations gave Geoff and those cancelling headaches, life forever in flux. The final group consisted of, pillions: Geoff & Noelene, Chris & Carol, Gunter & Hanli, Arno & Liesel, Colin & Kim, René & Jean, Hennie & Mieki, Jacques & Marale, Lyndsay & Olivia, Nicolaas & Edna; Solo riders: Stevet, Louis, Phillip, Ian, Dale, Gunther, Karen, and I.

Thursday morning dawned... meet at Engen Wimpy on the N2 @0745 for 0830 depature (sorry if errors but the Shiraz is good!)sip!
Coffee/ tea/breakfast had no Reinette... getting ready to go ...a call to Geoff bike broken down on R300. Geoff starts organising assistance, Phillip goes as help/ body guard...none better! Would you send a gent with pink tappet covers???

Club annual winter Sutherland tour. You will need to book accommodation yourself, and on Saturday evening we have a dinner that you need to confirm your attendance for.

Discussion about arrangements is [http://bmwmotorcycleclubcape.co.za/sunderland on this thread in the forum]

Accommodation

Can be found at

• www.karoohoogland.co.za
• www.prokureurshuis.co.za
• www.wheretoholiday.co.za

Interested?

[http://bmwmotorcycleclubcape.co.za/sutherland-tour Register here]

BACKGROUND

PHASE 1

It all started at Freak’s birthday bash with a comment by Hermanator that a visit to his relatives for lunch at the Docks might be a good idea.

Freak immediately rushed off and acquired an attractive pillion candidate from a nearby table and Neil and I agreed that keeping the Sunday breakfast run tradition going would be a good call.

PHASE 2

Neil did some debating and philosophising and then came up with a counter proposal to do “a bit of a longer trip” on dirt, and skip the meal that would require increasing the pre-load of his GS for the return trip.