Up bright and early for the first ride of 2022. Although a week late, due to the first Sunday being on the New Year weekend.
Arriving at Damelin early to an empty parking area. Soon members arrived and it was greeting everybody for the festive season.
At 08h00 it was time to brief everybody on the venue and the route. Helmets and gloves on and bikes started and off we set.
Turning right from Liesbeek Parkway onto the N2 and riding slowly along the N2 until the last couple of bikes had caught up after having to stop at the traffic light under the N2 bridge. By the time we were approaching the old Athlone power station, I could see the tail end Charlie, namely Luderick, coming past the rest of the pack and I signaled to him that I knew the bikes had caught up to us.
Increasing our speed, we continued along the N2 staying in the right lane and negotiating the S bend just before approaching Somerset West. Reducing our speed to work our way through the traffic and having to stop at some of the 9 traffic light intersections between Somerset West and Gordons Bay.
Once we were clear of the last traffic light intersection at the start of Sir Lowry`s pass, we all went into single file formation to ride over the pass. Once over the pass it was back into staggered formation.
Approaching Houwhoek hotel and the pass again we went into single file formation. All too soon we had finished negotiating the pass and had to take the off ramp to Hermanus and after a couple of kilometers later we turned right towards Kleinmond.
Approaching Kleinmond we had to ride past the bush fire on the right, where our city firefighters were, looking out for Ian Peters, who had been sent out to assist at the fire. Only to learn later that we had in fact gone past Ian on the N2.
Having had to stop at the stop signs in Main Road Kleinmond, we then turned left into Harbour Road, riding over the speed reducing humps and exiting the traffic circle at 12h00 and pulling left onto the pavement outside our breakfast venue for the morning.
Apparently, the lady from the book shop next door warned us that the traffic department would give us tickets for parking on the pavement. Fortunately, all the traffic officers were busy at the scene of the fire. If we had had to park in the parking bays on the street, no motor vehicles would have found parking immediately outside the restaurant.
Off into the restaurant area, where some of us sat outside in the courtyard and others sat inside the restaurant. A long bench, at the back of the restaurant was allocated for the helmets, for those unfortunate riders who do not have a top box to put helmets into.
Refreshments were ordered and then our breakfasts were ordered. Shortly afterwards our food arrived. Kevin Harvey joined us from Stanford, as he is living and working there. Harold, Mads and Mick arrived a short while later. These three were meant to meet us at the BP petrol station on the N2 outside Somerset West. I had told Harold that we would be going past there between 08h20 and 08h30. We went past the BP at 08h32. Denise Faure and Johan Rossouw joined us from Betty`s Bay, as they were there for the weekend. Wally Brandt and his son, Gerhard, joined us as well, having ridden direct through from Brackenfell and was also running a bit late. Not too serious, as we all got there safely and enjoyed the conversations, the atmosphere, and the food.
Having paid our bills, we all departed, and some members decided to extend their ride and others went back over the passes and others went back along the coastal road.
There were 22 members, 7 visitors, 19 bikes and 1 car.
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This post was written by nomads