2015 NOMADS ECONOMY RIDE ENDING AT THE PROTEA HOTEL, SALDANHA BAY 15/16 AUGUST – REPORTS AND RESULTS
REPORT BY IAN SINCLAIR
Saturday 15th August, we woke to overcast skies, was it going to rain or was it not going to rain?
I had to hook the club`s trailer to the car as Mandy was going to be the backup in the event there was a breakdown of any sort. She was going to leave after me as I was the last person to leave from Masakhane Caltex Service Station on the economy ride. I packed the rain suits in the bike, Danii was riding pillion with me.
We arrived at the start at 07h20 and Deon Brits was there already, a visitor to the Club and the economy ride. Shortly afterwards the rest of the participants and marshals arrived. At about 07h45 it started to rain, so out came the rain suits. By the time the rain suits were on the rain had stopped.
Route sheets/instructions were handed out to the participants and marshals. All the bikes were filled and their tanks were sealed [oops, somebody did not seal my tank] kilometers readings were written down on the marshals sheets. Coffee and rusks were supplied by the service station. Thank you to Masakhane Service Station.
I called a riders briefing at 08h30 and introduced the visitors to the ride. The first rider to leave was Kevin Farrow at 09h00. The rest of the riders then left at 2 minute intervals. I was only leaving at 09h48. The route was left out of the service station, right onto the N7, left onto the N1 finally turning onto the R300, where I went past Eddie Duncan [ a visitor ] , he was riding very slowly. Along the R300 towards Mitchells Plain, left onto the N2 towards Somerset West. Going through Somerset West I went past Harold and Madeleine Mead and Ian and Hayley Peters. Over Sir Lowry`s Pass, stopping at the 2nd turnoff to Grabouw to chat to the Todd family and to tell them that there were 3 bikes behind me and Mandy was following along the route. The Meads and the Peters came past me and turned left, then I continued along the route. Turning right, at the back of Grabouw, towards Villiersdorp. Through Villiersdorp towards Worcester, turning right at the sign Worcester [south] up to High Street, turning right, then turning left into Van Riebeek Street, up to the N1 turning left towards Cape Town. At the Shell Ultra City we turned right to refuel and get some refreshment supplied by Nomad`s. Thank you Nomad`s Motorcycle Club. From Villiersdorp to Worcester we travelled headfirst into a howling North West wind, which ultimately affected some if not all the consumption of all the bikes.
After a 45 minute break the participants set off again at 2 minute intervals.
Turning right out of the Ultra City onto the N1, then turning right onto the R43 towards Ceres. At the T junction for Ceres and Hermon the route went left past the other turnoff to Wolseley towards Malmesbury. Through Malmesbury turning right into Voortrekker Street, then turning right onto the N7 and turning left onto the R45 towards Hopefield and finally onto Saldanha.
Once again we were heading straight into the howling North West Wind. There were three sets of roadworks along the last stretch towards Saldanha. Some of the riders were held up at all three sets of roadworks. On arrival at the BP Service Station in Saldanha all the bikes refueled, where the marshals recorded the liters and kilometers. Then it was off to the Protea Hotel where all the riders and marshals were staying for the night. Lizl Todd gathered all the score sheets and worked out the fuel consumption of each motorcycle. Thank you very much Lizl.
At 18h30 we all gathered in the Titanic Conference Center for the prize-giving. The overall winner was Peter Beldekeno on his KTM 1190 with 22 kilometers per liter. After prize-giving it was time to enjoy the fabulous buffet set up by the Hotel. Having satisfied the inner person in our stomachs, it was time to relax and chat to our fellow riders. As the evening got longer so everybody finally went to bed. The following morning we all woke up to grey skies and met in the dining room for a buffet breakfast.
Then it was time to pack the bikes and vehicles and head off to our respective homes. I loaded Henry Morrison`s bike onto the trailer as he had, had a very low sugar count and had collapsed at the dinner the night before and no ways was I letting him ride his bike back to Cape Town. Mandy then towed his bike back to his residence in Monte Vista.
Leaving Saldanha on the Sunday morning and turning onto the R27 straight into a howling South Easter wind. No such luck that the previous day`s North Wester could blow us back to Cape Town. Turning left at Melkbosstrand towards the N7 the wind was blowing so strongly that the bike was leaning over at a 45 degree angle.
All in all it was a very successful weekend. Thank you to all the participants and marshals, Masakhane Service Station, Saldanha Protea Hotel and particularly Nomad`s Motorcycle Club.
There were a total number of 25 bikes and plenty of Marshals.
THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS
Masakhane Caltex Service Station
Pathfinders Transport Consultants
Steer & Co
Suzuki South
Trac-Mac