What a great weekend it was. I drank more beer in two days than in the entire of last year! And that stuff Neil had in that dark green bottle was positively evil…
I left work around one with a lot to do still outstanding but I decided what the #$%^&, it can wait and no-one has my cell number so it would have to wait. Then made my way home, stopping at my parents house to greet them and at the crèche to greet Robin. Then home to pack. Had everything packed in 10 minutes, leathers and boots on and looked at the watch - 10 past two and Neil and Axel wa sonly die at 3. And it was a warm day, so I packed, repacked, checked the oil in the bike etc. Waiting…
Finally 3 o’clock came and I heard Neil and Simon. We left about quarter past 3.
It was very hot and there were fires on the mountains as we went over Sir Lowrys Pass. Then through Houw Hoek and at Caledon we stopped to wait for Neil. There were no shade and we were sweating buckets standing in the sun. Quite a number of bikes passed and finally Neil appeared and we went into town to fill up.
After Caledon we pushed on. The idea was to ride with Neil but soon I realised he’s not going to go faster than 80 km/h, and that wouldn’t do. I thought I’d ride faster and wait for him at Riviersonderend. After a while of riding alone, I started catching up with more bikes and before to long I was going along at crazy speeds, and having a ball. I passed Gill and Tony in the car along the way, so at least I knew they’d be in Riviersonderend soon. Axel stayed with Neil.
When I got to Riviersonderend I parked my bike where they could see it and went to get a coke. Then went for a wizz and soon the Tazz pulled in. Shortly afterwards Axel pulled in and while we were chatting Neil pulled in. Then Tony and Gill joined us and Tony asked where her husband (Neil) was. We pointed at the pump where he pulled in but he was gone. Apparently he stopped, didn’t see us and took off again. We stood around for a while and then went to check the other garages but he was missing.
Axel and I set off, hoping to catch him and sure enough we passed him just outside Riviersonderend. Mister didn’t see us and because he buggered off again our fuel stops were now in disarray. As we passed him I waved at him, thinking we’ll get him at Buffeljags where we planned to fill upagain - I didn’t know he didn’t fill up at Riviersonderend.
In the end Axel and I sat at Riversdale for almost an hour - waiting for the car and Neil. When he got there he was stressed out, apparently his bike broke down and that was the whole point of riding with us and off-course we weren’t there… We gave him some coffee, some hugs and he grinned again soon afterwards. When we left for Still Bay it was getting dark and we knew Bobby and George were there because I called earlier and could hear them giggling like schoolgirls - obviously in the pub.
The rooms were very nice and we were treated to a supper of fish and chips in the hotel. Then we drank more beer and went to the camp site, ending up at Gavin, Sandra and co.’s “beer tent” (who said there’s no beer tent at the Freedom! Ba. There we drank and drank, finally wobbling back to the hotel and sitting outside making noise and drinking more beer.
Saturday morning I wanted to take a long ride. I tried to talk Bobby into riding to Gouritsmond or Mossel Bay but even though he said he’ll go he never actually got off his lazy butt, and Simon couldn’t go. So I got restless and went for a ride - ending up at the harbour and getting lost in town. At 10 we got together for the mass ride and rode without helmets to Jongensfontein - my eyes were watering because it’s quite a fast stretch and about 15km’s long. Once there we met some people we knew, chatted, sat around and then went back to the hotel, and later the camp site. When we got back Indi has left for home already because of some problem with his business.
We planned to braai at the camp site so we could hear the prize giving over the PA system and if one of us won anything we could run over and go and get it. Good plan. Having invited us over the previous night, Gavin and Sandra seemed rather surprised to see us when we pulled in with all our goodies - all that beer must have made them forgot - those stuff destroys brain cells people. So we braaied and drank and laughed and some was seen stumbling over cigarette butts…
When prizegiving time came we gave all our tickets to the girls and send them off. Soon afterwards my telephone rang and Tony’s shouting “Come, move your butt, you won something!” Obviously my first thought was that she’s playing the fool but she was adamant and I trotted over to the tent. When I got there I had to look for them and when I finally found them, I was told to goto the guy with the mike. Aha you all say. Aha I said, I’m not falling for that.
In the end it turned out I “might” have won something because they were looking for someone with an R1 to give him either a tankbag or a tankpad (Tony was uncertain). There were more R1’s there but off-course no R1 riders, being shy and retiring types, claimed it. Well, neither could I because they threw whatever it was into the crowd before I could get there. Thanks Tony (I think).
After that we ate some very nice food, then went back to the hotel. Gill discovered they’re showing a funny movie on the TV and could be heard giggling until late. That was when Neil produced a green bottle of very nice liqueur and we all had some. Before to long people were falling asleep at the table and others never came back from the “toilet”.
Sunday came and we wanted to leave early. Bobby and I was eager to get home early because we both had kiddies waiting, so we left the car, Simon and Neil at Heidelberg and had a very nice ride through. It rained all the way from Still bay to Caledon but it was nice weather for riding, certainly better than the heat of Friday. At Dassiesfontein, outside Caledon we stopped, had some coffee and then went over Houw Hoek and Sir Lowrys Pass. I was home just after 12. I hear the others got home around 5 so they must have stopped a lot and eaten everywhere.
Tags: Rally Reports
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