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- Aug 10, 2007
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- BMW R1200GS Adventure
Well, well - seems te Ride Report I did a few months back - really did it for Dave and his wife Katie!
This report was posted on athe UKGser.com forum....... some PR for SA!
see here: https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=147804.0
Dave contacted me via the forum and asked for some info and advice - they were going to be travelling to Mauritius and decided to do a stop in Cape Town........
Of course I can help and advise......... :biggrin:
So last week Friday evening at 5pm - I get the call that Dave and Katie have arrived in Cape Town and were staying at the Cape Grace Hotel in the Waterfront. A meet and greet was arranged at the famous whiskey bar......... The Bascule (https://www.basculebar.com) - where they have over 500 whiskey's available for your pleasure.......
We got on like old mates (must be the biking thing) and it turned out to be a really small world......... not only were these two in the same industry as my wife........ Dave knew Grizz and Maverick on the forum as well........... and also used to frequent the Eynsford meets....... 8)
So - formalities out of the way........ we decided to go for a seafood dinner where another mate of mine and his wife joined as well.
This was going to be a whirlwind 2-day tour for them to get a taster of the Cape and the scenery............. as well as the riding!
My wife and I would spend the first day with them - and the Sunday morning shift would be handled by my good friend Keith and his wife Jilly........... after which we'd again meet up to take over as it was Keith's son's birtday and they could only spare half of Sunday!
After saying our goodbyes for an early night's rest (they had a tiring flight) ..... we agreed to meet at 08:30 the next morning when we'll go and collect the GS that Dave had hired from a mate of mine - Jorg Vogel (CAPE BIKE TRAVEL - also supplies the rental bikes for Charley Boorman's tours)
Early morning - posing at the Cape Grace Hotel
...... then off to collect the bike - Jorg giving the instructions as to how to operate his bike........... yes "his" bike - to ensure nothing went wrong, his personal bike was made available to Dave! Nice fellow :thumleft:
Dave - grinning like a Cheshire cat......
......... we collected my wife Jen at home where she plied us with croissants and coffee in preparation of the day's riding. The weird thing was that the weather was overcast with a 1mm rainfall predicted for the morning........... made the two Brits feel right at home! :thumleft:
The route planned was from Cape Town around the Peninsula via Simonstown and afterwards to see the Penguins at Boulders - then Cape Point - with a ride via the famous Chapman's Peak through Houtbay and then coastal route back into town.
Now I have to mention that Cape Town showed her best dress on the Friday when the McKelvey's arrived - I was so glad they saw the Table Mountain in all it's glory...... the rain therefore was a bit of a disappointment.......... but we just soldier'd on with the hope that it would clear sooner rather than later.
So riding along the coast we eventually hit Simonstown - this was a Royal Navy base during WW2, which was handed over to the SA Navy when the Brits left............. so one of the places Dave wanted to visit for the history side.
So riding into Simonstown - I got chills down my spine........... the streets were absolutely covered and lined with bunting - we'd arrived on St George's Day!!
The weather, the town, the flags and music all screamed their welcome to Dave and Katie ............ (all planned by me of course :clap :augie)
Dragon boat races were also one of the events..........
the bikes were given VIP parking on the pier - great as the place was packed with visitors :thumleft:
We met up with an old local tour operator that overheard me telling Dave about a Great Dane named "Just Nuisance" that was a RN rating during the war. Dave thought I was having him on.......... :biggrin: - but the chap confirmed the story - so off we went to show our visitors the memorial to this dog!
The story of Just Nuisance can be read here if interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Nuisance
The Penguins were next (I'll let Katie provide the cute & cuddly pics on their RR)
........... and then it was off to Cape Point Nature Reserve
gates.................
good roads inside the reserve.........
The posers pic!
and the pic everyone should have - at the Cape of Good Hope
.............. next it was off to find some animals - now that the touristy stuff was completed............ :thumleft:
Cape Point Nature Reserve does indeed have animals. (https://www.sanparks.co.za/parks/table_mountain/tourism/attractions.php#goodhope)
However you need to know where and at what time they would be around to allow themselves to be viewed.
Some days you get lucky - others you just don't see a thing..................
One bit of advice here for visitors to South Africa.
If you are planning on doing the game reserves etc - have a serious look at the WILD CARD initiative offered here............ the card will give you full free access to all the Parks in SA - and what's more - you know that the funds that you pay for the card - goes straight to Conservation and not into some grubby paws of a corrupt officials or politicians.
Suggested Cards would be the International All Parks Cluster @ R1670.00 (£100.00) for the Individual or R 2670.00 (£150.00)for a couple - THIS is by far the best one to go for .......... free access to Kruger National Park is included.... :thumleft:
More info on the WILD CARD here: https://www2.sanparks.org/wild_new/
Dave and Katie were not to be amongst the latter group!
From the minute they arrived - EVERYTHING just fell into place...... the weather was actually great - even if you admit that the splattering of rain was just there as part of the Simonstown celebrations to make these two feel at home!
This report was posted on athe UKGser.com forum....... some PR for SA!
see here: https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=147804.0
Dave contacted me via the forum and asked for some info and advice - they were going to be travelling to Mauritius and decided to do a stop in Cape Town........
Of course I can help and advise......... :biggrin:
So last week Friday evening at 5pm - I get the call that Dave and Katie have arrived in Cape Town and were staying at the Cape Grace Hotel in the Waterfront. A meet and greet was arranged at the famous whiskey bar......... The Bascule (https://www.basculebar.com) - where they have over 500 whiskey's available for your pleasure.......
We got on like old mates (must be the biking thing) and it turned out to be a really small world......... not only were these two in the same industry as my wife........ Dave knew Grizz and Maverick on the forum as well........... and also used to frequent the Eynsford meets....... 8)
So - formalities out of the way........ we decided to go for a seafood dinner where another mate of mine and his wife joined as well.
This was going to be a whirlwind 2-day tour for them to get a taster of the Cape and the scenery............. as well as the riding!
My wife and I would spend the first day with them - and the Sunday morning shift would be handled by my good friend Keith and his wife Jilly........... after which we'd again meet up to take over as it was Keith's son's birtday and they could only spare half of Sunday!
After saying our goodbyes for an early night's rest (they had a tiring flight) ..... we agreed to meet at 08:30 the next morning when we'll go and collect the GS that Dave had hired from a mate of mine - Jorg Vogel (CAPE BIKE TRAVEL - also supplies the rental bikes for Charley Boorman's tours)
Early morning - posing at the Cape Grace Hotel
...... then off to collect the bike - Jorg giving the instructions as to how to operate his bike........... yes "his" bike - to ensure nothing went wrong, his personal bike was made available to Dave! Nice fellow :thumleft:
Dave - grinning like a Cheshire cat......
......... we collected my wife Jen at home where she plied us with croissants and coffee in preparation of the day's riding. The weird thing was that the weather was overcast with a 1mm rainfall predicted for the morning........... made the two Brits feel right at home! :thumleft:
The route planned was from Cape Town around the Peninsula via Simonstown and afterwards to see the Penguins at Boulders - then Cape Point - with a ride via the famous Chapman's Peak through Houtbay and then coastal route back into town.
Now I have to mention that Cape Town showed her best dress on the Friday when the McKelvey's arrived - I was so glad they saw the Table Mountain in all it's glory...... the rain therefore was a bit of a disappointment.......... but we just soldier'd on with the hope that it would clear sooner rather than later.
So riding along the coast we eventually hit Simonstown - this was a Royal Navy base during WW2, which was handed over to the SA Navy when the Brits left............. so one of the places Dave wanted to visit for the history side.
So riding into Simonstown - I got chills down my spine........... the streets were absolutely covered and lined with bunting - we'd arrived on St George's Day!!
The weather, the town, the flags and music all screamed their welcome to Dave and Katie ............ (all planned by me of course :clap :augie)
Dragon boat races were also one of the events..........
the bikes were given VIP parking on the pier - great as the place was packed with visitors :thumleft:
We met up with an old local tour operator that overheard me telling Dave about a Great Dane named "Just Nuisance" that was a RN rating during the war. Dave thought I was having him on.......... :biggrin: - but the chap confirmed the story - so off we went to show our visitors the memorial to this dog!
The story of Just Nuisance can be read here if interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Nuisance
The Penguins were next (I'll let Katie provide the cute & cuddly pics on their RR)
........... and then it was off to Cape Point Nature Reserve
gates.................
good roads inside the reserve.........
The posers pic!
and the pic everyone should have - at the Cape of Good Hope
.............. next it was off to find some animals - now that the touristy stuff was completed............ :thumleft:
Cape Point Nature Reserve does indeed have animals. (https://www.sanparks.co.za/parks/table_mountain/tourism/attractions.php#goodhope)
However you need to know where and at what time they would be around to allow themselves to be viewed.
Some days you get lucky - others you just don't see a thing..................
One bit of advice here for visitors to South Africa.
If you are planning on doing the game reserves etc - have a serious look at the WILD CARD initiative offered here............ the card will give you full free access to all the Parks in SA - and what's more - you know that the funds that you pay for the card - goes straight to Conservation and not into some grubby paws of a corrupt officials or politicians.
Suggested Cards would be the International All Parks Cluster @ R1670.00 (£100.00) for the Individual or R 2670.00 (£150.00)for a couple - THIS is by far the best one to go for .......... free access to Kruger National Park is included.... :thumleft:
More info on the WILD CARD here: https://www2.sanparks.org/wild_new/
Dave and Katie were not to be amongst the latter group!
From the minute they arrived - EVERYTHING just fell into place...... the weather was actually great - even if you admit that the splattering of rain was just there as part of the Simonstown celebrations to make these two feel at home!
