After much thought of weather I should start a new Ride Report thread I decided to rather just add a contribution to this one.
The last week before this weekend was quite a hectic one for me both in personal life work wise and trying to finalize bookings for this even to happen as smooth as possible.
When I arrived at the Engen on Saturday morning I experienced a slight stress attack.
I was early and there was already over 30 bikes standing around, how many more were coming? But I returned to my normal calm self when I realized that it was more than one group that was gathering and the other group was that of Karoo Biking that had planned a ride with Alfie Cox as a motivation speaker at a venue not disclosed.
As they left things still were far busier than what I expected it would be at the start.
We left in various groups for Bainskloof to then re-gather as well as meet a few others at The Mill & Oaks
I parked my bike at the entrance as the venue was on a bend and easily missed.
Me standing in absolute amazement at how all this was just unfolding into an awesome day. :drif: (Thanks PStein for the picture)
From there we went to Ceres for fuel as that was it for the 80km to the Padstal and back for some or onto Middelpos for others.
Again everyone split into smaller groups and choose different routes to the Padstal.
This is probably what made the final venue so unique, the fact that it sits literally in the middle of nowhere but there are so many great ways to get there and on the kind of roads that these bikes were made for.
Early arrivals
Then it started to get busier
Our support vehicles
This was our first attempt at getting the 1150’s together for a photo
But as more kept on coming it just wouldn’t do so a long line was made, by no means an easy task to get guys to leave their food just to move their bike for a photo.
The food was great and I must apologies firstly that I ate one of my chops and my worse before taking this picture, and for dishing up too much pup and souse causing some late comers not to have any.
By the way, Susan came to me and asked if she must go up to the house to make more and I was the one that told her not to as I felt that they had supplied adequately for what we paid and the fact that myself and other dished too much wasn’t reason for them to be penalized. Sue me for your R10 if you wish. :
But I’m sure the atmosphere made up for it. :thumleft:
A good plate of food with some home made ginger bear. (hey Zebra, watch out its got gas) :imaposer:
And good company enjoying a good chat
As we were finishing up Karoo Biking came to the Padstal for a lunch stop too. It was good to meet Alfie Cox who was among them and the guys that left last got to see Alfie doing some hooligan stuff on a KTM, free.
Everyone once again slit into smaller groups and headed for various destinations.
I was headed for Middelpos but stopped at the Gannaga lodge for a cold one.
When you ride with Mambat and those guys you tend to get to your destination far to early so an unplanned stop of somewhere is always a good thing.
Finally we got to the Middelpos Hotel with more people than were booked but plans were made and everyone had a place to crash is some form or another.
A very busy Middelpos Hotel, where we even got to watch the Rugby on a TV. Albeit a small one.
The next day the weather wasn’t quite as great as the day before but we were heading back home and that’s all that mattered.
Along the way to Ouberg pass we had a KLR with a puncture and Zebra’s 1150’s front Heidenau lost its air from being knocked with too low pressure. We pumped it and then tackled Ouberg Pass that was closed up with cloud, about 2-3 meters visibility that got better the lower one got.
Then a while later we stopped to re-gather the group as the cloud on the pass slowed up some of the guys.
While we waited we pumped the Heidenau again.
Again the group split while I stayed with Zebra to pump his tyre the other guys would move on to the next major intersection, but as the weather was not great and the fact that it was father’s day by the time we got there they had moved on.
Zebra and I were very pleased to find The Skerm open and stopped to have a look see and to buys something just to support them. We were even more please when Mayham and his Mrs arrived so we decided to make coffee while giving the Heidenau on last pump.
Now I have this tiny cheap pump for emergencies only, so when Mayham offered the use of his build in pump w were more that happy to oblige.
From there Zebra and I put in some awesome good momentum ridding all the way till as far as just outside Durbanville where we too split to head to our homes.
One really great weekend with some incredible incident free faster than normal ridding.
Thanks to my wife and daughter for the greatest father’s day gift.
:3some:
