Vrydag, 4 Oktober 2019
Dit is koel en windstil toe ons om 4 v.m. uit Gordonsbaai vertrek. By Worcester kry ons vir Wynand en Anna en Willie en Magdalena. As ons net ‘n paar minute gewag het, was Boet en Renthia ook by ons. Hulle het darem gou by ons aangesluit. Net buite Laingsburg stop ‘n verkeersman ons, Wynand het besluit hy hou sommer verby, gelukkig was al ons papiere in orde. Ons eet by Drie Susters. Dit is nog steeds koel, met die wind wat effens opkom. Die veld is bitter droog. ‘n Vorige keer toe ons hier verby is, was daar baie geel en pers blommetjies langs die pad; nou is daar niks! By Colesberg lyk dit groener, ons sien selfs beeste. Willie-hulle bly hier oor en ons gaan voort na Gariep. Daar kry ons vir Gys en Elise, Piet en Ina en die Van Niekerks. Na ete slaap ons heerlik in die stil omgewing.
Saturday, 5 October 2019
Leaving Gariep, Willie came past. We assumed he was just going to fill up, so we waited on the highway, but after 15 minutes or so, we left. I tried phoning Magdalena, but it seemed she had no signal. We hoped they would catch up in Bloemfontein, which was our next stop. While waiting, we got the bad news – one bolt on his Wing’s tappet cover had snapped. We are used to making plans. After thinking things over, Denzil, whose bike was on a trailer, unloaded it, and went to fetch the stranded Needhams and their Wing. All the guys were making plans – Kevin, the mechanic was in charge. Willie, quite handy himself, even Vissie mutilated a tree, tearing off a branch. (To do what?!) Then André said what about a wine cork. With a very fancy caravan nearby, they asked the owners. They had no problem opening up a bottle to donate the cork! Like Lizbe said, just drink enough wine, then you’ll always have a cork when needed! With Gys modifying the cork and some very strong glue, the problem was sorted.
Then we took on the flat, hot and windy Free State. By the way, if anybody suffers from cramps on long rides, dr Heinrich gave us a very cheap and effective remedy, just a pinch of Epsom salts. We started a week before and no more cramps! André used to suffer while riding and I usually woke up during the night. At least one good thing the English gave us! (Engelse sout.) Gys and Elise led us safely through the maze of flyovers and roads on our way to Benoni. We again saw the swallows making their nests underneath the flyovers (must be quite noisy for the babies). A few of us stayed at Bottom of Boden, it was like a farm, with flamingoes, geese and other waterfowl, also a sanctuary for bullfrogs. No traffic sounds or any other noises. Wish we could have stayed longer! After supper at Fahrenheit, with a menu as long as two arms, value for money and very tasty, we were off to bed.
Sondag, 6 Oktober 2019
Gisteraand kom Willie agter sy voorband raak pap. Hulle probleme hou nie op nie. Omtrent ‘n vuurdoop vir hulle nuwe huwelik! Na ‘n paar idees, is besluit dat hulle sal oorbly tot Maandag, aangesien niks oop is op Sondag nie. Hy sê hy sal nie verdwaal nie; dis nogtans nie lekker om nuwe lede agter te laat nie. Ons ry heel goed tot Vissie se waentjie se disselboom naby Witbank breek. Ons vermoed dis die blond, wat hy wou insmokkel by Hazyview, wat te swaar was! Hy los die waentjie by Witbank (sal hom op pad terug weer kry). Sy bietjie bagasie en die blond word deur vriende saamgebring. Ons kry vir Luke, Delph en Leonie by Alzu, en die res by Milly’s. Dit is lekker om al die ou gesigte, en ‘n paar nuwes, weer te sien.
Ons vertrek in twee groepe. Schoemanskloof raak net al dieper en warmer! Langs die pad is oral stalletjies met makadamianeute en piesangs. Hazyview is die grootste verwerker ter wêreld van makadamias, volgens Jan Braai. Uiteindelik kom ons aan by Little Pilgrims, moeg en warm na drie lang dae, maar almal is veilig hier – dit is die belangrikste. Die stoeptrap na ons kamer is bietjie te hoog vir my, maar Chris bou gou ‘n ekstra trap met ‘n vrag stene, baie dankie!
Monday, 7 October 2019
Vissie discovered his Wing also had a flat front tyre, but that was quickly sorted. Now it was time to wash all the dust and bugs from the Wings – guys and girls working equally hard on a very hot day. Photos were taken and they were off for the Concours. I stayed put in my cool room. After coming back, quite a few enjoyed the pool, Willie and Magdalena were in time for supper (a braai) with nice live music and then off to bed.
Dinsdag, 8 Oktober 2019
Ons kry vanoggend die nuus dat Willie in die nag hartprobleme ontwikkel het. Gelukkig het ons vir Heinrich by ons – hy het geweet dat Nazli hartmedikasie het wat verligting gebring het, maar Willie is in die hospitaal opgeneem om gemonitor te word.
Ons vertrek in twee groepe, ons, groep B, is op pad na die Sudwalagrotte. Ons moes by Graskop afdraai, maar Johan Degenaar was op daardie stadium nie voor nie. Ons is toe eerste in groep B, met groep A net voor ons. Ons Kapenaars weet nie waar ons moet afdraai nie en volg hulle. Gelukkig kom red Krish ons, anders het ons seker in Maputo beland!
Dis lekker koel so hoog, die plantasies is pragtig, maar die pad is so vol slaggate dat ek maar min kon rondkyk. Ons het al voorheen na die grotte met die Wings gery, maar ek het al vergeet hoe steil en vol draaie die pad is, en toe het ons een-een opgery. By een draai moes André stadiger ry met ‘n driewiel wat voor hom ook stadiger gery het, toe land ons en die Wing in ‘n sloot! Die vorige keer wat dit gebeur het, kon André afspring en die Wing ‘n rukkie vashou, dié was die eerste keer wat hy ook geval het. Ek het net baie seer ribspiere oorgehou, seker toe André my weggesleep het van die Wing, en die Wing het net ‘n paar ligte skrapies gekry. Almal agter ons stop om te help, maar dis op so ‘n moeilike plek, dat Hans en Mike ook probleme optel! Kevin moes ook gehelp word om weer aan die gang te kom. Ek ry verder saam met Igsaan-hulle in hul motor. Almal kom uiteidelik veilig bo, ek en André bly maar in die restaurant om te herstel van die skrik.
Johan laat die groep die Wing Song in die grotte sing en daarna eet ons heerlik by Witrivier – dankie Central! Terug by die hotel spring van die manne in die swembad, selfs André ook, wat nie groot is op swem nie. Maria kom aangestoot in ‘n Checkers-trollie, blykbaar haar vervoer vir die week. Sy het ‘n knie-operasie gehad en herstel nog. Neels masseer Johan Hattingh se seer nek, ‘n tegniek wat hy in Swaziland geleer het. Ek dink heelwat manne kon doen met so-iets.
Voor ete kry André, Hans en Mike trofeë om hulle omvalle te gedenk; Murray kry ook een, hy het blykbaar iewers verkeerd gery! Ons eet soos gewoonlik te veel en gaan slaap, terwyl ‘n paar bittereinders nog om die swembad kuier. Baie dankie aan almal vir hulle omgee, Francis wat so bekommerd was en Ronel wat kort-kort kom vra het hoe dit gaan en pynpille aangedra het. Julle is vriende duisend!!
Wednesday, 9 October 2019
Today, André and myself stayed put, me nursing my sore muscles and André had some work to do. It was cool, so the groups should have a pleasant day, only becoming hotter later on. Unfortunately, I developed food poisoning and had a rather horrible day. Heinrich came to give some advice, he is always sort of on duty, sorry Heinrich, but thanks! I missed the light parade, the theme evening and dancing. It looked like lots of fun! If prizes were awarded, I think Chris deserved first prize, he looked so pathetic and down and out!
Donderdag, 10 Oktober 2019
Ek voel weer goed vanoggend. Dit het deur die nag gereën en dit is koel en vars. André is om 5 v.m. saam met ‘n groep weg na die Wildtuin. Daar word besluit dat Willie en Magdalena by Luke sal oorslaap en hy sal hulle lughawe toe neem, Willie se Wing word eers gestoor. Baie dankie weer aan al die goeie vriende wat so gewillig is om die ekstra myl te stap. Ek begin al die vuil wasgoed inpak vir die terugrit. André kom terug, hy het die uitstappie baie geniet, baie wild gesien en lekker koud gekry; die komberse het darem gehelp!
Die algemene jaarvergadering verloop heel goed en ons maak reg vir ons laaste aand in Hazyview. Dit was wonderlik om Willie weer te sien, hy is voorlopig uit die hospitaal, Magdalena kan nie ophou glimlag nie! ‘n Paar veilings word gehou en pryse uitgedeel, die dames begin inhaal op die manne met Wings skoonmaak! Ons eet vir oulaas heerlik, maar teen tienuur gaan ons kamer toe, dis weer vroeg opstaan Vrydag. Jammer ons het nie gegroet nie, dit het bietjie laat geraak.
Friday, 11 October 2019
At 5 a.m., we, together with Boet and Renthia, Denzil and Audrey, Vissie, Johan Hattingh and Leonie, left. Dick was a bit late, but he caught up later. Johan took us onto the highway. André was very glad, he doesn’t know the roads at all, and would have followed his GPS through Johannesburg. At our first petrol stop we said goodbye to Leonie and Dick, we were on our way to Bloemfontein for our first overnight stop. There was some festival in Bloemfontein, the only accommodation André could get, was a luxury 5-bedroom house in Lilyvale. He used booking.com, they gave a phone number as well as coordinates to the estate. André tried phoning earlier to confirm, but there was no answer. Arriving at our supposed destination, it was three privately-owned places. After asking around, we realised André got the wrong directions. Boet went ahead to find the correct address, so we went back on our tracks. Arriving at the estate, they had no knowledge of our booking. We were so looking forward to getting off the bikes and having a rest! After about two hours, and getting darker, with everyone trying to contact someone, and booking.com not reaching the owner, they eventually found us accommodation. We have always used Lekkeslaap before, and they kept reminding you of your booking, we have never had problems with them! So if you want to book local, forget about booking.com. The accommodation we got was okay; we just wanted a bed and shower.
Saterdag, 12 Oktober 2019
Johan, Denzil-hulle en Vissie vertrek vroeg. Ons en Boet-hulle eet eers ontbyt, aangesien dit ingesluit is by die duur akkommodasieprys! Dis nog lekker koel en ons ry goed met net ‘n ligte briesie. Ontbyt is by Laingsburg. Toe ons die afdraai neem, sê André daar is fout met die Wing – hy het gevrek, gelukkig is dit afdraande tot by die pompe, waar hy agterkom hy het per ongeluk die “kill switch” gedruk!
Ons kom in Beaufort-Wes aan en soek bietjie na ons blyplek. ‘n Inwoner beduie ons na die regte adres, ons soek aan die verkeerde kant van die straat vir die nommer, maar Boet roep ons gou terug. En Route is ‘n heerlike oornagplekkie, nie op die hoofstraat nie en ons stap sommer Spur toe. Ons eet, gesels en lag so baie dat my seer spiere sommer beter word! Die nag is doodstil, net so dan en wan hoor mens ‘n trok in die verte en ons slaap heerlik. Die manne se skouers en rûe het al begin seer raak, maar Renthia hou nog goed. Sy het ‘n ma-kat met kleintjies ontdek, hulle is nogal wild, hoewel die eienaar hulle kosgee. As Renthia een kon vang, sou sy hom sekerlik saamgevat het Somerset-Wes toe!
Ons raak nou haastig huis toe. By Worcester groet ons, dit was lekker om saam met sulke vriende te ry. Almal kom veilig tuis. Ons verneem Willie is in die hospitaal, besig met toetse en behandeling, so bly hulle is ook veilig hier, Dankie Luke en Nic-hulle vir julle hulp aan hulle.
Even though I didn’t have such a good Wing Fling this year, it was wonderful the way all our friends gave their support and love. It made everything worthwhile. Thanks to all the Central people for your arrangements, our lovely shirts and all the other goodies! See you all in Knysna next year!
