Sondag 3 Oktober
‘n Woeste suidooster waai Woensdag en Donderdag in Gordonsbaai, reën word vir later in die week voorspel, dus ry Johan Hattingh al Donderdag; hy het genoeg gehad van die nat Kaap! Die komitee is ook vroeër weg om dinge reg te kry. Gerdus en Cynthia het via Addo na Knysna gegaan (lekker lang vakansie) en Peet het ook so kuier-kuier veilig uit Walvisbaai aangekom. Ons vertrek op ‘n yskoue, windstil dag en kry vir Kraai, Peet en Wynand en Jana by die petrolstasie. Die wêreld is grasgroen en die damme vol na ons winter, voorwaar ‘n seën!
At Buffeljags River, Kenny and Gladys are already on their second cup of coffee. We order the same, together with some “roosterkoek”. It stays cold until we reach Knysna, where André drives past the hotel. He forgot about the name change! Other members are waiting to welcome us, and what a lovely surprise to see Alan and Linda Casey. It was too long since we saw them last! The Cape ladies sing a hastily practised Knysna song before dinner, Krish and Luke did the welcoming and we remembered those no longer with us. As usual, Alan had something up his sleeve… he revealed his 2022 prototype Wing! Paul brought Chuma along, thank goodness on a trike, with the weather our northern friends endured, I wouldn’t have been comfortable on a bike. She experienced the worst; nothing will scare her in the future! Quite a large number of members is here for their first Wing Fling. After supper, we left early for bed. It was a long day for most.
Maandag 4 Oktober
Ons word wakker met ligte reën wat val, maar ons rit word uitgestel en teen 10:00 is dit helder sonskyn. André het kleinkoppie getrek vir die Wing en bedel ‘n geleentheid saam met Wynand en Jana in die Jeep. Met baie geduld hou Kraai ons mooi bymekaar tot by Marilyn’s Diner in Tsitsikamma. Wat ‘n pragtige omgewing. Soos gewoonlik bewonder die publiek ons Wings, die manne bekyk die ou voertuie binne en ons geniet heerlike burgers. Eet al weer te veel!
Some support a small shop by buying biltong and other goodies and then we went on our way. Wynand and some other Wings, including Fabio on his smart new 1800, took the old Bloukrans Pass (I think). It was a lovely drive. Sadly the road is neglected and quite a challenge for the Wings! Come evening, we put on our black bags, depicting something or somewhere. After being judged and an auction, we had a plentiful supper as usual!
Dinsdag 5 Oktober
Almal is mooi betyds vir ons uitrit. ‘n Verkeersman lei ons veilig deur Knysna en daarna neem Gys die voortou met die tweewiel-fietse, terwyl Elise die trikes begelei. Ons het blou jare gelede die Outeniquapas gery met die motor. Ek het al vergeet van die draaie en afgronde (nie my voorliefde nie) maar die berge en omgewing is besonders.
We went on to Meiringspoort, a must to see with all the streams and cliffs on both sides. Fabio could practice his cornering big time! We stopped to visit a waterfall, quite a steep climb, but worth the sight. I, of course, stayed on level ground. Then, on to Bushman’s African Dining, a lovely setting between thorn trees with buck grazing nearby. We thoroughly enjoyed the ” braaivleis”, “roosterkoek” and other food, ending with a large juicy “koeksister”. The evening, Poena and Annelize from Central Chapter hosted a musical quiz, testing our fading memories. They went to a lot of trouble getting all the music and pictures together. With Penny, Jane and Mariana at our table, we didn’t stay until the end; they were more than capable to represent our table!
Woensdag 6 Oktober
Dit is heerlik stil by die hotel, geen motors wat raas nie, maar die kolganse sorg dat niemand kan laat slaap nie. Buite word daar hard gewerk om die Wings so blink as moontlik te kry. André staan rond en gee advies. Na gister wil hy rus – ons het nogal ‘n skrik weg. Op pad terug van Meiringspoort, moet Wempie petrol ingooi in Oudtshoorn en ons staan en wag vir hulle. Ek weet nie wat gebeur het nie, maar toe ek weer sien, lê ek op die grond! Maar met Wempie, lang Johan van Central en ‘n man van die garage is ek en die Wing gou weer regop. Ek en André het geen probleem waar om eendag ons aftreeplekkie te bou nie … ons het grond gekoop regoor die strand in Jongensfontein, in Hopefield se hoofstraat, by die Sudwala Grotte en nou ook in Oudtshoorn! Maar ons is nie alleen nie, Kraai het by Marilyn’s Diner ook op die grond beland, hy was nie op sy Wing nie en daar was nie eers drank betrokke nie!
Group photos were taken in front of the shiny Wings. We have our AGM and before supper, the Cape ladies do a song and dance. Tonight is also wear a hat and show what you need to survive. An alarming lot couldn’t survive without alcohol. Igsaan reckoned joining the EFF was his only hope. My personal favourites were the couple who put Kentucky Fried Chicken as their first choice. Clearly, they had their priorities in the correct place! The ideas were very original. The usual light parade was also held.
Donderdag 7 Oktober
Iets wat ek nog altyd wou doen, is om na Birds of Eden buite Plettenbergbaai te gaan. Wayne by die hotel se ontvangs probeer tevergeefs ‘n kar te huur; hulle doen dit blykbaar nie net vir een dag nie. Hy kry toe vir Angelo wat sy eie “shuttle” besigheid bedryf en so word ons ewe deftig in sy BMW na Birds of Eden vervoer, veilig gery en lekker gesels. Ons het heelwat voëls gesien, meeste het natuurlik bo rondgevlieg, miskien is dit ons African Grey se eindbestemming ook. Polla is maar 25 jaar oud. En die klomp Knysna loeries, ek wens net mens kon hulle in vlug afneem om hulle kleure ten volle te waardeer. ‘n Groep het die olifantpark besoek en ek wens ons kon dit ook inpas.
Cynthia le Roux het die volgende oor hulle besoek aan die ouetehuise geskryf:
Soos beplan vertrek ons Wing Riders die oggend na George om twee ouetehuise te besoek. Ons is ‘n hele paar fietse en trikes en soos gewoonlik laat die Gold Wings ‘n hele paar koppe draai!
From the very moment we arrived at the first old age home, I felt a sadness in me! The people were waiting for us … sitting in their wheelchairs outside. Some of them just staring …
Ons probeer n geselsie aanknoop en kry darem reaksie. ‘n Glimlag hier en daar! Maar die belangrikste vir hierdie mense is die persoonlike aandag. Op ‘n vraag oor hoe dit gaan, kry jy dadelik reaksie en dan vertel hulle jou. Die oorgrote meerderheid se verlange na hul mense, hul familie en veral kinders, was duidelik sigbaar.
Krish was the driver of the minivan and when the food parcels and other donations were offloaded the people were so thankful. The George Heroldt was there to take pictures and write an article on the Wing Riders and the donations to the old age home.
Een van die inwoners het die Wing Riders bedank en toe ek later persoonlik met hom gesels, het hy iets gesê wat my seker altyd sal bybly. Hy het gesê ‘n ouer kan ‘n klomp kinders grootmaak en versorg, maar ‘n klomp kinders kan nie na een ouer omsien nie. Dit was baie hartseer maar ek glo die tydjie wat ons saam met hulle spandeer het, het baie vir hul beteken.
Then we went to another old age home called JJ Watson. And boy, were they excited to see all the trikes and bikes. They came to greet us, and one lady, with some help I suppose, got onto Elize’s trike and was not keen to get off at all!! Especially the men were very interested to know all about the Gold Wings!
Nadat ons lekker gesels het is ons na binne waar die inwoners vir ons ‘n liedjie gesing het. Daar is ons ook bedank vir die donasies. Ek dink ons almal het met die wegry daar besef hoe belangrik familie is. Hoe belangrik persoonlike kontak en kommunikasie is. Hierdie bejaardes sal nog lank die Gold Wings onthou!
Vrydag 8 Oktober
Neelie and I spent the morning packing, while Wempie and André joined Wynand on his visit to the Motorcycle Room. They thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the story of a scrambler left by a young girl who toured the country all by herself. They just need a Wing to complete the collection. Our lunch was the biltong from Marilyn’s Diner, the cheese we got on our cheese board, (thanks to Gerdus) and, of course, we still had some beer. The evening was Gala time. The tables looked very classy with Gail doing flowers for the first time, a craft she can now add to her many other accomplishments. Our colour changing mugs from Chris and Sandy were also a big surprise. Die Concours wenners word beloon met trofeë, Johan Hattingh veil van sy persoonlike kosbaarhede op en ons eet vir oulaas heerlik. Dan groet ons mekaar tot volgende jaar. Dit was veral ook wonderlik om vir Maria en Jana by ons te hê. Hulle is deur diep waters, maar deur genade nou op die lang herstelpad!
Nogmaals dankie aan almal wat bygedra het om die Wing Fling so gesellig te maak, die pakkies in ons kamers, die hemde, Paul se baadjies, Johan se sakke, te veel om op te noem. Die hotel was eersteklas, personeel almal vriendelik en behulpsaam, en ek vermoed ons almal se klere het gekrimp na al die heerlike kos! Ons sal net ons naam moet verander na ‘n trike klub, met 25 trikes en net 20 bikes! Ons is baie dankbaar dat almal veilig tuis gekom het. Veilig bly tot volgende keer!
Amorita Engelbrecht and Cynthia le Roux
All the photos of the events described above, can be viewed HERE.
