So here is my ride report - I do realize that my English and writing skills are not perfect, so please - I do apologize.......
We left Durban on Saturday, 26 April, at 7.15 am. The weather seemed to be perfect for motorcycle riding, and after about 25 km, I thought that we were a bit "overdressed" - it was already quite warm for tat time of the day. We were very exited, and looking forward to a wonderful ride and fulfilling experience during the next week.
Then, after another about 40 km, the weather started changing, and it became much cooler - I realized that we were probably too optimistic about weather conditions during the ride. Having passed the tollgate near Mooiriver - about 160 km from Durban, we were cold to the bone. We gladly stopped for petrol and a nice cup of coffee, and discussed the rest of the trip.......our optimism has disappeared, and we were worried. Noneteless, the coffee boosted our energy levels and moral, and we were back on the highway.
Having reached the heights near Estcourt, about 50 km away, I noticed tat the weather started changing again - and I became more and more optimistic. It became much warmer ! By the time we reached the next petrol station - just before the next tollgate - after another +- 70 km, we stopped for another cup of coffee, just to share our exitement about the positive change of weather conditions !
From there we have had a wonderful ride for the next +-120 km. ..........then faceing the wind which became stonger and stronger.............passing another two tollgates, stopped for a nice meal and petrol near the last tollgate.
We reached my daughter and son in law's house - between Johannesburg and Pretoria - at about 2pm - very surprised to see how big the little one became since the last time that we have seen her - about two months ago.
The visit during the next couple of days was absolutely wonderful........quality time with our daughter and son in law........and desperately trying to absorb the priviledge of having a gift from Heaven between us - a healthy , and (obviously
beautiful granddaughter.
On Wednesday all of us decided to visit my 83 year old mother - who lives in Hertzogville, a small village in the western Free State (central South Africa) - about 430 km from Johannesburg. My daughter and her husband still attended a wedding the next day, and my wife obviously offered to do baby sitting during the wedding ceremony.
So I left the Johannesburg -area early on Thursday morning for the 430 km solo ride - a wonderful experience. The rest of the family would follow much later during the day.
The first +- 110 km was a very nice ride - still on a tollroad, in very good condition. Near Parys (Free State) I left the toll road, and from there on I became more cautious.........always aware of the possibility of hitting an unexpected pothole..........
To visit my mother is always a wonderful experience, and this time was no exception..........I just became a bit sad when I realized that time is passing by............and life is actually very short .........
I also visited two old personal friends in the area . We have been friends since we were kids, and all of us grew up on different farms in the area. Things still seem to be the same...........except, they seem to think I am a bit mad to ride all the way from Durban.........to Jo' burg........then Hertzogville ........and back to Durban......on a bike.
Early Friday morning when I watched the weather forecast I got a huge shock - we were facing a ride of 830 km on Sunday - back to Durban ..........and the prediction was .......an 80 % chance of rain for the next couple of days !
To say goodby early on Sunday morning was something which could not be avoided........as life obviously goes on..........When we left, the road was very wet. It rained a lot during the previous night, and conditions did not look too good.
The first 80 km was a bit of a nightmare. The road was in a very poor condition......with hundreds of potholes.........which was full of water. Three or four times I did not have any choice other than to ride through the potholes (to avoid oncoming traffic). So we often had to come almost to a standstill - not knowing how deep the potholes would be..........
Just as we stopped at Bethlehem, (Free State) for petrol (about 350 km from Herzogville) it suddenly started raining heavily . We could not beleive our luck - we were under shelter, and if we stopped one minute later, we would be soaking wet !
We waited for more than an hour for the weather to clear, and then we were back on the road. Conditions were still bad, and it could start raining again any moment. The next +- 120 km became a race to stay ahead of thick clouds who seemed to follow us ......
It was a huge releive when we reached the toll road at Harrismith ,(eastern Free State) and at Van Reenens Pass (Kwazulu Natal) the battle against mother nature was over - the weather started to clear !
The +- 250 km ride from Van Reenens Pass to Durban was by far the best part of the trip. To be honest, I have never appreciated a toll road , as much as I did during this stage of the ride. The Kawasaki was heading home........and I was constantly under pressure to tap the throttle down ........... trying very hard to be a law obeying citizen .
We reached home at about 6pm - and I thanked the Good Lord for many blessings and an experience which I will never forg
Topic: First ride to visit our first grandchild ! (Read 2786 times)