1st Cape Town Free Chapter

FCCT Year End Function to Swartberg Hotel, Prince Albert

4&5 December 2021

At the foot of the Swartberg mountains surrounded by vineyards, fruit and olive farms is a town called Prince Albert. The town was officially named Prince Albert in 1846 in honour of Queen Victoria’s consort husband who passed away in 1861.

Anyway, enough of the history lesson 😊! Prince Albert was the venue for our compulsory year end function which was held at the beautiful Swartberg Hotel. We had an excellent turnout of 41 members and guests, and due to the venue being 390kms from Cape Town some members decided to ride or drive up on the Friday to make a weekend of it.

The remaining hardy bikers rode up on the Saturday with a lunch stop in Matjiesfontein and managed to dodge the rain all the way. After everyone arrived it was time to catch up and have a few drinks and some lunch or just chill for the afternoon.

Eventually the heavens opened, and the Karoo received a much-needed soaking, as we all started arriving at the function room, we had to dodge the puddles and showers to avoid getting a soaking! Mandy even arrived in her shower cap! The hotel had prepared our function room with nice circular tables so that we could practice social distancing 😊 When we were all seated Bruce began with his summary of the years events and reminded all the car drivers that this is a Harley club!

We were all getting quite hungry, so it was time for the first course which was delicious soup. After the soup it was the turn of the “fines mistress” to raise some money for charity - I must admit she was quite lenient this year, but certain repeat offenders had a few fines 😊

The main course was a buffet style meal with delicious Karoo lamb served with roast potatoes, pumpkin fritters, rice, and salad, followed by a choice of malva pudding or melktert. I must admit the food was all delicious. During the evening some of the ladies were selling raffle tickets and Mr Mike scooped the big prize of a jeroboam of Bon Courage wine - well done Mike!

With the raffle money and the fines money we managed to raise R4270 to go towards next year’s charities. After the meal it was time for DJ Kevin to play the tunes on his new toy, a rather large “Boom Box”, complete with flashing lights and a smoke machine which nearly smoked us all out 😊

Although Kevin works for Eskom he was unable to prevent the load shedding which took place at 10pm just as I was starting to warm up on the dance floor but luckily Kevin’s Boom Box is battery operated and apart from no flashing lights it was music as usual until 11pm when the hotel staff were hovering  to pack up.

On Sunday morning, between the early morning breakfast run, and the later one, we did our Christmas Toy charity handover to office manager Naaim Briesies and associate Perci from the Prince Albert Community Trust, who were thrilled to receive such a generous amount of toys for the 260 kids they work with in the area, some of which will receive a gift this Christmas for the very first time!! To find out more about what they do you can follow Prince Albert Community Trust on Facebook, or https://pactrust.co.za

After the charity handover it was time to head home, with members going their separate ways either by car or bike.

A big thank you to Marianna and Armelle for arranging the venue and to Lisa for standing in for Monica and organizing the toys and the handover in Prince Albert.

Ivor wills

Editor.

FCCT Breakfast Ride To Cafe Rene, Kaijaiki Inn, Yzerfontein

Sunday 14th November 2021


Once again, the weather gods were smiling as I set off bright and early to the meeting point at the Total Garage, Melkbos. The temperature was starting to rise, and we were in for a beautiful ride with very little wind.

We had 18 members + Leen’s partner, Denise, and our new prospect Bob who met up at the garage in preparation for our ride. After fueling up and a quick briefing from Mr Mike we headed out onto the West Coast Rd. Our route was straight up the West Coast Road past the Koeberg power station and on towards Langebaan. We had very little traffic on the road, and we were very soon cruising at the legal limit with the big V twins eating up the kms.

At the West Coast Farmstall, we turned left and headed towards Yzerfontein. Mr Mike’s directions were spot on as we found the venue without any U turns 😊.

After safely parking our bikes, we were greeted by our Dutch and South African hosts and shown to our tables.

The venue was small, and I think the hosts were a bit overwhelmed with the amount of people, but I was pleasantly surprised as they very soon had the coffees on the go and started taking the food orders.

We were joined at the venue by Patsy and Mandy who had driven up from Cape Town to meet us. The food started to arrive table by table and my choice of bacon and egg was delicious - we even had a Bitterballen on the plate! The toastmaster for the day was Donovan as the toast was a self-service affair and he was seated next to the toaster 😊!!

After a few more coffees it was time to hit the road and head back to Cape Town. Some of the members made their own way home while the rest of us rode together back to Cape Town before going our separate ways.

Thanks to Marianna & Armelle for another great venue and to the marshals for getting us there safely.

Ivor Wills.

Editor.

FCCT Annual Memorial Ride

Sunday 31st October 2021


Our annual memorial ride is one of the highlights on the FCCT calendar and we had a nice turnout of 30 members and family members who joined us at our usual venue on Chapmans Peak Drive overlooking the panoramic view of the mountains and Hout Bay.

We have always been lucky with the weather on our memorial rides and this year was no exception. The Cape Peninsula was really showing off all its natural beauty as the big V twins rumbled around the coast to Chapmans Peak.

Some of our members and family members of members we have lost met us at the lookout point and it was good to see everyone again. Tim read out a beautiful poem which I have included below and ended off the proceedings with a prayer. We all took a handful of dried petals and herbs and threw them towards the sea as we remembered those we have lost.

Some of the members went their separate ways while the remaining members and guests returned to Hout Bay for lunch at Dunes restaurant.

They are gone by David Harkins

You can shed tears that they are gone

          Or you can smile because they have lived

You can close your eyes and pray that they will come back

Or you can open your eyes and see all that they have left

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see them

Or you can be full of the love that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday

Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember them and only that they are gone

Or you can cherish their memory and let it live on

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back

Or you can do what they would want: smile, open your eyes, love, and go on.

 

Thanks to Armelle & Marianna for arranging the venue and the Marshals for getting us there safely.

Thanks also to Armelle, Liza, Debbie and Ammi for the many photos.

Comments from some of our members:

Kevin Moodley: Thank you for the wonderful tribute ride today  👍

Armelle De Mey: Such special and meaningful get together 🌺

Noel Peagam: Thanks to all for a very meaningful get-together. Kate was very pleased to be with the group

Alan Joffe: Thank you everyone for a special day 🏍

FCCT Breakfast Ride To The Marmalade Cat, Darling

Sunday 10th October 2021

Well, for once the weather gods were definitely on our side for our first ride in October, and we had an excellent turnout of 23 members and 2 guests including Kevin’s friend Bob who will hopefully become a prospect if Kevin will sign his proposal form 😊

Our meeting point was at the Total garage Melkbos on the West Coast Road, bright and early at 8:15.

After a quick briefing from Mr Mike it was a simple route straight up the West Coast Road to Yzerfontein. Once we passed Koeberg and a rather wide horse box we could open up the big V twins as we ate up the kms at a steady 120Kph.

With the sun on our backs and no wind we turned off the West Coast Road and headed for Darling - we were a bit late for the wildflowers but the various colours of vegetation, crops or weeds was quite beautiful 😊

We all made it safely to Darling and our venue, the Marmalade Cat. We didn’t see a cat, but I did see Marmalade 😊! The parking of our bikes was way below our normal standard and will need improvement. Our tables were beautifully laid out and decorated in the back of the venue. The orders were taken per table which meant some tables waited longer than others, but I couldn’t fault my choice of the full breakfast with a nice cappuccino.

After another cappuccino it was time to hit the road with some members opting to go their own way and the remaining members returning via Malmesbury and the N7 or R44.

Thanks to Marianna & Armelle for another great venue and to the marshals for getting us there safely.

Ivor Wills.

Editor.

FCCT Breakfast Ride To Die DamHuis, MelkbosStrand

Sunday 26th September 2021

We had a very good attendance for our final ride of September. After missing a few rides due to rain, the cool overcast weather was brilliant for riding. We gathered outside the Harley dealer in Willowbridge. There were 16 bikes on the ride including guests Willie van Niekerk and his First Lady, Vasti le Roux. 

Hylton & Glynda joined us at the start just in time. Rob and Anja mistakenly went to the Harley dealer in Cape Town (fine?) and met us at the destination. Although we were short on marshals, Liza and Bruce led us safely through the back roads of Durbanville then via the beautiful farmlands of Fisantekraal, and past the little village of Philadelphia to our destination, Die Damhuis Restaurant in Melkbosstrand.

We parked next to the seaside and made our way to breakfast. We were joined by Rafi, Alan & Michele,  Laura, as well as the Ab-Fab ladies Patsy and Mandy. Kevin & Vani joined us much later on.

In total we were 29 people, which kept the staff busy serving us good breakfasts. After enjoying our meals and conversations, we all went our different ways home.

Thanks to our activities and marshal teams for another great ride to a great venue.


As one of our esteemed members put it.

Thank you to everyone who organised the ride today! It was superb. 

The food was good, company great, and very conducive weather. 

Best regards. BAGS

FCCT Lunch Ride To Benguela Cove, Hermanus

Sunday 29th August 2021

For our last ride in August, we had a strong turnout of FCCT members and their wives & guests. Our meeting point was the Engen N2 where we had 15 bikes with 4 pillions including Rob Jones’s guest, Kuhle, who is a student currently staying with him.

We were also joined here by Tim & Heather and Kevin & Vani who were on 4 wheels. After a short briefing from Mr Mike we headed out onto the N2 towards Somerset West and were surrounded by snow capped mountains and clear blue skies.

After safely negotiating all the various traffic lights through Somerset West we headed up and over Sir Lowry’s Pass. When we reached the top it felt like someone opened the fridge door as the temperature dropped!

Apart from a few idiot drivers holding us up our ride was really beautiful, and we are blessed to have so many places to ride to on our doorstep. After Grabouw it was up and over Houw Hoek Pass, past Bot River and on to our destination.

After safely parking our bikes, we were met by Alan & Michele Joffe, Paul & Laura Wisenberg and Michael & Sean’s wives, Patsy & Mandy. This made it a total of 29 members, wives & guests on the 29th of August 😊

Benguela Cove is a stunning venue with beautiful buildings and views over the lagoon and surrounding vineyards. We were all seated outside on socially distanced tables and were quickly greeted by smartly dressed waitrons bearing large white menus.

I chose the fish & chips which was beautifully presented and delicious 😊. After a relaxed meal it was time to hit the road with some people deciding to stay a bit longer and enjoy the views.

Most of us headed back via Kleinmond and Clarens Drive towards Gordon’s Bay. With all the Sunday drivers out in force it was quite a slow ride with no places to safely pass with a large group, so we just took in the beautiful scenery as we made our way around the coast.

Thanks to Marianna & Armelle for yet another stunning venue and to the Marshalls for getting us there safely.

Ivor Wills

Editor 


In the words of our most senior member, Poul-Ejnar Hansen

 "A ride. The snow on top of the mountain. The restaurant. The company. What a day!"

FCCT Breakfast Ride To Webersburg Wine Estate, Stellenbosch

Sunday 15th August 2021

For our first breakfast ride in August, we had 19 members who braved the chilly start to the day - my bike was showing 6 degrees when I left home.

Our meeting point was the Engen N2 and luckily everyone remembered the difference between N1 & N2 😊.

After a short briefing from our head road captain, Mr Mike, we headed out onto the N2. By now the sun was starting to warm things up and with no wind around it was a perfect day for a ride.

Our route took us off the N2 at Macassar and onto Winery Road, past vineyards and horses and surrounded by the beautiful mountains of Somerset West & Stellenbosch.

We then turned onto the R44 towards Stellenbosch and then right at the Thirsty Scarecrow onto the Annandale Road for the short ride to the venue.

We had been warned by our beloved director, Bruce, about the tricky parking at the venue and that there could possibly be a new recipient of the “Shit Happens” cup! Well guess what happened?! Bruce decided to try and park in a sandy area, and so we now have a new holder of the cup 😊!!!

After MOST of us parked our bikes safely we headed into the venue and were shown to our nice long table overlooking the beautiful dam and surrounded by mountains. All I can say about the venue is WOW - another hidden gem discovered.

The breakfast menu was quite extensive, and my choice of the farmhouse breakfast was delicious, although quite late in arriving. After soaking up the beautiful winter sunshine a bit longer it was time to head home our various ways.

Thanks to Marianna & Armelle for another great venue and to the Marshalls for getting us there safely.

Ivor Wills

Editor.

FCCT Mystery Ride To Weskus Padstal, Yzerfontein

Sunday 25th July 2021

Due to current legislation on gatherings etc. our rides are currently on a pitch & ride basis. For our last ride of July our head road captain had organised a MYSTERY ride!

This was planned to be a peninsula ride but due to Chapmans Peak drive being closed Mr Mike decided we would take a nice leisurely ride towards the West Coast 😊

We had 16 members including Rob Jones who arrived just in the nick of time with his wife Anja 😊, and Paul Wisenberg who rode part of the way with us but had to turn back due to family commitments.

Our route was very straight forward out onto the N1 and then left towards Milnerton, Blouberg and then straight up the R27 towards Yzerfontein. After negotiating the numerous sets of traffic lights we could start to open up slightly as the big v twins thundered on towards Yzerfontein.

Our destination was the West Coast Farm Stall on the corner of the R27 & R315. We have visited this venue before, and the food is always good with a large menu including their famous Sunday lunch for the big eaters.

As I hadn’t eaten breakfast I decided on the eggs & bacon option which was delicious, After some more coffees and teas we decided to continue our homeward journey by crossing over the R27 on to the R315 towards Darling , and after a brief fuel stop in Darling we headed out through the town and on to Malmesbury where the majority of the members turned back onto the N7 for Cape Town, with some of us continuing on towards Stellenbosch and home.

Thanks to Mr Mike for organising the mystery ride and for getting us all there safely together with his marshals.

Ivor Wills

Editor.



FCCT Lunch Ride To Tin Roof Taverna, Riebeeck-Kasteel

Sunday 27th June 2021

After a week of rain & wind it was a pleasant surprise to wake up to a dry, somewhat chilly, day for our lunch ride to Riebeeck-Kasteel.

Our meeting point was the Total garage at Melkbos which is opposite Atlantic Beach Estate. 14 members + Gordon & Debbie Collins from Durban Free Chapter and Poul-Enja’s & Rob Jones’s wives, as well as Kevin & Vani’s friend, Bob, gathered for a quick coffee and a chat before our briefing from Mr Mike.

Our route took us out onto the West Coast Road briefly and then we turned right to join up with the N7 towards Malmesbury. After safely negotiating the traffic through Malmesbury we headed out onto the R45 and then R46 towards Riebeeck-Kasteel.

The temperature was starting to warm up as the sun shone down on us and the big v twins rumbled on towards Riebeeck-Kasteel. We all arrived safely at the venue and were joined here by Gideon & Marianna and their guests, Willie & Vasti, from Tygervalley HOG.

We made our way into the venue and were seated outside in the garden and fresh air. The restaurant offers a Portuguese style menu, and my Prego steak roll was very nice. The service was a bit slow though, and the coffee lukewarm, but overall a good meal.

After lunch some of the members drifted off to make their own way home, some members stayed on and a few of us rode back together to Cape Town.

Thanks to Marianna and Armelle for the arrangements and to the marshals for getting us there safely.

After Cyril’s family meeting last night, we will have to wait and see regarding future rides but watch the website and the WhatsApp group for future updates.

Ivor Wills

Editor .

FCCT Breakfast Ride To Pepper Tree Art Stable & Coffee Shop, Philadelphia

Sunday 13th June 2021

It was a chilly & overcast start to the day as I left Somerset West, but I can definitely recommend heated grips to all our members 😊.

25 members met at the Engen N1 including 2 Free Chapter members from Durban, Gordon & Debbie Collins, who have recently relocated to the Cape and will be joining our Chapter.

Liza was road Captain for the day as Mr Mike was on a road trip and after a short briefing we lined up in usual fashion.

Our route was short and sweet out onto the N1 briefly and then off again at the R304 towards Malmesbury. At Klipheuwel we turned left briefly onto the R302 and then right onto the Philadelphia Road.

We were very soon in Philadelphia where we all parked our bikes safely in the church car park where a friendly car guard was waiting to look after our bikes.

It was a short walk down the 1-way street to the venue where we were greeted by our friendly waitrons. After all being seated, we ordered our coffees & teas, and we were joined by Armelle and Bag’s and Sean’s wives, Patsy & Mandy.

It was a short and sweet menu with the majority having the Farmhouse breakfast of scrambled eggs, springbok wors, mushrooms, smoortjie and toast which was delicious.

After filling our tummies and some more coffees it was time to head home. The weather was decidedly chilly as I rode home but the sun started to shine as I neared Somerset West.

Thanks to Marianna & Armelle for the venue arrangements and to Liza & Bruce for getting us there safely.

Ivor Wills.

Editor.

Farewell Memorial Ridfor Shanogeni Govender

 5TH JUNE 2021

FCCT were recently asked to participate in the memorial ride for Shanogeni Govender who very sadly passed away after a short illness. Shanogeni is the wife of one of FCCT’S friends,  Bob Govender.

12 of our members participated with many other bikers from various chapters who rode along with the funeral procession as a guard of honour.

When we arrived at the crematorium, we all lined up with the bikes and greeted them all with a rev up and thunder salute.

Thanks to Kevin & Vani Moodley for inviting us all and we extend our sincere condolences to Bob’s family and friends.

Ivor Wills

Editor. 

8 Passes and M&M Memorial Ride

29 May 2021

It was a very cold and wet day for the annual 8 passes ride, organised by the Winelands HD chapter, which was also combined with the M&M memorial ride in memory of Marc Marais & Michael Koen.

7 of our hardiest members - Mr Mike & Riana, Malcolm, Bruce and Leen as well as Hilton and Glynda braved the cold and wet weather, but unfortunately Bruce had helmet problems early in the ride and he decided to call it a day for safety reasons and Leen dropped out in Malmesbury.

Despite the bad weather there were still roughly 60 bikers who participated with the ride ending with a braai to celebrate the lives of Marc & Michael at the Durbanville Baseball Club.

I have heard we have a new holder of the “Shit Happens Club”- more details at our next club meeting 😊

Thanks to Winelands HD for organising the event and let’s hope the weather gods smile on us for next year’s event.

Ivor wills

Editor.

FCCT 9th Birthday Sleepover at Avalon Springs, Montagu

21 to 23 May 2021

It’s hard to believe it’s been 9 years since FCCT was started but as they say, “time goes quickly when you’re having fun”.  There was a total of 23 members and 10 guests who joined for the weekend.

Some members opted to travel by car, but 12 of our toughest and hardiest members, which included most of our senior members 😊, came by bike!

After checking into our various accommodations, and unpacking, we all met at the pool bar for some liquid refreshment before dinner - I must admit it felt a bit like rally time but 20 degrees cooler!!

On Saturday morning after breakfast the chapter had organised a wine tasting and cellar tour with our good friend, Jacques Bruwer, the owner of Bon Courage. It was interesting to hear all the various stages of wine making. We finished off our tour with a trip to the MCC cellar and to see Jacques’s hobby of brandy making which was currently at 70 odd percent proof!!!

After the tour it was tasting time 😊.  Jacques generously gave us free tastings of whatever took our fancy, and we enjoyed some nice cheese and biscuit platters which were organised by the chapter.

After our long lunchtime tasting session, it was time to make our way back to the hotel for a short power nap before the evening dinner.

The hotel did a sheep on the spit for us with various salads and roosterkoek, followed by Malva pudding for dessert. 😊 Before dinner Bruce welcomed everyone and reminded all of us who came by car that FCCT is a Harley Davidson bikers club and that he was in touch with the absent fines master 😊!!

Sean Vollmer was presented with his colours as our newest member - Welcome Sean, we look forward to many more kms riding with you.

As we all enjoyed our dinner the temperature started to plummet, and everyone gravitated towards the fires which the hotel had lit for us.

On Sunday morning we all went down for breakfast at various times and the hardy bikers headed back to Cape Town and the rest of us headed off in our cages 😊!

Thanks to the activity girls and FCCT for arranging such a great weekend.

Ivor Wills

Editor.

FCCT LUNCH RIDE TO SEAFORTH RESTAURANT, SIMONSTOWN

Sunday 25th April 2021

It was nice to see a good turnout for our last ride of April with 21 members and guests including our prospects Sean, Hilton and Glynda and guests Denise, Patsy, Mandy, and Lorna.

Our meeting point was next to the Caltex which is no more as its being demolished, so it was the Audi garage. After a short briefing we lined up as usual.

After last week’s pack rider training, we decided to re-arrange the pack and put the newest riders at the front to avoid the large gaps caused by having to play catch up at the back. Michael, Sean and Rob did very well and with some more fine tuning will all be integrated nicely in the pack.

Our route took us on to the N2 and around hospital bend onto the M3. We rode past last week’s devastating fires which was so sad to see. We all managed to negotiate the various robots safely and after Edinburgh Hill it was on towards Lakeside.

We turned onto the M64 Ou Kaapse Weg road (which is 315M above sea level) and on towards Noordhoek and Ocean view. At Ocean View we turned left and headed back on the coast towards Misty Cliffs. The temperature started to drop as we approached Misty Cliffs and Scarborough and the sea was full of surfers enjoying the wind free day and good waves.

The road past Cape Point is a bit of a bumpy ride especially on a motorbike, but we all made it safely down into Simonstown and parked our bikes at Seaforth - Malcolm had even arranged our own bike guard for us 😊.

The restaurant was just opening and after temperature checks we were shown to our tables. The service was excellent, and our drinks and food came very quickly - my choice of fish & chips was delicious!

After saying our goodbyes at the venue, we all headed back to Cape Town together and then split up and went our separate ways home. Thanks to the Marshals for getting us there safely and to Marianna & Armelle for another great venue.

Ivor Wills.

Editor.

FCCT Pack Rider Training

Saturday 17h April 2021

We had a good turnout of riders eager to sharpen their skills and improve safe riding in a pack.

The chapter provided a supply of coffee and diet donuts. Bruce did an outstanding presentation and questions and contributions were offered from the floor. We are sure this will lead to safer more enjoyable rides in the future.

We learned what it mean to ride in a pack

  • A pack is a group of riders, riding in an orderly manner following the instructions from the Road Captain
  • Riding in such a manner to prevent collisions in spite of incorrect action of others or in the presence of unforeseen obstacles
  • Ensures overall safety for all participants in a group ride

Group riding can be a lot of fun if:
  • All the members are comfortable within the group
  • Everybody knows what to expect in the pack
  • Everybody follows the basic rules in this guide
  • Everybody considers themselves as part of the pack, and not an individual with their own intentions

FCCT BREAKFAST RIDE TO ELGIN RAILWAY MARKET

and Kinder Project Charity Handover

Sunday 11th April 2021

For our first charity hand over of 2021 our destination was the Elgin Railway Market, to hand over the stationery which was generously donated by our members for the Kinder Project.

There were some notable absentees (fines mistress) but this was our largest turnout to date with 22 members and guests. It was so nice to see Alan & Michele Joffe and that Paul & Rafi still know how to ride 😊.

John Keats wrote a poem “To Autumn – Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”. After the early morning mist lifted, the weather gods were certainly smiling upon us with glorious sunshine and no wind - made me realise how blessed we are to live where we live! We headed onto the N2 towards Somerset West and straight over Sir Lowry’s pass to the venue in Elgin. The surrounding orchards were laden with ripening fruit.

Liza was our road captain and marshal for the day as she led us all safely over the pass and into the venue. After all safely parking our bikes, we were met by our charity ladies Monica & Lisa as well as Monica’s husband "Wingman" Gerrie as they have relocated to the Cape. We were also joined by the AbFab ladies -Patsy & Mandy (Eddie) Michael and Sean’s wives.

Owner of the Elgin market, Mr Roger Orpen, gave us a brief history of his NPO, Timbers Kleinbegin (see Facebook Timbers Kleinbegin Centre).  Their projects include a clinic, sewing group, vegetable garden, soup kitchen and the Timber After-School Project. We were introduced to Alistair and Cindy from the team.   Alistair briefed us on their TAP programme which assists around 40 children from the local community with their schoolwork, outdoor adventures, life skills and computer skills, arts, and crafts. We handed over a box full of kokis, crayons pens, rulers, rubbers, books etc, which were gratefully received.  After a couple of pics of us all we were off to find coffee, fresh juices, pastries, and breakfast buns inside the market venue.

After enjoying our varied refreshments, it was time to head home with some members deciding to stay at the venue and some members going straight back to Cape Town via the N2. As the weather was so nice some of us with pink passes 😊 decided to return via the scenic Franschhoek pass. As this was quite thirsty work Bruce suggested that we stop at the Station Pub to quench our thirst. After saying our goodbyes, we all made our way home safely.

Thanks to our charity ladies for all the arrangements with the venue and to Liza and Bruce for getting us there and back safely.

Ivor Wills.

Editor.

FCCT LUNCH RIDE TO DIE PLAASKOMBUIS, HEMEL en AARDE

Sunday 28th March 2021

We had 11 members and our 2 prospects Sean and Donovan & we were  joined by our old young friend, Ewald, who unfortunately went to the Engen N1 along with Gideon and Marianna 😊. Gideon and Marianna arrived only 5 minutes late (fines??) and Ewald decided to meet us at the venue. After a short briefing we headed out onto the N2, our route straight up the N2 to Caledon.

The traffic was quite heavy, but the weather and countryside were beautiful and a perfect day for a ride. We all arrived safely in Caledon for a quick pee and drink stop. Eben had forgotten he had a lunch date at home and had to return home quickly😊!!!

As we left Caledon, we turned right onto the R320 Hemel en Aarde Road towards Hermanus and, apart from a few bumps and potholes, the ride and the scenery was spectacular with the vines starting to change colours - I think Autumn is on the way.

We all arrived safely at the venue but unfortunately, we have a new holder of the “Shit Happens” Cup! You will have to wait until the next club meeting to find out who 😉.

After having our temperatures checked we were all seated on the stoep and were soon joined by Ewald, and Michael and Sean’s wives, Patsy and Mandy. We had all pre-ordered our food choices and there was quite a selection from traditional Sunday roast to bunny chows and my choice, chicken salad.

After lunch it was time to head home via Hermanus and then through Kleinmond, Bettys Bay and on to the beautiful Clarence Drive towards Gordon’s Bay. Our pace was quite slow due to the Sunday traffic, but the Big V Twins were happy rumbling along.

The sea was calm and the mountains spectacular as we slowly made our way towards Gordon’s Bay, where we noticed a large pod of dolphins in a feeding frenzy.

We all made it safely back onto the N2.  I left the rest of the chapter in Somerset West, and after stopping at the Shell Garage to say their goodbyes everyone headed home.

Thanks to Marianna and Armelle for arranging another great venue and to the Marshals for getting us there safely.

 Ivor Wills.

Editor.

OPEN AIR FETE Saturday 27th March

The Free Chapter was invited to add some variety to the Open Air Fete hosted by The NG Kerk in Plumstead (built by Mike Newman's dad)
So on a day where the weather looked ''ïffy", 7 loyal bikers pitched up. We rode in convoy to the church site and parked in the designated area. The fete was an eclectic mix of food, drink, plants, "white elephant" items and typical market fare provided to the background of cultural music.
At an appointed time, we lined up and provided a noisy Harley 'rev-up' which signalled our departure.
Thanks to those who supported this.

FCCT BREAKFAST RIDE TO "ALEX ON FIRE MOTO BISTRO"

SOMERSET WEST

Sunday 14th March 2021


Our first ride in March was a breakfast ride to the biker-friendly  “Alex On Fire Moto Bistro” in Somerset West. If anyone is wondering where the name comes from please look at their website for their story.

Our meeting point was the Engen N1. Alas, dear Armelle thought it was the Engen N2 😊, so she hastily made her way back to the N1 just before we were leaving (take note fines person!)

16 members and guests including Barry Katz from Kimberley, our prospect Donovan, Leen’s wife Denise and visitors Hilton and Glynda from Tyger Valley gathered at the Engen N1 for the short ride to Somerset West.

After a short briefing from Bruce and Mr Mike we made our way out onto the N1 towards Paarl, turned off at Butterfly World onto the R44 and headed for Stellenbosch. After safely negotiating the numerous traffic lights of Stellenbosch we were on our way to Somerset West.

Although the clouds were gathering, and the sky was getting darker the weather gods were smiling on us once again as our ride was dry all the way.

After negotiating more traffic lights through Somerset West, we turned off onto a side road and after a few left and rights and dodgy potholes we arrived safely at the venue.

We were shown to our tables by our very efficient waitress who was soon taking our orders for drinks and food. The menu was quite different to the usual egg and bacon such as “Moerby English Muffin” “Shakshuka” and 3 egg omlettes. My choice of Moerby Muffin was delicious 😊.

After another cup of coffee, it was time to hit the road and head for home and this would be the first ride where I would be home before anyone else 😊.

Thanks to Marianna & Armelle for another great venue and to the Marshals for getting us there and back safely.

Thanks to all those who have all brought stationery along for the rides too!

Ivor Wills

Editor.

FCCT LUNCH RIDE TO DIE EIKE, SLANGHOEK

Sunday 28th February 2021

Some of you may have heard of the saying “Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun“ well 16 FCCT members and our 2 prospects Donovan and Sean (including 1 Englishman) 😊 met up at the Engen N1 for our last ride in February.

The mercury was rising, and the wind was picking up as we gathered for our briefing from Mr Mike and Bruce. Our route took us out onto the N1 and then onto the R44 towards Wellington. As we approached Wellington, we rode through some resurfacing road works and the tar was melting in certain areas!

We turned left onto the R46 and headed towards Tulbagh and Ceres. The wind was now quite strong and hitting us side on, we were all leaning into the wind to try and stay on course!

We made a brief detour into Wolseley for a water and wee break and as we left Wolseley, we came across a serious accident and the road was closed. We could all now practice our skills and perform a U turn 😊. Fortunately, we had paused to top up with petrol for Will else we might have been in trouble. As Ammi put it “God works in mysterious ways”, so we are grateful for His protection.

After a brief detour it was back onto the R46 and then right onto the R43 heading for Worcester. The wind was now a bit calmer, but the mercury was still rising as we turned right onto the Slanghoek Road. This is a beautiful, picturesque route with a backdrop of mountains and vineyards. We reached our destination at Die Eike and all safely parked our bikes.

We were greeted warmly by our host and shown to our special outdoor area and were joined here by Michael Bagraim’s wife and prospect Sean’s wife.

We were all seated and our orders were quickly taken for our food and drinks. We were served large jugs of cold water and then we waited, and waited, and then the drinks started arriving slowly but surely. Eventually the food started coming out and my fish and chips was very nice apart from a few bones!

It was now time to head home on the N1 and up and over Du Toitskloof Pass, by which time my bike temp was showing 38.5 as we left Slanghoek, and when we reached Paarl it was 40.5 degrees! I turned off to SW with the rest of the Chapter heading to the Engen 1 stop for a Milkshake stop and to say their goodbyes.

Thanks to Marianna and Armelle for organising the venue and to the Marshals for getting us all there and back safely.

Ivor Wills.

Editor.

FCCT BREAKFAST RIDE TO SAGGY STONE (take 2)

Sunday 21st February 2021

Our 1st breakfast ride in February was rained out, so we scheduled a take-2 event. 9 bikers and 3 pillions gathered at Engen Winelands. The weather looked a tad dodge, so we rode a very short distance directly to Saggy Stone. There was a generous parking area and the seating was spacious, outdoor but under cover. We selected our meals from a wide variety of options and proceeded to catch up with our chapter friends. Our thoughts were with Ammi who was attending a Zoom funeral service for her recently departed sister.

We then went on a lekker reverse ride - first breakfast then ride. Marshal Liza led us on a picturesque route through the Boland Winelands, back to the petrol stop on the N1 from whence we all went our different ways home.

Lovely weather to ride in good company.

on behalf of our absent Editor

FCCT LUNCH RIDE TO ELGIN RAILWAY MARKET

Sunday 31st January 2021

For our second ride of 2021 the weather gods were not smiling on us today as we woke up to cloudy and windy conditions, with some showers in Cape Town which must have scared off some of our members 😊!

We had 9 hardy members and 1 guest, Donovan, who is a friend of Eben Roos. Eben joined us along the road as he was coming from Hermanus. Our 4 most senior members including 3 octogenarians pitched up showing the younger generation what commitment means.

Ivor proudly arrived on his new Harley Street glide, and that cost him a round of coffee, which he paid without grumbling.

Our meeting point was the Engen N2 and our route took us around the coast from Gordon’s Bay, along the scenic Clarence Drive to Rooi Els where we stopped for coffee at a new venue, “The Gossip Corner”, so we did just that while we drank our coffees 😊.

We continued around the coast where we were being battered by the relentless wind and were joined in Betty’s Bay by Eben. As we made our way out of Kleinmond we passed a field full of springboks (not the rugby team).

We made our way onto the N2 and headed back towards Grabouw into the teeth of the wind. We all made it safely to the Elgin Railway Market where we had some lunch from the various vendors. We were joined here by Eben’s wife, Marlize,  and her mother. The seating is well spaced inside and outside to practice social distancing.

After filling our tummies, it was time to head home and due to the wind, we decided to take the scenic route via the Franschhoek pass and over Helshoogte to Stellenbosch. Here we all went our separate ways and headed home.

Thanks to everyone who participated and let’s hope we have a few more members at our next ride!

Ivor Wills.

Editor.

FCCT “Non-Breakfast ride” 17 January 2021

Our first ride for 2021 was a socially distanced ride due to the current restrictions, and so there was no stopping for breakfast or lunch.

14 members met at the Caltex Waterfront for a 10 am start. It was good to have Rafi, Will and Elsabie with us having recently recovered from their respective Covid ordeals. This was to be a Peninsula ride and after a short briefing we set off towards Seapoint. The weather was perfect, the sea was calm, and all the beautiful people were out walking on the promenade as we made our way through Seapoint and on towards Bantry Bay, Bakoven and through Camps Bay. It was sad to see all the beaches empty, but all the restaurants were bustling with people which makes no sense to me!!

We rode past Llandudno and through Hout Bay towards Chapmans Peak. At the toll booth we were joined by Rob & Anja Jones and at the top of Chappies we stopped for a socially distanced photo 😊.

After safely negotiating Chappies we all made our way through Noordhoek, Kommetjie, Misty Cliffs and Scarborough - the colours of the sea were amazing and once again it was so sad to see all the beaches empty, but as they say, “Rules is Rules”.

We made our way through Simons Town and on to Glencairn where some of us stopped for a coffee break before going our separate ways and heading home.

Please watch the Website and WhatsApp for details of future rides as and when the rules change.

Ivor Wills.

Editor.