Martin's Meeting

 

I think the camera on my cell phone is getting worse as this is the result. The light was fluorescence which could be the problem. Anyways here is Martin holding our first RNW Patrollers meeting in the RNW Boardroom upstairs from the RNW Ops Room. The turn out of patrollers was good as was the wors rolls afterwards.

The Posers Ride Again

It was good day as the original Posers Scooter Club members rode again. With the weather threatening in the late afternoon I was sceptical going out on the Vespa this evening but luckily the weather cleared and turned out to be one of those memorable Posers SC evening rides.

Left to right is Martin, Magda, Paulo, Jerome, and Lynda.

We all met at The Schwarma Co in Norwood for a good dinner and a long catch up with four Vespas lined up outside on the pavement. Reminiscing on the good old days along with all the bad. Paulo was all smiles as he proudly showed us photographs of his little daughter Ariela who wasn't even in the picture last time the Posers met, not even a twinkle in Paulo and Shani's eyes. It was just good to be among friends and just let your hair down. It has been a long time since the Posers met and we vowed to make this meetup more regularly as we rode back home four abreast along quiet streets late at night hooting at prostitutes plying their trade while they waved back.

Posers Reunited

Friday at last and what a perfect start to the weekend when the Posers Scooter Club got together at Lucio's Pizzeria. It was a night of catch up after such a long time of going a separate ways. The evening was excellent except for a mess up by Lucio's on the food but with good friends nothing could stand in the way of having a good time. From left to right is Lynda, Matthew, myself, Paulo, Magda and Martin. Watch this space as talk was in the air about another trip going nowhere slowly.

Potchefstroom

During the week Magda contacted me to see if I was interested in a road trip to Potchefstroom as Dave needed to stretch the legs of his new orange Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport.

Sun, beers and the open road what more can I ask for. Of course a ride into the countryside and over 300km later my arse is sore, have sun burnt arms and am super tired. After taking the scenic route via Kroomdraai and Carletonville, we lunched at the Beef Boys in an empty student town. I can only picture that Potchefstroom must buzz when filled with varsity students. But for now a quiet oaked lined streets of the Bult will have to do.

I am out of practice with very few long rides done this year. Well next year, I am looking forward to the Baviaanskloof Adventure. Ahhh the open road with a Vespa purring beneath you.

Black Ice and Death

The Great Sani Pass Vespa Adventure
Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five
Day Two: Black Ice and Death

We wanted an early start, well Magda and I did while the Paulo and Martin wanted breakfast first. I did protest to get them to change their minds but to no avail. The plan was for Paulo and Martin to escort Magda and myself down to Underberg but I think the distance got to them and they wanted to get back early so the plan was changed slightly. Paulo and Martin would ride with us down through the Golden Gate Highlands National Park to the town of Estcourt then head back to Johannesburg while Magda and I would continue until Underberg. Our four support 4x4s left Pretoria early this morning and the plan was that they would catch up to us round about Estcourt, from there they would travel with us.

But our plans changed again. While in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park we came upon a serious accident which happened minutes before we got there. A mini bus taxi with twelve family members travelling to a funeral in Fouriesburg, lost control due to black ice and plummeted over 200m down the side of the mountain. Sadly only six people survived including a twelve year old boy named Manuel. With tears running down her face, Magda tried to comfort Manuel as best as she could, not knowing if his parents are among the survivors.

We were badly shaken when we left the scene after the emergency services started arriving. Running late and with the weather changing for the worse, we made contact with the support vehicles and arranged to met them at Harrismith instead of Estcourt. In a way it was a blessing that we met the support vehicles at Harrismith because it started sleeting soon afterwards. We loaded our Vespas onto the trailers and headed for Sani Valley Lodge between Himeville and the Sani Pass border post. Round about Bulwer the sleet turned to snow.

After settling into our accommodation at Sani Valley Lodge, we set off to find some food. Here I must give a big black mark to Himeville Arms Hotel for turning us away we were too much for them to handle. Would you believe it they turned 18 hungry people away in the now falling snow. So we headed down the road to Underberg, only to be turned away from another restaurant because they didn't have enough plates for us. Nobody wanted our business. Ten stars must be given to The Grind Café who opened up the Wolly Bugger pub to us. The food was very good that even our tired bodies appreciated it. If you ever in this part of the country please support The Grind Café and its pub the Wolly Bugger.

Sophia summits Sani Pass...

A long way down

The Great Sani Pass Vespa Adventure
Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five
Day One: A long way down

The Great Sani Pass Vespa Adventure started this morning with Sophia refusing to start. Well she must be getting me back for not riding her for during the last week or two and it has been icy cold. I was starting to worry after trying to jumpstart Sophia, she protested for quite a while but finally she relented to my pleas. After a late start Sophia (the black ET4 shown above) and I met with Magda and Martin (shown above) both on Vespa GTS 300 and Paulo on a Vespa GT 200 and the quadraphony of Vespas eager to get going headed south to the Free Sate.

It was a beautiful day riding but the country side was flat as a pancake which brought along gusty winds. We stopped for fuel for the Vespas and ourselves in Heilbron, a small town in the Free State. OJ, a restaurant in Heilbron, served us a reasonable breakfast or maybe we should say lunch. While we tucked in a number of spectators admired our four Vespas packed down with baggage, even a lone hog on his Harley couldn't help but turn his head and stare.

All tanked up, we headed for Bethlehem and then to Clarens. At Bethlehem we stopped to buy refreshments and headed to the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Ash River Outfall just before Clarens for sundowners. All relaxed we rode into Clarens before it got dark and booked into the Lake Clarens Guest House. I must say this guest house deserves 5 stars. Once settled we headed up to the Grouse & Claret for supper. Hungry, we tucked into homemade pies which were very good except the mash was lumpy but an evening with friends next to a fireplace was a perfect first evening. Here's to the  Great Sani Pass Vespa Adventure, what legends are made from.

Black Ice and Death...

Vespizzatevi

Having a Vespa changes your lifestyle. It gives you a new perspective on life. No more living in the fastlane. Now zipping through traffic has never been cooler. Let's face it, if you wanted to be cooler, you'd be riding a Vespa.

Since Sophia, my sexy black Vespa ET4, came into my life it has been cool to say I ride a Vespa. It is cool to be seen riding with a group other Vespas into the countryside that even the hogs on their Harleys wave us as we cruise by. The superbikers and BMW bikers enjoy seeing us playing on their turf.

To top it all there are a great number awesome Vespisti in Johannesburg. One group is the Viva la Vespa Social Club who organizes monthly rides. This weekend they held their annual Winter Ride and selected Dullstroom as their destination for the weekend. Brrr it was cold this weekend but things hotted up, as you can see. I joined them for breakfast at the Dullstroom Inn on my way back from Nelspruit. As you can see from today's photo we sure have fun on a Vespa. Vespizzatevi, Vespa yourselves.

Magda and Martin's Dinner Party

Magda and Martin held a dinner party at their home in Beverley Agricultural Holdings just next to Lonehill. There was the hosts Magda and Martin with a few of their friends Otto, Gareth, Ann, Catalin, X-Tina and not to forget myself having a great evening of merriment.

Three 4 Lunch

Ayanda, Martin and Nieloe