Chapter Eight - Cape Town to Knysna via Route 62

Valentino Checking the Traffic

Harley Chrome Not Too Shiny 

I was back to my position as tail spotter on Sunday morning as we left Bloubergstrand and headed for the N1, fully loaded again. The Chrome and Blue thundering Harley was idling its way through the traffic until we got to the freeway. We got a couple of smiles and comments as we stopped at the robots, even seeing a couple of fellow riders going to their breakfast run departure points. It was good in Cape Town, but good being on the road again too. Daddy rode at an average pace with the traffic all the way to Paarl, keeping a keen eye on the signs for directions to Worcester, then Robertson and Montague.

The first time we stopped was for a dreaded toll road booth, just after a confusing sign that said the road split, with both ways going to Robertson, just the toll road way was shorter. Daddy told Mommy he had never been on this road before. The road was getting quite near another mountain, and then the reason for the split became apparent. Our toll road was approaching a TUNNEL. We stopped for a picture or two (there was a good view back down into the valley with Paarl in the distance, and looking up the mountain, the other, longer road winding it's way up) then set off into the tunnel. It was the longest tunnel I've ever been in, well lit, and amplifying the Harley Screaming Eagle thump-thump in a very pleasing way.

Muffin with Jam n Cheese and Koeksister

Coming out into the sunlight, we rode through some of the nicest landscapes we have seen, the road winding its way through valleys, past beautiful rock formations and once through the mountains passing through valleys with wine farms. Many of the farms had signs inviting all to wine-tasting in their roadside shops. Worcester was a quant little town, a little short on signage, but small enough that you couldn't go too wrong. On a Sunday morning, traffic was scarce. We rode through and found the road to Robertson and Route 62.

There were many more farms here with many road-side farm stalls, and when we were near Robertson, Mommy Lila said she was falling asleep and needed some coffee. The ride was going very smoothly, with little traffic to deal with, and having fallen asleep, Mommy Lila woke with a start when Daddy started waving his left hand at a sign in the middle of a farm field. It had nothing but a huge "?" on it. The locals had a sense of humour. Further along we found a farm that had put up ten signs, each with one of the Ten Commandments on it. We like the Western Cape. The road-side shop we stopped at was just amazing. It had a little shop on one side with home-made jams, and bread as well as the usual cold-drinks and some local nick-nacks. The other side was a restaurant/ coffee shop, with a "trots Afrikaans" sign above the door. We had farm muffins and koeksister with our coffee, and the owner himself came around for a chat while we were enjoying the coffee break.

We got on the road again, quickly passing through Robertson and arriving in Montague. We had to stop at the bakery in the main street to pose in front of the Route 62 sign. The bakery owner came out and talked to us, inviting us in. He was pleased to hear that the Route 62 Rally would be in town the next week-end. We rode through town and Daddy took Mommy to the Avalon Springs Hotel with the springs where the rally would be held (he had been there 8 years before).

The ride was getting really hot now (Mommy had taken off a t-shirt and some tights already), and by the time we got to Barrydale, we really enjoyed the cold drinks with the lunch at the Country Pumpkin restaurant. This is the middle of the Karoo, where good Bobotie and Tomatie Bredie (tomato stew with lamb) come from. Needless to say, ESKOM's rolling power cuts arrived with our rolling thunder Harley, but the restaurant had gas stoves. This little village is a regular tourist stop for buses and the recipe's have suffered a little since Daddy's last visit.

We took a ride through an awesome mountain pass before getting back onto the N2 near Heidelburg, before riding through familiar territory to Knysna. Our friends Lyn and Monty hadn't got back from Cape Town yet, but very kindly let us stay at their home for a night on our way back.

The morning ride was so interesting and picturesque, that we took five hours to do only 250 km's. The rest of the ride (220 km's) took just over 2 hours, with Daddy pushing the Harley's beat a bit higher, but still just cruising. The evening was well appreciated for it's relaxing, lazy, peaceful environment in our friends home from home.

Tomorrow would be the last stretch home.