Chapter Three - Knysna To Cape Town

Our friends in Knysna, Lyn and Monty, were so good to us, we reluctantly got up early on Tuesday morning to finish packing for the third stage of our ride..... TO CAPE TOWN!

Mommy Lila had decided that the back pack was too much for a comfortable and safe ride, and arranged to leave it here in Knysna, for collection at a later time. This is how Mommy looked when getting ready to leave. Yes, it's a sin to hide that beautiful face and smile, but it stops rain from stinging the face, and scares the hell out of kids on the side of the road. Now that I think of it, no cops stopped us anywhere either.

I was safely out of my black plastic raincoat again, with a view back at all we pass, safely held on by my blue safety belt. Daddy Harley Dude is big on safety, and helps Mommy with her helmet and jacket to make sure all is properly closed. He insists on wearing a leather jacket, gloves and strong boots that support the ankle whenever riding the Harley.

Mossel Bay Beachfront

 After a good breakfast and coffee, we were off, excited at the prospect of seeing new towns and sea-side villages on the way to our destination. We rode slowly from Leisure Island in Knysna, through the familiar town (Mommy and Daddy spent their honeymoon here, three years ago), and across the lagoon bridge, on the way to Wilderness.

Pictures don't do Wilderness justice. It is so green and clean and has a village feel to it, built around and between a river and the sea. The road climbs when you leave Wilderness, up through a mountain pass that looks down over a spectacular ravine with a river at its bottom. Once past this, the road passes a few seaside villages (like the small Victoria Bay), that are worth a visit.

Swellendam main street

We followed the freeway, passing short of George, on the way to Mossel Bay, loving the now sunny ride. Mossel Bay is nice to visit, with the friendly feel of all the Western Cape seaside towns. Scenic too. We stopped for petrol and found our petrol attendant was a friendly young guy that was such a pleasure to deal with. Totally unlike the surliness we have become used to. Onward we rode, our rolling thunder machine totally comfortable with all we asked of it. It comes from the land of "no drama Obama", but you know it's there, loud and proud.

Next stop was in Riversdale, for a snack and coffee. Mommy was falling asleep on the back. Then  on to Swellendam. Despite the name that evokes images of a Dutch colonial town, filled with historical buildings, it is a bit disappointing. It features a Massey Ferguson tractor outlet, a mountain and an old church.

River flowing into the sea just outside Hermanus

We rode along the N2, stopping at Riviersonderend for fuel, and the turned down to the coast again, to Hermanus. This is a beautiful little sea-side village, that one is immediately comfortable in. It also has a mountain, as well as the sea, and a great beachfront. It has mix of modernised old and new homes, and B & B's with a mix of franchise and mom & pop's restaurants. This was an indication of what we were going to see in Cape Town.

After lunch, we moved on and soon arrived at Sir Lowreys Pass, a spectacular way to look down on the suburbs leading to Cape Town. The road passes Khayalitsha and Langa townships, where one see's miles and miles of shacks, one on top of the other. Not a pretty sight.

Hermanus Beachfront

And one follows the road to the famous Cape Town Waterfront and Sea Point, where we were going to meet Uncle Andre', Daddy's best man when he married Mommy. We had arranged to stay with him for a few days.

 The traffic was bad, with a big city feel of all rushing to important meetings and destinations. The big soccer stadium smart, but dwarfed by THE MOUNTAIN!

What a nice, unexpected surprise was awaiting us. That will be our next Chapter.