ABW 2011 - Part 2

Sunday - 1 May - the ride back home.

Originally we were going to drive back to Durban, stay over at a mate's place for the night, and then leave early Monday morning to drive back home. However, Saturday night we decided to just trek it back home on Sunday, giving us a day to recuperate before work / school started on Tuesday. Turns out my mate wasn't home Sunday anyway......

So, the boys wanted to ride out on their bikes for part of the way, and I would follow in the car with my bike on the trailer. No problem, at least until the next toll gates would be fine. Just be damned careful, I cant be there to watch over you, and the traffic would be heavy. So, off they go, with agreement to meet at the N2 North split.

On the way I come across a biker who's standing next to the road. So, I stop to see if I can help. Yup, blown back tyre. So, I move my bike to the side of the trailer, and then load his up on the other side.

While we driving to Durban, he's on the phone trying to get his mate to search for bike shops in DBN that might open up to help him (it is Sunday and a public holiday). I call my mate, and he refers me to his biker neighbor. All leads come to naught. Not even BMW assist would help (morons). Paul (the BMW rider) tells me that he contacted the bike shops in Margate (where the rally took place) and they weren't keen to help him! Now there's a marketing opp. gone down the drain, as well as some seriously bad feedback to Bike SA from me this month about this service to a fellow biker (morons),

Anyway, eventually I get a bright idea, Google BMW Club Durban, go "Contacts" and call the President of the club, Allen Bullard. Within 10  minutes he called back. He had arranged for the owner / manager of BMW Hillcrest -

Ryder Motorrad - Hillcrest
9 old main road, heritage market, Hillcrest
Tel : 031 - 765 8877
E30 46.32.5
S29 47.29.1
http://www.rydermotorrad.co.za

So, after putting the directions into the Garmin, I drove across to their shop, where I unloaded the BMW, and Paul. Spoke to the boys in the meantime. First I told them to ride on to Pieternmaritzburg, then onto Mooi River toll, then onto Escourt, One stop. Eventually I caught upto them, where they conceded to have now developed "gat seer"! (Sore backsides) They never believed me when I told them you have to be riding fit to do long distance, and having just covered about 300km in the morning, they knew exactly what I was talking about!

So, we loaded up their bikes, and set off for home. Then the shit began. 3 times the new tie down ropes snapped. Each time I happened to notice one of the bikes had shifted, so quick emergency stop, retie the bikes, and move on. However, it wastes a lot of time, you fall behind all those trucks you spent the last 100km overtaking, and get more concerned and frustrated with each event.

Eventually, after setting off at 10am from Misty Creek, we arrived home at 8.30pm. 10.5 hours on the road. That sucked. But hey, we had had an awesome weekend, great rides, and no injuries or losses.

This is not true for some of the other people who attended the rally. I'm not sure of actual figures, or final tally, but there were more than a few accidents, and more than 5 riders killed, including the lady who had a front end collision that decapitated her.

Overall, a lot of fun. Thanx Boys for the company, disciplined riding, and safe attitude.
Salagatle!