A quick ride

This Saturday past had been very busy on the veranda and I did good business. Sundays can sometimes be lucrative (as I've proved while running the art shop) but this particular day, I noticed the cars were streaming up the road past the centre and going home. Not bothering to stop.
After being opened for two hours, and greeting about 15 people who walked straight past the shop, Grant and I decided to close up. 

We were going on a bike ride.

We did, we had a lovely ride and ended up at an eatery where we had a light meal and iced cold drinks. 

As we walked out, Grant pointe to a painting on the wall: it was the Muthi/meerkat painting which draws the most attention to the shop. 

I told the youmg man who'd served us, we knew the artist and had known the dog, who'd crossed the Rainbow Bridges two months ago. He said he'd take a photo of us posing next to the painting.

Posing in front of the famous Muthi / Meerkats painting 

I'm linking to Our World Tuesday here

HAPPY TUESDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Sunday outing with friends

This weekend past we went out on the bike - again! And with friends - again! 

A trip up the mountain pass to the north and a cup of coffee.

Later we rode down again and were treated to a delicious carvery at friends' Stuart and Shelley's old-world family hotel here in the Valley. 

I'm linking to Our World Tuesday here

HAPPY TUESDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Saturday through Thursday!

Last Saturday Grant and I didn't take part in the Parkrun; instead we met biking friends of ours for a breakfast run at the Nottingham Road Hotel in a village by the same name. 

Many years ago when Grant and I stayed at this same hotel, we queried the fact that they didn't have off-street parking for our [then] Harley Davidson Sportster. The sweet young receptionist said no problem, bring your Harley into the foyer and park it here. 

Which Grant did with a great roar of exhausts and throttle. Just then about half a dozen farmers rushed out of the pub and said if a Harley can be parked in the hotel, they want to park their farm pick-up trucks there as well! 

Grant, Jo, Jo and Lee 

On Tuesday I joined my hiking friends on a long walk along Porcupine Ridge to the Garden of Eden and back to our starting point. (12km) There was plenty of climbing (and getting your heart rate up), lots of descent and of course, a beautiful stop for tea at Cathkin Dam. 

 Cathkin Dam with Champagne Castle peaking out in the distance 

 One of the many steep inclines on our walk

After the hike, two friends gave me a lift to Grant;s workshop and later on we came home up on the hill. Then on Tuesday evening, while in the large house, I rounded the corner past my deep freeze too quickly, my right foot slipped out under me and I flew across the concrete floor. When I got up, I realized I had hurt my knee and calf muscles with the fall. Sure enough, during the night, I expienced excrutiating pain in my upper right leg, the pain was a little less in the knee and then spasmed awfully in the calf muscles. Yesterday morning, friend Estelle took me our local paramedics in the Valley. They prodded and felt and asked where it pained. The diagnosis was that I'd stretched (torn?) the muscles above my knee which cause severed pain in the calf muscles. 

The paramedics gave me Voltaren tabs to take and also strapped up my leg which gave me immediate relief. 

Great hilarity when we arrived at Steve and Estelle when Steve brought out his late mother's walker to use from the car to the house. 

Moi with the walking frame 

So I'm such a nutter: I hike up, down and along strenous mountain paths; I do the Parkrun every week but walking through the house, I slip and damage my leg/calf. Remember how I injured my foot about a month ago slipping off packing crates and sitting on my foot on the floor? 

Crazy! 

HAPPY THURSDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Motorcycle Tour

Mid-June, our motorcycle association, Widows Sons, had its Annual General Meeting. It was held in Bloemfontein which was the city we frequented while we lived in the Free State. 

There's a great build-up to this event with members from all over South Africa interacting on Whatsapp using a group especially created for this purpose. 

Grant and I set out from the farm at 5.45am. We reached a fuel/ restroom/restaurant stop along the National Freeway by 7.30. We enjoyed a cup of coffee and a toasted sandwich while we waited for our fellow bikers to arrive from Durban and the North Coast of Kwa Zulu Natal. 

Warming up with a welcome cup of coffee

 Our KZN friends duly arrived and we headed for the Free State

Ten minutes after we'd started out, we passed through a Toll Gate. Grant's brother, Charles (known as Chilly) was riding behind us on his newly-acquired BMW 800 FS. Grant and I paid our toll and set off along the lane. Seconds later, Chilly pulled up beside us and pointed to something below Grant's left leg. We pulled off, Chilly behind us and Devon, another member just behind him. On closer inspection, Grant saw that a bolt covering an oil sump tank had fallen off and oil was spurting out from the ensuing hole. He tried several other bolts which he could perhaps borrow to cover this hole as we couldn't continue with the bike like this. Devan asked Grant which toll booth we'd used. Grant indicated and Devon, wearing hi-viz waistcoat over his leathers, walked back to the toll gate. The motorists, seeing his safety gear, gave way. Devon bent down and picke up the missing bolt! 

 Riding through the small Free State towns along the National road. 

 Grant and Chilly 

 We stopped at a Biker's pub in Senekal, which is about an hour's drive from Bloemfontein

Our 20 year-old Harley Davidson was the talk of the weekend. It's fitting that I do this post today; the bike came from the States; it's marked in miles (not kilometers as we're used to) and it was built by Orange County Choppers! The tank and mud- guards are painted with the Stars and Stripes! 

 Grant chatting to a couple of our Free State friends, Gerrie and John Pizer (in colorful pants) 

While standing there with the men, I swung my Smartphone up to the sky and photographed the moon. A lady walking past asked if I was taking a selfie. I said no, I was photographing the moon! 

 She offered to take a photo of me standing at the Harley

On Saturday morning, we all met and rode en masse to Naval Hill

 The larger-than-life statue of Nelson Mandela on Navel Hill, towers over the city of Bloemfontein 

 The President's wife, called The First Lady in the biking world, poses with her four-month-old son

 The President with their four-year-old daughter 

 Our chapter posed with Bloemfontein far below (I was still walking towards the group! ) 

Our accommodation was a beautiful four-star conference Bed and Breakfast. Although there is lots of fun and laughter; plenty to eat and reminescing with the other chapters from all over South Africa, the reason for this weekend, was the AGM. This was held formally in the conference center (below) 

Just before the meeting, I noticed a blonde lady with a scroll on her right sleeve which said: Just Jo. Ironically at the meeting, she was seated on my BIL's left while I sat on his right. Grant sat to the right of me. At one stage when there was a lull in the proceedings, Jo's husband took a photo of Chilly sitting between the two Jo's.

 Jo (moi), BIL Chilly and Just Jo! 

At 6pm, the Guest House put on a beautiful dinner, where we all chatted and enjoyed the last evening together - until next time! 

Early on Sunday morning,, farewells and "ride safe" were said and the bikers set off for their different destinations. 

Early morning on the last day, and everyone is heading for home 

Grant assists Devon in tying his helmet. Devon is the one who found our bike oil sump plug and saved the day! 

Grant and I didn't join the KZN chapter as we made a detour; we were on our way to Marquard to see MIL. 

Grant and his mum

On Monday morning Grant and I set off on the final leg of our biking weekend.

  I always enjoy the shadows as we ride 

Riding through Golden Gate National Park (which I've posted about many times) I snapped away at the beautiful scenery. 

 The iconic Sentinel which guards the gateway into the Golden Gate 

Home on the farm road after a wonderful biking weekend

I'm linking to Our World Tuesday here

HAPPY 4th of JULY TO ALL MY AMERICAN FRIENDS ! 

Heath Robinson invention

No, this is not a post about the eccentric 20th century cartoonist; it's about my crazy husband. He  of the like-mindedness of the crazy horses on our yard. (I had to say that!) 

Early in April I posted about round trip to see John, Debbie and grandchildren living in the Cape for the moment. We'd ridden down there on the new 20 year-old Harley Davidson with no extras. It's called  a naked bike as it has no windscreen, no luggage, no heated grips or seats; all luxuries we took for granted with all our previous motorbikes, all BMW's. However, the trip was most enjoyable and the bike very comfortable.

That is... once we got going.

During March we had the normal summer showers. Towards the end of the month (when we were due to go on our trip) the weather dried up. Not a drop. Until the day before our departure. The heavens opened. Grant and I sat in the house - deafening rain pelting down on the tin roof - and looked at each other. How would we get out along the servitude and up past the primary school just beyond the property? The Harley Davidson isn't designed for dirt roads at best, and when wet, we knew it would be a nightmare. 

Next morning he asked me to check on the going (is it good or not, like in horse racing) when I took the dogs for their early morning walk. I returned at 5.30 and told him the grass and road was very wet. If we wait until 8 when the sun had had a chance to dry it out a little, we'd probably make it. He agreed.

At 7.15 Grant was champing at the bit and said we should go. We loaded up the backpacks - one tied to the sissy bar of the bike and one on my back. He rode the bike through the two property gates while I locked up. I saw him take off, and as he set off and disappeared out of sight, I heard the engine noise change. I thought: Oh good, he's changed gear and would make it along the servitude to the top gate. As I rounded the corner I saw what had caused the change in engine sound: Grant was on the ground easing his left leg out under the fallen motorbike. 

Oh dear. Wearing biking boots and a helmet with a pack on my back, I couldn't get to him any quicker than I did. When I reached the scene, he and I stood and looked at the bike lying in the veld! He said as soon as he tried to ride on the grassy middle path. 

Nevertheless, he said we need to lift it up and I said as long as it doesn't hurt my back! But, surprisingly the Harley Davidson is a lot easier to lift than the BMW was. (yes, we dropped that bike here on the farm road way back in November as well! That day we had to ask a passing taxi driver to help us lift it!)

The bike in the field after we'd righted it! 

Grant started the bike again and rode without further mishap to the servitude gate. I opened the gate and Grant went through; but around the corner was a slimy piece of dirt road which the bike would NOT have been able to negotiate. 

He parked the bike in the road again and we stood and watched the children walking up a path to the school around the corner. I decided to walk to the school and see if I could get help.

Once there, I found the gardener who indicated he spoke no English. A teacher, who spoke perfect English, popped her head out of her classroom door and when I asked her if I could borrow four young boys and the gardener, she quickly told them to go with me. 

I don't know if they thought this old gogo (grandmother pronounced gaw-kaw) was crazy but they obediently followed me to where Grant was waiting at the bike. He explained to the adult and boys in Zulu that he needed them to push him along the road and to hold on tight especially where the going was slippery. 

And off they went! Five people getting a handhold wherever they could and pushing the squat Harley  with Grant's long legs paneling the road at the same time. 

 The gardener and school boys push Grant along the dirt road

 I ran along behind them getting it all on record

Here in the shade, the road was extra slimy 
and the helpers redoubled their efforts to help Grant and bike over it

 Note the young lad on the left carrying my helmet;

they were the sweetest and most helpful boys 

At the top he reached firm dry ground. We thanked our helpers and off they went back to the school. I mounted the bike behind Grant and we set off up the dirt road, met the tar road and the rest of the 1400km to Mossel Bay was easy!

Each evening as we stopped over with friends, Grant wondered how we could get off the farm in a more dignified manner. When we returned home he set about designing a ramp/trailer type carrier which is mounted to the back of our pick-up. The bike is ridden up the ramp, onto the carrier and secured there. The back wheel remains on the ground. Next time we go out on the bike, we will tow it the five kilometers to a restaurant where we know the owner. Grant will remove the bike from the carrier and we'd get on and ride off into the sunrise. The pick-up truck will stay in the restaurant car park until our return. 

The designing and building was the easy part. I only saw it happening out of the corner of my eye. I had nothing to do with it. 

So I thought...

Then came testing his theory. And I heard that I would be instrumental in helping to test it. 

First,  I have to give a bit of backstory concerning my thumbnail. Really my thumb nail not the small pictures we have on memes here on Blogger. 

About three months ago, as I fed Thunder a carrot, he bit down on my thumb. There seemed to be no damage but the thumb throbbed somewhat. A few days later as I opened the top property gate, part of the barb wire pressed down and hurt my nail. Yes, the same thumbnail. When I got to Jessica, my manicurist and she removed the gel, she pointed out the dark bruising under the nail. 

A week later I was helping Grant to put the motorbike on a stand so that he could check the oil. I slid a support under the engine block and he let the bike down. On my nail. The thumbnail! 

At my next nail appointment at the end of April as Jessica removed the gel and checked my thumbnail, she said I was going to lose it. 

Ergh...

This weekend the nail cracked and on Tuesday I popped into Jessica's salon where she removed it completely.  She suggested I get a topical antibiotic ointment from the doctor as the new nail was already emerging but needed attention. 

Now, back to testing Grant's Heath Robinson bike loader invention.

After we returned from the salon, Grant explained that if he rides the bike's front wheel up the ramp and onto the carrier, would I secure the ratchet-operated bike ties to the bike and the other hook to the back of the pick-up. He would show me exactly how.

Mmm...

The bike roared into action and up the ramp to the carrier where the wheel stopped. He put his feet on the ground and held the bike secure. 

I had the one end of the bike tie in my hand and hooked it into the designated place under the bike handlebars. So far so good.  Now I had to pull the tie tight working the ratchet. Only thing is, the ratchet-thingy was lying in the pick-up bin, I had to stand on tiptoe to reach it and use my right-hand with the sensitive thumbnail bed where the nail had just been removed.

As I pulled the ratchet gear towards me, Grant said: Not downwards; UPwards! I changed the motion and he still said UPwards!

Completely confused now, I stood down and looked at him. Exactly what should I be doing with the thing? He was gripping the handlebars and feet still holding the bike upright and said if he could, he'd do it himself. 

Oh *sigh*

I reached for the ratchet again and jiggled the gear and suddenly the strap pulled taut. Voila! Quickly I went to the other side and repeated the operation. Grant got off the bike, secured the other two straps by threading them through the spokes of the wheel and he was ready to test the invention. 

 Skabenga is always in on everything that happens on the farm! 

The bike was most secured as he towed it; the design was doing what it was supposed to be doing

Back home Grant mounted the bike again and we reversed the whole operation. Only this time, I released the gears so quickly;  the ratchets screamed, loosening the tension and Grant had all his work cut out to hold the bike upright.

Mmm...

I'm linking to Our World Tuesday here

HAPPY TUESDAY TO YOU ALL !! 

Going on a tour!

Today as this post is aired, we'll be on our way. We're going on a bike tour to the East Coast of South Africa. It's only 600-odd kilometers but we're meeting up with several [hundred] other bikers - some from as far as the US and Canada - and spending the weekend at the sea. (more about this tour and get-together later)

Our riding boots and helmets lined up in the pool room (mine are the one nearest the camera) 

The bike waiting for it's rider and pillion

I'm going to take many photos and will be interviewing people at the gathering. I'm going to do an article about the weekend. Grant's brother, who lives just north of Durban, will meet up with us at our destination. 

Here's wishing you all a wonderful weekend. I know I'm going to enjoy mine. It's the first bike tour we've taken in more than a year! 

Specialized day care

For more Wordless Wednesday, click here

Good fences, good armor

I'm posting more fences which appear in photos I took at the Tempe army base, Bloemfontein. We'd been on the annual toy run which started at a large shopping complex outside the city and ended at the Armor Museum at the base. 

Friend, Etiene who rode with us, told me he'd done his basic training at this camp. He was most knowledgeable about the armored cars, tanks, Bedford Trucks and more.

The above tank was seconded in Durban harbor during the 1980's war in Angola. The SA Defense force seized it and brought it to Bloemfontein. Etiene says at the time he and his fellow troops were training to man a South African armored car. But when they saw THIS monster, he said they all quaked in their army boots! 

Another army vehicle - the spoils of war - with the Russian emblem on it

 The above vehicle was known as a landmine de-activator. The cruel-looking spikes on the trailer attached to the front of the vehicle were bomb-proof and worked well in setting off landmines in reasonable safety

Etiene gives me the gen on this British Armored vehicle from WWII ...

...named Churchill

Another tank (amphibious) captured in Angola, in the 80's

The specs of this item of Spoils of War, were on the plaque attached to the side 

Another on-land and in-water tank...

...spoils of War (Angola) 

I'm linking to Good Fences Thursday here

HAPPY THURSDAY TO YOU ALL!