Disturbed the Local Ghost👻
South Africa
I left my Hobbit hut early in the morning and rode off into the South African mountains and desert. For lunch, we stopped in Uniondale, a small town known for its legendary ghost. Local folklore says that a girl hitches outside of town and asks for a ride to Uniondale. But when the driver makes it to the sleepy little town, the girl disappears. What the driver hasn’t realized is that they picked up a ghost.
When our gang arrived at Uniondale around noon, the sun was blazing down on us. We took refuge in a little restaurant called Hungry Ghost, which was expecting us. However, I think we disturbed the local ghost because the electricity unexpectedly went out when we arrived. This followed the “chain incident” where Eric Ratermann’s motorcycle chain snapped off his bike mid-flight, requiring a tow from another skilled rider.
Eric hitched a ride with one of the fellow tourists who was driving a car. A local dealership picked up the bike in Uniondale, and everything was squared away within 24 hours.
With little traffic but some road construction, we blasted our way through the countryside to the Grootswartberg Mountains. There, we stopped for a brief hike to the Meiringspoort Waterfall. With its frigid, crystal-clear water, it’s amazing that something can be so naturally cold in this hot terrain.
After the waterfall, we completed the day’s long, hot ride to Oudtshoorn. I was happy to kick my feet up, cool down, and grab a drink with some friends. 🍹
Oct 4 - Ride the Fun Bird 🐦
Today was a rest day, and the group was left to its devices. With cool, wet weather forecasted, a group of five of us canceled our plans for off-road riding and headed to Cango Wildlife Ranch to see local animals. The ranch houses several cheetahs (one of my favorites), wallabies, parrots, crocodiles, lions, snakes, and meerkats. 🐆🦘🦜
With the skies clearing, I confirmed that a nearby ostrich farm was open for rides and tours. While the tour was informative, I was elated that I got to ride the fun bird around a pen for about 30 seconds. I laughed and cheered the whole way around, and one of my fellow travelers caught it all on video. 🎥
For the next 20 minutes, I nagged my cohorts with my brief adrenaline rush. I talked about riding an ostrich for the past two days, and we were all happy I scratched that one off the list.
Now that riding an ostrich is under my belt, my trip to South Africa is complete. To finish my day of the bird, I ate ostrich for dinner. It’s served like a red meat (medium rare), has a slight sponginess, and does not taste like chicken. Very good, overall. 🍴
Oct 5-6 - Punch a Baboon? 🙈
We continued our return trip to Cape Town via numerous mountain passes and even some dirt roads. I was a bit nervous but equally excited to hit dirt with my rented GS. With a gang of 10 other dirt riders, I knew I was in good company in case of trouble or a mishap. As instructed by my counterparts, I stood on the pegs, applied counterweight, and shifted gears from a standing position. The short ride supplied a nice uplift of exhilaration not seen in 24 hours since riding the ostrich. 🏞️🏍️
Over dinner, my riding mates asked about my writing and journaling. Someone mentioned they knocked over a roadside baboon and asked if I would punch a baboon to continue my one-on-one encounters with local animals. I explained that even I have limits, but this discussion turned into an ongoing joke for the remainder of the trip.
Oct 7 - Good Hope 🌊
With the motorcycles returned, fellow board member and friend Hans Rosenstein and I got a hired tour guide to see the Cape of Good Hope. Our diligent guide, Brian, took us to a vista overlooking False Bay, a walk to see African penguins, lunch on the cliffs above False Bay, and stops for pictures at Cape Point and Touk Bay. 📸
Standing at the end of the world, it took a few minutes for me to absorb where I was and what I was seeing. As a kid, I learned about Good Hope, and now I was there… actually seeing it with mighty waves crashing on the shores.
Brian brought the car to a quick halt when he saw baboons on the side of the road. Standing by the baboons, a “baboon monitor” watched the scary creatures to ensure they didn’t interfere with human property. Apparently, these pesky guys are known for breaking into houses and looking for food in refrigerators. The monitors watch the baboons all day and are ready to take action with a nightstick. 🦍
Oct 8-10 - When in Africa… 🦓
The official BMW council activities kicked off with a bus ride to nearby vineyards for a wine tour and tasting. South Africa’s wine country resembles Tuscany and Sonoma Valley, with rocky mountain tops, grassy green hills, and absolutely peaceful silence. By the end of the tour, I was a bit loopy from the locally fermented delicacy. 🍷
We ended the meeting sessions with a trip to a wildlife preserve. My friends pointed out every ostrich and asked if I was ready for a ride. Of course, I was ready, but the ostriches were not.
Otherwise, I saw plenty of giraffes, cheetahs, lions, zebras, hippos, and springboks. When in Africa… it’s essential to see some wildlife. 🦒🦁🦛
