7-10 August 2026
MIDLANDS
On Friday, 7 August, 10 bikes and 14 members set off for what promised to be a memorable weekend away. After a quick coffee stop at Moeggeploeg, we continued to the Wimpy in Standerton for brunch before making our way to Rawdons Hotel, where everyone settled in for the evening.
Saturday morning saw us heading for Ballito, travelling via Pietermaritzburg and enjoying some beautiful back roads through the sugar cane fields. By the time we reached the coast, temperatures had climbed to a very warm 31°C. A fantastic lunch at The Black Marlin Restaurant, right on the beach, made the journey well worthwhile.
After lunch, we headed back to Rawdons via the N2 and N3. Traffic was busy along the way, but fortunately remained manageable.
Following breakfast the next morning, we geared up and spent some time sightseeing around Nottingham Road, with a lunch stop at Netherwood. What an amazing place to visit and another highlight of the weekend!
From there, we continued to the Green Lantern at Van Reenen’s Pass, where we received a rather unusual welcome – the resident donkey even popped into the bar/lounge to greet us!
Departure morning brought a dramatic change in the weather. Rain, cold temperatures and extremely strong winds made the journey home particularly challenging. At times, simply keeping the bikes upright was hard work.
Despite the difficult conditions, everyone made it home safely after a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable weekend of riding, good food, great destinations and, most importantly, good company.
