Scooting all the way to Windhoek for charity
SEVEN young men from Queenstown, members of Round Table, joined with others from the Border area to ride to Windhoek on scooters to attend the Artsa conference and, at the same time, raise funds and awareness of a little girl’s plight. She is the daughter of a Cathcart Tabler and has a tumour in her skull, which has required months of treatment at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.
There were 33 Tablers on the ride, with six support vehicles including the meal van and chef Riaan from East London. In addition two Tablers from Round Table Nederlandsche were so inspired by the story that they decided to join the tour and quickly immersed themselves in the spirit of the event co-ordinated by former Border area chairman Pat Dalgleish from RT Mthatha and his wife Julie.
The group covered the 2 000km trip in five days, with the third a rest stop at Augrabies Falls.
The contrast of the barren Namibian landscape became apparent on the long straight roads, where they only travelled at 80km/h and farming Tablers were scratching their heads, wondering how anyone could grow anything there.
A trip like this never passes without incidents. There were numerous scooter breakdowns, a close encounter with a huge kudu (I’m told the driver braked so hard the scooter was standing on its front wheel) and a rear tyre blowout at 80km/h that resulted in the scooter being damaged beyond basic repair. Luckily, the rider was only shaken, not stirred. Exhausts fell off, air intake housings broke and electrical faults were fairly commonplace.
But not for the Queenstown scooter, thanks to a local motorcycle business which laid on a scooter that performed effortlessly and gave the riders peace of mind.
The trip was especially worth it when, like international VIPs coming into Windhoek, the riders were given a police escort that closed off all traffic in peak hour to give them a direct route to the conference centre.
Ultimately, friends and memories were made. And most importantly, funds were raised for a wonderful cause.
Those who rode from Queenstown were Christo du Toit, Morne Roodt, Anton le Grange, Mike Lemmer, Richard van den Berg, Bertus Killian and Rob Williamson. Shane van Schoor and Hilton de Bruyn did the East London to Queenstown leg.
Queenstown Round Table is most grateful to all the sponsors who made this wonderful experience possible.