Cape Town - Forget the stereotypes – there are more girls out there doing their own thing on motorcycles these days than most mainstream bikers would care to admit, riding everything from trim little scooters to big American-style cruisers.
And now there’s a rally just for ladies – the first annual Rally in the Valley, to be held at Slanghoek Mountain Resort near Rawsonville in the Breede River Valley from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 March. Hosted by Lady Bikers SA, it’s open to all women, no matter what you ride – or even if you’re an enthusiast looking to buy your first bike!
There will be live entertainment – including rocker Sharon Clifton, DJ Kim and a bunch of boy dancers – games and competitions, lots of female-orientated stalls and a Bike Brag (that’s a concours for the prettiest, shiniest bike on site – get the guy in your life busy with the rags and polish right now!).
Lady Riders SA has chosen the Institute for the Blind in Worcester as its designated charity; there will be a ride to the institute on the Saturday morning, where the ladies will be welcomed by a brass band, followed by a ‘Freedom of the City’ ride through Worcester (helmets optional!) and a cruise back up the valley to the resort for some serious chilling out by the pool.
JUST FAR ENOUGH TO BE AN ADVENTURE
Registration for the rally costs R300, which includes entry to the site, a metal badge and a rally garment; you can book at Computicket or download an entry form and payment details from the Lady Bikers SA website.
Accommodation on offer varies from ‘bring your own tent’ at R50 for the whole weekend to ‘rent-a tent’ for two at R160 for the weekend, to chalets and bed-and-breakfast at the resort or a number of nearby establishments – talk to Natasha at Slanghoek on 023-344-3138.
Slanghoek is a little more than an hour’s ride from Cape Town – just about far enough to be an adventure (you can choose to go through the Huguenot tunnel or over the top!) without being an endurance test and, if you’ve never ridden that far, the Harley Owners Group of Cape Town will be escorting groups of ladies to the gates of the resort on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning – contact the organisers to hook up with them, no matter what you ride.
And that, we think covers just about every excuse you have not for being at the Rally in the Valley – unless you’re a guy, in which case sorry for you, my china.