Mossel Bay Welcomes Buffalo Rally
Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
Mossel Bay is ready to welcome more than 6,000 bikers to this year’s Buffalo Rally, which gets under way this Friday.
“Our pre-bookings closed at about 1,700 people, and as usual many more will buy their tickets at the gate – so we’re expecting the same size crowd as last year: between six and six and a half thousand people,” said Nomads Motorcycle Club chairman, Luderick Jacoby
The Cape Town-based club owns and organises the event.
Mossel Bay Tourism’s chairman, René Bongers, said that the Rally provides an important economic boost for the town during an otherwise relatively quiet period in the calendar.
“The Buffalo Rally is the biggest annual fund-raiser for Mossel Bay’s Round Table, so there are obvious benefits for the local charities. But such a massive influx of people all having a good time is also hugely important for the marketing of Mossel Bay as South Africa’s favourite beach holiday destination,” he said.
Mr. Bongers urged the riders to head out to explore the roads and passes of the Garden Route.
“The journalist Eugene Gunning recently reminded us that the ‘new’ Robinson Pass has just celebrated it’s 50th anniversary,” he said. (It was built by Thomas Bain in 1869, but only tarred – and shortened in the process – by the then Mossel Bay Divisional Council in the early 60s. It was re-opened by the then administrator of the Cape Province, Dr. Nico Malan, on the 4th of March, 1961.)
“It’s the only direct access road between Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn, and it offers wonderful riding and excellent views of the Garden Route.
“But perhaps the off-road riders would prefer to explore at least the first part of the even older Attakwaskloof Pass – which comes off the R328 at Ruiterbos, and which was first crossed by Isaac Schrijver in 1689,” said Mr. Bongers.
He said that Schrijver had carved a route for his wagons along the lines of an old elephant track.
“Wherever you go in the Garden Route, you’re bound to find an interesting story or two.”
Mr. Bongers suggested that, after stopping in Oudtshoorn for lunch, on-road riders could return to Mossel Bay via the Outeniqua Pass, whilst off-roaders will enjoy the Montagu Pass between Oudtshoorn and George.
“And then you get that dramatic, sweeping coastal section of the N2 between George and Mossel Bay.
“It’s brilliant riding.”
Mr. Jacoby said that the Buffalo Rally only arranged one organised ride – the procession through the streets of the town which takes place by tradition on the Saturday morning of the event.
“We estimate that we between 4,000 and 4,500 bikes took part last year.”
He stressed that the organisers have taken particular precautions to ensure that local residents would not be inconvenienced during the weekend, and added that law enforcement would be strictly applied.
“We’ve provided more entertainment to keep the revelers within the Rally Grounds – particularly late at night – and we’ve worked very closely with Mossel Bay Municipality to make sure that traffic continues to run smoothly,” he said.
Mr. Bongers wished everyone a safe and enjoyable weekend. “We like having the riders here, and hope that, once they’ve seen all that Mossel Bay and the Garden Route have to offer, they’ll come back with their families later in the year.”
ENDS
Mossel Bay Tourism News Flash
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Mossel Bay
6500
Republic of South Africa
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