There’s been an argument brewing here in the Country Mews Lotter Stronghold for a while now – is it faster to get onto the N2 proper by going right into Dennhof, onto Sir Lowry’s road and then on to the N2, or is it quickest if you go left into Dennehof, travel along the newly completed road that takes you into Broadlands, and then up onto the N2?
I’ve steadfastly sided with the former from the beginning, as I am convinced that the faster speed limit cancels out the slight distance advantage of the latter, and besides, I’m pretty sure that my route has less stopping points than the new one.
Chantelle on the other hand insists that the new route is quicker, and with neither one of us wanting to budge from our position, there was only going to be one way to properly prove which route is fastest – a race!
As luck would have it, there is actually a very easy and accurate way for us to determine the victor in this challenge, because both routes meet up at one defined point on the N2 – at the robots leading on to our perennial favourite, Mondeor Restaurant (and Monkey Town of course).
The rules were set out – there was to be strict adherence to the speed limit and other rules of the road. Full stops at all stop streets and robots was required. No cheating whatsoever, and with a gentleman’s handshake shook, we fired up the stopwatches on our phones (both Huawei Ascend P6s, so no discrepancy there), and set out to the starting point – the stop sign leading into Dennehof itself!
With a timid roar (remember, speed limit), Chantelle sped off left and I sped off right, me confident in easily winning this particular challenge.
In fact, in almost no time at all, I was on the N2 and racing towards the Mondeor robots, pleased as punch at the thought of my imminent victory, when suddenly my stomach turned and my heart sank… at the sight of Chantelle happily waving to me as she drove past in her Hyundai Accent, already on the return leg of the journey.
Disgusted, I reached the robot, stopped the stopwatch at around seven minutes twenty, and did a u-turn in my Getz to head off and join her at the Garden Kitchen over at Mountain Streams Nursery, our designated debriefing spot.
Needless to say, when I finally arrived at the destination, I sat down to a gloating, smirking face, as Chantelle proceeded to question my time over her steaming cup of coffee. I mumbled my number and showed her the clock – to which she gleefully laughed out loud and turned over hers – her route had beaten mine by almost a minute and a half!
Damn it.
It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it is complete and utterly soul crushing. I was wrong.
Sigh. I hate being wrong.
Well done Chantelle, it looks like you remain the champ at picking out routes… for now!
(I’m hoping for a rematch where we drive at more realistic, real world speeds. That said, I’m not sure that even that will save my bacon – I’m pretty sure that she’s got me by the short and curlies this time!)