Centenarian Sidecar Celebration - Daphine McNaughton

Reaching a sprightly 100-years-old is a big achievement, and centenarian Daphine McNaughton chose to celebrate her centenary by jumping into a sidecar for a cruise around Cape Town.

Daphne donned a leather jacket, SA-flag bandana, vintage motorbike helmet, goggles and a glittering ‘It’s My Birthday’ sash, and climbed into the sidecar of a restored 1950s motorbike. It was driven by her bike enthusiast friend and driver-guide for Cape Sidecar Adventures, Gary Mengel.

She had been Gary’s sidecar sidekick the year before and recalled, “when Cape Sidecar Adventures found out that I was 99-years-old, they said if I came back for my 100th they’d make it special. I did, and it was!”

Gary and the other skilled drivers along with Daphne’s family made up the posse of three bikes and cruised leisurely past Kirstenbosch Gardens, over Constantia Nek into Hout Bay, up Suikerbossie hill and along the Atlantic Seaboard, with a stop en-route for tea and cakes. “I can highly recommend it,” says Daphne smiling at the recollection of her adventurous day out.

Longevity can be attributed not only to genetic good fortune but an optimistic attitude and a purposeful active life. Daphne radiates such a joyful positivity that a random stranger wrote her this note and popped it onto her table while she was out having lunch with a friend;

"Good Afternoon Gorgeous Gran,

You are the most beautiful woman I saw today and watching you enjoy that ice cream was magical. It made me miss my Mom because she also loved ice cream and liked to dress up like you. Beautiful Gran, thank you for making my day.

Blessings Jerome"

The moral of the story is, you are never too old to have fun, so go out and have an adventure!