Training has begun for the next big ride -Peru, Bolivia and Chile, off road!
800km blast on Friday from Nelson to Cromwell with the old faithful BMW 1150RT with the Mountain bike strapped on the back. Met up with Harry and Hax to unite the three amigoes with a celebratory beverage at the Bannockburn Pub. Saturday saw a 47km mountain bike race, the Mototapu, for Harry and I, Hax sensibly offering to support crew. I had the joy of experiencing the worst cramp yet, which involved me bent over double leaning against a bank groaning and holding my legs for about 5 minutes while hundreds of cyclists passed me wondering what the hell I was up to. This all unfolded after a 30 minute period of me flying down hill feeling bullet proof, and passing a lot of other competitors due to my full embrace of my built up potential energy combined with momentum. Eventually a kind sole stopped and offered me some "cramp stop"- the magic cure, more celebratory beverages to debrief and massage sore muscles. Sunday saw the Amigoes bravely throwing the leg over three Honda CRF230's for an off road adventure. Our course took us from Bannockburn over the Nevis saddle and along the Nevis valley, in the rain, through 25 river crossings before stopping at the Garston Pub for a Pie and a warm up. Riders refueled, we headed back the way we came, problem- the rivers had risen significantly, but being full of bravado and new found off road confidence and with bellies full of hot pies, we pushed on. Great fun, but Dave our guide forgot his own advice and road straight through the middle of the deepest ford instead of on the downstream side of the flow. Down went the bike, with water right up to the seat. Dave killed the engine pretty fast but not before the bike had sucked in a fair gulp of water. It took a bit of mucking around to drain the majority of the water from his bike and get it running again, albeit pretty roughly. Awesome generosity of Dave to sacrifice a bike like that to demonstrate the technique for self recovery in the out back downpour. It helps it seems to have a bike that is light enough to pick up and shake out. Great fun day with 154km off road riding under our belts we are pretty confident (Harry and Hax are ex farm boys so have petrol in their veins and I have riden a bike before too). Harry took off in his Truck with the heater on full and Hax and I lit the fire at the pub and spent a few hours warming up and progressively convincing ourselves how great we are at bike riding in the rough. Monday loaded up the mountainbike and headed back to Nelson, another 800km.
Good to be back in the saddle! YeeHaa, Andele andele, Ariba Ariba Ariba!!!
