Day 7 on my arse again.

I was up late and by the time I had packed it was 10am.

Setting off it was 3km to the trail and I was only a short way in when I met a Swedish guy stopped at the side of the trail on his KTM 890 adv. I assumed being a KTM he’d broken down but all was good. He told me I was in for a very easy day and I told him he wasn’t as he was headed south. I showed him photos of the two dodgy bits and told him about the submerged logs in the big water puddle as well as the three big rocks at the far side of the water crossing. In fairness heading south is much easier. I set off again happy in the knowledge my day would drift by in a blurr of Woodlands, mountains, easy tracks and gravel paths. The sun was out and I was getting into my flow. Ahead a slight right hand bend like so many before. On the inside edge a small patch of mud, no need to change route, today was going to be easssssyyyyyy! The front lost grip it was slipping side ways, I couldn’t hold it within a fraction of a second the back joined it with a Torvil and Dean grace the bike span 180° spitting me off.

I dont remember getting up so I like to think I elegantly stepped off the bike, however the dust up my right leg of my clean jeans suggested otherwise. OK first lift of the day, oh maybe not. I just couldn’t lift it, give it a moment and eeerrrr no! Oh wheres the screen gone? A quick look round and I found it all in one piece. I unloaded the bike again and lifted it to its wheels, amazed to find no real damage

I set to work and within 30 minutes the screen was as good as new and I was ready to go, although still facing the wrong way!

Back on the trail and I was slow to find my rhythm again but it came back and soon I was up to speed. I have let myself down a bit as it was the best riding. Totally free long gravel tracks, the bike slipping and finding grip in the corners, moving about under me, installing more confidence. So much fun that I didn’t stop to take pictures. At one point I stopped and sent the drone up for 15 minutes exploring the area, it was beautiful. When it landed back down I realised that although I had seen it all I had failed to press record.