Doing it in the dark!

Well what an experience this evening was! Martin warned me about going out on my own off-road, however with 15 days to go and an opportunity in my sights, I went for it. Had phone & lip gloss, no metal putty, no gear levers and other stuff, however figured even if I did, I wouldn't know what to do with them!

I used to ride my boy (16'2 throughbred) in the evenings and the funny thing I noticed immediately, is that a horse will tell you what's going on, maybe deer, farm work, a person; long before you're even aware of whatever it might be. On the bike, I felt oddly alone and more responsible. The sunset was absolutely stunning, pinks, purples, reds and blues - lost the back end slightly at one point, possibly due to cloud gazing!

Was on the KTM 400 - loving it, have I switched allegiance even if I can't touch the ground when it's upright! The Honda is still stiff (?) and has gone for some magic intervention from Martin at TorqueRacing.

In the flat light, I couldn't see the lumps, bumps and ruts and therefore truly relied on my training and belief in my ability.

It was fantastic, at one point I was aware that I was looking just ahead of where I was at rather than properly ahead and I remembered breakfast some time back with Ross Noble and he said " always make sure you look where you're going, that's where you'll end up and the bike will take you". At that particular moment I was traversing some yukky hard ruts and thought, okay let's plan ( as per Si Pavey's advice) and look where I'm headed, gave it a bit of throttle too, just because and voila! Huge grin in helmet, then a deer appeared, several bunnies, a hare and some spooky partridges.

Still not sure of my iron steed in the Pyrenees however slowly but surely, I might just be getting there......

A stiff fork of a Sunday morning......?!

I think the expression could be one step forward, two steps back.

Whilst being all for plans coming together at the last minute, even by my standards, this is cutting it a bit fine!

My (new to me) Honda CRF 250X arrived on Friday - spotless, 4 stroke, push start loveliness in scarlet (matching nails opportunity?!) What with work, life, general stuff I didn't get to ride it properly until this morning.

Team outing; Gary, Mr T and myself (very excited), just as we were setting off, I was thinking, well it's not sublimely different, in fact my riding seems to be just as pants as it's ever been. 'Keep at it, girl' I thought. Novice, as I am after a small amount of road work and onto the byway, I couldn't help pondering why my hands were aching so much and hard as I tried, couldn't seem to stand up properly, or effectively anyway (I need some bar risers too). Of course, it could be that it's sulking - do bikes sulk? I dropped it before I'd even ridden it!

In a straight line all was well, however slow speeds and corners I was finding a tad challenging. Funny moment then ensued, I was in front at this point and was going round the edge of a grassy corner knowing that on other side there were some ruts. Chap appeared coming the other way on a KTM I think, with a bit of a lick on and the slightly horrified look combined with a possible "are you changing course or am I" look in his eyes was priceless! Huhh, I held my line. He was with about 15 or so others, bikes of all shapes and sizes - only a handful said hello or acknowledged ( in fact 4) and there I am telling anyone who will listen that bikers are mostly fabulous and really friendly (the exceptions to that rule were out in Hertfordshire this morning!).

So, back to the Honda. We stopped at a little clearing on the top of a hill with stonking views, there's a couple of banks which I now have the know-how to jump - yeehah! I can't remember if it was Gary or Mr T that asked if my forks were a bit stiff, I learnt over the front of the bike and pushed. "Try harder than that","I am trying" I replied - nothing! They had a go, nothing. To say I had stiff forks would be the understatement of the year, no wonder I'd been struggling.

I hopped onto the KTM - Mr T's 400- cripes - what a difference! I'll ride this thanks and I did. Mr T rode the Honda from then on and back home, didn't enjoy the fight by all accounts. I rode the KTM, my new best friend (BFF!). The good news however, is that now I know I'm progressing, hitherto, I felt so intimidated by the KTM, too heavy, too high. I had oodles of fun on it this morning. I even got a bit of air - a proper jump on it (both wheels)!

Last leg of the trip, situation normal, I was bringing up the rear as it were. Stopped at a main road where the Icknield Way crosses it, there was a stream of road-bikers, they all said hello, nodded etc, there were one or two rather aesthetically pleasing leather/ kevlar clad backsides too?! Devil's in the detail!

The boys were considering whether the bike was indeed even run in, it's not yet done 200km. Oh well, if I leave today I'll reach Biarritz in time and the Honda should be run in too!

Hopefully, Martin of TorqueRacing will work his magic otherwise I might yet be riding the Pyrenees on the GasGas!

16 days to go, more wonderful donations in last week for GOSH and KidsCo and I think I can almost, nearly call myself a bit of a biker, albeit one with dodgy forks!!

On the opposite side of the hill...

Still in the mountains of Northern Tuscany. Friend's lovely son, Sam, has now 'at last', commented mate Becky, got me on Facebook - inspired by Billy Bike Truck and Charley Boorman ( http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/biketruck & http://www.facebook.com/pages/Charley-Boorman/13049939150 ) chatting about the challenge and fundraising on Facebook! My facebook page is basic basic at the moment .....so watch this space.

On the other side of the hill, Mr T and I have spotted some superb trails and rides up in the hills and mountains - just awesomely fantastic scenery and terrain. Earlier today, we were all sitting in the village watching the world go by over machiato, cappucino - as you do - ... and about six KTMs and a couple of Hondas went along the road in front of us. I was so envious (wouldn't have been some six months ago!!)and wanted to join them, which would have been tops with Mr T, and eight year old would have been very keen, especially with her CRF70 however not sure if 2 year old in a backpack would be a good plan (it's okay only joking!). Next time we might just bring the bikes with us. Just need to be aware of the wild boar! Eeek! Porcupines too and therefore the mousses might well be required (of the rubber variety as opposed to chocolate - for those non-bikey of you, it's a special squishy thing instead of an inner tube that stops one getting punctures!). Haven't spotted a GasGas yet!

Loving Italy, the vibrant green of the trees, the passion of the people, the blue of the sky.......so apologies for the black and white of the blog over the last few days. Stylish as black and white is, I need to up my game from a technology perspective and get the clips and photos onto the blog when without laptop. Looks like some visits to The Gadget Show and taking some of Suzi Perry's advice.

Whilst friends were out (whose gorgeous house we're staying in), one did succeed in directing the Italian bathroom fitters not only to the house but also an understanding of why one of the newly fitted showers was leaking. Well....... if I'm honest the younger and rather aesthetically pleasing of the two.......did speak English.....