Full circle!

So!

It feels as though I've come to the end of one journey (and the last blog post) and am about to embark upon another. Not that I know (yet..) what the next one is.......

I met up with the delightful Si Pavey ( who taught me sooo much) earlier this week at the Bike Show at the NEC in Birmingham, which was great. Brought back all the memories of the highs and the lows (some quite low) of my training and journey of some nine months of this year from absolute utter novice to novice with experience and raising just under £10,000 for GOSH and KidsCo (THANKS EVERYONE) in between which after all, was what the challenge was all about.

Since, I've been back from the trip, I've read all of Charley Boorman's books, Si Pavey's and frankly as many books and DVDs about the Dakar, off-roading, enduros, rallys et al, as I can lay my hands on. For sure if I'd read them before - well .......there'd be rather a different tale to tell and I can say with some certainly it wouldn't have involved motorbikes, mud, rocks and the uber moments of waivering confidence, fitness; physical and mental, exhaustion, new skills and everything else that went with it. Teehee.

I admire and am in awe of those who ride off-road, it's not for the feint-hearted!

Loads of luck to the guys of DakarTeam GB for whom the start, at the time of writing, is 37 days away.

As many of you following the blog will know the inspiration to learn to ride an off-road motorbike and take on this challenge was after watching the Long Way Round some years back. Well, the dream to meet Charley Boorman came true when I met him at The CharleyBoormanLive Tour a few weeks back (I think there's one or two shows to go - it's excellent). Charley is as inspiring in person as he was on the telly. Charm itself, down-to-earth, funny, erudite and he very kindly tolerated my somewhat ditzy starstruck moment when he signed a book for me, minutes before he was due on stage. Thanks for the inspiration and thanks Billy for making it happen.

What's next? I've signed up for some more training courses and have yet to decide; Atlas Mountains, Africa .....Europe.....

What I do know is that whatever it is it's on a bike. I impulsively made a bid for a road bike on eBay and missed it, then test drove one and didn't like it - ooop - there's a learning there. For the time being I'm loving the GasGas and improving every time I ride - despite a rather ridiculous mud incident yesterday!

If Santa is reading, I am lusting after a KTM350 Freeride - I'm reliably informed by Martin Wittering at Torque Racing (who kept my bike in superb order) that if he takes it to bits Santa's helpers will easily fit it down the chimney......

Rubber side down.

Kate x

What a difference a month makes ( and 16 other guys!)...

Honestly, I have a little admittance - when I went out on the GasGas a few days after the trip, it was on the tarmac, not a blade of grass or hint of mud did grace the bike. This afternoon however was different!

I'm doing some research at the moment around confidence and the neuroscience behind it and also bringing together a workshop on leadership behaviours. Pondering traits and attitudes around when something challenging occurs; do we give up or 'keep calm and carry on', it made me think about the Pyrenean adventure. Since then, I don't mind saying my confidence has been seriously waivering between wanting to learn more, do a rally, go to Africa .......and never getting on a bike ever, ever again!

So, in light of "we never know until we try", I had a now or never moment, donned my gear this afternoon, fired up the GasGas and went for a blast.

It became apparent from the off that in fact my riding ability has improved immeasurably since the Pyrenees. I was really quite happy on the bike, the GasGas that formerly intimidated me big-time! Throttle and clutch - nice - and into the powerband, it's actually quite narrow so once you're in it, it's time to change gear again. Not any more will Gary be giving my exhaust a sideward glance at all the unburned oil (because I've not been riding it properly). Result!

Albeit riding at the back most (okay all) of the time in the Pyrenees behind riders of the most awesome, talent, ability and.....speed .....I had to keep up or at least try and in doing so, yours truly can know hack along at a pace too.

So, I've googled a rally or two, put out a few calls and messages and yes Africa is in my sights.

On a more sartorial note, I think I need some new gear, something a little less brash, my stuff is somewhat bright, colourful and ' in your face' as it were.

Drawing attention is not what one requires. The guys in the Pyrenees had gear that was quite understated and it was their supreme riding skills that drew the eye. Way to go!

Two to watch.........

We were delighted to meet Barry Smith when we were on our adventure in the Pyrenees to raise money for GOSH and KidsCo,. As the founder of Symprove, a company with a brilliant product and also sponsor of Johnny Walker, who by all accounts is the one to watch in Enduro – we had some fascinating conversations on all fronts!

Johnny Walker is the 19 year old Cumbrian Trials star who was signed up by KTM Off-Road Racing for 2011, after only one season of competing in Enduro! He may be on the heels of the “Knighter”! Barry’s company has sponsored him and he’s signed a shirt for us along with his team-mates to auction for GOSH, how cool is that!

To say we bit off more than we could chew, would be an understatement of extremes, this is what Barry thought;

“I’ve done around 15 trips but this was my first to the Pyrenees – and the most difficult. We did this trip in the most ideal conditions imaginable and personally, I wouldn’t like to face it in the wet, although I believe some tracks are missed out when the weather is bad. However, if you stepped up to the challenge, it was rewarded by the most fascinating views and vistas for miles, so if you had the courage to get to the top of the hills it was worth it.

I think that Kate came in without real knowledge of what her and Robin were about to face and they made a valiant effort as beginners in trying to tackle one of the hardest off-road routes that adventure sport offers - so really commendable first time out as it’s taken me 4 or 5 years to get up to that standard. Biting off more than they could chew but for a very good cause, Kate and Robin were well accepted in the group, and particularly for the great cause they’re pursuing. I wish them well with their further riding adventures and fundraising in the future.”

Since we’ve returned, my mate who suffers from IBS has taken Symprove and reported ‘it’s brilliant!’

Few little facts for you:- It’s a multi strain science-based probiotic, contains 4 strains of live activated probiotic bacteria which are active from the moment people drink Symprove and not dairy or dried products. The bacteria are naturally occurring and pasteurised on an extract of germinated barley, that’s 10 billion live, activated probiotic bacteria per 50ml serving. People who drink it are generally IBS or IBD sufferers and it would certainly seem to be the probiotic of the future! One to watch! http://www.symprove.com/blog/

And if the press I’m following is anything to go by, Johnny Walker the boy of the future - an awesomely talented rider - even someone as seriously novice as me can spot that a mile off.

Thanks Barry, Thanks Johnny

Icing on the cake......

Have just received a message that the BBC shirt signed by;

Valentino Rossi,

Jorge Lorenzo,

James Toseland,

Carl Crutchlow,

Danny Webb,

Leon Haslam,

Ian Hutchinson,

Jonathan Rea,

Keith Amor,

David Johnson,

James Whitham,

John McGuinness,

Neil Hodgson,

Ian Lougher

is now framed and ready to collect (will take a pic of it when I collect it tomorrow) and therefore also ready to auction as the final icing on the cake of fundraising for GOSH and KidsCo. Thanks so much to Steve Parrish who very kindly organised this for us. Thanks Steve! How exciting is that and as a mate commented yesterday, 'must be worth more now as James Toseland has sadly retired due to injury'.

I've been overwhelmed by the wonderful support, encouragement, wry amusement and bafflement across this amazing journey. Had another cheque in today and I'm delighted to say that we've now raised just over £7500.00. So very chuffed, if still bruised! I was asked today what my next challenge would be - there's many answers to that particular question! Suggestions....?

Also very excited that another signed item by a British enduro icon might be on the horizon, I was told when in the Pyrenees that one should really stand when uttering his name! More on that to come.....

Has a little outing on the GasGas this avo to celebrate!

What goes up - must come down! GUEST POST FROM MR T

What goes up - must come down, there is no such thing as a free lunch, many a mickle makes a muckle, if I knew what the last one meant, that too may also apply to the challenging trip from which we have just returned. The first one is obvious. The 'lunch' in the second refers to the fantastic views we witnessed from the top of various Pyrennean peaks, which you too may have enjoyed in photographic form from the comfort of your PC. You will have realised that the 'no such thing as...' is the treacherous ascent on two wheels, to be followed by an even more hazardous descent!

In the early stages, whilst informing people of the planned trip in the attempt to secure sponsorship, a large proportion responded very positively assuming the undertaking was to be completed on mountain bikes. When informed that motorised transport were to be involved, a number looked somewhat sceptical, under the impression that there would be little challenge involved with an engine doing the hard graft. Yeah, right! The number of times one can drag a 140KG motorcycle 20 metres up a rock strewn 45 degree slope is very definitely limited to no more than twice an hour, (in my case, anyway). In fact, there are ample opportunities to do oneself some serious damage, or worse.........

Whilst I didn't break anything, or even ruin my GOSH riding kit with blood stains, I did have a rather alarming episode on the descent to lunch on day two. The descent in question was a rocky mountain stream bed, mostly dry, but slimy here and there and very narrow, perhaps no more than a foot wide in places. Add boulders, the odd errant cow, and all in 30 plus degrees heat, and things begin to get tricky. The final section was in excess of a kilometre, (could have been two for all I know), and wearing helmet, goggles and body armour, all added to an overheating rider, even the trusty KTM boiled up twice in sympathy! At the bottom, the trail turned to 9 inches of sticky mud with assorted rocks. Lacking the energy to steer by now, a rock caught the rear wheel and had me off. Stepping off, I was happy to let the bike fall whilst I attempted to catch my breath. Young Gary, waiting at the bottom, came and rescued the bike and rode to firm ground for me, I had neither the energy or will to pick the bike up myself...

Three minutes later we were at our lunch stop, I was the last to arrive. Staggering in, I sat down but had no interest in eating. Fifteen minutes later, I was still panting, my heart pounding and my T-shirt soaked. Interestingly, I later learned that the first aiders were getting alarmed at this stage, as I had turned grey and they were desperately trying to think of reasons why they shouldn't be the one to administer CPR! Really, I had shaved and brushed my teeth that morning! Anyway, a selection of isotonic pouches and a couple of litres of fluids later, I was ready - to quit! It took a couple of hours to return to my normal chirpy self.

On a few occasions, I would have happily have pointed the KTM down the mountain and given it a shove. So, bearing all of the above in mind, and that I have been riding motorcycles, albeit on the road, for longer than I would care to admit, I hope this helps you appreciate what Kate has achieved. In fact, only Gary managed to complete the whole three days, upholding the honour of the Enduro Challenge Team. I wouldn't have missed it for the world, but never imagined the level of bike control, fitness or skill required to conquer the trails, well done Mrs T!

Finally, without exception, the other 'off-roaders' who were riding the same route were top geezers, so we are still to encounter a dodgy biker, perhaps they don't actually exist......

15 minutes in! GUEST POST FROM GARY

15 minutes in and I realised that Kate was going to find this trip very challenging if not impossible.

It was more challenging and more extreme than I had imagined. Not only was the going hard, but it was also long. Not like the short bursts of rocks over p'haps 10metres or so in trials but kilometres of it! The descents and climbs were much steeper than I expected; very, very steep.

Nearly 400km of harsh, hard and challenging terrain covered over 3 days in 27 to 33 degrees heat.

The high point was getting up a huge, steep climb of c2km, covered in really tricky rock sections, strewn with boulders and up and down step sections!

Fantastic bunch of lads and stunning scenery, I'll definitely be going again.

Incidentally, had I done one of these trips before Kate, I would have told her to not attempt it!

Photos courtesy of sport-adventure.com

I'm still alive.....

If I knew then what I know now.....

A bit like childbirth, you never quite know what you're in for, despite what people say, until it happens. Think Gary and Mr T thought the same - not the childbirth bit.....obviously!

Nothing could have prepared me for the scale of the challenge to ride off-road in the Pyrenees. Hindsight is of course always 20/20!

Fourteen fabulous guys in the group, each of whom had variously ridden; enduro, trials, motocross, road-bikes for decades and had many, many hours in the saddle. Some had raced, some had championship points or champion status and continue to do so.

To add a little extra excitement Si Melber, James Barnicoat (Barni) & Justin King (JK) of TBM, "THE" Dirt Bike magazine were also on the trip testing out enduro bikes. I felt very honoured. They also kept me sane and laughing on many an occasion with tales of badgers, going the wrong way round tests, bikes going over the finish line without riders! Teehee....fabulous!

So, for some-one with such little experience, to say I was a little daunted or perhaps concerned would be an understatement of the highest degree.

We stayed in a hotel at St. Palais in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques region of France, the forthcoming days were to be across almost 500km. The courtyard of the hotel was a veritable delight for the dirtbike enthusiast. The favoured machine, by far, was the 300, 2 stroke and KTM, the preferred manufacturer. There was also a Husaberg, Husky, TM and a couple of Hondas, including that of yours truly.

First activity (after breakfast) on day one, was a briefing, signing of various disclaimers and familiarization with a road-book. The road-book is basically a long list of very specific navigation instructions, which means that small groups of two or three can go off together with-out a guide. One of the unique characteristics of Chris' trips is the road-book, otherwise the group would only ever be as fast as the slowest rider and with me amongst the troupe that wouldn't be a good thing!!!. Day one was to take us over c 120km of varied terrain.

Before the off, an 'opener' goes out ahead of the first riders to ensure that no new hazards have appeared and that the route is passable. He also puts out tape for some of the tracks, so that they are visible.

There was an amazing amount of 'stuff' going on in the parc ferme prior to the off. Don't get me wrong, there are several important things to check, replace and maintain on one's bike, however observing the general goings on, one appeared to be having a re-build, minutes before the off!

Everyone then got armoured up and we were ready. First stop fuel and away we went.

The first track was just that, with a few loose stones, so far, so good. Some time later followed a gravelly ascent, quite steep. That was my first spill, a slow one, they generally are! Picked the bike up, it's lighter than the GasGas - not to mention the adrenalin that was flying around.

Then a few rocky ascents, one was very rocky, very steep and wet. Cripes!

Dropped the bike, well, fell off- can't remember how but I do recall possibly grabbing an unnecessary handful of throttle. Picked it up, not properly as I'd managed to wedge it on a rock. I did it though and all was well.

On I went and it was just getting tougher and tougher and tougher.........through a small wood, very pretty, logs, slippery......

Some time later:-

We approached a steep descent through some brambles and ferns which I remembered from the briefing. Sounds harmless enough! There were also sizeable tree roots, big rocks and a very steep descent next to the very narrow path. Albeit camouflaged by brambles. It crossed my mind that the chalk pit that I had 'mastered' near where we live was a mere hole in the grass by comparison!

Deep breath, focus, I can do this and gentle controlling of the bike.

All good until I hit a rock (looked at it - oop) and then got the bike firmly wedged in the brambles and ferns and also got my foot caught.

It was all at slow speed and made me giggle rather at quite how stuck I was. Giggling over, I freed my boot and then contemplated how on earth I was going to get back on the narrow track. At is happens, Mr T was just ahead and he came to the rescue and we manhandled the bike up and out.

The terrain then got muddier, rockier and more slippery. "If I can survive this, I can survive anything" I was thinking. I had Gloria Gaynor's 'I will survive' going through my mind at this point!

Further down the track I spotted a definite bike and rider sized indent in the undergrowth which later that evening I discovered had been Gary.

On day one the weather was a warm 28degrees, a lovely pleasant temperature however in full off-road regalia, one gets very hot indeed not to mention the glowing (actually full on sweating !!). Thank goodness for the camel backs and isotonics! Ruts, rocks, nice grassy tracks, breath back - pheww! Mr T commented later in the day that they were rather more boulders than rocks. Some were firm, some were of the unsteady moveable variety. One thing I knew for sure, if I hadn't spent time with Tamsin Jones at Black Desert Racing, I wouldn't have got even nearly as far as I did. I was powering over the rocks, specially on the ascents, just as she'd taught me. Thanks Tamsin!

This is by far one of the most extraordinarily challenging things that I have ever done.

What was incredibly inspiring and helpful was the phenomenal support and encouragement that I received from this amazing group of guys (lovely people and awesome, awesome riders). And of course Gary and Mr T without whom none of this would have happened (I may not even have left my room!). Thanks so much to each and everyone of you; Ian, John, Pat, Peter, Barry, Andy, Tim, Alex, Si, JK, Barni, John and Frederique & Seb (rather lovely looking, couldn't help noticing, local policeman in the drug squad).

The new bike, the Honda CRF250X, prepped by Martin Wittering of TorqueRacing was utterly superb, I trusted it completely and it did a brilliant job. Thanks Martin! Despite the rider error spills, I was secretly quite pleased that the bike now looked truly like a dirt bike that had seen some real action. The Pyrenees-Atlantiques is absolutely stunning and very hard; physically, mentally and geophysically!

It was unquestionably a baptism of fire, as JK commented, later that day. One particularly tricky descent, with boulders, shale and a large flat rock at the top, I approached too fast round a bend and had a massive wipe-out. The bruises will tell the tale for some time yet, on one knee the bruises appeared under the armour. Must have gone down with such a wallop that the knee armour did the bruising I suspect!

It was a long, long descent; rocky (okay boulders) and deeply rutted. Get it together girl! I went down at my own pace, walked the bike a bit and coasted other bits. The relief when I finally got to the bottom was something else.

I've always had the greatest respect and admiration for off-road riders, this has gone up exponentially! The terrain is harsh, dangerous and taken at speed. The combination of expertise, confidence and technical skill and a certain je ne sais quoi is awe-inspiring and utterly compelling.

To have achieved with-out serious injury some of the most difficult terrain I have ever encountered on a bike, I'm still surprising myself that I actually achieved what I did. As some-one said one evening 'it's a bit like one of us taking a few horse-riding lessons and going to Burghley'!

'Discretion is the better part of valour' and at the end of day one, I retired (many emotions ensued but that's another post). The terrain was getting harsher, steeper, wetter, faster, more dangerous and some of my awesome companions were finding it a tad challenging which spoke volumes.

I have gone way, way out of my comfort zone, faced the fear (there was quite a lot of that) and come out the other side. To date we have raised just shy of £7000 for GOSH and KidsCo and frankly what some of those kids go through on a daily basis and what I did just don't compare. Donations are still coming in (THANK YOU!), cheques had arrived in the post on getting home. An incredibly humbling experience.

Will I get on a bike again, do girls like shoes? Absolutely, I will.....however next time some-one says 'you're ready', I might just do a little further research.....

Over- exaggerating with the title "I'm still alive..."? This Pyrenees trip has been running for years and this is the first one not to have had a hospitalization. So, no broken ribs and a punctured lung, no leg broken in three places and the list goes on..... if full limb count is a definition of success, I'm doing okay!

Next time:-

Guest blogs from Gary and Mr T, more from Barry of Symprove (hugely exciting product) - sponsoring Johnnie Walker - watch this space - very, very exciting.

A jigsaw of the most extraordinary proportions!

John Hall

arrived today just after lunch to load the bikes. Well! Wow! So many bikes into such a small space - it really was very, very impressive.

This last week, the over-riding feeling has generally been one of excitement - however as the last jerry can went in, I suddenly felt really rather nervous! Get those butterflies in formation, girl!

All that is left now is to enjoy, soak it all up and relax into it - that sounds more like a bath that an off-road adventure?!

I know that I have the skills, albeit more honed in some areas than others, so now it's up to me to use them and call upon those new found abilities and resources that are there.

Thanks so very much to all our friends and family for their continued fabulous support, encouragement and love, through the ebbing and flowing of emotions during the high days and the less so! It is so enormously appreciated and the monies raised thus far for GOSH and KidsCo is just wonderful - last look c £6700.

A bientot, Xx

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!!

Who ate my sandwiches?

Out with Donna today for a day's fun in the sand. Brilliant! Lots of aha moments. Yet another learning curve..... - yeehaa and only dropped it the once!

Had a bit of tantrum this morning, tears (thanks waterproof Dior for not turning me into an Alice Cooper lookalike!), swore (a bit?!) and nearly stomped off! However, was in a wood with lots of twisty turny (technical term?) track and lots of gnarled roots so where exactly I would have stomped off to, I'm not entirely certain - but at the time it seemed like a possible plan! The reason for this tantrum was that I'd stalled the GasGas once or twice ( or .......) and in kick starting it again discovered that there was pure nothing under my left foot which is a bit pants for stability!

Tantrum over, my first exercise was to get into that powerband over and over and over again. We were at a fabulous track with ascents, descents, sand, woods, trees, woods, more sand, mud, twisty bits, turny bits and quite a dollop of sharp turns.

The GasGas and I were probably more together today than we've ever been - it's all coming together, getting in that power band doesn't actually last that long until you need to change up again. What's interesting is that I can feel it now too, as well as hearing it - what I mean is that I know when I need to power on, change up, down or plain rev the 'whatnots' off it! Not sure that's a bikey expression but hey ho. You'll spot in one of the photos just a tiny bit of 'air'! Yippee!

Had a few angry moments today, cross with myself, which when channelled effectively is power itself however as neuroscience will confirm, when anxiety kicks in, it's almost impossible to perform at peak, be it on a bike, a stage, as a leader.....

Donna got a bit cross for an entirely different reason today. During our lunch stop we were chatting about something or other and Donna went back to her bag to get her second sandwich and it had mysteriously disappeared! During the accusations & fall out that that ensured, a rather portly labrador appeared looking slightly guilty with a gently wagging tail. A canine opportunist. Tee hee!

Carpe diem....

Seize the day!

Taken a slightly different route with the blog today. Inspired by the words on this poster......

Pondering going out of a comfort zone, thinking about the aged expression 'you'll never know what you can do, if you always do what you've always done' .....all around whether I need a new bike with less than a month to go.....I've made a decision.

The GasGas still intimidates me slightly, however, in my work as an executive coach, I know that a few well chosen words have the power to inspire, enable and ignite that extra little spark that is often the turning point between succeeding or not. Equally, a few poorly chosen words can serve to undermine, discourage or completely extinguish that little spark in some-one that makes the difference.

It's ultimately about how we feel and using our drive and ambition to strive to greatness, mindful of those few well chosen words to help us on our way.

I've been so privileged along this journey to have been given a few well chosen words by a number of wonderful people and I thank you all so much for those (the less well-chosen, I'm choosing to park!). Simon Pavey & Chris Evans have said that they believe I can undertake this off-road challenge on the GasGas - and Simon Pavey has observed me on a bike, first hand, so know's exactly where I'm at - it wasn't a particularly good sight a month or so back either! Thanks to his tuition it's prettier now!

So 'seizing the day (by the cojones - as lovely mate added earlier today(!)) - I'm using the courage and guts definition.?!. ... that's where I'm at and tomorrow I'm going offroad for the day on the GasGas to an enduro track with Donna and a photographer will be there too.....?!:

Are you seizing your day?

Shall I wear it to bed?!

Cyril Despres's signed riding shirt has arrived! It's very cool! You may recall it got delayed on route from Andorra to Cambridgeshire prior to the auction.

I'm wondering if I should wear it from now until September - some of Cyril's expertise and karma might transfer from the shirt? Perhaps I'll wear it to bed...... whatever works.....?!

Went out last night (not in Cyril's shirt, if the winning bidder is reading - a bit - okay very muddy round here).

I'm definitely getting the hang of the GasGas, another aha moment last night, when giving it some welly, if I'm all over the front of it, standing or sitting, it doesn't feel like it's going to unceremoniously dump me in whatever might be nearby. Hoorah!

Still umming and erring over whether to get a 4 stroke 250.....the push start and smooth power delivery is very appealing! Watch this space.......off to find some mud.. !

£5500 for GOSH and KidsCo.....

What a fabulous evening raising a further £1300 for GOSH and KidsCo.

Thank you so much to everyone who came and those who bid in the auction.

Thanks to Tim McEwan, our fantastic auctioneer - a natural!

Michelle Hunter for hosting the auction at The Queen Adelaide.

Steve Parrish, Charley Boorman, Bloodhound SSC, The Goring Hotel, Taylard House, Chris Evans, Cyril Despres, SupremeBeing,

Ed Blum, Billy Ward and Graham Banks for generously donating such fabulous auction lots.

Caroline Failletaz for collecting the cash! Elly Hanna for capturing the event on film!

Martin Wittering, Donna Gray and Gary Failletaz for endless support and encouragement and picking up my bike and sometimes me on numerous occasions!

And of course the girls and Mr T.

24 hours counting.......and I've found it!

Just got a copy of Scenes of a Sexual Nature - with Ewan MacGregor (Charley's mate), Hugh Bonneville et al signed by Ed Blum the Film Director for the auction. His next movie is just on the horizon and if it gets the green light and the cast I've heard about, there may be an Oscar on the horizon! Thanks Ed.

So, 24 hours to go, Cyril's shirt is still somewhere between Andorra and Cambridgeshire - nothing is insurmountable ?! The BloodHound SSC print looks fabulous, got it framed yesterday.

Very excited, if a tad nervous ....situational normal for me then!

I have found the powerband on the GasGas and I'm very excited about that! I had a great chat yesterday with Chris Evans (who looks after Cyril Despres, the Dakar and writes a very funny column in TBM) and I was just relaying my concerns about the GasGas and maybe getting something a little less - err lively - err with electric start....! Seems getting a 4 stroke 250 of some sort - could be considered an easier option? ' Are you likely to carry on riding off-road after this trip, said Chris, 'is the Pope Catholic?' I replied. I'm completely smitten!

In that case, he said, keep with it and you'll learn a lot from it.

So, last night I went out for a few hours in search of the elusive powerband, I found it, I understand, I really understand - breakthrough - and you do have to get on it to keep it down - hurrah! There's hope for the girl yet! So, off to mess about in some sand next week with Donna. Oo - shall I re-word that, off for some dirk-bike training in some sandy terrain with Donna Gray former British Champ next week and if I mess up completely, I'll ponder the soft/ easier option!

And in case I hadn't mentioned it?! :)

See you tomorrow night at The Queen Adelaide in Croydon, Cambs, SG8 0DN - looking forward to it.....

Oh deer!

The shirts arrived today for the challenge - they're fabulous. Thanks so much Lee and Lisa at BRP imports. Beginning to look more and more like I know what I'm doing - I'm still working on the knowing and doing what I'm meant to be knowing and doing!

Took the Gasser for a spin this evening, new clutch - fab - and as Donna suggested 'you need to get it in the power band, Kate and feel it' - so that was my mission for this evening. Had a great time, loved riding it. Am I going a bit soft? I think I may have missed it whilst it was having said clutch fixed.

On my travels this evening a little Muntjac deer ran across the road, Gwyn at BMW OffRoad school would have been proud, I stopped - rather sharpish - and didn't lock anything up! Yippee. Being taken out by a deer of a Tuesday evening isn't necessarily my idea of bliss....come to that, probably not the Muntjac's idea of bliss either! I slowed up a bit then as deer rarely travel alone!

And if there were any further testament needed that I'm improving, I got 'the nod' a couple of times this evening from other bikers - a chap on a 'blade and another on a Ducati. Progress indeed, I'm obviously taking a dominant position on the road and 'look like' I know what I'm doing, as opposed to 'eejit with new bike and no clue' of a few months back. Whoopee!

Pressure cooker excitement building for the auction, 4 days to go.........

Thrust(SSC) and delight!

Charley Boorman twittered and FB's about the challenge at the weekend which was so fantastic. Especially considering that Charley is currently on the Extreme Frontiers trip through Canada and had a big convoy today; http://www.bigearth.com/extreme-frontiers/ Thanks Charley!

Pulled out of my drive this morning and car sounded like the proverbial bottom had fallen out of it, rather like I was dragging a metal bucket along underneath - oh cripes. Reversed it back in and thought I'll deal with that later.

A few moments later listened to a rather poignant pause for thought on Chris Evans, Radio 2 show - the analogy was life and golf (now I don't know anything about golf, I was once chastised for cantering on a horse across a course - in the rough - I didn't realise at the time - story for another day!). The "thought" was about taking the rough with the smooth and that change i.e developing one's golf technique was difficult however in order to develop and grow in life, change is absolutely essential.

I wholeheartedly believe that to be true, change is hard, humans don't generally like it however change can make the most incredible differences to one's life. Learning to ride a dirt bike, has been a mammoth change for me and continues to be - what a journey though and I've met and continue to meet some of the most passionate and inspiring people ever.

Shortly after the metal buckety noise, I received an email from Ian Glover of Bloodhound SSC - the team behind the challenge to break the land speed record at 1000mph. Wow! Really wow! http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/ - overcoming the impossible using science, technology, engineering and mathematics. I'm all for that - how awesome!

Richard Noble OBE , previous land speed record holder at 663 mph and programme manager for the 1000mph attempt AND Andy Green, the driver have signed a limited edition print for the auction in aid of GOSH and KidsCo this Saturday. Thanks Ian Glover, Richard Noble, Andy Green and the guys at Bloodhound SSC.

Do email me if you'd like to bid and can't be there.

5 days to go to the auction and counting ..... have a photographer for the evening too, lovely Elly Hanna who will capture all the excitement for us.

Practice was on the KTM this evening as the GasGas is with-out a clutch! Didn't break any land speed records however may have topped my own speed record - and all within the law and limits! I'm getting there......

The bit of rough (so to speak) for the day turned out to be a stone in between the splash guard and the disc brake - so a smooth, very exciting and humbling day altogether!

Getting my rocks off.......and tea at The Goring for GOSH and KidsCo

My toes don't ache! Everything else does though.........quite a lot!

I've just returned from an amazing time training with Tamsin Jones, one of only two British women to complete the Dakar. Tamsin runs www.blackdeserttraining.com in Wales with Craig Bounds and she generously offered to give me some tuition.

Could this possibly have been my best day yet! My steed for the day was a Yamaha (sorry not a complete biker yet - can't remember the model - it was blue ?!). A 250cc(?) 4 stroke; lovely smooth power delivery, forgiving and goodness it helped me achieve all sorts of terrain and going that a month ago I would have baulked at and frankly wandered off to find the nearest bus stop!

First we rode out of the valley to the Welsh mountains. If one thing would make me relax into the riding, it was the scenery, it is breathtaking.

We started off with some basic bike control and techniques, lots of slow work and standing up on the bike properly. Tamsin is incredibly encouraging. We talked about dealing with nerves, breathing correctly, relaxing on the bike and getting those shoulders down! Talked about belief in the bike too, the bike can do it. Like anything in life, if you're relaxed or at least free to move without tension, you perform so much better.

Then the excitement started!

We started off with ruts, sitting through them, standing through them - then ensued the first off - one of those flicky off jobs!

Next exercise was steep ascents. We stopped on a gravelly path and Tamsin told me that just a little further was a right hand turn and a steep ascent. It was cunningly disguised with some fluffy green and innocent luscious looking ferns!! Tams re-iterated trusting the bike, let it do its job and power on up the slope looking ahead and above. Well, bloomin nora, this particular ascent was not only very steep but covered in rocks, the smallest being about the size of a football! Cripes! I did it though! Wow! Then at the top had to brake rather sharpish where Tams was waiting and a steep descent in a load of squishy mud appeared, arghhh.....but managed that too.

I think I rode from one side of Wales to the other along ruts - okay, it was probably a mile or so, at the time however it felt like at least the width of a country! The ruts were of the narrow variety and with incredibly sticky, squelchy, squerchy mud - Shrek would have loved it!

Next a wood, it was raining by now, lots of slippery pine needles and tree roots. I came around one quite tight tree-lined bend feeling 'well chuffed' and then spotted three rather slippy and awkward looking tree roots. Arghh - so remembered the techniques - no sudden braking, maintain the throttle, pull in the clutch slightly and look where you're going - planning! I did it and in my sheer excitement and exuberance I think I must have looked down so that's where I ended up next. oop! We then did lots of trails, woods, water, slippery rocks, big rocks. Discovered that my boots leak - lost count of the number of water starts I did.

Funnily enough, there's lots of sheep on the mountains and it would appear that they either ignore the bikes completely or come straight at you skipping and seemingly larking about. They're bonkers, I thought, and then thought - hmm - pots and kettles?!

Tams kept the pressure on and the pace up all day, we had a lovely lunch stop and once or twice stopped to take some pics - in truth I just needed a breather. She is very positive and enthusiastic and didn't tell me too much about some of the stuff I was going to tackle which was great, no time to faff about or worry - just on and at it! Just after lunch we did some steep descents and played around with control on steep loose surfaces and braking. Then did a momentum exercise over a fallen stone wall - loose surface - understatement of the year. Nearly bottled that one ....but didn't hurrah!

Then did some hill starts on aforementioned steep rocky ascent - success ( bit of cussing and unscheduled stalls but did it).

The afternoon as Tams described it; ' some nice trail rides across the other side of the mountain' . Ooo I thought, excellent, I can chill and enjoy the view for a bit - wrong! More ruts, rocks, more rocks, water, more rocks, ruts, mud, more mud, water, rocks ......there's a pattern forming. Mid-afternoon, we were riding through a farm and a huge cow dawdled out onto the track ahead of us. It was sort of sashaying down the track so that we couldn't overtake, very amusing. If I could have stopped and hugged that cow, I would have. A little rest whilst behind a swaggering cow's backside was oddly a nice little reprieve!

At one point, I'd stalled (again) on the edge of a rut, a rock and well fresh air and I could see the next gate we were going to just around a corner next to a field of sheep - that should be a nice little grassy track to the gate I thought. Wrong again, more rocks, water, green looking rocks - that definitely means slippy. Hours and miles and it was truly fantastic, achieved riding over terrain that a month ago a girly tantrum would have ensued for sure! Tams shouted over, 'if you can do this Kate, the Pyrenees will be easy', I was thinking, if I can do this, anything life throws at me will be easy!

Thanks Tamsin for pushing me way beyond my comfort zone and out the other side and for the endless support, smiles and generosity. Thanks Craig too. The Pyrenees is now truly in my sights!

Fabulousness Auction update;

Traditional Afternoon Tea at The Goring Hotel (where Princess Catherine stayed with her family the night before her marriage to Prince William) - get those bids in!

In this pic - end of day and soo exhausted it's silly! Not however as exhausted as the guys who did the Romaniacs! Wow! Well done Ross!

PS. test rode another bike yesterday evening..........watch this space!