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

Magnificent motorsport memorabilia........

When one journey comes to an end another begins. This amazing journey from one cold February morning earlier this year thinking 'I'm going to learn how to ride an off-road bike and ride it somewhere interesting ', to now has been quite incredible.

To date we've raised almost £8,000 and the final furlong, as it were, is auctioning the quite fabulous and unique piece of motorsport memorabilia and history. The shirt bit.ly/nKiLRu been signed by; Valentino Rossi, nine Grand Prix World Championships and multiple MotoGP World Championship title holder, Jorge Lorenzo, 2006 & 2007 250cc World Champion, 2010 Moto GP World Champion, James Toseland, 2004 & 2007 World Superbike Champion - he retired last month due to a wrist injury,

Cal Crutchlow, British Supersport champion and British Superbike race winner, and the 2009 Supersport World Champion, Danny Webb, 125cc World Championship multiple title holder, Leon Haslam, British Superbikes, World superbikes, Ian Hutchinson, TT racer, Jonathan Rea, World Superbike racer, Keith Amor, TT legend, David Johnson, British Superbikes , James Whitham,TT Superbike champion, British Superbike Champion Supercup and the ACU TT British Superbike Champion, John McGuinness, TT legend, Neil Hodgson, British Superbike and World Superbike Champion & Ian Lougher, 9 victories in the North West 200, 10 wins at the Isle of Man TT Races and 42 wins at the Southern 100 Races and all the signatures were gathered by Steve Parrish. What an awesome collection.

Some say a journey is best measured by the new friends and people one meets.

Many have been asking what the next challenge will be, there were a number of answers to that a fortnight ago!

A seasoned off-roader who competes regularly and is awesome on a bike, called me last week. He's done the trip. He said 'Congratulations and well done! What were you thinking (I don't think I was), that was a truly epic challenge for such a beginner. Good on you for coming back in one piece'. I'm still surprising myself now thinking back to some of the terrain I covered on a dirtbike! Wouldn't have missed it for the world and the guys were all fantastic and very supportive and encouraging but crikey I didn't know what I didn't know ......... But I do now......!

Thank you, Merci and Grazie to so many people;

Donna Gray for getting me on the bike, in the right kit and starting off my very tentative learning experience, Martin Wittering, mechanic extraordinaire along with buckets of constant moral support and encouragement, Gary Faillettaz for his consistent unfailing encouragement, tuition and so, so very much patience and picking my bike up more times than should be allowed, team-mate fantastico, Steve Parrish for the fabulous signed shirt, books and WSB passes, Michelle Hunter for hosting the auction at the wonderful Queen Adelaide, John Kettley - without whom for sure this journey would never have really begun! Jim Gale for the brilliant graphics and plastics, Tamsin Jones for training, moral support and hugely boosting my confidence, Liz Rhodes at BBC Radio Cambridgeshire for constant encouragement, Nigel Wheatley and Michele Maddocks of Enduroland, Ed Blum, film director, Charley Boorman for tweeting, FB 'ing ( in fact getting me on FB), signing a book for the auction, Ross Noble for an auction prize and for making me laugh and keeping me human in Wales, Billy Ward for making these aforementioned things happen and for suggesting more training, not to mention making me smile on numerous occasions when I really needed to, Tim McEwan, auctioneer of the mostest, Ian Glover of Bloodhound SSC, Nigel Harrison, Jayne Perks, Jeremy Goring of the Goring Hotel, Sue & Andy Banham of Taylard House, Chris Evans (thanks as well as singlehandedly almost completely putting me off bikes forever!) and Cyril Despres, Graham Banks of GB Racing for so much, Sally Saunders of Esse (support and keeping me vaguely feminine), Jacquie and Matt of The Wendy House, Janine Wood of SLP, Tessa Roberts of Ocean One, Christian Malissard of Eagle Perf, Angela Dawson of Dawson VA Services, Dave Newman of SupremeBeing, Irene Routh-Jones for moral support, lovely friend Rachael for getting me packed and lovely texts when I was in the Pyrenees, dear friends Paul and Ailsa for airport runs, Caroline Faillettaz for huge support, my parents for looking after the girls, my fabulous friend Wendy for so much moral support and my gorgeous sister Elly who was particularly brilliant when I was finding it harder than hard, Mr T for so much and so much more and my beautiful girls. And of course to so many generous family and friends who gave donations, kind words and huge support, thank you, thank you, thank you, merci, merci, merci, grazie, grazie, grazie.

As for the next challenge..........Andalucia and Africa in my sights and perhaps a rally. Watch this space.......

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.

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!

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.........

Feel the fear.........

......and do it anyway.

That was the title of the bestseller and

so goes the expression..... Am feeling the fear for sure and whilst I have to say I'm enjoying the experience, it's for sure one of the steepest learning curves of my life and I'm perhaps finding it both very hard and tremendously exciting in equal measures. It's just under eight weeks until we go. Burst into tears today - something I don't do generally, lovely mate was there with tea and shoulder which was just what I needed. Thanks Caromy.

Whilst I'm finding this particular moment in the journey incredibly hard, this week I'm guest blogger for the GOSH blog http://greatormondstreethospitalcharity.wordpress.com/ Earlier this evening I was reading the heart-wrenching and amazing stories of the courage, bravery, love and steadfastness of children, parents and guardians alike. Truly humbling, inspiring and uplifting in the most difficult, challenging and tragic of situations. All the money that has been raised so far makes such a difference to the children at GOSH & KidsCo. The auction is two weeks away and counting.....

So, I am doing it anyway, not that I ever wasn't dear reader, I was just having a 'moment', feeling the fear perhaps!

As you will see from the pics, I have my leathers - I've always wanted some leathers and they smell great. However, didn't get them for smelling, obviously - just need the boots to go with. Don't know what 'Mary, Queen of Shops' would say but the bike shop in which I wanted to make a couple of purchases was shut when I ventured out, always shut on a Monday apparently! Bother!

The GasGas went to its first show (with me anyway) The Litlington Fete Bike Show; spot the odd one out - in the photo.. It was in a glorious line up of shiny, gleaming hogs, sportsbikes, roadsters.... lots of bike enthusiastic fabulousness. I said to Gary, I was a tad mortified that I'd turned up with a rather muddy bike. 'Authentic' was his response - I'm all for authenticity, so hurrah to that! I'd also mixed my own fuel! Thanks Martin, www.torqueracing.com and Donna for the advice. There's hope for the old girl yet?!

On another petrol heady note, The European Cannonball run set off yesterday and I was invited to the off -how excitingly exciting - wasn't sure eight year old and two year old would have been quite as keen as their Mum however!

Biketruck Billy, www.biketruck.com and Jayson Sticking are in a Dodge Viper (love those cars 8.3 litre, 400bhp - lots of oomph - technical term?!). How cool is that! Anyway.... Pyrenees, bikes, practice, determination.....

So, road riding, which will generally help my bike confidence along the way, on Wednesday. Between now and then I need to get some boots from a retailer that's open for business?

GasGas is getting a new master cylinder or is it a slave? Talking of slaves - I was with a client this morning, who I think quite inadvertently made me laugh lots. Been chuckling since, but then maybe that's a warped sense of humour?!.

I was telling him about the challenge, the auction, he also suggested a mid life crisis - but we've covered that! Anyway, he said ' Oh, auctioning, 'Slaves for the day, that sort of thing?'.

Well, no actually, but there's a thought.......

So, if anyone's game.........?

A GasGas isn't a GS ........

.......and I was really rather taken with the BMW G650GS that I rode in Wales at Si Pavey's offroad school .......and still can't stop talking about it to whoever will listen! My gorgeous sister, Elly, got the ins and outs of everything today whether she wanted them or not - thanks Elly!

This evening, I went out with Gary to tackle a rather steep chalk descent which previously I had considered to be way, way beyond my ability (to be fair it probably was). However, with lots of support from Gary and my new found skills from the two day course in Wales - I did it! There is another steeper and longer to tackle but baby steps and all that! Big whoop inside my helmet.

The photo doesn't really capture it - sort of a lip at the top and you can't actually see where you're going until you're there, as it were. I was however looking to where I was going (that's progress!) rather than at the ground I was on.

Not sure that the GasGas is performing at peak - I know that the clutch is grabbing but something else might be going on too. Stalled mid-hill going upwards and thought aha - I can turn the bike round as per my new found skills, however the clutch was having none of it, so Gary did it instead! Thanks Gary.

Appear to be not pulling very well either - oh dear that's disappointing!?! Being one who is learning but doesn't really know enough about the engine (yet) will have to consult my 'spanner'! Operator error aside, which happens often, it would transpire that very possibly one or two things are going on beyond my control and certainly not helping my mastery of the offroad art.

Very excited that next week, I'm going on road with Ian Biederman at ART in Royston for some on road time and on a GS650. Yippee! Just need leathers to arrive and road boots - unless I spend a few hours in first gear (can't change up in my offroad boots?!) - which isn't funny or clever! Teehee.