So my son was off. My wife was not happy the previous evening when I called her with the plan to fly my son out. I convinced her (or so I thought) that it was the best thing to do. Her first question to me: Why did you go in when you saw it got difficult? I didn't really have a coherent answer and just mumbled something about not wanting to go back across some of the more difficult crossings.
So now my son was off on a helicopter ride, arrangements made to pick him up in Worcester. The plan was for me to ride the same way out with the Land Cruiser following to assist if I got stuck. The guys seemed to just patter around and I started getting itchy. It was past 11:00 already and I had a lot of riding to still do. I packed up and started getting ready to leave with or without support. Marius came back after putting the fire team to work on the roads and said that he just wants to get something to eat and they will then get going. I was worried about getting stuck and running out of daylight so told him that I was going to leave and that if I got stuck they will catch up with me in any case.
The sun helped to dry out some patches slightly, but it was also beating down on me. Always something to moan about!!! The bike felt lighter since I sent most of my son's gear with him on the helicopter. I was determined and focused and wanted to get to where I can call my wife and confirm that he is OK.
It is interesting how obstacles are a bit easier to negotiate the second time round. There seems to be more commitment in the throttle and more haste on the open sections. Open section meaning anything from second gear upwards!
I got back to that stony crossing again where the firefighters were hard at work already. I begged them to help me across which they reluctantly did.

I then found a different point to get across that ugly mess of washed away road, but managed to get stuck on the opposite embankment. I was missing that TKC again!


A picture of a calm Touwsrivier

And so I was back at the most worrysome point of the trip.

After about 40 minutes of packing stones to try and build a ramp

