A 17 day solo ride...Viva La Super Tenere

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A few days before Xmas 2010, i thought to myself that, as the years go by, the xmas holidays are always the same for me. Come xmas eve my family and I sit and have a feast, drink a decent bottle or three of wine, talk about love, life, and mumble on about various philosophical crap after a glass or two too may. But this year i had the idea of just getting on my bike and riding. Do something different for a change. Head out on my steed and go see someplace new and take my time doing it. So i did

There was no plan at all. No set route, no thought was given as to what kind of mileage i would cover on any given day. the only thing that was a certainty was that i was going to travel light, and to do my best to see something new every day whether i rode 1 mile or 100 it made no diference at all. Just to be on my own and ride my bike wherever the wind blows.

this is what i took with me

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tent
sleeping bag
matress
pillow
warm top
1 tshirt
1 extra pants(legs zip off, double as swim shorts)
3prs sock and jocks
microfibre towel
t/brush, soap etc
slops
tool kit + spare front tube
passport
head torch
point and shoot camera + spare batteries and SD cards
small cooking pot + mug
small bag of pasta + sauce powder

one thing i wish i had was one of those small three legged camping stools. It does seems a bit extravegant, but after a few days of sitting on the hard ground after a long day in the saddle, it would have been nice to have... oh well, perhaps next time.

A few days before i left, i read a post here on the forum, posted by Laurika, that she was looking for someone to ride with from the 27th. I sent a reply saying that i would be out and about, and should we be heading in the same direction, it would be great to meet up and ride together for a few days. But i was itching to be on my way, and come xmas eve i was packed and ready to go. I rode out at about lunchtime, and headed for the berg. I cant say there was any real significance in choosing to go there as i have been there many times in the past. Its one of my all time favourite getaway destinations. More often than not, whenever i venture out there, i am normally the only one there or one of no more than 10 people.

I rode off, feeling very satisfied with myself for finally getting away from the monotony of every xmas holiday I've had for the past few years. There i was, grinning like an idiot, when all of a sudden, i feel my bike shudder beneath me, and the back wheel lock solid. After coming to a skidding halt and when the dust had settled a bit, i kicked the stand out and got off to see what the F&^k was going on this time. The sting of failure of my last so called holiday to malawi was still too fresh in my mind, and needless to say,my first reaction was one of frustration.
The problem was obvious straight away. The rain cover on my rucksack had come undone and had been hooked by the rear sprocket and ripped clean off, and then proceeded to mangle itself good and proper and make my life a misery for the next half hour while i pulled all the bits out from the rear hub.


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As soon as i had freed the wreckage from my wheel, i set off again, riding up Kyber Pass, and then on to Nottingham road. After a quick fuel stop, it was a wet and misty ride along the Loteni road to Himeville, where i turned right and rode out to Cobham to pitch my tent. I had phoned the office there just before i left and asked them what time they closed the gate. The fella i spoke to said that over the holidays they closed at 8 o'clock on the dot. With all the mist i rode through getting to cobham, i really didnt think i was going to make it in time, as there were times when i would be down to second gear, with barely enough visiblity to see where the road was. But after a bit of a wild and wreckless dash along the track from himeville i managed to arrive just as one of the guards was walking down the driveway to lock the gate. I looked at the clock on my GPS and sure enough, it was 4 minutes to 8 o'clock.

I found a decent spot to pitch my tent. and after a quick coffee i had a look around to see who else was around. I met a dutch chap and his missus, but they were too stoned to make any coherent sense, and after a bit i wandered off and left them to smoke the rest of their splif. there were a few other people there. Mostly cage drivers with caravans in tow. I still cant get over how anyone can take so much stuff with them on holiday. I know i dont take too much gear with me when i go away, and my inflatable pillow is a new addition and that feels like i am venturing close to the limits of my holiday gear. I tried to chat to a few of the folk there but they seemed rather distant and pre occupied. It then dawned on me that is was xmas eve, and i was the one out and about when the rest of the world was having their family get togethers and stuffed turkey with all the trimmings. So i snuck away as quick as i could and left them too it, yet content in that i was finally on the road again and that over the next few weeks , many an adventure was to be had.

I woke up on xmas day to the sound of rain, and after looking out of my tent i had no inclination to go anywhere. I put on a brew and set about organizing my little home for the next few days, so that i could be as comfortable as possible, and have all that i needed within easy reach. And there i was, sipping away on my morning coffee, enjoying the soft sounds of the rain on my tent and the chatter of birds nearby. Man oh man... this is the good life... at least untill the stoned dutch lady i had met the night before came lurching passed and managed to fart every couple of steps.... oblivious to the world around her, muttering away.
I dont remember having laughed so much in ages.

over the course of the next few days the weather cleared up and the sun came out. And by then i was ready to get back on the road and go someplace new, to start my adventure in earnest.

Down at the river on Boxing day.

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