windswept said:
#6, front row, 2nd from the left... I must have a face for radio, the 2nd commentary in the video above are my thoughts on the final morning of this epic adventure, respect to all the participants as well as all who made it possible but most of all to Hardy for believing in us and helping us find the true meaning of "Quest".
I remember seeing something on tv about Quest 2018, and thought I would have another go and entered despite being sceptical of my chances and thought nothing more of it. Sometime in early September it came up in conversation and I remember thinking that the deafening silence must be an indication that I had not been selected for the initial round. Things were busy at work as we were closing the office at the end of the month and there was a lot that needed to be taken care of.
I remember receiving a message from a friend I seldom ride with but often send pictures too titled "wish you were here", it said simply "Hey riding buddy", I was busy and thought he was pissing about, so didn't respond. I little later that day I received a message from [member=13184]Noneking[/member] on instagram "Congrats on the Honda Quest nod!" - wait, what!
Quickly I check my emails and there it is the confirmation from Specalised Adventures informing me I had until 17:00 to confirm my participation or my spot would go to someone else. I came so close to being out right there...
I had already booked some time off for my upcoming 50th, and had to go ask the boss for a few extra days at the worse possible time - he jokingly said "NO" because, he said, if I made it through I would be back asking for more.
And so I turned 50, with friends and family on the West Coast came home and packed immediately for bootcamp. Monday morning I leave early for Kaleo. To say I was ill prepared was an understatement, I had no real idea of what to expect, and I had not read the reports or watched the videos from Quest 2017.
I don't think I was the only one, sitting in the hall after the formalities and introductions were done I think most were asking the same question - "when are we going to ride bikes?" the answer would be tomorrow, and then only for about 45min in total - 45min in 3 days - the rest, well the rest was a Bootcamp. Eerily reminiscent of my army days, you are not a name you are a number, surprise wake up call, pre dawn hike, kitchen duties, tests, camp setup and break down, and lessons on various topics from bike maintenance to trauma procedures - all the time being watched and measured by Hardy and the crew. It was funny to see how various things rattled different people, I think the biggest being the tests, it's quite something to see riding gods humbled by a simple puzzle.
When I think back now, I know for sure I did not have more than a few polite words at bootcamp with some of the people there including some that made it through to the final, my eventual teammate being one of them, it was that busy.
My riding performance was average and I admitted as much in my exit interview, I think I had the honour of being the 1st to drop the bike on the morning "intro to the bike" ride, I shot up and over an embankment, gave it a little to many beans because I was unsure of how to do this DCT thing and then realised the exit was far steeper that the entrance, panicked, pulled the front-brake just a little and dismounted front and right before the bike had even hit the ground. I was pretty certain that was my Quest campaign over right there. Hearing some of the other contestants talk was also intimidating, racing, extreme enduro, Amageza's and a smattering of Roof's - what was I thinking?
Anyway it was a fun 3 days, and I got to try out the CRF1000L DCT on tracks meant for mountain bikes - this bike shouldn't be here, but it was. In closing we were told Hardy would contact each of us by the weekend to advise us if we had made it to the final 14 or not.
The phone rang "JT, Hardy, you're in, we'll send you and email with the details later"
