Parkinoff
Race Dog
One can determine the type of parents by looking at their children. One can also judge an operation by the type of people who congregate around that operation.
I am writing this ride report with happy tears blurring my vision. The past month and a half was a storm of emotions. I really wanted to take part in The Honda Quest as I knew that I would be able to do the riding portion but I did not look forward to the social bit……I was right. The riding portion was tough. The social bit? Tougher.
My story, my journey, my RR….
So the ride up to Springbok was good, it was moerkoud and wet but I was prepared.
During the next couple of days I did indeed feel out and awkward (a feeling that I’m not unfamiliar with), the feeling got progressively worse and it affected my riding and self-confidence. Things came to an ugly head around the third (I think?) day when we were to be sent through singularly at a sandy section (which we could not see as it was around the corner of a hill) where we would be scored on smoothness, technique and situational awareness. My riding partner asked about my riding settings and I showed him what I used. It turned out to be a disaster for him as our riding styles differ so much. He is an Alpha male, riding like an Alpha male with much spinning and sliding, I am a Sigma male riding smoother - “under cover”. Turned out that I was the only rider riding with traction control “ON” whilst toggling on-the-fly between levels 1, 2 and 3 and there was some discussions about the “stupidity” of choosing to ride with traction on in sand.
That evening I’ve asked Peppe, our Medic for something to make me sleep. I slept.
Then something happened………………
I say it was “them”
“they” say it was me, but…
suddenly I was accepted as part of the collective and I could be myself without feeling “out”
And even though by then I was physically sore and stiff, I now was in a good place and space and started to enjoy the Adventure. My riding improved and I aced the two technical sections.
Then, suddenly all was over. Just on time because I was sore, too early because I started to enjoy the adventure more and more.
I went home having made 21 new genuine friends. And a handful of extra special ones. Murray, Neil, Elio, Hein, Hugo
The experience was deeply spiritual for me.
The Honda CRF1100 AT:
When I heard that we’ll be riding the DCT I was disappointed even though I’ve never ridden a DCT. How wrong was I. The bike is modern, sexy, lovely, with the important settings able to be adjusted on-the-fly. This bike can be adjusted to suit my riding style perfectly. It can also be adjusted to suit a hooligan riding style too. On the left one can program a “favourite” button, I’ve set mine to be able to adjust “Traction Control” levels by the toggle of a button. On the right I toggled between riding modes “D” and “SII” as well as full manual where I rode the bike changing gears exactly as on an MTB. I will be buying my bike: Mine is No10.
Wish I could enter next year again. I can’t, but YOU can!!
I’ll end my RR by thanking the Hardy and crew at Specialised Adventures for having trusted me with their name and Riaan and Honda South Africa for trusting me with one of their bikes.
Parkinoff
I am writing this ride report with happy tears blurring my vision. The past month and a half was a storm of emotions. I really wanted to take part in The Honda Quest as I knew that I would be able to do the riding portion but I did not look forward to the social bit……I was right. The riding portion was tough. The social bit? Tougher.
My story, my journey, my RR….
So the ride up to Springbok was good, it was moerkoud and wet but I was prepared.
During the next couple of days I did indeed feel out and awkward (a feeling that I’m not unfamiliar with), the feeling got progressively worse and it affected my riding and self-confidence. Things came to an ugly head around the third (I think?) day when we were to be sent through singularly at a sandy section (which we could not see as it was around the corner of a hill) where we would be scored on smoothness, technique and situational awareness. My riding partner asked about my riding settings and I showed him what I used. It turned out to be a disaster for him as our riding styles differ so much. He is an Alpha male, riding like an Alpha male with much spinning and sliding, I am a Sigma male riding smoother - “under cover”. Turned out that I was the only rider riding with traction control “ON” whilst toggling on-the-fly between levels 1, 2 and 3 and there was some discussions about the “stupidity” of choosing to ride with traction on in sand.
That evening I’ve asked Peppe, our Medic for something to make me sleep. I slept.
Then something happened………………
I say it was “them”
“they” say it was me, but…
suddenly I was accepted as part of the collective and I could be myself without feeling “out”
And even though by then I was physically sore and stiff, I now was in a good place and space and started to enjoy the Adventure. My riding improved and I aced the two technical sections.
Then, suddenly all was over. Just on time because I was sore, too early because I started to enjoy the adventure more and more.
I went home having made 21 new genuine friends. And a handful of extra special ones. Murray, Neil, Elio, Hein, Hugo
The experience was deeply spiritual for me.
The Honda CRF1100 AT:
When I heard that we’ll be riding the DCT I was disappointed even though I’ve never ridden a DCT. How wrong was I. The bike is modern, sexy, lovely, with the important settings able to be adjusted on-the-fly. This bike can be adjusted to suit my riding style perfectly. It can also be adjusted to suit a hooligan riding style too. On the left one can program a “favourite” button, I’ve set mine to be able to adjust “Traction Control” levels by the toggle of a button. On the right I toggled between riding modes “D” and “SII” as well as full manual where I rode the bike changing gears exactly as on an MTB. I will be buying my bike: Mine is No10.
Wish I could enter next year again. I can’t, but YOU can!!
I’ll end my RR by thanking the Hardy and crew at Specialised Adventures for having trusted me with their name and Riaan and Honda South Africa for trusting me with one of their bikes.
Parkinoff
