G'day Mates!
I'm a lazy git.
I'll only drag myself to the airport on the 5th and heave myself aboard.... the rest Hardy & team will do!
On the bike I won't carry an iota more than my Camelback.... the rest Hardy & team will do!
And in camp I'll just laze on my comfy stretcher or plant myself in a luxury chair.... the rest Hardy & team will do!
This leaves me to do the minimum and also
carry the minimum - just the bike & me, light & free, riding in one of the remotest parts of the world, one of the most beautiful places on this earth I know of, as part a group which I can choose to ride inbetween with or not because the spaces are so vast.... a dream come true, Bucket List Item anyone?
Yeah, I have read RR's of dudes who've done this 'alone', self-supported, carrying their all & sundry on their bikes - fuel, water, camping gear, cooking stuff, first aid goodies, clothing, sleeping bag, mattress roll, satellite phone, whatever spares they think they may need, toolkits, medicines, hell, the list is endless hence heavy.... I say it again, my RESPECT to them!
That's why I said I'm lazy...... because I don't do
any of this, eh, well, it IS shitty to have to do all this yourself innit?
If you don't
have to I mean - and one doesn't, as on
this trip "the rest Hardy & team will do!".
So, it is all easy going then hmm?
Nah, not really, but it also depends on
who you ask!
I've seen Chantal & Hennie at work one full day last year, each driving their respective vehicles (Kitchen-Landcruiser & Unimog) to the next camp - via their 'truck-route' for the day, an easy track aka highway rather than the challenging bike's route.
Eh... NOT!
This route surprised me, no end actually, because it was beautiful, challenging-enough and would make a nice bike-route (and
is this year I believe)!
Slow going, absolutely masterful piloting their vehicles over/in obstacles, trimming trees there where the Mog's height requires it, or completely de-touring where this is the only option however requiring packing rocks first then, so as to negate water erosion gulleys.... that's prison-camp labour for you, and don't even think I am kidding here!!!
I had a limp arm then so could not do anything worthwhile to help these two poor sweating hardworking inmates, hardly conducive for my self esteem making me feel guilty.... but not a word, not a single complaint from them, they just got on with it!
This gave me a completely new insight when we arrived at camp, obviously tired and glad the day's work was over and we could relax now, ready to be spoiled by a well deserved drink and then a fantastic cooked meal by the team's efforts, which obviously were still fresh and had to start their work only now..... really?
"Soooo, what have
you guys been up to today hmm?" may just be a very valid question to ask yourself sometimes... as the Team also work their arses off!
But, this all is why I like this tour, and join this one again.
We're a group, and only a group-effort will get all of us through - each in his own way, and you
WILL be glad that your bike isn't loaded to the hilt but empty, light an as nimble as it can be!
Look forward, see you next week!
