Breaking all the Rulez on New Year's Day!

How to have a donga named after you!

Happy New Year, Jedis - here beginneth the lessons:

As part of my research into the rules for safe riding, I managed to break about 3 of them :

1. Never go on an outride alone

2. Always check your bike thoroughly before leaving

3. Ensure your communication device is charged up for the trip

So, I made the run from Kwambo directly to Eteza, following my GPS. I made it to a familiar section of the outride, but promptly had 2 mishaps;

I managed to overturn the bike coming down a donga - this could have had grave consequences, if I had been injured or the bike damaged in the process.

Just a little after righting the machine and getting back on the trail, it stalled! Out of gas ! Even though I had checked the fuel gauge before riding, in my excitement I interpreted what I was looking at to be a FULL TANK, when in fact it was ON RESERVE !!!

I managed to raise Jerome, who came to my rescue with a jerry can of fuel and his 4x4 bakkie - much gratitude is owed for this act of comraderie...I am on standby to repay!

Whilst arranging this, and keeping homebase informed of the goings-on, my cellphone died! I had started the ride with only about 1 bar of battery power!
Who knows how I would have gotten out of that pickle if I couldn't make a call!

I am now wiser for the experience, and will be completing the safe riding post ASAP!