Nhlabane Outride

Date : 5 Jan 07
Distance : 79.3 km
Time : 4hrs 14mins
Moving time : 2hrs 38mins
Stopped time : 1hr 36 mins
Average speed : 17 km/hr
Max speed : 70 km/hr (this was my bike, but I'm sure the 700 Raptors were doing > 100km/hr)

We were eagerly anticipating the first outride with the Wolverine, but it was not to be, this time. Neville (Wolf-owner) assures us that the month will not end without him making the trip up to demo his new acquisition.

We did find the Lake, but we didn't get to quite the right spot - we landed on the West side, and couldn't make it across to the sea-side of the Lake.

Vincent, on the Trailblazer, ran out of gas - TWICE ! We MUST always pack fuel - got to get 2x10L jerry cans to attach to the Hawkeye & Big Bear - thinking about this a bit more, the bike might have a consumption problem, since 80kays on 10L is pretty poor range, methinks!
(Also, post trip, I discovered the valve for the reserve tank which holds 2L!)

The universal cellphone holder I bought on Mitch's recommendation, worked really well, allowing me to ride and navigate simultaneously and comfortably.

Just before the trip, I had bought a Camelbak 2L hydration bladder, and found that it fitted perfectly into one of my backpacks - it was a godsend!

Jerome, Gary and Thaven wore more protective gear, all of them having bought their chest armour upon my threats that no riders would be allowed to ride outrides without them....

We also used the anti-dust buffs I had bought in Jozi - they were a hit, and some people (Gary) found creative ways to wear them!

Trivi's chilled watermelon pieces at the end of the ride were mondo-refreshing! Almost enough to motivate building our clubhouse right outside her front door....

All told, this was a good trip, though I managed to flip another quad, the Hawkeye this time, in a concreted v-drain, and this habit combined with my directional difficulties earned me the nickname "Flippin Navigator" - I hope to erase this on future trips.

After the trip, one of our crew remarked that we don't all have the same habits when it comes to activities out-of-doors; we don't deal with litter in the same way, and the smokers amongst us may forget that the risk of fire after we have long left an area is a lot higher than when we are home....

I write this note to remind us that the sustainability of our newly-adopted sport is in our own hands....we should carry plastic packets to collect any litter we come across, and dispose of it properly. Also, we should carry our cigarette butts back with us.

Searching the net for guidelines for good outdoor practice, I found the following relevant sites:

Respect the Outdoors - published by the ATV Safety Institute

The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace - Outdoor tips for non-motorised recreational activities

Tread Lightly - Outdoor Recreation Tips for motorised activities

We will need to make a conscious decision to incorporate some of these principles and practices into our rides.