Today was a later start as the campsite we were going next, is only about 40km away. The idea is to get there, setup the tents, then do an ‘F’ road in the afternoon.
So, after leaving the hostel, we stopped at a fuel station to fill the bikes up with fuel and get our supplies for tonight’s food, as we are doing our own meals tonight due to the remote location of the campsite.
I chose two different types of pot noodle things, (starter & main), then a chocolate bar for dessert. This is living it up!
The road going to the campsite was the F208, which was fun.
I got my tent all setup, then removed the Giant Loop luggage from the bike, ready for the trails in the afternoon.
Now the afternoons ‘F’ roads certainly had the fun factor, and the fear factor, which for me is water crossings. There was also a variety of stones/rocks on the gravel surface, large and small, sand of varying depths and steep loose winding parts too, so lots to test the bikes and riders.
Unfortunately, I fell victim to the first water crossing, coming off the bike and over on the right side. My lower leg was trapped under the bike, so Nathan came to the rescue and lifted the bike off me. Once I got the bike upright, I tried to start the engine. It turned over fine, so I continued until it started, then checked the oil in the sight glass and luckily it didn’t look milky, so it was unlikely that water got inside the engine, just the exhaust, which is on the right side, so to be expected. I revved the engine more to clear it and it was said it looked like a water pistol firing the water out!
I went through several smaller water crossings which went just fine.
We followed the trail to a lake where we stopped for a rest and to take photos of the lake, before going back the same way we come. Of course, I was dreading doing the larger water crossing but made it through, all be it slowly, paddling my feet at the side as I went.
Apart from my boots being socked from the water that went over the top of them, at the lake I noticed that the heel of the left boot came detached leaving the sole only held on by the front part. An unexpected issue which I wasn’t prepared for. I tried supergluing the sole on back at camp, plus put some tent repair tape on the outside of the heel, but doubt whether it will work for long.
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