A ride on the wildside...

As part of my rigerous (eh?) training (EH?), I've just been to Scotland (Pitlockerie, highly recommend it) for some white water rafting, canyoning and clay shooting. Great fun, excellently organised by Nae Limits - highly recommend them). I lost my watch, my breath, all semblence of dryness and a very bad hangover, but what a blast!

Also I've been watching the DVD of the 2006 "Ride for Life" the inaugural Enduro Africa trip. As well as being full of entrepid adventurers and a motley assortment of characters (a mad collection of bikers basically) it looks as challenging as it looks fun.

Steep mountains, rocky riverbeds, fast dust-tracks (you know the ones that give you a ginger beard, even ladies) and stunning people. There are accidents (including Simon "Says" who threw himself into a ravine, using his bike as a crash-mat), incidents (bike + pool = mud), emotions and a HUGE amount of pride.

I can't wait, but I reckon we're nowhere near prepared for what lies in store. Ride for life, indeed.