Dirt Biking!!!!

What a day !!!
We got up early and even did some yoga on the decking before getting ready to go on the motor bikes!!

Kat and I were the last to leave and as usual we were not too good to find the place right away - but we got there in the end!!

50 girls at the Desertrose racing academy, owned by Patsy Quick - the first woman who completed the Dakkar Rally.

We were put in groups and Kat and I managed to end up in the same one.
Then we were put in the changing room to get kitted out. 
With boots, knee pads, body armour, trousers and jerseys.
It was getting real!!

Then we were appointed our bikes.
I found myself in the wrong group - I did not want to start with the petrol bikes right away as I had not been riding for 30 years.
So back to the other part of the group.
The E-biles looked innocent but were viscious!

We started getting used to them on the grass - then went through the woods. 
It was so much fun and I felt I was doing quite well so I asked the instructors after a few rounds to set the power up on the e-bike.
WOW - first round through the wood I was almost hanging at a tree - it was viscous. It felt like level 2 was 10x the first level ...
After 2 rounds I went back to the instructor asking hime to put it back down again haha.
Thanks go I was not the only one - another gild - an experienced road rider joined in.
After a break we swapped with the petrol bike group and I was a bit unsure - but defo wanted to try the petrol bike on the grass.
The instructor Jack suggested I'd stay on the E-biked and he'd let me have a go on his bike later.
I was happy with that - but then he changed hi mind and appointed me a nice 300 2-stroke!
This bikes are high - I really striggled to get on without help but then I realised I can still ride.
Just stopping was a bit shaky on my toes.
Off road biking is very different to road riding.

Since it was a full on day with 50 woman there was not a lot of teaching - it was learning by doing.

We got a wee exercise of stopping at a box and putting the foot down - and I managed to fall over ....
I got the bike up again and thanks god they stopped this exercise and we went directly in the woods.

I fell a couple of more times - once when we had a jam and I lost balance when stopping and another time after I managed a really difficlut bit and missed the curve afterwards.
But hey how - this is all part of it.

I loved it!!
In the afternoon we learnt how to fix a tyre and how to load the bikes on a van.

Then there was BBQ food in the rain.

We drove home after that - happy and exhausted.
Grabbed a coupke of beers on the way and retired in our Glamping tent soon after.
This time with Diesel heating.
Last night was frigging cold!!

More pics in the extras.