Sooo..... This post shows how being cheeky can come back to bite you in the arse.... 😬
Conversation between my neighbour and friend went as follows on Saturday night....
Me: "so are you all good to take me on the ride tomorrow"
David: "sure ... have you got a helmet?"
Me: "I don't own a helmet and who needs one anyway 😜"
David: "I have a spare and you aren't coming if you don't wear one"
Me: "I have a small head lacking brains so it probably won't fit... hehe"
David: "I'll make it fit and you have to wear the seat belt"
Me: "Nooo hehe I don't need a seat belt - I'll be fine!!!"
David: "You're not coming then"
Me: " ok ok fine I'll wear all the safety stuff"
Last weekend was the Te Uri trail bike ride..... For those that don't know what that is, it's where people on quad bikes, trail bikes and racing side by sides get to go over the farm land in this area... We do it as a fund raiser for the local hall and the funds are used to do good in the community when needed or upgrades to the hall.
I have never been on the actual trail ride before, usually I take the money at the gate then go up to the hall and help prepare lunch for all the riders. This year I had organised to go on the ride in a side by side so that I could get some scenic photos of the area and also get some action shots of all the riders etc....
The day dawned cold and wet and we didn't really expect a good turn out to the event. At 8am Dean (local farmer) and I stood out on the road to take details of the riders in case of accidents and take payment for the days activities.. They just kept coming... more and more... They love the wet weather it seems... Men and mud and fast bikes = a great day!!!
We had 120 riders plus the leaders and volunteers. What a great turn out!!!!
So they all start to go off on the ride and I managed to get a few photos before being picked up by my chariot...
Then my ride appears towing a bike trailer and I think... this is going to be sooo much fun ... tootling around snapping pics of all the lovely scenery and all the funny bike mishaps... I am soo looking forward to this!!!! Excited Much!!!!
I climb on board with my woolly hat, a coat, my camera and bag, my helmet and a large grin..... which turned immediately in to a 'holey shit' face!!!! as he planted boot down the gravel road....
I had no chance to put on a helmet or seat belt and I was still clinging to all my baggage, trying to stay in the vehicle and hold on for dear life.
My first thought was 'dear Lord save me' as I'm going sideways around the corner and my arse is literally heading towards the space where I thought there should have been a door!
We came to a gate which he got out to open and I frantically pulled my woolly hat on my head followed by much performance trying to get the helmet fastened under my 3 chins.... step one complete!
Off we shot again 😳 at a great rate of knots and I still haven't got the belt on and I'm still holding multiple items.
The next gate appears and I desperately try to belt up and organize the camera on the seat and the coat like a blanket around my legs as it's bloody freezing already.
My intention was to take wonderful photos for you but I'm afraid that didn't happen as from then on I was absolutely freaking terrified and I never even got my camera out... There were moments in the next 3 hours that I could actually breath but mostly I sat rigid with fear as we flew up and down hillsides that goats would fall off. 🐐
I prayed.... I prayed a lot!!!
God and I became good friends...
I have no words about how petrified I became .... The ground was wet and slippery (apparently this is a great thing for men and bikes) I was soaking wet and freezing cold ... I dare not open my mouth to scream as clumps of mud were pelting my face - there was mud in every orifice!!
At one stage he turned to me and said "you look rediculous" as there was mud all over my face and even clumps down my neck etc.. ewwwwww!!!!! He obviously didn't know what he looked like lol.... 😁
It didn't get any better for the next 2 hours as I clung to the bars because literally, my life depended on it, and clenched my teeth until my jaw ached. The last part of that area was the worst and I went places I never imagined going and I was nearly crapping my pants.....
The following video is when It wasn't so bad and I could take a hand off the rail so that I could hold my phone.
Please excuse any profanities....
Then it was lunch time... I staggered out of the vehicle and had multiple people ask if I was ok coz I was a little pale...
Needless to say I did not go again after lunch and I don't think my back will ever be quite the same again...
At the end of the ride David said to me "I thought I'd teach you a lesson about the importance of safety"
Hmmmm He sure did that!!!
But at the end of the day I was still alive, we had raised over $3500 for the community and there were no injuries on the ride so we couldn't have asked for a better outcome to the day!!!!
I hope you enjoyed a look at the Annual Te Uri Trail Ride of 2018 and you got more laughs than I did ... hehe
Images are all my own or from Pixabay
Thank you for stopping by...
