SilverHawk, thanks for the feedback. I appreciate that: a first hand account from an experienced rider is priceless... It’s not easy to get the right idea when trying on pants & jackets in the comfort of an aircon shop in downtown Bangkok.
Waldo One2: SilverHawk hasn't disclosed the whole extent of "Temple Hunter" Road Warrior outfit! His helmet got an antenna on top so that he can "GPS" the tracks he is doing... That last detail makes probably the kids laugh along the way, which is always good. However, according to friends who rode with him, once he 's got his "warrior" outfit on, Don hardly ever stops… He would feel too hot then. I personally wouldn't like that, as breaks and encounters along the way are a big part of the biking experience in this part of the world.
Of course Don often rides on his own and this is an important point. It brings to my mind a post from Daewoo who points at a risk factor: nowadays motorbike trip are becoming banal... More and more riders, more bikes on Mekong countries tracks tend to wipe out the "adventure aspect". There fore we may be a bit less vigilant than in the past.
I believe that riding alone is a good experience though. Being alone in nature makes ones feel very humble... Back to earth, back to dust... It raises the sense of responsibility. As much as I have fun riding with mates in a small group, I also always do some trips by myself. It makes me feel less relaxed but somehow safer… I also feel more in touch with my environment, which is always a good thing.
I know that riding alone is not advisable. Consequences of a crash could be exponential. However, even in remote areas there would always be someone passing by, sometimes. That’s where good protection gear becomes very important if they can lessen a crash impact.
I agree, “that many hours in the saddle you're increasing your chances of an accident”. Do you mean that we should take breaks every so often (like professional truck drivers must do according to the European law, for example)? Or do you consider a bikers life with statistics in mind? Pushing the logic to the end that would mean that after xxx kms, one should quit biking… Too sad.
In the end there would always be bad luck. Bad luck is bad luck. Even the most skilled, the most experienced won’t be able to do anything about it.
Let’s be humble… Just trying what we can do in order to avoid circumstances that could bring bad luck.
Sorry if I sound serious or sanctimonious... Above all I wish you all fun for many, many(imagine here a thai voice) years to come... Chokdee Khap.
]..........we're probably gonna hire a couple of Baja's from Green Discovery Laos.
