White Knuckles and the Call of Africa
Even though our off road exploits mostly included
graded dirt tracks and gravel roads winding along the
scenic Mediterranean coast and across spectacular
gorges and canyons, I did have a few white – knuckled
moments trying to keep still and help Paul negotiate
the steep slopes of the mountains. Holding on to our
Jesse panniers (now serving as grocery bags on our
weekly trips to Heraklion’s supermarkets) for dear life,
I’d do my best to be a Rather Useful Sack of Potatoes
making sure I didn’t mess with Paul’s efforts to keep
the bike upright on baby head - sized boulders and fine
gravel, while we rumbled and tumbled down the
scorched ravines and little trails running off in different
directions under the shade of olive trees. Sometimes,
I’d attempt to film and photograph our brave
endeavors in the secluded valleys and rocky hills, only
to find myself dangling precariously off balance, about
to topple us both and the bike over.
When riding on tarmac, the only necessities of a pillion
rider is warm underwear and a fully charged Kindle;
being a passenger off road is a whole different story…
and I have to confess: riding in Crete made me hunger
for more. Here, I’m not just a passive observer
anymore: aside from my main job - not to mess with
Paul’s driving and the balance of the bike – I’m now
also tasked with jumping off and running ahead to
check if the track is still passable past a blind turn,
spotting the most picturesque stretches of road for
photos, and battling my ever - growing suspicion of
heights and cliff edges.
And so, as we head for the southern part of the island
again, rattling and bouncing along the gravel tracks by
the coast, I can’t help but look out to the sea and think
of Africa. So close now, the Dark Continent has always
been an obsession of mine; and while I do realize that
taking a humongous bike for a race across Tunisia,
Algeria and Morocco is a waste of good o ff road fun, I
often catch myself wishing there was a ferry line to
North Africa from Crete.
ENDS