What I didn't mention is that the bikes get a rest day too, but not the mechanics. They hose the bikes and then do some routine work to keep them running nicely. Things like oiling the chain, washing the air filter making sure the bearings are running free, checking and sometimes replacing the brake pads (the mud/dust accelerates wear) and tyres. Then off course the numerous essential repairs resulting from the many crashes, like straightening handlebars and forks, etc. The mirrors were removed on our first offroad day - that's when we knew things were getting serious!
Once free of the work, the mechanics chill along with the rest of us, doing stuff around town and recuperating for the more hard days ahead. But they do these rides regularly, so it takes less out of them than us, especially as they don't fall off..... much. Leng, Mr Teng and Dara are, or have been, offroad racers and this kind of terrain is second nature to them. No matter how good we become or how fast we think we're going, they will always cruise past us on the trails. The same goes for Zeman and Mike, the team organisers, not racers but bloody good offroad.
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