not getting all the tags, we reckon we did collect the most coffee shops. We gave out Kiwis to little kids along the way, mainly in the small mountain villages. Chris C had liberated over 60 of the cuddly toys from his soft toy business. They were well received, especially in the poorer areas. Thirteen hours later we arrived back at the hotel to find the kitchen closed, which didn’ t go down well, but we had to remind ourselves this was not a first world experience. Unfortunately for Simon, a twisted knee meant he couldn’ t ride the difficult terrain, so reluctantly decided to call it quits and head home via the main highways. We were all sad to see him ride into the distance but relieved that it wasn’ t something serious. Then we were five. On day two we started to feel muscle strain as we had already ridden 5 days in Montenegro and were not so onto it first thing. Long days with multiple navigational hiccups, finding ourselves backtracking unrideable tracks and we had to rely on mountain fountains for fresh water. These public fountains, often placed by Muslim families in memory of loved ones, became both lifelines and cultural landmarks; from simple trickles of water from a pipe to elaborate structures with multiple outlets. On day three of the Quest, we passed through a settlement at 1600m and stopped for lunch at a make shift café where the lady was baking, on a wood fired oven, traditional breads with various fillings. There was electricity this far up and no teenagers, all of whom were, apparently, in the lowlands where WiFi was available. So, only old people. I had my regular Diet Coke while the boys had a beer. The owner spoke no English but conveyed that Graham Jarvis had been there last year doing a photo shoot in the steep hills. We named it Jarvis Village. Just on from Jarvis Village, we encountered a technical difficulty with two of the CRFs. The next page reveals the problems and how they were solved. Needless to say, Technology ruled. On the final day, Racho’ s Tubliss front tyre gave out on a remote mountain trail, requiring a time-consuming repair. We rolled into the finish more relieved than celebratory. Greg was resting
up in his room before the prize giving and got a phone call from the organisers asking if he was OK. Seems he had accidentally set off his emergency beacon, costing him a few beers! The Latvian two-person team won the major trophy for the most checkpoints collected, while Team Kiwi Plus took the Sustainability Trophy for their positive community interactions. It was great to be recognised for doing good deeds even if some of them were drinking the local coffees, eating the local foods and sampling the local beers. Will the Bosnia Quest happen again? It’ s a huge organisational venture with logistics to test the most experienced organiser. The vast uninterrupted landscape with virtually no fences, no rules and restrictions enabled such an event to proceed. Whether it will happen again is unknown as it took at least five years to set up on a part time basis. The initial motivation is there but time constraints and financial considerations all take their toll. It would be a shame to see this as a one off but at least we were able to enjoy this amazing experience.
KIWI RIDER 37