Rosie was back in the garage today getting the heated grips fixed. Apparently my wee spill a few weeks back (blogs passim) had severed the wires on the right hand grip. The left grip wasn't working either, so that meant two new grips.

I was particularly keen to get this job done because I leave for Ibiza tomorrow, and the score is definitely Heated Grips 1, Hot Air Hand Dryer 0 - as testified by Zippy.

Incidentally, it's an interesting word - testify. It is derived from the latin word testis, meaning "witness". Unfortunately, testis is also latin for testicles. This gave rise to a rather amusing urban legend about how, in Roman courts, male witnesses were required to give evidence whilst holding their testicles in their right hand - the penalty for perjury being castration. Even if it's not true, it's a great story - any man will confirm that he would absolutely tell the truth in such a situation.

I was given a BMW X-Country 650 as a loan bike. She has the same engine as Rosie, but she's about 30kg lighter and was therefore a bit more nimble. An absolutely brilliant bike, I couldn't help but get the impression that she is wasted on tarmac and would much rather be sloshing around a muddy hill. Or is it me that would rather be sloshing around a muddy hill, and my evaluation criteria is now coloured? In any event, well worth a test ride. Book one at Bahnstomer. Speak to Alistair, he'll look after you.

The reason I bang on about Bahnstomer (blogs passim) is, quite simply, because they are a pleasure to deal with. I went in to pick Rosie up today and it turned out that they had to replace both of the grips. The right-hand grip they replaced because of the accident - no quibbles there. The left-hand grip, they decided was a warranty repair because the wiring looked a bit dodgy. This saved me 60 quid that they otherwise could have rinsed me for - and I have dealt with garages in the past who would have done exactly that.

But Bahnstomer have a longer view of such things. So they get 60 quid today, but what does that cost in the future? That 60 quid may well be the difference between me buying my next bike from them, or deciding that I'd rather deal with somebody else. They're in it for the longer term - it's a relationship rather than a simple transaction.

Since I had saved 60 quid, I bought some body armour. This wasn't part of any agreed deal, it just happened that way.

What the body armour gives me is the ability to wear a very lightweight top - absolutely crucial when racing or when travelling in the hot sunshine (like I am going to be doing for the next few days). When I rode to Malta last year, I rode down through Southern Italy with just a t-shirt on (breaking my golden rule about dressing for the fall and not for the ride) because it was just too hot to wear a bike jacket. Now I can wear a t-shirt, but I have body armour on underneath.

Speaking of racing, I just got a phone call from Andy Savery at Wheeldon Farm (blogs passim). As you will recall, Andy and his colleagues delivered some absolutely fantastic training, and were also really really nice people into the bargain. They are running a Hare & Hounds enduro event on 21 July, so I had called him and asked if I could enter.

He called me this evening to discuss it. He told me what it would cost, including the hire of a bike, and gave me some recommendations about what bike to use. He advised against using a race-ready KTM bike, since those are a bit fierce, and instead recommended that I use a Honda CRF230F - which weighs in at around 100kg and is quite forgiving.

He explained that I would find it really tough going, and he understood that I wanted to have a crack at it anyway. He was full of respect for this, and wll make sure that the marshalls know it is my first enduro race so there will be people on the track to help me out if I am really screwed.

The Hare and Hounds is a 2-and-a-half hour event, round a 4 mile track. The track covers all kind of terrain - hills, mud, ruts (oh my god), stream crossings, trees, roots (oh my god again), grass, gravel and soil. The object of the event is to get round the track as many times as possible in the 2.5 hours available. The race is split into 3 classes:

• sportsman
• clubman
• expert

The expert class would expect to get about 12-15 laps in during the 2.5 hours. Clubman would expect to get 8-10, and sportsmen will generally get less than 6. I will be in the sportsman class.

At some point, there was always going to be the issue of my first enduro race. Both Andy at Wheldon and Zippy couldn't stress enough how important it was to get out there racing, since it's only by doing this that you learn to push yourself. I wanted to have a crack at Dawn to Dusk - the event on the British enduro calendar. It is a 12-hour event, but sportsmen can only enter as a tag team - riding it solo is reserved for the expert class. I explained this predicament to Zippy, and told him I couldn't get a tag partner for it. Zippy, philosophical as ever, had some great advice:

"Just lie. Enter yourself in the expert class. That's what I did on my first Enduro"
"But surely people will know as soon as the race starts"
"Of course they will, but by then it's too late"
"Did you do Dawn to Dusk?"
"No, I somehow entered the final of the British Championships for my first race"
"Won't I get disqualified or something, if people realise I overstated my class?"
"Nah, everybody will look at you and say 'that kid has got balls'"

First I need to get Ibiza out of the way, then we'll see how I get on with the Hare & Hounds when I get back.

It's The Missus' fault. She's the one who saw the Hare & Hounds advertised on the Wheeldon web site. There was a time when I'd have said that she was just humouring me, waiting on me to fall off the bike and declare that I am never doing it again, but this simply isn't the case. What she is giving me is 100% support and encouragement - she wants to see me get to Dakar just as much as I do.

So, my first race. 21 July, the week after Brecon Beacons. I am looking forward to it, terrified about it, and relishing the chance to have a crack at it all at the same time.

This is an important lesson in obstacles, and another one of those biking metaphors for life. Right now, my first enduro race is an obstacle. If I focus on the obstacle, then I will smack straight into it and end up on my arse in the mud. If I focus on what is beyond the obstacle, then I will barely notice myself clearing it.

So, instead of focusing on the looming race, I am focusing on how great it will feel to have completed my first enduro race - popped my racing cherry so to speak.

I now have to go and start packing for Ibiza, since I leave tomorrow evening. Work during the day, leave after work. Despite the battering I have given myself these past 3 or 4 days, I am in great shape - obviously much fitter than I thought. I have about 1,500 miles to do in the next couple of days and I am ready for it. The Missus has looked out all of the stuff I am going to need and is helping me pack it - she'll make a brilliant support crew in the Dakar. Logistical and moral support. She's a gem is The Missus - I couldn't even consider taking this on without her support.

Download the Manic Mission Information Pack for the full story ...