skivvies, He burst into a run and leaped in, crashing with a spectacular splash into the frigid water. He was up again just as fast, cursing the cold and wading to the shore. “WOW that’s CHILLY!” he yelled. “You’ve GOTTA try this!” In unison the members of Team BMW waved him off, promising to avoid the water at all costs. Back on the bikes, we headed east toward


the peaks, turning west, then south toward the nearest town. We arrived for a late lunch, opting for a pizza joint with sunny outside seating. We ordered, then shared stories of the day. Beautiful views, historical landmarks, and of course John’s death-defy- ing plummet into the icy lake of death were discussed at length. That evening we returned to base camp,


enjoying a hearty meal as scores were tal- lied. Team BMW was near last place, having skipped most of the waypoints we had ven- tured near. We didn’t care. We were com- petitors no more; just friends riding bikes on a perfect day, in a spectacular place. We clinked beers in celebration and promised to find new horizons to enjoy on the morrow. The following day was a blur of scenery


and epic terrain. That evening we celebrated anew, back-slapping other team members and promising to stay in touch. Soon we were packing up, returning to our lives and responsibilities. As I loaded my last gear bag for the trek home, John took me aside. “I want to thank you for everything. I had a great time. I never would have been able to do this without your help.” “We’re Team BMW, John, we helped each


other out! I look forward to riding with you again.” We shook hands, the stiffness of strangers evaporated. John hopped on his bike, waving farewell and riding with new- found confidence. “That’s Adventure riding,” I thought,


watching him depart. “Nothing but good people and good times.”


John is now a graduate of the RawHyde Adventures Off-Road Training Program, and is currently training to become an off-road instructor.


October 2015 BMW OWNERS NEWS 55


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