Although I have had my Tenere for more than 2 years now I have never taken it off road. So yesterday, b eing a bit bored on a damp and drizzly morning I decided to go for a ride and reacquaint myself with a few local roads and the odd legal green lane still left in Sussex. I suspect Greatescape and Jo75 are familiar with both of them.
I had completed my first lane which lead me to north over wet slippery, slimy and heavily rutted downland chalk. This stuff can be lethal but I managed it without incident by slowing down a bit and taking it easy.
�Great� I thought and I headed off to my next lane nearby. This begins (or ends) at the top of a local hill. As you can see below the weather wasn�t exactly great.

Anyway, a quarter of the way down I lose it on the wet muddy chalk and end up sprawled on the side of the trail giggling a little. Unharmed I get up and heave the bike upright and notice the chain is off and trapped between the swing arm and a bolt on the rear sprocket. Then the realisation:-

• Bike is facing downhill.
• I cannot get it onto centre stand.

BOLL***s!

I started to have the thoughts �Am I going to be stuck here?� and �who can I call to rescue me?�. I am sure many of us in the offroad fraternity have had one of these thoughts or similar before at least once. Well, I was damned sure I would have to get out of this myself as my previous riding buddy and go to rescuer has long since emigrated to Canada and I was sure he wasn't going to be turning up anytime soon! Selfish B*gger.

Anyway, after 30 mins of heaving and leaning the bike over on its side stand I manage to wrestle the chain free. One handed too. I am left knackered and sweat is pouring from me. Thanking my luck stars, I gingerly make it down the rest of the trail and I am free.

The moral of this tale? If you decide to go out on your own:-

1. Make sure you do your maintenance.
2. Don�t go out on Mitas E07�s on wet chalk as worn as these!
   
   
   
   

Having a little rest after the incident.

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Bike: 2008 XT660Z Tenere with various bits and bobs added or subtracted