What’s this? The first Badass award of the trip? Yes- day 6 has come and gone and we’ve got a worthy nomination.

Butch, the ever reliable fixer of the group, has been working hard the past couple of days. With limited supplies of bikes, they need keeping on the road. First, there was The Mummy’s back tyre puncture. Best part of an hour’s roadside recovery. Then, BJ took a tumble in a river and made a hole in his engine. A molten metal patch up in the car park after a very long and tough day’s riding. Then again today, with BJ’s engine spewing oil and a suspected gasket blown, Butch was out in the rain pulling the bike apart for repair, then putting it all back together, while the rest of the riders were showering, relaxing and cracking on to the beers. Here’s hoping it holds- but either way, invaluable servicing.

Not one but two Badass nominations tonight. First by BJ for Pruno, for diplomatic relations with the locals. What started as a practical joke- “Hey Will, see those girls over there? They’ve been asking for your number”- resulted in Will heading over, chatting two slightly bemused but delighted locals up, and coming away with exchanged numbers. Too smooth.

Cameraman Shorty stepped in with a rival nomination though, for the incumbent DoTD. Not only had he carried possibly the world’s largest cameraman as pillion at high speeds through the day, he had also had a run in with the police for roadside photography activities, and casually avoided arrest. No bother.

It was a close vote.

Pruno- 6

Sleazy- The rest.

Charles and Jo who, let’s just say, are no longer spring chickens. There was no stopping them up or down the canyon today.

They both climbed to the top and back it was Jo who got the unanimous vote. We all know Biggles has no fear for these things.

Today’s fly fishing became slightly more exciting than we’d expected, when wind and a complex casting turn saw Jim land the hook in his own ear. There it stayed, embedded like an earring, through the coffee break and the second bout of fishing. On return to shore, Gisli took a pair of pliers to the offending hook and removed it, leaving a very rock and roll hole. The girls among us report that piercings like this generally hurt a fair bit.

Not one to be left out, Robin went back for another session of fishing in the afternoon, only to return with a hook through the eyebrow. (Blame’s on fishing partner Leen.) Again, removed- and a little bloody. The two of them looked quite the sight at dinner.

The team unanimously agreed that the impromptu piercings were pretty badass- a double award.

Travelling at 150 km/h Pronker did not deviate from his racing line when a sparrow flew into the grill of his headlight. Wearing his new feathered friend (down the side of his bike and across his Belstaff kit) Pronker continued at high speed without so much as a flinch. A Bad Ass butcher!

When The Mummy’s bike ran out of fuel some 30k from Calafate, the obvious and frustrating choice would have been another wait for the vehicles to catch up. But with the hotel comforts calling, Butch and Peachy made another plan- a tow job. Peachy donated his bike to The Mummy, to ride the final leg. Butch tied the dead bike to his. And Peachy rode engine-free around corners and through gale force wind, around roundabouts and down offroad streets, clocking some 110k an hour, making it look easy. Badass.