Fixed

Mount Crawford Forest starts at the end of Hissey Road.

I just have to lift the bike across a gate.

The front wheel is light, no problem. The Flevobike Green Machine balances on the frame for a moment or two until the back wheel gets grip.

I let the Flevobike descend the gate riding down with the back of the wheel to the gate.

I am sure the suspension will absorb the shock of the touchdown.

I mount my bike and...
... damn, the back wheel is obstructed.

Fuck. A rod of the luggage rack has bended.

Well, here I am, fucked up at the edge of a forest with no place to go.

I hide my swag and luggage in the forest.

I loosen the lower bit of the luggage rack.

And tie it to the chair with some rubber.

That will hold the small backpack for the moment. And now off to a motorbike shop in the nearest town.

The shop can't fix it and forwards me to the blacksmith.

The blacksmith knows my face. He is from New Zealand originally and saw me having dinner last night in Birdwood hotel.

He is a bit shocked when he sees the bended aluminum tube. Now that is weak stuff mate, no good. This would bend sooner or later.

Now look, what you need is a bit of robustness, especially with all your luggage and a swag. How about a solid steel 10mm rod?

He postpones his other work, offers me a coffee and measures the desired length.

The sawing machine is put to work and soon there are two steel rod made to measure.

With a torch he heats up one end, hits it flat with a big hammer and drills a hole.

That is one done, one more to go.

Fixed, now just assemble the rack! These 2 steel rods are rock solid, the most sturdy part of the whole bike now.

What ever will happen to the bike, the luggage rack won't need a fix again.