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BlueBull2007 said:
Hey! Don't you have some chores to do? What you wasting typing time in here for?
6 DAYS IN THE SAND! :) My 2000km CHALLENGE in the EMPTY Quarter!
- Thread starter Kenisis
- Start date
Hey! Don't you have some chores to do? What you wasting typing time in here for?
Very interesting read,
Kenisis
Race Dog
Kamanya said:
No rest hey...........................................
eepwall:
Kenisis said:Kamanya said:
No rest hey...........................................
RR's are tougher to do than rallies IMO. ;D
Kenisis
Race Dog
Day 3 leg 3 “Qasr al Sarab ”
Total Distance : 426.43 KM
Liason : 59 Km
Special Distance : 168.13 KM
Liason : 8.83 Km
Neutralisation
Special Distance : 177.82 Km
Liason : 12.65 Km
The Starting List
Just to fill you guys in Leg 3 was broken into 2 stages that they named “Qasr al Sarab ” . It was Stage 1 and 2 with“Neutralization” in between. This was to serve as a photo opportunity for some Dignitaries along with the competitors.
I woke up feeling somewhat refreshed and ran off to the shower to have a wake up shower. I don’t drink anything hot so this serves as my cuppa in the morning. After the first two days I was in remarkably high spirits. I felt like my sleep had somehow lifted the world off my shoulders.
Pictures Courtesy of MCH photography
We got to the liason start and off we went on the 59 Km liason to the start in what I can only describe as a little Oasis. There were a lot of palm trees. We again arrived early and stood around talking general crap.
I spoke to Tonya Colson and I offered to ride with her. I think this was so that I could try and help her through the stage as she had not been having the best of luck with her Challenge. She was starting 5 minutes behind me and I figured if she could catch me in the first couple of kilometers we could ride together.
Today my starting partner was Dave Donald. I was happy to be starting with him. Seeing that he is around my pace on the bike. At the Starting line we get told that we will come across local traffic in the first 10 Kilometers. This is scary, Even worse than the Omen. If you have seen how the locals drive and here in the Bundu`s youngsters as young as 12 are driving around.
The marshals sent us off on our merry way and immediately we were reduced to a crawling pace and then I left Dave and continued on my own. I did not think that I was riding overly fast but I soon caught up with 2 other riders and then I took them and then as we went into the Dunes I overtook another two riders. The first dune section was about 15 km long and I sailed through there. I managed to crest those dunes beautifully and everything seemed to be working. I was on the gas and things finally looked and felt as though they were coming together. As we came out the other side I saw John Colson Heading in his Prado back towards the Start and I then figured that Tonya had had a problem in the Start.
I was onto the first of Many Sabkha`s for the day and it was Fast. Very few Double cautions on this morning’s road book to worry about! In hind Sight today would have been a little better if I had my Tall gearing on my Bike. So riding along and maxing out at 130 would have to do!
Now please bear with me hear. I do not know how to explain this but I will give it my best go. We come over a set of Dunes and then there is A Sabkha that is about 500m to 1 km Wide with Huge Dunes on either side. Probably about 100m Tall. Now Perpendicular to these dunes there are Sand Spits or Small Dunes that have Sharp crests. There were many of these with sets of 6 to 15 of the sharp dunes and they are about 10 meters apart. They were too far to try and double them. So you have to go slowly and crest each one and then I looked up on the side of the huge Dune at about half way up Approx 50 meters you can see 2 tracks that bypass all of these sharp dunes. So when I was confronted with the second lot I tried to follow the Same route as these 2 riders. I made 4 of the 6 Sharp dunes and it saved a huge amount of energy. I would later that evening find out that it Was Sean and Jakub Przygonski that were making a mockery of those sections. It seems it is easy if you know how to do it!
I do not remember too much of the stage but I know that I was smiling in my helmet. I finally felt like I could ride a motorbike in the desert as I know I can.
I had a Sinking feeling when I came across a helmet with goggles perched on top of the helmet with an old frying pan stuck into the Sand by its handle. I noticed that it was James West`s helmet and as I came over the drop off which was about 3 meters high I see that there is nothing at the bottom but a whole lot of foot prints. Down to my right I see a bike and a Camper next to it so I go around to see if james is alright. When I get to him he tells me that he managed to catch upto the leaders and he jumped off the dropp off and managed luckily to kick away from the bike and he landed in the sand. Luckily not hurt in any way but the bike would not start. I offered him my Lunch ( A banana) which he did not want and he ushered me on my way!
The Last 15 kilometers of part one was shitty and I could not get going and I was delighted when I was caught by one of the local competitors and He showed me a much easier way through that section.
We stopped at the Finish together and then I went off to refuel my bike and I then sat at the Gecko Pitts for my 25 Minutes. I drank water and got feedback about what was happening to whom from Djilal and the Boys.
While I was sitting there a lovely breeze came up and this aided a little relief to the heat that we were under at that point. If I had to guess I would say that the temp was about 42 Deg. I was soon going to realize that the relief was soon to become my punishment. For what I am not exactly sure.
Pictures Courtesy of MCH photography
I reported to the marshals for the start of Part 2 and was sent along my merry was and we followed around the edge of a very big dune. Riding on the edge of the dune it turned right going around the dune and going was good until I was going too fast and got out of the tracks and ended up in some smallish meter high sand spits. I thought that`s ok ill go there and then cut over to get back on track. Suddenly my front wheel disappears and I go hurtling over the bars. I jump up and luckily I am not hurt. I managed to scrub a lot of the speed off while trying to stay on the bike.
I had to unbury my bike and when I get back on I can feel my heart pounding in my chest! It was probably valve bouncing at 185 BPM. I took my time. Drank water and then got going again. A lot slower and more cautious at this point.
I read in the road book that we would join a Gatch track next to some pylons. The breeze was now directly from behind and it was making me and my bike very hot. So I stopped. Went and stopped all of this to keep my bike in one piece! As soon as I got onto the gatch track I realized that the person who set the route was playing with us. There were sand spits covering the gatch anything from 1 to 3 meters high. It was soft as hell no Shit Flour.
While I was meandering through these shitty sand spits I come across Helder Rodriguez. Now he had his head buried into his engine further than a bloke from Brakpan admiring his 3000l Cortina engine. His Yamaha had decided that it wasn’t going any further for that day! One thing I can say is that he is always smiling even when he is broken down!
Pictures Courtesy of MCH photography
So after chewing on the nonexistent gatch for 10 km`s we turned into the Desert and had 32 kilometers to the next waypoint. This means that you could have a blank canvass to ride on. I initially stayed with the tracks and we were flowing.
Pictures Courtesy of MCH photography
Let me tell you one thing, Going down a massive sand dune is one thing but having to go up it is quite another kettle of fish. I come across a dune that is about 80 meters high and I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me but you could hit me with a slimy fish the tracks still went straight up the face of the dune. I hit the Dune at about 80 Km/hr and realized that I was not going to make it to the top so I turned around 15meters from the top and went down. I then hit the dune at 115 km/h and got to the top. I don’t like the strain that this puts the bike under. We had five more of these huge mountains that we climbed and the 5th one had a nasty bump at the bottom that got me all squirmy amd luckily I did not fall as I was probably doing about 120 at that point.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
We flowed on for a little mare and I came up to the biggest dune and again I could not make it to the top so I turned around and as I turned around I saw that there were 2 Jeeps on a ledge about ¾ the way up the dune. I decided that I would use the ledge as a step and then gain speed to crest again. All wonderful in theory but I broke my own rule “ Do not fall in front of witnesses” As I hit the ledge I confidently gave a thumbs up and before I could put my left hand back on the bar I got a tank slapper of note and I became superman for a while there. I tucked my chin and went Into a barrel roll and then I was chewing sand. As in sand everywhere. Ears, eyes nose, every orifice was flooded with sand and I now know what a human plough must feel like!
As I hit the ground I rolled up and got to my feet. As I turned around there were 3 guys running to me! “Are you ok?” I replied that it must have been quite spectacular to watch and I was told I had no idea and they were disappointed that they did not have their camera`s rolling! I to the contrary was very happy that they had no evidence. The marshals gave me heaps of water to wash my face and flush my mouth to rid myself of the remains of the sandy grave I had tried to dig with my head. I was thankful and jumped back on my bike and was off after the waypoint which was 23 kilometers away.
As I crested the dune I noticed that I could see a flat surface with no dunes which ran for many kilometers just to my left. So I decided that I was done with climbing and took a ginger ride through this plain. In the end in the 23 Kilometers I had to crest only one Dune and when I met the tracks again I could see that my fellow competitors were all chewing through huge dunes to that point. I was later to find out that Joan Barreda Bort, the junior purely believes that the shortest distance between two points is in a straight line. So exactly where his arrow points him is where he goes. I suppose he will learn this in time to come.( Please Joan. Your straight as an arrow kills us ordinary folk at the back of the pack!)
The ride was uneventful till just before PC3 where I came across an abandoned KTM quad and then about 800meters from PC3 I came across a Husaberg. I stopped at PC3 and drank a liter of water with Rehydrate and had a chat to the marshals and to Manual Luchese who was the pilot of the Husaberg. It seems that this challenge was not being nice to him at all. Dave Donald caught up to me and went straight through the check point. I finished my re-hydrate and took off after him only to be behind him all the way in. I arrived to the finish without incident and things were good. Very Good.
I was elated to find out that some of my Friends, Phil, Lee and Hanno were coming up to the Bivouac to come and support me and to catch get some rally time in. It was a great in uplifting my spirits.
It is amazing when you do an event like this, you really realize how much we communicate on a day to day basis and now with these long hours you are really all alone. Luckily I am a solitary type of person.
Here is a pic of their camp site in the Bivouac!
Leg 4 to Continue………………………………………………….
Day 3`s Results
Overall Standings after Day 3
Total Distance : 426.43 KM
Liason : 59 Km
Special Distance : 168.13 KM
Liason : 8.83 Km
Neutralisation
Special Distance : 177.82 Km
Liason : 12.65 Km
The Starting List
Just to fill you guys in Leg 3 was broken into 2 stages that they named “Qasr al Sarab ” . It was Stage 1 and 2 with“Neutralization” in between. This was to serve as a photo opportunity for some Dignitaries along with the competitors.
I woke up feeling somewhat refreshed and ran off to the shower to have a wake up shower. I don’t drink anything hot so this serves as my cuppa in the morning. After the first two days I was in remarkably high spirits. I felt like my sleep had somehow lifted the world off my shoulders.
Pictures Courtesy of MCH photography
We got to the liason start and off we went on the 59 Km liason to the start in what I can only describe as a little Oasis. There were a lot of palm trees. We again arrived early and stood around talking general crap.
I spoke to Tonya Colson and I offered to ride with her. I think this was so that I could try and help her through the stage as she had not been having the best of luck with her Challenge. She was starting 5 minutes behind me and I figured if she could catch me in the first couple of kilometers we could ride together.
Today my starting partner was Dave Donald. I was happy to be starting with him. Seeing that he is around my pace on the bike. At the Starting line we get told that we will come across local traffic in the first 10 Kilometers. This is scary, Even worse than the Omen. If you have seen how the locals drive and here in the Bundu`s youngsters as young as 12 are driving around.
The marshals sent us off on our merry way and immediately we were reduced to a crawling pace and then I left Dave and continued on my own. I did not think that I was riding overly fast but I soon caught up with 2 other riders and then I took them and then as we went into the Dunes I overtook another two riders. The first dune section was about 15 km long and I sailed through there. I managed to crest those dunes beautifully and everything seemed to be working. I was on the gas and things finally looked and felt as though they were coming together. As we came out the other side I saw John Colson Heading in his Prado back towards the Start and I then figured that Tonya had had a problem in the Start.
I was onto the first of Many Sabkha`s for the day and it was Fast. Very few Double cautions on this morning’s road book to worry about! In hind Sight today would have been a little better if I had my Tall gearing on my Bike. So riding along and maxing out at 130 would have to do!
Now please bear with me hear. I do not know how to explain this but I will give it my best go. We come over a set of Dunes and then there is A Sabkha that is about 500m to 1 km Wide with Huge Dunes on either side. Probably about 100m Tall. Now Perpendicular to these dunes there are Sand Spits or Small Dunes that have Sharp crests. There were many of these with sets of 6 to 15 of the sharp dunes and they are about 10 meters apart. They were too far to try and double them. So you have to go slowly and crest each one and then I looked up on the side of the huge Dune at about half way up Approx 50 meters you can see 2 tracks that bypass all of these sharp dunes. So when I was confronted with the second lot I tried to follow the Same route as these 2 riders. I made 4 of the 6 Sharp dunes and it saved a huge amount of energy. I would later that evening find out that it Was Sean and Jakub Przygonski that were making a mockery of those sections. It seems it is easy if you know how to do it!
I do not remember too much of the stage but I know that I was smiling in my helmet. I finally felt like I could ride a motorbike in the desert as I know I can.
I had a Sinking feeling when I came across a helmet with goggles perched on top of the helmet with an old frying pan stuck into the Sand by its handle. I noticed that it was James West`s helmet and as I came over the drop off which was about 3 meters high I see that there is nothing at the bottom but a whole lot of foot prints. Down to my right I see a bike and a Camper next to it so I go around to see if james is alright. When I get to him he tells me that he managed to catch upto the leaders and he jumped off the dropp off and managed luckily to kick away from the bike and he landed in the sand. Luckily not hurt in any way but the bike would not start. I offered him my Lunch ( A banana) which he did not want and he ushered me on my way!
The Last 15 kilometers of part one was shitty and I could not get going and I was delighted when I was caught by one of the local competitors and He showed me a much easier way through that section.
We stopped at the Finish together and then I went off to refuel my bike and I then sat at the Gecko Pitts for my 25 Minutes. I drank water and got feedback about what was happening to whom from Djilal and the Boys.
While I was sitting there a lovely breeze came up and this aided a little relief to the heat that we were under at that point. If I had to guess I would say that the temp was about 42 Deg. I was soon going to realize that the relief was soon to become my punishment. For what I am not exactly sure.
Pictures Courtesy of MCH photography
I reported to the marshals for the start of Part 2 and was sent along my merry was and we followed around the edge of a very big dune. Riding on the edge of the dune it turned right going around the dune and going was good until I was going too fast and got out of the tracks and ended up in some smallish meter high sand spits. I thought that`s ok ill go there and then cut over to get back on track. Suddenly my front wheel disappears and I go hurtling over the bars. I jump up and luckily I am not hurt. I managed to scrub a lot of the speed off while trying to stay on the bike.
I had to unbury my bike and when I get back on I can feel my heart pounding in my chest! It was probably valve bouncing at 185 BPM. I took my time. Drank water and then got going again. A lot slower and more cautious at this point.
I read in the road book that we would join a Gatch track next to some pylons. The breeze was now directly from behind and it was making me and my bike very hot. So I stopped. Went and stopped all of this to keep my bike in one piece! As soon as I got onto the gatch track I realized that the person who set the route was playing with us. There were sand spits covering the gatch anything from 1 to 3 meters high. It was soft as
While I was meandering through these shitty sand spits I come across Helder Rodriguez. Now he had his head buried into his engine further than a bloke from Brakpan admiring his 3000l Cortina engine. His Yamaha had decided that it wasn’t going any further for that day! One thing I can say is that he is always smiling even when he is broken down!
Pictures Courtesy of MCH photography
So after chewing on the nonexistent gatch for 10 km`s we turned into the Desert and had 32 kilometers to the next waypoint. This means that you could have a blank canvass to ride on. I initially stayed with the tracks and we were flowing.
Pictures Courtesy of MCH photography
Let me tell you one thing, Going down a massive sand dune is one thing but having to go up it is quite another kettle of fish. I come across a dune that is about 80 meters high and I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me but you could hit me with a slimy fish the tracks still went straight up the face of the dune. I hit the Dune at about 80 Km/hr and realized that I was not going to make it to the top so I turned around 15meters from the top and went down. I then hit the dune at 115 km/h and got to the top. I don’t like the strain that this puts the bike under. We had five more of these huge mountains that we climbed and the 5th one had a nasty bump at the bottom that got me all squirmy amd luckily I did not fall as I was probably doing about 120 at that point.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
We flowed on for a little mare and I came up to the biggest dune and again I could not make it to the top so I turned around and as I turned around I saw that there were 2 Jeeps on a ledge about ¾ the way up the dune. I decided that I would use the ledge as a step and then gain speed to crest again. All wonderful in theory but I broke my own rule “ Do not fall in front of witnesses” As I hit the ledge I confidently gave a thumbs up and before I could put my left hand back on the bar I got a tank slapper of note and I became superman for a while there. I tucked my chin and went Into a barrel roll and then I was chewing sand. As in sand everywhere. Ears, eyes nose, every orifice was flooded with sand and I now know what a human plough must feel like!
As I hit the ground I rolled up and got to my feet. As I turned around there were 3 guys running to me! “Are you ok?” I replied that it must have been quite spectacular to watch and I was told I had no idea and they were disappointed that they did not have their camera`s rolling! I to the contrary was very happy that they had no evidence. The marshals gave me heaps of water to wash my face and flush my mouth to rid myself of the remains of the sandy grave I had tried to dig with my head. I was thankful and jumped back on my bike and was off after the waypoint which was 23 kilometers away.
As I crested the dune I noticed that I could see a flat surface with no dunes which ran for many kilometers just to my left. So I decided that I was done with climbing and took a ginger ride through this plain. In the end in the 23 Kilometers I had to crest only one Dune and when I met the tracks again I could see that my fellow competitors were all chewing through huge dunes to that point. I was later to find out that Joan Barreda Bort, the junior purely believes that the shortest distance between two points is in a straight line. So exactly where his arrow points him is where he goes. I suppose he will learn this in time to come.( Please Joan. Your straight as an arrow kills us ordinary folk at the back of the pack!)
The ride was uneventful till just before PC3 where I came across an abandoned KTM quad and then about 800meters from PC3 I came across a Husaberg. I stopped at PC3 and drank a liter of water with Rehydrate and had a chat to the marshals and to Manual Luchese who was the pilot of the Husaberg. It seems that this challenge was not being nice to him at all. Dave Donald caught up to me and went straight through the check point. I finished my re-hydrate and took off after him only to be behind him all the way in. I arrived to the finish without incident and things were good. Very Good.
I was elated to find out that some of my Friends, Phil, Lee and Hanno were coming up to the Bivouac to come and support me and to catch get some rally time in. It was a great in uplifting my spirits.
It is amazing when you do an event like this, you really realize how much we communicate on a day to day basis and now with these long hours you are really all alone. Luckily I am a solitary type of person.
Here is a pic of their camp site in the Bivouac!
Leg 4 to Continue………………………………………………….
Day 3`s Results
Overall Standings after Day 3
DirtyHarry
Race Dog
:thumleft: Alan, thanks a lot for your detailed report. It makes a great read. This rally thing is getting to me now.
I can't ride properly and now I want to sign up for the next rally myself. Scary shit.
Please guys, stop posting these fantastic rally reports :mwink:
I can't ride properly and now I want to sign up for the next rally myself. Scary shit.
Please guys, stop posting these fantastic rally reports :mwink:
That stage sounded like a lot of fun. Your description of a human plough made me laugh - I know what that feels like!
Kenisis
Race Dog
Sorry Boet. I undertook to write this ride report and I will finish.........................................................DirtyHarry said:
Mark Hardy
Grey Hound
Thank you so much for putting this RR together :thumleft:
I know I'll never be able to do something like this, even thou I would sell my soul for the opportunity.
Sometimes you have to live your dreams through others endeavours.
I know I'll never be able to do something like this, even thou I would sell my soul for the opportunity.
Sometimes you have to live your dreams through others endeavours.
Kenisis
Race Dog
I had a similar chat 2 years ago with Simon Pavey. His advice, Credit card Boet! Ride now pay later!Mark Hardy said:
Mark Hardy
Grey Hound
Kenisis said:
:imaposer: :imaposer: sounds like a plan :thumleft:
Kenisis
Race Dog
Day 4 leg 4 “NISSAN”
Total Distance : 522.05 KM
Liaison : 107.38 Km
Special Distance : 317.80 KM
Liaison : 96.87 Km
The Starting List
I woke up this morning feeling very well refreshed and it was an excellent start to the day. I checked up that my Supporters will still there and made sure that they were set for the Day. The previous evening I gave the guys a Book on the service points so that they could see us on route.
Phil managed to sneak off this shot of me kitting up in the morning!
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Starting the bike up
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
We got started that morning and we were sent on our way to the start some 107Km away. I rode with my Matthew Trehy and then eventually I was joined my Helder Rodrigues. I had decided to ride with earplugs in to stop the drone that happens and over a period of time it sounds like a bike is following you and actually you are on your own. I was also told that it could make me go faster. I think it did as I could not hear the motor and I was then not worried about damaging it. While we are riding along Helder pulls up next to me and I can hear him saying something. What I could not understand and it was as if he was looking for an answer. So I best as I could tried to indicate that I had ear plugs in and could not hear. He then nestles close to me and hold onto my handlebar and starts looking through my road book. This does not sound so bad but try riding along at 110km/h while he gets his bearing on my road book. We are then joined by Khalid Al Falasi and then the two of them ride ahead and have a huge conversation the whole way to the start. Thankfully I did not feel like I was going to fall off my bike at the hands of someone else.
We got to the start and were amped and ready to go. Today I was positive and I really just wanted to get going. I was sent on my merry way with a rider on a BMW. I took off like a race horse out of the starting gates. There were nice dunes ahead of us and I started jumping some of them. This is when a problem arose. Every time I landed or had a hard landing the bike would cut out for a second or two. This puts the bike off balance and punishes the suspension as the spring soaks this all up.
After about 2 km into the stage I became over ambitious and I jumped a Dune blind and landed in a huge hole with soft sand. As I was trying to dig my bike out of this 1,5m deep hole I hear another bike coming, Its Khalid and I show him off to the right about 10 m away so that he misses the hole. Then another bike and here comes Helder and I show him the line as well and as he comes past he shrugs his shoulders as if to say what on earth are you doing there?
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
I got the bike out of the hole and got on my way and then my mate James West came past me. He shouted a hearty Greeting and waved and was on his way. Thanks James, Just remember “Smile and Wave, Smile and Wave!” (One day I will elaborate on that)
I got through to Service and I had overtaken my arch-Competitor Dave Donald and was joined by a French Rider in our Stable Ivan. It took 3 days for the 2 of us to find each other, honestly riding with someone your own speed and skill set makes the ride that much better. The Stage was a lot faster than it was the previous days. We were flowing and things just worked out fine.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
The amazing thing that had happened and it was amazing that I noticed and I could ask that evening at riders briefing was that we would flow with beautiful lines for about 20 km and then we would hit 5 km of Shit Cresting stupid dunes and then we would flow again for 20km and back into 5 km of crap. As it turns out it was Marc Coma and Joan Barreda-Bort that were leading the stage and in my opinion you could see when Coma was leading and when Junior was leading. I suppose it comes with experience!
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
IVAN IVAN
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
During one of those 5km floppy sections Ivan Fell over and his seat came off his bike. I Stopped and helped him get the seat on. This would set the tone for the rest of the rally for us. When I stopped He stopped and Vice versa. I now could push as hard as I could for 30-45min and then let Ivan Ride in front and this made for easier less brain taxing stuff. It was nice to have a relief period where I did not have to stop to have a rest. I think my rests in the previous days were more for mental rejuvenation rather than for physical.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
We had an awesome ride and the rout today took us past the road where Service was 3 times and it is the greatest day for spectators. I came across my Supporters and I opted to stop and have a drink of water. We were only 40 km from the end. But this 40 km was going to be hard. Very hard.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Dave Donald caught up with me again and then he led us for a while. I pushed as hard as I could and got stuck in his dust. I got clever at a point where there was this Sabkha next to a road and I decided instead of riding around it I would steam roll my way through the middle of it treating it like a Hoop section. This went very well until at about 40km/h in the middle of the Sabkha I came across a hole that was about a meter deep and about 2 meters in Diameter. The last thing that I remember thinking is what Mark Ackerman and Phil told me many moons ago. If you can get your front wheel over it you will be fine. This was for obstacles and not craters. I managed to wheelie the bike just before the hole and got the front tire over and the back wheel must of hit the other side and this sent me flying. Unlike the previous day I managed to roll without burying my head into the sand. In a flash I was on my feet and picked my bike up and got going again. All the time I made up lost for nothing.
Dave Having a Smoke!
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
I caught up with Ivan and Dave and we rode together till we got to the tricky dunes and then Dave pulled away from us. We pushed through to the finish where we were met by Phil, Lee and Hanno and a couple of other people standing around. Including some Paramedics from the Helicopters.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
I mention these paramedics because when Dave came into the finish he was confronted by 3 lovely ladies and they were “Dared” To flash him when he came in. This caught him by such surprise that he did not know what to say. So he promptly pulled out a Fag and lit it! When Ivan and I arrived there was no such welcoming wagon for us. But we were happy that we had reached the end of this the longest day.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Dave just after the “Flashing”
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
After getting my time card signed off I took off on the long Liaison. 96.87Km. It may have been 500 km as my butt was very sore at this point. It`s amazing that all the way through the special you do not feel anything but as soon as you get back on tar you start hurting and aching! On this liaison I tried almost everything. I sat normally, then onto the left cheek, then onto the right. I would stand for a while and then sit again. Slowly but surely the aches and pains were back. Then I start again and in the end I eventually end up sitting side saddle as well. That 96 km did not want to end that day. For you Dakar Riders, Big respect to be able to ride 700 km after a special.
I went back to the bivouac and I was all smile. I stripped off as it was really hot and went for a shower! An ice cold swimming pool would have been terrific at that point but I never made it upto the hotel.
I went to get my road book and then I sat down with the boys and I did the amendments and coloured it in for the next day. While I was doing this I did against better judgment decide to have a beer with the Boys. The one ended up being 3 and I then realized the toll of exercise on me as I was flying rather high after those beers. We all braai`d and I decided to get as much liquid into my system as I could so I was back on the Cytomax and the Water. We had a awesome dinner and I went off to bed.
I lay in bed and I reflected on the last 4 days and it hit me hard. I may just finish the Challenge. Time had flown faster than you can imagine. I woke up that next morning feeling excited. I was going to sleep in a nice bed and get to see Swambo again.
Leg 5 to Continue………………………………………………….
Day 4`s Results
Overall Standings after Day 4
Total Distance : 522.05 KM
Liaison : 107.38 Km
Special Distance : 317.80 KM
Liaison : 96.87 Km
The Starting List
I woke up this morning feeling very well refreshed and it was an excellent start to the day. I checked up that my Supporters will still there and made sure that they were set for the Day. The previous evening I gave the guys a Book on the service points so that they could see us on route.
Phil managed to sneak off this shot of me kitting up in the morning!
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Starting the bike up
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
We got started that morning and we were sent on our way to the start some 107Km away. I rode with my Matthew Trehy and then eventually I was joined my Helder Rodrigues. I had decided to ride with earplugs in to stop the drone that happens and over a period of time it sounds like a bike is following you and actually you are on your own. I was also told that it could make me go faster. I think it did as I could not hear the motor and I was then not worried about damaging it. While we are riding along Helder pulls up next to me and I can hear him saying something. What I could not understand and it was as if he was looking for an answer. So I best as I could tried to indicate that I had ear plugs in and could not hear. He then nestles close to me and hold onto my handlebar and starts looking through my road book. This does not sound so bad but try riding along at 110km/h while he gets his bearing on my road book. We are then joined by Khalid Al Falasi and then the two of them ride ahead and have a huge conversation the whole way to the start. Thankfully I did not feel like I was going to fall off my bike at the hands of someone else.
We got to the start and were amped and ready to go. Today I was positive and I really just wanted to get going. I was sent on my merry way with a rider on a BMW. I took off like a race horse out of the starting gates. There were nice dunes ahead of us and I started jumping some of them. This is when a problem arose. Every time I landed or had a hard landing the bike would cut out for a second or two. This puts the bike off balance and punishes the suspension as the spring soaks this all up.
After about 2 km into the stage I became over ambitious and I jumped a Dune blind and landed in a huge hole with soft sand. As I was trying to dig my bike out of this 1,5m deep hole I hear another bike coming, Its Khalid and I show him off to the right about 10 m away so that he misses the hole. Then another bike and here comes Helder and I show him the line as well and as he comes past he shrugs his shoulders as if to say what on earth are you doing there?
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
I got the bike out of the hole and got on my way and then my mate James West came past me. He shouted a hearty Greeting and waved and was on his way. Thanks James, Just remember “Smile and Wave, Smile and Wave!” (One day I will elaborate on that)
I got through to Service and I had overtaken my arch-Competitor Dave Donald and was joined by a French Rider in our Stable Ivan. It took 3 days for the 2 of us to find each other, honestly riding with someone your own speed and skill set makes the ride that much better. The Stage was a lot faster than it was the previous days. We were flowing and things just worked out fine.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
The amazing thing that had happened and it was amazing that I noticed and I could ask that evening at riders briefing was that we would flow with beautiful lines for about 20 km and then we would hit 5 km of Shit Cresting stupid dunes and then we would flow again for 20km and back into 5 km of crap. As it turns out it was Marc Coma and Joan Barreda-Bort that were leading the stage and in my opinion you could see when Coma was leading and when Junior was leading. I suppose it comes with experience!
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
IVAN IVAN
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
During one of those 5km floppy sections Ivan Fell over and his seat came off his bike. I Stopped and helped him get the seat on. This would set the tone for the rest of the rally for us. When I stopped He stopped and Vice versa. I now could push as hard as I could for 30-45min and then let Ivan Ride in front and this made for easier less brain taxing stuff. It was nice to have a relief period where I did not have to stop to have a rest. I think my rests in the previous days were more for mental rejuvenation rather than for physical.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
We had an awesome ride and the rout today took us past the road where Service was 3 times and it is the greatest day for spectators. I came across my Supporters and I opted to stop and have a drink of water. We were only 40 km from the end. But this 40 km was going to be hard. Very hard.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Dave Donald caught up with me again and then he led us for a while. I pushed as hard as I could and got stuck in his dust. I got clever at a point where there was this Sabkha next to a road and I decided instead of riding around it I would steam roll my way through the middle of it treating it like a Hoop section. This went very well until at about 40km/h in the middle of the Sabkha I came across a hole that was about a meter deep and about 2 meters in Diameter. The last thing that I remember thinking is what Mark Ackerman and Phil told me many moons ago. If you can get your front wheel over it you will be fine. This was for obstacles and not craters. I managed to wheelie the bike just before the hole and got the front tire over and the back wheel must of hit the other side and this sent me flying. Unlike the previous day I managed to roll without burying my head into the sand. In a flash I was on my feet and picked my bike up and got going again. All the time I made up lost for nothing.
Dave Having a Smoke!
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
I caught up with Ivan and Dave and we rode together till we got to the tricky dunes and then Dave pulled away from us. We pushed through to the finish where we were met by Phil, Lee and Hanno and a couple of other people standing around. Including some Paramedics from the Helicopters.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
I mention these paramedics because when Dave came into the finish he was confronted by 3 lovely ladies and they were “Dared” To flash him when he came in. This caught him by such surprise that he did not know what to say. So he promptly pulled out a Fag and lit it! When Ivan and I arrived there was no such welcoming wagon for us. But we were happy that we had reached the end of this the longest day.
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Dave just after the “Flashing”
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
Picture Courtesy of 50 Phil
After getting my time card signed off I took off on the long Liaison. 96.87Km. It may have been 500 km as my butt was very sore at this point. It`s amazing that all the way through the special you do not feel anything but as soon as you get back on tar you start hurting and aching! On this liaison I tried almost everything. I sat normally, then onto the left cheek, then onto the right. I would stand for a while and then sit again. Slowly but surely the aches and pains were back. Then I start again and in the end I eventually end up sitting side saddle as well. That 96 km did not want to end that day. For you Dakar Riders, Big respect to be able to ride 700 km after a special.
I went back to the bivouac and I was all smile. I stripped off as it was really hot and went for a shower! An ice cold swimming pool would have been terrific at that point but I never made it upto the hotel.
I went to get my road book and then I sat down with the boys and I did the amendments and coloured it in for the next day. While I was doing this I did against better judgment decide to have a beer with the Boys. The one ended up being 3 and I then realized the toll of exercise on me as I was flying rather high after those beers. We all braai`d and I decided to get as much liquid into my system as I could so I was back on the Cytomax and the Water. We had a awesome dinner and I went off to bed.
I lay in bed and I reflected on the last 4 days and it hit me hard. I may just finish the Challenge. Time had flown faster than you can imagine. I woke up that next morning feeling excited. I was going to sleep in a nice bed and get to see Swambo again.
Leg 5 to Continue………………………………………………….
Day 4`s Results
Overall Standings after Day 4
Mark Hardy
Grey Hound
every day you seem to be creeping up the leader board :thumleft:
- Joined
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Coma had a bad day?
Great report!
Great report!
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